Chapter 3: Mystery solved
"Jojo! You're up! Did you sleep well?" Sally asked. Whatever was wrong, he'd slept last night, that was for sure. He wasn't falling asleep where he stood, anyway. He nodded, and hopped into his chair. His sisters were all making some sort of noise, or it sounded like it, but that was expected with 96 gossiping girls put at one dinner table.
"Hmm... There's perks to getting up this early... And down sides," Jojo thought. He was at least 39 sisters away from his dad... Which meant he had some blessed time before the torture began. It also meant he wouldn't have the advantage of falling asleep as his dad talked...But he wasn't anywhere near as tired as before. "Maybe I'll go to the observatory every other night, just to be safe," He thought. "Yeah, that'd be good...But should I tell Rosie and the others?"
"Jojo! You're not eating at all! Are you asleep?" One of his sisters asked.
"Of course he's not asleep! His eyes are open!" Another said.
"Some people can sleep with their eyes open..."
"So? That doesn't mean he can!"
"It doesn't mean he can't, either!"
"You're so stupid..."
"I am not! You're the one who still sleeps with a stuffed unicorn!"
"I do not! I threw that out ages ago!"
"Then how come it was hidden under the blankets in YOUR bed?"
"You were in my bed?"
"MY BED IS SIX BEDS ABOVE YOURS! I HAVE TO CLIMB UP AND DOWN PAST IT EVERY NIGHT AND MORNING!" The question had dissolved into a sister-to-sister argument before Jojo had a chance to reply. He sighed, watching the two girls.
"Should I tell my friends about the observatory?" He stopped. Friends... "Are they really my friends?" He thought, finally grabbing some food from the table before it moved. "Uh-oh. I'm only 7 sisters away from Dad!" He stared at the rapidly decreasing line in front of him.
"How was Rosie's family, Heady?" Asked Ned.
"Fend Wosie's Mommy vewy nice! Heady want visit again!" The little girl clapped her hands in delight. Sally smiled. When Jojo's time came, his mother gave him a curious look.
"So, what did you two do over there, son? Grand tour of the house, dinner, maybe just some time to kick back and chill?" He shrugged, not really wanting to think back to the visit, afraid he would get that feeling he'd gotten when Rosie sang. His Dad, however was thrilled to get a response, and hit him with a fresh new wave of questions, concerning everything down to the color of Rosie's bedroom wall, up to her favorite hobbies.
"She's an amazing singer..." He thought. "Maybe if I sang for her... Oh, no way! I don't hardly talk to her, even! Why would I sing? Besides, I'll just get that feeling, screw up and..." The chairs jerked, and he was forgotten. With a small sigh that no one else heard, he hopped out of his chair and headed for the hall that held pictures of all his ancestors. Looking up at the pictures, he whispered, "what's happening to me? Everything's changing...And yet I still have to be mayor? It just doesn't seem right..." For a brief moment, he almost thought one of the pictures winked at him. Meanwhile, at Rosie's house...
"Urgh! I can't stop thinking about him! Ever since I sang that stupid song last night, I've been getting these feelings, like I'm being electrocuted, yet all I want to do is scream and shout for joy! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?" But, deep down, she already knew. And the truth scared her. It could ruin everything she now had, tear it all down... Or build it up to the most wonderful experience she had ever gone through in life... She just didn't know which, and that was what scared her. If only someone could just TELL her, instead of making her figure it out alone.
"Rosie? Are you coming to breakfast? What's wrong? Something on your mind?" Her mother called, her voice sounding closer and closer as she spoke.
"Uh...No, Mom! I'm coming! I just...Slept in, that's all! I didn't sleep good last night..." It wasn't a total lie... She'd been up late thinking about a particular who...
"Alright then...But hurry! You don't want to be late for school!"
"Okay, Mom!" In her mind, she screamed, "Get a GRIP girl! He's just a friend!" And, meanwhile, Mar, Mono, Orrin, and Nirro were walking to school together, since Orrin and Nirro had just barely missed the bus, which had come a little early that morning...
"Really? You two walk to school every day? THAT must be why you're so fit!" Mar and Mono glared at Orrin, and he cringed. "Alright, I get the message!"
"You know, we gotta get those two together," Mar stated.
"Who?" Asked Nirro, whose voice was normal now.
"Jojo and Rosie!"
"Why?"
"Come on, guys! Tell me you noticed the way he only smiles when he's with her, and she blushes every time he compliments her!" They all gave her blank looks.
"He compliments her?" Mono asked. Mar sighed.
"He hands her a notepad, she blushes and says, "You really think so? Thanks!" and you still don't understand? You guys are SO stupid! Oh, right... I forgot... You're GUYS!"
"Hey! You say that like it's a bad thing!" Nirro exclaimed.
"Well, duh! It IS!" She huffed.
