Here's the next chapter! Anyway, enjoy!
In the living room, on the couch, Marcie looked over at Charlie Brown as she took a deep breath. "You always tell me that you always wanted to approach the Little Red-Haired Girl, but the problem is is that you don't know how to do it..."
"Well... I mean I want to do it... I considered going up to her a lot of times during my lunch periods at school." Charlie Brown sighed. "But the main problem is that... I don't have the initiative to do so..."
Marcie paused as she looked at Charlie Brown. "You know Charles, the problem isn't you... it's your bad feelings. You're always getting yourself all the way down, and I suppose the words that people tell you don't really help..."
"I know... it's just the fact that whenever I hear people say that I'm wishy-washy or I'm a fool..." Charlie Brown sighed.
"I don't think you're a fool, Charles..." Marcie said. "I think you have a strong heart, and good friends. Some people like Lucy may not see it, but there are friends that think you do have an untapped potential."
Charlie Brown looked at Marcie as she paused. "Well... beyond what Patricia is trying to get out of you anyway..."
"But what should I do?" Charlie Brown asked as Marcie looked to him.
"Charles, have you ever heard the term 'just be yourself'?" Marcie asked.
"That's the problem. Look at myself!"Charlie Brown complained.
"Charles, I want you to relax for a minute." Marcie said as she held Charlie Brown's hand. "Close your eyes... try going to your happy place..."
"My... happy place?" Charlie Brown asked as he closed his eyes.
"Yes, Charles. Now, I want you to describe your happy place to me... what does it look like?" Marcie asked.
Charlie Brown paused as he tried to imagine his happy place. "Well... I'm in the baseball field... I'm standing in my pitcher's mound... everyone else is there... and they're all cheering me to get the final strike on the one player... we're ahead, five to three. The other team is batting, and the bases are full. If the guy gets a homerun, we lose..."
Marcie looked at Charlie Brown, listening and nodding. Normally, she didn't care much about baseball, but just hearing Chariie Brown describing it made her pretty comfortable. "Go on, Charles..."
"And then, over near the crowds, I see her. Her pretty face, her nice hair... her sweet personality..." Charlie Brown smiled.
Marcie sighed as she didn't need to hear the rest of the description, she assumed it was the Little Red-Haired Girl. "Go on, Charles..."
"Everyone is cheering me on... and then..." Charlie Brown opened his eyes as he sighed. "And then cruel reality hits when you realize you're never going to win..."
"Charles..." Marcie hugged Charlie Brown out of comfort. "If it makes you feel any better, despite what everyone says, I believe you can win..."
Charlie Brown gave a smile as he hugged her back. "Thanks, Marcie. That means a lot to me..."
Marcie paused as she looked towards him. "You're welcome..."
Before Marcie and Charlie Brown could discuss any further, another knock on the door was heard.
"Hang on a second, Charles..." Marcie said as she got up and peeked out from the peephole to see Snoopy wearing his World War I outfit standing at her door.
Marcie sighed. She didn't know what happened that included her in one of Snoopy's fantasies, but she always went along with it, anyway... maybe it's because of the fact she learned the French language.
Either way, she opened up the door and said to Snoopy, "Bonjour, monsieur. Comment êtes-vous cette belle journée?"
Snoopy just bowed and took Marcie's hand as he kissed it.
Marcie gave a slight giggle. Even though it was a little ridiculous, she didn't mind playing along with Snoopy. She knew, to him, it was all just a little game in his imagination. "Tu as l'air fatigué. Puis-je vous offrir une bière de racine?"
Snoopy gave a bow as he walked inside Marcie's house and sat right down in the kitchen. Charlie Brown, who had been watching this in the living room, looked amazed.
"I didn't know you spoke French." Charlie Brown said in surprise. "I-I mean, I knew you knew some words since we went to Paris for the exchange program last time, but..."
"Some of my family members are French fluent, Charles. I'm sorry, do you think you can help me with this?" Marcie asked.
"Okay, but I don't know any French..." Charles said as he got up.
"You don't need to. I think as long as Snoopy wears that outfit, he thinks you're his general or something." Marcie said as she pulled out a bottle of root beer and popped the top off as she poured it in a cup.
Snoopy then looked at Charlie Brown in shock as he squinted. Then he gave a salute as Marcie put down the three root beers on the table.
Marcie nodded as she turned to Snoopy as she started to drink. "Il y aura quelque chose d'autre pour vous, pilote de courageux?"
Snoopy just shook his head as he took a sip.
Marcie turned to Charlie Brown as she said, "Anyway, like I said before, if you want to get to the Little Red Haired Girl, try approaching her. Be yourself. If anybody tries to get you down, just ignore them."
Charlie Brown paused as he nodded. "I'll... I suppose I can give it a try, if you think I can do it..."
"Charles..." Marcie said as she put his hand to hers. "I know you can do it."
Charlie Brown looked into Marcie's eyes and gave a small smile. "Thanks for the confidence, Marcie."
Marcie gave a slight smile as she turned back, blushing. She was glad she could help out her friend.
Snoopy looked between Marcie and Charlie Brown, or, in his mind, the French Lass and General Pershing. He raised an eyebrow and wondered if the French Lass he had a small crush on could possibly be in love with General Pershing...
He gave a small chuckle as he went back to sipping his root beer.
And chapter four is out of the way! How'd you like it? Anyway, read, review, criticize and suggest, folks!
