A/N- Hey there, a tiny story based on the events of Swing on Through. I tweaked some stuff to make it more TJ/Spin oriented and it explains a lot more of TJ's thoughts. Not really meant to be more than a writing exercise, so hope it brings a smile or something in it's UNEDITED glory.
Disclaimer- Since I don't own recess, I'm not making any money.
TJ's heart was beating faster than a galloping horse's hoofs. Words slammed into the back of his throat and were trapped. Sweat prickled at the back of his neck as he watched Spinelli ascend the great brown ladder before them.
Gus had told him she was going to go over the top, break through to another dimension according to all of the kid's on the playground. TJ couldn't explain the horror and pain this thought brought to his mind. Finally, as she finished addressing the crowd his panicked brain managed to formulate words, "Spinelli! Wait!"
Vincent asked her what she was doing, though in the depths of his heart, TJ had known the minute Gus had run up to them on the steps. Her new calm attitude suddenly irritated TJ, she was explaining leaving them and she didn't seem to have an ounce of regret about it. Didn't she realize she might never come back, that she might never see TJ again? He nearly slapped himself into falling for that. Swinger girl couldn't have gone over the top like that, he had watched her try a million times and it had never happened. The only thing that could happen to Spinelli...
His brain activity switched to a singular thought, Spinelli could get hurt, and he blurted it out before he could help himself, a terrified expression crossing his face as he bit his lip holding in tears. He couldn't let his best friend be hurt.
He listened with amazement as King Bob proclaimed that she should follow through with her act of suicide. Angrier than he had ever been TJ snarled at the powerful King, "Will you guys quite it with that next dimension stuff!" Then in a quieter, more bitter voice he addressed Spinelli, "It didn't happen ok?"
She ignored him, again. She asserted that Swinger girl had flown over the top into a blinding light, Gretchen, also afraid of losing a friend told Spinelli the light could have been the sun, but Spinelli wasn't about to see reason. TJ sarcastically though that if she hadn't listened to him, nobody would have made her see reason, but he hated to remind his friends just how close he and Spinelli were compared to the rest.
TJ tuned into the conversion again just in time to hear Spinelli say, "... And she's never coming back! Never!" In the extremely brief pause that followed, TJ's heart shattered. He didn't know how he could stand to face the school without Spinelli by his side, she was so close to him, they finished each others sentences, and sometimes he swore he could read her thoughts.
Then he was saved, his guardian angel being a rusty old car door. Everyone turned to face the car in time to see Swinger girl turn around and yell, "See you later Mom!" The school's population was shocked and turned instantly upon Spinelli, feeling sick that they had believed her when here she was being proven false. No one said a word as Swinger girl approached the swing set and began to swing.
The emotions running through Tj's brain had never been more complicated. First came a surging wave of relief, powerful but as calm as the tide on the shoreline. Then came pity, Spinelli had been wrong, and now she was being forced to see her mistake in front of the entire student body. Finally getting down from her precarious position on the ladder she approached her idol of the past week. The shocked written on her face was true, and TJ could see the hurt in her eyes. His chest hurt with the compassion he felt for her, and he was barely resisting the urge to hug her. Emotionally worn out, he decided all of this could be thought about later, for now he had only the ability to feel, and soon he felt anger.
Swinger girl had explained she had been on vacation, leaving Spinelli standing there all alone with the crowds of the school pressing in around her. King bob voiced what they surely all felt. "Then none of it was true!" He tore off his swinger girl hat and threw it on the ground. The rest followed and stalked away, muttering incredibly rude things about the gorgeous and tragically heartbroken looking Spinelli. TJ wanted to sit down ever last one of them and make them think twice about being so rude to someone so loyal and special. They didn't stick around long enough to see Spinelli run off, and although TJ was sure no one else had seen, he couldn't mistake the crystalline water flowing on her cheeks.
Knowing her for as long as he had, TJ knew she didn't cry often. The secret between them was that she cried at all, everyone else thought she just couldn't because they had never seen her do it. Even Gus, Mikey, Gretchen and Vince had never seen her rare tears. TJ followed her, finding her sitting on the roundabout. A place she often went to be alone and think. The other guys had followed behind him, but he gave them a sharp look making them falter, he shook his head. He saw Vince speak to the others quietly and nodded once at him, thanking him for pulling them all away. Spinelli needed to vent right now, and the others being around wouldn't give her the same freedom. That, and TJ could now walk her home without being pestered by the others to lighten the mood.
Slowly he approached her from behind, she had her head in her hands staring down. He put a hand on her shoulder and asked gently, "You ok Spinelli?"
She wasn't crying anymore as he sat down next to her, but she was still sad. "I just wanted to believe so badly, I guess I got carried away. You must think I'm a real idiot."
"No Spinelli, I think your brilliant." She gave him a funny look so he rubbed the back of his neck and continued, "Well, yeah. Some of what you said was a little out there, but a lot of it was really great. I mean, never hurting people and never trying to go over the top, those are good ideas."
She smiled at him, just a little, but to him it lit up the entire playground. "Thanks Teej." Then she leaned over to give him a hug, and did something TJ had never expected. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. Then she tore herself away, face bright read looking down again. She muttered something but TJ was so stunned and thrilled he was grinning like a mad man.
He remembered something her mother had said just a week and a half ago, that Spinelli had a little crush on him, maybe it was true afterall. Maybe he felt the same.