Chapter 4

"Morgan, are you alright? You look exhausted!" Lisa exclaimed. Lisa, John, Kurt and Morgan were sitting at their usual table during their half hour lunch break.

"Yeah I'm fine…I just haven't gotten much sleep in the last couple of days," Morgan took a swig of her second cherry coke.

"Oh, why?" Lisa questioned; concern spread over her face.

"I've been having nightmares," Morgan replied coolly.

"What is -" Lisa was abruptly cut off by a boy who had just walked over to them.

"Not taking up anyone's seat am I?" He grinned and sat down between Kurt and Morgan. He was gorgeous, that much was for sure. He had dark brown hair that fell gracefully into his bright blue eyes. He was very tall, probably over six feet, and skinny looking, but he was also muscular and in surprisingly good shape. He wore a pair of tight ripped jeans, a snug black t-shirt and a Harley Davidson leather jacket.

"Hey what are you doing here? I thought you dropped out" Kurt said

"I did," the boy grinned, "This is my final day."

"Morgan this is my friend, Jackie Townsend, he's the lead guitarist in our band," Kurt explained. Morgan remembered that Kurt had informed her yesterday that he played drums in the band he had developed back in the 8th grade. They were a punk/metal rock group called the Outsiders and were apparently very popular amongst the teenagers in Springwood.

"Hey," Jackie smiled at her.

"Um…hi," Morgan replied hesitantly.

"So are we still practicing tonight?" Jackie asked.

"Yeah, my house – garage - seven o clock," Kurt replied.

"I'll be there."

"Morgan and I should come check you guys out," Lisa chimed in.

"Sure," Kurt replied slowly and uncertainly.

"Kurt you can say no…we don't want to bother you…" Morgan protested.

"No it's fine. We could use an audience to help us prepare for our gig next week," Kurt said.

"Hey Morgan maybe I could sleep over afterwards," Lisa suggested.

"I don't know..."

"Oh pplleeaaassseeee? My Mom is driving me crazy! If I have to stand in the same room with her for another minute I'll lose it," Lisa whined.

"Ok I guess…I'll have to ask my Dad but I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Oh thank you so much! Morgan you are my savior!"

The bell, signaling the end of the lunch period, blared loudly throughout the cramped cafeteria. Students were already headed outside the cafeteria entrance, walking to their next period. As Morgan walked back to her next position with her friends, something inside of her was telling her she was going to regret this.

At 9:00 The Outsiders finished their last number, a remake of the 80's classic "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds, when Kurt suggested that the band call it quits. Kurt got grabbed his bottled water and began discussing the upcoming gig with bass player, Jimmy Visconti, and lead singer, Mark Thompson. Lisa was giggling and blushing like a school girl as John began necking her (He had arrived half an hour ago to make up. Ever since then they hadn't stopped touching each other). Morgan stood alone at the edge of the driveway, the chilling wind whipped against her fair skin as she tried to keep herself awake. Jackie grabbed a beer from Jimmy and walked over to Morgan. She was very pretty looking, with her big brown eyes and short black curls. And she was different from the other girls. Unlike girls like Lisa, she didn't seem interested in the latest fashions or petty high school gossips. Although she was very young, there was a certain wisdom and maturity about her, but deep down also something cold and tragic.

"Why are you standing by yourself?" he stood next to her.

"Well I don't exactly want to see Lisa sucking face," She replied.

"So? Talk with us," he suggested, and offered her his beer. She shook her head. "Suit yourself. So when did you move to the ever pleasant Springwood?"

"A few weeks ago. My dad is with the Springwood police force. We moved from Syracuse, New York. The police get paid more here."

"Well they should with all the shit they've had to deal with over the years," he stated.

"What do you mean?"

"Well…there's been a lot of murders in the past. Actually about two or three years ago a lot of the seniors were killed. Lisa didn't tell you about that?"

"Yeah she did actually. After the first five minutes we met."

Jackie laughed out loud, "Doesn't surprise me."

"Do they know who killed those teenagers?"

"Nope. No one found out. Guess it's one of those unsolved mysteries."

"Ever heard of a guy named Freddy Krueger?"

"Can't say that I have, why?" Jackie asked puzzled.

"No reason," Morgan replied hastily.

An hour later Morgan's house contained not only Lisa, but John and the entire band. Morgan was relieved that Patrick and her father had gone out to see a baseball game, others she'd be grounded for the rest of her natural born life. Kurt, Jimmy, and Mark were all in the kitchen, eating up her family's food supply. Morgan watched in dread as she saw John grope Lisa as they ran upstairs to the guest bedroom. Morgan sighed and plopped down on the couch in the family room. She decided to keep herself occupied by watching Sixteen Candles. At least it was a good 80's movie. And maybe Molly Ringwald's constant whining and complaining would distract her.

"Sixteen Candles, huh?" Jackie sat down next to her with another beer. "Are you an 80's fan?"

"Actually, I am," Morgan smiled.

"I am too. How do you think we came up with the Outsiders for a band name?" he grinned.

"If you don't mind me asking….why did you drop out?"

"I don't mind. I don't know I just didn't feel like doing it anymore, you know? I mean I was failing all of my subjects and I wasn't planning on going to college anyway. I have a steady job fixing cars at my Dad's repair shop, so there really wasn't any point." He took out a pack of cigarettes from his leather jacket, took one out and lit it. "So why are you still in the hell pit?"

"I want to be a writer," Morgan admitted sheepishly.

"Hey don't be embarrassed! I think that's really cool. It's a good goal. Besides I bet you're a great writer. Me? I was never interested in books and that stuff but you seem like an intellectual."

"Thanks."

"No problem," Jackie replied. As Molly Ringwald's character, Sam, finally got her first kiss over her belated birthday cake, Morgan felt her eyes grow heavy and her vision blur. Soon she would be asleep…and she would regret it for the rest of her life.