Things kind of fell into a rythum for the Warwick brothers, Mick repairing cars and trucks for local people, word of mouth spread fast and on some days he did not have time to work on his own car which was nearly finished now.

Scott was excited about the Winter Ball, he knew Evie would be crowned Queen he had worked hard on her behalf getting kids to vote for her.

Sheila had sneaked off with Mick twice, and once she had skipped three last periods of school and spent part of day with him.

Mick thought that getting laid about once a week was better then nothing. But he longed for a steady girl. Someone he could sleep with almost every night, someone who didn't have demanding parents.

They had dated a few times and Evie didn't complain too much that they only had gone to the Spotlight once and to the Italian Garden once, and once to a movie and dinner at Smackys Fish Shack.

One thing Mick liked about Sheila was she didn't mind where they went as long as it was out in public somewhere. She was very proud of her handsome boyfriend all the girls wanted.

One night tney made plans to go to a poetry reading at the Night Owl, Sheila had came and picked them up in her car, she had dropped off Marla at the Book Nook above the Night Owl and they would meet up with her later.

Mick drove over to Val's house. Where earlier Evie had asked Val for some lessons in playing pool. She had heard from Rosa that Mick liked playing.

She was not good at all at the game, but she tried she wanted to impress Mick, but Val thought like everything else Evie did. Evie just did't have patience to really learn to do it well.

Evie had found the idea of going to a poetry reading boring but then Scott pointed out vying for votes there might be the thing she need, but Sheila, Mick, and Scott had thought they might enjoy it.

Mick watched Scott run meet Evie then sigh with sadness as she did not greet him with a kiss, she mumbled something about messing up her make up.

"Doesn't Evie 'ave a 'ome of 'er own?" Mick asked.

"Of course love, but her father is really up tight," Sheila laughed a bit uneasily.

"I see," Mick sighed as his brother and Evie came and got into the car.

"I am kind of excited about tonight," Scott said.

"Really, I never knew anyone that got excited about poetry, or would bother with it outside of class," Evie sighed.

"Well I am . . ." Scott started.

"Oh I meant to tell you I am going skiing with Bitsy next weekend so no date," Evie said, she wanted to break up with Scott but she would wait til after the ball.

Mick sighed, Scott would be so disappointed, but Scott was a good sport about it, Evie had forgotten about the plans he had made to go see a rock band in Detroit, he would probably take Goldie or Todd.

As they waited for the Night Owl to open their doors, in those days it was only open from 8 to one am, and the weekends.

Goldie was there, as well as some of their other friends.

Mick thought it felt so free here, he liked the vibes of the place.

I had no idea so many kids liked this sort of thing," Evie said smiling at Mick, God he was so good looking, if those deep sea blue eyes landed on her it sent tingles in places she had never know could tingle.

When they went inside Marla had ended up sitting near them, and she told Sheila if Mick wasn't your boyfriend I would try to get with him.

Sheila smiled, and said, "What about Zap?"

"I was hoping he would be here," Marla sighed, earlier that week she had confided she was going to move into her own apartment around the first of the year and divorce Carl when he returned from his tour of duty. Their father would have a fit, but she couldn't stand to be married to him any more. It had been the worst mistake of her life. Now she had lost Zap forever.

"Oh Marla I found my prince. You will find yours," Sheila said smiling, she had never been so happy in her life.

"You want to marry Mick?" Marla said softly.

"Not yet we are just 17, I want to wait until I am out of college," Sheila sighed.

"Have you talked to him about college?" Marla asked, noticing how Evie kept looking at Mick.

"No, but maybe I should, you know some men don't like the idea of women going to college even in this day and age." Sheila said thinking of Carl who did not understand why Marla wanted a degree and thought she should work full time at the gallery.

"But maybe Mick is different, after all he is going to night school, and he is encouraging others to go to college, Valerie was talking about that," Marla said.

Sheila smiled as Mick and Scott returned to the table from where they had been talking with some others.

"How do you like the poetry?" Marla asked.

"This guy is good," Scott said.

"It is kind of boring," Evie yawned.

