"This is not a good idea," the boy fretted.

"Relax," the other assured. "What could possibly go wrong?"

"Wrong?" he squeaked. "We stand here, in the middle of the Jameson CarterHigh School gymnasium, on a school day, with a wooden ramp and a motorcycle,and you honestly have to ask what could go wrong?!"

"Aw, calm down." He glanced down at his watch. "You're already halfan hour late for class. Go ahead."

The younger, shorter boy didn't need any more urging, but he did pauseat the door long enough to say, "Uh, Jarod, man, don't kill yourself, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grinned. "No sweat, Broots. But thanks." He nodded,and hurried off to class.

Jarod rubbed his hands together and inspected his handiwork proudly."Showtime."

~~~~~~~~~

A shiny new BMW pulled up to the high school. Inside, an older man dressedin a sharp Armani suit continued to bark orders in his cell phone, obliviousto the girl looking expectantly at him from the passenger's seat. She watchedhim for a few more minutes, annoyed, then finally got out of the car witha huff and slammed the door. A moment later, the window rolled down anda voice called out, "Oh, Angel."

She turned, allowing herself to half-hope he'd change his mind and comein with her. "Yes, daddy?"

"Tell your mother I'll be late for dinner tonight, all right?"

She opened her mouth to reply, but he was already pulling off as thewindow rolled back up. She sighed, and turned to face the school. It tooka few deep breaths before she forced her feet to move. You'd think afterfive high schools in four years, she thought, you'd be used to startingover.

Inside, she looked about blankly. She'd never even been inside before.Her mother had called in about getting her registered, but the rest wasup to her, now that daddy had bailed. She heard weird noises coming froma set of large doors to her left, and decided to go in there. She neededto find out where the office was.

The leggy brunette opened the doors, and the noise immediately multipliedas she walked in. It wasn't the blaring noise that caught her attention,however; it was the huge motorcycle racing through the air across the gym,right at her. With a frightened shriek she dove out of the way.

~~~~~~~~~
She had managed to smooth her disheveled hair in the bathroom, butshe'd skinned her knee on the linoleum. Now she sat in a chair outsidethe principal's office in the waiting area, waiting expectantly for himto finish up with whoever was in there now. The bell rang, and people beganto pour out of their classrooms, out into the hallways. There were a ratherlarge number of people slowing as they passed the office. In fact, quitea few were even walking in, giving the secretary a knowing look, chattingas they pointed to the closed door.

"He's done it again."

"D'you hear about it?"

"Who hasn't?"

"He's in for it this time."

"Man, that guy's gonna leave here a legend."

"Yeah, or in a bodybag. Remember the time with the chains at the bottomof the school swimming pool?"

"And the sulfate in the chemistry lab."

She smoothed her skirt, crossed her legs, and pretended not to hear.Obviously they were talking about that maniac who'd practically run herover.

Catherine and Kyle stood at the other end of the room. Catherine wasslapping her forehead, while Kyle was taking the more direct approach,and just knocking his head against the nearest wall. "Thirteen seconds,"he moaned. "We put them in the same building for thirteen seconds, andhe nearly kills her."

~~~~~~~~~

"Jarod, what am I going to do with you?" asked a distinctly Europeanvoice, looking at the folder before him. "I've known you for 18 years;hell, I've been been living next door sinceyour parents brought you homefrom the hospital. Since preschool you've been pulling these stunts, eachmore incredible than the last. Every time I think you can't outdo yourself,you go and prove me wrong." The tall teenager fidgeted in his seat. Theprincipal sighed, and relaxed in his leather chair. "All right, what wasit this time?"

"Calculus."

"You're blaming a life-risking stunt on a math class?"

"I was bored; I mean, come on, Syd, we both know I already understandeverything Mrs. Gunderson's teaching in that class. And I was just sittingthere last week when she said something about ramps, and that's when Igot the idea."

Sydney drank the last of his coffee, sincerely wishing there was a shotor two of something stronger in it, then settled back in his chair. Hedeliberated for a moment, then said, "All right, you know the drill. Yourmom's on her way to pick you up. You'll be suspended for two days, sameas usual." Jarod nodded, stood up and swung his backpack over his arm."Oh, and I want you to wait for her here, outside my office."

Jarod gave him a confused look. "Why?"

"Because I said so, now move!" The senior shrugged and walked out thedoor. Sydney pressed a button on the intercom. "Miss Birch, please tellMiss Parker that I'm going to need a few moments."

"Of course, sir." Syd grinned mischieviously. He'd seen that girl stompin here earlier, right after her run-in with Jarod. She had fire, he likedthat about her. And it wouldn't hurt Jarod a bit to spend a few minuteswith her.

~~~~~~~~~

Jarod shut the door behind him, and was about to sit down in the emptyseat when he realized with a start who it was sitting in the other. "Hey,you're her!"

Parker snapped out of her thoughts, and was about to politely replywhen she realized just who he was. "You're the pscho that nearly hit me!"she cried, jumping up.

"Psycho! What are you talking about--you're fine. Besides," he couldn'thelp but add, "if you were in class like you were supposed to, you wouldn'thave been in my way."

"It's rather hard to go to class when you don't have any," she snapped.

"You're new," he realized. "That explains why I didn't recognize you.I know practically everyone at this school."

"Congratulations. Meanwhile, I've got a bruised and skinned knee, anda few years shaved off my life." He couldn't help but burst out laughing.Her blood boiling, Parker put her hands on her hips. "I fail to see what'sso funny."

