Ahh, teenagers. The middle ground between childhood and adulthood. They often say that being a teen can be the best years of your life. The time where you gain both independence and the taste of freedom. The time where you and a group of friends can just take a drive and let the wind flow through your hair, and I believe that is how Mellisa feels during this day with Sonia and their current travel companions.

As Mellisa chills with the girls and joining their conversation about fun girl stuff, Sonia sits between one of the three guys and one of the girls. Anxiety cocoons into Sonia as she’s snug deep into the chair, unable to get a single inch of elbow room as the people next to her were not only bigger than her, but taller as well. This was a medium-sized convertible after all, and although glad they joined, nobody really accounted for the extra baggage that the girls would bring both literally and figuratively. The redhead ginger clasps her hands together and stare at landscapes with slightly-widened eyes, not wanting to stare. The young man next to her could feel Sonia’s awkwardness without having to bat an eye. He places his hand on Sonia’s left shoulder and gently pats it. The BUG-EYED Sonia looks back at the young man without even turning her head and the poor thing shivers like a scaredy cat. The driver glimpses at the two and smirks.

“Don’t scare her, Mikey,” the driver laughed, “She might just take a bite outta ya’!” Sonia freezes at the driver’s words while Mikey, the guy next to her, silently goes back to his place. The seven companions then arrive at Tuesday’s and gear up to have a nice meal together. Once parked, everyone hops out of the car and start walking inside, except Sonia as she was stuck frozen in her seat.

“C’mon Sonny!” Mellisa giggled as she lifts the frozen girl over her head and carries her to the others. The restaurant itself was a Bar & Grill though with some class. The usual patrons were either friends, families, sports junkies, and the occasional gentrified connoisseur. The walls were decorated with memorabilia from the early to mid 90s all the way to the 1950s. From album covers to classic rock bands, to the coveted sports almanac, to even beloved animated characters of years past. Sonia, Mellisa, and the other teens step inside onto the checkerboard floor and are given a table big enough for everyone to sit around. In just a few minutes, the kids order both their drinks and a big appetizer plate for everyone to share, then they did nothing but chat for the next portion of the chapter.

“Check it, they got a dance floor,” One of the girls said as she pointed to the dance floor located just across the hall of the restaurant.

“Y’know, Amy~ I-”

“I can read you, Derek, and no. NOT in a million years,” Amy pouted, rejecting Derek and his advances. While Derek was having no luck whatsoever, the other young man, named Damian, was having a fun time telling corny jokes with Mellisa and messing around with the nachos like playthings instead of food. Meanwhile, the other girl that came along noticed Sonia sat in her seat feeling on edge because of how late the time was being. The girl moves her chair from between Mellisa and Amy and sits next to Sonia.

“Hey there, redhead, the name’s Charlotte,” the girl greeted in a calm, cool manner.

“Ehh… hi,” Sonia reluctantly answered, “I’m Sonia.”

“I can tell. Your friend has been talking a bit about you to Amy and Damian overthere.”

“Heh… yeah.” Sonia chuckles some, still feeling embarrassed to be here. Charlotte scoots her chair closer to Sonia and asks her, “So, what’s up? I know that look on your face, and that’s not a face that says “I’m having lots of fun right now.”

“Well… I’ve just- I never really been out in public like this and I… REALLY feel like I should get home…” Sonia explained to Charlotte. Charlotte, however, was calm and cool with Sonia’s disposition. She even goes far as telling Sonia that if she needs to leave, she can just leave. Sonia sputters her words, trying to say that she wants to go home, but ends up glancing at the others. She crosses her legs together and sweat drips from her face until finally muttering that she wants to stay. Charlotte smirked as Sonia sank in her chair. She then asks the redhead ginger to follow her to the bathroom. Mellisa stayed behind as the two headed off.

“Y’know, Mel,” Amy queried, “Your friend’s kinda… weird, if you ask me.”

