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Tucky Break
Copyright 1997 by Ellen Hayes.
No part of this work may be distributed as an original work by another person or group. Permission is given to redistribute this by electronic means, as long as the entirety of the work is distributed, and credit is given to the original author, me. Any resemblance between the writings in this work, and any actual persons or places, living or dead, are purely coincidental, except when used for satirical purposes.
All rights reserved.
Furthermore, This work contains adult situations, adult language, adult concepts, and possibly sex. If you are legally not allowed to read materials containing such things, then you will be breaking the law by reading this. I am not responsible. Continuing to read this document, or storing it or reproducing it in any format means that you explicitly affirm that you are legally allowed to possess and read such materials in your city, county/parish, state, and country.
Tucky Break
*** 01:43 14 Dec
"Jeezus!" I exclaimed as we went outside. When did it get so cold?
"Let me get the car," said Bobby to Sheila, and she nodded, shivering. He zipped up his coat and stepped off the curb.
"So," said Travis. I turned to face him, and incidentally use him as a windbreak. Hunks were useful after all. "Everything going okay?" he asked. A car's headlights outlined him, like stage lights.
I reflected on things, and decided that it hadn't been too bad. "Yeah, pretty much. Although I wish it was-"
"Shit," interrupted Travis, raising a hand and staring off to the side. I started to turn, and heard a scream and a very loud, very final thud.
*** 01:43 14 Dec
It had come from the street, but when I turned to look, I couldn't see anything. Except Sheila and Travis running out into the street.
And I couldn't see Bobby at all.
I started to follow, and when I did, I wished I hadn't.
Bobby was sprawled out on the ground, and not moving. Travis was kneeling next to Bobby, and Sheila was standing and staring down at the two of them.
Travis' head snapped up and locked onto me. "GO CALL 911!" he roared.
I didn't even think beyond that, I just turned and started inside. As I opened the door, though, two cops came rushing out, almost running into me, and split up, one heading off to a police cruiser, the other right out in the street.
It had taken maybe twenty seconds. And I still didn't know what was going on, really.
*** 01:54 14 Dec
They'd pulled up one cruiser right behind Bobby, to keep him from getting run over, and the ambulance had parked in front. Travis had been there the whole time, doing something, but the cops told Sheila to get lost, so she came back over to me, where we both freaked out for a while.
I wasn't doing too badly, though, until I saw the helicopter coming in for a landing in a parking lot a few doors down. They don't call out Traumaflight unless it's really serious. They shooed Travis off then, and he got there just in time to catch Sheila before she started running after the ambulance, which had just turned into the parking lot. I just felt sick. So sick, in fact, that I had to sit down before I passed out.
I could just see Bobby being pulled out of the ambulance and slid carefully into the helicopter. He looked like a busted-up doll. I put my head down on my knees and tried to blank out everything that had just happened, but it was impossible with Sheila screaming and all the flashing lights, and the roar of the chopper lifting off.
*** 02:07 14 Dec
"Miss?" someone asked me. I pulled my head up, to find a cop tapping me on the shoulder. "Miss, did you see anything?"
I shook my head, just then realizing how cold it was. "No, I just heard a thud, and then when I turned around, he was like that. I didn't see him get hit or anything."
"Okay." He took a note on his pad, then offered me a hand. "You ought to get off that ground before you freeze, okay?" I took his hand, and he hoisted me upright. "Are you with them?" he asked, pointing at Travis and Sheila, who were talking to a couple more cops a few yards away.
I nodded, and he walked me over to them, saying, "They're just about done, and then you can get home or whatever."
Travis looked around as I walked up, and said, "Valerie." Then he wrapped me up in his arms. Tonight, I was glad for it. I was shivering really hard, and couldn't stop.
A few seconds later, I felt another body against mine. It smelled like Sheila's perfume. We just stayed like that for a while as I shook.
The tears started to leak out after a little while, and under their encouragement, I had what Debbie would have called a good cry.
*** 02:10 14 Dec
"Well, what do you want to do?"
"Do?" Sheila and I asked at almost the same time.
He ran his fingers through his hair, and stared into the parking lot, where the helicopter had been. "I'm gonna go wait in the ER until he gets out, but-"
"Me too," said Sheila firmly, daring him to disagree. Then she sniffled.
