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Chapter Eighteen

The week had passed quickly as the semester wound down, leaving each fur readying in their own particular fashion for the approaching finals. The hallways were abuzz as usual, students gathered in groups at their lockers, wandering in those packs through the hallways as well. Kaipo was alone for the moment though, dropping his backpack down as he opened his locker. Pulling books from his bag, the lion shoved them onto the top shelf of the locker before pulling a couple more books out, shoving them into his backpack. Shutting the door, Kaipo hefted his backpack over a shoulder and turned to find a pink bunny standing there "Kaipo!" The lion jerked back into his locker to the odd glances of a few passing furs. Taking a few moments to compose himself as Ami giggled to his scowl "Heya Ami, what's up?"

"Lilly and me wanted to throw a party the Friday after school ends." Ami paused to lower her voice to a conspiratorial whisper "Well, Lilly and me wanna, but she's nervous because she doesn't know any of you guys too well. So I thought I'd ask everyone if they wanted to come." She finished up with an affirmative nod as Kaipo grinned "Sure Ami. Sounds like it'll be fun."

"I hope so, Lilly's gonna have her pool set up and everything and we can order out or grill or go out and get food and all sorts of stuff!" Ami was bouncing from the balls of her hind paws to her heels the rocking motion something Kaipo knew well meant she was excited, along with her rambling. The lion giggled while he nodded "Sounds great Ami. Everyone said yes so far?"

"Well..." Ami leaned over to the lion, once again whispering "You're actually the first one I've asked. I'm kinda nervous about it too."

"What?" Kaipo quirked a brow as his ear twitched with her words "You? Nervous?" He gave the bunny a skeptical look. "Really!" Ami almost whined in her tone "I'm just kinda....well, nervous about doing this on my own. Would you please help me ask everyone Kaipo? You're so good with talking to furs. Pleeease?" Kaipo giggled again while he nodded again "Okay, I can help ask. Who would you like me to ask?"

Ami took a step back, chewing her bottom lip a few seconds "Everyone except for T.K." She offered her response with another nod, leaving Kaipo with a flat stare before he inquired "Why not T.K.?"

"Oh, because he'll be there already. He lives with Lilly." Ami stated nonchalantly before Kaipo's confused expression was noticed "Oh, T.K. lives with Lilly and her family. Didn't you know that?"

"That would be a no. Why, exactly, does he live with them?"

"You know, I've never asked. I'll hafta do that," Ami paused "In fact, I think I'll go ask now. See you in class!" Her usual enthusiasm was in overabundance today as Kaipo nodded one more time with a little smile on his muzzle "Alright Ami, I'll ask everyone about the party then today when I see them."

The locker room was filled with its typical sounds of shower waters splashing against the tile floors and bounding off the various furs showering within, the light steam wafting from the showers out to the benches and lockers students were busy rifling through in various states of undress. Kaipo, as usual, was loitering by his locker in his denim shorts. His shirt was absent, hung over a shoulder as the slender lion just relaxed, taking time as he always did now to enjoy the sight of Robert showering off. As the husky glanced his way, he caught sight of those crystal blue eyes, smile parting to a sigh as Robert winked and returned to showering.

"Why don't you just go make out with him?" Kaipo cringed a bit before he recognized the voice, glancing to the Dalmatian grinning down to him "Shut up T.K." They exchanged smirks as he sat down next to the lion, glancing past him to the husky a moment before he caught Kaipo's glance "So why didn't you ever tell me you live with Lilly?" T.K. was obviously surprised at that question "Never came up, I guess." Was the Dalmatian's dismissive response, the lion quirking a brow before shaking his head "Anyways, you know about the party then?"

"Ah course."

"Coming to it then?" Kaipo grinned slightly, prodding the canine in the shoulder.

"Nah, I think I'm gonna skip it." T.K. prodded him back as they shared a chuckle.

"Well, if you two aren't a cute couple." The pair paused, glancing to the grayish-black feline in front of them, smirking as the pair prodded at each other.

"Better than being alone!" T.K. shot back, leaving Justin with a questioning look before the canine realized what he said "I mean...um...dammit." As T.K. trailed off, the two felines shared a chuckle this time, interrupted as Kaipo spoke up "So Justin, you wanna go to a party Lilly is throwing after school's out? Ami says it's gonna have all sorts of stuff." Kaipo spoke up with a grin.