“Noooo, she’s just shy and anxious as all,” Mellisa replied with a smile, “In fact, I believe that she just needs some encouragement as all.” The cheery girl then sighs, lowering the bangs on her hair, “At least I hope so…” Damian discovered Mellisa’s somber feelings and asked her why she felt this way. Mellisa told Damian and the others about Sonia and what she wanted to do, while Sonia and Charlotte were in the bathroom freshening up and chatting with one another about Mellisa as well as her current issues. To Mellisa, she wanted a friend to go to the fair as well as spend time with, but found that Sonia isn’t as willing or outspoken as her or Julianna. However, Sonia talked about how she does consider Mellisa nice, but the latina is particularly more outstretched, goofy, and a tad bit reckless. Sonia even tells that she has once spent time with Mellisa during a Halloween party but the events have given her a bit of a migraine afterward.

“I just don’t have time to be with Mellisa playing all these… dumb, goofy games,” Sonia told Charlotte as she gently plays with her magic amulet, “I have responsibilities… BIG responsibilities… and unlike school, I can’t really escape it. So I stay away aside from a basic greeting or so.

“I just feel like when Bestie- eh, Julianna is away, I fall into withdrawal… She’s the first friend I had since I left home-school and began high school… and even though Sonia might seem like a friend… she does not feel the same. I feel as if there’s something she wants to tell me, but she runs off before she does so…” Mellisa explained to her table-mates.

“Honestly, I kinda want her to go away…” Sonia remarked with a low, slow voice.

“I kind of want her to stay…” Mellisa frowned.

“If she goes, can I have her?” Derek rudely asked, prompting Amy to elbow him a bit harshly in the chest. Amy then turned to Mellisa and gave her some advice.

“Aww, don’t worry, sweetie,” Amy opens while holding Mellisa’s hands and raising them, “It’s not your fault. All you two need to do is just open up. Find out what makes you both tick and work it out from there. I did that, and I have Charlotte, Damian, and even this loser right here.”

“Heyyy…” Derek jumped in, insulted by Amy’s words. Mellisa looks up at Amy and her friends, then a small smile grew on her face. Mellisa softly replied, “You’re right.” The latin girl’s happier nature slowly grew back, but suddenly the restaurant’s local DJ made an announcement.

“Alright, alright, alright everybody! DJ BoomRocket here tellin’ you it’s time to put down your food and get on the dance floor!” The DJ then took out one of his special vinyls and popped it into his turntable. With swift coolness, he kicks the boombox on, which drops the stylus on the CD and starts playing the Stadium Rave.

“Oh, I love this song!” Mellisa joyfully shouts. She then grabs Damian by the arms and shouts, “C’mon let’s all go dance!” She then jumps out of her seat and skips over to the dance floor. There, Mellisa starts shaking around and dancing giddily with the growing dance crowd, putting her cheerleading and ballet skills to the dance floor. Damian slowly whistles as he is mesmerized by Mellisa dancing.

“I’ll… be over there~” Damian says to Derek and the ever-silent Mikey with a wink as he gets out of his chair and joins Mellisa on the dance floor. Derek gives a smug smile to Amy, but Amy turns her head and shoves her hand in his face as she walks into a different direction. While the others were out dancing, Sonia and Charlotte come out of the bathroom to find the others, and the restaurant goers, had disappeared.

“Uhh…. where is everybody?” Sonia asks with lowered shoulders, “And what’s that crazy racket.”

“Huh, looks like they’ve all gone and booked it,” Charlotte nonchalantly replies. The girls find the door that leads to the dance hall and head inside. There, they find all of the restaurant patrons dancing together to the upbeat rave music. As the disco lights shone, the music got louder and groovier, switching tracks from rave music to hip-hop, to funkadelic.

“Good evening, do not attempt to adjust your radio. There is nothing wrong with your set. We have taken control as to bring you this special show. We will return it to you as you are grooving. Welcome to Station E-FUNK, better known as We Funk, our deeper still the extraterrestrial connection. Let’s stand back, relax, and enjoy the groovylicious, uncut beats.”