"Yeah." I looked out in the street. At least they'd caught the bastard that did it, or so I'd heard. The cop that had left had nailed him within a couple of minutes, and everyone had positively identified the car. And the guy was so drunk he didn't know what was going on. I swore I'd never make doughnut shop jokes ever again. If they hadn't been right there, in the deli, he would have gotten away with it. "Let's go, and at least get the hell away from here."
"Yeah," Travis agreed, then looked across the street. "I'll, uh, I'll get my truck, okay?" We nodded, and he patted us both on the shoulder, then walked off.
Sheila grabbed my hand so hard it hurt. "Do you think he'll be okay?" she asked desperately.
I nodded, uncertain. "I think so. They couldn't have gotten here any faster, and it's the first hour that's really important. He's probably already in surgery or whatever."
She closed her eyes, and sort of sagged. Then she threw her hands around my neck, and started to cry again. "Oh my God," she moaned, "I saw the whole thing, and there was nothing I could do, I couldn't even scream in time, all I could do was watch,..."
I patted her on the back, like Travis had done, but there wasn't anything else I could do.
*** 02:29 14 Dec
Sheila had recovered enough in the car to start complaining about the state of her makeup, and to remember that she had busted her curfew. When we pulled in to the visitor's parking lot, though, she got quiet again.
*** 02:36 14 Dec
Bobby's parents were there, and there was another round of upset, which I didn't participate in this time. I just sat on one of the couches in the waiting room, and wished that I'd never come tonight. And I was so cold.
*** 02:44 14 Dec
"Valerie?" asked a voice above me. I pulled my hands away from my eyes, and looked up into the glare. It was Travis. He sat down next to me.
"Valerie, I really appreciate you being here, but he's not gonna be out for a couple of hours yet, so you can go home if you want. I have enough for cab fare for you, I think."
I shook my head. "I can wait. I, uh, I guess I'd better call Lisa, though." I'd forgotten once we got in.
"Are you sure?" he asked, and I nodded, not knowing why. He reached across and gave me another big hug. "Thanks," he said huskily into my ear. "I really appreciate you being here." I just gave him an extra squeeze.
*** 02:48 14 Dec
"Hello?"
"Lisa? It's Valerie, I-"
"Ohmigod, what-" She cut herself off. "Debbie, it's Tuck, hold on a minute."
I heard another phone pick up, or something, and Debbie asking "Tuck, where are you!? What happened?! We've been worried sick about you. What-"
"Let him talk," interrupted Lisa.
I took a deep breath. "Well, me and Travis and, uh, Bobby and Sheila, do you know them?" Lisa said yes, so I went on, "We all went out for a snack, and we got done and were leaving, and, uh, Bobby got hit by a drunk, uh, driver, and, uh, it was pretty hard, and he, uh, they took, took him to the emergency room, um," my eyes were filling up again, "um, they had to Traumaflight him out, so we all came here, and, uh, we're gonna wait until he gets out, I guess." I sniffed really hard to keep from dribbling down my face.
There was a stunned silence from the other end of the phone. "Are you okay?" Debbie finally asked.
"Yeah, I'm still kind of cold," I couldn't get warm, and I was still shivering, "but, uh, nothing happened to me, or, uh, anyone else. Um, they caught the driver already, he's goin' to jail, I think, at least. I'm fine, I guess." I wasn't, but there was nothing anyone could do to make me feel better about what happened.
Lisa asked, "Do you want us to come and wait with you?"
"Uh, no, I, uh, there's no reason, I guess, and, uh, Travis and Sheila are here." I sniffed again. "Um, I guess I'll be okay with them and everything."
Debbie asked, "Are you sure? You sound really shook up."
"Yeah, I am, I guess."
"Where are you?"
"I'm at, uh, Sisters of Mercy, the emergency room there." Someone had put a sticker on the wall of the phone booth, giving the address and the number and even directions to the place. "Um, you two don't-"
Lisa said, "Okay, thanks, we'll be there in a while, okay?"
I protested, "But-"
"Don't argue," they both told me. Debbie added, "You need someone else to be with you, okay? So we'll be there in a while. Bye." She hung up, and Lisa hung up a second later.
I wiped my eyes, then realized with dismay that my fingers had gone black. Oh hell, I thought, when I figured out what I had done. Just what I don't need.
