Neither Michelle or Hunter had made an attempt to speak to the other since their blow up. Michelle stood her ground for once in their friendship. She would not be the one doing the apologizing this time. That resolve left Michelle rather lonely day in and day out at school. She made her best attempt to cover her feelings but with each day that passed it became increasingly more difficult.

Michelle picked up her head to see Parker heading in the direction of where she was sitting. She was astonished that she was actually glad to see him. The change within him had been astounding and she was finally seeing a glimpse of the guy she once knew him to be. It was just such a relief to no longer fear him.

"Hey there doll. How's my leading lady? You ready for some more practice?"

"Yeah. I can use all the practice I can get. I can't believe that opening night is in a week. Do you really think we can pull this off?" she asked pensively the idea of standing on stage in front of the entire theater was getting the better of her.

"We are more then ready. You and me, Michelle, we are going to light up that damn stage," he countered with his male vibrato showing.

"I'm glad one of us is so confident. I wish I was. Actually I am scared to death," she smiled.

"I hear through the grapevine you got yourself a new guy in your life," Parker remarked easily.

Michelle held her breath waiting for what she was sure was to come next. It certainly hadn't taken Hunter long to open her big mouth.

"Yes I do."

"I am glad to see that you are happy again," Parker said with such sweetness a person could see the sugar drip from his mouth all the while the blood in his veins was on the verge of boiling over.

He nearly hit the roof after Hunter had given her rendition of the conversations she had had with Michelle about her new love. It was bad enough that Michelle had up and found herself another guy but to then find out that he was some scum from Clayton well that was far too much for Parker's ego to stomach.

Michelle sat back again staring at him in amazement. Where was the outlandish behavior she fully expected Parker to exhibit? If it hadn't been for her vivid memories of the things that he had done to her in the past she would have believed that she dreamt the all. That sensation was errie in a way though. Like she was walking outside her own life, yet for the time being she wasn't about to rock the boat especially given how close opening night was quickly approaching.

They walked to practice together. Upon their entrance the room fell silent for a moment until the whispers then started. Michelle wanted to scream. Obviously Hunter had seen to it that the entire school had known of her and Danny now.

At the heart of things what did she really care what they thought of her. She hadn't been happier in she didn't know how long. And that happiness centered solely around Danny Santos. No one else need of approve. It was there loss that none of them were big enough people to give others a fair chance.

"Okay everyone settle please," Miss James spoke, "We have just about a week before opening night. I know that everything has been progressing nicely, but I'd like to step up the practice schedule. I want to try to run through the entire play at least three or four times this week." He remarks were met with a resounding groan from those in the room. "Settle down. It's important that we are sure that we have everything down perfect. The only way to do that is do the play from start to finish."

"Can you believe this?" Parker whispered in Michelle's ear.

"No."

"At this rate we will never get out of this theater," he said quietly.

Michelle had been thinking the very same thing. Between school and this relentless practice schedule Michelle hadn't seen Danny in over a week. It didn't appear to be getting any better in the coming days.

Sitting with her Trig book laid before her she couldn't stop her thoughts from wondering to what he was doing. Trig was her least favorite subject so it was easy to get lost in anything but it and much easier to get lost in the image of Danny's face that dance before her. She took another drink from the soda can beside her and settled herself in for the long haul just as the phone on the night table rang. "Hello," she answered.

"Hi," the voice that met her ear was Danny's, "What have you been doing?"

"Practicing for that damn play. Miss James is a workaholic to the max degree. But right now I am trying to get my Trigonometry homework done."

"I guess you won't be doing much else tonight then huh?" he questioned.

"Why what did you have in mind?"

"Nothing. You sound as if you are going to be tied to your desk all night slaving over the books," he teased.

"I'm sure I could be persuaded to unchain myself. What did you have in mind?" she questioned again.

"I thought that maybe this time we could actually get to see that movie."

"I'd like that. When should I be by to get to you? I promise to stay outside and wait for you," Michelle said cutting him off before he could say what she knew he wanted to.

"NO WAY!! Don't even go there. I'll get a ride and meet you at the movie house."

"Are you sure? I mean I can just wait outside…….."

"I'm positive. I'm not taking even the slightest chance with you this time. I'll see you in about an hour. Bye."

Michelle threw her books in the closet and went to grab a shower thoughts of finishing her homework long gone. She didn't realize how relieved she was to have him called. With as busy as her life had been lately she couldn't help but wonder if he had thought she had left him hanging in the wind.

