The consequences are, well not all that dramatic. Still, I hope you enjoy the chapter & review.
Ned did his best to avoid Jennifer after his kiss with Suzie, but she had been the only person he had talked to in study hall over the past few weeks. Not talking to her was painful, but he figured that talking to her would be worse.
"You could have told me you wanted to be with Suzie," Jennifer whispered from the desk behind Ned.
"You didn't seem to too disappointed, you were flirting with that dude in the hall like 30 seconds later," Ned whispered back.
There was a long silence before Jennifer responded back. "Look, honestly I thought you'd jump at the idea of us being able to hang out, I was excited. Maybe I just didn't read your emotions right."
"Look it's not that, I just…," Ned was interrupted by the study hall teacher. "Eh hehm," she grumbled and Ned and Jennifer remained silent for the rest of the hour. He didn't know how to explain why he'd kissed Suzie, not even to himself.
Jennifer was no closer to figuring out what was up with the two with Ned's cut-off answer. She'd barely had the nerve to confront Ned about the whole situation with Suzie as she still didn't know if she wanted to hear him say that he'd finally fallen for his best friend.
Both teens remained silent for the rest of the hour.
Ned was extremely glad he had soccer practice after school, but he wasn't up to his usual skill level.
"Girl problems, Bigby?" Coach Beckham took a seat next to Ned on the bench where the junior was hunched.
"I didn't know I was that obvious," Ned kicked at the ground beneath his feet.
"I was in high school once, liked two girls, glad I made the choice I did though."
"Which girl did you choose?" The coach patted Ned's shoulder, "the one I truly loved, the one you'll be counting on at your darkest and brightest hour."
My darkest and brightest hour, I don't think I've made it to either one yet, more waiting, oh the joy.
Suzie and Jennifer weren't having the greatest time at volleyball practice either. The two were on opposite scrimmage teams and were taking aim at one another's heads. It wasn't until Mrs. Birch forced them to different corners of the room that the violent spiking finally stopped.
"I need a better job," the female coach declared shaking her head as Jennifer and Suzie glared from across the gym. The practice continued with a little less tension.
Once practice was over and the girls had all changed back to their regular clothing, Jennifer approached Suzie for the second time that day as the shorter brunette was seated on the bleachers.
"You've liked him for a long time haven't you?" Jennifer whispered so their passing teammates couldn't hear.
"What are you talking about? He's my best friend, never going to be anything more," Suzie replied as she stared at the gym floor after briefly glancing to Jennifer.
Jennifer sat down beside Suzie before continuing. "But I figured you two were a couple now, aren't you?" Suzie shook her head.
"That's what I was trying to explain. He likes you, not me Jen. That kiss was a mistake, trust me, if you hadn't been flirting with what's-his-face…it never would have happened." Jennifer suddenly felt sympathetic to her arch competitor. If Ned went out with Suzie, he could lose his best friend if they broke up; Jennifer was simply his classmate.
"Suzie, I'm sorry I…we should go to the mall this weekend, you want to?" Suzie shrugged.
"Yeah, whatever, look, I need to get home, see you tomorrow, Jen," Suzie called leaving the gym.
"See you tomorrow, Suzie," Jennifer responded back.
Alright, I can't do whatever this is to Suzie when I don't really like her as more than a friend, at least I don't think I like her as anything more than a friend. Ugh, I need to end this, okay she's at her window, it's now or never.
It was just after 8 o'clock and Ned waved to Suzie from his own window motioning that they needed to talk. Within minutes, the seventeen-year-old faced his sixteen-year-old best friend on their separate balconies.
"Hey" she stood at the railing's edge, he walked to meet her. "Look, I told Jennifer everything and…" Suzie gripped the railing's edge.
"I was thinking about it during soccer practice and…" Ned had begun to speak only a second after Suzie.
"I think we should break-up," the two said in unison. Shocked by the other's response they looked up. "Did you just say we should break-up?" Ned pointed a questioning finger at Suzie.
She nodded, "Did you just say that too?" He nodded.
They stared at each other a moment before Suzie spoke. "So, do you think anyone heard about our little relationship?" Ned just shrugged, after all, the situation had arisen because of some half-thought out kiss, nothing serious.
"Doubtful," Ned replied smiling. "Guess it'd be kinda pointless to break-up, huh?" he said with a nervous chuckle. Suzie shrugged now staring at the railing. "Suzie…look about that kiss, I-,"
"Hey, you don't have to explain, I mean it's not like it meant anything," Suzie said half-turning from Ned.