*** 02:51 14 Dec
This was the first empty bathroom I'd been in all night, and I was glad for it. I'd done a real job on my makeup, too. I sighed, and set to work, trying to repair it. At least it kept my mind off why I was here. It was really hard to do with my body trembling, though.
*** 02:57 14 Dec
"Where were you?" asked Travis.
"I, uh, after I called Lisa I had to go fix my, uh, my makeup." I felt really stupid, because I felt really embarrassed about telling him I was wearing makeup, then realized he would think it was perfectly natural for me, and that I had nothing to worry about. "Um. It took me a while."
"Well, come on and wait, if you still want to." He waved me over to a couch, where Sheila was pretending to read a magazine.
I sat down, and he plopped in between both of us. I would have moved away, but he was so warm.
*** 02:59 14 Dec
"How long have you been shivering?" Travis asked.
"Uhmm, since it, uh, the-"
"You're still shivering?" he asked sharply. I nodded. "I'll be right back, okay?" I nodded again, and he got up and went off somewhere. I huddled against myself, trying to get warm.
He came back in a couple of minutes, carrying a big white blanket. "Wh-" I said before he unfolded it and wrapped it around me. It was warm, REALLY warm, like it had been heated or something.
Travis said, "You need something to warm you up, okay?" as he arranged the blanket to cover me.
"But-"
"Don't argue." I stopped, but got kind of annoyed. Everyone had been telling me that lately.
On the other hand, the blanket sure was nice.
He sat down next to me, and arranged himself so that he was pushed up against me. In a minute or so, I could feel him warming me up too.
I thought about protesting, but I didn't think it would do any good, so I just tried to pretend nothing was happening.
After a minute or two, I leaned my head back. I figured that part of the problem was that I was so tired. And the Valium probably had something to do with it too.
*** 03:18 14 Dec
"Don't wake her up," said a familiar voice. I opened my eyes, and it was Debbie. She waved, and put her head on her hands to tell me to go back to sleep. I pulled my legs up, under the blanket, and scooted back up on the couch. Then I closed my eyes again.
*** 05:47 14 Dec
"Val?"
I went back to sleep.
"Valerie?"
I pretended I wasn't hearing anything.
Someone shook my shoulder gently. "Valerie, wake up, hon. Bobby's out of surgery."
I vaguely remembered that this should have some sort of meaning in my life, and I thought about it for a minute.
"Nnn?" I decided I was going to have to open my eyes. When I did, it took me a little to figure out the weird perspective. I'm leaning against something, I finally decided.
"Valerie?" asked Travis, from under me. Was I lying on him?
I sure was. I pulled myself upright. My legs were off to the left, tucked next to my butt, and somehow I was all wrenched around. And Travis was right next to me. I must've been sleeping against him, I decided.
"Come on, they'll let us see him for a minute if you hurry. Come on." He got up, taking part of the heat bubble with him.
I moaned, but slid around so my legs would point at the floor, and started unwrapping myself from the blanket. Somewhere I had shoes...
*** 05:49 14 Dec
Bobby looked worse.
They had him strung up, wired for sound, and I dunno what else. He looked like the back of my computer, he had so many cables and tubes running into him.
Nobody said anything for a long time.
At least he wasn't in pain or anything. He looked almost comfortable. Or at least like he felt he was comfortable.
Still, it was pretty horrifying.
*** 05:52 14 Dec
"They said everything went okay," said Bobby's mother, whose name I did not remember. "The orthopedic surgeon said they, they pinned his pelvis, and he, he should be able to walk again, soon..." She started to cry again, and I hugged her for a long time.
Everyone was doing that tonight. She started me up again, too.
*** 06:02 14 Dec
"Well, what now?" asked Travis. Us "kids" had gathered together in a group after Bobby's parents had left.
Debbie looked kind of embarrassed. "Um, I'm kind of hungry, actually..."
"Anyone up for breakfast?" Everyone nodded but me.
I shrugged. "Why not?"
"Let's go fix your face first," said Debbie.
*** 06:04 14 Dec
"Oh, God, what a nightmare," I mumbled as I redid my eyes again. I didn't want to say anything too loud, because Sheila had come with us too. That was also why I was doing my own makeup.
"Are you holding up?" asked Lisa, a real note of concern in her voice.
Debbie chimed in, "Breakfast was just sort of a weird idea. We can take you home if you want."
I sighed, and looked at them in the mirror as I thought about it.
