Chapter Four: Popular
The next day at school and on the Corny Collins Show set, everyone was talking about IQ's outburst at the hop: "I heard he was jealous of Fender for getting with Lou Ann, because he's always secretly had a crush on her." Brenda said to Tammy, who rolled her eyes at the mere mention of the bitch she knew as Lou Ann. "Please, I hope IQ has better taste than that, why would he go for such a slut like that, he's a great guy, he is too good for her so is my Fender Bender." Tammy referring to Fender by the nickname she had given him. "Oh please, your both wrong, I heard Lou Ann had been leading them both along and she had told IQ earlier that day that she was going to break up with Fender for him, and then he saw them about to kiss, and he freaked." Amber von Tussle said as she put on her blush at her dress table. "I mean, what else could it possibly be but, that." Amber said putting on some blush. "I guess that makes sense." Brenda said flattening her dress as she looked in the mirror examining her stomach. Tammy looked over at the boy's side of the dressing tables and saw IQ come walking by with a smile on his face, she watched as the boys starred as he walked by not sure what to say. IQ took his seat at his dress table and placed his books on the table and put his messenger bag on the floor.
Tammy made her way over to the boys side, getting a full blast of Ultra Clutch to the face from Brad and Link who were playing with Ultra Clutch cans spraying people who walked by: Tammy took a seat on the chair next to IQ: "Hey IQ." Tammy said batting her eyes at him, she always thought IQ was a nice quiet guy, never would give him the time of day though, she went for the more edgier, bad boy, like Fender. "Oh, Hi Tammy." IQ said as he opened one of his thick textbooks and pulled out a notebook from his bag along with a pencil. Tammy sighed; she didn't understand how someone could be on the most popular show in Baltimore and be such a nerd. "So, what exactly happened last night, between you and Fender? I mean why you flipped out at the hop when he was going to kiss Lou Ann, is there something going on between you and Lou Ann?" asked Tammy with a slight flirting in her tone. IQ looked at Tammy, IQ knew that Tammy was on of the trio of gossip queens: between herself, Amber and Shelley, the whole world knew everything about everyone. IQ knew too well the effect these girls had on the people of the show and their school at large, they once told the entire school about the time he got locked out of the locker room by the other guys. IQ half smiled at Tammy: "Oh nothing, just stuff." IQ said looking back at his notebook as he copied the terms into it for the upcoming test in history. Tammy felt determined, to get an answer to her question, she wanted to know what was going on and she wanted the truth.
"Well, IQ, I'm your friend and I was deeply concerned by what occurred and just wanted to make sure your okay." Tammy said taking a hold of the can of Ultra Clutch on his dress table. IQ smiled: "We both know you have better things to do than "be concerned" with me, because we both know you just want to know so you and your duo of destruction can have a good laugh at my expense, well you've barked up the wrong tree, sweetheart." IQ said shocked by the candor he had been exhibiting lately, from last night with Fender and now telling off Tammy, it made IQ feel strong and not so shy. Tammy looked shocked and disgusted all at the same time: She stood and gawked for a moment then swirled on her heel and walked off. The boys cheered IQ as Tammy made her way back to the girl's side of the Council tables. "Wow." was all the words Amber and Shelley could muster for they had witnessed the whole thing from their side of the room. "Where did that come from? He barely made a peep when we were calling him four eyes yesterday and now he's standing up for himself, that's shocking." said Shelley as she brushed her hair and starred vainly into the vanity mirror. "I know, I don't know what the hell is up with that nerd, but I'm going to be damned if I'm not going to find out." Tammy said grabbing the can of Ultra Clutch and eyeing Fender as he made his way toward his own dressing table near IQ's. Tammy noticed that Fender wasn't even looking at his best friend, IQ, which was odd since they had apparently been close since they were toddlers. "That's odd. Maybe there's trouble in buddy paradise." said Amber getting the same vibe as Tammy. "I'm going to investigate." Tammy said looking back at Amber and Shelley, who were too busy looking at themselves to even remotely care what became of IQ and Fender.
