I'm going to try something this time. In the next chapter there will be three minor walk on characters that have yet to be named. I will enter everyone who leaves a review into a drawing to name them. I'll pick the winner using . I am starting another story as well that has a few characters that need names, so if I get enough reviews maybe I'll pick some people to name them as well.

Here is the next chapter... enjoy!

Lila jumped up and dashed across her room to answer the telephone that just started ringing

Lila jumped up and dashed across her room to answer the telephone that just started ringing. "Hello?"

"Hey, Lila," Emma said sounding slightly stressed on the other end of the line. "Is your mom home?"

"Um… no," she answered.

"Shit!" Emma cursed.

"Why? What's up?"

"I left my history book at the shop yesterday when we were trying on those dresses and that big assignment is due tomorrow."

"Oh, no problem. I finished it last week. You can borrow my book," Lila offered.

"Thanks, but I really need mine. All my notes and stuff are in it. I know Sundays are usually her days off, but do you think there is any chance your mom went over there today?"

"No, her and my dad went somewhere. Come get me and we'll take the spare key. No big deal."

"Awesome, Lila. Thanks!"

She got up and looked in the mirror. She was wearing short pink pajama shorts and the matching tank. Her hair was a mess. Most of it was pulled up into a sloppy bun, but stray tendrils had fallen out. She briefly contemplated changing her clothes or fixing her hair but decided against it. She went into her mother's office and got the spare key to the store out of her desk drawer. Slipping on some flip flops she walked to the front door just as she heard Emma honk from the driveway.

"You're going to wear that out?" Emma asked when Lila climbed in the passenger seat.

"Yeah, we're just going to the shop, right?" Lila replied.

"Yeah, but what if we break down or get a flat tire or run out of gas on the way there? We'll have to get out and walk and you don't want the world to see you straight out of bed."

"Em, it's like two minutes away. I think we'll make it there okay."

They rode in comfortable silence to the shop. When they arrived, the girls hopped out and Lila unlocked the door. As she opened it, she reached over to flick the lights on.

"SURPRISE!!"

Lila nearly jumped out of her skin. The shop had been decorated with streamers and balloons and was filed with her friends and family.

"Happy Birthday, Babydoll," Troy said wrapping his daughter in a hug. Technically it wasn't Lila's birthday. Her birthday was earlier that week on Wednesday, but they waited until Sunday to throw her party and catch her off guard. She turned eighteen.

"Holy crap," she said, still in shock.

"Are you surprised?" Gabriella asked.

"Uh, yeah."

"Good thing I finished my history project yesterday," Emma said with a grin.

"You!" Lila exclaimed smacking her lightly on the arm. "I can't believe you knew about this and let me come in my freaking pajamas!"

Everyone in the room burst out laughing. Emma threw her hands up in defense. "Hey, I tried to get you to change!"

Hours later the Boltons and the Danforths were gathered on the couches in the Bolton living room. They were looking at Lila's baby pictures and the adults were telling the story of her birth while it rained outside.

"And then she delivered the placenta and your dad passed out," Taylor said and everyone laughed.

"Poor dad," Junior said. "Getting soaked in amniotic fluid, passing out… That just wasn't his day."

Silence overcame the group. They were all thinking the same thing, or rather, missing the same person. Outside the lightning cracked and thunder boomed while it seemed that the heaven's opened up to pour out its contents. It never seemed to fail that on important days like birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, first days of school or basketball championships it rained. Gabriella said they were Chad's tears coming down wishing he could be there and had taken to singing the song "Holes in the floor of heaven" on those days.

Lila sighed and broke the silence. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing that story," she said and leaned back on the couch just as the power flickered.

"You guys want to stay here tonight?" Gabriella asked Taylor who nodded.

The next morning Gabriella's eyes fluttered open and she stretched her legs. Sunlight was streaming through the windows. Wondering why her alarm hadn't gone off, she rolled over and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was blinking twelve o'clock. The power must have gone out. She immediately hopped out of bed and ran into the living to look at the clock on the wall. It read nine thirty.

She dashed down the hall to Lila's open door. "Lila! Junior!" she exclaimed. "Wake up!"

Lila pulled a pillow over her head. "What the heck, mom? What kind of a wake up call is that?" she asked crankily.

"A very late one," Gabriella replied. "It's nine thirty."

Junior shot up from his mattress on the floor. "What?" he asked. Gabriella turned and hurriedly walked out of the room. Junior exchanged a glance with Lila. "The assembly!" they said in unison.

They both got up and scrambled to get dressed. Junior dug through her closet trying to find his stash of clothes. "What the hell, Lila? Where are my clothes? This is all girl stuff!"

"Isn't there something for you in there?" she asked as she shimmied into a pair of jeans.

"Not unless you expect me to wear this." He held up a pink and white tank top.

She walked into her closet clad in jeans and a bra and grabbed the tank from him. "No, but I will." She quickly put the shirt on and started flipping through the clothes. "Oh, I remember now. I put your stuff in my bottom drawer."