Finally, I said, "No, I guess breakfast would be okay." I shook my head, and looked down at the sink. "I just wish I hadn't come last night, or something. Maybe it wouldn't have happened if I wasn't there..."
"Don't be an idiot," snapped Debbie. She continued, more calmly, "This had nothing to do with you being there or not. And Travis, for one, was glad you were there."
There was something I didn't want to think about. "Oh, God, was I really sleeping on him?"
They both broke into smiles. Then Sheila flushed, and came out of the stall. "You looked so cute snuggled up against him," said Debbie, smirking. "Both of you," she added as Sheila walked up and washed her hands. Sheila just rolled her eyes, while I blushed so hard I thought I was going to have an aneurisn.
"I'm just glad he was there," she said quietly. "I don't know what I would have done without him there." I nodded without thinking.
*** 06:08 14 Dec
"Well, where to?" asked Lisa.
"I know where I don't want to go," Sheila said, with feeling.
After a short pause, Travis suggested, "How about Denny's?"
Everyone in girl's clothes shrugged at the same time. It struck me as funny.
*** 06:11 14 Dec
"At least he's gonna be okay," I offered.
"Yeah," Travis said distantly. Somehow I had ended up riding with him, while Sheila had gone off in Lisa's car.
He slammed the steering wheel with his fist. "Damn!" he cursed, as we lurched over, and almost sideswiped another car. Travis didn't seem to notice.
"What?!"
He snarled, "Why him?"
After a tense few seconds, I cautiously patted his hand. He glanced over at me, then visibly got control of himself and calmed down. "Sorry," he muttered. He sort of calmed down.
"It's okay," I told him.
After watching him teeter on the edge of losing control for a long minute, and wondering if we were gonna be in an accident on top of anything else, I asked carefully, "Travis? Can we pull over for a minute?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Just for a minute," I evaded.
He swung into a parking lot and into a space. When he stopped the truck, I popped my seatbelt off. "Talk."
"What ab-"
"Travis," I interrupted, "you're worried out of your mind about Bobby, and you're the only one who hasn't let it out yet. You've been there for everyone else." I looked down at the gearshift for a minute. "Now, he's gonna be okay, in part because of you, and everyone's alright, and you did more than anyone could hope for. So now it's your turn."
When I looked back up at him, his eyes were closed as he faced straight ahead, but there were tears leaking out from under his eyelids.
I bent over, and hugged him, and said quietly, "There's nobody here but me. You're safe," and that was what broke the dam loose.
There was some sort of advantage in knowing what buttons to push, from the inside. And he really needed the release, before he blew up completely.
*** 06:18 14 Dec
I thought I'd had some kleenex in my purse. I pulled it out, and wiped his eyes and the rest of his face, then made him blow his nose. He smiled, a little, at that.
"Need some more time?" I asked quietly. He shook his head, and grabbed another kleenex and blew his nose again. I slid back into my seat, and he put the truck in gear and pulled out.
After we'd been back on the road a little, with his driving much improved, he glanced over at me. "Thanks," he said, almost embarrassed.
"S'okay." I knew how he felt. It was nice to know that one jock, at least, was human too.
*** 06:27 14 Dec
"What took you two so long?" asked Lisa.
"I, we had to stop for a little, I, uh, I had to cry some more," I lied.
Lisa said, "Oh."
Pause.
"Well, have a seat," said Debbie, patting the bench next to her.
I slid next to Debbie, and Travis sat next to me. He whispered in my ear, "Thanks, I needed that." I nodded, not looking at him.
"Chocolate overdose," said Lisa. "That's what we need, tryptophan in spades."
*** 07:41 14 Dec
What we actually ended up having was normal breakfasts, although Sheila and Lisa split a sundae.
"Oh hell," said Travis, looking in his wallet.
I had a guess what had happened. "I'll pick it up," I said. He looked at me, and I shrugged. "I owe you one anyway."
Debbie patted me on the leg, and when I looked at her, she winked at me.
*** 07:50 14 Dec
Lisa said, "Well, we have to take her home anyway, so we might as well do it now, and you can take Sheila home."
"Um," said Travis, looking at me.
I nodded tiredly. "I need to get some sleep, and so does Sheila." I don't know if the chocolate syrup had done it, or if Lisa had slipped her one of her Valiums, but she was having trouble staying awake while she walked.