"Sure. Ya gotta have stuff." Justin replied with his own grin, getting a prod in the side from Kaipo as all three chuckled.

"What's this? Threesome and nobody invited me?" Robert spoke up, one paw set against the lockers, leaning at an angle while a towel wrapped the buff husky's waist, each of the three giving their own particular smirk to him "Robbie, you wanna come to a party Lilly's throwing after school's out?" Kaipo was the first to speak up, looking that usual expression of hopeful he always got when asking the husky anything. "Gonna be something big, Kai?"

"Nah, just everyone."

"I didn't know Lilly's house was so big." Kaipo looked left out as both Justin and T.K. snickered for a few seconds until it struck him, playfully whapping Robert's side "You know what I meant, everyone from the group."

"Sure, sounds like it'll be fun. What with the stuff and all." The husky spoke with a grin before the four shared a laugh.

Kaipo settled his books down onto his desk, dropping his bag next to it on the floor. Slumping down in his seat, the lion let out a breath before glancing to the skunk seated next to him "Hey Hina."

Hina's ears perked up from her spot, looking over the book as she dragged a finger tip along a page. Her head lifted as she adjusted her glasses with a finger tip, smiling to the lion "Oh, hey Kaipo. What's up?"

"Well, Lilly wanted to a throw a party for everyone after school ended and-"

"Ami wanted you to ask me, right?"

Kaipo went a little blank before nodding "Um...yah." The delayed response brought a further smile on Hina's muzzle "She already talked to me about it. Yep, I'm going."

"Cool." Kaipo smiled before glancing down to his own books, shuffling them a little "Did she ask anyone else?"

"I don't know, she didn't mention anything to me besides having you asking for her." Hina shrugged "Why do you ask?"

"Dunno. Just curious, I guess." Kaipo gave his own shrug before leaning sideways in his chair, pulling a notebook out from his bag "Anyways, I-" He cut himself off as Mister Templeton cleared his throat at the front of the class. Kaipo set the notebook down, glancing to the skunk as Hina gave him a little smile before flipping a few pages in her textbook, both furs then looking to their teacher.

The hallways were loud, as usual, as Kaipo shifted his way between furs padding along it, his head lifted up, watching a badger reaching into his locker "Val!" The badger's head lifted, looking around the hall, smiling as he spotted the lion padding towards him "Hey Kaipo, what's up?

"Hey, just tryin' to talk to everyone before the day is over..." Kaipo panted a little, leaning a shoulder against a locker next to Val's while he caught his breath, meeting Valentine's gaze as he spoke "Talk to everyone about what?"

"Lilly's throwing a party for the group after school is out and Ami wants me to ask everyone if they can come." The practiced way Kaipo asked made Val smirk "So can you come?"

"Sure thing Kai, should be fun."

"Alright. Talk to ya later then, gotta get to class." As the lion moved past Val, the badger caught his shoulder with a paw, bringing his head back, looking over his shoulder "Something wrong?" He was met by a little grin from the badger "Just wanted to know how you and Rob are doing. Did that object I gave ya help out?" The question turned Kaipo's cheeks red under his amber and gold coat, his throat shifting as he gulped "Y-yeah..." He squeaked out "It helped a whole lot, th-thanks Val."

"Good." Val reached his paw up, ruffling the feline's hair "Now go on, you'll be late." Kaipo batted the paw away, trying to scowl at Val's smirk and only coming up with a smirk of his own as he turned away and started off along the hall again.

The usual hum of the jeep's engine accompanied the furs as Matt drove through a suburb, rolling to a pause at a stop sign "Hey Matt," Kaipo interrupted the equine, giving a glance back to the pair of canine and feline in the back seat "Yah Kai?"

"Lilly's planning a party for the group after classes are over; you think you'd wanna go?" The equine grinned lightly at the pair before looking back out to the road, pressing the gas peddle beneath a hoof "Shure thang." Kaipo sighed quietly with that under his smile "Cool." The lion was relieved, just a little, that he was finished asking. Not to mention that each of the group had agreed. The hushed sound caught Robert's ear, glancing to Kaipo with a little nudge on the shoulder for attention "Something up Kai?"

