Valentine's surprise

chapter 17

Bonnie held up the top against Tara, eyeing it carefully before putting it back up on the rack. "So what do you all want to do for lunch? I'm getting kind of tired of fair food."

Monique shook her head at the next one that Bonnie grabbed before pointing to one further down. "You know, there is that new Thai place not far from here. We could walk down, walk back, and still have time to do some more shopping before the men-folk finish their testosterone fest."

Tara smiled as she finally found a blouse she wanted, preparing to change into it to see if it fit. "I don't know, isn't Thai supposed to be, like, spicy and stuff. I don't know if I want spicy."

Kim just leaned on a nearby rack, shaking her head slightly. "Wow."

Monique turned to look at her curiously and not without a little eagerness. "What is it girl, find something good?"

"No, it's just..." Kim settled her gaze on Bonnie briefly before turning back to Monique. "If you had told me just two weeks ago that I would be hanging out with Bonnie shopping and getting along... I would have laughed."

Monique chuckled as well. "I know what you mean, though I don't know about the getting along part so much." Kim gave her a glare, causing her to laugh again. "Okay, so your getting along better. Have to admit, girl's not as bad as I figured, once you get past the attitude, and she does love Ron. Gotta give her props for the effort she's putting in."

Kim sighed softly. "I know, and Ron's happy as well. It's still just so... weird."

"Weirder than women lighting their hands on fire and freaks with monkey hands and feet?"

Kim shared a quiet smile with Monique. "Well, when you put it that way..."

"Ok, favorite video game?"

Ron smiled, glad for the subject. "No contest, Zombie Mayhem Two."

Felix frowned briefly before his smile returned. "Um, pause, I hope you meant to say Zombie Mayhem Three?"

"Um, unpause, I was actually referring to the superior second installment of the series."

"For real? Mayhem Two doesn't even have flame throwers." Felix turned his attention over to Josh, who was sitting on his other side. "What about you Josh, which is the better one. Two or Three?"

Josh appeared a bit sheepish as he tried to figure out what they were saying. "Uhh... I don't really play video games, at least not since I was a kid."

Ron and Felix almost appeared stunned. "You don't..."

Felix just smiled, turning back to Ron. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Ron smiled in return. "Zombie Mayhem marathon until we've got the guy hooked so bad he'll wonder why he wasn't playing before?"

"Exactly!" Seeing Josh looking uncomfortable though intrigued, Felix set his sights on anouther topic that interested him. "So that girl Tara... she said she wasn't seeing anyone..."

An exceptionally loud gunning of engines interrupted Felix's thoughts, and everyone in the stands was stunned. Josh watched as a team of motorcyclists sailed over head, with most heading straight for the trucks. One figure remained in front of the stands, watching the rest of the men moved. "Is this part of the show?"

Felix frowned as he watched the men throwing the drivers clear of their trucks. "Not likely."

The figure remaining and watching pulled off his helmet, letting out a long mane of blond hair, as he smiled broadly. "These trucks are property of Motor Ed now, seriously." Before anyone could speak, he had replaced his helmet and was tearing it up across the field. In a spectacular move that took most of the crowd by awe, he leapt from his motorcycle, flying through the air and launching himself through the passenger side window of the one truck that had escaped his men, booting the driver clear in one fell swoop.