By midnight, Juniper had gotten her hands on some alcohol and waspletely tipsy. Shanley decided to end the birthday party early. "I need to take care of Juniper,” he said in a low voice to the others. "Could you give J a ride?”


    With Juniper sprawled ufortably across the chairs, there was no room for anyone else in his car now.


    “Hey, J, I can give you a lift," Lue offered, dangling her motorcycle keys and raising an eyebrow at J.


    “I.....” J began, but before she could finish, Melvin Steele seemed to appear out of nowhere, stepping in front of her to face Lue. "It''ste. A car is safer," he said coolly. "I''m heading her way anyway. I''ll take J."


    Heading her way? J blinked, trying to recall where Melvin lived. Not only was it not on the way, it was in theplete opposite direction.


    "Mr. Steele, isn''t your ce..." J tilted her head, trying to politely point out the discrepancy.


    "J, why don''t you take this to the car," Melvin interrupted gently. "I just need a word with Mr. Langley. I''ll be right there."


    "Okay." Seeing that they had something to discuss, J didn''t want to intrude. She obediently took Melvin''s jacket and headed for the car.


    Once she was out of earshot, the polite smile on Melvin''s face vanished. "Mr. Langley, Juniper considers you a friend, so I''ll respect you,” he began, his expression grave and his tone serious. "But J is a good kid. She''s not some girl from a bar you can beckon with a snap of your fingers and a wad of cash. I don''t care what your intentions are, but I''m warning you: you''d better stay away from her."


    It was obvious to Melvin that this ''guy'' had a thing for Juniper. Now that he couldn''t have her, he was turning his attention to J. What a piece of work!


    Lue stood with her hands in her pockets, listening to the usation, and then she just burst outughing. Did Juniper''s brother actually think she was interested in J?


    "What''s so funny?" Melvin''s face darkened. If Lue wasn''t Juniper''s friend, he''d have thrown him out long ago.


    "Isughing a crime now?" Lue retorted with a cold smirk. “So I can''t go after her, but you can?"


    Melvin was taken aback. "What?"


    "I''m twenty-two, only four years


    older than her. If you, at


    twenty-eight can have ideas it


    wouldn''t be strange ift did, right? Such a hypocrite!"


    Melvin waspletely lost. "Hypocrite?"


    With that parting shot, Lue spun on her heel, swinging her keys, and strode away.


    "Hey! Who are you calling a


    hypocrite?" Melvin yelled at Lue''s retreating back, absolutely furiou He was never going to live down the`bels ''cradle-robber'' and ''hypocrite.''


    What a yboy. He''d better not try to mess with J!


    ...


    As Lue was leaving on her motorcycle, she came face-to-face with Jimmie Tate''s car. The road was too narrow; one of them had to back up.


    Jimmie red at Lue, the image of him taunting Melvin fresh in his mind. How did Juniper even make friends with someone like this?


    Lue met Jimmie''s judgmental stare and returned it with a cold smile, refusing to move an inch.


    “Mr. Langley, it would be easier for you to back up, wouldn''t it?" Jimmie said, rolling down his window, his smile devoid of any warmth.


    "You want me to move?" Lue


    gripped the handlebars, here


    narrowing under her helmet.


    grin Spread across her face. Fine. Beg me."