Why Bother?

Joanne woke up the next morning feeling disoriented. She wasn’t in her own bed, and she didn’t even recognize the room she was in. Then, it all hit her, and she smiled to herself at the memories of the night before. Rolling over, her stomach dropped when she realized that she was in the hotel bed alone.

Sitting up, Joanne was filled with relief when she saw that a note had been left on Jake’s pillow. “Good morning, Jo. I’m just going to get us coffee and donuts from a place down the street. I’ll be back soon. Jake. P.S. I love you.” Sighing contentedly, Joanne leaned back into the pillows. Her body was sore from the exploits of the night before, but that didn’t matter. Her heart felt full.

“So, you’re awake,” Jake came into the room a few minutes later with the promised breakfast. His eyes were dancing, his smile was wide, and his body language showed just how good a mood he was in. “You looked so peaceful, I didn’t want to wake you, but we should get going soon. Your parents will wonder if you aren’t home by noon.”

“Put that all down and come here,” Joanne asked softly. Jake immediately did as requested, taking a seat next to Joanne in the bed. She leaned over to wrap her arms around his waist and rest her head on his shoulder, but she didn’t say anything. She just wanted to revel in the comfort of his embrace for a moment.

Running his hand soothingly across Joanne’s bare back, Jake kissed the top of her sleep-tousled head. “How are you feeling this morning?” he asked kindly. As Joanne looked up into his face, she was overcome by the sheer concern he was expressing.

“To be perfectly honest,” Joanne crinkled her nose in distaste teasingly before breaking into a big grin. “I’ve never been better. Never in my whole life.”

Putting his hand on her cheek, Jake smiled. “I have told you that you’re a very mean girl, haven’t I?” He laughed as she nodded happily. “No, I am so glad to hear you say that. I love you so much, Jo. And last night… God, last night was incredible.”

Feeling tears prickling her eyes, Joanne just smiled. How she could have ever doubted this amazing person, how she had ever thought he was capable of anything bad… she was embarrassed that she had ever felt that way. After all, Jake treated Joanne with nothing but kindness, respect and affection. She closed her eyes as she saw his head begin to tilt down, getting lost in the soft kiss he gave her.

“I hate to stop this,” Jake pulled back gently. “But we really should get going soon. I knocked on Eve and Mark’s room on my way back from getting coffee, and they should be meeting us in the lobby in twenty minutes.”

Nodding, Joanne let go of Jake enough to let him stand. He brought her over a cup of coffee and a chocolate donut. “Thank you,” Joanne said, and gave Jake a look that made him understand that she wasn’t just expressing appreciation for the caffeine and sugar. He just nodded, blushing slightly, and started gathering his things. “And Jake?” He looked at her sitting on the bed, her top half shamelessly uncovered as she sheets bunched around her waist.

“Yeah?”

“I love you, too.”

-----

New Year’s came and went, and life went back to its old routine. As the winter months passed, Joanne just grew to care about Jake more and more. He continued being kind and generous with her, and the newly added physical level in their relationship was only a bonus. He spent more time at her house, as Joanne’s parents loved him. He would help Joanne’s father work on an old truck he had in the garage on the weekends, and he would talk to Joanne’s mother about the colleges he was hoping to go to.

Things between Joanne and Eve were very good, as well. Eve had somehow guessed on the car ride home from Los Angeles that Jake and Joanne had slept together, and their embarrassed denials and red faces only confirmed this for her. She was still spending all her free time with Mark, although Joanne could see, every now and then, a sad and wistful expression pass over Mark’s face whenever Jake and Joanne told each other that they loved the other.

Before anyone knew it, the year was winding down. Finals were coming up, but far more importantly to Eve, the Junior Prom was coming up. She was scheming to figure out a way to get Mark and herself into the prom, as she was a sophomore and Mark didn’t go to their school. It would be easy enough for Eve to go, as half a dozen boys had already asked her, but she wanted to find a junior girl who could take Mark, so they could both attend.

“I figured it out!” Eve bounced up to Joanne in the courtyard one day during lunch. “I’m going to have Carl Sandler put me down as his date, and his girlfriend, Lisa Gates, will put down Mark. We just have to walk in with them; after that, we can split up and do our own thing for the rest of the night.”

