Melvin Knows Best
Rated G
Story by Emily (me!!), characters by someone else. This plot has been cliche'ed a couple million times, so I figured one more rendition wouldn't hurt. Plus, Melvin never gets the credit he deserves! Bon appetit.


That Monday there was a new girl in school. Serena, half worried about a new Sailor friend or enemy and half just plain nosy, interrogated Melvin at lunch break.

"Oh come on, Melvin! Pleeeeeeeeease! You always know the dirt about everyone! Weren't you the one who knew all about Ami's brains and Lita's ability to kick peoples' butts?" Serena tried her best sweet, innocent, I-just want-to-be-friends face. Melvin crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air.

"Uh-uh, Serena. You're just being a snoop and I'm not going to help you gossip." Then he blushed and looked a little sheepish. "Besides that, um, I don't know anything about her. I didn't get a chance to see her file." He stared at his shoes.

"Why Melvin!" Serena screamed. "This is the first time you haven't known every speck of gossip connected to a new kid! And you always know EVERYTHING!" She shrieked in laughter and kicked her feet, drawing stares and glares from the surrounding kids. Melvin tried to take it well, polishing his glasses, but when she didn't let up he got mad.

"Don't laugh, Serena," he warned quietly. She didn't listen. Melvin, fed up for once, said, "I know everything about you, too." He gulped, realizing what he'd just said. This one was going to be tough to explain. After that revelation he couldn't stay mad, or even look up. His shoes seemed very interesting today.

Serena stopped dead still. She sat up straight and whispered, "This?" pointing to the locket on her chest. He glanced up, nodded, then went back to inspecting his shoelaces. One of them seemed to be fraying at the end and he decided to get a new pair, if he lived through the inquisition he knew was coming. Serena got a look on her face rarely seen during school hours: that of her thinking.

"How long have you known about me? Were you spying on me or was it an accident? Do you know about the other Scouts? Have you told anyone?" The questions came out slowly, thoughtfully, but Melvin reacted like she had put thumbscrews on him.

"I don't know about any of the others! I didn't mean to do it! It was an accident, I swear!" He sighed. "Sort of." Serena raised an eyebrow. " Okay, not really, but it's not like you wear a mask or anything....." The eyebrow went down and a scowl came on.

"Look, let me explain. Did you know I had a crush on you for seven or eight years?" She shook her head, amazed, and he sighed yet again. "Of course not. You were always after the good-looking older guys like your boyfriend in the tux. But all through school I had the biggest crush on you, and was totally convinced that I was in love. And that someday you would love me back. Ha! You considered me a friend and that was it, I couldn't persuade you otherwise. But every day I stared at you. I memorized every single movement you made, every word you said, every feature of your pretty face. And then, when that psycho monster attacked, I saw you crusading to the rescue as Sailor Moon. I recognized you right from the start. How could I not, after all these years? A few minutes after that I saw you totally blow away that monster, and I definitely recognized your temper. In that second I said goodbye to my crush. You're too far above me. I mean, you're a superhero for God's sake!"

He glanced at his watch; just a few minutes more before class started and a confession to finish. "So I moved on, looked around a little more and found Molly, who'd always been there for me. She's just as sweet and pretty and nice as you, but without the fireworks and princess problems. And, you know what, she's been the best girlfriend a nerd like me could ever hope for!"

"And saving her life didn't hurt much either, huh?" Serena said slyly. Then she sobered and breathed a sigh of her own. "I should have told you both months ago, but I really didn't know how. Or I guess I didn't have the guts. You two have been my friends since forever and I should have told you right from the start." She looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry."

"It's OK, Meatballhead. I forgive you." The bell rang, but they sat there a minute more. "And I'm sure Molly will forgive you too, when you tell her all about it."

A one-hundred-percent, patented Serena wail.

"Oh shut up, Serena, that new girl is staring! Let's get a move on, do you really want to be late to class again? You've already had detention twice this week. Remember, I know all the dirt about everyone!" She giggled as they got up and walked to the door.

"And just for my own nosiness, how many times HAVE you saved the world?"

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Well, what did yall think? Write me at ebischoff@hotmail.com so I know.