"I can't believe tomorrow night is prom already." Stacy said. It was Friday afternoon and she and Miley were enjoying some chili fries and diet sodas at the local arcade after school. "Did you see Adrian today? He looked sooo yummy. I'm totally going to jump his bones tomorrow night."
"Do you want to make him your /boyfriend/?" Miley teased.
"As if!" Stacy laughed. "I only said yes because it's prom and I want to go with someone from school. You know I only date older guys."
Miley replied "Still, I'm glad he asked you to prom, Adrian's a nice guy. We're going to have so much fun."
"I still can't believe he asked you first." Stacy sucked some soda through her straw, then teased "Like you would go with anyone but Charlie. You two are so in love it makes me sick."
Miley scoffed out a laugh, "Whatever. You're just jealous!"
"I am a little." Stacy admitted with a grin. "I'm glad you're happy hon, seriously. You've found your dashing geek..."
"Oh my god, speaking of geeks... did you hear that Brian is going with Cassie Burns?" Miley asked, munching on a fry.
"Really?" Stacy sounded surprised.
"Yeah." Miley confirmed, "He asked her to a concert last week and I guess they totally hit it off. I'm so happy for him, he needs a girlfriend."
"Speaking of Brian, where the heck are him and Charlie? I expected them to come with us. They never turn us down for chili fries at the arcade..."
Miley scowled, "They're working on that stupid comic book of theirs. Ever since my dad said he'd show their stuff to a publisher it's like they're obsessed."
Stacy laughed, "A little jealous?"
"No!" Miley denied, "But it's like Charlie doesn't even notice me anymore, he's always with Brian working on story boards and plot twists and... god, I don't even want to talk about it."
"Oh my god, Miley. Whatever. You and Charlie are like, attached at the hip all day at school."
"At least I'll get him all to myself tonight. Dad has to go down to Tampa and finish some business and won't be back until tomorrow." Miley smiled, excited. "So Charlie and I will have the condo all to ourselves."
"A little pre-prom warm up?" Stacy giggled.
"Sort of." Miley winked. "I have a surprise for him that Charlie will never forget..."
"I don't even want to know." Stacy remarked dryly. "So how is it going living with your dad?"
"It's fine. You know my dad. He loves me but he's pretty hands off. I like the freedom, but I kind of wish he was around more too, you know?" Miley grabbed another French fry. "And I miss Charlie being down the hall."
"I wish your dad was around more too." Stacy said, "So I could seduce him!"
"Oh my god!" Miley threw her fry at Stacy.
Both girls fell into a fit of laughter.
=====
"You made her look like a total slut!" Charlie argued, gesturing at one of Brian's sketches.
"What do you mean?" Brian wondered, sitting at his bedroom desk, pencil in hand.
"You have her wearing a bra, garters, and heels." Charlie fumed. "She's a reporter, not a hooker!"
"Dude, I always draw my females sexy..." Brian said.
"Sexy is fine, but she's not supposed to be a dominatrix, she's Captain Darkness' girlfriend for crying out loud. She's supposed to be a nice girl!"
"Fine, fine, I'll try another concept." Brian frowned, grabbing his notebook and tearing out the page. "I'll save this drawing though, you gave me an idea for a villain..."
Charlie heard his cell phone buzzing and looked around Brian's messy room. He found it laying on the bed and answered, "Hello?"
"Charlie you /ass/!" came Miley's steaming voice.
"Miley? Uh...?" Charlie asked.
"You were supposed to be here a half hour ago!" Miley's voice had that tone of danger that Charlie was starting to know all too well. "If you are still at Brian's working on that stupid comic I swear I'll kill you both!"
Charlie looked wide-eyed at his watch, "Oh! Uh, no, I just left, I'm on my way... see you soon love you bye!"
"What the hell?" Brian asked.
"That was Miley..." Charlie said, pocketing his phone and frantically looking for the keys to his mom's car. "I was supposed to meet her at her dad's place thirty minutes ago... she's going to kill me."
"You can't go now!" Brian complained. "We still have to make a decision on the Captain's base of operations..."
"It'll have to wait." Charlie said, finding the keys. "See you at prom tomorrow?"
"Okay dude...say hi to Miley!"
=====
Miley had a scowl that could melt granite when she opened the door to her and her father's new condo. "I can't believe you Charlie!"
"Miley... I'm so sorry... I..."
"You and Brian and that damned comic. It's like you love that comic book more than you do me!" Miley turned and stalked inside.
Charlie trailed after her, closing the door. "Sweetie, I'm sorry, I..."
"Don't you 'sweetie' me, buster! I made spaghetti and meatballs just for you, and you know I don't cook Charlie, and now it's cold and..." Miley let out an exasperated sigh, turning her angry glare on poor Charlie.
Charlie stared at Miley, suddenly noticing what she was wearing "Um, why do you have a bathrobe on?"
"Never mind that!" Miley scolded, "You better not be working on that comic tomorrow, because I swear Charlie, I've had it with feeling like I'm second place to Captain frigging Darkness. It's prom tomorrow and you better make me feel like a queen or else I'll..."
"I got a limo." Charlie blurted.
"A limo?" Miley asked, temporarily distracted from her anger.
"Yeah." Charlie confirmed. "My dad borrowed me the money. I'll have to pay him back after I get a summer job, but... there was enough leftover for a room at the Four Seasons too."
"Ooh!" Miley was suddenly beaming. It was difficult for her to stay mad at sweet Charlie. Most of it was just theatrics anyways. "The Four Seasons? That's one of the nicest hotels in Tallahassee."
Charlie grinned, "Yeah. Look, I'm really sorry I've been so busy on the comic. I swear, Brian and I won't even talk about comics for the rest of the weekend."
"You better not." Miley warned.
"You really cooked?" Charlie suddenly asked.
"Yes... but I think I burned the meatballs." Miley pouted, "I'm so useless in the kitchen."
"Aw, I bet they're fine." Charlie said. "Want to warm it up in the microwave?"
"Later. I have a surprise for you first."