"Yeah, I guess," he said. He didn't sound too happy about it.
"Travis?" He looked up at me. "Thanks, for everything." I opened my arms for a hug, and he almost picked me up.
I was really too tired to be out any more, because when he sort of reeled me out, I looked up at him, and tried to smile, to show him everything was okay. Instead of smiling back, he bent his head down, and I didn't do anything until it was too late.
The kiss was wonderful. And it was on the lips too. And I was enjoying it until I realized just WHAT I was kissing. Then my brain locked up.
He let go, and told me, "You be careful, alright?" I nodded dumbly. He motioned to Sheila, and they walked off to his truck. They waved before they got in, and I managed to wave back.
*** 07:52 14 Dec
"...and then he just did it, I mean, he just bent his head down and whammo! There it was."
"I know, I know, sweetheart," said Debbie, stroking my shoulder through the jacket as she held my head against her.
I would have freaked out really hard, except I was too tired.
"You're not gonna, I mean," I sat up, "you're not gonna tell anybody are you? You're not gonna be mad at me? 'Cause it wasn't my fault, he-"
Debbie interrupted, "I know, it's okay."
Lisa giggled from the driver's seat. "I think it safe to say that we've all been kissed at one time or another, and we still respect each other." Debbie snorted at that.
"But-"
"Sweetie," Debbie said, "just relax, okay? It's a weird experience, but you lived through it, and nobody's gonna blame you for what happened. Especially after last night." She snorted again. "If he didn't try to kiss you, I'd wonder about him."
"But-"
"Chill out!" they both admonished.
"But-"
Lisa told Debbie, "Kiss her and make her shut UP, will you?" Debbie did.
After a minute, I figured they really weren't mad at me or anything.
*** 08:11 14 Dec
"How should I know if it was a good kiss or not! I've never-"
"Well, was it better or worse than me?"
"Worse!"
"How?"
"I don't KNOW! It just WAS!"
*** 08:19 14 Dec
"Where are we going, anyway?"
I caught Lisa looking at me in the rearview. Then she glanced at Debbie.
"Um," started Debbie, "my mom's home, and so is Lisa's folks."
*** 08:26 14 Dec
"I can't go in there!" I begged frantically, trying to get loose.
Lisa shook her head. "Sure you can, if you stop acting like you're afraid of it."
"No problem," added Debbie.
"Would we lie?" asked Lisa.
*** 08:31 14 Dec
"Oh, hi. Debbie and Valerie, right?"
Debbie nodded, then swept her hand towards Lisa. "Rachel, this is Lisa, my best friend. Lisa, Rachel, someone we met at the first sales party." They shook hands.
"Well, come on upstairs, and we can get started. You're lucky, my roommate left last night, so I have the room to myself this morning." She sighed. "One more final, and then I get paroled myself." Debbie helped me up off the old couch, and we all started moving towards the elevator.
"So," Rachel asked as she turned back towards me. "What happened last night, anyway? Debbie wasn't real clear..."
I said, "Um..."
*** 08:49 14 Dec
"Oh, my God, what a horrible night," Rachel sympathized, shaking her head.
"And then," said Lisa, grinning.
"No!" I almost screamed. "You promised you wouldn't!"
"Oh," she said, and her face fell. "Sorry, I forgot."
Rachel just sort of watched for a minute, then asked, "After breakfast?" I nodded without thinking. She stared off into space for a minute. The acetone smell was making me kind of sick, but it was too cold to open the windows, and I didn't want to have the door open.
Debbie dropped another polish-covered cotton ball in the trash.
Rachel giggled, then looked at me. "This guy, Tracy, right?"
"Travis," I corrected.
She stated, "He kissed you, out in the parking lot after breakfast, and it freaked you out, right?"
We all stared at her. She shrugged. "It's the only thing that it could be. And after all that, he would have kissed you."
"See?" said Debbie. "I told you it was normal."
"So don't worry about it," said Lisa, on the other side.
"Besides, one kiss won't hurt anything," stated Rachel.
"But-"
Rachel put a finger to my lips. Then she motioned Lisa away, and bent down to whisper in my ear. "The other problem you're having is," she said, very softly, "that you liked it, and you're afraid that makes you gay, right?"
Instead of denying it, or saying anything useful which could get me out of this, I overloaded again, and started to cry.
