The Rack was the usual madhouse after school and Josh was struggling to keep up with the orders. From time to time he looked over at Katie who was reading her homework at one end of the counter. Eventually the rush started to settle down and he went to talk to her.

"You can really do homework in this madhouse?" He asked.

Katie marked her spot and looked up, "I told you it's quieter than at home. And I don't have to make smoothies. I just sit here drinking them."

"Well, you're certainly welcome to sit here," Josh said. "It's nice to have you around."

"That sounds suspiciously like a compliment," Katie smiled.

"Well, it is," Josh said defensively. Then he forged ahead, "There's another dance this Friday. Would you like to go?"

Katie smiled brightly, "I'd love to. I've almost recovered from the last one."

"I don't dance that wildly," Josh complained.

"Well, you wore me out," Katie's smile faded slightly as she tilted her head questioningly and asked, "Did Andy tell you to ask me out?"

Josh blushed slightly, "Well she did suggest it."

"Josh, I don't want to go to the dance with you because Andy wants me to," Katie said. "I want to go because you want to take me. Do you want to take me?"

"Of course I do," Josh told her. "We'll have a good time."

Katie looked at him for a moment and then agreed, "Ok, then I'll go with you."

Josh looked back at the counter, "Customers are starting to pile up, I better get back to them."

"I'll be here," Katie promised.

As Josh started working his way through the customers, he looked up and saw that the next customer was Declan.

"Declan," he said. "I haven't seen you in a while. What can I get for you?"

"I've been busy," Declan said vaguely. "I'd like a latte."

Josh made his latte and then moved to the next customer. Declan sipped it as he looked around the room. He spotted Lori sitting at one of the tables at the side of the room, papers spread all over the table. He went over to her table.

"Hi Trager," he said. "Are you here to work on songs with that Mark fellow?"

"That Mark fellow?" Lori raised an eyebrow. She said, "Mark is meeting me here in a half an hour."

"Do you mind if I sit with you while I drink my latte?" Declan asked.

"Be my guest," Lori waved at the empty chair across from her.

Declan sat and sipped his latte, looking at the songs spread over the table. "You seem to have been really busy," he observed.

"I have to be, I have a performance on Saturday that I have to get ready for," Lori sighed. "This isn't one of those 'open mic' things. I am going to be on stage for forty five minutes." She waved at the table full of songs, "That takes a lot of songs."

"I'll have to come, maybe Jackie will want to come too," Declan said.

"So how are things going with you and Jackie?" Lori asked. "She seemed like a nice girl when Hillary and I were talking to her. I don't know what she sees in you," She said playfully.

"I don't either," Declan admitted. "She's fun and very nice. She's also very smart. To be honest I don't really understand this project she's working on. I know that Jessi gave her some ideas and it's going to 'feed the world' but most of it goes over my head."

"I don't even try to talk to Mark about what he's working on," Lori confided. "He knows better than to try to explain it to me." She looked appraisingly at Declan and said, "So is it the sex?"

"A gentleman never tells," Declan smiled. Lori nodded knowingly. Declan changed the subject, "So where are you planning on going to college?"

"I'm not sure where I can get accepted," Lori shrugged. "I was thinking about UDub, Mark seems to think it's a good idea. It's a nice campus and I'm getting used to it since I've been going there to sing every few weeks. Some people already know me. Where are you thinking of going?"

"It wouldn't be a bad place to go. Jackie's there. I may want to see where Kyle and Jessi are going first."

"Are you still doing the security thing with Foss?" Lori asked.

"I've been watching Kyle's back the last couple of years," Declan said. "It seems like something worth doing. It's not like I can play basketball anymore. And Foss is showing me some interesting things, I like learning from him. He takes me seriously."

"What do you mean?" Lori asked.

Declan explained, "My dad never took anything I did seriously. Once he figured out I was never going to be a lawyer he really didn't have any way to connect with me. We play golf once in a while but there's nothing to talk about. He could care less about basketball. Foss is teaching me serious things, and expecting that I will learn them. He takes me seriously. I guess he's making me take myself seriously as a result."

Lori raised an eyebrow and nodded, "You do seem more confident. So where does all of this lead?"

"I don't know," Declan shook his head. "I'm just doing the day to day things. It's been interesting being involved in Kyle's secrets. Foss thinks that Kyle and Jessi are important. He thinks that helping them is an important thing to do. He's dedicated to protecting them."

"So are you planning on dedicating yourself to their protection too?" Lori asked skeptically.

"I don't know, for now it's better than moping about not playing basketball," Declan smiled. "But Kyle's goofy smile makes you want to help him."

"It does, doesn't it?" Lori admitted.

Declan drained his latte. He got up, saying, "I've got to be going. I'll try to make it to 'Pockets' to see your performance this Saturday."

Lori said, "I'll see you there."

"Later, Trager," Declan said as he walked out of The Rack.