This chapter describes events that took place during chapter one of my previous story, The Mad Dog Picnic, so it might help for you to read that if anything is confusing in here.

Thanks to all readers and to the reviewers of chapter six: Yankee Bard, Matri, spectre666, daywalkr82, cpneb, dartblade, AtomicFire, ZK Chromedragozoid, MrDrP, CastaS, Zaratan, Jeriddian, and Dr. J0nes.

Special thanks to MrDrP for beta reading.

Disclaimer: Disney owns, I just mooch.

Chapter 7

Bonnie Rockwaller hated, hated, hated traveling. Even when there weren't delays, which there were this Wednesday. She wanted to be home, not sitting in an airport.

At least in the airport, she was able to get up and walk away from annoying people. She shuddered at the memory of the first leg of the trip back to Middleton—what with the brat in the row behind who wouldn't stop crying throughout the flight, and the brat's bratty brother who kicked Bonnie's seat about five million times, and the woman in front who reclined her seat all the way back and kept it there from takeoff to landing, and the middle-aged salesmen on either side of her who kept trying to look down her shirt every chance they got, it had been sheer torture. Okay, I'm sure those dorks never got within twenty feet of boobs as great as mine without paying a cover charge, but come on! Two freaking hours?

But the planes had one big advantage: they got her closer to home. So she was thrilled to hear the boarding announcement for her flight. She sprang to her feet and beat almost everyone to the front of the line, and showed her boarding pass to the gate agent.

Once onboard the plane, she stowed her carry-on bag and sat down. This time she had a window seat, and at most one seatmate to endure. She buckled herself in and watched the cabin fill up. The seat next to her stayed empty until the very last passenger to board, a little old lady wearing a cardigan sweater, took it.

The crew closed the doors and the plane pulled away from the gate and began to taxi. Then it stopped. They waited. And waited. Then the captain made an announcement.

"Folks, we've been advised that there are adverse weather systems over the Great Plains that have diverted some other flights out of their normal routes and into the flight patterns that we'll be using, so we've been told to sit on the tarmac here for a while until things clear up. We'll keep you posted."

Bonnie, along with most of the other passengers, groaned.

"Sounds like we're going to be here awhile, dear," Bonnie's seatmate said. "How would you like to see some pictures of my grandchildren?"

Tara and Kevin were playing chess at the Monroe home that afternoon. The southern colonial on Mining Camp Road may have lacked a swimming pool, but the tree-shaded backyard was still a pleasant spot to pass an idyllic summer's day.

Tara had spread out a blanket and brought out her handmade chess set. This would be the first time anyone had used it in over five years. You would have liked Kevin, Grandpa, she thought as she set up the board. She made lemonade from scratch, squeezing fresh lemons and stirring in sugar until it was just right. Kevin brought over his chess clock, but Tara didn't want to play speed chess. It was fun, and her intuitive style was suited to it, but she still wanted to defeat her BF in a game where he had all the time he could ask for to consider his moves.

Of course, time to think was one thing, an atmosphere conducive to thought was another. She'd dressed in a way sure to addle the brain any red-blooded teen boy: short shorts and a top with a wide scooped neckline, which bared a generous amount of skin and fit closely to the parts it didn't show off. Then again, she had to sit across from his extreme cuteness—Tara had decided that, if his hair were just a bit longer, from certain angles he'd look very much like Robbie of the Oh Boyz—so fair was fair.

Well, in the end, the distractions balanced out and Kevin won the first game. As they set up for the rematch, he asked Tara, "You want to do something tonight? Maybe catch a movie or something?"

"I don't know," she answered. "Bonnie's supposed to be home tonight. I should try to get hold of her, tell her about us before she hears it from someone else. If we went out, someone might tell her. I think she'll take it better from me."

"Uh, okay," he said.

"What's the matter, Kev?"

"Nothing," he said, unconvincingly.

Bonnie's flight landed an hour and a half late. Then she had to wait for her checked bag, which was the last one to appear on the carousel. She finally arrived home about 8:40 pm, tired and grouchy. Grouchier than usual. She wanted to call some friends to let them know she was back, but her cell battery was dead and she'd misplaced the charger, and Lonnie was monopolizing the land line. Uhhhgh, I should just do a barre workout and go to bed early.

After Kevin went home, Tara tried calling Bonnie's house as well as her cell, but couldn't get through. Well, I'll see her at practice tomorrow.

"Good job, ladies," Bonnie said. "I think we can quit for today, but I want you guys to be at the Pavilion early Saturday. I want us to rock the house with this number."

Tara, Jess, Liz and Bonnie had just spent a little over an hour walking through the dance steps Bonnie had quickly devised for their performance at the Mad Dog Picnic on Saturday. It was too warm inside the gym to do much more. They moved to the bleachers where they'd left water and towels.