*** 08:58 14 Dec
"Don't take too long," Rachel cautioned. "The hot water tends to go away real quick." Debbie wrapped a towel around me, and we went out to the showers.
There were a couple of girls in the hall, but Debbie's mundane chatter about the paper she was writing last night, and my towel, seemed to immunize us from anything worse than a couple of glances.
*** 09:14 14 Dec
"So how do I get out of here?"
Rachel said, "We just go down, and pretend nothing's out of the ordinary." She stared at me a second. "In fact, if you fluffed your hair up some, you'd still sort of look like a girl, if you walked like one."
Debbie said, "Let's use the wig instead..."
*** 09:17 14 Dec
I felt like more of an idiot than usual, parading through the lobby in my usual scruffy geek clothes, with heels on my feet. "To remind me to walk right," Debbie had said.
But, damnit, she was right again. Nobody looked at me twice, not even the old battleaxe that was supposed to keep the male riffraff out.
*** 09:48 14 Dec
"See you tonight, maybe?" I said hopefully.
"Let's get some sleep and see, huh?" said Debbie, and gave me a kiss.
I nodded, and shut the door, and walked up the walk to our front door. Sleep was the only thing on my mind.
"Eugene Wallace!" called my mother. Oh no. "Get in here right now! Where have you been?! We have been worried sick about you!"
I stared at her, and my dad, who had his arms crossed in that "I'm letting your mother do the talking but I agree with everything she says" way.
"Debbie didn't call?" I asked.
*** 10:22 14 Dec
I managed to catch Debbie and get her to come back and explain things to my folks, and apologize. Then they made a fuss over me, and apologized, and tried to turn it into a social occasion. That sort of ended when I fell asleep sitting up and almost drowned in some cereal.
Then, I got them to let me go to bed. I made it in, and just barely managed to get my shoes off before I slid under the covers. I think I was asleep before I stopped moving.
*** 18:51 14 Dec
"Sure, whatthehell." I wanted to laugh hysterically, but I was too tired. But why not go to the dance? I mean, it would be the smart thing, to skip it, but I had gone beyond doing the smart thing a long time ago.
"Okay, then, see you about seven-thirty?"
"Yeah,"
"Okay, see you then. Kisskiss," and Debbie hung up.
*** 19:34 14 Dec
I was trying to remember how to tie a tie when there was a knock at the door.
I made it carefully downstairs, to find both Debbie and Rachel there, dressed up and ready to go out. Debbie was in a dark red gown, and Rachel was in blue. Both of them looked seriously luscious.
"Uh," I said brilliantly. "Rachel! I wasn't expecting you..."
Rachel shrugged. "I needed a study break, and when Debbie called..." Debbie was grinning her trademark grin.
My brother came down the stairs to see what the noise was, and then stopped and stared. I made introductions all around, which didn't really clear things up.
Although Brian was looking really impressed, for once.
*** 19:40 14 Dec
"Anywhere but Marciano's," I said.
"Why?" asked Rachel.
"That's where they went last night," said Debbie smugly.
*** 19:54 14 Dec
"Table for three, please," I said, like I did this all the time. I had one girl on each arm as the hostess led us across the restaurant. And, for once, I felt like a million bucks. Even if I couldn't walk in a straight line.
*** 20:46 14 Dec
"What?"
I shook my head. "You both look so fantastic, I can't figure out which one to look at." Rachel giggled, and blushed a little.
"Me," Debbie said, grinning, "because you HAVE to keep me happy."
"Well, of course, you are just slightly the more beautiful, he said diplomatically," I said. They both blinked at that. I thought it was clever, but then again, I only had half my brain working.
*** 21:19 14 Dec
Rachel pulled into a parking space, and we all climbed out. Once again, Debbie took one arm and Rachel took the other one.
A couple of people did double takes as I came through the door. Well, not at me - at them. I did at least remember to get the door for both of them, but they got my arms again as soon as I came inside.
*** 21:26 14 Dec
"Two dates? How much did the other one cost to rent?" Mark Snyder sniggered.
"Excuse me?" said Rachel in this tone that froze my drink solid.
"Excuse me?" said Debbie, in a tone that was colder, if possible.
"Uh," he said. He realized he'd made a large mistake. Then, his own date dragged him off and started bawling his ass out. She even smacked him once. Rachel and Debbie high-fived each other, right over my head.
