Beka made a note on her calendar for Friday. She would make sure she remembered her date with Steve.

After she made a little star by the memo (plus lots of colors and dots and circles and arrows), she ran downstairs and into the garage. Her brother handed her a cup of coffee and slid under his "darling", the '67 convertible. Reluctantly, Beka scooted under her car and finished the work.

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(Friday)

Steve hit the showers after practice, looking forward to going to see White Noise with Beka that evening. He planned to get take out and eat in his car. The drive-in was actually showing this, instead of '60s movies no one remembered.

Dylan stepped out of the shower and Rhade closed his eyes. Yes, Dylan was well equipped, but he did NOT want to see proof of that! It was bad enough that he flaunted his superiority over the single guys. But that would change for him…

After changing into jeans and his favorite vintage T-shirt, he checked his watch. Beka was supposed to meet him in one hour, hopefully she would. He'd had his fair share of stand-ups (and done his share of them), not necessarily an experience he wanted with Beka.

He sat in his car by the pizzeria, fifteen minutes left…ten minutes …five… four …three…two… and, nothing!

Steve waited another twenty minutes, but she didn't come. He drove to the movies hoping against hope that she'd be waiting for him. No sign of Beka.

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Beka rolled out from under the car. "Rafe! What time is it?" she yelled. She didn't want to be late.

"It's nine, why?" he answered. "Oh, your date with Sam?…Stou?…"

"NO!" she shouted. She checked the kitchen clock, and sure enough it was 9:00. She was two hours late.

"What do you think the chances are that Steve's still waiting for me?" she asked Rafe, not really expecting an answer.

"Would you wait two hours for a guy, Bekers?" he responded.

"Shit!" she said. She frantically tried to get changed, but in the middle of pulling her jeans on, realized that Steve wasn't going to be there waiting for her.

Sobbing, she fell back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling.

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(Monday)

Steve slammed his locker shut, frustration pounded in his head. 'Why didn't she come?' he asked himself angrily. She'd been the one who had asked him out! What gave her the gall to leave him?!

Suddenly, Beka came in through the doors, her face showed no emotion. She glanced up and saw Rhade. Quickly, she turned a corner, but not before he saw her.

He caught up with her and grabbed her hand. "Beka, where were you last night?" he asked. All bad feelings pushed to the back of his head when he saw her face, her beautiful face.

"I'm sorry, my dad had me working late, I didn't finish 'til nine," she said weakly. She looked into Steve's deep brown eyes, and saw an emotion she couldn't quite register. Concern? Maybe jealousy?

"Beka," he made direct eye contact. "Is that what really happened?" He wanted to believe her, why would she tell him anything else?

"Yeah, I'm really sorry, I was gonna run out after I finished, but by then I thought it was too late." She shifted her backpack from one shoulder to another.

'Unease?' he thought, 'is she holding something back?' He had always tried to be honest with girls, and expected the same back. "Never mind, I wanted to make sure you were okay, I didn't know what to think," he said, smiling faintly. "See you at lunch?" he asked.

"Can't miss it," she said.

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Trance and Doyle walked in laughing; they and Harper had spent the weekend watching a Law and Order: SVU marathon. Of course, Harper watched it in hopes that some skin would be shown.

"Yeah, that one about the prostitute slaying, Harper couldn't take his eyes off of the screen!" Trance giggled.

"Hey, I was looking for evidence they might have missed!" Harper said defensively.

Doyle and Trance shared a look then burst out laughing. "Sure, Harper, too bad they solved the case without your help!" Doyle grinned.

He opened his mouth but was cut off by Doyle. "Hey, look, I gotta go, see ya guys at lunch, okay?" she smiled.

"Sure," Trance replied.

"So, what did Rommie want you to do for her?" he asked, referring to the thing the cheerleader had spoken of during Friday's lunch.

"Oh," Trance grinned, "nothing." She sauntered off to her first class.

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(Lunch)

Steve sat down with Beka, relieved to see her.

"Hey, you actually have a lunch today!" Beka smirked.

"Yeah, Atlanta threw a hissy-fit because she had to eat my lunch," he grinned. He bit into his sandwich, turkey falling out of the end.

Beka rolled her eyes and handed him the extra turkey. "Here," she held out her hand.

He took it from her palm, his large hand enveloping hers. Their hands stayed there for a moment, but quickly Beka withdrew hers.

"So…" Steve said, trying to break the awkward silence, "what do you have for lunch, today?"

Beka grinned and held up her cup of coffee.

"Wow, nutritious," Steve said sarcastically. He slid her his bowl of soup.

"No, you need it for today's practice," she said as she slid the soup back.

"Do I have to force-feed you?" he asked. "I don't want you to turn out like them," he said, pointing at Emily and her clique.

"No, really, I'm fine," she said.

"Not by my standards," Steve said, holding a spoonful of soup out to her.

"Will you stop making a scene?" she muttered.

"Will you go out with me?" he replied just as quickly.

"If I say yes, will you let me drink my coffee in peace?" she smirked.

"Maybe, maybe not, I don't like skinny girlfriends," he shrugged.

"One date does not make us a couple!" she laughed.

"Hey-it would've been two, but…" he trailed off.

"Will you stop bringing that up? I said I was sorry," she shook her head.

"Fine, but then you owe me another," he smirked.

"Another what?" she asked suspiciously.

"Another date, duh," Rhade said.

"You planned this, didn't you? You evil, conniving, scheming, albeit handsome, person!" she laughed.

He held up his hands, "Guilty, especially the hadnsome part."

Beka laughed and took the soup.

---

Doyle and Trance sat next to Rommie, talking about the big game coming up.

"So, Trance, have you got those moves down?" Rommie asked.

"Yep, it was easy," the golden girl smiled.

"What moves?" Harper asked.

The girls shared a look. "It's a surprise, Harper."

"Oh, great, Harper's been excluded," he rolled his eyes.

Doyle kissed him on the cheek. "C'mon, love, be a sport," she grinned as Harper blushed.

"So, are you two finally a couple?" Rommie asked, giggling.

Harper's face split into a grin, "No, not yet," he said, laughing at the (mock-disgusted) look on Doyle's face.

"So, why aren't you sitting with Dylan?" Trance implored.

"He doesn't need to be with me all the time," she grinned.

"Really, the way he acts-" Harper started.

"What, Harper?" Rommie asked, her glance shutting him up.

"Nothing," he said. He shifted uneasily.

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(After school)

Rommie stepped into Dylan's car, still wearing her cheerleading uniform.

"So, what did you want to talk about, Babe?" Dylan asked cheerfully as he sat down. But his eyes betrayed him; fear consumed them.

"I…I don't think this is working, Dylan," she said, not meeting his eyes.

"What?"

"I…I think…I think we should," she gulped, "I think we should break up."

Dylan's face went blank. Rommie started to get out of the car, but he grabbed her arm. She pulled at it, but he wouldn't let go.

"Dylan, let go," she pleaded.

He shook his head and tightened his grip.

"Dylan, let go!" she said, angrily clawing at his hand.

"No," he growled.

Rommie, upset over his reaction, packed a punch right into his chest. He groaned and let go. She grabbed her bag and ran over to the rest of the girls.

AN: yep, you read the right thing! Hehehehe, now Rommie can run right to Gabe…(ooh, not supposed to tell you that)

KillerQueen2721:thanks for going with me on the partner in crime thingy!

Prin69: hehe, yeah, I try and get Dylan bashing in, whenever I can

Vee017: yeah, Rhade can't be a sob-ass, he can't! glad you like the gold transformation

Eris: yea, so unfair! No Andromeda anction figures?

Miikka: thanks, really happy you like it!