STARKID Senior Year

A Family Of Friends

Joey, Darren, and Lauren left his dorm and made there way, to what use to be there entire groups hang out, to have dinner. Darren and Lauren walked hand and hand and a little closer than usual. The Michigan wind blew hard and cold, but none of them complained, the feel of the wind was a feeling of home, and Darren and Lauren missed it.

"So Joey have seen what's her name, uh Stella?" Lauren piped up.

"It's Bella, and I haven't seen her recently." Joey told her. "I've got Evan to worry about, I want him to pass, you know finally let him be able to say he has auctaly accomplished some thing."

"Yea, but man this is your senior year." Darren said.

"And?"

"And don't spend it all worrying about someone else, find love, or just have fun." Darren explained to his friend.

"I know." Joey said as he held the door open for his friends. Joey started to walk in behind his friends when he saw a head full of red hair walking towards the door and he back up holding the door open for her.

"Hey Bella." Joey said as she walked towards the door.

"Oh hey Joey." She said looking up at him. "Thank you." She said as she walked out the door with her food in hand. Joey shut the door and walked back in with his friends, while his friends looked at him as if he was stupid.

"What?" Joey asked them.

"Is that the Bella?" Darren asked.

"Yea."

"Get your ass back out side and ask her to eat with us!" Lauren said then stomped her foot on the floor and pointed her finger at the door.

Joey tired to protest but she gave him a look saying 'If you give me some stupid reason I will kick your ass so hard!' Joey turned around and ran out the door. He looked around and saw Bella a little ways up the side walk. Joey started to run up after her.

"Bella!" He called in between breaths, he was so not in shape. "Bella!" He called out and she stopped and turned around.

"Joey? Joey what are you doing, it's freezing out here." She said then ran up to him.

"Would ... would you ... you like to eat .... eat dinner with ... us?" Joey said breathing hard, he didn't realize how hard of a run that was.

"Um well I was planning on going back home and watching some TV." She told him.

"Please, Lauren will kick my ass if you don't." Joey said laughing.

"Who?"

"She is a friend of mine she and her boyfriend graduated last year and they are visiting me, please come."

"Um well sure because I wanna eat my food while it's still hot, so why not." He said then did a small laugh, and the two of them walked back to the restaurant.

When Joey and Bella entered the restaurant Darren and Lauren were already seated, and staring at the door. Lauren was sitting up straight with her arms crossed on the tabel and a big smile on her face. Darren on the other hand was sorta slouched down and had his arm around Lauren, but his eyes were fixed on the door just like Laurens.

"Hi I'm Lauren, we've heard so much about you." Lauren said as soon as they sat down.

"Um how?" Bella asked. While Joey was mentality beating himself up for asking her to come with him.

"Um, through the music department." Darren piped up and said, a wave of relief flooded over Joeys face. "Yea, I was a big music man last year if I wasn't at the theater I was in the music building, I keep up with the information. Joey hasn't ever mentioned you to us. At all." Darren said. Joeys face turned bright red.

"Oh well, I'm Bella and you guys probably already know." She said with a nervous laugh.

The night continued on, as the group loosened up they began to become more comfortable around one another. And by the end of the night they were talking as if they had known each other there entire life.

"Your kidding me!" Bella half yelled half laughed.

"No I'm being serious, this man here knocked a hole in our wall last year with his head." Darren said pointing at Joey, who was laughing rembering that he had done that.

"Yea, and we put a picture over it and whenever the dorm inspector came to look at our room we told him that we were donating that picture to the room." Joey said.

"Yea he didn't think twice about it." Darren did then Joey and Darren high high-fived each other.

"Oh my goodness look at the time, I really do need to be going, this has been amazing. Nice meeting you Darren and Lauren," Bella placed her hand on Joeys shoulder, "I'll see you later Joey." She said then smiled at him and walked off.

"Go walk her home." Lauren said in a hushed tone.

"What?" Joey said.

"That shoulder thing, she obviously likes you even if she dosent realize it." Darren said.

"Go go go quickly." Lauren told him. Joey scrambled and ran and cought up with Bella.

"Hey mind if I walk you home?" He asked her.

"No I don't mind at all." She said then linked arms with Joey. "I really like your friends."

"Oh if you liked them you would love the rest they are all like that goofy and silly." Joey told her.

"Where do they live?"

"California, yea it's far away, I miss them like crazy."

"I wish I had a group of friends like that who, you know treat eachother like a family. I haven't heard from my 'friends' since I moved here."

"Well I'll be your friend." Joey said as they stopped in front of her door.

"Thank you Joey." She said then hugged him. She let go and looked up into his eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Joey panicked and pulled away, before they could.

"Um well I need to he going, I'll see you later." Joey said then ran off.