“Are Carl and Lisa cool with this idea?” Joanne looked wary. Carl and Lisa had only been dating a couple months. Before that, Carl had spent much of the school year pursuing Eve unsuccessfully. That was common knowledge, and Joanne wasn’t so sure Lisa would be very happy to have her boyfriend going to prom – in any sense of the term – with the girl that had been the object of his obsession before their relationship began.

“Carl said not to worry about it,” Eve was not going to be deterred. “I don’t know why Lisa would care, anyway. It’s not like we ever dated or anything.”

“No,” Joanne rolled her eyes. “He just followed you around school like a puppy for six months before finally getting the hint, and then started dating Lisa like she was some sort of consolation prize. I couldn’t possibly understand why Lisa would care.”

“You know, I think I liked you better when you were meek and quiet,” Eve stuck her tongue out at her friend. “This sassy, sarcastic persona doesn’t fit you at all.”

Letting out a laugh, Joanne could only shake her head. “Well, in any case, I’m glad you and Mark will be there.” Pausing, Joanne tried to find a careful way to word what she wanted to say next. “So things with Mark are good?” she watched as Eve nodded, her brows furrowed with confusion as she took a sip of her Diet Coke. “Eve… are you in love with him?”

Rolling her huge blue eyes, Eve let out a disgruntled sigh. “God, why does everyone have to define everything so absolutely?” She looked annoyed. “Look, I think Mark is great. He’s funny, he’s nice, he’s adventurous, and he’s awesome in bed. I don’t want to be with anyone else. So what’s up with needing to say the words ‘I love you’? I mean, I think it’s cool that you and Jake are so grossly caught up in it – it’s who you two are. But I’m more… free. I don’t need to tell Mark I love him.”

Although Joanne had begun regretting sticking her nose in, she thought of Mark and his sad eyes as he looked at Eve sometimes. She had to continue. “I didn’t say you have to tell him you love him,” Joanne began gently. “I just asked you if you love him. Between you and me. And if you don’t want to tell me, that’s okay. I was just wondering.”

Dropping her eyes to the ground, Eve’s face lost the angry expression that had been there a moment earlier. “Jo, it’s hard to explain,” her voice was soft. “I mean… I have never cared about a boy as much as Mark, I can tell you that much. But do I love him?” She looked up, her eyes glassy. “I can’t love him. I wish I could, but I can’t ever get that wrapped up in any guy like that. I can’t take the chance I would become some pill-popping loser who lets her husband beat her son. I can’t. I won’t.” Tears were spilling over Eve’s cheeks now.

“I’m so sorry,” Joanne said with shock. She wanted to reach over and hug Eve, but she knew her friend hated to be touched when she was crying unless she originated the contact. Joanne sat there instead, thinking of what Eve had just told her. So, Joanne had been wrong about her original assumption that Eve didn’t trust men because of her father. In actuality, she didn’t trust herself because of her mother. As much as Joanne wanted to say something right now – to tell Eve how strong she was, and how she would never be her mother – to convince her that not all men would put her in such a position, particularly Mark – to explain that love and reliance were two very different things. But now was not the time.

Sniffling, Eve’s tears began to dry, and she looked up with a small grin. “I didn’t mean to lose it like that,” she told Joanne. “This is just a really hard subject for me.”

“I can understand that,” Joanne told her. She didn’t say “I know” because, in truth, she didn’t know. Joanne only knew what it was like to grow up in a loving household, with parents that still held hands when they talked and kissed in the kitchen when they thought their daughter wasn’t around. She only knew of a life that encouraged her to trust the beautiful brown-eyed boy that had somehow arrived into her life and made it so much better. She didn’t know of pain and injuries and mistrust and emptiness. That’s why she didn’t tell Eve she knew.

“Okay, so enough of that,” Eve said, running her hands through her long golden hair. “You know where I stand with Mark, and you don’t have to worry – even though I appreciate that you two have gotten to be friends. But right now, there are way more important issues to discuss… like prom dresses!” Within moments, Eve was back to her exuberant, lively, high-spirited self.

She listened to Eve start talking about what color dress she should get, but Joanne’s mind began to wander. As she thought of the fear and hurt in Eve’s eyes just then, as she recalled the several times earlier in the school year when Jake had come to her bruised and cut, when she remembered the sound of Jake’s voice back in December at that party when he spoke to Derek – Joanne was filled with rage about the emotional scars that Eve and Jake’s parents had left on them through cruelty and weakness.

