"Ralphie? Ralphie!" Arnold sighed. "Get your head up off the table!"
Ralphie, who's head was buried in his arms as he slumped over the table, responded with a moan.
The party had ended rather abruptly. When the friends had rushed upstairs towards Ralphie's bedroom where they had heard the thud, they had found Ralphie passed out on his bedroom floor with an exasperated Wanda crouching above him. It had taken them a while to wake him up, and then afterwards, he seemed to have trouble stringing two words together. Wanda had then stormed off rather angrily and the girls quickly followed her out the door.
Now Carlos, Tim, Arnold, and Ralphie were sitting around Ralphie's kitchen table; Ralphie with his head buried in his arms, Arnold sitting at his side with a few bath salts resting in front of him in case Ralphie passed out again. Carlos had a hand on Ralphie's shoulder.
"Ralphie," Carlos' tone was rather matter-of-fact, which Tim knew Ralphie wouldn't appreciate very much. "How could you have been so stupid!?"
Ralphie just groaned again.
"After all those lectures given by our teachers about contraceptives and you couldn't even - "
"Well it's a little late for that isn't it!" Ralphie had finally lifted his head out of his arms to retort; his brown hair was sticking up on all ends and was still damp from when Arnold had poured a glass of water over his head in an attempt to reanimate him.
"You're the one who skipped every planning class about 'safe sex' and you're the only one who needed it!" Carlos shook his head pityingly.
"What, you're proud of that Ramone?!"
"Hey at least I didn't get some girl knocked up!"
"Yeah, DA'd never have sex without a condom."
Carlos furiously whirled around to face Arnold. "Hey! Would you guys stop - "
"Ralphie you've got to talk to her about this," Tim interrupted quickly. "She didn't look very happy when she left."
"Well, DUH!" Ralphie shouted, his round face turning red. At least the colour was coming back, Tim thought, slightly relieved. "She can't expect me to - to... pregnant?!" He buried his head in his arms again.
Arnold drummed his fingers on the table, next to the bath salts, it looked like he might need them again soon. "You're not going to run out on her are you?" he asked, sounding worried.
"No he's not," Carlos said, looking warningly down at Ralphie. "Right?!" he demanded.
Ralphie just groaned again. Arnold hit him on the top of his head.
"Snap out of it! You can't honestly be thinking of - "
"Look! I didn't say anything, so stop - " Ralphie's head was up again and he looked livid. "You have no idea how - Well, what would you do?!"
"Not have sex?" Tim put in. Arnold, Carlos, and Ralphie stared. "I - meant unprotected. Anyways, Ralphie, you're not going to - "
"No, I'm not going to run," Ralphie sighed before dropping his face back down on the table. Carlos clapped him once on the shoulder before standing up to get his friend a beer from the kitchen.
xxx
"Urg! Moron!"
"He was just surprised Wanda," Dorothy Ann said quietly, rubbing Wanda on the back. "Give him a bit of time to digest the news."
The four girls were sitting on the bleachers overlooking the small baseball field in the local park. It was already quite dark, but the darker the better. Wanda hadn't wanted to go back home just yet, and the park was usually very secluded at this time of night.
"Why - why didn't you use.. you know," Phoebe sounded nervous, like she was carefully choosing how exactly to phrase her question. "Use protection or something?"
"I don't know.. There was that one frigging time when Ralphie forgot!" Wanda shouted, and Phoebe backed up slightly.
"Voice down Wanda," Keesha said calmly. "You don't want anyone to hear - "
"Oh they'll find out in nine months won't they?!" Wanda shrieked. "Ralphie'll leave me and I'll have to raise this stupid kid on my own on the streets and I'll never learn how to fly a stupid plane! My life is ruined!"
Keesha pulled a tissue out of her pocket and handed it to Wanda. "We'll help you. You won't be alone."
"Yeah," Wanda snorted. "Right... You say that now..."
"Carlos' beat Ralphie if he doesn't," Keesha tried to assure.
"And if he doesn't, I will!" Phoebe said. No one laughed even though they all thought the idea of Phoebe taking on Ralphie was a little funny. Although Phoebe did look rather fierce right now as she proclaimed her warning.
xxx
Carlos went home feeling rather grim that night. Tim, Arnold, and himself had made sure that Ralphie was in bed before his mother had gotten home so he wouldn't give himself away and cause her to ask too many questions. They had left after and hadn't really spoken much about what had just happened; they were all quite relieved when Tim brought up another subject about some art show soon after leaving. Even though that particular topic usually bored Carlos to death, he listened to it eagerly this time.
Now he was back at home, lying on his back, fully clothed, on his bed. Just staring up at the ceiling, his mind a bit blank. It was already well past midnight and his house was silent, save for the light humming of the empty fish tank in the corner of his room. Everyone was in bed when he'd gotten home. He'd cleaned up the few dishes left on the kitchen table, more because he needed something to do to preoccupy his mind than anything, and then gone up to his room where he was now lying.