Michelle stood back and looked at her herself in the full length mirror. She was surprised at how much she liked what she saw. Everything about her appearance had turned out perfectly again. Which was a rare occurrence for Michelle.

She waited outside of the movie house for Danny to arrive. She watched as many faces she recognized from school milled past her. She caught her breath when she saw Parker heading in her direction.

"Hey, you all alone tonight?" he asked stopping in front of her.

"No," she paused, "I actually waiting for someone."

"Oh the new beau thought maybe we'd catch the flick together, guess not though."

"Sorry, maybe next time," Michelle found herself saying. She found it hard to fathom that after all that she and Parker had been through they might end up as friends.

"Hey baby," Danny said grabbing Michelle by the waist from behind.

"Hi," both her voice and face lit up at the sight of him. She was thankful in the fact that Parker had exited before Danny arrived. She wanted nothing to spoil this evening.

"You okay?" he asked noticing her furrowed brow.

"Yeah," she said absently still thinking about what a complete turn around Parker had done.

"You sure?" Danny was less then convinced.

"YES!" she stressed firmly.

"Michelle?" Danny questioned not understanding the edge she suddenly had.

"What?"

"What's up with you all of the sudden? Are you having second thoughts about this date or what?" he questioned.

"NO!" she gasped angry at herself for letting thoughts of Parker ruin their evening.

"Then what?" he forced.

"It's really nothing. It's just that every time I think I have the rules of the game pegged down well someone goes and changes them on me. I'm just trying to make sense of it all."

Danny pulled back and looked at her face again. She was breathtaking but somewhere behind her milky brown eyes there lurked so much anguish. It tore at his heart knowing that there was a pain in her life that she wasn't letting him get close enough to fix. On instinct her brought her mouth to his kissing her sweetly.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"Because I wanted to," he grinned, "Just so you know the rules of our game are still the same."

"I'm glad." She leaned in and returned his affection. "Let's get inside before we miss this movie too," Michelle laughed.

The movie was one of those no plot action films with a lot of killing. Michelle enjoyed herself just the same. Sitting next to Danny, she was happy. Frankly she would have been happy anywhere as long as Danny was at her side.

"That was a great movie don't you think?" Danny said exiting the movie house.

"Please tell me you are kidding right? That was THE WORST," she stressed, "movie that I've ever seen," Michelle playfully punched his arm.

"It was GOOD!" he countered laughing.

"You're nuts," she offered back.

"OH AM I?!?!?" Danny raised one eyebrow in protest.

"YES….you are," Michelle continued.

"Is that so?"

"YEP……"

As she continued Danny picked her tiny frame up over his shoulders and began walking in the direction of her car.

"Excuse me," he said. Michelle looked down to see who they had just bumped into. It had been Parker.

"Watch where the hell you are going!" he smarted off.

"I said excuse me!" Danny mouthed back.

"Like that would be enough. I expect a full apology."

Danny's street defenses came front and center in his brain. He wasn't about to take anything from this arrogant prick standing before him.

"Think again asshole!" Danny barked.

Parker was just about to run the gambit on the hood he saw before him but looking up finally he saw Michelle draped over his shoulder.

"OH MY GOD, Michelle, are you all right? For God sakes put her down! You're going to hurt her," Parker said tugging at Michelle's body.

"Am I hurting you, Michelle?" Danny asked in a mocking manner.

"No, don't think so." Michelle let out a little giggle that she could no longer hold at the back of her throat.

This only served to enrage Parker all the more. The voices inside his head stressed him to stay calm. He couldn't risk blowing all he had worked to achieve with Michelle so far. The plan he was setting in motion was far too important to him to blow it now.

"Parker, this is Danny. My new beau as you called him," Michelle informed as Danny brought her to ground level. "Danny this is Parker Simms. A friend from school. As a matter of fact he's the male lead opposite me in the play."

"Nice to meet you," Danny extended his hand to Parker who reluctantly accepted.

Danny now recognized him as the guy from the park. All the bells and whistles sounded in his head screaming for him to get Michelle as far away from him as he could. There was not doubt in his mind that Parker Simms was responsible for those bruises on Michelle's neck and lord only knew what else.