“So, what do you think?” Eve was looking at Joanne expectantly.

“Blue, to match your eyes,” Joanne forced herself to grin at her friend. “Definitely blue.”

-----

On the night before prom, Eve stayed over Joanne’s house. They both woke up early with excitement about the evening ahead. As they ate breakfast in the kitchen with Joanne’s parents, Eve wouldn’t stop talking about dresses and hair and music and decorations and the prom court. Joanne saw her parents throw each other bemused smiles at Eve’s excitement, and then her father stood to go into the garage, kissing the top of his wife’s head on his way out.

“Well, it seems like you will all have a great time,” Joanne’s mother beamed when Eve took a break from talking to take a bite of toast. “And now, you are all staying at the hotel where this is being held, right?” Joanne and Eve nodded. “And you know the rules – have fun, but be good, be careful. I will not say anything specific about drugs, alcohol or sex, but… just be careful.”

“We will, mom,” Joanne looked appreciatively at her mother. She had never actually told her mother about losing her virginity, but she was pretty sure she knew. Still, she treated Jake with no animosity, nor did she give her daughter any grief. As far as Joanne was concerned, she was the best mother in the world.

After Joanne’s mother rose from the table and moved into the backyard with a book, Eve looked over. “Your parents are awesome,” she said, her voice betraying some longing. “They care about you so much, but they don’t try to stop you from being who you are.”

Wanting to ease Eve away from anything too emotional for her, Joanne gave her friend a smirk. “They are awesome,” she admitted. “But I’m sure if I looked and acted more like you, my parents might be a little less accommodating.” Joanne’s joke worked, as Eve started laughing.

“Well, there’s no need to worry about that,” Eve’s eyes were shining. “There is only one Eve Reynolds in this world.”

“That’s all there’s room for,” Joanne giggled as the girls rose from the table and brought their dishes to the sink.

-----

The day had been hectic, but wonderful. After breakfast, the girls had gone for a swim and laid in the sunshine for an hour. After that, they painted their fingernails and toenails, took turns taking showers, and then Eve did the hair and makeup for both of them. Half an hour before Jake and Mark were due at the house, the girls finally put on their dresses and shoes.

Looking at their reflections in the mirror, Joanne had to take a deep breath. Of course Eve looked as stunning as always in a strapless sky-blue dress that hugged her curves as it fell to the floor, with her hair loose and wavy around her shoulders. But even Joanne had to admit she looked very nice herself. She was glad that she had let Eve talk her into buying the shimmering sand-colored dress with the plunging neckline that she now wore. It was flattering from every angle, brought out Joanne’s coloring and, with her hair pulled up loosely with tendrils falling, actually helped Joanne believe she was beautiful for once.

As they heard the limo pull up, Joanne and Eve smiled widely to each other. Scrambling to the top of the steps, they watched as Joanne’s mother opened the door for Jake and Mark. She welcomed the boys in, called the girls downstairs and told her husband to get the camera. The girls then made their grand entrance down the stairs, with Jake and Mark looking on approvingly.

“You look so beautiful,” Jake whispered to Joanne as her parents fluttered about. Smiling, Joanne went to put her arm around his waist and felt Jake flinch. With apprehension, she looked up into his eyes and saw that her fears were confirmed. “Don’t say anything,” he pleaded softly. “I don’t want to ruin this for Eve. And on the bright side, at least he didn’t get my face, so pictures aren’t ruined.” He gave her a weak smile.

Taking a hard swallow, Joanne tried to will back the tears in her eyes. Damn it, she thought angrily. Why did he have to come home now? Mr. Reynolds hadn’t been due home until the following weekend, and over the past few months, Jake had made it a habit of spending as much time with Joanne’s family as possible when his father was home. This visit had been a surprise, though.

“Joanne, honey, smile,” she heard her mother’s voice calling out. “You’re going to prom, not a funeral.”

Doing her best to smile, Joanne carefully put her arm around Jake’s waist as he put his arm around her shoulders, squeezing appreciatively. She leaned into him and prayed that the pictures wouldn’t end up showing how she really felt at that moment: helpless.