But he wasn't really thinking about Ralphie's situation right now, he wasn't trying to think about anything. After a few moments of listening to the mindless buzzing in his ears, Carlos tilted his head to the left slightly and saw his suitcase lying open on the floor. He'd brought up it to his room from the basement yesterday so he'd be ready to pack just in case they won the game today; in which case the bus would take them to Bridgeton tomorrow afternoon. There wasn't anything in it right now and Carlos wondered if he should just start packing now. He wasn't feeling very tired at any rate.
He decided against it however and closed his eyes. It seemed impossible that a few hours ago he had been worried about DA locked up in a chemistry classroom with that dweeb Gus Mackerson. Carlos' stomach suddenly tightened and he momentarily forgot all about Wanda.
Dammit! Why did Mr. Runes have to choose DA and Gus?! He was just as good a chemistry student as she was! He'd even started doing the homework they were assigned but not required to do.
Carlos turned over onto his stomach and buried his face into his pillow as unwanted thoughts entered his mind. She wasn't planning on doing any more practice this weekend with Gus - at least as far as he knew. So it was probably safe for him to leave for the two days for the game.
He shifted restlessly on his side again, on hand under his head, and wondered what the chances were of Ralphie coming to the game. Probably about as slim as Dorothy Ann full on declaring her undying love for him tomorrow before he left and kissing him senseless. Carlos couldn't help but smile at the thought and suddenly wondered, maybe, just maybe, that - since everyone else was so determind in thinking he had a crush on DA - that maybe he should kiss her goodbye. Maybe.
And, suddenly feeling relaxed and happy at the very thought, Carlos finally began to drift off to sleep.
xxx
Dorothy Ann walked silently with her hands stuffed inside her favorite pink jacket's pocket's. She was walking next to Carlos as the two of them made their way to the school where Carlos would board the bus that would take him to Bridgeton for the soccer tournament. And take Jill along with him...
Dorothy Ann swallowed. She had jumped at the idea of coming with Carlos to the school when he'd asked her if she wanted to. Last night, after lying in bed for awhile worrying about Wanda, her mind had suddenly strayed to Jill and almost subconsciously, a plan had formed in her mind that involved making sure Carlos would not forget her when Jill would be trying to seduce him in her devilish ways. Dorothy Ann swallowed again and suddenly looked up at Carlos, who's eyes were on the pavement before him. What had seemed so easy last night thinking of in bed, was already promising to be rather difficult to do now that he was actually here beside her.
And they were getting nearer and nearer to the bus station; her chances of kissing him goodbye - in a way she had never done before - seemed slimmer and slimmer. The two hadn't even spoken since they'd left his house, both forcefully reminded of the revelation of news the night previous the moment they set eyes on each other.
Carlos didn't look like he was feeling particularly uncomfortable though. His hands too, were stuffed in his pockets, but he looked relatively happy. He was, after all, going to one of the biggest game opportunities ever presented to Walkerville high.
Dorothy Ann suddenly felt a drop of rain land on her head and she looked out, straight ahead of her. There was the bus stop, directly in front of the school. The sight wasn't particularly shocking, but DA did start and almost ended up tripping over a crack in the sidewalk a second later.
Carlos however, and his quick reflexes, grabbed her before she could fall face first onto the pavement.
"Woah, watch it," he said, as she gained her balance. "You okay?"
"Yes of course I'm okay," Dorothy Ann said fiercely. "I only stumbled for heaven's sake!"
"Okay, okay, sorry..." Carlos shook his head, but he was grinning.
They stopped walking when they were a few paces away from the bus stop. Only a few other people were there, students Dorothy Ann only knew by name, and the bus hadn't arrived yet. It did only when Carlos unloaded his duffle over his shoulder in relief.
Dorothy Ann saw him groan bend down to pick up the undoubtably heavy bag again. "So, you'll be back.. - "
"Uh, late Sunday probably..." Carlos groaned as he heaved the pack back over his shoulder. "It's not very far to Bridgeton." He started walking towards the side of the bus. The driver had already come out to open the side compartments for luggage. Carlos stuffed his bag in.
"See you then, then," Dorothy Ann suddenly felt rather uncomfortable and it must have showed because a second later Carlos smirked at her.
"Aww, you really going to miss me that much?" he teased. Dorothy Ann responded by rolling her eyes and ignored the flutter in her chest that always seemed to happen when he cracked that smile he was currently giving her.
"You wish Carlos..."
Carlos shifted his carry on backpack strap on his shoulder. "Well, thanks for walking with me over here anyways."
"No problem," DA said. There was a pause while they both stared at each other. DA saw Carlos swallow and her eyes quickly moved from his face and onto the street. It was easier to look down at the ground instead of his face, flawless face; there was a wad of pink gum lodged in one of the cracks, a second after she looked down, she saw a small droplet of water hit the pavement, and then felt one land on her head. It had started raining.
"Carlos!"