"Huh?" Kaipo blinked a few times as he returned the husky's gaze "Oh, no, just...um...I guess, glad everyone can come to the party is all." The jeep pulled to a halt while Kaipo finished, Matt looking back to the pair through the rear view mirror "First stop, tha Terrace house." He spoke, each of the three grinning faintly. Robert leaned down, touching a kiss to Kaipo's muzzle "See ya tomorrow."

"See ya Robbie..." Kaipo pulled his backpack onto his shoulders, giving the husky a smile before shutting the jeep's door. Waving as the vehicle pulled off, Kaipo stood on the sidewalk watching them Matt drive off a few more moments before turning and padding up the walk way to his house. The lion slipped a paw into a pocket, digging around several seconds before coming up with the keys.

Kaipo peeked his head in first as he always did when coming home, closing the door after stepping inside. The lion knelt down, untying his shoe laces before he was bowled over with a shout of "I wanna go!"

Suzy was on top of Kaipo's sprawled body in the hallway, the lion glaring slightly to his sister's smile "Fine, go. Go away."

"Moooooom!" Suzy whined while climbing off her brother, Phoebe leaning partially into the hallway out from the kitchen, a smile on her muzzle at the sight "What is it, Susan?"

"Kaipo won't let me go to Ami's party!" The actual statement of his sister's complaint left one of the lion's brows quirked while he undid and pulled his shoes off "And just how do you know Ami is having a party?"

"Her sisters told me about it." Suzy explained in a tone that said Kaipo should have somehow known that "And I wanna go!"

"Susan," Phoebe interrupted the little lioness "I don't think Kaipo and his friends want a bunch of cubs around in their party."

"Exactly." Kaipo ruffled Suzy's hair when he stood back up, leaning down and adding in a teasing tone "Cub."

"Moooooom!" Suzy scowled up at her big brother before scampering to Phoebe's side, hugging around her waist. Looking up to her mother, the little lioness gave her best innocent, bright-eyed look "Can't I please?" The look got the same thing it always did from the lioness, a soft chuckle "No." Before she could speak further, Suzy wrapped her arms around one of Phoebe's legs, clinging tight on it and announcing "I'm not gonna let go until I can go to the party!" Phoebe waited a few seconds after her daughter's outburst before continuing "Well, I was going to say you could have your own party and invite your friends, but if you really only want to go to Ami's party..."

"My own party?" Suzy let go of the lioness' leg, falling to her behind on the floor. A second passed before she was hugging Phoebe's waist again though "Yay! Thank you thank you thank you thank you Mommy!" The mother lioness chuckled softly again, one paw gently ruffling her daughter's hair and ears "You're welcome Suzy."

During the exchange, Kaipo had taken the time to escape almost up the stairs before his mother noticed, calling out his name "Yeah mom?" He called back down the stairs, watching as Phoebe looked around the corner of the stairway up to him "We'll be going up to the cottage this summer, and I know it's such a big place, so I was thinking you might want to bring a few friends along."

Kaipo paused at the top of the stairs with that, smile gradually becoming huge on his muzzle "Okay...um, thanks mom."

"Welcome dear." Phoebe disappeared from his view with that, her voice calling out once more "Will you need a drive to Ami's party then?"

"No, that's okay mom. It's just gonna be right after school, so Matt should be able to drive me there."

"Will you need a ride back?" Again, Kaipo was paused in his walking, glancing back down the staircase "Probably. I'm not sure how long it'll last though."

"You can call me when it ends then. Just don't stay out too late."

"Aww, okay mom..."

Kaipo stood looking out the window of his bedroom to the street below, the street lights of the suburbs bathing the asphalt in their yellow glow. The stars were out on the clear night, the moon half filled, adding with its own lunar glow to the lights. A smile was firmly set on Kaipo's muzzle, thinking already now about the summer and the cottage. It wasn't too bad, right on the beach, well-built, it was always a nice warm temperature inside it. The only thing that bothered him there was the lack of his usual friends. The lion did look forwards to seeing the furs he knew there, but this year... Robbie...I hope he'll be able to come with us... This year, summer break was going to be much, much better.