JB was setting up the new inventory when Riley bounded in waving a dollar bill. "Breakfast!" she said breathlessly, grabbing a bagel wrapped in plastic wrap and pushing the dollar into JB's hands. "I'm late to set, thanks, JB."

JB blinked as the door shut. He shook his head and went back to sorting the cans of Campbell's soup. Riley was so hurried lately, he didn't know how she put up with her schedule. She had called him the night before nearly in tears because for the first time she didn't understand her homework. JB had finally managed to calm her down and get her to really look at her work. He was worried that she was crashing. Not that he knew anything about it, but from watching Jett, the acting life was pretty stressful.

"JB!" Ida Halliburton called from the back of the store. "Do we have any more price labels for the sticker gun?"

JB reached up and grabbed the new roll of stickies. He brought them over to his mother who stuck one on his forehead. "Was that Riley before?"

"Yep," JB answered, pushing the little button on the sticker gun, depositing little white rectangles on the dull silver of the tuna cans his mother had arranged in a box.

"She's coming by here pretty often," Ida said pointedly, nudging her son playfully.

JB grinned. "Don't imply anything, Mom. I don't like her like that." But he was blushing and Ida laughed.

"Oh, JB, I diapered that bottom of yours, I know you," she said. "Riley's a great girl, there's no shame in liking her. I don't think she'd hesitate to say no to you, either."

JB's cheeks were burning. "Stop it, Mom."

Ida smiled and shook her head. She knew the warning tone in her son's voice, and she knew to refrain from her teasing. But she still felt that Riley and JB weren't such an impossibility.

The little bell over the door tinkled as JB swung out the door. "I'm going to Jett's!" he called back. "I'll be back later!"

"Okay!" Ida responded. "Be back before it's dark, it's Sunday and Grammy and Pop are coming over for dinner."

"You got it." JB bounded down the street in the direction of the Jackson house.

* * * *

"Hi, JB," Miz Corretta greeted as JB walked into the living, followed by Wood, who had let him in. "Jett's up in his room with Kayla, if you're wondering."

"I figured," JB grinned. "I just popped in to say hi." He took the stairs two at a time and pushed Jett's door open.

Jett and Kayla were sitting on Jett's bed, going through and old photo album of Jett's. "I always dressed like such a guy," Kayla groaned, and then looked up as JB came into the room. "Hey, JB."

"Hey, man," Jett said with his usual smile. "What's up? Didn't feel like using the window?"

JB laughed. He and Jett had always gotten into each others' rooms through the windows, especially when they used to sneak out of the house late at night to visit each other. "Not today, Jackson. Anyway, there's the big town carnival coming up in two days, and I came over to ask you if you're coming."

JB didn't quite understand the look that passed between Jett and Kayla, and Kayla's muffled giggling, but he looked expectantly at Jett. "Sure thing, man," Jett said. "Have you asked Riley about it yet?"

JB shook his head. "Nope," he said. "She kinda came running in and out really fast before I could get a word out. She grabbed a bagel, threw a dollar at me, and ran."

Kayla laughed. "Yeah, that's our Riley. The little dynamo." She tossed a photograph toward JB and grinned. "Look at us back in eighth grade."

JB smiled as he looked down at the glossy picture. Kayla's hair was incredibly long, her eyebrows unsculpted, Jett was much shorter and younger-looking, and JB had longer hair and the same crooked grin he'd always had. They really had grown up.

"There's only one person missing," JB said without even realizing he'd spoken.

Jett squeezed Kayla's hand and then handed JB a second picture. It was him, Jett, Kayla, and Riley on the set of Silverstone at Riley's birthday party three months ago.

"Can you believe school starts in a week?" Jett flopped back down on his bed. "Feels like we didn't even have a summer vacation."

"Yeah," JB agreed, putting the photos back on Jett's bed. "Ask Riley later on set, will you? She owes me a round of air hockey. She told me she could beat me hands down at the midway."

Jett laughed. "Sure thing, JB."

JB swung out of the room, singing some pop song at the top of his lungs. Jett and Kayla heard Miz Corretta laugh as she let JB out. "Night JB!" they heard Wood call, and the door shut.

Jett and Kayla piled the photos back into their shoebox and put it back under Jett's bed. "Well, I better get home," Kayla said, looking out the window at the rapidly darkening sky. "My parents will be wondering where I am."

Jett followed her down the stairs and planted a kiss on her lips as he opened the door. "See you on Saturday?"

"Of course. I'll expect you at noon sharp, Jackson," Kayla teased. She kissed him again and bounded down the steps. "And you better take me on the Ferris Wheel!"

Jett laughed. "Of course."

Kayla ran down the street and out of sight and Jett closed the door with a big grin.