Charm: HEY EVERYONE! I HAVE RETURNED FROM A PARTY!!! And I'm dead tired. *rubs eyes* But I'm gonna hafta get like twenty can of pepsi and get on caffine! Muwaha!

Squid: Omg.

Charm: Silence! Anyway! Onward to the chapter!!!!!! Btw way Rain!!! I got to see part of the Newies! I was so mad that I didn't get to finish it! I'm gonna hafta buy it! It's awesome!!!!!! ^^ I'm thinking about maybe two more chapters for this story after this one. If you guys have any ideas PLEASE tell me cuz I have no clue how to end this story. Talley I dunno if you ACTUALLY meant that one review about Squid proposing... If you did please tell me... That might work better than I first thought. ^^

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Chapter Fifteen: Tearful Goodbyes and Future Desires

Brianna slowly took the phone from Shaily. "Hello?" she asked.

"Hey Charm," replied Kayla's voice. She seemed nervous. Brianna covered the receiver and took a deep breath. This was so nerve racking. She released the receiver.

"Claw," she whispered. "What're ya callin' for?" Squid adored her beautiful New Orleans accent.

"I, uh, wanted to tell ya good luck, Bri."

"What?"

"With Squid, your new life, everything." Kayla said seriously. Brianna blinked.

"But Claw I thought you were going to start over too!" whimpered Brianna. She heard Kayla giving an almost fake sounding laugh. It was a laugh that didn't seem natural to Kayla's personality. "Claw?"

"It's time Charm," Kayla said. "You and I knew that one day we'd go our serperate ways.

Well, it's time. I know ya probably the me for this but I-."

"No," Brianna whispered. "I understand ya completely. Ya still wanna live a crazy life doncha? Well just to let ya know, make sure ya get people ya can trust with your life. That's the basis of a gang of friendship. If ya ever change yer mind yer always welcome back."

"Thanks Bri," Kayla said almost grateful. "Oh! I also wanted to say thanks. Thanks for saving me from being a nutcase murderer. I dunno what the hell I would do if I never met you. Thanks so much. If yer ever in New Orleans, look me up."

"Don't worry. I will." Brianna was on the verge of tears as they bid each other a final goodbye. Brianna turned the phone off and handed it back to Shaily. She went back onto the porch and stared out onto the evening horizon. Squid came up behind her. He placed his arms around her waist.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said turning to him. One silent tear was sliding down her face.

"You're crying," Squid pointed out. She smiled almost joyfully.

"She doesn't need me anymore. Claw can do what she wants now. I'm proud of her."

***

"YOU'RE HAPPY SHE LEFT!?" shouted Shaily.

"SHE COULD RUIN US!" growled Susan.

"Not just that BUT GIVE AWAY OUR SECRETS!" yelled Michelle.

"HOW CAN YOU BE HAPPY?!" they shouted in unison.

"She's free to do what she wants. Ya'll gonna leave me sometime. Sooner or later it WILL happen. I'm not to control yer lives forever. I've got my future all ready. Y'know ya don't wanna be gangters the rest of yer lives." Brianna answered them. Shaily, Michelle, and Susan all sat down pondering the question. It did make sense. Brianna was right. They didn't want to be criminals forever. "D'you understand?" Brianna added. They nodded.

* Next Day *

Brianna was laying on the couch at Squid's house. He was growing worried about her. She hadn't done a thing in a while. She just watched TV all day long. Squid finally was growing irritated by her behavior. He knelt down beside her. "What are you doin'?" he asked.

"I've been thinkin' about my future. I wanna go to college," whispered Brianna, blushing in embarrassment. If she told this to her friends they'd laugh at her. No one knew how book smart Brianna was. In New Orleans she had dropped out of High School to be a full time criminal. While she was gone she was enrolled into school but hardly went. She skipped almost every day.

But now...

Now everything was different. She wanted to fix her life. She wanted to go back to school and start over again. "Does that sound stupid from me or what?" laughed Brianna realizing reality. She couldn't do anything with ehr life since she already had screwed it up. Squid grinned and kissed her lightly.

"No," he said simply.

"What?"

"No it sounds great! I think you could go to college. Even though I'll miss you horribly." Squid said quietly in her ear. She started to laugh. "What? I'm serious!"

"I know but yer talking in my ear!" she said giggling. Squid kissed her mouth. Then he quickly pulled away. Brianna got onto the floor next to Squid and rested her head againest his shoulder. "Hey Alan... Whaddya wanna do with yer life?" she asked him.

