That "Love" Girl
Chapter Seventeen
By Rachel Rene
      After Mike and Kari returned to the table, Mike asked Vicki to dance with him.  She accepted, and they went back on the
dance floor.
      "Man, Mike's gonna have sore feet tonight," Micky laughed.
      Mary considered that for a moment, then replied, "You wanna join 'em?"
      Micky smiled, "Sure thing babe!" and they moved on the dance floor as well.
      Davy noticed Peter and Kari sitting at the table, and went over to them.  "Are the otheh couples out on the dance floor?" he asked, eating some of the fries.
      Kari nodded, yawning.  She apologized, "Sorry guys.  I'm just tired is all."
      Davy held out his hand, "Too tired to dance?"
      Kari grinned, "Who can resist a dance with you, Davy?  Sure, but let's see if you can keep up with me!" Kari winked, and welcomed his offer.
      "What about me?" Peter called to them, but the girl he talked to earlier came up and asked if anyone was sitting with him.  "No, no one at all," he answered.  "Wanna dance?" She giggled and nodded.
      The four dancing couples stole the dance floor, and were the last ones to leave before closing time.  Jake bid them goodnight, and reminded the girls that he expected to see them tomorrow morning.
      Peter said goodbye to the chick he was dancing with, and whispered something in her ear.  She blushed and giggled some more, nodding.  Before departing with her, Peter gave her one of his love beads.  The girl opened her mouth wide, and her eyes lit up.  Throwing her arms around his neck, she thanked him.  He kissed her goodnight on the cheek and walked back to the Monkeemobile floating on clouds.
      Micky and Mary walked hand-in-hand to the Monkeemobile.  They stopped by the car and noticed that no one else was there yet.  Mary turned to Micky, taking his other hand.  "I had fun tonight, Mick," she whispered shyly, looking into his eyes.  "Thank you for being a wonderful gentleman."
      Micky pretended to be surprised, "Gentleman?  Me?  You're putting me on, Mair!"
      She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "How 'bout we go out again next week?  There's that staff party
here, remember?"
      Micky looked into her eyes, his arms around her waist, "What will we do until then?" he asked.
      Mary answered, "See each other.  I meant a real date, though.  I don't believe in dating more than once a week.  But there's nothing wrong with seeing each other tomorrow.  We both have to work here, anyway."
      Micky smiled back at her, "I like the way you think.  All right, we'll go out next week.  But I'll see you tomorrow."
     They smiled at each other, then Micky slowly leaned towards Mary and touched his lips to hers.  "Tomorrow," he whispered again, opening his eyes.
      "Yeah," Mary sighed dreamily, "Which is in a few more hours."
      Mike escorted Vicki to the Monkeemobile, but first he stopped her outside the building.  "Victoria," he started nervously.
      "Huh?" she gave him her full attention, gazing into his brown eyes with her own chocolate-colored eyes.
      "Ah, uh," Mike stumbled over his own words, "Ah mean, well.  Would, uh, would ya like to go with me to... Ah guess what Ah'm tryin' ta say is that Ah really like ya."
      "Uh-huh," she nodded solemnly, "I like you too, Mike." She told him before she realized what she was admitting.
      When Vicki confessed that she had feelings for him it made it a little easier for Mike to ask her out.  "Well, then would ya like ta go with me to the staff party at the Orange Ballerina?" He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily, "It's next week, and Ah don' have no one ta go with.  Well, except fer the rest of the guys, but that's not what Ah mean."
      "I would love to Michael," Vicki answered as she turned red, but Mike didn't notice because it was dark.  "I would really like to be your date."
      Mike smiled, "Really?  Ah mean, that's great!" Mike's smile gradually diminished as he bent over and kissed Vicki.
     This time she didn't run away, she kissed him back.
