I Disclaim

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The Loser's Club Ch.17

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The place was packed and a complete success, and she walked the crowded around with her head held high, she had done a great job, along with Gabriel and Antonio's help. After spending the last two weeks with each man, Amanda was sure of one thing for certain, her earlier dislike of the child she came to known as Kay Bennet, wasn't at all about Antonio. She had talked to him very briefly about their past, and it had been enlightening she had blamed Antonio for several years for their break up.

Being discovered her by younger brother Drew, had been the nail in their coffin. He couldn't be swayed to keep the secret, and told his grandfather. Her mother understood and tried to be helpful, but her father wasn't at all moved and took swift action against Antonio, and removed him from Harmony before sending Amanda herself to a boarding in London. In the end she had to thank Antonio, if they hadn't been exiled then she would have never of met Danielle Cortez, and consequently not her oldest brother Gabriel, the real reason for dislike of the young girl.

Amanda looked around trying to find her ex-fiancée, eager to see him, but not eager to be seen, Gabriel had a way of making her feel like a shy and awkward little girl never able to please him, but it hadn't always been that way. There was a time when he would walk into a room, and she would feel like the most precious thing in the world, but she had let her father and grandfather distrust him, and hot off Antonio's supposed betrayal she hadn't been able to believe in another man.

She spotted him quickly enough, and with the same speed became disappointed, He was with the Bennet girl. Amanda was quickly beginning to dislike this girl, she had seen her brother Ethan earlier in the week, he too bragged about his lovely half-sister that was studying that was working hard in school during the summer. It was getting so that she hated the sound of the girls name.

"Hello, big sister." Drew walked up behind her, and followed her stare." Shame, shame does grandfather know that you're here lusting after your ex?"

"Drew, shut up." Amanda turned away from the scene and looked at her brother. "Shouldn't you be charming some old biddy?"

Drew grimaced, his grandfather hadn't been kidding when he said that he was here for PR, he had spend everyday since he arrived sucking up to people, and being charismatic, but now he wanted have some fun. He had played nice for some townsfolk earlier, but now his plans including finding a woman and letting loose. "I already did my quota for the day, and I'm now taking some time off."

Amanda narrowed her eyes, Draw's idea of taking time off always included a woman, he was a bad as their father." Just try to stay out of trouble, Harmony is not a town where a Crane will get a slap on the wrist, screw up and they may hang you."

Amanda walked off leaving her brother searching for area for a something that striked his fancy, and he attention returns to Gabriel, for the first time he notices the young woman he was speaking with. She was breathtaking in a very unconventional way, with her long brown hair and a body that a saint couldn't resist, and he was no saint. Drew moved forward and stood by waiting for his chance to speak to the beauty.

"Well Lovely Kay, are you enjoying your day at the carnival?" Gabe grabbed Kay's hand for his usual kiss.

"Hi, Gabe."

" Lovely Kay, I have waited patiently, and now I must ask for you to either love me or leave me."

Kay shook her head and motioned behind her where a large man stood behind her, who she greatly resembled, by him was a short red haired woman that smiled demurely. " Gabe, have you meet my parents? "

"I don't believe I've had the pleasure, but as I've asked for your daughters hands it only seems fitting." He steeped forward and recognized the similarities between not just Kay and her father, but Ethan as well. Gabe extended his hand to the man. "Gabe Cortez, it's a pleasure Chief Bennet." The man obviously took Gabe's flirting seriously because he attempt at a handshake was designed to break his hand. " And this vision of loveliness next to you must be Lovely Kay's mother." Bending gallantly he smiles at the couple, and returns his gaze to Kay. " Now Lovely Kay, I require an answer, is it heaven or heartbreak?"

"Gabe, I'm sorry I don't think I'm ready for you yet, to possibly ever." Kay laughed as Gabe faked heartbreak, and wiped his tears away.

"Fine, but I'll tell you this Lovely Kay Bennet, I'm will go down as your biggest regret." Gabe bowed to her parents before walking off pausing every once in a while to look back longing."

"That's Ethan's boss, and the head of one of the largest construction companies in North America?" Sam had heard rumors that Gabe Cortez acted a little off, but since two of his children seemed to know him, he had hoped they were just rumors. "Is he always like that?"

Kay stared off in the direction in which Gabe left, and thought back on all her meeting with him." Yeah, pretty much, but he's harmless."

Deciding to try something Kay continued. "But I could probably do worse, he's tall, dark, handsome, and successful."

Sam nod, but then quickly frowns." He's too old for you."

"Not that much older, say about seven years." Kay was lying Gabe was almost ten years her senior, but she needed to know how acceptable Brian was going to be.

"Still too old, maybe Miguel has another friend he could fix you up with." Sam smiled hopefully, he had like Reese Durkee, and trusted Miguel, he didn't want to know the kind of guys Kay would hook up with on her own, he oldest daughter still had a rebellious streak, that he feared would get her mixed up with the wrong guy. "Maybe I should ask around at the station."

"NO." Kay didn't want to know the kind of guy her father would think appropriate, she picture someone from the Chess club, that wore plaid and carried and inhaler. " I'm sure I can meet a man on my own."

"If you're sure." Grace had watched the conversation with amusement, she didn't know Kay that well, but she knew she didn't have clue one about the kind of guy her daughter would like. "We're going to check how John and Jessica are doing at the kissing booth."

"Okay." Kay watches her parents walk off and thanks her lucky stars that she missed dinner the night that they were campaigning for their children to be involved in the carnival attractions, unfortunately her sister and half-brother weren't so lucky, but that wasn't her problem.

Kay began walking though the games area hoping to find Brian, they hadn't seen as much of each other as either of them wanted, what with the carnival and her midterms coming up, and she was beginning to miss him.

"Excuse me, but I was wondering if you could tell me what heaven was like when you last left it?"

Kay stopped in her tracks at the absurdity of the pick up line, and looked at the unfortunate man that delivered it. He was blond, tall, and cute, if you liked that kind of guy, and Kay never did. " Tell me you just didn't say that?"

He shrugged his massive shoulders and moved closer. "Well, I had to get your attention" Drew smiled and extended his hand. "My name's Drew and are you?"

"Just leaving." Kay sidestepped him and slipped into a tent that was being used as the fortunetellers', but right now the woman was gone, and the room was empty except for the couple in a heavy make out session in the corner.

The couple that didn't seem to notice she had entered.

The couple that looked very familiar to her.

The couple that she now recognized as Simone Russell and Reese Durkee.

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Coming Soon:

The carnival has just begun, and there is more fun on the way.