Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Stand by me. I do own Danni and everybody else, that you don't recognise.

Chris Chambers strolled along the road absentmindedly; he had no place in particular to go. Gordie had gone away with his parents for the weekend and both Vern and Teddy happened to be grounded. He sighed and kicked a stone that crossed his path. He watched as it bounced then carried on walking. He passed a few kids from school as he walked and stopped to talk to each of them for a few minutes. Occasionally he would see a girl that had asked him out during the year. He had never thought he would be such a hit with the ladies, but he was. He'd been asked out countless times that year. He had been out with a few girls but nothing much had sprung from any relationship, the girls just seemed to be exactly the same. One girl in particular he found to be very frustrating, her name was Karri and she was the prettiest, most popular girl in the school. That was probably why the relationship didn't work out. Chris couldn't get over how big headed she was, and that the only reason she asked him out was because he was the guy that ever other girl wanted to go out with, which meant she had to have him. When Chris found this out he broke up with her instantly. She had been constantly trying to get him back since, destroying every girl that went within a 5 mile radius to him. This didn't stop girls from asking him out though, the girls that had guts would ask him but it was only on the odd chance that he'd say yes. He'd grown a bit wary of them, never knowing whether or not they actually liked him, he would however give them a chance, take them out and if they proved to like him then he'd consider going out with them. So far he'd met not one girl that actually liked him for more than what he looked like. He carried on walking and was about to enter the blue point diner when he felt someone grab his arm. He turned around and sighed.

"What do you want Karri?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come to the dance with me tonight." Karri replied flicking her hair behind her shoulders.

Chris bit his lip as if in deep thought then looked at Karri and grinned falsely "No thank you Karen."

Karri rolled her eyes and with another flick of her hair walked off, clicking her fingers for the group of girls that were with her to follow. Chris grinned at them as they left and shook his head. He entered the diner and sat down at the corner table and began to scan the menu for something to eat. Once he'd ordered he sat waiting patiently. He was in a world of his own when his thoughts were broken by a loud sound of cluttering.

"I'm so sorry, I truly am. Can I help you with that? Honestly I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz."

"It's ok. Nothing's broke. Don't worry about it." Francine the Tupper babe replied as she cleared up the mess made by the chocolate milkshake.

Chris watched as a young girl kneeled down beside her and carried on apologising. He couldn't remember meeting her but he definitely recognised her. Both Francine and the girl stood up, the girl still apologising to Francine who was obviously getting very agitated.

"I'm sorry, I was just reading and I didn't see you and, and well…"

"It's ok. Just stop apologising and go and have a seat. I'll take your order in a minute."

The girl nodded and smiled in relief. "Thank you."

Francine nodded and walked off pushing her glasses up hr nose as she went. The girl sat down in at the table opposite Chris and picked up the menu, placing the book on her lap. Chris watched her carefully. This girl was so familiar. The girl looked up from the menu and smiled shyly when she spotted Chris looking at her; Chris blushed slightly and looked away, he didn't understand why he was blushing however. He hadn't really been doing anything. Just watching. Although the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. He couldn't stop watching her though, it was bugging him that he knew her but couldn't think of how. He pondered on this thought some more as he ate his food; his thoughts were once again interrupted, only this time by a voice.

"Hi Chris."

Chris looked up to find two girls, one small with short dark hair and the other average height and very thin with long blonde hair. Their names were Raquel and Joanna, and both girls had asked him out that year.

"Hey." Chris said with a half smile

"Hey." Raquel giggled.

"We were wondering if you wanted to come and sit with us. Seeing how you're all on your own." Joanna, the blonde one asked

"Well. I'm…kinda…umm…meeting someone here." Chris lied

"Oh. Well we're just sitting here so if you change your mind you know where to find us." Raquel explained

Chris nodded as both girls disappeared and sat down in the table opposite. Chris carried on eating but then looked up to where they were sitting. He bit his lip as he thought 'well now I have an excuse to find out her name'. He stood up and went over to the table where Raquel and Joanna immediately looked at him. The girl looked up after a few seconds smiled and went back to her book.

"Hey, I forgot, I'm not meeting them until later."

"Oh well sit down then." Raquel said pointing to the seat next to the girl.

She shuffled along and put her elbow on the window sill as she carried on reading.

"So how's your summer been so far then Chris?" Joanna asked

Chris shrugged his shoulders "It's been alright. What about you girls?"

"We've just gotten back from California; all three of us went with our parents. Danni had every guy on the beach after her." Raquel explained

Chris laughed and nodded as he remembered her name, Danni Hart. They had homeroom together.

"I didn't." Danni said blushing slightly.

"California's nice?" Chris asked, genuinely interested

"It's real nice." Joanna exclaimed

"The ocean is amazing." Danni said looking up from the book and placing it on her lap.

"It's almost as amazing as you." Raquel giggled as she watched Chris.

Chris cocked an eyebrow and smiled awkwardly. Danni bit her lip and smiled.

"So what are you reading Danni?" Chris asked changing the subject

Danni picked up the book and was about to speak when Joanna interrupted her with "She reads too much. She's always reading."

"I like reading. It's gone with the wind."

"Oh. I saw that movie with Gordie."

"You did? So did I. Obviously not with Gordie, but I saw it all the same." Danni explained

Chris nodded and smiled as Danni picked up the book and carried on reading.

"So Chris, I'm having a party at my house tonight. Do you wanna come?" Raquel asked

"Yeah, you should totally come, it's gonna be great." Joanna agreed

"I dunno. Are you going Danni?"

Danni looked up and was silent for a moment. "Yeah. I'll go. If you're going."

Chris grinned and nodded. "I'll be there."

Danni smiled and put the book back onto her lap.

"Well we better go now; we've got to get everything ready. Chris, you can invite as many people as you like. This party is gonna be a blast." Raquel giggled

Both girls stood up and walked over to the door while they waited for Danni. She picked up the book and put it on the table as Chris stood up to let her out.

"It was nice talking to you Christopher. I'll see you tonight." Danni said softly as she brushed past him.

Chris nodded "Yeah, you too. See ya."

Danni smiled and left, waving as she passed the window. Chris waved back and put his hand to his forehead, he was sweating and his arms were covered in goose bumps. There was something about this girl that fascinated him, he began to think maybe, just maybe he liked her. He shook his head and left the diner, heading towards Teddy's house.