This story came to life when my mom explained the whole 'forget the milkman' thing. Apparently, for those who don't know, the old saying was that if a man had a kid that didn't look like him, it was the milkman's, who typically came during the day when the men were at work and the housewives were at home. Anyways, my friend was like 'I bet Corny used to be a milkman,' and thus this story was born. Enjoy!

Crush

His older brother Carl had always told him that he would never make anything of himself, and so far, he was right. Corny Collins stood on the sidewalk in front of the Bennett household, holding his nearly empty milk carrier at his side. He'd always aspired to be someone well-known for charm and talent and charisma by the time he was twenty-one, and yet here he stood, sighing as he walked up the cracked cement walkway. The Bennett house was his least favorite to deliver to, despite the fact that it was one of his last stops. He noted that the blue curtains were drawn in the picture window, and it gave him a small spark of hope. Maybe no one was home. Quickening his pace, Corny set two milk bottles on the stoop, a small smile resting on his handsome face. He was home-free.

"Hey there, Mister Milkman."

Damn. Corny turned in the direction of the small feminine voice, seeing the young Bennett girl smile coyly at him through the stoop gating. He had no choice but to smile back and tip his hat to her slightly, but not too encouragingly. "Afternoon, Brenda." She giggled slightly as he addressed her, twirling a finger around one of her blue-bowed pigtails and popping her gum in a typical manner. She came out from around the gate as he started back down the walkway. Brenda tried to keep up beside him, saying, "You look tired, Mr. Collins. I have a pitcher of lemonade in the backyard if you're thirsty."

Corny was quick to reply. "I gotta deliver these last bottles to the Tramells next door. Maybe next time, sweetheart. Not to be discouraged, Brenda reached out and gently touched his arm, causing him to stop for a second. "I can take care of it, really. You work so hard, Mr. Collins. You deserve a break." He looked down at the petite girl; she was trying especially hard today. Usually it was just a flirty wave or glance, a surprisingly suggestive comment, or something else that momentarily made him forget she was a thirteen-year-old girl. Corny sighed, "I guess a lemonade wouldn't hurt."

Brenda beamed delightedly, taking his milk carrier and leading him towards the backyard. "Are your parent's home?" he asked, and the brunette shook her head. "They're at my Grammy's, helping her clean. I'm watching Beatrice." Corny nodded slightly, remembering Brenda's six-year-old sister whom he frequently saw with that little red-head Simon boy, whose older sister Shelley was Brenda's best friend. He frequently saw the girls together, climbing trees in Brenda's yard or swinging on the swings in the local park. "Babysitting by yourself already?" he asked, and Brenda smile up at him. "I'm very mature for my age, Mr. Collins."

Corny couldn't help but flash her a hundred watt grin; she knew exactly what she was saying to him, and he once again had to remind himself that she was just a little kid who was blossoming into womanhood, and he was the unfortunate object of her adolescent affections. He couldn't play along with her game, not this time. In the backyard, he saw Beatrice in her sandbox, burying a Barbie. There was a picnic blanket on the ground, and sitting on it was Shelley Simon, the aforementioned best friend. She smiled sweetly at the boy beside her, and Corny instantly recognized him as Link Larkin. The young teens were looking through a school book together, and Brenda pointed over at the picnic table. "The lemonade's over there. Help yourself."

Hearing Brenda speak, Shelley and Link looked up from their book, a sneaky smile on Shelley's face. Corny's back was turned to them as he poured himself a glass of lemonade, but he could imagine Shelley's face as he heard her say, "Brenda Anne Bennett, you can be so bullheaded sometimes." Brenda clicked her tongue dismissively, responding, "Funny, isn't that what I usually say about you?" Corny heard the clinking of his milk carrier as it was handed off. "Link, take this to Tammy next door." He held back a chuckle, hearing Link ask why in a confused manner. "Just do it." Brenda hissed quietly, and Link sighed as he rose to his feet. "Okay, then. I guess I'll be right back."

"Say hi to Tammy for us!" Shelley reminded him, and Link headed off through the gate that separated Brenda's yard from Tammy's. Corny turned around to face the girls, who both smiled sweetly at him. "Afternoon, Shelley," he said to the redhead, and she curtsied. She glanced over at Beatrice in the sand box and said, "Hey, Bee, wanna go see Stevie for a little while?" The little girl smiled excitedly, shouting, "Yeah!" and dropping her doll on the ground as she rushed to Shelley's side. Taking Beatrice by the hand, Shelley said, "I'll be right back. Nice to see you, Mr. Collins."

"Pleasure's all mine, Miss Simon." Corny watched the red head and the younger Bennett girl leave the backyard, and he found his gaze on Brenda, who was smiling flirtatiously at him from her spot on the picnic table. He watched her carefully, quirking an amused brow. "Well, you set that one up pretty nicely, Miss Bennett." Brenda just kept her smile, not showing a single sign of letting her guard down. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Collins. I was just trying to be friendly." She patted the seat beside her, and Corny was hesitant to sit. "You're a little to young to be gettin' friendly with me, sweetheart." Corny sat, looking her in the eye until Brenda turned away, crinkling her crinoline skirt with her fingertips distractedly. "Why do you act like I'm so terrible to be around, Mr. Collins?"

"What are you talking about?" he asked, and she shrugged her small shoulders. "It just seems like you'd rather talk to anyone but me. I see you hang outside with Link and Tammy and Brad all the time, but when you talk to me, it seems like you only do it to be polite." Brenda explained, glancing back up at him. Corny suddenly felt bad; he hadn't realized that she felt so sorely about the way he spoke with her. He sighed slightly and said, "It's just…well, the way you act around me, you come on a little strong. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about me." Most people already had a bad perception of Corny anyways, he realized internally, but he didn't want to give anyone reason to put pedophile on his list also. He definitely was not like that. Brenda looked down, and Corny put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll make a deal with ya, Brenda: You stop flirting with me every time I come by, and maybe if you're still interested in four or five more years, you can try again." Corny watched as a small smile crept up on her pretty face. "I can almost guarantee you better results in that case." He charmed, and Brenda blushed as she giggled in girlish delight. He slid his hand off her shoulder, and the sound of the side gate creaking made him jump slightly. Both Brenda and Corny turned their heads to the source, and their eyes fell upon a breathless Link Larkin, who held up his hand triumphantly. "I got twenty-five cents from Mrs. Tramell! Twenty-five cents!" he exclaimed, and Brenda began to laugh. Corny stood up from his spot on the bench, seeing this as his cue to go. Shelley was just coming up the walkway as well, and Link was quick to share his news with her. "Shells!" he shouted, rushing towards her. "Check it out, baby! You're lookin' at one of the richest guys in Baltimore!"

Corny chuckled, deciding now would not be a good time to tell Link that it was technically his quarter. Instead, he smiled at Brenda and gave her a wink, saying, "Catch ya later, Miss Bennett." She gave him a wave of her fingers, replying, "Bye, Mr. Collins." And so he stepped out the creaky back gate and went on his way as Shelley and Link rejoined Brenda by the picnic table. "You are so in love with him," Shelley stated, ignoring Link as he waved his quarter around like he was a billionaire. "You wanna marry him and be Mrs. Brenda Collins and have a bunch of his babies, don't you, Brennie?"

Brenda crinkled her nose at the thought. "Oh, Shelley, you're so silly. I'd never go that far."

Fin.

Muahaha. I enjoy foreshadowing. Anyways, please review!