Tammy made her way to Fender's table and sat down on the edge: "Hey stranger." Tammy said with a perky tilt of her head. "So, how are you?" she asked picking up the brush on his table and putting it through her strawberry blonde hair. "Hey Tammy." Fender said as he put gel into his hair and was spraying it with Ultra Clutch. "I'm good, and you?" he asked wondering why his once emotional wreck of an ex-girlfriend even cared, they were broken up and that's that. "Oh well, I just had a conversation with your best friend, IQ, and well, I don't understand all the details of last night and I was wondering if you could tell me." Tammy said batting her eyes at Fender. Fender stopped putting gel in his hair and looked at Tammy with a shocked expression: "You spoke to IQ, and what exactly did he say?" said Fender seeming a bit unnerved by what IQ could possibly say, he feared his reputation was on its way to ruin. "He was very vague as to why he flipped out when you and that skank were about to kiss." Tammy said making a reference to Lou Ann. "Oh." Fender said breathing a bit of a sigh of relief; he had feared the worst and that IQ had told her that he had kissed him the night before and that he was hiding behind a playboy status to protect himself from rumors and speculation of the public. "Yes, it was quite a waste of my time to speak to him, but you on the other hand." Tammy said running her hand through Fender's stiff hair. IQ had been sitting watching as Tammy was seducing Fender for information. He couldn't stand it anymore. "Fender, can I speak to you. Alone." IQ said standing up from his dress table and walking up to Fender and Tammy. "Sure." Fender said getting up from his chair quickly, causing Tammy to stumble a bit off balance. Tammy smiled as the two boys walked off talking in hushed tones. "There's a story there, and it's juicy and I'm going to find out what's going on." Tammy said as she noticed Brad and Link playing with Ultra Clutch again and she got another health dose of the spray to her face once more.
"What did you tell her?" asked Fender with a haste in his tone as he and IQ walked around the set, which was empty due to the show not starting for another hour and a half. IQ looked at Fender and made a serious expression on his face, a cool and calm expression: "Nothing, your status is still intact, it took all my self-control not to tell her how wonderful it was to feel your lips on mine." IQ said smirking at Fender, who looked at him shocked. "To tell her that the whole time you were kissing her you were thinking of me." IQ said as he pulled on Fender's jacket and kissed him passionately on the lips. Fender felt a shiver run down his spine and through his entire body. "Wow. IQ, what has gotten into you?" asked Fender as he pulled back and looked into his best friend's usually warm blue eyes, which were now cool and confident in tone. "I just realized I can't let anyone push me around, not even you, for too long I let people tell me what to do and who to be, and I'm not going to do that anymore, it ended last night." IQ said pulling on his tie to straighten it. "You will come to find what I mean once you own up to who you are deep down and stop caring what they think as well." IQ said looking into Fender's eyes. "It's not all about popularity and status, if you love someone you should be able to love them no matter what the popular crowd thinks." IQ said as he looked down the ground with a sigh. "I guess, I'll just pray you'll realize how much I care about you, and come to terms with how I feel." IQ said pleading with him to let him be his one and only, and not make him watch him kiss Tammy or Lou Ann or any other Council girl. "I want that special place in your heart for myself, not to watch as you trick Tammy or Lou Ann into thinking they have it." IQ said touching Fender's face gently. "You do have that special place in my heart, IQ." Fender said putting his hand on top of IQ's. "I want to believe you; I really do, but... I just can't, because my heart tells me to, but my brain tells me you're just telling me what I want to hear." IQ said as he felt Fender's hand on his, the warmth was still there. IQ took Fender's hand off his and kissed him gently on the lips as he looked into his dark eyes. "Make me a believer." IQ said walking off toward the dress table area to ready himself for the show while Fender stood watching him walk away and his words haunting him with every step he took. Fender sighed feeling like he wanted to cry, he was in love, but he didn't want anyone to know it.