"That's the thing though," Ned said too quietly for Suzie to hear. She had no idea how awful that response made her friend feel, mostly because the mixture of guilt, sadness, and confusion was gone from his eyes by the time she looked up again.
"I have a good amount of homework left so, goodnight, Ned," she said heading back to her window only to be held back by a hand on her arm.
"Night Suzie, see you tomorrow," Ned whispered as he hugged the girl as close as the balconies would allow. When he let go, Suzie darted for her window hoping to hide the blush that had crept onto her face.
As October came to an end, Suzie, Ned, and Jennifer were all still single. Ned still liked Jennifer, but he couldn't get the thought of kissing Suzie out of his mind. Tonight though, he joined Cookie and Lisa for Seth Powers' annual "Monster Mash Bash." Unlike Jennifer and Billy, Seth had been dating Evelyn Kwong since 8th grade and the two were still together.
"Tonight, I'm just going to have fun, good, Halloween fun," Ned declared walking up Seth's front steps.
"We get it, we actually got it after you said it three times before I even pulled out of your driveway," Cookie pulled Lisa closer to him as two doormen ushered the three inside.
The basement of the Power's house had been transformed from a sports decorated den to a strobe-light freak fest.
"Hey guys, welcome to the party. Punch and snacks are over there and the DJ is taking requests," Seth motioned toward a table and the DJ as he spoke.
"Uh Seth, what are you?" Ned glanced at Seth's glittering costume. The blonde-haired basketball player sighed, his sparkling shirt was even more blinding with the strobe lights, a pair of black pants snugly covering his legs.
"Look, Evelyn is a huge ice-skating fan; I agreed that I would be this famous Russian skater she liked since she agreed to be the Bride of Frankenstein last year. To everyone else though, I'm an 80's rock star," Cookie and Ned did their best to contain their laughter, but eventually gave up.
Lisa nudged them both in the ribs. "I think it's sweet that you compromised with Evelyn, is she a famous skater too?" Seth nodded.
"I don't remember the name, enjoy the party guys," Seth strode over to Evelyn wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Ned was slightly sickened and felt suddenly lonely.
"I'm amazed at how you still seem squeamish at the sight of couples enjoying each other's company. You have to look beyond it someday," Ned groaned as Cookie tried to lecture more. He made his way to the snack table as Jennifer and Suzie came down the stairs laughing.
Oh crap, I forgot about the fact that Seth always invites Jennifer and Suzie too. Why didn't I just stay home and hand out candy to annoying little kids or something? It can't get any worse though, right? Wrong, Missy's here.
Missy had arrived about ten minutes before Ned, Cookie, and Lisa. Keeping to her personal promise, she was with a senior guy, oddly the same guy Jennifer had been flirting with a while back.
"Oh, Chad you're so funny," Missy giggled as she glared at Ned. He turned away just as Jennifer and Suzie approached him.
Jennifer wore a long, strapless yellow dress that puffed out slightly from her waist down. Her hair was done exactly like Belle in Beauty and the Beast, she only lacked yellow gloves and a dancing partner. Suzie wore a long blue dress, her hair pulled into a tight bun at the back of her head. She too seemed to be waiting for a prince.
"Hi, Ned," the girls spoke in nearly perfect unison. Ned just nervously smiled. His costume consisted of black dress pants and shoes, his black jacket, a white collared shirt and a small white mask that perfectly covered about a third of his face.
"Hi Jennifer, Suzie, nice party huh?" the girls nodded.
"Um Ned, what are you?" Jennifer approached Ned. He pointed to the small mask.
"I'm the 'Phantom of the Opera,' but I'm not going to sing so don't ask." Jennifer smiled as her hand brushed the mask's plastic surface.
Ned felt a small shiver run down his spine even when her hand was gone. Even with plastic on my face I'm acting like this around her. Jennifer stayed only a small distance from Ned as the DJ began to play a slow song.
"Care to dance?" Ned extended his hand to Jennifer who readily accepted. Suzie smiled and waved as she watched the two cuddle on the dance floor.
Well, I guess Belle really is dancing with her prince. Frick I hate dances. Suzie gently leaned on the table behind her, her vision slightly blurring from unexpected tears.
"Looks like you could use a dance partner," Billy Loomer tilted Suzie's gaze so she was looking him directly in the eye.
"Loomer, I don't feel like dancing," he grabbed her hand, ignoring the statement.
