Well this is my first RECESS fic. I'm already working on the follow up:
'RECESS: Junior High'
But for now, enjoy
That stinking feeling 2
10:30. Recess. Dodge-Ball. 4th grade. 5th grade. Madness. TJ was playing, but half-heartedly. Something wasn't right in the pit of his stomach. The problem was he had no freaking idea what. Whatever it was it had been bugging him for the last three days, ever since Spinelli had come to school with her hair down on Monday, she looked, well, pretty. The next day she was back to normal though. He ducked, dodging ball aimed at his head,catching it and throwing it at someone. 'God these 4th graders are pathetic!' he thought as he threw a ball, hitting another one. Everthing had changed so drasticly over the summer, especially his own friends. Micky going on concerters to help with his wieght, Gretchen turning into one of the prettiest girls in school, Gus leaving for millitary school, Vince becoming a jock and Spinelli... OK Spin hadn't changed. Or had she? Another ball came flying past his head. Oh right, dodge-ball. He ducked but as he looked up... 'Wow' was all TJ could think. Spinelli was inhuman when she played dodge-ball, mowing down kids faster than El Diablo. But thats not what T.J. noticed. The light from behind, it made her look, well...
"Teej, look out!"
WHAM! The ball made contact with his face.
He slowly opened his eyes to see his friends crowded around him. Vince pulled him up.
"Man, are you alright?" Spinelli asked, "You spaced out there for a second."
TJ held his head, "Yeah, I'm fine, as for the spaceing out, just as confused as you are."
The bell rang and everyone filed in for class.
---
TJ tried to concentrate but he kept finding himself staring at...
Damn. He was doing it again. TJ shook his head, and tried his best to listen, but...
"Detwieler!" Mrs Finster yelled, "Is there a problem?"
"N-no ma'am" TJ said quickly.
Spinelli looked at him questionly.
TJ's heart started to beat faster as his face started to go red.
'What the hell is happening to me?' he thought franticly.
Mrs Finster looked at him and smiled.
Vince and Gretchen looked on.
'Whats going on?' Vince mouthed.
Gretchen shrugged.
---
Spinelli and TJ walked home together as usual.
"Yo, Teej," Spinelli said trying to break the akward scilence, "what happened, y'know during dodge-ball?"
"Y'know what Spin?" TJ said looking at the sky, "I got no freakin' idea."
They stopped infront Spinelli's house.
"Hey," Spinelli said "wanna come inside? Dad's got snacks ready and the Wrestling Rumble is about to start."
"Nah," TJ said, "thanks, but I think I'll just head home."
TJ turned and left a very confused Spinelli standing on the sidewalk.
---
Dinner at in the Detwieler home was quiet. TJ sat fiddling with his peas.
"Anything wrong Sport?" Mr Detwieler asked, "You haven't touched your creamed beaf."
TJ shuffled uneasly.
"I'm not hungry," TJ said, "can I be exused."
He left the table without an answer.
"Better go talk to him," Mrs Detwieler said to her husband.
Mr Detwieler found TJ sitting in the treehouse. He climbed up and sat down next to his son.
"Dad," TJ said "can I ask you something?"
"Sure, Sport," Mr Detwieler said suprised that TJ had started befoe he could, "whats up?"
"OK," TJ started, "I think somethings wrong with me, ever since Monday when Spinelli came to school with her hair down I've had this wierd feeling in the pit of my stomach, I constantly find myself staring at Spin in class, when she talks to me it feels kinda akward and when she looks at me for more than 2 seconds I start burning up. Whats happening to me?!!"
TJ took a breath. His father looked at him.
" When Spinelli had her hair down, she looked good, right?" he asked.
"Well, yeah," TJ said, "I guess."
Mr Detwieler smiled.
"Well, son," he said, "you're not sick if thats what you think, you're just growing up."
"Huh?" TJ was clearly confused.
Mr Detwieler chuckled.
"Come on," he said, "let's go inside, it's getting nippy."
---
"That's what he said," Spinelli said, "and then he just left."
"TJ declining wrestling?" Vince said, "Something is wrong!"
"It is very strange," Gretchen said thoughtfuly, they were having a three-way phone call, "very strange indeed."
"Well has been acting pretty strange lately," Vince said, "you saw how he chocked in class today."
"Yeah," Spinelli said "it was like... WHAT?... MOM, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF A VERY IMPORANT... ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT... sorry guys I gotta go, see you tomorrow."
She hung up and left Vince and Gretchen.
"I think I know whats going on," Gretchen said.
"What?" Vince asked.
"It's only a therey," she said, "but... I'll have to tell you tomorrow, my dad's shunning me off the phone."
"Alright speak to you tomorrow," Vince said and Gretchen hung up.
---
Gretchen walked to the bus stop.
"Gretch!" a voice called from behind her, " hold up!"
She turned to see TJ running up to her.
"Were's Spin?" she asked.
"Her mom's driving her to school," TJ panted, "but thats not the point, I need to talk to you."
"OK," Gretchen said, "shoot.
"OK," TJ said, "it's like this: 1: I've had this wierd feeling in the pit of my stomach since Monday, 2: I constantly find myself staring at Spin in class, 3: When she talks to me it feels kinda akward 4: When she looks at me for more than 2 seconds I start burning up and 5: When I spoke to my dad all he said is that I was growing up, you read psycology and junk, WHATS WRONG WITH ME!!"
Gretchen pulled out her Gallilao handheld computer.
"Did you get all that?" she asked it.
"Why yes,'' the computerized voice said, "and it seems to me that you, TJ, have developed a crush on our friend Ashley."
"Just as I thought," Gretchen said smiling.
TJ was speachless.
"Don't worry TJ," Gallilao said, "you secret is safe with us."
"Right," Gretchen said as the bus pulled up and they got on.
---
After school TJ sat one of the picnic tables in the playground. Spinelli ran up to him.
"Hey Teej," she said sitting down next to him, "whats up?"
"Nothing," TJ said, "just thinking, I got alot on my mind."
"Now you sound like me when I had that crush on that Babytooth Jonny V," Spinelli laughed. Then she noticed TJ wasn't laughing.
"Oh no," she said her eyes widening "you don't have a..."
TJ just nodded.
"Oh man," Spinelli said holding her head, "please tell me it's not one of the Ashleys."
TJ just looked at her.
"I guess you could say that," TJ said frowning.
"Oh hell," Spinelli said, "I feel for you man."
She put her hand on his sholder, "I guess the best thing you can do is ignore it and hope it goes away."
"Yeah, I guess so," TJ said.
"Hey," Spinelli said brightly, "lets go down to Kelso's and have a smoothy, to take your mind off this."
"Ok," TJ said smiling, "sounds good."
The two of them walked off. As they did two heads poked out of the bushes.
"See," Gretchen said, "told you so."
Vince stared in shock. Then his face lit up.
"What?" Gretchen asked.
"We gotta get them together," Vince said smiling.
"No we don't," Gretchen said firmly, "we can't force it. If they are going to get togther it must be at there own will."
"But come on," Vince protested, "its a challange and I..."
"No," she said again, "as long as I'm around the will be no match-making, understood?"
"Yes mom," Vince said mockingly.
THE END
Short, yes, pointless, no.
R&R alright, I aint gonna beg.
MadMike13