"Oh, right, and being a girl is just Soooooooo great!" Mono rolled his eyes.
"Oh, look who's talking! You know, you're just a coward, and you're afraid to admit how dumb and weak you are!"
"Am not!"
"Are too! You're just a whiny little baby! Ha!" She smirked. He tried to punch her, but she grabbed his arm and twisted. His face screwed up with pain.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Please stop, please stop! I'm sorry! HAVE MERCY!" He screamed. She smiled, and let go. He recoiled, and retreated to walk next to Orrin and Nirro.
"Oh, you're just Soooooooo tough! I'm just Soooooooo scared! Wah!" She taunted, pouting and pretending to rub her eyes with her fists mockingly.
"Oh, stop it, you two! You were saying, Mar?" Nirro asked.
"I was saying those two aren't brave enough to get together on their own, so I think we need to give them a few gentle pushes. So, they supposedly both have amazing voices, and I talked to Rosie this morning, she says she sang for him, and he loved it. I hear Jojo's voice is even better,"
"So, you're saying we have to get him to sing?" Asked Nirro, catching on. "That won't be hard... We already agreed him and Rosie are the singers... And according to you, first band rehearsal, and... BOOM! They're together!"
"Well, not EXACTLY... We'll just help out behind the scenes, 'ya know? I'll try to keep Rosie from getting a boyfriend; you keep Jojo from getting a crush on another girl... But don't make it too obvious... And in the meantime, we beat up anybody that has a problem with them as a couple, or just as themselves... Got it?"
"Got it," And the four smiling friends continued walking.
"WHY weren't you on the bus?" Asked Rosie. "I couldn't shake Tiffany off until I got off the bus and told her to take a hike, since she's just so wimpy. I told her she'll need a lot of muscles if she hopes to get away from YOU two next time! She is just SO ANNOYING!"
"Well, that's why she's Tiffany the Tiny Terror. Skinny as a rail, strong as a piece of paper. BEWARE HER WRATH!" Nirro shouted. Mar chuckled, and Nirro looked pleased with himself. Even Jojo cracked up. Tiffany heard, walking by with Stacey, and glared at them. But with Orrin and Nirro there, the two didn't dare to mess with them.
"I'M TERRIFIED! HELP!" Shrieked Mar in her best girly voice, pretending she was scared. They laughed some more, and separated to their different homerooms. When lunchtime finally rolled by, the six friends sat together at a table.
"Oooooh... I have Soooooooo much homework!" Rosie complained.
"Yeah, me too! It SUCKS!" Nirro groaned.
"You said it," Mar frowned. She was sitting next to Nirro, who was on her right, and Mono, who was on her left. On the other side, Rosie sat with Orrin on the left, and Jojo on the right.
"Oh, I'm gonna have to ask Mom if I can bring a lunch! This is disgusting!" Rosie frowned. The others nodded their agreement. Mar smiled slyly.
"Hey, Rosie? Can I talk to you?" Rosie shrugged.
"Sure," She got up and followed Mar away. When they were gone, Orrin said,
"So, Jojo... Got a crush on anybody? Don't worry, we won't tell," Jojo jumped, startled, and looked at them. As long as they didn't know who... He nodded.
"Can we guess?" Nirro asked, kicking his brother in the shin under the table with a smile. He let out a small, painful gasp. Jojo nodded slowly.
"Alright... Does it start with an R?" Mono asked. He got a kick in the shins, too. Jojo stared at them. Could he trust them? Oh, well. He nodded again. Nirro leaned in with a grin.
"Is it Rosie?" He asked quietly. Jojo's eyes widened. He hesitated before slowly nodded. Nirro was smiling so hard, he looked like an idiot, and the others were slowly following suit. "Alright then. We said we wouldn't tell... Now I promise none of us will tell. Right, guys?"
"Of course! Wouldn't dream of telling!" Mono assured a still dazed Jojo, who had begun to glance curiously at Rosie and Mar, still standing in a corner a ways away.
"Me? Tell? No way! Hey, look! Whatever Mar asked her, she's blushing!" Orrin pointed at Rosie. Mar put her arm around the embarrassed who's shoulder, and walked back to the table with her, smiling all the way. Rosie was looking at the floor, as if it could help her.
"Hey, guys! Our little girl's got a crush!" Rosie's blush deepened.
"Why is she saying that in front of him? Some "reliable, trustworthy" friend SHE turned out to be!" She could feel the heat of a hundred fires radiating from her cheeks. Any minute, she expected Jojo to realize the truth, and hate her for it. But instead, he looked clueless, and began to blush. "Wait... He's BLUSHING?" She thought. "WHY?"
"Well, we'll all just have to wait and see who it is, now, won't we? Well, most of you. I already know!" Mar smirked. Orrin, Nirro, and Mono got it.
"Well, it's the same for Jojo, here! We'll never tell you!"
