Down the stream, in a wooded area, Fern and Sue Ellen ascended the wooden ladder to the old treehouse where the neighborhood kids used to hang out. As the gang had gotten older, they visited the treehouse less and less, neither of the girls could remember the last time they were inside. Additional foliage had grown over the years, due to lack of heavy traffic from kids playing in the area, and the treehouse was becoming more and more rickety, with dead leaves and twigs scattered inside. Once inside, Fern brushed the debris out of the treehouse, removed her light jacket, and draped it across the floor so she could sit down. Sue Ellen did the same, by removing her hoodie, and sitting atop of it. Bigger than they were when they regularly visited the treehouse at age eight, the treehouse just barely allowed room for the two of them.
"What happened?" Fern asked.
Sue Ellen sighed, loudly. "Oh, the same thing that always happens whenever Binky gets mad at me for talking to someone else... I end up with my face in the dirt, and his foot on my back."
"He assaults you?" Fern asked.
"Well... it's not really assault..." Sue Ellen said, "in a way, Binky's all talk, but no do... I swear, he doesn't have the guts to actually inflict any real harm on me."
"But, you just said..." Fern began to remind her.
"It's not as bad as it sounds," Sue Ellen said, "I just put it that way because it's so frustrating... really, all he does is take me to the dead woods, where there's this large dirt patch... then, he pretty much just pushes me into the dirt patch so I'll be flat on my stomach... then he just rests one of his feet on my back, and gives me this routine lecture about how I'm not supposed to talk to anybody, and how that he's the only friend I have in the world, and I need not forget it."
Fern paused. "Everytime?"
Sue Ellen nodded. "Everytime. It's really beginning to become a drag."
Fern paused once more. "I know you said he won't let you... but... if he's being such a jerk to you, I think you should break up with him."
Sue Ellen nodded again. "Fern... for some reason... I have the feeling I can trust you..."
"Of course you can." Fern said, placing a hand on Sue Ellen's shoulder.
"Can you keep a secret?" Sue Ellen asked.
"Sure..." Fern said.
"I actually am planning on breaking up with Binky..." Sue Ellen said.
"Good for you!" Fern said.
Sue Ellen smiled, but then frowned. "The problem is... I don't really know how I would go about it..."
Fern didn't respond.
"Fern... I know that you've had alot of breakups... how did you go about it?"
"Well," Fern began, "when I felt that whoever I was with wasn't right for me... I just tried to tell them as gently as possible that I didn't think it was going to work out, and that I had to end it... not because of them, but because of me..."
This time, Sue Ellen paused again. "Do you feel Alan is right for you?"
"I'm still not sure," Fern said, "we haven't been going out for very long... so I really haven't a clue... I'm just not sure..."
"People talk about you, you know?" Sue Ellen asked.
"I know," Fern sighed, "I know I'm becoming abit of an urban legend at school, but I just really don't know what else to do... I remember telling my mother the other night... I think my problem is that maybe I'm just expecting too much... like I keep imagining that love is like all of these romance novels I've read..."
Sue Ellen smirked a little.
"I will admit, though... I wish I could make a relationship last..." Fern said.
"I wish I could just get out of mine... but I will..." Sue Ellen said.
"You should." Fern said.
"I am!" Sue Ellen snapped, startling Fern. "I am going to... I'm sick of all of Binky's crap!"
Fern was uneasy by Sue Ellen's sudden rant, as she took to her feet, the roof of the treehouse just missing the top of her head by inches.
"I shouldn't have to stand for this!" Sue Ellen continued, as she paced in the cramped space, "if Binky really loved me, he'd trust me, which he obviously doesn't, since he won't allow me to have a normal social life! I shouldn't have to avoid all of my friends and classmates, just because of Binky's insecurities, and I shouldn't have to get a face full of dirt everytime he thinks I 'disobey' him!"
"Take it easy, Sue Ellen..." Fern said, bringing her hands up, hoping to calm Sue Ellen down, "I understand, I understand..."
Sue Ellen sighed once more, before dropping to her knees. "I'm sorry... it's just... I've all of this bottled up inside of me for so long, that... I just had to get it out... I needed to vent..."
"That's alright..." Fern said, once more placing a hand on her shoulder, "don't you feel better now for letting it out?"
Sue Ellen's breathing calmed down, before she slowly nodded. "Yeah... yes, I do... thanks Fern..."
"You're welcome." Fern said.
The two of them sat in silence for a short time, before Sue Ellen looked up at Fern, and the two stared each other in the eye. Suddenly, Fern felt the need to speak up about something.
"Sue Ellen?" Fern began.
"Yeah?" Sue Ellen answered.
Fern sat motionless, before she slowly began to lean in. The second Sue Ellen felt Fern try to press her lips up against her's, she swiftly leaned back.
"What... what are you doing?" Sue Ellen asked.