      Licking her lips, trying to preserve the sweetness of Mike's touch, Vicki stepped back slightly.  Her heart was pounding, and she could barely see anything but Mike.  Vicki's thoughts swam in her head, only emerging to think about him.  Finally, she planted her hands on either side of Mike's face and kissed him.  "I have something to tell you," she lowered her head suddenly, looking at her feet.
      Mike opened his eyes, sighing in a deep relaxation.  "What is it?" he asked, noticing Vicki looked troubled.  "You all right, Shotgun?" he placed his left hand on her arm, rubbing it softly in both concern and comfort.
      Vicki shook her head, still staring at the ground, "I just need to let you know that you might not want to be with me anymore."
      Mike laughed timidly, "You're kidding, right?  Ah always want to be with you."  When Vicki didn't reply, Mike lifted her chin with the index finger of his right hand, "Hon', just tell me.  It's all right, Ah'll try to understand whatever it is you want to tell me."
      Vicki closed her eyes, trying to think of the right words to say.  She opened her eyes again to see Mike marveling firmly into them.  "I'm just like Kari," was what she said aloud.  "I mean I have the same problem."
      Mike took Vicki's hand in his, keeping it warm.  He rubbed it kindly, "Who was it?" he asked, but there wasn't scorn in his voice, only regard.
      "Wayne," she responded, ashamed.  "I'm just glad he didn't get Kari too."
      Mike brought her hand to his lips, and stared into her eyes as he kissed her fingers tenderly.  "It's gonna be all right, Shotgun," he whispered, bringing her hand back down.  "We gonna help ya all we can."
      Davy brought Kari to the Monkeemobile, but they caught Micky and Mary kissing and decided to make themselves scarce.  Davy walked with her a ways, and they discussed nothing in particular.  Eventually, Davy turned to Kari, "'Ow are ya feelin' babe?"
      "Great," Kari smiled back, "Just exhausted.  I didn't know you could get such a work-out from dancing," she laughed.
     "Thanks, Davy.  I had a great time tonight, even though I was a little out of it this morning."
      "I would've been too if I 'ad to tell me best friends 'at I was pregnant."
      Kari giggled warmly and took his hand in gratitude, "You guys have made these past few weeks some of the best of my life.  You really are amazing, ya know that?"
      Davy blushed slightly and shrugged, "We're just a couple o' really, really nice looking, talented guys."  He winked at her, and she grinned back at him.
      "Let's see if the others are back at the Monkeemobile yet," Kari suggested, dropping his hand.
      Davy agreed, but when they turned around he halted her momentarily.  "Wait, Valleri," he said (he had been calling her that all night).  "I know we're best friends 'n' all," he began.  Then he dropped his hands to his side and shook his head.  "Never mind," he sighed.  Before Kari started walking again, Davy changed his mind once more and quickly kissed her.  Davy was only an inch shorter than her, so he didn't have to reach too far.
      Kari stood there, not quite sure of what had just happened.  Her breathing became audible, and she tried to slow down her heart.  This isn't right, she kept telling herself, he's Davy.  Davy dates another girl everyday, why would he be interested in me?  Nevertheless, Kari enjoyed the kiss.
      Davy stared intently into her eyes.  He didn't say anything, but seemed to be reading her thoughts.  "I'm sorry," he mumbled quietly, turning to walk again.
      Kari held out her arm to stop him.  She leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the cheek, "Okay.  We can go now."
     They walked back to the car holding each other's hand.
      Peter arrived at the Monkeemobile a little after Micky and Mary.  Mike and Vicki came next, followed by Davy and Kari.  Mike tried to clear his head as he sat in the driver's seat, Vicki practically sitting on his lap because of the lack of room with all of the equipment in the car.  Peter sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window in a dreamy state.  In the back, Davy sat in the window seat to the left, whispering to Kari.  They tried to speak quietly enough to make sure no one was listening.  No one was, of course; they were all preoccupied.  Mary sat on the other side of Kari, but had her back to her.  Mary faced Micky, who had his arm around her and was joking fondly the whole way home.

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