"This guy is deep," Scott said, not hearing Evie.

"I thought it was very interesting, especially the guy with the flowers," Mick said.

"Peace, Love, and Freedom," Scott said smiling.

"Yeah that is where it is at," Mick agreed.

Marla smiled, and Evie said, "Really groovy."

The host called for anyone who wanted to recite short poem.

Scott let a girl go, then he got up to the mike, and said, "Evie is my queen, always making the scene, the poem was dreadful but Marla could see it was from the bottom of his heart. At the end he asked for their votes.

"How embarrassing," Evie said, but in a way she was kind of proud of Scott, no one had ever recited poems they had wrote about her in public.

"He loves you," Marla said, thinking if Evie would look at Scott like she looked at Mick, he would be so happy. Marla wondered if her sister noticed how Evie was always trying to get Mick's attention.

They dropped Evie off back off at Val's house.

Mick kissed Sheila goodnight as she and Marla dropped him and Scott off at home.

Mick wanted to work on his car and Vinnie was there.

"Bro you know Evie is a bit plastic, don't you think?" Mick asked.

"No!" Scott snapped, "she just doesn't go all gushy over poetry."

Mick was tired of Evie's flirting and trying to get him alone when Scott wasn't looking, but he had no idea what to do about it.

"I thought you liked Evie! Everyone likes Evie!" Scott said, "I am going to bed."

Mick sighed, sometimes Evie turned him on so much he could hardly stand it other times he wanted to slap her empty head full.

"Scott needs rid of her," Vinnie sighed.

"Yeah, I don't know whats with that bird mate," Mick agreed.

Of all the girls Scott could have chosen why her, he had seen dozens of pretty girls, all were smiling at his brother, Scott could have his choice, but he had taken this rich snooty spoiled brat of a girl for a girlfriend. Mick couldn't believe she was still with Scott.

The night of the Winter ball came and Mick and Sheila were about to enter Memorial hall when Mick heard a word he hated and turned to see what was happening. Boone and Jube and their dates were being harrassed by Jim and three of his cohorts.

Vinnie and Julio and some of the others not coming tonight had been patrolling to make sure the Alabasters did not prevent the black kids from showing up at the dance.

When Jim saw Mick he and one of his friends faded into the crowd.

But Larry was insisting on blocking their way, and Mick came down and asked he and Kenny if they would go on inside or leave. Larry was threatening Jube, but Jube and Boone would not fight it would just give the chaprones at the dance a reason not to allow them inside.

Kenny did at once but Larry told Mick he was not going to leave, that no coloured people had ever gone to school functions and especially not a formal ball and they were not going to start now.

"Mick do you need Mario?" Sophia asked.

"No I can handle this weasle alone," Mick said.

But Sophia went and got him so he could watch Mick's back if there was a fight. Sheila went and got a teacher, Mr. Jenkins a mild mannered intelligent little man who happened to have several belts in karate.

"I don't want to fight you not here, not now, but I will if you insist on causing problems," Mick said, not really wanting to tear up his only good suit, but he had it with Larry.

"You are going to have to make me," Larry laughed, thinking Warwick would not dare attack him.

"I said split man," Mick said and grabbed him and tossed him down the stairs, where he landed at Scott and Evies feet. Evie giggled, Mick was such a man.

Kenny who had been lurking near by went into the dance to find a girl to dance with.

"That is what should be done with rubbish, kicked to the curb," Mick said smiling at Sheila.

Larry decided without friends to back him up he didn't want to take any more chances, he slinked off thinking he would try to slip in later.

"Oh Mick that was wonderful," Sheila said and hugged him.

"Come on everyone lets go inside," Mick said after returning her kiss.

"Thanks Mick," several said.

"I want to talk to you a moment," Mr. Jenkins said as the others went inside

"Yes sir," Mick said thinking he would be banned.

"You handled that very well, but you are not a student here are you?" Mr. Jenkins asked.

"No I am not," Mick said thinking here it came, "I go to night school."

"Good, education is important, take care young man and have a nice night," Mr. Jenkins said smiling. He liked the young man, there was something about him an air of someone going places.