"You," he managed. "You just look so intense." Parker's eyes narrowed,but she didn't say anything, merely sat down and glared in the oppositedirection silently.

He sensed that he'd hit a nerve, and immediately regretted it. He wasn'tsure why, but bantering with this girl was fun. Sitting down on the chair,he said softly, "Sorry if I said something wrong."

"Whatever."

He offered his hand. "Jarod Russell."

She studied him for a moment, then shook his hand. He was impressedwith her strong, self-assured grip. "Miss Parker."

He raised an eyebrow. "Miss, huh? Little formal, don't you think?"

"It's the way I prefer it."

"Why?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just always have. I guess there's justsomething about them, so personal, you know?"

He nodded, then felt a little guilty as he spotted her scraped knee."Sorry about the whole motorcycle thing. Does it hurt?"

"Nah, I'm tough. It'll heal." She looked at him, and her blue eyes weresparkling with humor. "Mind telling me just what the hell you were doing?"

"Proving a theory."

"A theory."

"Yeah. See, I did the math in my head, and calculated the exact speedand distance it would take for a motorcycle to be able to go up a rampand make it to the other side of the gymnasium, with enough time to hitthe brakes when you land. I knew it'd work, but I just had to test it outin person, prove it for myself, you know?"

She nodded. "You'd make a good scientist one day."

"Nope, I'm gonna be a doctor."

She straighted in her chair. "Really? I want to study medicine too."

"That's great. Any field chosen yet?"

"Pediatrics, or prenatal, maybe. Something to do with children."

"Incredible, I want to do the exact same." Soon they were chatting likeold friends, discussing plans for the future. Catherine and Kyle couldonly stand by and gawk. How had things turned around so quickly?

Before either one knew it, Mrs. Russell was in the doorway, shakingher head but obviously trying very hard to keep from laughing. "Anotherexperiment?"

"Of course," Jarod grinned, standing up. He turned back to Parker. "Listen,welcome to Carter High." He held up a slip of paper she'd given him. "I'llcall you, okay?"

"Great, talk to you then." Jarod followed his mom out, and Sydney calledMiss Parker in.

"Well, she seemed nice," Mrs. Russell commented as they headed to theback parking lot.

"Yeah," he agreed distractedly. "Nice." He couldn't get his mind offher eyes. And that laugh...

~~~~~~~~~

Lucky thing that guardian angels have such a quick sixth sense, becausethey needed it the rest of the day. Jarod and Parker, without absolutelyno warning, would let their minds wander at the most inoportune times.

They were just coming to check on Parker when she began to cross thestreet; as she concentrated on how smart her new friend Jarod was, thebusy lanes were completely forgotten.

"Bus!" Kyle called out.

"Got her," Catherine replied, grabbing Parker by the collar of her shirtand pulling her back just in the knick of time. Parker shook herself outof her reverie, realized how lucky she was to have tripped backward likethat, and headed on across the street. A picture flashed past Catherine,and she yelled out, "Car!"

"Right!" Kyle shouted, then appeared across the town and yanked Jarodout of the path of a speeding car with just seconds to spare.

~~~~~~~~~

That night, exhausted by watching out for their charges all day, Catherineand Kyle walked through the park in a little daze of their own at the waythings had turned out.

"He almost kills her, yet they still manage to turn things around,"Kyle remarked in disbelief.

"They're already showing the first signs of infatuation," Catherineadded, equally shocked.

"You know what this means."

"Yeah--they might actually have a shot this time around."

~~~~~~~~~

The end of the year. It'd snuck up on them so quickly, it was hard tobelieve. And yet here they were at prom, with less than a month beforegraduation.

A soft tune was playing in the gym, now ramp-free, which was darkenedand covered in balloons and streamers. In the middle of the dancefloorwas Jarod and Parker, comfortably slow dancing in each other's arms. They'dgrown close in less than a year, really close. Of course, that closenesswas more of a reality to Jarod, who had come to a startling realizationjust two months ago: he really cared for Parker. Not just in a friend sortof way, but closer. Like some sort of unexplainable trust, an unspokenbond between them. It was a promise of safety, he decided, an oath to protectand care for each other, no matter what.

Parker, in her pale blue gown, looked up at Jarod, feeling warm, safe,and most importantly, happy. "I have never felt so close to anyone beforein my entire life," she marveled.

"Me neither," he admitted.

"You're my best friend. I've never actually told you that, have I?"

He smiled. "You don't need to."

"So, as a friend, tell the truth--you had at least twenty girls beggingto come with you. Why choose some stuffy old friend over the most eligiblegirls of our school?"

"It was an easy choice. Besides, you've had even more offers."

"I know, but it just wouldn't be the same."

"Precisely. Besides, why come on a date with someone you barely know,when you can take someone who's gonna be right there with you at HarvardMedical?"

She grinned at the thought. "I still can't believe we're going. God,this is going to be a blast."

"I can't wait either."

She smiled at his honesty, then wrapped her arms around his neck tighter,holding him closer. Shyly, she whispered, "Jarod, I want to tell you something."

Catherine and Kyle stood near the punch bowl, and he, alert as ever,demanded, "What are they doing? Something important's happening, isn'tit?" Catherine just smiled, and his eyes widened. "You mean she's tellinghim..."

She nodded. "Yep, her name."

Back in the middle of the dancefloor, Jarod was beaming. He gave hera supportive hug, then whispered into her ear, "Thank you."

Staying close, they continued to dance closely, oblivious to anythingelse. Slowly, the spotlights that had been playing about the dancers allmet on the couple, and followed their slow sway.
 
 
 

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Part 3