CHAPTER 7: CAN'T BUY ME FRIENDSHIP
Peapod's next several meetings to the fraternity went well. However, by the time Peapod had gotten to his seventh meetings, things were going to be getting bad.
The fraternity meeting started out like normal. Peapod and the other frat boys shared a few drinks of Coors, and the boys got to talking about sex and X-rated movies.
"I know I've said it a million times," said Bryce, "but I'm so honored to have Peapod here as our newest member."
"Cheers for Peapod!" said Levi.
The boys clanked their cans of Coors together.
While the boys were busy drinking, Park was standing in the bushes outside the fraternity, spying on the frat boys.
"I don't trust these guys one bit," he said.
Dylan walked past the window were Park was spying and saw him.
"Ew, geek!" said Dylan. He proceeded to close the blinds.
"Damn!" said Park, climbing out of the bushes.
Chase turned around and looked at Dylan.
"What happened?" asked Chase.
"Nothing," said Dylan. "There was a geek standing outside, but I closed the blinds and scared him away."
"Oh," said Chase.
Bryce walked up to Dylan.
"Find out who that geek was," said Bryce. "I've seen him a number of times, and I'm sick of him spying on us."
"Okay," said Dylan. Dylan left the building to look for Park.
"Now then," said Bryce. "We're going to look at some pictures of naked girls." Bryce took out his iPhone, which had tons of pornography on it.
The other frat boys felt aroused as Bryce showed them the pics. Peapod just smiled. First, Bryce held out a picture of a topless blonde woman who was clad in only a pink thong. The frat boys wolf whistled. Bryce had a disturbingly horny look in his eyes, which made Peapod move his chair back a little.
"I'd hit that girl," said Owen.
"Me too," said Chase.
"Maybe she'd like to make it a threesome," said Owen.
"What do you think of this bitch, Peapod?" asked Bryce, showing Peapod his iPhone.
"She's...hot..." said Peapod.
"I think she's delicious," said Bryce. "I'd love to jerk off."
Peapod felt a bit taken aback at that remark.
However, the going gaga over scantily-clad girls was soon to be interrupted. Dylan returned. He had an angry look on his face.
"I finally found out who the stalker is," said Dylan, "It's that Korean boy with a bowl cut and a striped sweater. He had a blue backpack with a Dino Land keychain on it. I forget his first name, but I think his last name is Park. He's one of the geeks."
"That's Park," said Peapod. "I thought you knew him. He's my best friend."
The guys stared at Peapod.
"THAT kid is your best friend?" said Bryce. "Come on Peapod, baby, you know better than that."
"I'm telling the truth," said Peapod. "We grew up together. We went to school together."
"UGH!" groaned Bryce. "But he's a geek! And he's...not like us."
"I'd like you to treat him with respect," said Peapod.
"Sorry, Peapod," said Levi. "No can do."
"You want to be one of us, don't you?" said Owen, shooting an angry look at Peapod.
"Well...yes..." said Peapod.
"We won't kick you out," said Bryce. "However, we would like you to stop hanging out with that Park boy. We don't want you to ruin or image."
Peapod gasped.
"But...that's not fair!" he said.
Now Bryce was angry. Peapod could see the fire in his eyes.
"Listen up, Peapod," said Bryce. "I'm the leader of this fucking fraternity. That means YOU fucking do what I fucking say! And if I say that you can't be friends with that fucking geek, you will NOT fucking hang out with him! GOT IT?" Peapod nodded. "Because if you don't like it, we'll make you our personal slave."
"Or better yet," said Owen, "we'll let out all your most embarrassing secrets."
"So," said Bryce, "what's it going to be?"
"Okay..." winced Peapod.
Luckily for Peapod, he never told any of the frat boys where he lived. (He was even luckier that none of them lived near him.) Peapod got on the bus and sat next to Park. Park saw that Peapod was very unhappy. He could tell something terrible had happened.
"What's wrong, Peapod?" asked Park.
"Nothing..." said Peapod.
"I think something's on your mind," said Park.
Peapod looked around.
"This has to be a secret, okay?" said Peapod.
"My lips are sealed," said Park.
"Bryce told me that I can't hang out with you anymore," said Peapod. "He thinks that it will ruin my image."
"WHAT?" said Park. "That's ridiculous."
"I'm telling the truth, Park!" said Peapod.
"I believe you," said Park. "Don't worry. We can still be friends. Bryce doesn't know where you live. I'll still come to visit you like I always do. I'll help you keep things under wraps."
"Thanks, Park," said Peapod.
Arnold looked at Peapod.
"Helga," he said to Helga, "I think Peapod's in trouble."
"There's a surprise," said Helga sarcastically. "Those douchebag frat boys must be ripping him to shreds."
"I've never seen Peapod so sad," said Phoebe. "He looks like he's about to cry."
"I think we should help him," said Arnold. "Bryce can't ruin his life."
"Earth to Arnold," said Gerald. "There's no reasoning with Bryce Farquhar III! He's got money, power, and connections. Plus his father, Bryce Farquhar Jr., is a very prominent individual in Hillwood. Bryce will use his connections to tear us up!"
"That's not what I meant," said Arnold. "We should talk to Peapod."
"I think Park's doing a good job," said Gerald. "Park is his best friend. He understands Peapod better than we do."
"It could be worse," said Helga. "I flunked a test in gender studies. Sheena, on the other hand, got a perfect score."
"Helga," said Phoebe, "you don't want to fail gender studies."
"I don't care," said Helga. "It's a retarded class anyway."
Phoebe gasped.
"Helga!" said Phoebe. "Don't you realize that the word 'retarded' is considered extremely offensive and insulting?"
Helga groaned.
"I do what I want, Pheebs," said Helga. "Don't let Sheena brainwash you too."
Sheena overheard Helga talking.
"I'm sorry about that gender studies project," said Sheena, "I'm just glad that I did the work. I hope you're feeling better from your migraine headaches." Helga had faked migraines so she could get out of doing her gender studies project. Sheena ended up doing all the work.
"DOY!" said Helga. "Leave me alone, sister!"
"Professor Wu loved my report on non-binary gender identities," said Sheena. "I signed your name on it so both of us would get credit."
Helga growled.
When Peapod got home, he went up to his room and closed the door. He sat down on his bed, took off his glasses, and looked up at the ceiling. A tear fell from his eyes.
"How could Bryce be so cruel?" he said to himself. "Park is my best friend. I can't just stop being friends with him." He sighed. "I don't have to listen to everything Bryce says. I'll still hang out with Park. Bryce will never know. Bryce may be super-rich, but my friendship with Park is priceless."
