Courtney continued to make idle chat with Vaughn and finally got around to what she really wanted to ask.  “Vaughn,  you live on the way to the dance.  Mind giving me a ride that night,”  she asked coyly?
 

     Vaughn looked perplexed.  “I thought Brock was giving you a ride?”
 

     “His car’s broken.   Besides I can’t rely on that lunkhead,”  Courtney lied.  She ran her index finger down the front of Vaughn’s chest.  “Besides,  I’d much rather talk to you.” 
 

     Vaughn was confused and vainly impressed with this unexpected attention.  Without a second thought to his promise to Amanda,  Vaughn answered  Courtney.  “Yea,  sure,   pick you up at 7:00.”  Vaughn boarded the bus as the driver impatiently shut the doors.  April could only watch helplessly from a distance as Mr. Thayer yelled at her.  He finally let April go with a stern warning about running on school property.
 

     Courtney turned from the bus and started to walk towards where her mother’s car was usually parked.  She had a satisfied smirk on her face.  Courtney’s cell phone angrily beeped at her.  She irritatedly snatched at it and flipped it open.  The call had interrupted Courtney’s viscous savoring.  “No I’m not dumping you.  Shut up. I’ll call you tonight”  Courtney  slapped the phone shut as her mother impatiently beeped the horn of her Jaguar.  As usual it was blocking the line of buses in front of the school.  The lead bus driver glared down at the Jaguar’s driver.  Courtney gave her mother an irritated sneer and jumped to the car.  Courtney’s mother hit the Jag’s accelerator and peeled rubber.  The resulting tire squeal obscenely split the air. 
 

     April stood in stunned silence.  Sandy picked up April’s knapsack at the base of the flagpole and hurried to her side.  “What just happened,”  Sandy asked.
 

     “Trouble,”  April replied.