Keeping A Secret
Summary: It is hard to keep a secret when you speak a second language that someone else understands. Number 53 of the 100 Theme Challenge.
Disclaimer: I don't own Shake It Up!, nor its characters. I only own this story.
The bell rang at John Hughes High School, signalling the start of lunch. Students filed out of their classrooms and quickly scurried to the cafeteria. Some students immediately sat down at tables to eat lunches brought from home, while others formed a line by the cafeteria kitchen to buy theirs, praying that the special was not mystery meat.
Ty and Deuce were among the students in line to buy lunch. Rocky was seated at a round table by herself, reading a chapter on sickle cell anemia from her biology textbook. Her caesar salad sat on the table in front of her, untouched.
Günther and Tinka sat down at her table and proceeded to open their thermoses, containing their foreign delicacies.
"Ooh, yak and radish casserole!" Tinka exclaimed, gleefully. "My favourite!"
Rocky wrinkled her nose behind her book, trying to ignore the odd smell emitting from both of the Hessenheffers' lunches.
Tinka grinned and started eating her lunch, while Günther just opened his thermos and stared inside it, with a solemn expression on his face.
"Is everything okay, dear brother?" Tinka asked, sensing that Günther was not in the mood.
"Everything is fine," Günther answered, with a sigh.
"I do not think so," Tinka said. "You seem distracted today."
"What do you mean?" Günther asked, confused.
"You almost betwinkled my hand today in fashion class," Tinka pointed out. "And you are not eating your lunch. I thought spaghetti with troutballs is your favourite dish."
"It is," Günther replied, poking one of his troutballs with his fork.
"What is wrong, Günther?" Tinka asked, concerned. "You know that you can tell me anything."
"I cannot talk about it," Günther said, his eyes darting towards Rocky. "Not now."
Tinka nodded and asked, "Peux-tu me dire maintenant?" (Can you tell me now?)
Günther's eyes darted back to Tinka and realization hit him like a ton of bricks. Since him and Tinka were from the old country, they were both pretty fluent in French, the old country's second language. Günther realized that knowing a second language benefitted him in this situation.
"D'accord," he replied, with a nod of his head. "J'aime cette fille." (Okay. I like this girl)
"Vraiment?" Tinka asked, smiling. (Really?)
"Oui," Günther replied, with a smile of his own. (Yes)
"Dis-moi à propos de cette fille," Tinka said. "Est-ce que je lui connais?" (Tell me about this girl. Do I know her?)
"Tu connais cette fille," Günther explained. "Elle est une danseuse avec des cheveux rouges." (You know this girl. She is a dancer with red hair)
"Oh, ma, chèvre!" Tinka cried, her eyes widening to the size of frisbees. "La fille qui a Rocky comme une meilleure amie?" (Oh, my, goat! The girl who has Rocky as a best friend?)
Günther nodded, taking a bite of one of his troutballs. He was okay with mentioning names in his French conversation with Tinka. He figured that Rocky was too absorbed in her book to notice that her name was mentioned. It was not like she understood their conversation anyway.
"Non!" Tinka cried, petrified. "C'est un mensonge, Günther." (No! This is a lie, Günther)
"Non, c'est la vérité," Günther answered, confidently. "Je suis tombé amoureux de CeCe." (No, this is the truth. I fell in love with CeCe)
"Elle est notre ennemie!" Tinka pointed out, horrified. "Elle est un morceau de merde avec un cerveau d'un sandwich de fromage!" (She is our enemy! She is a piece of shit with a brain of a cheese sandwich)
"Tu es méchante, Tinka!" Günther cried, frowning. "Ne dis pas ces choses à propos d'elle!" (You are mean, Tinka! Do not say these things about her!)
"Tu as dû perdre ta tête, Günther," Tinka said, shaking her head. "Pourquoi est-ce que tu lui aimes?" (You must have lost your mind, Günther. Why do you like her?)
"Je connais qu'elle n'est pas tellement intelligente," Günther explained. "Mais, à mon avis, elle est drôle, gentille, et belle. Elle est une danseuse talentueuse aussi." (I know that she is not very smart. But, in my opinion, she is funny, nice, and beautiful. She is a talented dancer, too)
"Vraiment?" Tinka asked, surprised. "Combien de temps est-ce que tu lui as aimé?" (Really? How long have you liked her?)
"Depuis la dernière danse," Günther answered. "Quand elle est sortie avec moi par pitié." (Since the last dance. When she dated me out of pity)
"Je me souviens du jour," Tinka said. "Si tu lui aimes, pourquoi est-ce que tu as rompu avec elle?" (I remember the day. If you like her, why did you break up with her?)
"J'étais fâché," Günther explained. "Elle est sortie avec moi par pitié." (I was angry. She dated me out of pity)
"C'est la raison pourquoi tu ne lui as dit que tu es tombé amoureux d'elle?" Tinka asked. (This is the reason why you did not tell her that you fell in love with her?)
Günther nodded, sadly.
"Et tu lui aimes toujours?" Tinka asked, surprised. (And you still like her?)
"Oui," Günther replied, looking down at his thermos. "C'était un incident seulement. Je peux lui pardonner." (Yes. This was only one incident. I can forgive her)
"Pourquoi est-ce tu assieds ici?" Tinka questioned, gesturing for him to leave. "Dis CeCe que tu lui aimes!" (Why are you sitting here? Tell CeCe that you like her!)
"Je ne peux pas," Günther said, discouraged. (I cannot)
"Pourquoi pas?" Tinka asked, confused. (Why not?)
"Peut-être elle ne m'aime pas," Günther said, sadly. (Maybe she does not like me)
"Tu ne connais pas si elle ne t'aime pas," Tinka explained. "Günther, tu lui aimes, oui?" (You do not know if she does not like you. Günther, you love her, right?)
"Avec tout mon coeur," Günther answered, honestly. (With all of my heart)
"Alors, tu as rien à perdre," Tinka pointed out. "Prend un risque et dis CeCe que tu lui aimes. Le pire qu'elle peut dire est non." (Then, you have nothing to lose. Take a risk and tell CeCe that you like her. The worst that she can say is no)
"Je ne suis pas certain si je peux faire cela," Günther said, with a sigh. (I am not sure if I can do this)
"Non, mais je peux," Rocky said, looking up from her book. (No, but I can)
Günther and Tinka's eyes darted to Rocky, who closed her book and slid it into her backpack. Apparently, not only was she listening to their entire French conversation, but she understood it as well.
"Oh, ma, chèvre!" Günther exclaimed, shocked. "Tu comprends le français?" (Oh, my, goat! You understand French?)
"Of course I do," Rocky answered. "I'm in Honours French. Didn't you know that?"
Günther and Tinka turned to stare at each other, their mouths hanging open in shock. Apparently, they did not know that fact about Rocky.
"Oh, look, it's CeCe!" Rocky exclaimed, spotting the redhead approaching their table. "I better go tell her the news."
Tinka looked at Günther, who looked as pale as a ghost. He just sat there, completely motionless.
"CeCe!" Rocky called, approaching the redhead. "Boy, do I have news for you!"
Günther sighed and closed his eyes. So much for keeping a secret.
Lesson learned: When discussing a secret of yours with someone you trust, hold a conversation in your country's third language.
Six down, ninety-four to go! Questions? Comments?
Please Review! Reviews are greatly appreciated! =D
~TeenQueen661