Fern snapped out of the little trance she fell into. "Oh... sorry... I don't know what came over me... I guess... well, we've got what we need to get off of our chests... I really should be heading home anyway..."
Fern arose, and bent down to grab her jacket, but as she did, Sue Ellen grabbed her wrist.
"Wait..." Sue Ellen said, while Fern looked at her once again, "I didn't mean... that is to say... I wasn't trying to..."
Fern didn't understand what Sue Ellen was trying to say, but Sue Ellen lightly tugged on Fern's wrist, prompting her to sit back down. The two sat motionless again, but lost each other in their stares. At that moment, they both began to realize something... over such a short period of time, the two of them had developed a connection... the kind of connection that they both felt they were lacking in their relationships. Once again, Fern slowly leaned in, but rather than having Sue Ellen back away, Sue Ellen leaned in as well, until the two locked lips. Fern and Sue Ellen spent the next few moments sharing such a passionate kiss, at one point, Fern slid her hands down to Sue Ellen's hips, while Sue Ellen caressed her fingers down Fern's legs. Later that evening, Fern lied awake in her bed, staring at the ceiling, with a million thoughts racing through her mind. She hesitated to think about the possibility of being gay, or even bisexual. It was making sense, though. She thought back to all of the times she broke up with the various boys who had asked her out, not thinking the relationship would last, not feeling a connection... but somehow, she was sensing a connection with Sue Ellen, and on top of that, Fern was a little stunned at Sue Ellen's reaction.
Meanwhile, Sue Ellen was in a similar situation herself. She too was lying wide awake in bed, staring at her ceiling, unable to comprehend the events that unfolded earlier that day. How she suddenly felt drawn to Fern, and how so caring and understand Fern was regarding her plight. But at the same time, Sue Ellen was also hesitant over the possibly that this could mean that she's gay or bisexual. One thing's for sure, she can't deny that somehow, she loves Fern.
The following day at school, there was a big hulabalu amongst the student body, though there was those of a few who weren't sure as to what was going on.
"Everybody seems excited about something today..." Arthur said.
"Maybe there's going to be a fight in the gymnasium today." Buster thought.
"Close..." DW said, when she suddenly popped up behind her brother.
"Dah! DW! Don't sneak up on us like a creepy little sister!" Arthur said.
"I just came to tell you if you heard about the fight?" DW said.
"I knew it!" Buster said. "There is gonna be a fight! Who is it?"
"Apparently Binky and Sue Ellen have challenged each other!" DW said.
Arthur and Buster exchanged looks before they took off to witness the spectacle for themselves. Sure enough, out in the school's soccerfield, a big crowd had gathered off to the sidelines. Binky and Sue Ellen had each other in line.
"If you think you're gonna put an end to this, you got another thing comin', missy." Binky said.
"Yeah?" Sue Ellen. "Face it, Binky, you don't have the guts to do anything!"
"Shh!" Binky said, "not so loud!"
In the crowd, Arthur and Buster caught up with Francine and Muffy.
"Hey, what's going on?" Arthur asked.
"Sue Ellen decided to dump Binky, but Binky's saying otherwise." Francine said.
"Personally, I think Sue Ellen can take him," Muffy said, "Binky may be twice her size, in more ways than one, but he's as soft as melting ice cream."
"Of course Sue Ellen can take him," Francine added, "that girl's got 'skillz that killz'."
Back to the fight, Binky kept darting his eyes to the crowd that was gathering.
"Gee... this is getting a little embarrassing..." Binky mumbled.
"Wanna call it off?" Sue Ellen asked.
Binky shook his head. "No way! I don't intend to give in."
"Have it your way." Sue Ellen said, as she made a lunge for Binky, while he flinched.
From the sidelines, Fern watched, with her hands to her mouth at most times, until Alan caught up with her.
"I just got the word..." Alan said, looking out onto the field, "I guess it's true... Sue Ellen really is breaking up with Binky, huh?"
Fern nodded. "Yes... it was about time too..."
Binky fell to his side, moaning from his daze, while Sue Ellen returned to a fighting position, ready for Binky for when he decides to fight back.
"Had enough?" Sue Ellen asked.
Binky held his stomach, sore from the swift chop she blew to his gut, he then looked all around the field, seeing the eyes of the entire student body on him. What could he do? All he was familiar with was wrestling, but she was experienced in that, karate, tae kwon do, boxing, and judo to name a few. No matter what he could try to do, she could and would outwit him. He was made a fool of, and couldn't stand for it much longer.
"Doh..." Binky mumbled, "I give, I give... go ahead, break up with me... see if I care..."
Sue Ellen relaxed her poise, before placing proud hands on her hips, while the crowd cheered for her. All Binky could do was wince his eyes shut, and wishing no one was seeing him like this, and wishing to be taken to the nurse's office.
"And so ends, another of the 'great Lakewood High romances'." Buster said, as if he were the announcer of a Masterpiece Theatre presentation.