This just kept getting better and better.
*** 21:37 14 Dec
"JUST LIKE A PRAYER
YOUR VOICE CAN TAKE ME THERE
JUST LIKE A DREAM
YOU ARE A MYSTERY-"
I was getting into this dancing thing. It was much easier without heels on. It was also cool to be dancing with two girls at once. And I'd lost all sense of shame, about the time I couldn't figure out what the white bar in my hand was for, in the shower. That made dancing a lot more fun. I tried a moonwalk, and got it to work. Rachel pointed at me and clapped. "No problem!" I told myself inaudibly.
*** 21:53 14 Dec
"I SAID CAN WE TAKE A BREAK!!" I screamed at both of them. They looked at each other, and nodded. We stopped dancing, and headed out of the cafeteria proper and to the snack bar.
"God," I said when I thought I could be heard again, "I dunno how you two do it."
"Do what?" Rachel asked.
"Dance. Like that, I mean, dressed like that." I waved my hands at them. "Aren't your feet killing you?"
Debbie growled, "Don't mention it." Then laughed.
Rachel told me, "You get used to it after a while."
I shook my head. "Not me."
*** 22:01 14 Dec
"Tuck! Man, where were you last night?" I turned around, and it was Mike.
I sort of wanted to tell him, but I sort of would rather be choked to death by a weasel stuffed down my throat, and it was all so fucking confusing anyway. So instead, I just grabbed his shoulders and yelled, "AHHHHHH!"
"Ah?!" he replied in surprise.
"AHHHHHHHHH!" I said again. It felt good. So I screamed, "AHHHHHHHH!!"
Mike grabbed my shoulders. "AHHHHHHHhhh?!" Mike screamed back.
I nodded frantically. "AHHHHHHHH!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" we chorused. "AHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHH!" Our dates stood around and stared at us, like we were going mad. I know I was, for a while. I needed a break from sanity.
Dan-the-Man came up with his date, and so we yelled at him.
"AHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHH!!"
"AHhhh?!" he asked. We both nodded. "AHHHHHHHHHH!"
"... think I've got it now..." I thought I heard Rachel say, then she tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around, she grabbed my shoulders, and went, "AHHHhh?!"
It was so good to have people around that understood, for once.
*** 22:04 14 Dec
"MI-ster Tucker, are you quite done?" Dobson asked.
"Almost, sir." I threw my head back, and let everything loose at the ceiling in this ululating (SAT word) wail that would have made Tarzan jealous. I almost beat my chest, too, but that would have been too much. Instead, when I got done, I shook his hand and said, "Thank you, sir." I think that sort of blew him away, because he didn't say anything else.
"Well, my throat hurts," remarked Debbie.
"Drinks?" asked Rachel. "Then maybe you can introduce me around."
"Oh, yeah, well," I corrected things as we walked towards the table, "this is Mike, and this is Barbara-not-Barbie..."
*** 22:07 14 Dec
"I need to powder my nose," mentioned Barbara, which sort of started this general exodus to the bathroom.
Rachel and Debbie and I were comparing weird musical groups, and I didn't think anything about it until she stopped and grabbed my hand.
"Sweets," Debbie said as she leaned close to my ear. "Why don't you use the boy's room tonight." I looked up, and I was about two steps away from walking into the girl's room with everyone else. And I hadn't noticed.
Debbie started to laugh. I couldn't help it either, after a minute.
*** 22:12 14 Dec
I'd almost forgotten how much quicker it was for me to go to the bathroom when I didn't have to mess around with makeup. Or skirts. Or lining up my underwear. So I had plenty of time to sit around and watch the other girls going in and out.
They finally all made it out, Pack included, in one large flock, and we walked back to the tables.
As we got there, Dan came up to me and pulled me aside. "Debbie, I know," he said, "But who's Rachel?"
"Oh, this girl I met."
He gave me a look. "And so you invited her out to a dance with your current girlfriend?"
"No, Debbie invited her," fell out of my mouth.
We stared at each other for a few seconds.
"Debbie invited another girl to go out with you tonight."
"Well, yeah, I mean, it's not like it's really a big deal or anything. Rachel already has a boyfriend."
"She already has a boyfriend," he repeated. Then, "Aren't you worried about him maybe wondering where she is?"
"Oh, no, he already had his last final and left the dorm al-already." I was really beginning to regret this conversation. Sort of. And sort of not. Heh heh.
