Chapter 3

Taking a deep breath she willed away the threatening heat, and let a nasty calm settle into her bones. "At least I didn't fuck my way through the year book and pretend to be something I wasn't.. a rock star wannabe."

Richie sighed over dramatically. "Are you still angry that you were the only one I missed?" The words dripped unbidden from his lips even though he knew full well they both knew those words were a lie.

She leaned far back, the words going over her like ice water. She'd known it, it had meant nothing to him. Well she couldn't let him see how much it had meant, she'd have to play like she didn't remember too since HE didn't remember at all. Taking a deep breath she let a smirk play out on her lips and started to laugh as her hands went high in a praise the Lord move. "I'm actually thankful for that Dork."

Hearing angry voices and sarcastic laughter brought Shannon out of her temporarily star struck mood. She padded softly over to the screen door and stood there listening as the two traded cheap shots.

She couldn't resist it, the urge to taunt and tease the little nerd into submission. She had to dish out the pain, it made her own easier to bear. "So you grew out that hair and wear that leather and hope and pray they don't see beyond it right? No substance, all flash. Too busy humping all the girls because if you stick to one they might see there's nothing there right Dork?" She clapped her lips together and stopped as her heart hammered in her chest. She hadn't felt this angry in years, and certainly not towards any guy. Why the hell is he making me so mad, all he did was bring a casserole over. Heck its obvious he moved on, he probably doesn't remember a thing.

Richie couldn't believe it. Of all the luck. The one girl that drove him absolutely insane. The one girl he wanted nothing more than to smack into submission. The one girl that could make him feel like less than a flea, ah fuck it, she was the one girl that could send him to heaven in the middle of it all. And she was back, with a vengeance. What had he done to deserve this karma? They hated each other, always had always would. Hell that's a lie, they hadn't hated each other forever, it was just easier to remember it that way. He just never thought he'd ever see her again, and looking so damn fine. What an unfair trick of fate this was. Yeah, and why do I suddenly feel more alive than I have in months?

His thoughts shuttered to an end as he glanced up to see the smirk that rode her last comment."My name is RICHIE!" He ground his teeth in frustration. Every time she used one of the old names she used to call him, and use it with such icy perfection, well it bit him to the core. His head came up in pride as he continued. "It's ugly to be so jealous of someone's success Mel. I'm sorry, I worked hard to make something of myself, I know you of all people expected me to fail but I didn't, so sorry for that. Enjoy the casserole. Oh, and tell Shay it's nice to know one of you turned out well!" He tossed the insult without a care.

Tears welled up as his words arrowed straight into her heart. Hell they'd always sparked off each other, followed each other just to tease and torment, it was their thing, but she'd never been intentionally cruel. "Successful? At what for God sakes? All you ever did was tinker with music. There's no success in that. It won’t support you in the end."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her body fairly vibrating. He didn't cause all of the pain, he'd just brought a casserole dammit. Softening for a moment she managed a quiet, "Hey, look, tell your mom thanks."

Richie saw the pain in her eyes and instantly felt bad for spouting off like that, but never being one to give in, especially to her he simply nodded. "Look I gotta go. Welcome back I guess," he mumbled.

She nearly turned to stone as yet another fight had him turning away. Always did run after a fight, well almost always. Taking a deep breath she pushed down the scattered remnants of memory and anger. “Hey Richard," her voice went quiet as she emphasized the name, "Wanna share some lasagna? Got it from a reliable source its good."

He stopped in his retreat and his eyes softened a bit. He remembered that tone. It didn't come out often, but when it did things were almost normal. "Nah. I gotta help mom. I've been away ya know, the yard’s a mess, gotta get it all nice for her but uh, thanks." He bit his lip, torn between wanting to stay and wanting to run from her sharp tongue.

Her head tilted, the anger fading away as suddenly as it had blown up, leaving just the teasing. "I promise it’s not poisoned."

He sighed almost afraid to turn her down but knowing he had to, at least right then. "I can't right now but...." an idea sparked in his mind "Maybe you can keep it on warm?" He gave a light chuckle now that the anger was gone "Maybe when I'm done with my chores," he mimicked a 17 year old version of himself.

She turned and called into the house, "HEY SHAN Com'ere."

Shannon timidly stepped out looking from her sister to Richie warily. He'd called her by her parent’s pet name, Shay. No one called her that anymore, not even Mel! How had he known?

Mel’s brows waggled as she stepped off the porch. "Come on we're helping with *chores*"

"Chores?" She glanced from Mel to Richie, noting his look mirrored the astonishment she was feeling.

Richie chimed in, "you are?" Less than five minutes in her presence and she had him so off kilter he couldn't even begin to try to make sense of anything.

Her hands went to her waist as her eyes fired up again. "I can clean a gutter faster than you Scarecrow, and she can mow faster than a damned professional. I've done it before remember?"

Richie held up his hands in defeat not wanting to spark another argument so soon. "Ok, ok, you wanna help, be my guest. Come on, follow me."