"Great, I've been demoted," he muttered as she hurried into the bathroom and brushed her teeth while he grabbed some jeans and a t-shirt and threw them on. He quickly brushed his teeth as Lila threw her makeup in a bag. They dashed down the hallway and grabbed a piece of fruit from the bowl on the table on their way out the front door. Realizing Junior's car wasn't at her house, they sprinted down the street to his and jumped in.

"You do realize that if we don't make it to the assembly we can't go to homecoming, right?" Lila asked as she quickly applied her makeup.

"Yes, I realize that."

"Well then, hurry up!"

"Do you realize that if I get pulled over for speeding I'm the one that gets stuck paying for it?"

"Yes, I realize that," Lila said, mocking him. "Like I said, hurry up!"

A few minutes later, Junior flew into his parking spot and they ran towards the auditorium. They made it just as the doors were being closed. They checked in at the table and sat in the back row, heaving a sigh of relief that they made it in time. After an hour of lecturing on homecoming procedures and rules, making smart choices and the dangers of drinking and driving, they were released. They both had lunch so they made their way to the cafeteria and sat at their regular table.

"Where the heck were you two?" Emma asked as she and a few of their other friends sat down with them.

"Somebody's alarm clock didn't go off," Junior said turning to Lila.

"Oh, like it's my fault the power went out?" Lila asked rolling her eyes.

"Dude," said Matt, one of the guys from the basketball team. "Your parents actually let you two sleep in the same room?" Lila and Junior exchanged shrugs and nodded. "You are a lucky man!"

Junior narrowed his eyes at Matt. "I sleep on the mattress on the floor," he said. "And the door stays open."

Lila nodded. "Besides, it's not like they have anything to worry about," she said.

Junior couldn't help but feel disappointed. He liked to think that she had just as much difficulty falling asleep as he did with her laying only a few feet away; that she was as tempted as he was and had the same naughty thoughts. Before anyone could see him pouting, Landon excitedly approached the table.

"Guess what I got?!" he asked. Everyone looked at him confused. "A cannon rebel two thousand!" he exclaimed.

"What is that?" Emma asked.

"Only my dream camera!" he replied. "I've been saving up to get it for a while now. I ordered it last week and it arrived last night. My mom has been onto me about taking dual enrollment classes at the college, so next semester I'm going to take photography. It's not exactly what she's thinking of, but oh well. I can't wait!"

"Um, awesome?" Lila said slowly.

"Yeah, you two totally have to model for me so I can get some practice. You can keep the photos for your portfolios."

The girls looked at each other and shrugged. "Sure, whatever."

"So, Lila," Emma said casually. "It's a good thing you made it to the homecoming assembly this morning."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" she asked.

"It would be a shame for you to miss it and not be allowed to go to the dance. You know, being in the running for homecoming queen and all."

"What?!" she exclaimed.

"Yep. You were nominated!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope. Completely serious."

Lila silently thought about what she had just been told while Junior asked, "So, uh, who all was nominated for homecoming king?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, you made the list again."

Junior's cocky smile was wiped off his face when Amy, one of the girls from the basketball team, said "How cute would it be if you and Dan were voted queen and king?" He didn't want to think about Lila going to the dance with him. Flirting with him over dinner, snuggling with him on the ride there, rubbing against him as they danced. He shook the thoughts out of his head as the bell rang.

Junior sat in his seat and scowled as he watched Lila and Dan out on the dance floor. She looked amazing in a slinky red sparkly dress. It was a shame she wasted it by coming with him.

"Junior, do you want to dance?" a perky blonde asked. He shook his head and she walked away angry. In a way he felt bad for her. He asked Nicole to be his date at the very last minute. He knew he was being an awful date, but he didn't care. How was he supposed to have fun when Lila was out there with Dan?

As the song ended, the DJ's voice overcame the room. "And now ladies and gentleman," he said. "It is time to announce your homecoming queen and king!" The dance floor cleared and his group of friends made their way back to the table where he was sitting. The DJ stood in the middle of the floor with two small white envelopes in his hand. Standing next to him was the senior class president holding a pillow with two crowns resting on it.

"Your homecoming queen is," he said, pausing as he opened the first envelope. "Lila Bolton!" Lila and Emma squealed next to him and Lila walked out to receive her bouquet of roses and be crowned queen. Once she had her sash on and her crown perched on top of her head, the DJ moved on to the second envelope. "And the East High homecoming King is…" Junior inwardly groaned. He did not want to sit there while she and Dan danced together under the spotlight. "Junior Danforth!"

A hand on his shoulder broke him from his thoughts. "Dude, that's you!" Landon said to him.

"Wait, what?" Junior asked standing up slowly. Did he really just hear his name?

"Go!" Landon gave him a small shove and he joined Lila in the center of the floor and leaned over for his crown to be placed on his head.

"Now your king and queen will share the spotlight dance," the DJ said and slow music started to play. Emma walked out to the floor and took the bouquet of roses from Lila.

