OPERATION: A.R.T.H.U.R.
CHAPTER ONE: OPERATION C.R.U.S.H.
Sue Ellen was sitting in band class, looking over the sheet music, when the thoughts suddenly began. A few rows over, Arthur and Buster we joking around like always, wasting another day of eighth grade band class to have as much fun as possible. Yet somehow, as Arthur's face flushed red and his eyes teared up from too much laughter, Sue Ellen found herself falling for Arthur. Just the sight of him made her feel feelings that she hadn't felt before.
But she wasn't alone in these feelings. Girls all around her were developing crushes for the first time, one of those girls being Francine Frensky. She'd had a crush on Arthur, her lab partner in life science, for about two weeks now, ever since he stuck out his tongue while concentrating on dissecting that frog. Francine sighed lovingly at the memory, falling into daydreams about their upcoming high school years, when they could walk up the hallway hand-in-hand and no one could say a word.
Francine had confided in Muffy about her crush, but so far, they hadn't acted on it. For one, Muffy didn't understand why she'd picked him of all people. He was shorter than most of the boys now, and his glasses were currently a little too big for his face. And though Buster, Binky, and even George were beginning to attain deep voices and facial hair, Arthur's voice still cracked and his beard was nonexistent. A boy like Arthur wasn't attractive, and knowing him, he wasn't into girls anyway.
But being a good friend, Muffy kept the secret to herself. They only talked about it after school when they met up at the Crosswire mansion to do homework and talk about celebrity gossip, something Muffy had always been into but Francine had only recently found interest in. In between celebrity stories from online, Francine would tell Muffy in a high voice about what Arthur had done that day to please her.
And now that Sue Ellen had a crush on Arthur as well, she began confiding in Jenna and Maria, her after school study partners. They were at the Elwood City Public Library in a private study room when she made the announcement. Maria was immediately happy for her. She'd already had her first crush on Alex a few months ago, but it passed quickly when she was moved from his classes when the next term began. Jenna hadn't had a crush yet, but she smiled and nodded, listening as Sue Ellen went on and on and on about Arthur.
Unlike Francine, Maria and Jenna didn't remain quiet, and Sue Ellen herself was eager to tell the world about her feelings for Arthur. So within one short day, Francine knew...and she was furious.
Instead of chatting about Arthur after school, Francine asked Muffy what she should do about Sue Ellen. Muffy grinned, leading her friend into her room and logging into her laptop.
Francine growled, "Why are you grinning like that? I really need your help about this," Francine demanded.
Muffy nodded, "I know, I know. I'm grinning because you have a rival. And you know what celebrities do when their rivals want the same thing as then. They start an all-out gossip war. So, know anything embarrassing about Sue Ellen that you could spread around."
"What? No, that's mean. I want her to keep away from my man, not ruin her reputation with people. I want to know how to do that. Should I write her a note? An email? Go to her house?" Francine asked.
Muffy couldn't help but laugh, "No, no, no, we have to make sure there is absolutely no possibility of her getting with Arthur. You need new clothes first, maybe a new hair style. What kind of perfume are you wearing?"
"I'm not—Muffy!" Francine called as Muffy began spinning her around and looking her over.
"It's been a while since I tried to give you a makeover. You've really filled out, Francine. Wow, is that a real bra?"
"Muffy!" Francine spat.
"Right, sorry," Muffy sighed, sinking into her computer chair, "You can try your method first, but I doubt Sue Ellen is just going to back down and let you have Arthur. You and her have always been competitive people. You're competitive with sports; she's competitive with brains. You'll both be fighting with your own respective weapons for Arthur's charms. But-"
"I don't like the sound of that 'but'," Francine muttered.
"Just listen, Francine!" Muffy cried. "But, I think you're going to have a bigger problem with Arthur himself. Look at his social media page. No celebrities, no bands, no nothing. He has no social life. He doesn't want a social life. He and Buster just want to play video games and hang out and eat pizza rolls all day, every day. No girl is going to ask him out and actually get the response they want."
"So how do we win him over?" Francine asked. Muffy shrugged, "I don't know, but be prepared to wait. And while you wait, you and Sue Ellen are going to be enemies, epic enemies. Remember this?" Muffy asked, popping up a viral video showcasing a Hollywood brawl. Francine nodded with a whimpering sound. "Oh, don't do that," Muffy sighed. "I don't think you and Sue Ellen will get physical, but the mental game? Oh, this is going to be good!" Muffy grinned.
Francine didn't like the satisfaction her friend was getting out of this, but she had a point. Francine had to make her point known and tell Sue Ellen to back off, but the girl probably wouldn't. Francine wasn't the only one who'd filled out a little, and Sue Ellen had already been the crush of several older boys. She didn't want them then, but now that she wanted Arthur, she likely wouldn't step aside for Francine, but it was worth a shot.
The next day, Francine went to Sue Ellen's house after school. She could hear giggling from the living room as she waited on the door step. Mrs. Armstrong answered the door, leading Francine into the den.
"...and then he asked a question in math class today. It was such a silly question, but I just...it made my heart skip a beat," Sue Ellen sighed, looking up as Francine entered the room. "Francine, I wasn't expecting you," she smiled, gesturing her mother away.
Francine gave Jenna, Maria, and Fern stern glances. Fern, still mousy and independent, grabbed her purse and darted for the bathroom. Maria and Jenna exchanged glances before moving outside. Sue Ellen and Francine were now alone. It was time for the first showdown.
"I heard you had a crush on Arthur," Francine said coldly. Sue Ellen nodded, a soft smile forming on her lips. Francine wanted that smile gone, "Well, I liked him first. If you want him, you'll have to wait for me to have him first!"
"That's not how it works, Francine. Besides, I already talked to him. He's not looking for a girlfriend right now, but-"
"You already talked to him?" Francine asked darkly, moving closer in a menacing way. Sue Ellen held up her hands. Francine immediately backed off. She forgot that Sue Ellen knew multiple forms of what laymen called "kung fu." Sue Ellen might be more intelligent than physical, but she could still fight. Francine glared at her, "I won't be intimidated by you. Arthur will say yes to me, and he'll be mine well before he'll ever be yours."
"Fat chance, Frensky, but we'll see what happens. He's a boy, not a toy," Sue Ellen said. Francine ignored her, storming out of the house.
With Hurricane Francine out of the home, Jenna and Maria returned from their hiding place in the dining room. Fern returned a few minutes later with her purse, a fat mystery novel sticking out the top. Fern looked terrified, but when she saw Sue Ellen's smug grin, she knew something good had come out of that awful visit.
"Well?" Jenna asked. Sue Ellen grinned, telling her friends everything. Jenna laughed, "Wow, she doesn't know boys at all! You can't just claim them or cast a magic spell to make them like you. What an idiot!" she snickered.
Maria nodded, "And she might not even like him after tomorrow or next week. You have to enjoy the crush, not fight people to keep it yours. She's so weird!"
Fern nodded in agreement but remained silent. The girls got back to work, which included more ways that Sue Ellen still liked Arthur. He might've said no, but something was stirring inside Sue Ellen. He might've said no, and Francine might be challenging her, but Sue Ellen didn't have to give up. She just needed to try harder.