"You did a great job, Bonnie," Liz said. "We're gonna drive the crowd wild Saturday."

"'Specially the guys," a grinning Jess added, wiggling her hips in one of the seductive moves Bonnie had choreographed. "This dance is H–O–T hot!"

"Maybe a little too hot?" Tara said uncertainly. "Some of those moves seem kinda … suggestive?"

Bonnie shook her head as she swallowed her designer water. "Oh come on, Tara, weren't you paying attention at regionals? All the other squads are doing stuff like this."

Jess nodded. "We have to show them we're the hottest girls with the hottest moves if we expect to win again."

"Yeah, T," said Liz. "I think it's fine. I have no problem at all with the 'rents watching me in this dance. This is wholesome sexy, not sleazy sexy. And I bet that BF of yours will love watching you in it."

That reassured Tara a lot. Liz' parents were kind of conservative, and if the redhead wasn't concerned, it was probably okay.

"I just hope K can fake sexy for three minutes," Bonnie said, "and that four-left-paws mascot doesn't trip us all."

"Okay," Tara said, "if you guys are sure …" All three made reassuring noises.

Liz wandered off and Tara figured it was time to tell Bonnie her big news. There'd been no opportunity to talk before practice, since Bonnie had been the last girl to arrive, and then she'd immediately shifted into command mode when Kim and Ron were called away on their mission to the Everglades.

"So Bonnie," she began, just as a car horn was heard outside.

"Ah! Perfect!" the brunette said. "That's Brick. I gotta jet. Big plans. We'll dish later, 'kay?"

"Wait, Bonnie, I have something to tell you …"

"Can it wait, Tara? I haven't seen Brick for two weeks."

I want her in a good mood … better to let her go and try later. "Sure thing, Bonnie, I'll catch you later."

Bonnie ran out and Jess and Tara gathered up their gear and started for home.

"So Bonnie still has no idea about you and Kevin?"

"No. You saw the way she ran out just now."

"You really think she might say something ugly?"

Tara sighed. "You know as well as I do how she gets sometimes."

"And if she does …?"

"She's my oldest friend, but if she makes me choose between her and Kevin, I'm ready to write her off."

There was a strength in Tara's voice that Jess hadn't heard before. "You guys that serious already?"

Tara shook her head. "Nooo. I mean, I like Kevin a lot, but I've only known him a week. This isn't really about Kevin, it's about me. It's about what kind of person I am, and who gets to run my life from now on. And it's not going to be Bonnie.

"I just think I owe her the chance to change," Tara continued. "Bonnie's at least got an excuse for acting the way she does. You've met her sisters."

Jess made a face like she'd just smelled something really, really vile.

"What about the rest of us? What's our excuse? 'Cause we've all been a part of it. I've stood right beside Bonnie and said nothing while she put kids down to their faces. People like Kim and Ron, who're supposed to be our friends, and lots of others who could be. All based on that 'food chain' … crap, is what it is!"

"You're right," Jess said, somewhat ashamedly. "We were so shallow. I never even looked at Steve until he turned into a hottie practically overnight. I wish I knew what a great guy he was before. So what if he used to be shorter than me? He still would've been a better BF than anybody else I ever dated."

Tara grinned. "Even without the muscles?"

"Yeah," Jess said. "The bod's a nice bonus, though!"

Both girls laughed.

"So," Tara asked after a bit, "you really like Bonnie's dance?"

"You betcha! It's gonna rock out!"

"I'm still not sure about shakin' it like that with my mom and dad right there in the audience."

"Well, if your dad likes it, maybe you'll end up with that baby sister you always wanted."

"Jessica!"

Tara's cell phone rang. She looked at the display. Hmm, don't recognize the number. She answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Hey Tara, it's me!"

"Kevin! Where are you calling from?"

"Outside, by my pool. I'm calling you on my new cell. Steve convinced me that now that I have a girlfriend it was time for me to get one. This'll be so cool, we can chat or text each other between classes next fall, and—wait a sec … you wanted a picture of me, I'm sending you one I just took of myself. Did you get it?"

She looked at her display. "Yeah, it's here. I love it, thanks."

"So, you talk to Bonnie this morning?"

"No, I didn't. She got to the rehearsal late, and then when it was over she ran out before I could get a chance."

"Oh," he said flatly. "So I guess we can't go out tonight …"

"Well, like I said, I really think …"

"Yeah, I get it. You need to tell Bonnie first."

"Kevin, you sound upset."

"Nooo, not really, I'm just disappointed. I mean, the most incredible girl in the world is my girlfriend, and, well, to be honest, I want to take you someplace and show you off. I sound like a pig, don't I? I'm sorry."