Lila turned to Junior with a small smile on her face. They awkwardly wrapped their arms around each other and began to dance.

"Congratulations," Junior said after a few moments of silence. "You deserve it. You look amazing tonight."

"Thanks. You look pretty good yourself. Although you could have tamed your hair a bit," she joked. She took one hand and ruffled his curls for effect.

"No way! You know you love the 'fro. It's part of my charm."

"Whatever you say."

"So, how pissed do you think the cheerleaders are that they got beat out by a sporty girl?"

She threw her head back and laughed. She couldn't stand the cheerleaders and he knew it. "Who cares?" she asked.

Other couples began to fill the dance floor and Junior felt a hand on his shoulder. Much to his dismay, when he looked at the owner of the hand he found himself face to face with Dan.

"Mind if I cut in?" Dan asked.

"Yeah, actually I do," Junior said.

Lila placed a hand on his arm. "It's okay," she said. "I'll talk to you in a little bit, okay?"

Junior sighed and nodded. He walked out of the gym and across the lawn to the big stone fountain in front of the school. A few minutes later, voiced on the other side of the fountain pulled him from his thoughts.

"Are you having a good time?" the girl said. He recognized it as Lila's voice.

"I'm having a great time," Dan replied. The footsteps stopped and Junior figured they sat on the other side of the fountain.

"I'm glad," Lila said.

"I know a way we could make it even better," Dan said and Junior's stomach flipped, knowing what he meant.

"Oh, yeah?" Lila asked.

"You want to get out of here? We could go back to my place. My parents are out of town for the weekend."

"The dance isn't over yet. I'm having fun here."

"Well, we can go when it's over."

"No, thanks."

"Lila, we've been talking for what, a couple months now? Don't you think it's time to take the next step?"

"No, Dan, I don't."

"Why not?"

"I'm just not interested."

"Why?" he insisted.

"To be honest," Lila said, beginning to get annoyed. "I don't like you that way." Junior's mood lifted. She didn't like him!

"So why the hell are you even here with me?" He didn't like the way this was going.

"Not that it's any of your business, but the guy I like isn't interested in me and I didn't want to go to homecoming alone."

"So you've just been leading me on this whole time?" Dan asked angrily.

"Leading you on? Dan, what have I ever done to make you think I was into you? We've never done anything but talk."

"That can change," he growled.

"Ouch! Dan, let me go!" Junior heard Lila exclaim, her voice and a pair of heavy footsteps coming towards him. His blood boiled to think of Dan hurting her. He sprang up from the fountain edge and into onto the sidewalk, blocking the Dan's path. Dan had a tight grip on Lila's wrist and was pulling her towards the parking lot.

"Let her go," Junior demanded.

"Move aside, Danforth," Dan said. "This doesn't concern you."

"Let her go," Junior repeated. "I'm not going to say it again."

Dan ignored him and pulled Lila to the side to walk around him. In one swift move, Junior grabbed the wrist of the hand that was holding onto Lila and twisted it backwards, causing Dan to let go of her arm. He dropped Dan's wrist and punched him. Dan reeled back and held his nose, which was gushing blood.

"Touch her again and I'll kill you," Junior warned before wrapping an arm around Lila's shoulders and leading her away. They walked around the side of the school to the football field and sat on the bleachers in silence. His arm was draped on her shoulders and her head was leaning on his.

Lila finally broke the silence. "Thanks," she said simply, lifting her head to look at him.

His breath caught in his throat as he looked down on her. Vulnerability was something he had never seen in her before. She was absolutely beautiful. He smiled softly and nodded, unable to produce any words. His gaze traveled down to her mouth. Rational thought flew out the window as his body took over. He lightly licked his lips, closed his eyes and slowly leaned towards her.

Lila's heart skipped a beat. What she had been dreaming about for years was about to happen. She closed her eyes in anticipation. Her wishes were about to come true, even if he was going to regret it in the morning. Her heart sank as realization dawned on her. Even though this is what she wanted for as long as she could remember, he would regret it in the morning. Things could get weird between them. She couldn't let that happen.

"You really are my knight in shining armor," she whispered when their lips were only millimeters apart. With her eyes still closed, she smiled softly at him.

He opened his eyes. "Well, at least I'm good for something," he said. He paused, unsure of what to do before he added, "You want to get back inside?"

Lila sighed and opened her eyes. "Yeah, we'd better. Everyone is probably wondering where their king and queen are."

Monday morning, Junior, Lila, Emma and Landon were walking through the halls to class when they passed Dan. Emma and Landon watched as Lila ducked her head when they made eye contact and Junior put a protective arm around Lila's shoulders shooting Dan a warning glare that wiped the cocky smirk off his face.

"What was that about?" Landon asked.

"Nothing," Junior muttered.

"Lila?" Emma said giving her a questioning look.

"Yeah, nothing," Lila agreed softly as they reached the door of her classroom. "I'll see you guys later."

Junior smiled and gave her shoulders a little squeeze. "See you later," they said.