"I agree," Mick said, thinking he liked the man.

"Sometimes this school is more like a zoo then a school," the man said and they went inside.

Inside things were a lot happier and calmer.

Evie was dancing with Scott and things seemed to be going great.

They were about the announce the school king and queen. Mr. Lee the vice principal and science teacher had the honors.

"Second runner up for queen, is Valerie Chance," Mr. Lee called.

Everyone clapped.

Second runner up for king is Jube Carver," Mr. Lee said wide eyed, they had elected a black male to be runner up?

Everyone clapped even harder, and a few booed, but not very loud.

First runner up for queen is Sheila Adams," Mr. Lee said and everyone cheared.

"Oh my god!" Sheila giggled.

"Good for you baby," Mick said grinning

"First runner up for king is Chris Dalton!" Mr. Lee said opening the envelope.

Everyone cheered as Chris took his place, he was liked by everyone.

"Oh Scott, what if I don't get this," Evie whispered nervously.

"You will baby," He said hugging her.

"Now for our King and Queen, this years Queen, Eve Kentland," Mr. Lee called.

The place went wild with applause, and Mick thought that Evie never looked prettier.

"This years King is Scott Warwick?" Mr. Lee said almost saying the name like a question, it was a name he was not familiar with.

Many cheered, especially the Tacky Town kids as Scott took his place, not only had they one hero elected to the court but two.

Evie looked at Scott and smiled now she could dump him and go for his brother, but she would do it quietly and gently. She liked Scott he was just too young and too much a kid still she wanted Mick he was a real man.

Congratulations Evie," Sheila said knowing her friend had wanted this more then anything.

"Thank you, I knew I would get it, I am the obvious choice after all I was runner up two years in a row, next year I am sure to get it again," Evie said coolly.

Sheila looked at Evie with shock and Scott gapped.

"Close your mouth Scott that expression makes you look stupid," Evie snapped.

Scott looked hurt, but just asked, "What do we do now?"

"As soon as Mr. Lee stops with the speech and announcements about the football and basket ball teams and the honors club, we will dance. Then the runner ups will each start a dance, honestly Scott don't you know anything," Evie snapped.

Scott looked very hurt, why was Evie being so mean to him.

How Evie wished it was a dance with Mick, he of the feline grace, instead of sweaty handed two left feet Scott.

Evie decided not to try to get Mick alone, she had a better plan and it require Mick and Sheila not to be suspicious of her, which up unti the night at the Night Owl, Sheila had started voicing her suspicions.

Mick and Denee, came up close to the stage, and Jube watched them talking as the announcements seemed to go on for ever. He felt a little jealousy, but Denee' never looked at Mick like other girls did.

Evie kept watching Mick out of the corner of her eye, she was going to have to play it cool if her plan was to work.

Evie requested a slow song, and Scott tried to set it off with a flurish, he was trying so hard to get her over what ever she was angry with him for.

He was just happy to be with her, and he would do anything for her he could, wasn't that enough.

Evie watched Mick cautiously, seeing Chris and Sheila waiting their turn for their dance.

It went smoothly but when it came to Jube and Val, she said she did not mind doing a slow dance, but Jube said some people might not like a black guy slow dancing with a white chick, so he thought they should twist.

That was such a good idea, everyone seemed to be satisfied by it. Jube had to admit it was fun dancing with Val.

Val went back to Chris, she was so happy with him, she liked Mick, but Chris loved her, and he was so understanding.

"Jube is a good dancer," Chris said smiling.

"He is, and a very nice man, but Chris I love you," Val said.

Chris grinned it was the first time she had ever said that to him, and he felt on top of the world, being first runner up was nothing compared to being Val Chance's boyfriend.

Evie had told Scott that Liz and Tommy would take her home, and that kind of hurt his feelings but Mick had warned him about this.

Mick decided that after Chris's New Years Eve party, he was going to quit going to these things, and he would probably quit with Sheila too, but that didn't bother him, he thought he was about to score with some waitresses down at Shady Spot. Sheila had been so preoccupied and distant tonight, and she did not ask him when they would have another date.