Gloria sat at the counter of the Place with a frown. She didn't like the scene at the table across from her. It burned her up inside. More than she cared to admit to anyone even herself. Two giggling girls who were probably no more than 14 were hanging around Mickey. And to top if off he seemed to enjoy the attention from the two dumb twits.

"You okay Gloria?" Riley asked breaking into her thoughts.

"Huh what?" She said snapping out of her revere.

"I asked if you were okay." Riley said with a smile. "You looked upset. Something wrong?"

"No nothing." Gloria replied taking a sip of her Coke. "Nothing at all."

"Okay." He shrugged as he went back to his work.

Gloria said nothing as her gaze returned to the scene at that table. It made her skin crawl. The way that stupid blonde was saying how talented Mickey was and the redhead gushing about how she wished she was as talented.

The other members of the band came over and took their seats. The Kid noted the expression on his bandmate's face. He turned to Riley. "Say what's with her?" He asked

Riley shrugged. "I don't know. She's been that way for about 5 minutes. She says nothing is wrong."

The Kid then saw what Gloria had been looking at. "A ha!" He said.

"A ha what?" asked Stacy.

Not answering just yet, The Kid got up from his stool and waltzed over to the tall brunette. "You are mad aren't you?"

Gloria looked up and pretended to laugh. "Mad? Me? No." She said nervously. "I'm fine."

The Kid wasn't buying. "You are mad because he isn't paying attention to you." He said flat out.

"What?" Gloria said as if she didn't know what he was talking about. "Who?"

"You know who." The Kid replied. "Don't play dumb. We all know."

"Know?" Gloria said trying to keep cool. "Know what?"

"You think we are blind." The Kid said. "We see it."

"See what?" Gloria asked still trying to keep up the pretense of not knowing.

"That there is something between you and Mickey." Kid replied.

Gloria's eyes went wide for a second and then she let out a laugh. "Me and Mickey? Don't be ridiculous...there is nothing."

"Save it." Rene said. "We aren't stupid. We can see it every time we are on stage."

"Yeah." Stacy interjected. "We aren't dummies."

"It doesn't matter." Gloria said. "It's not like he..."

Rene moved to stand in front of her. "Not like he..Come on Gloria he does too."

"Yeah." The Kid said. "The other day we were singing that Rick Springfield song...Don't Talk to Strangers. Like we couldn't see how jealous he was when you were singing to me."

"Get real." Gloria said brushing it off. "It was just an act on stage..we all get into the song.."

"That was no act." Stacy said. "He was jealous."

"Okay fine." Gloria relented. "But it looks to me like he is over it." She said gesturing to the table. She then got up and stormed off to the stage door. She opened it and stepped inside shutting the door behind her.
They were wrong. Mickey didn't...if he didn't he wouldn't...It wasn't true. She was nothing more than a friend to him. That's it. That is why he was hanging with those girls.
She went over to the window and gazed out. The lyrics to a song ran through her head and she softly sang the words. "You give your hand to me. And then you say hello. And I can hardly speak by heart is beating so." A few tears trickled down her face as the song came rushing to her. "You don't know the one who longs to kiss your lips and longs to hold you tight." She sang. "I'm just a friend." She turned away from the window and walked to the dressing room table sitting down looking into the mirror. Images of her and Mickey on stage flashed. Especially that time they sang the Elton John and Kiki Dee song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." A small smile came to her face as she wiped the tears away. Well it wasn't meant to be. She would need to accept it. He wanted groupies and silly giggling girls who gushed over him. She wasn't that and was never going to be that.

Counter

"You think Gloria is okay?" asked a worried Stacy.

"She will be." The Kid assured. "We just have to help her."

"Help her?" asked Rene. "How?

"We have to find away for her to get Mickey's attention again. And I think I know how." He said.
He gathered the two girls around and devised a plan. They then rushed back to the dressing room to Gloria.
"Hey!" The Kid said as they burst in. "We have an idea. We know how you can get Mickey's attention."

"Oh?" said Gloria. "How?"

Rene, Stacy and The Kid each smiled at one another and spilled the plan.

Stage

"Here they are Kids Incorporated!" announced Riley as he then hurried off the stage.

The music began and Gloria went into Carol King's I Feel The Earth Move. The girls danced. Kid rocked on his keyboard. Mickey was on guitar. Gloria smiled and danced her way over to Mickey. She sang the lyrics "Ooh baby when I see your face. mellow as the month of May." Her arm ever so slightly going around his waist her hand brushing against the bare skin between his shirt and his jeans. She continued on singing to him with the lyrics about when you look at me that way.
The song the came to a conclusion and the audience cheered. They all took their usual bows and then informed the crowd they would be back in a few.
Mickey took his guitar off and felt hot. Did the stage get hotter? Were the lights blazing? He put the guitar down and rushed over to the counter and asked Riley for some water. He took the glass and guzzled it down. His mind recalled the feel of Gloria's fingers touching his skin. He felt an electric jolt at her touch. He turned back to Riley. "Can I get another water please?" Riley filled the glass and handed it to him.