"So you're the new love of Michelle's life? Well welcome to the exclusive club," Parker said slyly, "She was my lady for a year and a half. She's a good girl when she wants to be." Parker heard his words and knew that he wasn't hiding the disgust he felt for Michelle lately all that well. "No really, you're one lucky guy," Parker adjusted his tone noticing the steely glances that Danny was throwing his direction, "She's a great girl."

"You don't have to tell me how special she is," Danny pulled Michelle against him and kissed her passionately. Danny had many reasons for doing so. Part of him did it for the reaction that he was sure it would arouse out of Parker but the bigger reason was that he wanted Parker to understand what was no longer his.

The sight before him had Parker's head spinning. It took every fiber of his being to stay rooted in place. All Parker wanted to do at the moment was beat the shit out his guy. He thought back to the things that Hunter had told him about this guy that Michelle had fallen for. How she professed that she was finally being treated in the correct manner. Well if this was how she thought a woman should be treated no wonder she had been so hard to keep in line. The pair continued kissing as if he wasn't even there. Parker's blood boiled with each new thought that raced through his mind.

"Well it looks like the best man won," Parker said gritting his teeth all the way, "Well catch you at practice." He turned and went without the confrontation that Michelle had expected.

Yet if Michelle and Danny had hung around long enough, they would have been witness to Parker's rage. A rage that was strong enoughto send his hand failing through the side window of his car.

Throughout their date Michelle never again thought about Parker, yet Danny on the other hand wasn't buying his act. The whole situation didn't sit right with him. Guys like Parker didn't just change their ways.

Danny thought that he had pushed the right buttons with him but Parker hadn't taken the bait. The thought of how much time Michelle was spending with him due to the play had Danny more then a little concerned. He wasn't jealous worried but there was an ominous feeling he just couldn't shake.

"Hey can I ask you something?" He hadn't brought up her bruises since that first confrontation between them, yet at the moment Danny needed to get some things straight in his own mind about it all.

"Sure," she absently returned as she nibbled on his ear. A fact that didn't make it any easier for him to concentrate.

"So you dated that guy? The one we ran into tonight."

"Yeah, we dated." Michelle stopped what she had been doing and turned to face him curious as to where he was going with all of this. "So," she paused, "Are we a little jealous?" she teased poking him in the ribs.

"No…..no it's not that really," he hesitated searching for the right words, "I don't really know how to say this so I will just come out with it……."

"Danny, just ask me. I thought we had a deal to be honest with each other? So just ask."

"I'm worried about you."

Michelle returned a quizzical look. "Why?"

"Hear me out okay." He waited for her response.

"Sure."

"I have a bad feeling about that Parker guy. I know he was the one responsible for those bruises on your neck." Michelle looked away not able to face him. "I remember him from that day in the park."

Michelle swallowed hard thinking that she had finally put that awful day behind her. She knew it was a difficult concept to grasp but she was actually beginning to believe that Parker was changing. She knew that she could never have the feelings she once had for him but she hoped that they could move in the direction of finally becoming friends again. She needed to believe that.

"Come on Baby, look at me please," Danny lifted her doe eyes to meet his, "I also know about the night he harassed you and Stacey. I talked to her about it after you had gone home. She was pretty adamant about how shaken you were by him. She made it pretty clear what a piece of work she thought he was."

Danny watched the color drain out of Michelle's face as he continued his speech. He knew what his words were doing but he couldn't stop them. He couldn't squash the feeling that if he didn't warn her that well he didn't want to think about all the possibilities.

"I hate to keep bringing this up but that first session you sat in on. The one with Beth. Well the entire she was talking it was like you were reliving your own private hell," Danny sensed the tension in Michelle's posture as he went on. "I don't like it that you have to spend so much time with the guy. He's not on the up and up. I can just feel it."

"I know how things look," she began, "Yes…yes things with Parker haven't always been the greatest. And yes I have had my share of bruises inflicted by him. I understand what you are saying Danny, but I don't think he's in this to hurt me anymore. I really think he just wants to get through the play without too much hassle. And us being civil makes that all the easier. To be honest he's been great, helping me run lines, going over the blocking, hell anything I ask of him. He's like a completely different person."

Danny wasn't sure who she was trying harder to convince him or herself.

"Come on Michelle, are you hearing yourself? Doesn't that all seem a bit strange to you? My street smarts are screaming something isn't quite right here."

"Really, it's okay."

"Michelle," he choked, "I don't want anything to happen to you. I couldn't stand it if I thought that I could have stopped something from happening."