"The dorm?"
"Yeah, the dorm. A dorm. I forget which one."
"What is a real woman doing out with you, of all people?"
I shrugged, keeping a smile off my face. "Guess she likes me or something." Then I added, "Me and Debbie," just to keep things confused.
"Oh, sure, she's probably-"
"Hey, she asked for my phone number first, you know."
He stared at me, because he couldn't tell if I was lying. Normally I would have been, too, but this time it was all true.
Then Rachel came up, kissed me on the cheek, and took my hand, saying, "Come on, join the party, sweetie." Then, Debbie came up on the other side, and kissed the other cheek, and took my other hand.
Dan's eyebrows almost shot straight off his face entirely.
*** 22:34 14 Dec
They started a slow song, and I offered to Debbie. She smiled, and grabbed me, and started to dance. Leading, of course. I sighed, then occupied myself with tasting her neck.
After a couple of minutes, Rachel cut in, and took me up, and started to dance with me. Leading, of course. I sighed. I might have kissed her, except I don't think I would have made it out alive. I did wave at Debbie as we swung past her.
Then Debbie cut in again, but instead of her dancing with me, she grabbed both me and Rachel, and so we sort of had this three way dance. I decided I could risk a kiss on the cheek, so I gave Rachel a little one and Debbie a big one. They both gave me a kiss back, and I lived, so I guess it was okay.
I was getting some really awesome double-takes from other guys, and a couple of girls, though. I loved it. As for who led, I let Debbie and Rachel fight it out.
*** 23:08 14 Dec
"I SAID CAN WE GO HOME! I'M REALLY TIRED!" My throat really hurt now.
"WHAT?!" I dimly heard Debbie shriek over the noise. I smacked myself in the forehead, then pointed outside and worked my mouth like I was talking. She got it then.
*** 23:09 14 Dec
"I said, can we go home now? I've had a real hard day."
Rachel was going to say something, but Debbie bent over and whispered in her ear. Then Debbie stood back up and said, "Sure, Tuck. It's been a hard day for everyone."
Not that I felt suspicious or anything. Haha.
On the other hand, there wasn't much they could do to me at this point, because I was going to slip into a coma pretty soon anyway.
*** 23:37 14 Dec
I think I made it from front door to snoozing faster than I ever had before in my life. God, I was so tired I wasn't sure I could make it up the stairs.
It was a great dance, though.
*** 19:38 18 Dec
"Merry Christmas, Debbie."
"Whaaaa..." She started ripping at the paper. When she finally got to enough of the real box that she could read the label, she squealed and almost tackled me. "You remembered!" Then she gave me a good kiss.
I grinned and nodded dumbly, and made a mental note to give Julia something when we got back to school.
*** 19:40 18 Dec
They fit, too. Lucky me. I felt especially lucky when she showed how happy she was, by giving me a looooooooong sweet kiss.
*** 08:32 25 Dec
Since I was next in line, being older than Amy, it was my turn to open presents. Except this was present, singular.
"Well, go on, open it," said my dad, grinning.
I stared suspiciously at the box. It was huge, almost as tall as I was, and it had a whole bunch of labels on it.
"This is ih- from everyone?" I'd learned a little tact from Debbie's fast hands.
My dad nodded, still grinning. In fact, everyone in the room was grinning except Susan and Brian.
I started going at the paper, but there weren't any clues on the box. When I finally opened it, though, and saw the manual that fell out, I almost yodeled. "Ohmigod, ohmigod, this is exactly what I wanted ohmigod-"
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" all the adults yelled.
I stared at the picture of the synthesizer on the manual as my dad explained that they wanted to get me the best, so they all got together, and pooled their money...
*** 17:38 27 Dec
"Hi, Lisa?"
"This is Lisa, who's speaking please?"
"Um, it's Tuck, and-"
"Oh, hey, how's it going?"
"Um, pretty good." Pause. "Remember that deal we made?"
"Yeah," she said warily.
"Uh." I explained, "Well..."
"Is it 'getting in touch with your inner woman' or 'gibbering lunacy'?" - -ehayes
"Tallyho!" \ / @>--,--'-- ehayes@nym.alias.net + vicki .sig Ellen Hayes --=()=()=-- Renaissance Woman ==[-------- + virus 9.1a
http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/5734/
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