As Mr. Haris jabbered on and on about palabras in the overcrowded room of 237, Bridget downcasted her head to her light blue 3 subject notebook and doodled hearts and flowers on it. Frankie was all she could think about. Shane, sitting next to her and noticing her composition, passed a yellow note to her. ‘What’s wrong?’ was scribbled in sloppy black pen. Bridget picked up her purple pen. She wrote back ‘It’s kind of a long story but Frankie said something so unbelieveable and I didn’t know how to respond.’ Making sure Mr. Haris’s burly back was turned, she tossed it across the aisle and onto Shane’s desk.

Bridget glanced back at Shane as she read the note and replied. With an outreached arm, he gave it back to her. ‘Was it anything bad?’ Bridget pondered that as she tapped her pen to the beat of ‘It Happens Every Time’.

‘Actually,’ she wrote, ‘He said what I needed to hear.’

‘So what’s the problem?’

‘I don’t feel ‘that' way, or even want to...not for Frankie. I’m too close to him. I don’t want to lose the precious friendship I have with him. Besides, he’s going to be so busy to keep in touch with me. DS is getting so popular.’

‘I’m not saying go with him or whatever, but some things are worth sacraficing for. Also, he’s done so much for you already. I think he will always find time for you.’

‘God, I don’t want him to feel as if I’m using him.’

‘Ridge, you have to learn to trust people.’

‘Look where that got me, Shane...’

“Mom,” Bridget called down the hall as she arrived home from school. “Is it OK if Sasha, Tiyanna and Jenny come over tonight to study?”

“As long as you keep an eye on Jared,” her mom shouted back as the hairdryer was on full-blast.

Bridget put down her black backpack, gave Jared a kiss and trotted into the bathroom to get the 411 on Bryant. “Have you heard anything about Bryant?” she asked, leaning against the door pane.

“Actually,” Carmen started as she brushed through her hair, “They called and told me they found his car at JFK airport. They think he flew somewhere, probably where he has family. That’s all they got.”

“I know, I know,” Bridget replied, rolling her eyes, “Me being raped isn’t important enough for them to deal with.”

“Don’t start that again, Bridget,” Carmen demanded, looking at her with sincere eyes. “That bastard will never come near you again. I will make sure of it.”

“I know, Mom,” Bridget sighed, “It’s just the fact that we don’t know where he is. He could be anywhere...”

“Exactly...anywhere...far away from here, we hope,” Carmen reasurred her.

“I hate Global Studies,” Jenny complained, slumping on the couch.

“Just keep telling yourself that school is over in about 96 hours,” Sasha reminded her as she looked through her index cards.

The radio, which was lowly spitting out music, started to play Dream Street. Bridget abruptly got up and turned it off.

“Guess the date didn’t end too good?” Tiyanna asked Bridget as she flipped though the huge text book.

“It wasn’t a date. But, it ended perfectly,” Bridget admitted, “He’s too sweet.”

“What?” Sasha implored, not catching Bridget’s drift.

“I don’t know. He’s...unbelieveable. He said all of this sweet stuff about how I’m amazing and how I deserve someone like him...” Bridget trailed off as Tiyanna, tired of hearing Bridget whine, shot up and grabbed the phone.

“You’re calling him right now to discuss it,” Ti told her as she dialed Frankie’s number.

“Are you...” Bridget was cut off by a phone being shoved in her ear. One ring crawled by...two...three...and then an answering machine. Bridget twirled the cord around her finger as she prepaired what she’d say. “Hi Frankie,” she whispered. She cleared her throat, “It’s Bridget. I need you to call me. Bye.” She hung up. Everyone looked at her with widened eyes. “What?” she asked holding her hands out as the phone started to ring. “Hello?” she asked.

“Bridget?” the voice said, “It’s Chris.”

“Well hey cutie,” Bridget replied, releaved it wasn’t Frankie. “I guess you want to talk to Tiyanna?” Tiyanna got on her knees and put her ear by the receiver.

“Yeah,” Chris admitted with a laugh, “I need to talk to her about the NY Kids show Monday.”

“Sure,” Bridget replied rolling her eyes. “Here ya go, byee.”

“Christopher,” Tiyanna smiled as she got up from the floor, but tripped on the cord and went slamming onto the floor. The girls started to laugh so hard. “Yeah, I’m fine, no thanks to my girls,” Tiyanna whined as their conversation continued.

Bridget, Jenny and Sasha redirected their attention to their work as Tiyanna wrapped up giggling and smiling. She informed the girls that Chris is in the works of getting them backstage passes; also, Frankie has something to give to Bridget when they get there. This put knots in Bridget’s stomach.