Dorothy Ann suddenly looked up, she recognized that voice. Had to endure it through every history class. Her hands tightened on the pink strap of her bookbag as she saw Jill bouncing on the balls of her feet waving at the two of them. Well, just waving at Carlos. She hurried over to them once she had gotten Carlos' attention and threw one arm across Carlos' shoulder. She was just as tall as him; a foot taller than Dorothy Ann.
"Bridgeton for two days with minimum adult supervision!" Jill squealed. "Aren't you psyched!" Her pin straight brown hair jumped up and down as she spoke and shook her head excitedly.
"Er - yeah." Carlos looked a little sheepish. "I'll see you later then DA."
And with that and one last wave, he left, Jill's arm still around his shoulders; together the two walked towards the bus, leaving a furious Dorothy Ann in their wake.
She turned on her heel and stormed off, without a backwards glance at the disgusting sight, in the direction of her home; expecting to spend the next to days soaking in her own self pity and worries. As she walked, and as the rain got harder and harder, and her worries grew, she didn't realize she was moving towards a person who's problems were a lot greater than hers at the moment. Ran into him actually.
Dorothy Ann had quickly looked back up from the ground at the person she'd just bumped into to apologized, but stopped when she'd seen it was just Ralphie. She figured he must have been heading towards the bus stop she had just vacated to board the same bus Carlos and Jill just had. DA felt mildly surprised that he was actually going.
"Hey," she greeted quietly, not quite sure what exactly to say to him.
"Hey," Ralphie said miserably, not looking at her, but at his shoelaces instead. "DA," he suddenly looked up. "I can't go to this stupid soccer game and actually play!"
"Then why are you going?" Dorothy Ann asked. "Stay here and actually talk to Wanda - "
"My mom doesn't know why I don't want to go," Ralphie said quickly. "I'm sure as hell not telling her..." He stopped talking then and started to move around Dorothy Ann in the direction of the bus stop. "See you around then..."
Dorothy Ann let him go; she watched him for a few seconds as he miserably made his way towards the school, head and shoulders slouched, before turning around and walking back home by herself.
xxx
"Lousy weather report," Arnold said from Phoebe's side. "Said there wasn't a chance of rain today!"
"They said it this morning," Phoebe said, unconcerned about the light drizzle. It would be good for the flowers. Her and Arnold were in her garden again; Arnold was holding her favorite flowery yellow umbrella above both their heads and crouching in the soggy ground next to her. They had both avoided bringing up the topic of Wanda and her news, instead choosing to talk about more comfortable subjects such as the new rock exhibition in the GRANITE section of the natural history museum and joking about when Carlos and Dorothy Ann would finally admit their feelings to each other.
"Need any more help?" Arnold asked her. He had already left to fill up the watering can a few minutes ago, but then the rain had started and now, as it grew steadily harder and harder, there wasn't much use for it.
"Um... Oh, I left a bucket of bulbs near the hose by the porch. Could you go get it, please?"
"No problem." Arnold stuck the umbrella into the moist dirt and made sure it could stand on it's own while still keeping Phoebe's head dry before sloshing off towards the bucket. Meanwhile, Phoebe used her shovel to dig a few little holes into the ground for the bulbs. Her fingernails were already caked with dirt, but that had never really bothered her too much. Only when Wanda had shoved a clod of dirt down her back in the fifth grade when Phoebe had asked her to help out in her garden had the muck bothered her. Phoebe made sure never to ask Wanda for help in the garden again.
"Here we go," Arnold placed the bucket onto the grass next to Phoebe.
"Thanks Arnold," Phoebe smiled and reached into the pail to retrieve a bulb. Arnold did the same and their hands briefly touched in the bucket; Phoebe quickly withdrew hers.
"Er - no Arnold," Phoebe said smiling after she planted her own bulb and turned to see what Arnold was doing. "The roots go down, not up."
"Oh, sorry, It's been awhile since I've done this," Arnold said, fixing the direction of the bulb's roots. "I used to garden with my grandmother when she still lived with us."
"Mr. Seedplot got me into it," Phoebe said, patting the dirt she had filled into the hole. "I love all the flowers that bloom in the spring - " she suddenly paused. Arnold's fingertips had just lightly touched her own as he patted down the dirt of his own bulb. Phoebe swallowed, but did not remove her hand.
Her heart started beating quite fast when Arnold did not remove his hand from hers, but slid it over so his entire hand was covering hers. Phoebe was frozen. She saw the raindrops falling on top of Arnold's muddy hand as it protected her own from the drizzle.
Phoebe turned to her right and looked at Arnold. His eyes, from behind his glasses which were slightly fogged up, was gazing intently down at their hands. Phoebe was in such a state of shock, she couldn't move a muscle, and simply waited for Arnold to do something.
"Phoebe?"
Phoebe started, and wrenched her hand out from under Arnold's. He jumped too and fell backwards into a puddle in the grass. Phoebe looked up at her porch and saw her mother standing there with the telephone.
"Phoebe honey, phone. It's Tim."
Phoebe tried her hardest to hide her disappointment and, avoiding Arnold's gaze, hurried off onto the porch towards her mother.