Its like this

Gage was sure of it. He'd get along with this Hansen splendid. After all, Gage took him for a stoner. Gage couldn't quite believe his luck as he lit up.

Hansen had left Holden and him to their own devices. Just how much trouble could the get into on a frigid parking lot,on an early Saturday morning?

"This'll warm you, up." Gage sighed as he handed over the homemade cigarette.

"I dunno. I don't want to get sick." Holden confessed that he couldn't do the hard stuff like he used too, with all the anti-depressants he was on.

"Then stop taking them." Gage said ever so stoic. "Look, bro, you want to go through withdrawal, being on all that shit for so long? Trust me, settle with something genuine." He thought so anyway. He really disliked perscription drugs. Unless, he took them the way he wanted. But, he usually made a little money if he sold them to kids. He was not a druggie, after all.

"What?" Even Holden's smile was fake. "No. I couldn't. I..I have to have the anti-depressants."

"Oh really?" Gage shrugged a whatever look. He took another draw from the cigarette to sooth his lungs from the sub-zero temps. He felt like suing the grocery store for making them work in these awful conditions. It was just not right. "Suit yourself. More for me."

Naturally Holden took some of the smoke as he huddled behind the building with Gage.

"Look, what do, you have to complain about? You've got your own room, I bet, with parents." Gage stared at him as some poor little rich boy. "You, should step in my boots for awhile. Got no real home. Just found out my girl has a kid on the way."

"Is it yours?" Holden wanted to know as if that would be worse.

"Fuck yeah." Gage winced a grin as if he was proud of the fact, yet it was part of the gloom too..not ever knowing what it would truly be, to be a father since Halie was half a world or so away. "Its just, she's in this other country."

"Woo."  Holden laughed and Gage almost felt like bringing the dude to his knees, but then again, he really wasn't the kind of guy who got friend requests. "Are you..gonna..you know..go there?" Holden was getting happy, already.

"Fuck, I don't see how." Gage made a face of disgust as he watched the smoke leave his mouth mixed with the cold haunting air. If only he could touch Halie again, he'd be warm, away from this dreadful cold.

"Yeah, well, I can't even get with this girl who I thought we were tight..you know, on Valentines day." Holden sighed as if he might be in the same boat with Gage when it came to women. Gage rolled his eyes at that.

"It sucks." Gage took another quick draw and handed it over to Holden. He knew they needed to get busy before someone checked on them. "So fuck it." He was straight lipped as he grabbed the cigarette from Holden and put it out. He pulled him with him to get started on this little job that might make them or break them. Maybe he'd just found his new best friend.

up until now

Holden did feel a wee bit shaky. Maybe it was because he hadn't eaten this morning. Or the fact he looked at himself in the mirror and thought he was getting fat. No wonder, Essie didn't want a thing to do with him.

Why hadn't she called? He'd left her text. Even a sad voice mail that he couldn't for the life of him wonder if it were too sleezy or just hopeless.

But his Dad dropped him off at the mega grocery store. This was his first day. He'd gotten the job. Of course, it took him months to get up the courage to apply and here he was on the coldest day of the year waiting to find out what he'd actually be doing.

"Actually, I'm not a manager or an assistant manager, but since those guys have the flu...I'm suppose to show you around." The laid back lanky guy walked with them to show them the breakroom where their lockers were. He handed them over a card for the dining hall. "Now if you work on holidays, the meals are free." Other wise this card took out money from their paycheck if they ate in the dining hall. The meals were cheap and the soda pop was free.

Still Holden tensed as he looked over at the other guy who introduced himself as Gage.

"Look, I've had to do my share of crappy stuff here. Like chasing down grocery carts in the parking lot. That's where you two will start. We'll see if you, can cut it here." The guy shrugged. "Oh, and if you two need anything, I'm Hansen. I work mainly with the pizza dough machine or in the deli. I slice meat but I can butcher it too."

Holden sucked in a breath. Did he really want to have to bundle up and go bring in carts? He felt so tired. None of his meds seemed to be helping lately. He just didn't want to get behind the wheel of a car. He hadn't since the car crash with Sunny Wilson, over a year ago.

"I'd advise extra gloves." Hansen shrugged once more.

Gage only exposed a sly grin. He nudged Holden as they followed Hansen to the parking lot.

"I dunno about you, but I definitely need a smoke." Of course, he didn't mention what he was smoking.

I'll remember this

Something happened. Vada couldn't say what it was exactly. It felt like a change in the weather..yet not. The way she felt with Joel.

Perhaps it was all that dancing and the sweat that went with it. She trusted him and it felt good to lean into him, even on the dance floor at the school dance.

Of course, that night, she'd seen Gage for a split second in the shadows. Now she thought he might be a figment of her imagination. Yet..she'd felt nothing. Except, it was a sigh of relief. Was that something?

No..no..no..this was good with Joel. She understood his sullenness. Otherwise, he'd be down right silly. Awkwardness abounded him. But she was sensing what his sister saw. And she couldn't help but see the potential.

"What are you smiling for..now?" He almost smiled as they were done with the first dance of the last rehearsal. She was in her black and white saddle oxfords and retro poodle skirt with her hair in a high ponytail.

"We are going to rock." She held on to his hand with satisfaction. Yes, she did enjoy the company of her dance partner.

"You think?" He looked as unsure..as always.

She nodded. as her shoulder touched his. He bit his bottom lip before he could smile too much.

Yes, he was a regular greaser in John Trovolta style with his hair slicked back. The cuffs of his skinny jeans made him much more punk in the Ramones kind of way.

The excitement pulsed through her as she could hardly wait for opening night. Vada had no idea she could feel this certain about anything. Especially, about Joel.

"Will you go with to the after party on closing night?" He finally asked as they went into the dark so the rest of the play could go on.

"Yeah, I..I'd love too." She said above a whisper. She closed her eyes in the dark. And that is when she felt his lips on hers.

little woes

"Doesn't it bother you, that..that Ren didn't adopt you?" Max winced. He couldn't help it. He'd avoided the foster system, hadn't he? Still Asa was his legal guardian. He guessed he was sort of like Dean.

Maybe he wished Asa would have adopted him too. He did feel closer to him than his actual dad. Somehow, he knew he would be nothing like his own Dad when it came to being a father. He was going to go with Daisy to her next appointment. He was a little shocked that she'd called him about it.

"Not really." Dean shrugged, but he'd been with Ren for a very long time. Dean told him she was separated from her husband, but he visited ever so often. Dean talked about going into the army in a few months.

"A week after school is out." Dean smiled about it. At least he knew his future. Max had thought about it, but he didn't know if that was the answer. The guys he knew who were in the military usually didn't stay in that long, or a few never came back.  Some weeks, he thought he would go to the recruiting office and sign up without a second thought. And yet, all that seemed to matter at the moment was the baby and who was having his baby.

Max shook his head.

"How's Josie going to deal with this?" Max squinted hard thinking they were good for each other. The perfect relationship. Josie was still alone with Dylan who brought her a book and wanted her to read to him in his favorite rocking chair that was in his room.

"She's going to be fine." Dean shrugged as he went to catch Matti before she crawled up the entertainment center. He swooped her up in his arms. It surprised her.

Max couldn't help but smile. Now Dean was the one with Daddy skills, and he didn't even know it.