"You mean you don't feel like dancing with me, right?" Suzie blinked away from his gaze and let him lead her to the dance floor. He brushed away her tears as he wrapped his arms closely around her waist and placed her arms around his neck. "One dance, then I'll leave you alone, promise," Loomer's costume was quite unlike his normal clothing.
His jeans were replaced by slim-fitted black pants similar to Seth's. A navy blue collarless shirt was mostly covered by a loose-fitting tan shirt. "Who are you supposed to be?" Suzie eyed her dance partner.
"I'm either a knight or prince, right now I'm a knight, my cape and crown are over in that chair," Billy spun Suzie to see the other items of his costume.
"A prince, aren't you aiming at the wrong princess?" Billy smirked and shook his head.
"Bigby doesn't want to be with you, he wants Jennifer. Is there something wrong with me finding you attractive?" Suzie blushed.
"Okay…you're dancing with me because Ned is with Jennifer?"
"No, I'm dancing with you because I think you look beautiful and a beautiful girl shouldn't be left alone at the snack table."
Suzie smiled up at him, "Thank you."
A few songs later, Ned and Jennifer decided to take a break, but Suzie and Billy continued to dance. "When did they start dancing together?" Ned glanced up from his cup of punch.
"I don't know," Jennifer replied taking a sip from her cup.
"Ned, you guys should come play two truths and a-is Suzie dancing with Loomer?" Cookie charged up to Ned and Jennifer. They just nodded at Cookie's question as Lisa approached the three.
"Would you two like to join our game?" Lisa adjusted her 50's headband. She and Cookie were Danny and Sandy from Grease, Cookie only agreed because he could wear a leather jacket.
"What do you say Jennifer?" Ned turned to his unofficial date.
"Sure," she grabbed his hand and they followed Lisa and Cookie to join the rest of the group.
"Alright, does everyone know how to play?" Lisa stood as five of her classmates gathered around her. Jennifer said she had heard of the game, but it had been a long since she had played, Claire Sawyer agreed with Jennifer.
Claire Sawyer had dreamed of being a lawyer since she was in 4th grade, for this reason she had always worn a business suit in middle school. By high school she still intended on achieving her goal, but she didn't dress the part during school. She was the girlfriend of Matthew Sumter who had always been known as Backpack Boy in middle school. The two had begun dating at the end of 9th grade and currently wore coordinating pirate costumes.
"Well, the game is really simple," Lisa began, "you say two truthful things about yourself as well as a lie, and we then have to guess which one is the lie. Whoever guesses right first is the next player. Everybody got it?" a general sound of understanding replied.
"So, we know how to play, now who goes first?" Cookie asked as Lisa took a spot beside him.
"I'll go," Matt announced. "Now let me think. My middle name is Ferdinand, I have a pet snake, and I actually used everything from that backpack in middle school."
"You don't have a pet snake," a voice called approaching the group. Jeff had his arm wrapped around his date R.J.
"You're right I don't Co-Jeff," Jeff snickered as Matt glared at him. "What?"
"Your middle name is Ferdinand," everyone except Claire silently laughed at this.
"Well Jeff, can you tell us two truths and a lie about yourself?" Jeff nodded removing his arm from R.J.'s shoulders.
"Easy, my favorite color is green, R.J. and I just made-out in the closet, and I got a 96 on my last math test."
"You got a 96, I got like 87," Ned paused. "Wait a second, is that the lie?" Jeff's face turned a bright crimson as R.J. pulled on his hand.
"We have to go now, right Jeff?" he waved to his friends and quickly followed the red-haired girl's lead.
"Glad I didn't put my coat in that closet," Jennifer stated as the group burst into laughter. "Who's next?" she asked as the laughs quickly died down.
"What about you, Jennifer?" Matt motioned toward her.
"Hmm, I'm allergic to chocolate, my favorite color is red, and my first kiss is in this circle."
Lisa gave a smile, "Jennifer Moseley, you love chocolate way too much to be allergic to it," Jennifer smiled, Lisa wasn't one of her closest friends, but the two girls still chatted whenever they passed in the halls.
"Who was your first kiss?" Claire inquired, not all that interested in the game anymore.
"Not my turn anymore. Let's hear from you Claire," the young African-American junior rolled her eyes.
"I will find out," she smartly grumbled leaning into her boyfriend's shoulder as she thought.
"My parents promised to give me a car by Christmas, my favorite actor is Orlando Bloom, and I can play the accordion," Matt gave her a gentle squeeze.
"Accordion?" he whispered, she just smiled.
