Friday night at six thirty, there was a knock on the back door. Duncan answered it and found Angie and two other teens standing in the alley.
"Hi, Angie." He stepped aside and let them in. "You two must be Beth and Cameron. I'm Duncan."
"Hey," they greeted.
"Richie ready?" Angie asked.
"He's in his room, go on back."
Angie led the way through the kitchen to Richie's room.
"Damn!" Cameron exclaimed when Richie opened the door and let them into his room. His eyes glanced around the large bedroom filled with two guitars, a drum kit, TV, Nintendo, stereo, overflowing CD tower, king sized bed… "Moving on up, are we?"
Richie smirked and tied on his boots. "Trying to make it look that way."
"You ready?" Beth asked impatiently. "I'm starved."
"Yeah, lemme grab my jacket." They went out into the hallway and Richie got his racing jacket out of the hall closet.
"Why do you even want to hang out with us, man?" Cameron continued looking over the posh living room.
"What are you talking about?" They trooped out to the back door. "BYE!" Richie yelled over his shoulder before leaving.
"Why go back to the Hood when you've made it in the Heights?" Cameron continued as they piled into Beth's Mazda that she shared with her brother.
"I haven't made it in the Heights," he insisted. "I just got a lucky break. So where are we going?"
"Emerald Mist," Beth said from the driver's seat. "That Irish pub where that retro club used to be."
"Awesome." Richie leaned back in his seat and looked over at Angie. "I'm supposed to ask you about a corsage."
"What about it?"
"Do you want one?"
"Hadn't thought about it. My mom made me get you one of those….things." She held her hand up to her left shoulder. "Those flowers, you know?"
"Then I'll keep my order for yours," he decided.
"Yours is in the fridge."
"I have to pick yours up tomorrow."
"Did you get me one?" Beth asked Cameron.
"Um..."
"I'm picking it up for him tomorrow," Richie cut in. "What color was your dress again?"
"Blue."
"That is what I told you, right?" Cameron asked, playing along.
"Yeah. Just wanted to make sure."
"You two are smooth," Angie laughed.
"So not close to getting away with it," Beth added. "But a decent try."
"Worth a try," Richie shrugged.
They arrived at the pub and were seated at a table in a dark corner. They sat and talked about what all was going on in their lives.
"School is horrible," Cameron was saying as their food arrived. "I can't wait to get exams outta the way."
"That's why Richie and I already graduated," Beth bragged.
"Barely," Angie added.
"Speak for yourself," Richie defended. "I didn't do too bad."
"What was your average?"
"B."
Angie nodded her approval. "Not too shabby."
"So don't rag," he teased her, shoving her a little.
"Better not, I may need a tutor," she shoved him back.
He laughed and snagged a chip off of her plate. "Don't look at me, I don't remember anything."
"Stop taking my food! You got chips of your own you know."
"Taste better this way." He took another.
She slapped at his hand and tried to push him away. "Thief!"
"Hey, no need to get personal…" he laughed.
"Why don't you two just kiss and get it over with?" Beth asked.
"I don't like him like that," Angie insisted.
"Oh, pa-leese," Beth drawled. "You two have had the hots for each other for years."
"Sure, whatever," Richie said.
"Look, you're blushing!"
"I am not!"
"Beth, can you not play matchmaker for one day?" Cameron asked. "If they don't want to go out then chill."
"I'm just saying, it pretty obvious."
"Chill."
Richie waltzed into the loft at two o'clock that morning. Tessa was asleep on the couch with a book open on her chest. The lamp was on and there was a cup of cold tea on the coffee table. He debated if he should wake her or not, but decided that the couch was too uncomfortable to leave her there the rest of the night.
He took the book from her hands and gently shook her shoulder. "Tess," he whispered. "Tess, I'm home."
"Hum?" she shifted her weight and opened her eyes.
"I'm home," he said again.
"What time is it?" she squinted at the clock across the dark room.
"Late enough for you to get mad when I tell you what time it is."
"Which is?"
"Little after two."
"That's not too bad." She sat up and stretched a bit. "I'm going to bed."
"Right behind you. I'm bushed."
