When she finally left for Queens it had been four weeks since she had seen Stig. Not that she was counting. He returned from Florida and there was a two day period where they were both living in houses two streets apart. That was the last time she had seen him. Then it was her turn for a long vacation and when she returned from that, Stig was already in Kingston on a pre-college hockey training course.

Those two days in the middle, four weeks ago, she had 'bumped into' him four times.

The first time, Lucy was having hot chocolate at 'Choke and Float' with Chloe again. She had assumed she could safely avoid him there as he had only landed late the night before, and could hardly be expected to cover his shift the next morning.

Except he did.

Chloe being there helped. It meant he was limited to their usual argumentative relationship and not the strange, not entirely unwelcome closeness that had developed.

"Hi Loopy and Loopy's friend, what can I get you?"

"Another server."

"Nice. You lucked out, we're short staffed, and you got me."

Chloe was slightly in awe. She didn't think she had been this close to Stig Venturi before. She thought she might be in love.

Lucy had no such illusions.

"Well in that case, I'll have…"

"…a tall hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, hold the choc sauce." He finished for her. She frowned.

"Actually," she said accentuating every syllable. "I'll have a cappuccino."

Stig curled an eyebrow. "Fine. And for you sweet cheeks?" he asked, turning to Chloe who blushed and became unable to speak.

"She'll have the hot chocolate." Lucy answered for her.

Stig smiled. "Coming right up."

Chloe melted onto the table. "Oh. He is definitely better close up."

"Chloe. He's a moron."

Her friend stiffened. "What is wrong with you? You must be the only girl in the district who isn't interested in him."
Lucy said nothing.

Chloe started to wax lyrical about Stig's tan and Lucy began to think seriously about euthanasia.

"There you go: one hot chocolate and one cappuccino. Enjoy!" Stig said, depositing their drinks on the table in front of them.

Lucy waited until his back was turned and swapped their drinks around.

"Why did you do that?" asked Chloe.

"I hate cappuccino."

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The second time was later the same afternoon. Lucy was working her last shift in the music store in which she had been earning some extra cash before her holiday. She watched him walk past the store, do a double take and then enter the shop.

"Excuse me." He said as though he didn't know her. "Can you tell me where I can find the Death Thrash?"

"Try the Hells Angel bar round the corner. They'll welcome you with open arms."

"Great. While I'm here, I'm looking for Nirvana."

"Try meditation."

"I meant the band."

"Under 'N'."

"You pissed at me?"

"Hmmm. Yes."

"Why?"

"You woke me at 1.30am to tell me that pigs have orgasms which last thirty minutes."

"It's an important fact. In my next life I want to be a pig."

"That would mean more if I didn't know you were a virgin. You've probably never experienced an orgasm."

He smirked at her.

"…that wasn't self-inflicted." She amended, pulling a face as she did so.

"And you have?" he asked, amused.

"Stig. Can we drop this please?"
He laughed. "Anyway. I'm back. So no more middle of the night phone calls."

"Good. I shall be immensely grateful for that fact while we are in Paris."

"Texas?"

"France, moron. My family has some class."

"So does mine."

"Your family does. You on the other hand…"

"Be nice."

"I am. I haven't kicked you out the store, yet."

"Come on Luce, is that any way to treat your best college bud?"

"Do I get some say in that?"

"Being realistic. No."

"Fine. Just so I know."

He smirked at her and she grinned reluctantly and shook her head.

"What happened to me being a 'keener', 'grade grubber' and 'klutzilla'?"

He smiled. "We graduated, Lucy." And he walked out of the shop.

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The Third Time:

"Lucy!"

"Yes Mom!" Lucy called down the stairs.

"I need you to go round to Casey's for me. She is lending us some European plug adapters for our vacation. Can you pop round and pick them up for me?"

Lucy sighed then she looked at the clock. It was still early enough for Stig to be at work.

"Sure Mom." She said and charged down the stairs.

"Hi Lucy!" Casey greeted her friend's daughter with genuine enthusiasm. "Can I get you a cold drink? We're just having fresh orange juice outside."

"That would be nice, thank you."

Casey followed her idol into the backyard to where Stig's younger siblings were playing in the pool.

"You'd think they'd never seen water before." Casey said in amusement. Lucy laughed.

"So. Are you looking forward to college?" Casey asked.

Lucy nodded. "So much. I'm scared about leaving my family though."

"I was. Of course it was different for me, because Derek came with me, but leaving Lizzie and Marti…even Edwin…and Mom was pregnant which made it harder."

"Did you always know that you loved Derek?" Lucy found herself asking.

Casey looked at Lucy.

"That's not easy to answer. He's always been important in my life. But we argued constantly for the first three years. Then when we went to college, something changed. We became reliant on each other. But I think, deep down, there was always something there. Arguing with me, pranking me took up a lot of his time. I think he spent more time arguing and pranking me that he did with any of his girlfriends."

"How did you handle the pranking?"

Casey smiled. "I learnt to prank back."

Lucy grinned.

"Do you want some tips?" Casey found herself asking.

"Maybe." Lucy admitted. They both laughed.

"I'll see what I can do."

Time passed quickly. Casey was outlining the plot to her new book and Lucy forgot that she was there for a purpose. Then the front door slammed, and Stig walked in.

"Urgh! Mom, we got a pest problem again." He said nodding towards Lucy.

"Steven. Be nice." Casey said.

Lucy smiled. "It's okay, Casey. I need to go anyway. Mom will be wondering where I am."

"Sure. I'll get those plugs for you." She disappeared inside as Lucy finished up her drink.

"When do you go to Paris?" Stig asked.

"Tomorrow." Lucy replied.

And that was all he said.

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The final time was after lunch the same day. The good weather had continued and this time it was Teddy who was swimming in the Morgan's pool with Lilly. Lucy swam for a bit too and then pulled herself out of the pool and went upstairs to change. She showered and slipped on a pretty summer dress, and then combed her hair to let it dry. Unwilling to go back down into the direct sunlight, she lay on her bed reading one of Casey's novels.

A movement at the corner of her vision made her look towards her door. Stig was standing there, watching her. Lucy sat up.

"What are you doing here?"

"Your mom said I could come up."
"Why?" she asked, suspiciously. He laughed.

"Because idiot, I wanted to give you this." He threw a CD case towards her.

"It's the new one from that group I was telling you about. Keep it. I thought you could take it with you for the flight."

Lucy looked at him as though he was talking in tongues.

"Don't worry. It isn't booby trapped."

"Thanks." She said tentatively.

"Are you taking your laptop?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Email me?" He asked.

She sighed. "I never know where I am with you. One minute you're an ass and then the next you're my new best friend."

Stig moved to sit on her bed.

"It confuses me too."

They both went to pick up the CD and their fingers brushed. Stig dropped the case and took her hand. He kissed her fingers.

"Have fun in Paris." He said quietly and then he was gone.