Chapter Four
"Damn it!" AJ shouted as Nick and Stephanie tried to comfort Aaron. Aaron soon quieted and everyone settled into a beanbag.
"Guess we're gonna be here for a little while" Kevin said.
"And your point is?" AJ sullenly asked.
"AJ, behave yourself" Howie admonished him.
"Easy for you to say" AJ said.
"Anyways," Kevin continued, "I was going to suggest that we get to know this pretty lady that we've unwittingly dragged into this mess."
"You talkin' to me?" Stephanie asked in surprise.
"You're the only female in here" Nick said dryly. Everyone laughed as Stephanie turned bright red.
"Sorry," she muttered, "but I'm not used to guys called me anything nice, let alone pretty."
"Why? You really are pretty" Howie told her.
"Maybe. But think about where I live. Savannah is practically Redneck Central. And the guys I know are more likely to say something racist or sexist than say anything nice to or about anyone" Stephanie explained.
"Okay, now that we have that cleared up, tell us all about you. I think you probably don't need to hear our life stories" Kevin said with a laugh.
"Well, if you really want to hear it...."she said slowly.
"Nothin' against you, but it's not like we have anything better to do" Brian said. Stephanie laughed.
"Okay, okay," she laughingly gave in, "but y'all will hafta ask me questions because I have no idea what about me you'll find interesting."
"For starters, how about telling us your first and middle name, age, birthday, sign, and grade?" Howie asked.
"My name is Stephanie Ann. I turned 18 one and a half months ago on April 30. That makes me a Taurus. And I was in the graduating class of 2000. Next?" she asked with a laugh.
"Have you got any hobbies?" Nick asked.
"I love to read and write, mostly fanfiction. I read a lot of trashy romance novels for lack of anything better to read. I like to surf the internet. And I collect Beanie Babies."
"Really? So do I!" Nick exclaimed.
"Yeah. I've been trying to get a complete collection of Beanie cats. But I haven't gotten Flip or the any of the three versions of Nip. You wouldn't happen to have any extras of those, would you?" she asked hopefully.
"Actually, I think I might have a extra of one of the Nip's, but I'm not sure. Aaron can tell you how hard it is for me to remember what I do or don't have. I think I have too many Beanies" Nick said. Brian and Aaron started laughing. "What?" Nick asked self-consciously.
"Saying you have too many Beanies is the biggest understatement of the year Nick!" Brian laughed. Nick started laughing, too.
"Yeah, I guess it is" he said.
"Okay, my turn to ask Stephanie a question" Brian said. "You said you write fanfiction." She nodded. "Will you tell us about some of it?"
"Absolutely not!" she refused.
"Why not?" Nick asked.
"You wouldn't want to hear about that horrible stuff. Plus it's all about you guys, and I don't think you'd find if very interesting, so no, I won't tell you about any of it."
"If you won't tell us any of yours, why don't you read this out loud to us?" Brian asked as he held up the notebook he'd been reading out of earlier.
Stephanie turned pale and whispered "Where did you get that?"
"One of the fans threw it on stage last night in Jacksonville. Why?" Brian asked.
"Because I think that's the story I wrote that I gave a copy of to my former best friend for her birthday a year and a half ago. What's it called?" she asked. "I've started it. And I think it's actually quite good reading..." Brian stopped talking to stare in disbelief as Stephanie burst into tears.
"It's titled Chain Reactions" Brian read from the title page.
Stephanie groaned and said "That's mine all right. Please tell me you haven't read it!?" she pleaded.
©SBradl8568@aol.com
