Author's Note: I'd thought I'd share one FUN FACT about this story: The original inspiration came from Tony Basil's "Mickey". If you replace "Mickey" with "Parry" (as I am guilty of) - it's a much better song. Unfortunately, aside from the hook, the rest of the lyrics kinda suck. Then Halloween came around - and "I Want Candy" is a song one of my local radio stations plays continuously during October and so I replaced "Candy" with "Parry" and thus, my mind gave birth to this little song-fic.

Remember Candy = Parry throughout the song.

-Gemma

Candy on the beach, there's nothing better

When Kate Tunney climbed into bed that night all she could think about was Pogue Parry. She replayed the scene several times in her mind, each time finding another fault with her own reaction.

"You're funny?" That was dumb. So dumb. She should have said something a little more clever to him. Something that would stick in his memory.

She never even thanked him for giving her phone back. How hard was it to utter a simple "thank you"?

Maybe she should have tried to shake his hand when she introduced herself. Yes, physical contact would have been good; like that other girl at The Dells.

The more she thought about it, the more distressed she became.

What the hell kind of impression had she made on him?

Probably not a good one.

Dammit. It ended before it even began.

Kate rolled onto her side and pulled the covers up to her neck. Oh well, she could still dream, couldn't she? Smiling she closed her eyes and pictured the beautiful beach in Antigua where she'd vacationed over the summer.

The part of Brad Pitt will now be played by: Pogue Parry

It wasn't even hard to envision Pogue's sculpted torso glistening in the summer sun.

Help! Help! I have a tanning emergency! She would exclaim. Pogue would rush over with a bottle of lotion; his deep green eyes capturing hers in a kind of inescapable gravity.

"Where should I start?" he'd ask

"Wherever you want…" she would reply.

He would smile mischievously.

SLAM

The loud noise brought Kate out a dead sleep.

"There you are!"

Kira was furious.

"Do you have ANY idea how long we've been looking for you?"

Kate mumbled a sleepy apology as she rubbed her eyes and turned on the bedside lamp. She felt awful that she hadn't at least called Kira to let her know that she'd made it back to the dorms safely. Admittedly, it was pretty shitty on her part.

It wasn't until Kira began undressing that Kate noticed her clothes were filthy.

"What happened?"

Her question was answered with a forty-five minute rant about Aaron's car getting stuck in a mud puddle and how she and Bordy had to get out and push.

"He made YOU push the car!"

Kate was even angrier than Kira now. What the hell kind of guy would do something like that?

From that moment forward, Aaron Abbot was on Kate Tunney's Shit List.

But I like candy when it's wrapped in a sweater

Kate did not see Pogue again until the first day of classes.

It wasn't the best day for Kate. Somehow her schedule had gotten messed up and she was in sophomore English instead of the AP track. Her core curriculum included two math classes; Calculus I and Calculus II – which for obvious reason cannot be taken simultaneously. Kate spent the better part of the morning in the office trying to get things sorted out but alas, that's when the secretary's computer crashed.

At that point she was told to go eat lunch and come back in an hour.

Kate didn't recognize anyone in the lunchroom, so she sat at a table with a few friendly looking faces. The talk of the moment was the upcoming Fall Fest.

Formals were one of Kate's favorite things and she found herself fitting into the conversation quite easily.

"There they are."

The conversation lulled immediately as the entire table turned to look at the four guys who had just entered the room.

Kate cupped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from laughing out loud. Pogue Parry looked more than a little ridiculous in a Spenser uniform.

It wasn't that he wasn't still the hottest guy in the room. It was just that, well, it seemed jeans and a leather jacket suited him much better. The maroon sweater/blazer combo didn't do him a bit of justice. Neither did the slick backed ponytail at the base of his neck.

"Go ask him."

Kate looked over as one of the girls stood up and smoothed down her skirt.

"Wish me luck."

The girl walked over to the four guys and stood directly in front of Pogue.

"Say yes. Say yes. Say yes."

The girls' around her whispered excitedly to each other in support of their friend.

Kate's mouth went dry as she realized as she saw the girl to talking Pogue. She was asking him to Fall Fest!

Because Pogue's back was turned, Kate couldn't read his lips to see what he was saying. But she could see the broadening smile on the girl's face.

The wider it got. The lower Kate's heart sank.

Not that she had a chance anyway.

When girl came skipping back to the table, Kate's heart plummeted.

"Sooooooo….."

She sat down at the table, trying her best to keep a poker face.

"He said…"

Kate felt the tuna salad churning in her stomach. She turned her head toward Pogue, who was standing in line; a mouthful of French Fries sticking out of his mouth as the tall dark haired guy beside him patted him on the shoulder.

"…maybe…"

In shock Kate turned her attention back the girls at the table.

They were smiling and congratulating their friend.

Why are they so happy? He said 'maybe'. Maybe isn't yes.

She turned Pogue's way once more.

Only to find that he was looking back at her.

"Pogue, would you like some CHOCOLATE pudding?"

"Dude!"

Pogue turned around quickly.

"What?"

The blonde replied innocently as he placed a small desert container on his friend's tray.