She laced her fingers through Shannon's and grinned. "Besides she's never met Mama Joan. Hey, she still the neighborhood go to? All the kids still find her for milk and cookies after school?"

Richie chuckled, "Only the kids my age."

Shannon said not a word just docilely followed, which was strangely out of character for her normally exuberant self.

"Sad, she made the best chocolate chip ones." She pulled Shannon along as they walked next door. "You'll be amazed sis, really, how that sweet lady managed to come up with a scarecrow like this."

Shannon shot her sister a quizzical look. Gone was the initial shock at seeing one of her favorite music artists in the flesh. It was replaced by curiosity over the electricity flowing between him and her usually unemotional sister. She'd never seen Mel so biting and quick to anger. Shannon tried her damnedest day after day to get a rise out of her, acting a fool and carrying on as if she were still ten instead of almost twenty, and got nothing more than a quick grin or a soft smile for the effort.

She was being way too quiet. Reaching up she pinched her sis and grinned, "Cat never gets your tongue.Come on, its no one special. Its just the Scarecrow babe, I promise he'll either bore you to death or well bore you to death, but he's not dangerous."

Shannon jerked away from her sister's fingers and laughed a little " I know you might bore me to death but I can't see HIM ever boring me," she quipped.

Richie laughed out loud at her dig then quickly silenced himself, trying not to stir Mel's anger again.

She bumped into him as he stopped; her eyes going wide as she caught a good whiff of Richie. God damn he still smelled the same. Shaking it off she reached around him and turned the door knob, "You have to turn it to open it ya know Scarecrow."

He tensed at her touch not willing to remember that much yet. "Whether you think so or not Mellie I DO have a brain," he winked at the inside joke. He knew as long as she was calling him Scarecrow instead of dork he was in the good. Why it mattered he wouldn't say, even to himself, but it did matter.

She leaned forward and laughed, "he always had a brain, he just didn't use it all the time." She slipped around him and grinned as his mother entered the room. "Mama Joan!"

Joan's eyes widened at the term, only one girl had ever called her that, the one that drove her son crazy for years. "Little Melanie?"

She blushed to the roots of her hair as she scooted forward and wrapped the older woman in a hug. "Not so little anymore." Turning she pulled her sister close. "This is Shannon, last time you saw her she WAS the little one."

Shannon was surprised at the warm hug she received. She gave the woman a friendly hello and a smile as she was fussed over.

"Mel and Shay" she sighed "I can't believe it! I was so sad when you and your mother moved! What brings you back?"

Shannon was surprised to hear her pet name once again from this motherly stranger. It warmed her heart to hear it again.

Mel took a deep breath as the pain began to well up and simmer. She knew she could tell Mama Joan everything, but telling it all in front of him, well that was a totally different story. "Mom died, a couple years ago and when grandpa died, we found out about the house still being here so we moved back." She didn't have to explain the loss of family finances, or the straits they were in, that this was their only option. All that was best left unsaid.

Joan's face fell "Oh no, not Vivian too?" She sighed. She hated losing touch with friends but it happened more often than not. The last time she'd spoken to Viv had been at least five years ago.

"Oh honey I'm so sorry...." She pulled Melanie into another embrace then pulled away and offered the same comfort to Shannon. She led both girls by the hand to the couch and seated them "Richard dear, will you get us all a nice cold glass of tea please?"

Richie nodded, "Yes ma'am." He was saddened by the news he just heard. He didn't remember Mrs. Daniels well but he knew that his mother had kept in touch, at least at first. He couldn't imagine life without his parents, even at his age.

A slender brow arched as she watched him move to the kitchen. She shook her head at his swift obedience and grinned. "You were always the only one he'd listen too, well other than Mr. Adam."

"Well, except when he's getting into trouble right Melanie?"

Her cheeks turned pink as a few of their more famous escapades filtered through her mind. "It was always his fault."

Joan grinned, "usually, it still is!" She laughed before launching into a reminiscing of the more recent past, filling Mel in on her son's success, beaming with pride from beginning to end.

Shannon sat in polite silence and listened with rapt attention, all the while stealing glances at her sister, trying to gauge how this news was affecting her. Shannon had heard most of the heated verbal punches on the porch and knew her sister thought her 'dork' was a lifeless loser. She waited to see the surprise register on her features with the knowledge that he was a very successful and famous musician.

Mel's eyes widened as Joan explained the sudden raging success of her son. "He... he..." She stopped and swallowed as her words from the moments before rang in her head, "He actually...." well nuts, he could of SAID something to stop her dammit.

She hopped off the couch and started for the kitchen, her gaze intent on the doorway. Hell, nearly fifteen years gone and she still remembered the way. "I'll be right back Mama Joan." She moved towards the kitchen with single minded purpose. Let her make a fool of herself would he? Stand there and let her blast him knowing it wasn't true would he? She was going to kill him.