"Well I'm started school last year. I'm a Junior this year. I wanna go to college too."

"What are ya gonna study?" He blushed. "What?"

"Marine Biology."

"I finally understand yer nickname!" Brianna exclaimed. Squid looked at her thinking she was a little late in the game for that. "Ok that had nothing to do with college but ok!" she said brightly. Squid kissed her cheek lightly. "What college d'you wanna go to?"

"Not really sure."

"I wanna go to New Orleans Univerisity and then to Harvard Law School."

"Havard?!"

"I wanna be a lawyer... I know... It sounds weird but I think I could do it! I really do."

"But-!"

"You don't think I could do it," she whispered.

"No no! It's just Havard?! That's a VERY picky school! You shouldn't get yer hopes up about gettin' into that school!" exclaimed Squid, looking alarmed at her reaction. Brianna got a crestfallen look on her face. She looked down at the floor. Squid looked over at her and lifted her face up by the chin. He looked directly into her green eyes. "But I never said you

WOULDN'T get in, did I?"

"Oh Alan! Yer such a brown noser," Brianna nuzzling him lightly.

"Very funny," Squid said back to her.

"When does school start again?" asked Brianna.

"End of next month."

"Good then I'll have to get registered and all that great stuff."

"Oh suck it up Brianna."

"Oh shut up."

* Next Month *

"God damn school shopping," muttered Squid. He hated shopping.

"Oh suck it up!" Brianna using his own words againest him. He rolled his eyes. Brianna had been to the High School and registered herself for the new school year. She was going to be a Sophmore. She was a year behind because she dropped out of school halfway through her Sophmore year. "C'mon we've gotta lot of shopping to do!"

"Oh come on this is retarded!"

"Everything to you is," muttered Brianna.

"I heard that!" yelled Squid.

"Oh can you think positive for once?!" asked Brianna, glancing at Squid as she picked out what kind of backpack she wanted.

"Well atleast this year I'll have MY honey at the school dances," Squid said kissing Brianna's cheek from behind her. She started to laugh.

"Now stop! We've gotta meet Shaily, Zig, Susan, Magnet, Michelle and Twitch at the fountain!

Stop fooling around!" Brianna said as she threw three more things into her shopping cart.

"Alan! Stop playing with the five year old supplies!" she yelled.

"Sorry!" Squid said as he put the pencils down. "Ruin my fun!"

"Ouch that hurt," Brianna muttered. "Didya pick out a binder yet?"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Squid said throwing a black binder into the cart. Brianna kissed him.

"Good boy," she said laughing. "I'm so proud of you." Squid grinned and grabbed her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Gotcha," he whispered. She looked at him questionably. He stared into her eyes and kissed her quickly on the mouth. She pulled away after they had kissed for about two minutes. She held him tightly. "I-I'm gonna miss you when you go off to college." He said.

"Me too," she answered. "But we shouldn't worry about that now right?"

"Right!" he said before giving her a quick peck on the forhead.

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOIN'!?" shouted Shaily from across the store.

Squid and Brianna pulled away from their embrace and grinned over at Shaily. Shaily sweared and walked out of the store. "C'mon," laughed Brianna. "We should really pay for this stuff now." Squid nodded and followed Brianna to the check out counter. Brianna paid for the items and they grabbed the bags and headed toward the fountain. Shaily, Michelle, Susan, Twitch, Magnet, and Zig were all waiting.

"About time!" shouted Susan.

"Were you two makin' out in the store, God!" muttered Magnet. Squid glared at Magnet and Brianna glared at Squid.

"Watch it Magnet!" growled Squid. Brianna nudged him in the stomach. "Damn!"

"You calm down," Brianna said.

"Whatever," Squid muttered.

"Let's go already! C'mon!" Zig Zag grumbled. Michelle rolled her eyes.

"Yeah let's go! I'm hungrey!" whispered Brianna. Everyone agreed and went outside to the parking lot. Squid and Brianna hopped into Squid's car and drove back to his house.

"I'll carry that for you," said Squid.

"No, that's alright! I'm fine!" said Brianna as she held her bags. Squid wasn't so sure about that. He was slightly protective of Brianna since the Mad Dog incident. "I'm fine Alan," she assured him. He nodded and followed her into the house.

"Alan? Are you two home?" yelled his mother from the kitchen.

