"Hey, Mrs.Kolita! May I please speak to Lana?" Lily asked as she played with a strand of hair. "Sure, hold on!" Mrs.Kolita said. Then Lily heard Lana's name being screamed. She laughed as Lana picked it up. "Hey, Lil'! What's up?" "I'm okay and you?" "I'm cool...I mean kewl!" Lana said laughing. Lily laughed too. "So...did Chris want to'reschedule' your first date yet?" Lily asked as she let go of her strand of hair. Lana had stopped and laughed. "No...not yet! I am sure he doesn't want a first date. We know each other too much, it's like we have known each other since forever. I dunno. I want a first date, but I think we already hit if off. Without the first date," Lana said laughing. Lily laughed and then started to wonder if she really meant it. "-and he's been so nice to me during the past 3 weeks now. Plus, he's leaving for California and I don't want to pressure him. He'll be gone for 4 days. That's not that long since they cancelled that San Francisco gig. It would have been a whole week. I'm sure he's forgotten all about missing the first date. It seems like we already are a couple." "But not unleashed yet, right?" Lily said giggling. Lana laughed as she heard Lily's mom call her in the distance. She heard Lily say yes mother and laughed when she said she had to go. "Mother's magic, I suppose. Right, Lily?" "Yep! I have to go buy some stuff, I'll try and call later. Bye Lan'!!" Lily said. Lana said good-bye and Lily ran off outside putting down the phone on the counter before she left the house. She ran to the corner store and saw Chris. Chris was buying some snacks. "Hey, Chris! How's it going?" Lily asked. Chris turned around and Lily saw Chris with a bag of chips in his hand. He smiled and nodded. He went to the register and paid for the chips. Then he walked over to Lily. "I'm okay and you, Princess Lily?" Chris jokingly said and playfully punched her arm. She laughed sarcastically and grabbed his arm from punching her again. "Stop it!" Lily practically screamed. The other customers looked at her as she paid for her groceries. She forced a laugh and smile. Chris laughed and patted her shoulder as she grabbed her bag of groceries. They walked out together and went straight to Central Park. Lily had wondered why they went to Central Park together. But she pushed it away and sat on the bench with Chris. Chris moved in closer and almost sat hip to hip with her. Lily moved away and glared at Chris. "What?" he asked. Lily grunted in disgust and turned away from him. They sat in silence for about 5 minutes before he spoke up. "Lily? Do you think Lana likes me? I mean...we haven't gotten to go on our first date. We haven't shared our first real kiss yet. Do you think I am overdoing it and screwing up my mind?" Chris asked worriedly. Lily laughed and stood up. She looked over to Chris and saw worried face in him. She waited a moment. She looked at him once more and saw him waiting. She laughed again. It looked as if Chris was about to explode just waiting for the answer. She waited once more just to get him annoyed. "Chris...she doesn't like you. Chris...she's madly in love with you! I mean... she's always complimenting everything you do...everything you say. She's always talking about you and she says she fells like she knows you like she has known you all her life. That's what's special about her. She knows when a feeling is right or not. And she knows this feeling is right." *************************************************************** "Where is Chris?" Claudia asked as the guys walked into the room. They looked around and shrugged. "OH! He said he was going to be late...and that we should go ahead," Jesse said and put down his down his bag with all the other guys," I mean we should go ahead! We are leaving for Cali tomorrow! We need all the practice we can get." "Jesse's right...we are leaving and we have missed a week's worth of rehearsel's. Let's get started, Claudia. Chris can catch up when he comes." "Alright. Let's start with some warm-up's," Claudia said as she walked closer to them. They all nodded and started to do their warm-ups. *************************************************************** Lana was listening to her Limp Bizkit cd when she thought of Chris. She sighed and turned off the music. She went to the safe place where she kept the picture of Chris and her. The picture that her own mother had taken. She loved her mother, and loved the way she supported her and Chris. Or what might become of her and Chris. She pulled the picture out and looked it over and over. She couldn't help smiling. She looked it over once more and put it away when she heard Caity call her. "Lana! I need your help! The burgers are burning!" "What are you doing near the burner! Get away from that burner right now! Do you hear me, Caitlynn Alexa Kolita?? Get away from that burner!" Lana screamed as she ran down the stairs. "I am...I am...I am!" Caity said as she backed away. Lana laughed and flipped the burgers from one side to another. Caity laughed along with her sister. "Whoopsies!" Lana said as she flipped one burger from the burner to the floor. Caity kept on laughing clutching her stomach. Lana laughed harder enjoying every minute she was spending with her little sister. *************************************************************** Chris walked into the studio and saw Claudia and the other guys rehearsing. He walked past them and put his bottle of water and bag of chips on a chair. He walked over to Claudia and stood by her and looked at what she was looking at(the guys dancing). "Did I miss anything big?" Chris asked as he walked over and tried to join in. "Nothing big...we just started about five minutes ago. Claudia walked over and switched the