After practice Christine and I waited in the parking lot for Louie. The first person we saw leaving the locker room was Ronnie.

"Hey, Louie's gonna be a while. He and Blue are singing in the locker room."

I smiled "That's okay, Daddy isn't expectin' me home for a while."

"Singin'? Good lord, have your ears started to bleed?" Christine looked revolted.

"Hey! They're not that bad." Ronnie protested.

Christine looked unconvinced. "Sunshine, Blue is the only person in my entire congregation that has ever been turned down for a spot on the choir. And that's sayin' somethin'"

I giggled. "I hear Louie in the shower in the morning since his bathroom's by my bedroom. He's not terribly awful."

Ronnie wrapped his arm around me jokingly "See, Liz agrees with me."

"And she's about the only one Sunshine." Petey materialized on the other side of Louie's car, flashing a grin at Christine. "And how's my future wife doin'?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fine Petey. You still a sophomore? Or has the school decided that arts and crafts actually count as a credit?"

Petey pretended to look wounded. "Girl, you know I have to get good grades so mom and pop let me play. Shoot, I bet I've got better grades than you."

Christine walked slowly around the front of the car. "Oh yeah? You really think so?"

Petey's smirk never wavered. "Yeah, I really think so."

Christine moved closer to him, in the hope of intimidation I guess. Being that she was four inches shorter than him it wasn't very effective. "You wanna make a bet on that darlin'?"

"Sure. If I win, you'll go to homecoming with me."

"And If I win, you won't ask me out ever again, or ask me to dance, or follow me around after dark-"

"That's just out of protecting feelings for you." Petey protested.

"I don't care what you call it; it's infuriating, so stop." Christine held out her hand and sighed. "Do we have a deal?"

Petey studied her face for a moment, then shook her hand. "Deal."

"Do they always act like this?" Ronnie -whose arm was still around my shoulders- murmured in my ear, giving me goosebumps.

I smiled and shrugged, "I dunno, just met them this morinin'"

"Well what do we have here?" Blue and Louie had snuck up on the four of us and were smirking in a way I knew I didn't like.

"I dunno, looks like a couple a lovebirds." Julius and Gerry were close behind and I nearly groaned.

"Do y'all need glasses? Me and Petey were arugin' and Liz and Ronnie were pokin' fun of us." Christine strode to Julius. "And if any of y'all say otherwise I'll take your tongue and wrap it round that telephone pole. Understand?"

Julius was the only one still smilin' "Yes Ma'am. But if you want a ride home, you best be a little nicer to me from now on."

Christine rolled her eyes. "You know I'm just kiddin'. Later y'all."

The rest of us called out goodbyes and left for our respective cars.

"See you tomorrow Liz." Ronnie said softly, and kissed me on the cheek before heading to his car.

"Well, guess maybe Sunshine ain't from California."

"Petey?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."