The agony in his plea surprised her. "Please," she took his hands in hers, "Please don't worry. I really do know what I'm doing here. I'm not a total nut case," she said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Danny was yet to be convinced. He remained quiet on the way back to CONNECTION VILLAGE. He had finally gotten Michelle to agree to drop him off there. She was relentless in her pursuit of bringing him to his apartment each and every time they were together. It seemed that she always had to prove something. That's what made him all the more worried about her gallant attitude towards Parker and his new found friendship.

"Hey, you're awfully quiet."

Michelle tilted her face to be directly in front of Danny. They locked eyes just for an instant before she kissed him. Kissed him with enough intensity enabling him to hear his own heart beat in his ears. He thought for sure Michelle could hear it as well. Without realizing it he was returning hers with one he himself never imagined being capable of. The sudden rush of emotions flooded him. He certainly had girlfriends before but none of them had ever elicited such a whirl wind of passion in him. None of them before had ever made him want to be better then he was, yet Michelle Bauer had done just that. Threw her eyes he saw himself in a completely different light.

"So you back to reality?" she smiled.

"You know I think I might need just a little more coaxing," he countered sheepishly.

Michelle suppressed a giggle and came forward for another round of tantalizing kisses.

Michelle stopped at Parker's locker just before practice. She was shocked to see his hand was bandaged. She touched it lightly before speaking, "What happened?" she questioned.

"Something stupid. I did something dumb in the garage and ended up with some stitches. It's no big deal really."

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.

The concern that Parker was hearing from Michelle was mind blowing. He couldn't have asked for this to be working out any better. All he had to do was bide his time a little longer then he could make his move blowing her safe world to bits.

"It's a little sore," he smiled yet if she had looked closer Michelle could have seen the evil that lurked behind his eyes.

"What exactly were you doing?"

"Working on my car. You know the '69 Vette that dad bought me a while back. It still needs a little fine tuning. I guess I just got a bit carried away."

"Men and their cars. Hell I think you guys treat them better then you treat us," Michelle half laughed before realizing what she had said. She waited with baited breath for his response. She had known better then to go there. Parker and his Vette had been a bone of contention between the two of them.

"Well you're probably right." He continued to amaze her on a daily basis. She knew that all of this was going to be okay. Things had taken a turn for the better finally. She no longer feared Parker, she had Danny and the great thing that was going on with him, the only true regret she had was that she and her father had yet to speak since his dinner party. There had been a lot of awkward silences and tense moments these past weeks but nothing that amounted to them making amends.

"Hey we better got to practice before Miss James has our butts in a sling," Parker said eyeing his watch.

"Oh god yeah, you're right. Let's go."

"Nice of our leads to join us." Parker and Michelle slipped into the respective places as she continued, "Today is one of the days that I would like to run through the entire production. We are getting down to the wire here. I need to be sure that everyone knows exactly what to do. Before we get started I want to tell everyone that the kick off party the Drama Department was planning before the first show has been canceled. I thought it was inappropriate. I instructed them to have a final cast party instead. The party will now be after the final show next Friday evening. With that said let's get started people."

The whole run through of the play took over two and a half hours. Michelle was fully connected with her character as the scenes between her and Parker improved daily. Letting down the walls that stood between the two of them for so long had enabled Michelle to put on a spectacular performance. In each love scene Michelle got swept away by the romance of the story. Even though she and Parker had reached some common ground, it was still Danny whose face she used as inspiration for each of those scenes. Miss James was truly moved by their performance.

"Well that's a wrap everyone. Two more run throughs before opening night and I think we'll have this down to a science. As for Michelle and Parker, let me just say that if you two continue to give such stellar performances we will have sold out shows every night. Ihave to say you two were excellent choices as the leads."

"Did you hear her Michelle? Did you hear what she said about us?" Parker's excitement radiated from every pore in his body.

Praise wasn't something that he had been used to. In his whole life he had been praised for very little he had ever done. The words of Miss James had Parker feeling a contentment with himself that he had never known before. He couldn't resist the urge of leaning in to kiss Michelle. The idea seemed so natural but she pulled away quickly taken a bit off guard by his actions.

"Oh, I'm sorry……I shouldn't have done that," he stammered.

"No, no it's okay. I know you are excited. I just didn't anticipate that is all," Michelle backed away as she spoke.

