THEY WALKED ALONG THE SIDEWALK TOWARD THE MAIN SCHOOL BUILDING. Gerard remembered how he use to go to his classes and then it dawned on him where Nikki was taking him. He stopped dead in his tracks and Nikki, not realizing he did so, jerked backwards without breaking her grip on his hand. “What’s wrong,” she asked him as she turned to face him.

“Are you taking me to that funky café across the street,” he asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh come on, you haven’t been there in ages,” she began with pleading eyes, “plus it’s Friday night.”

He arched his eyebrows at her and replied, “What’s so special about Friday night?”

“You honestly don’t remember. It’s Imaginoem Night.”

 He then remembered that every Friday the café hosted an amateur poetry night from nine to midnight. Gerard was never into the crowd scene, he only stuck to his little circle of friends which only consisted of himself, Frank and Bob. One night though, they thought that it would be fun to go to the poetry slab and make fun of those who were there. When they got there, Bob got a table in the middle of the room, so they could get a good view of everyone. As Gerard waited on line with Frank to order their drinks, he noticed Nikki sitting in the corner all by herself looking through her red leather journal. She didn’t perform that night but ever since then, Gerard always went to the Imaginoem Night to see her.

Nikki was staring at him, wondering if he was listening to what she was saying. “Gerard…are you coming with me or not,” she asked as she shook his shoulder slightly to get his attention.

“Sorry…I must have drifted off but yea I’m coming,” he replied as he smiled down at her as a way of apologizing for not paying attention.

As they walked across the street, there were a group of girls standing outside the café smoking. Nikki noticed that they were staring at her and Gerard as they approached. Gerard noticed the same but he didn’t recognize any of them, which didn’t bother him at all. One of the girls however noticed him and she made a face. As Gerard opened the door for Nikki, one of the girls shouted at him, “So did they let you out for good behavior or did you escape like the criminal that you are?”