After several shots of Joanne and Jake, Eve and Mark, Eve and Joanne, and the whole group together, the foursome were finally able to make it out of the house. As the two couples walked towards the limo, Mark turned to the girls. “Be careful,” he warned with a smile. “The driver’s ex-military and very mean. I went to open a bottle of champagne in the car, and he threatened my life. Literally. So I opened it right before we came in just now.”

“He is scary,” Jake agreed, looking at Joanne with a grin. He really hadn’t wanted her to find out about his father coming home earlier that day, but he couldn’t help wincing when she touched a particularly badly bruised rib. The man had been irate about some case he had been working on that got settled early and apparently unsatisfactorily. He would be home for a few days before leaving to begin on another case, and that afternoon he had been in rare form. He started demanding to know where Eve was, and when Jake refused to tell him where Joanne lived, his father started wailing on him.

As always, Jake had done nothing. After all, what could he do? If he had hit his father back, it would only mean that Eve or his mother would receive his wrath at a later time. No, it was best just to take it and try to forget it. After all, it was prom night, and Joanne was by his side looking absolutely breathtaking. Glancing over at her, he just hoped she would be able to enjoy herself knowing what she now knew.

-----

“Okay, that was weird,” Mark had a confused and annoyed look on his face as the group gathered together inside the prom. “I thought you were friends with that Lisa girl, but she just kept looking at me like I was dirt. And I can’t really blame her, considering her boyfriend felt the need to basically grope you while you guys signed in.” As planned, Carl and Lisa had met Eve and Mark outside the hotel after everyone had eaten dinner, but Mark was obviously unhappy with how things had turned out.

Shaking her head, Eve gave Mark a smile. “Don’t be silly,” she said calmly. “Lisa is just in a bad mood, I guess. And you are totally overreacting about Carl. He barely touched me; he just put his arm around my shoulders to show that we were together. You know, so you and I could both get in and be here together?”

Still looking unsure, Mark’s gaze fell to the ground. “He touched your ass, Eve,” he grumbled. “Like, twice.”

“Do not get all jealous and over-protective out of nowhere,” Eve’s voice was hard, taking even Jake and Joanne by surprise. “You’ve never been like that, and I won’t stand for it.”

Taking a deep breath, Mark looked up. It was clear by the expression in his eyes that he was hurt, but it was also clear he was petrified of losing Eve. “You’re right,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said all that.”

Looking at him for a moment, Eve’s face suddenly fell into an enormous grin. “That’s better,” she said in a voice that in no way showed how angry she had just been a moment ago. “Now, come on. It’s prom! Let’s have a good time for a couple hours and then we’ll head to the hotel room and have a great time for the rest of the night!”

Watching Mark helplessly follow Eve onto the dance floor, Joanne felt a wave of pity for him. He looked so desperate, afraid of doing something that would make him lose Eve. As she glanced at her own prom date, Joanne felt another wave of sympathy. God, is there any way that this night isn’t going to suck? Joanne wondered to herself.

Jake hadn’t liked watching the exchange between Eve and Mark, either. He had really grown to like Mark over the last few months, and even though he loved Eve entirely, he hated how she talked down to Mark sometimes.

“You know what,” Jake said softly to Joanne, causing her to look over at him. “Everyone has their own issues. We can’t change everything, can we? So, for tonight, let’s just focus on us, okay?”

Tears filling her eyes, Joanne nodded. “How did you know what I was thinking?” she asked him.

“Because it’s what I was thinking, too,” Jake said simply. “Now, miss, may I have this dance? And you better say yes, because I almost never dance, and I most certainly will not dance to something fast. Plus, I like this song.”

Laughing, Joanne took Jake’s hand. “All very good points,” she smiled. “Come on.”

As Jake and Joanne came together on the dance floor, she slid her arm around his neck and he slid his arm around her waist. He took her other hand in his and pulled it to his chest, so she could feel his heart beating. As Joanne looked up into Jake’s warm eyes, she was overcome with how much she loved him.

Jake hadn’t been kidding; he really didn’t want to dance. Instead, he and Joanne sat at a table and talked most of the evening. Joanne didn’t mind, though. All she really wanted from tonight was to get dressed up and be with Jake. She had gotten all that.