"Yeah mom we are!" called out Squid. "We're back."

"Oh well put you school stuff up your room ok Alan?"

"RIght mom." Squid said as him and Brianna went up the staircase. They walked into Squid's room and placed the bags of school supplies onto his floor. Squid grabbed the last bag and found Brianna laying down on his bed. "What're you doin'?"

"I'm dead tired," she muttered.

"Figures." Squid replied. She threw his pillow at him. "Ow!"

"Shut up! My head hurts."

Squid laughed and walked over to his bed. He got down beside her and gently ran his hand through her dark chesnut hair. He looked down at her face to see her eyes shut. She was tired. He leaned into her ear and whispered, "You had me from hello." He smiled and kissed her cheek before letting her sleep. She stirred but settled as soon as he left the room. Squid walked downstairs and saw his mother sitting in the living room watching TV. "Mom?" he asked.

"Shh," his mother silenced him. Something was on the news.

"Today former Scorpion Gang Members were found wondering the streets. The local police have Terry "Lure" Markson, Jade "Blondie" Handleson, and Cassie "Blade" Derickson in custody at the local Juvinelle Center. More details will be available as soon as possible," said a almost shocked news caster. Squid blinked. Those Scorpions were still hanging around the area. He sat down next to his mother hoping more details would come up.

It was a half an hour before more details came onto the TV. "We have just received word that the Scorpions have only told them only four words. "Charm is a murderer" was all the Scorpions would say to the police authorities. The Scorpions, as the police inform us, are missing two members. One Derick last name unknown, and the leader Marcus "Mad Dog" Sheldon. The only person who might have an idea to the whereabouts is Mad Dog's former member, girlfriend, and founder of The Strips, Brianna Lyn "Charm" Barlow-Synch. But sources are not sure of her whereabouts at this time. More detail at eleven."

Squid jumped up from the couch before his mother said a word. He ran upstairs and into his room. "Brianna! Get up!" he said shaking her gently. She awoke.

"Wha-?" she slurred. Squid explained what the news had said about the Scorpions. Brianna just laughed. Squid stared at her as if she was crazy.

"How can you be laughing!?" shouted Squid.

"Easy. The police have nuttin on me since I helped 'em catch those bastards and I killed Mad Dog outta self defense. So there's nothing for me to worry about. Derick, he's nuttin to worry about either. He just a steriod freak." Brianna explained to calm Squid down.

"But my mom!"

"Aw she's the least of my worries," Brianna muttered.

"What!?"

"Matt's still out there unless he went back to Brooklyn. Please dear God... I hope he is back there in Brooklyn."

"So THAT'S where you were?! BROOKLYN!?"

"Yeah! I got family friends in Manhatten but I hung around Brooklyn."

"Oh my God!" Squid shouted. "How the hell didya get here from BROOKLYN!?"

Brianna winked, "Great thing about having rich family friends..."

"You didn't!"

"I did! I kinda swiped them of spare cash and got myself a ticket to find you and my buddies!" she answered bubblely. Squid rolled his eyes but couldn't resist her resourcfulness. You just had to love her (except all you freak flamers out there!). He kissed her on the mouth. She placed her arms around his neck and his arms around her waist. They pulled away in unision and rested againest eachother. "I love you."

"I love ya too," Squid whispered back to Brianna. She nuzzled him. They didn't want to let eachother go. They were happy in this embrace. Nothing could bother them while they were like this. Nothing. Not even Matt.

"Are you excited about school?" asked Brianna, breaking the silence.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because I'll have a knock'em dead date for the proms."

"You're so weird. Y'know that!" Brianna answered giving him a kiss.

"Yeah well it's the truth!"

"Alan..."

"What?!"

"Stop brown nosing."

"Oh damn," Squid muttered.

"What?" asked Brianna.

"Ya caught me!" he said laughing. Brianna rolled her eyes and rested her head againest his chest. Squid was getting tired of sitting up so he slowly laid back onto his bed with Brianna head laying on his chest.

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Charm: AWWW! Ok stop. How'd ya like it. I thought was really romantic... Omg. Heh!

Squid: Gross.

Charm: *glomps Squid* You know you just LOVE the attention.

Squid: *rolls eyes* Whatever. *pushes Charm off of him*

Charm: HEY! DON'T HURT GIRLS YA MEANIE!!!!!!! *grabs the duct tape and chases Squid

around* R+R!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!