"The art of reading between the lines is as old as manipulated information" -Serge Schmemann
It started off where she all she wanted was to bug him. Get under his skin like she knew she could.
How else can he keep tabs on all the hoedowns and cattle pageants?
But he was never phased.
Be like the eagle and soar above the mockingbird.
So she tried harder.
Hey Hee-Haw. You going to tick-tock shake your body time? Because you know it's not a square dance, so not going to be a lot of dosey-doeing.
But he didn't even blink.
Well I'm sure I'll have no idea what to do and you can make fun of me.
Not
You're not playing this right.
Even
Well, that's certainly not my intention!
Once.
I'll try harder next time.
And so, it became her little game. She would break him one day. It was seventh grade, she had time, she would pick away at him slowly until he cracked.
Thanks, Ranger Roy.
He was as good as hers.
I'm Ranger Roy and I'll be here all week!
Gosh darn it he was good.
Well you only know that 'cause they went ahead and said it.
But wait, what was this?
Someday, you're going to write someone a wonderful fortune cookie
Did she have him this time?
He simply smiled.
No clever comeback, just a boyish grin?
Have you ever even heard me talk?
Had she been without success, she would have stopped.
Ha-hurrrrr!
But, here he was, nothing to add for once.
All he could do was laugh.
She was hooked.
Hey, Ranger Rick.
He had responses to everything. Her goal became to throw him off, say something that he couldn't think of anything to come back at her with.
Hey, other one.
But, it was more than that wasn't it?
Penelope?
When he started to strike back, it was kind of exciting. Exciting in a way she couldn't quite understand.
Really, Huckleberry? You wanna play with me right now?
It made her just the slightest bit flustered.
Oh, Huckleberry, Huckleberry, whatever bad bad things you did at your old school, you are still such a Huckleberry.
So she struck back harder, because that was all she knew how to do to deal with what she was feeling.
Were you thrown out of school?
But every once in a while
Yes.
He would say something
For a whole year?
That just sort of
Yes.
Made her stomach twirl a little.
I finally like you!
And she had to let him know.
I need to tell you something.
And she just couldn't help herself, even if she knew her best friend liked him.
And you really need to hear this.
Because in the end
In the end,
She was falling for him a little.
You're going to be on the ground, and I'm going to be the one who walks away.
All she could do was shudder with glee.
She calls me Huckleberry.
It was hard when she found out that he might not like her nicknames as much as she thought he did.
There's also the possibility I may have called him Ranger Rick once.
It sort of hurt.
Once?
She thought all her nicknames were in fun, but his had really stung.
Oh, yeah, Ranger Roy once. Ranger Rick is every day.
She had never thought that maybe his hurt him too.
Don't forget Bucky McBoingBoing.
Then she caught his tone.
Oh, that was a fun day!
He was just defending his right to call her nicknames too. This wasn't about her name calling hurting, this was about the game.
Why do you let her?
He wasn't mad about her nicknames at all, it was just that the ball was in his court and he had to save himself from losing the point. He cared about the game. That made her a little giddy.
I've been wanting to know that myself.
But why did he care?
You questioning my leadership, Hop-along?
She knew why she made fun of him, not that anyone needed to know the specifics.
These names you're calling me are really ruining my street cred.
He never pulled away.
Aw, and what would you like me to call you?
If she pushed him harder, would he break?
I'd like you to call me Mad Dog.
It was sure hard to breathe when he dropped his voice like that.
You don't seem like a Mad Dog to me.
That was a lie. She liked the look of his face paint and bandanna, it made his edges seem rougher, almost as if he was like her somehow.
Well what do I seem like to you?
Perhaps she was developing asthma. That, or her Mayaville residents had started a bonfire in a nearby trash can. Either way, breathing was hard and it was warming up her face.
You know that lamb that Mary had?
The look on his face was priceless.
I don't like where this is going.
She forced herself to push him away lightly. She smiled. She had won this round. But she couldn't help wondering what his lips might have felt like. They looked soft up close.
Well, maybe we don't have a vote, Lucas—
She was falling, head over heels, so how could she help it if she tripped up every once in a while?
Did you just call me Lucas?
He was so cute sometimes.
I've always known your name. I like us all very much.
If only she had the courage to tell him that point blank. If only he had the insight to read into her words.
The blonde beauty.
But it was comforting when he tripped up too.
Lucas talks about himself like that?
Zay probably thought she was dense.
He was talking about you.
She saw the look of panic on his face when Zay said that.
Oh… oh.
Perhaps she was dense.
I don't want that for Maya! I want Maya to be happy!
He slipped a lot it seemed.