"You can't play the accordion, can you?" Lisa scanned Claire's face. She shook her head.
"Now is it my turn?" Lisa glanced around the circle.
"Okay, Simon is my first official boyfriend, I got a 97 on Valor's last exam, and I'm horrible with computers," Lisa waited for a response.
"Am I the only one who doesn't get like amazing grades?" Jennifer grabbed Ned's hand with a quiet giggle. He smiled at her while his stomach flipped and his heart seemed to near his throat.
"Maybe, sorry dude, but I know my girl is a genius with computers," Lisa smiled taking Cookie's hand.
"Now as for me, I am an amazing juggler, I still go trick-or-treating every year, and I know the words to Summer Nights." Ned began to burst out laughing.
"You are the worst juggler I've ever known, but I can't believe you actually know the words to that song," Ned said as he calmed his laughter.
Cookie glared at his friend, "yeah, yeah, what are your truths and lie." Jennifer still held Ned's hand and he again glanced to her as he thought of the best response.
"Well, my favorite color is blue, the girl I first kissed is in this room, and Mr. Valor is my favorite teacher."
"Right, you hate Valor, I know that without you even actually telling me," Cookie pulled Lisa closer to him as Jennifer let go of Ned's hand.
"Your first kiss is in this room?" he looked at the floor and nodded. "Suzie?" her brown eyes melted through him. Ned nodded again. Jennifer glanced up to see said brunette talking happily with her ex-boyfriend. Seriously she was sharing too much with the girl.
"Will you look at the clock, I just remembered that I promised my parents I'd be home by 11:30, see you guys Monday," Jennifer stood from the group and started toward the stairs.
Ned caught her hand, "let me walk you home."
Jennifer gave a sigh. "Fine, I guess it would be better than having to call my parents or walk home by myself." Ned waved to Cookie as he followed Jennifer up the stairs.
"Jennifer, my first kiss was when I was like five, I honestly wouldn't remember it without my parents," Ned reached for Jennifer's hand as they walked along the sidewalk outside Seth's house, but she pulled away.
"Look Ned, it's not the kiss thing, I just, I'm tired of…I don't know, sharing you," Jennifer said in nearly a whisper. She stopped walking to face him, only to see a look of pure confusion on his face.
"Is this like…an ultimatum?" Ned asked running a hand through his brown hair. Jennifer immediately shook her head, she was in no position to give him an ultimatum; they weren't even dating.
"No, I'm not saying you shouldn't be friends with Suzie, I just think it's a…a bad time for us to…like each other." She pulled the light jacket she had worn before heading to the party tighter. Ned was quickly at her side, putting an arm around her shoulder to keep her warmer. At first Jennifer tried to push him away but found she didn't have the nerve to.
They walked in silence for a long way avoiding eye contact as well. Shortly before they reached Jennifer's house, Ned moved to grab Jennifer by the hand and stop her from walking further.
"Ned what are you-," Jennifer was cut short as Ned's lips were on hers, the mask somehow gone. She felt his hand cup her left cheek as her arms circled his and was surprised when his tongue began to approach her lips, but she gladly accepted pulling herself closer to him.
Ned broke away suddenly, slightly out of breath. "If that's how you say goodnight to your dates, how on earth have you managed to stay single yet, Ned Bigby?" Jennifer asked with a small laugh.
"Believe me, I don't do that with any of the girls I've gone out with," he replied moving to pick up the mask. "So, uh, how far are we from your house?" Jennifer pointed to a white house with black shutters and trim on the corner of the following block.
They reached her house, which was mostly dark, within a few minutes. Now even more confused by Ned's feelings, but quite happy about the kiss, Jennifer gave Ned a quick hug while whispering goodbye before heading into her house.
While Ned and Jennifer had gone to play the game with Cookie and Lisa, Suzie had been talking with Billy Loomer. She was really starting to enjoy his company, but the fact that he had been with Jennifer still bugged her.
"So, are you just being nice to me because you're on the rebound yet?" Suzie asked the former bully. Loomer smiled as the teens walked to collect Loomer's cape and crown.
"No, I'm being nice to you because I enjoy your company, besides, I'm always a gentleman," he mischievously smiled brushing her cheek with his hand."It's almost midnight, could I give you a ride home?" he folded the cape across his arm holding out the other for Suzie to take.
"I, uh-you're a safe driver, right?" Billy nodded.
"Always," she took his arm cautiously. Seth's party had cleared out pretty well by this time and Billy and Suzie were some of the last people to leave.
