Chapter 16

Look Around You, Drake

Part One

…three days later

The more the time went on, the angrier Josh Nichols got. Maybe, because his first kiss

was with the two timing Susan the standard tramp of the week that Drake liked to date

who was also smitten with him. Which made Josh feel slightly better about himself that

there was a woman out there who not only fancied the brother that everyone liked, but

him too. And that was before his weight loss. Still there was no substance there and

Josh never would have accepted Susan's advances because she was supposed to just

have his eyes for Drake. That's what made finding Mindy Crenshaw his formal school

rival and Science fair competitor so sweet. When they opened up their hearts to each

other, it was a wonderful feeling, and it wasn't just his male hormones either. He really

did L-O-V-E her. Did Drake ever love any other female that wasn't his mother and on

the rare occasion his sister? Maybe, he and Emme would never go out on a date with

each other let alone get married and live the much hyped but very few people actually

experienced "happily ever after" fairy tale ending. They could still be friends.

What was wrong with Drake? Sometimes, Josh really wanted to wring his neck.

Josh was mindlessly wiping the concession stand counters at the Premiere. Helen

didn't even seem to notice.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

No reply.

"Hey," A hand waved over his face, "A penny for your thoughts?"

"Hi, Mindy," Josh finally stopped wiping the counter. He could see his face in the

gleaming reflection. "I thought your parents didn't let you out of the house when you had

to study for a test?"

"I can lie to my parents." They kissed each other softly on the lips.

"Drake cornered that market."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Josh decided to take his fifteen minute break now instead of five minutes

later. After all if slacker Gary could sleep on the roof why couldn't he take his break a

little early?

He took Mindy by the hand so they could sit down at in the small food court area. It

wasn't the most private place in the world, but it would do.

"Let me guess, you need a vacation?" Mindy put forth. They kissed and he didn't even

notice the apricot lip-gloss.

"Yeah, I do. But it's not why I'm pissed. It's Drake."

"Did you two have another fight?" The brother dynamic fascinated Mindy because even

with Drake dealing with being a seventeen-year-old cancer patient he and Josh still

found time to argue like they would always do. She just had an anal retentive,

germophobe, obsessive-compulsive brother named Alden who would go in absolute

mad fit if you put your fork into the dinner meat.

"Not really. He STILL hasn't opened Emme's card."

"Josh," Mindy let out a long sigh, "I hope this doesn't mean you are going to take it upon

yourself to get involved."

"But if I don't get involved nothing will happen."

"If it's meant to be between Emme and Drake then it will be. It's really not up to you."

"Mindy! You are supposed to be supportive."

"What? I'm not allowed to disagree?" She crossed her arms, but was determined to not

fight with her boyfriend.

"I'm sorry. But, I think my brother could use a little helping in this area. He doesn't know

everything about the opposite sex, you know."

"You don't have to tell me." Mindy tried not to pass judgment with that sentence. But it

was no secret that her and Drake weren't exactly the best of friends. They just tolerated

each other especially now. It's not like Mindy wanted him to die. All life was precious,

even for teenage cads like Drake Parker.

"Mindy. That's another thing, why can't the two of you be friends?"

Jeez. She'd rather he interfere with the Drake and Emme situation then try to make her

be buddy-buddy with his brother.

"Because it's not meant to be. And that's the whole point, Josh. You have to learn that

you cannot control those things. The more you dig into private matters that are

basically none of your business the more Drake will wind up resenting you. And you

don't want to be estranged from your brother, do you? Because Drake is stubborn and I

think once he pushes someone away they are gone from his life for good. And if that's

the case with Emme, that she is gone from Drake's life then please remember that no

matter what personal issues that she has she brought it on herself."

Josh knew that Mindy made sense, but it's like telling a depressed person to "snap out

of it" or telling an alcoholic about how "easy" it is to give up the sauce and be sober. He

really couldn't help himself.

"I suppose you are right. Listen, I have to get back to work. I'll see you later, Mindy."

He kissed her on the cheek and walked away and walked to the back storage room

where he couldn't follow her. Mindy looked at her watch with the leather lime green band

and said out loud, "Fifteen minutes did not go by yet." Mindy left the Premiere in a silent

huff, wishing she stayed at home with her schoolbooks instead.

This was not good. Josh was going to get involved and cause even more trouble for

everyone and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Author's Note: To be continued…