Thank you, Lucas, but its just an art class.
She wondered how many stomach butterflies it would take to blow someone up from the inside out.
You're a great artist, Maya.
She wondered if he felt them too.
Silence.
Sometimes he didn't even need to say anything.
He grabbed her by the waist as she was about to pounce on Farkle.
That was different than anyone else.
He put her back in her seat and only smiled wide when she turned back to stare at him.
That scared her.
They thought I would be the best choice to… contain… you…
He managed to make scared cute too.
Oh. You think you can?
She knew he could. But he didn't have to know that.
Pappy Joe! That's your Pappy Joe. That's Pappy Joe! Yes, more stuff!
He didn't say a word. She wondered why.
I know it's early, but my life is complete.
He just stood there and took it, not even a half smile.
You're scared of a man cow.
It worried her when he didn't say anything.
I don't want you going anywhere near that bull.
Then she discovered the gravity of the situation.
Yeah, that makes two of us.
He didn't reassure her, didn't smile or tip an imaginary cowboy hat, nothing.
I want you to take off that stupid outfit and I want to get out of here.
He agreed with her.
Maya—
She realized how much she really cared in that moment.
I saw the bull; I don't think the bull realizes this is supposed to be fun!
Caring terrified her more than any bull could.
If you do this
So she acted.
I will never speak to you again.
She never liked his silence, it made her nervous. But if it would bring him back to safety, she'd hold onto silence like it was her lifeline.
What do you think you getting hurt would do to the people who—
Who was she kidding, she couldn't stay away.
Care about you? I think thats what you were gonna say.
Zay couldn't either.
Silence.
There was nothing to say to that.
Maya likes you.
Her heart dropped as fast as his jaw when she heard those words. She wondered if it was in free fall and it would shatter soon.
She's been hiding it all this time.
She did it for Riley, why couldn't she see that? Why was she undoing two years of hard work?
You like me?
What did he expect her to say?
No.
He should have been smarter than that, he knew her.
Why do you make fun of me?
There it was.
Because you're easy to make fun of.
She could answer that.
Okay, then stop.
She just didn't have to answer truthfully.
Because you're a Huckleberry, you're a Ranger Rick.
He could tell.
Would you stop?
Never.
Don't you think that if I had feelings for you I'd just go right out and say it?
Of course she wouldn't.
Well I don't so what I do say is ha—
Lies. Lies and lies and… silence.
She gasped as he took her face in his hands.
She was nervous when he was quiet, she always had been.
He stared into her terrified eyes and his gaze flickered towards her lips.
Why couldn't he just say something? Or… do something? Anything at all?
He let go, his fingers finding their way back to his sides.
There it was. She fell out of free fall. There was the shatter.
Why did you do that?
That came out more broken then she had hoped.
I don't know, I just wanted you to stop… I'm sorry.
He was so sweet, always so sweet. There was no reason for him to apologize.
Please don't tell my sister.
Riley. She had forgotten all about Riley. She had to know, but how could she hurt her pumpkin?
You don't have to be sorry, Huckleberry.
Why did he have to look at her with that face? That face that made it look like he was guilty of kicking a puppy? He hadn't done anything other than break her heart, but that was bound to break someday.
Of course I like you.
She wished he wouldn't look at her like that.
You're a good guy.
He looked like he actually cared.
And if you got hurt, I don't know what I would have done.
Silence.
Don't you think now would be a good time.
She just looked at him. It was like he actually cared.
He put his hand on her shoulder.
He needed to stop. It was making her hang on, thinking that someone cared like that.
You and me?
Why did he keep pretending like she mattered to him?
Sure.
But it was her fault for playing along wasn't it?
This spot taken?
She kept trying.
I was saving it.
And hoping.
For who?
And pushing.
I don't know anymore.
And in the end she was just as confused as he was.
Hey, Lucas?
She saw how he paid attention when she called him by his name.
Yeah?
Like what she was about to say was important. Maybe it was.
Have I ever said anything nice to you?
She was sure she had at some point.
No.
Maybe not.
Well
I like you.
It's one minute to midnight.
I really like you.
And I'm glad you're standing here.
I love you.
Wow.
She wondered if he had any idea what she was actually trying to say.
That kind of makes up for everything.
She had a feeling he had some idea.
Riley still loves Lucas.
And her heart shattered once again.
Silence.
See, things like this are what happen when I try to write a multi chapter. I'm working on a chapter, and then I get an idea and think, "This wouldn't work for this story, I must write a oneshot! This is actually a twoshot, but you get the picture. I have literally 5 starts to one shots cluttering up my desktop because of Bases are Loaded.