A/N: Were getting to the end! One chapter after this! The story will be done on April 1st!

Ch. 21: The Dance

It was Saturday morning. The dance was at eight. Raul got a job in a camera factory, loading boxes of cameras onto trucks. Lars didn't work yet he needed to get a job though to remain in night school.

Lately Reggie and Otto would go over to Lars' Lars and Otto were becoming friends. (A/N: WHOA!) Something nobody would have imagined happening. But since Twister was gone, Otto needed someone to hang around.

Lars still wasn't eating right he ate once a day if that. He felt weak and hungry, and yet, he didn't want to eat. It was an hour before the dance. Lars had rented a limo to take Reggie and him to the dance. Reggie came over she was wearing a pale blue dress, and had her hair up in a bun. They waited for the limo to get there. It finally did, unfortunately they were late. When they got to the dance it went on just as any normal dance would. People danced...and talked...and good stuff like that!

Everyone seemed to be having a great time. But at around 9:30 Lars started feeling sick. Him and Reggie were dancing when suddenly Lars collapsed. Reggie went to get help while people started crowding around Lars. He was rushed to the hospital.

Reggie waited out in the hospital waiting room for Otto, Raul and Ray to get to the hospital. The doctor came to Reggie and told her that Lars seemed to be malnourished and asked her what he had been eating. "Not much," she replied. The doctor looked at her as if to say what kind of answer is that? "His brother died not too long ago, he's still upset." He nodded and left. Soon Otto, Raul and Ray showed up. It wasn't long before they could go and see Lars. He had an IV putting food into him. He laid awake staring at the white ceiling. Otto, Ray and Reggie went home. Reggie promised Lars she'd be back in the morning. Raul stayed with his son over night.

The next morning Lars woke up, his dad was gone but Reggie was there just as she had promised.

"Your dad had to go to work," She said quietly. She held Lars' hand. "I was so scared last night."

Lars frowned. "I'm sorry you ruined your dance."

"You didn't."

Later Raul came to pick Reggie and Lars up. After some tests the doctors let Lars leave. Reggie went to her house and Lars and Raul went to theirs. Lars went up stairs while Raul slumped down onto the couch. Since all of the things that had been going on, like Twister dying, and his lack of food, he hadn't really thought much. "Aren't I supposed to be mad at my dad?" He asked himself. He decided it didn't matter now. He was just grateful for company.

A/N: Sorry this took SO long. I've been sick with pneumonia. I've still got a pretty bad sore throat and cough!