tape to another song. Claudia walked over to the guys and danced with them looking straight into the mirror then turned to the guys. They were all so focused, especially Chris. She stopped when they had almost finished the dance. She stood there happy at what they had accomplished. She waited as the song finally finished and told them to site while she made a call to Brian Lukow. They waited and talked like they always did. Everyone was sitting and joking around while she made the call. "Brain, the guys are ready...we don't need to push back the date. We're fine. They'll be performing...they are like experts now. I'm very proud of them," Claudia said and waited for Brian to answer. She looked back at the guys and smiled and then focused her attention to the answer. "Alright then! The plane will be leaving at 11:30, so the guys should be there at 10:30. You know the rush. Plus, if they see some fans, or vice versa, they would have time to talk and sign stuff. I'll see you tomorrow, Claud'," Brian answered. Then Claudia put down the phone and got the guys together. She put her arms around each and everyone of them and hugged them. "Now Claudia! You're not going to cry are you?" Matt said jokingly. Claudia laughed as she wiped away a tear. They all laughed until they saw her tear. "What did we do?" Greg whispered quietly to them and Claudia. She shook her head and answered, "You didn't do anything. I am crying of happiness. You guys are doing so well, I am so lucky I am a part of it." She finished and the guys looked astonished. They were doing good, but they never knew it would make Claudia that happy. They laughed and embraces her. When they let go, she immediately told them to start practicing. She said it with a heartless tone. They turned around to Claudia and she smiled and winked. *************************************************************** Lily walked over to Greg's house and saw him sitting outside. She waved to him as he looked to her. She walked over and sat by him. They started to talk and knew they were hitting it off. Lily laughed and kissed Greg on the cheek and Greg slid his arm around her. "Do you think Chris and Lana are going to last? I mean...for some reason I haven't seen them together for a while," Lily asked as she put her head on Greg's shoulder. "I don't know...I haven't seen them together in a while, too. Did Lana say anything about that?" Greg replied. "No! She says that everything is alright. I'm sure she is trying to spend more time with her sister." "Yeah...and I guess Chris is trying to respect that. He's a good guy. I've known him for quite a while now. He is happiest whenever he is around Lana." "I know! Same with her...they never stop smiling when they are with each other. They look SO cute together. They are so perfect for each other, too. I hope nothing goes wrong," Lily said worriedly. Greg laughed and moved in closer to her. She grabbed his hand and wondered what would happend to Lana and Chris. *************************************************************** Matt grabbed the phone and sat by the kitchen table. He slowly dialed Stephanie's number. Then her waited as it rang. He heard her voice and smiled. "Steph? It's Matt...how are you?" Matt asked wishing it wasn't so silent and hoping she would perk up like she usually does. "Matt?" She asked almost shocked she started to cry. "Steph? You alright? What's going on?" Matt asked worried and confused at the same time when he heard her cry. "I'm alright. I'm just so glad you called! I haven't heard from you in... quite a few...months. I was so sad that you might have found someone else." "Oh, Steph! I love you so much! I would never do that to you. I am going to California tomorrow. I was hoping you would like to spend the night at my house. I mean to...catch up on things. You don't even know what's happened. Please!" Matt answered. He meant everything from the bottom of his heart. He waited and heard her giggle. Matt realized he had missed her giggle. "Okay, Matt...I'll come over. But only for a few hours. My relatives are coming tonight. I'll see you in a few. Bye." Stephanie answered and put down the phone. Matt relaxed and ran to the door. He opened it and sat on the steps and waited for Stephanie. He smiled at all the good memories he had shared with her in the past. He laughed and saw her turn the corner. He ran up to her and hugged her. He smiled and felt the warmness that he hadn't felt in a long time. He had realized he missed that warmness. They greeted each other and then Matt grabbed her hand. He led her inside and they walked up the stairs. When they came to his room, she sat down on his bed and he sat down next to her. He hugged her again and kissed her. He realized he had missed her kiss. They sat there kissing until she pulled apart. They sat there for the rest of the night talking at what had happened when they were apart. Matt realized something else. He had missed her. *************************************************************** Lana laid on the little couch on the patio looking at the stars. She had never seen that stars brighter than they were tonight. She looked at the brightest star and closed her eyes and made a wish. She wished that she and Chris will last forever. She opened her eys and heard only the crickets. She looked over to her side and saw the picture her mother had taken with Chris and her. She smiled and slowly picked it up. She looked at it and knew Chris was not like most guys she had dated. He was different. She yawned and fell asleep. The picture was still in her hand and few moments later it slid off her hand. It fell to the ground and the wind blew it to the far side of the patio. The stars kept on shining throught the night.