Eve, however, was a different story. She had come to prom with the intention of being the center of attention – and it seemed her plan had worked. At first, she and Mark had danced together, and as Mark loosened up they talked and laughed. After a while, though, Eve started agreeing to dance with the many boys who asked her. In the meantime, Mark just stood against the wall looking dejected. Jake and Joanne made eye contact with him a few times and tried to wave him to their table, but he just shook his head and gave them a sad smile. Then he went back to watching his girlfriend on the dance floor with countless other guys, saying ‘no, thank you’ to the several admiring girls who had approached him while he stood there.

“Ladies and Gentleman,” the principal began speaking from the stage as a song wound down. “I do hope you are all having a good time. But it’s now time to announce this year’s Junior Prom King and Queen.” The crowd started clapping and hooting, moving closer to the stage. Joanne and Jake just stayed where they were, and Eve walked over towards Mark – uninterested because she, as a sophomore, couldn’t win – and gave Mark a smile like there was absolutely nothing wrong. And of course, he weakly returned it.

“I’m happy to announce that this year’s Junior Prom King is… Jake Reynolds!”

His eyes opening wide in surprise, Jake looked dumbstruck as his gaze turned to Joanne. The whole class erupted into cheers, and Joanne gave Jake a huge smile. “Go up there, dummy,” she pushed his arm lightly. “They’re waiting for you!”

Walking across the masses, Jake felt people patting his shoulder, and he could hear them congratulating him. He tried to figure out how this had happened – he had assumed Andrew or Derek would be Prom King – when he guessed that those two must have split the popular vote, leaving him with the votes from the average students. He climbed onstage and walked over to the principal, accepting the crown with a small grin. The principal then announced the Junior Prom Queen, Nicole Duncan. The tiny dark-haired girl squealed as she rushed onstage, grinning as the principal put the crown on her.

Joanne couldn’t quite figure out what she was feeling as she watched Jake on stage, but she knew what she wasn’t feeling. She wasn’t feeling jealousy or inadequacy. No, she was feeling pride and gladness. After everything Jake had been through, after all the things he did to take care of his mother and sister, after the wonderful way he had treated Joanne over the past seven and a half months – he deserved a night to feel special and important. She didn’t even feel envy as Jake awkwardly led Nicole to the dance floor for the spotlight dance – it was obvious he hated having everyone watching him, and he really didn’t want to be there, especially with a girl like Nicole in his arms.

Across the room, Eve and Mark had begun arguing. Joanne caught that from the corner of her eye. She watched as Mark frustratedly ran his fingers through his hair, trying to express himself to Eve. And although she couldn’t hear what they were saying, there was one thing Mark said to Eve that Joanne could read on his lips from across the room: I love you.

Shaking her head in anger, Eve began yelling at Mark once more and then stormed away. He just stood there for a moment, watching her leave through the doors, before looking up and seeing Joanne watching him with concern. Sadly, he just shrugged his shoulders and gave her a wry smile. Joanne’s heart ached for him.

As Jake’s dance with Nicole came to a close, he quickly took off towards Joanne, despite Nicole’s protests and the several times she had let her hands wander down to his ass while they were dancing. “What’s the matter?” Jake asked as he approached Joanne. “You’re not upset about that dance, are you?”

“No, of course not,” Joanne tried to assuage his concerns. “No, Mark and Eve just got in a huge argument. She took off outside, and he followed a minute later. I’m just worried about them.”

Glancing towards the doors, Jake nodded in agreement. “Maybe we should check on them,” he told Joanne, which she agreed to. They quickly rose from the table, taking the other’s hand, and headed out of the prom.

Outside, several people were littered across the hotel parking lot – some smoking, some making out, but only one couple screaming at each other. A few people were already approaching Eve and Mark as Joanne and Jake made their way over. They were still a fair distance, but the yelling was so loud, they could make out every word.

“Tell me what I did that was so wrong!” Mark was begging. “I just wanted to be here tonight, to be with you. I didn’t want to watch you dancing with a bunch of other guys or flirting with anyone that looked your way. And I wanted to tell you I love you, because I do. God, Eve, what’s wrong with all of that?”

“I’ll tell you what’s wrong with that. All that shit means is that you don’t want me to be me!” Eve yelled back angrily. “You know I flirt, you know that. But obviously you don’t trust me. And I told you what would happen if you told me you loved me. Did you think I was kidding? So you don’t trust me, and you don’t take me seriously. I can’t be with someone like that.”

