Chapter4
For most people, the first week of school went by slowly. For Spinelli, most of it went by as a blur. Brian had brought in pot and taught her how to smoke a joint. Sunday laughed her head off when Spinelli tried her first drag and ended up coughing and sputtering for almost all of lunch.
She got the hang of it by the next day and was slightly out of it for most of the day. Honestly, Spinelli didn't like it that much for the same reason she didn't like getting drunk. She felt she didn't have any control of herself. She was just so out of it… it didn't feel like she was Spinelli.
But she kept it up, because after Friday she wouldn't need to be with Chuck anymore unless she wanted to smoke with them behind the school. She didn't want to lose him.
"I'm hungry," Mikey said as he, Spinelli, Vince and TJ all walked home on Friday, "Fridays always make me exhausted. Let's go to Kelso's."
"Hey yeah," Vince agreed, "We haven't been there all week. I could definitely use a milkshake and… man, do any of you guys smell that?"
Spinelli felt her whole body tense. Whatever Vince smelled was probably from her. Nonetheless, it sort of relieved her. None of the gang had been suspicious of her doing drugs at school, and it kind of hurt her. It made her feel like they didn't know her well enough to notice.
Of course, she only thought like this when she was high.
"I smell it too," Mikey sniffed loudly, "I've smelled it a lot recently but can't tell what it is. It's really strong today, though."
Spinelli said nothing. All she could do was wonder if the snake slithering up and down Vince's shirt was real or not.
Right… she was really out of it. What had Chuck even given her?
"You don't know what the smell is?" TJ cried loudly, "It's the smell of leaves. Fall is here, that's what it is. Pretty soon the leaves will change color and fall to the ground." Spinelli eyed him carefully.
"Hey, I think you're right," Mikey said as Vince nodded in agreement. TJ grinned at them, but the moment they looked forwards, his grin melted away. He looked sad, almost disappointed. A rock landed in the pit of Spinelli's stomach when she realized something was wrong.
Could… could it be possible that he knew?
"So Spinelli," TJ suddenly said, "we missed you at lunch today… again." He added solemnly.
She opened her mouth slowly as she tried to come up with an excuse, but nothing about her seemed to be moving too quickly. It was like she had lost her fire, her wit… it was irritating. Luckily for her, Vince spoke first.
"Yeah, you missed some exciting things today at lunch," Vince said as he grinned wickedly, "Bridgette came and practically sat in TJ's lap today, begging him to have lunch with her."
"Shut up guys," TJ mumbled, obviously not where he had wanted to go with the topic.
"We're only telling the truth," Mikey replied, "like how Bridgette kissed you before leaving."
"She did NOT!"
"Find, so we exaggerated," Vince shrugged, "but she was pretty damn close. I'm surprised you didn't just let her with all the flirting you two were doing."
"We weren't flirting," TJ tried to shake it off, but with the amount of blushing he was doing Spinelli could tell that he had. He was always flirting with girls, she had just gotten used to it and she thought everyone else had.
"What's the big deal?" finally Spinelli was able to move her mouth. TJ beamed at her. "I mean he'll flirt with any girl who's hot and brainless."
Wait, that didn't sound right…
TJ stopped walking. "What the hell does that mean?"
Spinelli suddenly wished she still couldn't talk, but now that she could she couldn't stop. "You've been doing it for years, so it's nothing to make a big deal out of."
TJ's mouth dropped and he looked as if he had just been slapped. "Are you kidding me?"
Vince tired to brush the whole thing away with a wave of his hand. "Look man, we're only kidding. We'll stop it with you and Bridgette."
"Yeah, you could have just asked us," Mikey told him softly as he shuffled his big feet, "you know we didn't mean it."
Spinelli went along with it. "Nothing to make a big deal out of, TJ."
Slamming his mouth shut, TJ glowered, glowered at Spinelli. "Nothing to make a big deal out of, huh?" He said flatly as he stared darkly at Spinelli. Without another word, he turned sharply on his heel and began walking the other way.
"What's eatin' him?" Mikey asked.
Spinelli shrugged. "I'm out, guys." She said as she began walking back to the school.
"But what about Kelso's?" whimpered Mikey, sounding like the friendly giant he was.
"I'm still going to Kelso's." Vince said as he watched his two friends storm off. He knew something was going on, but he didn't care enough to look into it. Especially not when his stomach was grumbling like it was.
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"Hey, you're still here." Spinelli approached Chuck who was picking up litter at the front of school, "Is this also for extra credit?" she asked.
"Yup, Ms. McGraw asked if I would and I couldn't say no."
"I'm sure you could of," Spinelli tried, "I mean it's a Friday, she would have understood…"
Chuck stood up, his face serious again. "Now Spinelli," he lowered his voice, "you know the rules. We got caught once and we can't let it happen again." He waited for her response.
"Do you want help?" she asked slowly, hoping she was right. She knew she was when he grinned at her.
"That's my girl," he patted her shoulder and passed her a garbage bag.
That's my girl, Spinelli repeated the words in her head, could that mean…?! She might as well try.
"Hey Chuck," asked Spinelli, "maybe after this we can, I dunno, hang out or something. You want to see a movie or –"
His laugh cut her off. "A movie, Spin? Really, is that how you spend your weekends?"
She glared at him, "Well obviously that's not all. I mean I'll go to parties and stuff but I don't really –"
"Don't really what?" he cut her off again.
What could she say? That she didn't like parties because she didn't drink? "But I haven't heard of anyone having one this weekend," she finished as a lie.
Chuck let one of eyelids cover a dark eye as he winked at her. "Aren't you lucky you met me, then?" he laughed, "There's a party tonight at Lawson's. Do you know him?"
Spinelli couldn't help but laugh. "Lawson!" she cried, "Do I ever." He had gone to a different high school and she had forgotten about him until now.
"So are you coming? Brian and Sunday will be there as well so you won't be alone."
"Alone?" Spinelli asked, "But won't you be there?"
"At Lawson's, oh of course, I just meant… well I don't know what I meant. The joint's still got me I guess." He paused as he took a step closer. "But I wouldn't miss it for the world, not with you there." Bending down so that his face was not even a centimeter away from hers, Spinelli thought for sure that he was going to kiss her. But after a moment he pulled away.
"So, you coming or what?"
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"Oh Pookie, you just missed Gretchen." Spinelli's mom called loudly to her the moment she walked into her house. She cringed at the nickname her parents had been calling her since, well, birth.
"Should I call her back?" her mom asked as she started pushing the buttons on the phone, "Something about seeing a movie tonight."
"No mom!" Spinelli said quickly as she leaped and snatched the phone out of her hands. "I have plans tonight already."
Her mom made a face, first at Spinelli and then at the phone in her daughter's hands. "Plans with… who?"
"Gretchen," Spinelli lied, "and everyone. I guess Gretchen just forgot about the party we were planning to go to tonight. I'll talk to her on MSN though."
Her mom smiled. "Sound like fun Pookie, just tell me when you're leaving."
"Of course." Spinelli said hurriedly as she dropped the phone and began jumping up the stairs to her room.
So gullible, she thought darkly, oh, so gullible.
A/N Oh dear, what is happening to our Spinelli?! Well you'll have to keep reading to find out. I'll update soon :)
One thing, someone asked Why Spinelli hasn't changed? Sorry to say I don't really know what you mean so if you would like an answer I need you to clarify it the question.
Thanks so much for the review. x0
Vintage88