"Likes someone, does he?" Mar laughed. "I'm not surprised. Hey, did you hear..."
"Oh, man. Why did they have to say that? Hey, wait a minute... What's wrong with Rosie?" Jojo thought. He regarded the who with a look of concern. She noticed, and gave him a weak smile. He pretended to relax, but he wasn't good at it, and both who's could see through the other.
"Ah, the six I've been waiting for all day! Well, most of it. Some of you are in choir," Mrs. Merrywho smiled warmly at them. "Oh, and Mar... I'd like to see you at the end of band,"
"Yes, Mrs. Merrywho," Mar shrugged. When Jojo and Rosie weren't looking, she winked at the other boys. They smiled. It was going smoothly. At the end of class, Mrs. Merrywho said,
"Good! Good! You've all done wonderfully! And now, Mar, if you please?" Mar walked over as the class began to leave. "Oh, and Orrin, Mono, and Nirro, could you come, too? Jojo, Rosie, this doesn't concern you... They will meet you later, alright?" The two nodded, and left. "Now..."
"Mrs. Merrywho, I take it you got my text from before homeroom?" She nodded. "Good. As you've probably had no trouble whatsoever noticing, Rosie and Jojo so obviously like each other. Well, we want to help out, behind the scenes, if you will," Mar began.
"Yes, I understand. And I would be happy to help you out!" Mrs. Merrywho smiled.
"Sweet! That otta make our job a world easier!" Nirro smiled back.
"Alright," Mar said. "Here's the plan..." That night, as Rosie went to bed, finally finishing her homework and eating her dinner, she heard the soft music coming from the observatory. She looked up at it through her window, and thought determinedly to herself,
"Tonight is the night. Tonight is the night I go up there and find out who makes that music!"
And while her parents fell asleep, she readied herself to go to the observatory, asking herself how and when she would do it. "Right. I'll go now, and just look for the way they get up there. No big deal, right?" However, when she found the way up, she also found this was not the case.
"Oh, THAT is what I call a big deal!" She said, peering over the edge of the cliff. A rope ran across the gorge. She saw the contraption was used, and she had no choice in the matter. She began to climb the rope, hand in front of hand, out, and slightly up. She was relieved when she reached the platform, which reset itself, and stood, shaken.
"Oh, I doubt I'm ever gonna get used to that! Well, actually, it isn't that bad," She thought, once she had allowed curiosity to kill fear. "Hey, maybe fear is a cat!" She pondered this new take on the usual phrase. "Well, I might as well get this over with," She gulped, backed into the huge rubber band, and pulled the lever...
"Oh, great who's of the heaven, HELP ME!" She thought, fear gripping her as she shot up into the air. The platform was a giant slingshot. Well, actually, after the Horton incident, it actually was a very tiny slingshot... But, the lever had turned it from a 180% angle to a 90% angle. She was surprised to find the slingshot had been expertly placed so that one went at a slight angle, landing on the ground. She fell forward a bit, and didn't fight it.
"Now," She thought. "It's time to find out who plays that wonderful music," The door was boarded up, but someone hadn't shut it well. From far away, it made no difference, but here, she could see the smaller door cut into the larger one. It was just barely ajar...
"Here goes," Rosie thought. And she pushed open to door. As she was as short as Jojo, which was defiantly short, she fit through it easily enough. "JOJO?" He spun around, eyes wide with fear. "Why didn't you TELL me? This place is awesome!" He looked guilty. "Look at this place! Listen to it! It's incredible!"
The observatory was filled with instruments, some newly invented that she had never seen before, and all the ones Rosie had ever known. Bells, drums, kites made into violins... It was all there, and It took the breath away. Jojo smiled a little.
"I... I thought I would come every other night, now... I need a decent night of sleep every now and then, at least... Do you like it?"
"LIKE it? I LOVE it! Why didn't you just TELL me?" Jojo shrugged.
"I come here because it's the only place I can be what I want to be,"
"You don't want to be mayor, do you?"
"No," Rosie gave him a sympathetic smile.
"Has your Dad been up here?" He nodded.
"Not that recently, but he's seen a lot of this stuff..."
"And he still doesn't understand?" He shook his head sadly. "He's so stupid. It's so obvious up here! There have been lady mayors here before, why can't there be a first second oldest daughter? I'm sure your least youngest sister would want to be mayor! You shouldn't be forced!"
"But I am. That's just the way it works," She narrowed her eyes.
"Not if I can help it! We're gonna get the others and Mrs. Merrywho involved in this! Don't worry, though... I'll make sure they don't tell anybody else about this place! I mean, teachers are good at keeping secrets, and we're your FRIENDS! We'll never tell! Come on. You are NOT going to have to be mayor if you don't want to!" And she pulled him out of the observatory, completely set on her goal. It was on, and she wasn't about to fail.