Tara's eyes misted up. "Oh Kevin, I really want you to take me out, too. Look, let me try calling Bonnie again, okay?"

"Sure."

"I'll call you right back. Bye."

Tara tried Bonnie's cell, but was shunted to voicemail again. Then she tried the home number, and this time it rang. One of Bonnie's sisters answered, and was every bit as helpful as Tara expected her to be based on long experience, i.e. not at all.

Lonnie Rockwaller, Tara thought, ending the call. Singlehandedly keeping the 'dumb blonde' stereotype alive for a new generation. And I actually wasted a whole minute of my life leaving a message with her that I know will never be delivered. I must be dumber than she is.

She called a few other friends, hoping against hope someone would say, "Oh, Bonnie's right here at Club Banana/the lake/wherever with us," but no one had seen her. Finally she left a message at the Flagg residence.

Out of options, she was just about to call Kevin back when the house phone rang. Please, be Bonnie! "Hello?"

"Tara? Hi, it's Aunt Cindy."

This was her mom's younger sister, who lived nearby with her husband and two young children. "Hi Aunt Cindy. How are you?"

"Listen, I could really use your help. Brian's mom had a little accident and she's in the hospital in Upperton. Can you come over and watch the kids while we drive up and see how she's doing?"

"Oh! Sure, I can help you out. I hope it's not serious."

"We're told it's minor, but Brian's very concerned of course. I'll swing by and pick you up in a few? And if you want to have a friend come over to help, it's okay. I know you'll be responsible."

Kevin was sitting on the edge of the pool dangling his bare feet in the water, right at the spot where he and Tara had kissed after their big water war. It had become his favorite spot in the world, not that he needed the place to keep the memory fresh. He was certain he'd remember that kiss for the rest of his life.

Set against that memory, though, were other, less pleasant ones. The last few days hadn't completely buried his old insecurities yet.

As a sophomore and junior, he'd asked a few girls to Spirit Dance and Winter Formal and wound up going stag each time. Some of the turndowns he'd received hadn't been very gentle, either. His memories were of four evenings spent sitting at a table well away from the action with some buddies from chess club and other less-than-popular, honor-roll type guys, like Steve. Evenings spent watching people who seemed like they were from another planet, they were too poised and beautiful to be ordinary teenagers. Tara. Jess. Josh Mankey. Bobby Johnson. Bonnie and Brick. He'd skipped Prom completely, and of course it didn't help that Steve had joined the Beautiful People by that time, having morphed into a tall, good-looking sports star. Something I'll never be.

Then there was the ugliest memory. Sometime before Prom, he'd been outside the gym waiting for Steve. He'd overheard Bonnie taunting Kim Possible about her dateless status, and how since all the 'remotely acceptable guys' were all taken, she might end up with the captain of the chess team.

And now Tara's gonna tell Bonnie, her best friend, she's dating me. Who am I kidding, this just can't go well.

His new phone signaled an incoming call. He answered it. "Hey."

"Hey, Kevin, I still can't get hold of Bonnie. But listen, something's come up. I have to babysit my little cousins for a while. Why don't you come with? We can snuggle up on the couch after they go to bed, maybe watch a DVD? It'll be fun."

Kevin was silent for a long time, until Tara thought the connection was lost. Then he spoke.

"Look Tara, maybe we should just face facts. There's no way Bonnie's ever gonna accept me, and I don't want to make you choose between me and your friends. Maybe you should just get a boyfriend who's acceptable to your crowd. I had a really good time these last few days, but let's be real here, it's just never gonna work between us. 'Bye, Tara."

"Kevin, wait a sec! –" He ended the call. Seconds later it rang again. He shut off the device and left it at the edge of the pool.

Almost immediately the phone in the family room began ringing insistently. Kevin went inside and saw from the caller ID that it was Tara. With a few button presses, he blocked her number and the house was silent.

Tara gave up trying to reach Kevin. "Okay Tara," she said aloud, "calm down and think about this. This Bonnie drama's got Kev a little insecure, that's all. I made too big a deal of it, I should've seen this coming. I'll go to Aunt Cindy's, I'll keep trying to call Bonnie, and the second I reach her I tell her about Kevin. Then I track him down and tell him it's a done deal and we go from there. Yeah, that's the way to go."

Tara had no real problems on the babysitting front. She got her little cousins fed and into bed easily. Their grandma's injuries turned out to be minor, but some emergency surgery was needed, and her aunt and uncle didn't return to Middleton until nearly midnight. Her efforts to reach Bonnie, though, were all fruitless.

After Uncle Brian brought her home, she went to bed, vowing to herself that next day she'd do whatever it took to clear up the Bonnie business and get her boyfriend back. I'm like Kim now, I've got a mission. Mr. Food Chain, you've messed with the wrong blonde.

to be continued …