Kate faced the girls at the table again.

This could not be a coincidence.

Could it?

Some day soon I'll make you mine,

After lunch Kate reported to the office and was given a revised schedule. Much to her dismay her next class was Advanced Chemistry; more specifically her least favorite subject. But she knew if she wanted to get into Harvard this was one of the punishments she'd have to endure.

Slowly she made her way across the building to the science wing.

The wheels in her mind still churning over the pudding comment.

"Hey Kate!"

"Oh Hi Bordy."

Kate forced a smile as he caught up beside her. Turned out he was on his way to Advanced Chemistry too. Kate tried to look on the bright side, at least she knew one person in her class.

They sat together at one of the marble topped tables in the classroom. It was vastly different than the large lecture halls she'd been in earlier that morning. This room seemed almost cozy.

Kate's eyebrows raised as their teacher entered the room. His thicker than a slice of bread glasses, white lab coat and electrified grey-silver hair gave him quite an interesting appearance.

"HELIUM!"

He shouted as he jumped up, delivering a roundhouse kick to the white board at the front of the room. He landed in a squat-like position making a 'yaaaah'-like sound.

Everyone in the class cheered.

"He just got his black belt last year."

Bordy explained to Kate who could only stare forward in disbelief.

Yeah, this is going to be one interesting class.

"NOBLE GAS!"

He shouted again pointing to someone in the front row.

"Argon!"

The old man clapped and whirled his fists pretending to spar with the student.

Just then Pogue Parry walked in the door and tried to slip into a seat unnoticed.

"A-HA!"

The teacher whirled around delivering a karate chop onto the desk right in front of Pogue.

"Mr. Parry, you are late! No one comes to MY class late!"

Kate watched with amusement as Pogue was escorted to the front of the classroom. For the remainder of class he stood on one leg while trying to balance a twelve inch thick chemistry textbook on his head.

Kate couldn't help grinning from ear to ear. Maybe chemistry wasn't her favorite subject, but this was definitely her favorite class.

Then I'll have candy all the time

The bell rang, signaling the end of Advanced Chemistry.

As Kate packed up her books Bordy asked about the rest of her schedule. She carelessly handed it to him while keeping an eye on Pogue. A girl from their class was by his side offering her notes since he hadn't been able to take any of his own.

Kate looked away with a sigh. She reminded herself that she wasn't here to meet boys. She was here for education. For Harvard.

"So about Fall Fest…"

Bordy was rambling on and on; Kate half-tuned him out as he followed her out the door. Her next class was in the Languages wing; all the way on the other side of the building. She was fairly certain the five minutes between bells would barely be enough time to get there. And seeing how Pogue was disciplined made her leery of being late.

"Do you want to go with me?"

Kate hadn't been paying that much attention to him. She didn't expect him to ask her to Fall Fest. She didn't really want to go with him but she didn't know how to tell him no. Especially since her roommate and his best friend were already going together.

"I, uh…"

Kate hesitated; sifting through potential lies in an effort not to hurt his feelings. Not able to come up with anything worthwhile she fell back on one the oldest tricks she knew.

"Whoops"

She let her notebook slip out of her arms to the floor as a distraction. Papers scattered everywhere.

"I'm such a clutz"

Bordy chased after a few sheets of stray papers as Kate bent over to get her notebook.

"Let me help you. You're Kate, right?"

He said as he helped her gather her things.

"Yeah."

"I'm Caleb."

Kate smiled and shook his outstretched hand. He certainly was a cutie.

"Hey man, what's up?"

Kate forced herself to remain calm as Pogue came up beside her to greet his friend. While Pogue quickly recounted his in-class torture, a lop-sided grin spread across Caleb's face.

"So you two…"

He pointed first to Pogue then to Kate.

"Have chemistry together."

There was a subtle emphasis on the word 'chemistry' and Kate looked from Caleb to Pogue. The boys exchanged a look that she didn't quite understand. Before she had time to figure it out, Bordy joined them with a fistful of papers.

He mentioned their pending Fall Fest date again and Kate felt her face flush.

"I, uh.."

Kate stuttered; unintentionally looking at Pogue.

He was looking back at her.

And for just a moment

She felt like he was reading her mind.

Which was insane.

(Because only sparkly vampires can do that)

"Sorry, man."

Pogue clapped Bordy on the shoulder apologetically.

"I already asked her."

"What? When?"

Bordy looked thoroughly confused.

"Just now."

"You're going with Pogue?"

There was a hint of hurt in Bordy's voice. Kate felt bad for about a nanosecond, but the she realized this was an opportunity.

And she sure as hell was going to take it!

"YES."

Kate told him.

It was that simple.

Pogue picked up Kate's schedule from the pile of papers.

Then he walked her to class.

and

of course

She was late.

I want candy,

But Kate didn't care.

I want candy

Because she had other things on her mind

I want candy,

Like what she was going to wear to Fall Fest

I want candy,

More specifically - what flavor lip gloss

I want candy…

Because Kate Tunney had big plans for her lips

And Pogue's

And so the song ends but not the drama. The story continues in Genesis Verse 2.