Mark was about to say something else when Carl walked up, backed up by two of his friends, and put his hand on his arm. “Dude, why don’t you just get out of here,” he said in a gruff voice. “Eve obviously doesn’t want you around right now.”

“Okay, seriously, you want to take your hand off me right now,” Mark threatened. “And secondly, don’t you have a girlfriend inside the prom that’s waiting for you? I mean, I know she wasn’t too happy watching you try to feel up my girlfriend earlier, but she’s probably still expecting you.”

“You asked for it, asshole,” Carl took a swing at Mark and hit him square in the jaw. As soon as Jake saw this, he started sprinting across the parking lot. He couldn’t reach Mark before Carl’s two friends grabbed his arms and Carl punched him in the stomach several times, though. Eve was shoving at Carl, yelling at him to stop, when Jake finally got there and punched him hard.

“What, three guys on one? You think that’s tough?” Jake was yelling at Carl.

“Jake, this isn’t about you,” Carl was saying as he rubbed his jaw. “Besides, I thought you’d be happy that I’m trying to protect your sister from this asshole.”

“Well, you thought wrong,” Jake said coldly. He turned towards the other two guys. “Now let him go and walk inside.”

While one of the guys took the threat seriously and released Mark’s arm, the other roughly shoved a disoriented Mark to the ground. “What, I’m supposed to be afraid of you, Jake?” he said in a taunting voice. “There are three of us, and two of you. What the fuck do you think you’re going to do?”

This line of conversation perked up Carl and his other friend while Eve helped Mark stand up. “Yeah, Jake,” Carl suddenly sounded sure of himself. “You and that pussy are going to fight all of us?”

Jake didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked up to Carl and got very close to his face. “You want to go inside right now,” he said in a low voice. “I promise you do.”

Instead of replying, Carl went to swing at Jake. Jake blocked him and hit him several times in the stomach and ribs. As one of Carl’s friends started to punch Jake from behind, Mark pulled himself from Eve and pushed the guy. The third guy started punching Mark at the same time, and Eve ran over to push him. At that moment, Carl had gone to swing at Jake, who dodged the blow. Instead, Carl’s fist his Eve’s chin with full force, splitting her lip immediately and sending her tumbling to the ground.

Joanne watched as Jake saw Eve fall. She ran to her friend to help her up, and both girls watched helplessly as Jake’s rage took over. He started pounding hard on Carl, seemingly unaware of the few shots Carl got in. The other guys stopped fighting when they saw the ferociousness of what was happening, and as one of Carl’s friends tried to grab Jake, Jake turned and hit him hard enough to knock him down. He then turned back to Carl and did the exact same thing, only this time he leaned down and kept hitting Carl.

In horror, Joanne and Eve looked on as Carl’s face, already covered with blood, bruising and swelling, was repeatedly hit. They yelled and cried for Jake to stop, but he didn’t seem to hear them. Mark and Carl’s friend jointly had to pull Jake up and off Carl, while his other friend attended to him. Eve ran to Jake immediately, telling him she was okay, that Mark was okay, that everything was over. Joanne, however, stood back, her eyes wide with fear. She couldn’t believe what she had just witnessed. If Mark and the other guy hadn’t pulled Jake off of Carl…

Luckily, Carl was able to stand up, so he wasn’t hurt too badly. “Take him inside and wash him up,” Mark instructed his friends. “And don’t even try to say anything about this, because you guys started it, all three of you attacking me. Got that?” The three guys nodded as they headed back into the hotel, all bruised and bloody.

“We should go up to the rooms,” Mark said to them. “Jake, you need to clean up, too. And to put some ice on your hand. And I want you to put some ice on your lip, Eve.”

With her hand still protectively on her brother’s arm, Eve turned to Mark and nodded, tears filling her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she said sadly. “This is all my fault.”

Looking at her, Mark put out his arms and beckoned her to him. Eve ran to him, burying her head in his chest, and began sobbing. He stroked her hair and just kept telling her that everything was going to be all right. Joanne, standing just feet away and staring at the back of Jake’s head, wished she could believe Mark.

-----

THANKS AGAIN TO ALL THOSE WHO TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW. I\'D LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THE DIRECTION THIS STORY IS GOING IN. LET ME KNOW IF IT SEEMS TOO DARK, OR TOO CHEESY, OR TOO WHATEVER. THANKS AGAIN!