getting in the grove

"I always wanted a real date, you know, not..well.." Henry was practically winking when he was talking so much about the dance. Now they were here and just standing, as if there was no place to go.

Derrick could have listened to him talk more. They'd had a nice dinner out. Just the two of them. No massive table with mixed up tickets. Maybe Derrick missed it, but not really.

Henry said he always did that. Their was the group dinner before (which usually meant Henry and a dozen girls) and usually IHOP afterwards. So they opted for a real dinner at a sushi place in the city. Of course, they met some old Asian ladies who wanted to karaoke with them. And they did. So they shouldn't have any fear of dancing at the dance, but he could see Henry was a bit timid. Yet full of laughter too.

Derrick watched Max and Daisy dance close. Finally he saw Josie with Topher, but he didn't make a point of actually greeting them. Just a slight wave. Then he noticed Ian. Of course, he was with Lola. It was hard to say if they were more than friends. Still Derrick chose to avoid him as if an icy wall was between them now.

"So?" Derrick finally took Henry's hand. A fast mix of some sort came on. It sounded almost like an eighties tune. Maybe it was best to get in with the crowd and just dance. And Henry danced. Actually, Derrick thought he lost him a time or two. Henry was all over the dance floor. It was kind of surprise, but it made Derrick laugh. He was really happy. When the slow music started, they danced close.

Of course, Derrick realized Henry was taller. It was time to face the fact he'd always be the shrimp that he was. But he didn't seem to care. Henry's smile was infectious, and finally he honestly felt as if his life might be on track. Maybe he was growing up, after all.

never the color grey

"Well?" Daisy glared at Josie. She was standing in the dressing room in the most frilly dress. And it was strapless. It was for the Valentines dance.

"Its really not you." Josie shrugged. It was as if something else was on her mind.

"What?" Daisy tilted her head so, trying to figure Josie out. Why wasn't she happy? Her so-called rock-star boyfriend was bringing her to this bash. "Who is it now?"

"Its nothing." Josie glared back and pulled Daisy's black rimmed glasses off her face. "Don't wear these tonight."

"Why not?" Daisy didn't understand. The glasses were not an issue with Max.

"Don't you want to look like his date instead of a study-buddy?" Josie informed her.

"Is that what you think we are?" Daisy winced. Every second she was with Josie she felt less and less pretty.

"Look, you've got a great guy. Its just, he has no idea how handsome he really is. If he did, he wouldn't be with you." Josie reminded her.

Daisy swelled with a little bit of anger, then a little bit of fear. She fought back tears. Maybe it was true, if Max woke up and figured out she was nowhere in his league..then what? Daisy snatched her glasses back.

Daisy couldn't wait to get out of the dress then. She went back to the dressing room to change. She came back out with her favorite hat and Hello Kitty Tee shirt and wore out jeans.

"You are getting the dress, aren't you?" Josie asked as she left it behind.

"Why should I?" Daisy could hardly speak. She didn't feel pretty. It was impossible to be pretty. Especially, with Josie around.

Max was listening to Derrick talk about Henry's style. How he needed to get that look. Somehow. They were digging through suits at the mega thrift store while Josie and Daisy had gone to the department store, a bit further down the strip mall.

"Well, you better go with the bow tie." Max found a red one and baby blue one. Of course, he couldn't imagine himself in one. Really, it was so warm and sunny out. He looked out the old store glass windows to see Josie and Daisy in a fuss.

"What could they be fighting about now?" He said slightly amused yet kind of frustrated.

"Huh?" Derrick was holding a pin stripe suit. He was going to try it on.

"Here." He handed him the bow ties and went to see what was going on.

Of course, as soon as the cold chill of February hit him, he wished he hadn't have thought how sunny it could have been.

"I DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Josie was screaming as Daisy was taking off as if she would not go anywhere with Josie.

"Hey, what's going on?" He put his arm around Daisy as soon as he could and walked her into the mega thrift store. "Are you OK?"

She frowned as if Josie hurt her.

"Do you want me to go beat up somebody?" He looked at her seriously, even though he didn't have it in him. He was not really a fighter.

"Yes. No." She could barely speak.

"Just forget about Josie. OK?" He lead her to the fancy dresses for prom and big dances. Immediately, he found her a pink lacy dress with spaghetti straps. "I like this. This is so you."

"No its not." She winced.

"It might be." He coaxed her into trying it on. "I'll go find something. Then we can see if its us." He smiled.

"And if its not?" She still looked sad.

"We'll be somebody else for Valentines day. I guess." He kissed her on the cheek. "Come on, you know you're beautiful. No matter what." He believed it too.

going the extra mile

"Honestly, I think he's gonna love it." Elliot was all smiles, as he cheered Penelope and Max from down below. They were in the rafters in the attic while he was in Asa's room where they were putting in the ceiling fan.

He noticed right away that Amanda's things were still here. It was as if she'd just left this morning for school.

It made him feel a tad creepy. But he tried his best to steady himself on the ladder as the two got the ceiling fan situated. It was a kind of surgery that took at the most five minutes. They were done and back downstairs in another five. Now they'd test the fan to see if it worked.

It did. They cheered. It was the final fan. Now each bedroom had a ceiling fan.

"Should we clean up in here?" Elliot asked Max.

"No, just leave it alone." Max clicked off the light and shut the door behind him.

"Do you really think Asa is OK?" Elliot was a little puzzled.

"I think so. I've asked him to see a grief counselor with me, but he hasn't yet. Not that he gets defensive about it. He just says he doesn't have time." Max shrugged. "But..now..now he wants to get this fellow he works with, to go to this group counseling thing at the hospital."

"Well, maybe he will." Elliot crossed his arms, wondering if he should try to go too. Funny, he didn't think he needed it, but what if he did.

"Do you think I need to go to counseling?" Elliot asked Penelope later when they stopped off at the local diner for cake and coffee. They'd invited Max, but he was on his laptop with Daisy.

"What do you think?" She asked back as she stirred her creamed coffee.

"I dunno." He shrugged as he dug his fork into his red velvet cake with cream cheese icing. "I feel depressed sometimes, but..." He didn't know how to finish the sentence. "Its like, I want to be a better friend to Asa. I do. Yet, I dunno if I've exactly forgiven him." He sighed.

"Maybe you two need to talk...." she shrugged. "With someone."

Elliot nodded as if that might be a good idea.