The Kid, Rene and Stacy were gathered at a table watching and grinning. "It is working" Stacy said with glee.
The other two nodded and smiled.

Mickey told Riley he was stepping outside for a minute. He walked out and felt cool relief however he couldn't get Gloria's touch out of his head or the way she was singing to him. Yes she usually did sing to him or The Kid on stage but this felt really different. Like there was more to it. Or was he being crazy? Yeah that's it he was crazy. Was he? He was too confused to know. A song came to him and the lyrics poured out. "She walks in and I'm suddenly a hero." The music was in his head and the lyrics grew stronger. "Suddenly the wheel are in motion. and I'm ready to said any ocean." He could see Gloria's face in his mind. Her smile, her beautiful, did he say beautiful, eyes. The way she helped everyone. How she mentored the younger girls. Acting like a big sister to both Rene and Stacy. She was the kindest the most...wonderful girl he had ever known. He shook his head knowing he had to focus. The band had another number to do. He went back inside and hurried on stage. Riley reintroduced the band. The music began. Mickey and Gloria took their placed as they were to be singing a duet from the movie Footloose.

The spotlight was on the pair as they stood on a small center stage. The two gazing at one another as each word fell from their lips. "Almost paradise..we're knocking on Heaven's door..." Such a powerful song conveying what they were both feeling. Mickey singing his part. "It seems like perfect's love so hard to find, I'd almost given up. You must have read my mind." Gloria then with her part. "And all these dreams I saved for a rainy day, they're finally coming true."
They sang the amazing chorus once again with passion and the audience cheered. The music came to a close as did the song.
Mickey couldn't take his eyes off of Gloria and vice versa. Then something came over the both of them. They both inched closer and their lips met in a deep soft kiss. It was as if the band wasn't there, the crowd wasn't there..it was just them. The kiss then broke as Gloria heard the roar of applause. She smiled as did Mickey and they took their bows. It was then Gloria rushed off stage and head to the dressing room. Mickey walked back to the main stage. The other three just looked at him and said "Go follow her." He nodded and headed to the dressing room. He carefully opened the door to find Gloria making as if she was examining her make-up. "Hey." He said.

"Oh hi." She replied still looking at the contents of her make-up bag.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine." Gloria said. "Why?"

Mickey sighed and turned her to face him. "Gloria we need to talk."

"What about?" She asked as if she didn't know.

"What about?" He said incredulously. "You know what about! That kiss!"

"Oh yeah that." She said turning away from him. "It was nothing."

"Nothing?" He said. "That was not nothing."

"Look we don't have to make a big deal out of it. So you kissed me."

"So?" He said shaking his head. "Gloria you kissed me too."

She gulped. "I did." She said nervously. "Oh well I guess I just.."

"No." He said pulling her up from her chair. "It meant something. I could feel it. And you could too."

Gloria glared at him. "Yeah so!" She shouted. "What do you care! You are too busy basking in the attention of groupies and
stupid silly girls who want to drool all over you and tell you how great you are!"

Mickey realized why she was upset and laughed.

"What is so funny!" She snapped.

"You." He said with a smile. "You and your jealousy."

"Jealousy! Ha!" She said. "You wish! I'm not jealous of anything or anyone!"

"Oh really?" Mickey said with a grin. "So you weren't shooting daggers at me earlier when those two girls were talking to
me?"

Gloria's face turned red. "You...you saw that..." She stammered.

"Yes I did. I couldn't figure out why you were so mad until now. You were jealous."

"So? You still like those girls." She pouted.

Mickey shook his head. "No I don't. I like you." He said taking her hands in his. "I think you are pretty great."

Gloria smiled. "You do?"

"Yes I do. I've actually thought it for awhile. I just didn't think you..."

"Well I do. I think you are pretty great too." She said. "I...I like you too."

"Well then." Mickey said. "There is only one thing to do."

"What's that?" She asked.

"This." He pulled her close to him wrapping his arms around him. He then pressed his lips to hers in a deep kiss. They stood in the embrace for a few minutes before letting go. Gloria gave him another kiss before they headed back to the stage. The others were waiting for them.

"You ready lovebirds?" asked The Kid.

Gloria laughed. "Ready!" She said grabbing her mic.

The band went into a rousing rendition of You Can't Hurry Love. The song had more meaning to Gloria now as she belted out the lyrics with Rene and Stacy. It was true. You have to have faith and trust that it will happen. She glanced over at Mickey on guitar. It certainly happened for her.

The End!