"No, I am really sorry," he said again sensing that Michelle was pulling back from him as she had done in the past. He couldn't let that happen. Not with all the progress he had made in such a short time. "You're right I am excited. I thought we were good but to hear Miss James say it out loud well it just sent me spinning."

It was hard to miss how truly delighted Parker was by all of this. Michelle just felt awkward suddenly and the silence between them was deafening.

"I really should get going," she said looking towards the theater door.

"Sure," he returned slamming his fist against the door as he watched her retreating back. He despised the fact that she had pulled away from him. On stage she was such a willing partner kissing him like they had always been lovers only to have her recoil from him moments before as if he had some deadly disease. Parker knew he couldn't hold this together much longer. It was time to step up his plan before all was lost.

Michelle walked to the center all the way with a foreboding sensation hanging over her head. She debated on telling Danny what had transpired between her and Parker. She knew that if she did it would only reinforce how he already felt about her spending so much time with him as it was. She reasoned herself out of discussing it with him. The play was almost over and when it was all of this would be behind them anyway and she also knew that Parker had just gotten caught up in all the excitement of Miss James' words of praise.

"Hi Michelle," Stacey said as Michelle made her way past the front desk, "LOOK!!!" she thrust her left hand at Michelle. Looking closely she saw an angora clad class ring on Stacey's finger.

"WOW!"

"It's Rick's. We've been seeing each other for six months now and he finally gave it to me last night. It was so cool!" Stacey gushed. Michelle smiled not once ever seeing her this happy. Michelle was glad thinking everyone deserved a little goodness in their lives.

"That's so great Stace," Michelle hugged her the best she could from across the counter, "Hey is Danny around?"

"Once couldn't you just ask me something else?" Stacey teased her friend. She was glad to have been wrong about the two of them. They had been good for each other. "He's out back with the little kids playing."

"Thanks."

Michelle gave Danny a high sign as she entered the back yard. She smiled brightly as she watched him playing tag with all the little ones. Sitting on a rock near by Michelle thought how lucky she was. The love she felt for Danny consumed her. This was the first time that she finally believed in the elusive emotion again.

"Jeff, you want to take over for me here? Hey you," he placed a kiss on her cheek as he sat down beside her.

"Hey," giving him a returning peck.

"How was practice? Everything going okay?" He had been asking that question on a daily basis.

"It was great. Miss James is totally taken by our performance. She thinks that we're going to sell out all the shows. Oh by the way there's a cast party after the final show. I would like it if you would come with me."

"I wouldn't miss it. I can't wait to see you perform."

"I would like that. I will just give you my dad's ticket. I'm sure he's not going to be using it."

Danny frowned at hearing the disappointment in Michelle's voice, "Are you telling me that you two haven't patched things up yet?"

"No. Not yet we haven't. I don't think we have spoken a full sentence in two weeks. I've given up on even trying anymore."

"I'm sorry baby," he comforted.

"Don't be. It's not your problem."

"Oh but you see it is. I know how unhappy this all makes you. And when you aren't happy well then I'm not either." He pushed away a strand of her hair that had fallen covering her beautiful eyes.

"Do you know how sweet you are?"

Danny scoffed at the remark. "Well you certainly are the first person to ever think that."

"You can't fool me Danny Santos. You want to be all mucho and tough but underneath you are a teddy bear. Besides I don't care what anyone else thinks. You're my sweetie."

"Oh am I?" he laughed, "So do you need any help with running lines or anything?"

"Yeah that would be great. I can use all the practice I can get," she sighed still less then sure of her abilities.

Michelle pulled the script from her backpack turning to the scene that she and Parker had used to audition with. She had used Danny's image that day and she felt it was more then appropriate to have the real thing now.

Danny had intense pleasure in helping Michelle. The scene they acted out was great and he had been right in his assumption that she made the perfect Maria. The only catch for Danny was that as much as he was looking forward to watching her performance, watching her do that particular scene with Parker made Danny's stomach somersault. He was grateful that this all would be over soon.

"Hey what time is it?" he asked.

"Almost half past six why?"

"I got to get going."

"Where?" she quizzed.

"My buddy has another soccer game tonight. I haven't missed a game yet."

"Well don't let me keep you," she joked pushing him away playfully.

"You could come with me. It's usually a pretty good time."

"Sounds like fun. Do I have time to go home and change?"

"If you make it quick."

"Can do. I'll meet you back here in a half hour?" she asked.

"I'll be waiting," he smiled as she walked away