Evie had told Rona she could have this date with Mick, she thought Rona would go home early. Mick would not be interested in the shy girl.

On the ride up to Chris's place Scott did most the talking. Evie had taken her mothers car for two reasons, first was it had snow tires, and it had a secret locking device her mother had installed to keep it from starting. She would need this for her plan to work. She hoped Mick would not be wise to the Mercedes secret.

It was new and she knew he worked mostly on older cars, and she had everything going her way now.

The last time they had been at the Spotlight Scott had got a bit drunk on some wine one of the kids had and she knew Chris would have beer and maybe some hard stuff.

At first the party seemed cool and kind of quiet, Jube was there with Denee' and Boone was there with his date, Chris seemed glad to see him. There were quite a few college kids Mick didn't know.

Mick was comfortable enough with his friends there.

A few people were dancing, and Evie gave Scott a beer, and smiled at him, and then whispered, "We can spend the night if we have to much to drink to drive safely."

Scott smiled back at her and nodded, he could not believe tonight he might actualy get more then a kiss from Evie.

"Groovy," Scott said and they began to dance.

Mick saw Rona talking to some of the college kids and decided to ask Val's cousin Becky for a dance.

Evie was so happy everything was going her way, now all she had to do is sit back and wait for everything to fall in place. She had made sure Scott had a beer, and everything else would take time.

After all she was the queen. Everyone was having a good time, except maybe Mick, who looked like he was trying to enjoy himself.

There were so many people here he did not know and he knew in a couple of hours Jube and Boone and their dates would be leaving for their party and he would go with them if Rona did not mind.

Scott loved drinking it was something Mick never let him do, and it made him feel good and free.

Evie seemed to not mind him drinking at all.

Evie always made sure he had a drink, but the beer did not seem to be taking him down as quickly as the wine had.

She decided to see if Chris had something heavier like Scotch, she knew her daddy liked a Scotch after a hard day and it usual zoned him out.

The Scotch was just the thing, Scott was now clearly drunk and gave Evie a big sloppy kiss.

Evie got him to go dance with Rona while she honed in on Mick.

"Your brother is drunk you know," Evie said matter of factly.

"Maybe we should take him home," Mick suggested as they danced.

"Okay in a few," Evie said, "But I want to tell you something Mick, I think I love you."

"Evie you been drinking? You are with my brother." Mick said firmly.

After the dance he went to look for Rona

"She left with Boone and them," Val said, "You are more then welcome to spend the night."

"I think I should take Scott home, and Evie as well," Mick sighed, thinking he had been a poor date for Rona. But he was in no mood for a party he was upset about Sheila.

"Here are my keys," Evie said, hoping he wouldn't figure it out.

He couldn't get Evie's car to start and without proper tools and light he couldn't see what the problem might be.

"Evie something is wrong with the car." Mick said as Scott laughed too loudly at someones joke.

"I don't understand that its a new car, we can stay the night in the morning we can see what the problem is perhaps, I hope we don't have to have it towed," Evie said looking upset. Mick nodded why did this all feel wrong, he was a little high himself, and decided he need to get out of the smokey room and get his head clear.

Mick went into the kitchen it was cooler and quieter in here maybe he could think of why the car wouldn't start. From what he could see the battery looked hooked up and everything looked fine, if the car had been tampered with the dusting of snow would have shown.

He could still hear the music from the next room and suddenly he felt very lonely.

He didn't care about going to the party at Hotel Calhoun even if Opal might be there, he had a feeling he was going to be alone the rest of his life. He felt so sad.

Just then Crimson and Clover came on. He looked up and saw her, and she was beautiful how had he not noticed her in the throng of people earlier.

"Hey," she said smiling. Her voice was strong and kind of deep for a girl, but yet beautiful, kind of like Janis Joplins voice. "'Ello," he said thinking she was to perfect to be real.

"My name is Raven," she said smiling slightly.

"Mick," he said suddenly feeling more 12 then 17.

She smiled and said, "Too many people. It's hard to get to know anyone in a crowd, don't you find that is true?"

"Yeah," he agreed.

"I would like to get to know you very well," she said, sitting down beside him.

"That would be cool," Mick said his voice slipping an octave in the first time in two or three years.

She smiled and kissed him, she was like no other girl he had ever met, suddenly he felt how girls must feel on dates with him, her hands were everywhere.

"I usually am not like this, but you are special and I want you so much," Raven said in a throaty voice.

"Oh baby, I want you too," Mick said thinking things like this never happened to him, he thought they only happened in movies.

Fate perhaps would have changed the course of things that night if someone hadn't noticed the snow really pelting down.

"It's really snowing hard and I just heard that a norther is coming in at one on the car radio, Chris sorry man but I think we should head out," someone said.

"Wow, we better head out to, Raven?" Jack Pitt called, "Where are you we got to head out!"

"Crap," Raven swore, "thats my ride, I got to go."

"'Ey one last kiss?" Mick asked, thinking here was his dream girl and she was slipping away.

"Who could resist you, oh Mick I don't want to go," Raven cried.

"Raven, get your skinny fanny out here we are leaving," Jack bellowed.

"I got to go," Raven sighed, god she couldn't believe she found her soul mate and there was no time to even get his number, if Jack saw her with him there would be trouble.

The party was winding down and so was Scott he passed out on Chris's couch, Val showed Evie to a bedroom.

After Mick was sure Scott was out for the count, Chris showed Mick to the downstairs one, everyone else was gone now.

For a bit Mick lay on top of the covers thinking about Raven, meeting her had been like being run over by a truck, but in a the nicest way he thought.

He wondered where she was from and why he had never seen her before, he wanted to be with her.

He decided to go to sleep besides meeting Raven this night had been a real bummer. His instincts not to come had been right

He did not know how much he was right, as the night was not over yet.