"Ned, I just got a call from Suzie's mom, she still isn't home," Cookie's voice boomed. Ned had just barely made it back to his house and laid his head on his pillow when his cell phone rang.
"What time is it?" Ned groggily replied.
"Like 1 something, I tried Suzie's cell but it said the number was out of order," Ned began to reawaken and stood from his bed.
"Where are you, Cook?" Cookie gave a heavy sigh.
"I'm in my room, the police won't search for Suzie until it's been 24 hours, but I think we need to go look for her."
Ten minutes later the two boys were driving around town in Cookie's black Pontiac Trans Am, they yelled at every corner for their friend. "Do you know what time she left?" Ned scanned the streets for any sign of his friend.
"She left at like 11:50 or so, with Loomer." Ned's eyes widened as he feared how good Loomer truly was even after dating Jennifer.
"We need to find her," Ned's voice took a harsh and serious tone.
Suddenly, Cookie slammed on the brakes as he noticed a car speeding down the street only a block away. "That's Loomer's car," Cookie floored the gas pedal and turned to where Loomer's blue car had just come from.
"Suzie…Suzie…are you out here?" Ned sprinted out of Cookie's car. A quiet cry came from a gathering of trees that had been planted by a nearby park. When Ned reached the person crying, he found Billy Loomer laying on the ground bleeding as Suzie sat crying beside him.
"What happened?" Suzie gasped, surprised at the sight of Ned. She tried to stand, but couldn't find the strength.
"We…were driving by the park…Billy thought it would be fun to just go on the playground, you know like you and I have done sometimes during the summer…He parked along the sidewalk and we started walking toward the swing set.
"Then some guy attacks me from behind…knocking me to the ground, Billy had turned back to his car to make sure it was locked I think. Billy rips him off of me and they just started throwing punches…The guy got a lot of hard punches in the face and chest…I tried to help Billy but the guy shook me off pretty fast. He was about to attack me again…but he heard voices, grabbed the car keys, and took off."
Ned knelt beside Suzie and hugged her as she continued to cry and occasionally shiver. "I'll call 9-1-1, where's your phone?" Suzie pointed to a small pile of broken plastic in front of a nearby rock. "I see," Ned released Suzie telling her to either lean against a tree or the rock while he tried to help Loomer.
Suzie had placed her small jacket under Loomer's head for a pillow, but she hadn't really had the nerve to do anything more. Ned knew he had to cover the gashing wound on Loomer's forehead, so he wrapped the injured boy's head with the ripped sleeve of his dress shirt.
"I hope my mom doesn't kill me for destroying this shirt," Ned tried to smile at Suzie, she calmed a little. An ambulance arrived a while later and Loomer was taken to the hospital with many possible injuries greater than the head wound. The paramedics also suggested that Suzie be treated for her various wounds, but she said there was nothing serious.
"Suzie, I'm sorry," Ned ran his hand across Suzie's back as they waited for news about Loomer in the hospital.
"It's not your fault, I just want him to be alright," Suzie continued to crumple her handful of tissue while her gaze still stayed on the white linoleum.
Billy Loomer was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit overnight since he had lost a lot of blood from the head wound and several cuts across his chest and arms. The attacker had apparently cut him with a knife as well as pounded with his fists. The doctors believed that Loomer's condition would improve dramatically within the next day though.
Suzie and Ned finally went home about 2am, extremely exhausted from the day's events. Suzie returned to the hospital that afternoon having eaten and slept very little. She was told that Billy had been admitted to a regular room, he had woken up only a few hours before.
"Billy?" Suzie slowly approached the hospital bed.
"I'm glad to see you," Loomer whispered attempting to sit up. His usually slate-blue eyes were blood-shot, but he still managed a smile at the sight of Suzie.
"How are you feeling?" she placed her left hand on his.
"A lot better now," he answered as she smiled looking directly into his eyes.
"I…I wanted to thank you for saving my life, it was really brave what you did," he squeezed her hand. "Don't mention it, I-no one deserves to be hurt," he managed to straighten against the thin hospital bed frame.
"You still saved me, I won't forget that," with her right hand she gently stroked his cheek and hair. Making sure not to disrupt any of the IV's or other machines, she gave him a soft kiss on his temple. "I'll come back tomorrow, get well soon, okay?" Billy smiled and nodded.
In my first posting, Suzie gave Loomer a kiss on the lips. I don't want them to do this little "I like you but I don't" game, so I changed the kiss to his temple.