North laughed, nodding, "Yeah! Skee ball is my mom's favorite, so she and I would always see who could get the highest score. I still have the clock radio we got by cashing in all the tickets we saved up."

It was a close call, but North beat him at skee ball. After multiple games, they both played some games together, and other games on their own, meeting up again after running out of tokens. He counted out two hundred tickets that he'd won, then gave the over a thousand more to North.

"I just wanted enough to get a stuffed frog. You can have the rest," he said with a smile, heading for the prize counter.

North blinked as if she'd been handed a bar of gold, "Holy cow, Dexter! Are you sure? I don't even know for sure what to do with all of these!"

"Do whatever you want with them," he laughed, picking out the stuffed frog he wanted and exchanging his tickets for it. "I'm sure. If you don't know what to get now, just save them for the next time you come here."

North giggled, nodding, "Alright... Let's see..."

She glanced over the items available, and finally divided her tickets up, put most in her bag, and traded in the others for a glittery pair of rainbow bouncy antennae, which she put them on immediately and grinned broadly at Dexter, before shrugging, "I can't help myself."

"They're cute," he chuckled, reaching out and gently poking one of the antennae so it bounced up and down. "It suits you in a weird kinda way."

North giggled, "I think they're kind of fun. I don't think they'll like them much if I wear them to school, though."

She shrugged a bit, then tilted her head, "I guess we should see about getting some candy or something for the movies if you want. I don't mind if we want popcorn, but I'd rather bring my own candy."

"Yeah, theater candy is often stale, they don't have a good selection, and it's obscenely overpriced. There's a candy store nearby. I'll pay for the candy if you want." He put his stuffed frog into his bag, the head of it sticking out.

North blushed and smiled gently, "Well that's sweet of you. You don't have to, though. I mean, I thought you were covering Thaddeus today."

"I am, but it's alright. Candy isn't that expensive if you buy it here instead of the theaters. I'm more than happy to buy the candy."

North smiles sweetly, "Well thanks. Thats sweet of you. But I'll buy the jumbo tub of popcorn, ok?"

At the candy store, North picked out gummy worms and a couple of small pieces of rock candy. She was perusing the rest of the store, and glanced back at Dexter, "Do you know what Thaddeus likes? Does he like candy?"

"Yeah, I know what he likes," Dexter answered, putting a few packages of candy into the small basket on his arm. "I'm getting his favorites for him."

After the movie was over, and Thaddeus had already gone home, North and Dexter were strolling back to the car, and North was downing a couple of her remaining gummy worms. She stopped to lean against the car and look up at Dexter, "So... I guess we still have the evening to do whatever. Did you want to hang out some more or anything?"

"Sure," he said with a nod. "But I'm gonna have to get some real food to eat soon. I'm getting hungry. What about you?"

North giggled, offering Dexter the bag of gummy worms, "Honestly? I'd kill for a slice of New York style pepperoni and mushroom pizza. How's that sound?"

"No more candy," he said, shaking his head a little. "Pizza sounds great. Is there a specific place you like to go?"

North thought a bit, but as if on cue, her cell phone began to buzz in her pocket. She pulled it out and opened it up, "Hello? Oh, hi Mom! No we just got out of the movie... well we were going to go out for pizza. Aw shoot, really? Ok, that's alright. Yeah we'll figure it out. Ok. Yeah I'll see you soon... Love you too. Bye."

She blew her hair from her face, then glanced at Dexter apologetically, 'Well... Mom says she needs the car. She's got an emergency meeting at the office, and she's gotta pick up a couple of folks on the way... But... well... I guess if you're ok with it, we can order pizza at my house and hang out or something..."

"That's fine too, if your mom doesn't mind having a strange guy in her house with her daughter," he laughed. "If it'll be too awkward for you, though, I can just head on home."

North laughed, shaking her head, as she got into the car, motioning for Dexter to do the same, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. Mom's pretty easygoing, but she's also a good judge of character. She can read people pretty well."

When they pulled up at North's house, a lovely red-headed woman in a business suit peeked out the front door and waved, "Hey honey! I'm sorry to interrupt your little date. Mr. Mahoney decided this was all too urgent to wait until regular business hours. One of the clients is causing some ruckus."

She opened the door for both of the young people, holding her hand out playfully so North could drop the keys into it on her way in, "Was the movie good at least?"

North nodded, handing the keys over to her mother, but waiting for Dexter before she went inside the house, "Yeah it was pretty good. I saw a preview for a few things that look like you'd enjoy them, too. We may have a few things on our list for later on this year. Thaddeus already went home, but this is Dexter. We were just gonna order pizza here and maybe watch TV or play some games or something, if that's ok."

Dexter gave a small, respectful bow towards North's mother. "It's very nice to meet you," he told her.

North's mother smiled warmly, "It's nice to meet you, Dexter. North's said nice things about you and your friend Thaddeus. It's nice to see her getting a bit more social. I'm really sorry to cut your car time short like this."

North patted her mom on the shoulder, "It's not a big deal, Mom. We'll be fine. Is it ok if Dexter hangs out for a while?"

After a moment of pause, North's mother nodded, "Yeah it should be ok. I'm trusting you, though. Both of you."

With that last statement, she threw both of them a fairly steely glance.

North nudged her mother, "Don't worry, he's a nice guy, Mom. You don't have to scare him."

The red haired woman pouted a little, "But I never get to intimidate the boys you know. I gotta practice sometime, especially with such a cute new boyfriend."

"MOM!"

"Ah, no offense, but compared to my aunt's evil-eye, yours could use some work," he said with a nervous chuckle. "As for her boyfriend... Well, I'm only her boyfriend if she wants me to be." A slight flush made itself visible on his cheeks and he reached up to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

North's mother, blinked, then started to laugh, "At least it's good to know you have a backbone. That's a good thing, especially when she gets into that stubborn mode of hers."

She patted Dexter on the shoulder warmly, "You two kids behave yourself, and I'll be back in a little while. Make yourself comfortable Dexter."

North was blushing brightly, and sort of staring at Dexter for a moment, before she cleared her throat and went to hug her mother softly, "Bye Mom, have fun..."

North's mother chuckled, "Right, trouble clients are my favorite weekend pass-time. That's why they always give them to me. I'll see you later sweetie. Nice to meet you, Dexter! Enjoy your pizza!"

She trotted to the car and turned back to wave, before getting in and driving off to whatever chaos awaited her at work.

"Sorry," Dexter apologized to North. "I just kinda thought it'd be best to put that out in the open. I really like you, North. I'd like to date, if you wouldn't mind. But if you're uncomfortable with that, I understand. I don't mind just being your friend." The pink in his cheeks grew brighter and spread more throughout his face.

North was still blushing brightly, but she glanced at Dexter, before looking down, "No... no it's not uncomfortable. I just guess I didn't expect it. I'm not really used to being asked out in any capacity, much less on a regular basis."

She brushed her confetti-streaked hair behind her ear, "I'd like that, really... to date you..."