CHAPTER SEVEN: OPERATION F.U.R.I.O.U.S.
Sue Ellen was extremely upset with Maria's decision. Why didn't she say anything sooner? And now that they were together, why wasn't she explaining the situation? Who asked whom? Did Arthur approach her or did she approach Arthur? Sue Ellen wanted answers now, but no one was speaking to her...except Francine.
Sue Ellen was stunned at this recent turn of events. She kneaded her forehead, a stress headache growing behind her eyes. Mere weeks ago, Francine and Sue Ellen were sworn enemies, and they each had their respective friend groups. Now it seemed that Sue Ellen's friend Maria was really the enemy, making Francine her ally. Sue Ellen could be sick as this realization swept over her.
As she sat at her desk, trying to make sense of this new development, her mother knocked on her door. It opened, and standing in the hallway was Maria. She stepped inside without a word, closing the door behind her. Sue Ellen eyed her as she sank onto the foot of the bed.
"Why are you here?" Sue Ellen asked dully. Maria smiled, putting her phone away. "Why are you smiling?"
"You look so mad for no reason," Maria grinned. "Look, Buster told him to ask me, and he told me to say yes. He thinks that if Arthur appears to be in a happy relationship, you two will quit staring at Arthur like he's a t-bone steak. I agreed because you two are really flippin' crazy, okay? But it's just a trial thing. If you two back off and realize that other people in the world exist, we'll break it off. If you two go ape-crap-crazy and do something stupid, we'll stay together out of spite. It's not like either of us really want a boyfriend or a girlfriend," Maria said firmly.
"And all of this was Buster's idea?" Sue Ellen asked. Maria nodded, and Sue Ellen couldn't help but scoff, "Well, that's why this is such a stupid idea. Why would you go along with something so crazy?"
"Because I'm sick of you being this way," Maria replied firmly. "And I'm sure Muffy is sick of Francine's crap two. You've both lost it over a pathetic boy. All he wants to do is play video games and be left alone. That's it! He doesn't want to be tied down to some demanding harpies who are willing to tear each other apart for his love. He just wants companionship. In fact, he said if this wasn't Buster's plan, we might've ended up together on our own. We click, but he doesn't want the girlfriend experience."
"How does he even know what it'd be like dating me or Francine?" Sue Ellen asked. Maria shrugged, "He doesn't, really, but with the way you two act outside of a working relationship, I don't blame him for not taking his chances."
Sue Ellen looked Maria over, "I think you're trying to make a point by doing this."
Maria laughed, "What do you think? I'm sick of this crap. Jenna, Fern, and I are really considering just cutting you loose. It's not like you have much to offer anymore. If it doesn't involve Arthur, you're not interested, so well, we're not that interested in you anymore. You've become dull and stupid all over a pathetic boy. Think about it, Sue Ellen. You have your options now: Give him up or lose your entire past. If you want to pretty much find a new life in the middle of high school, that's your problem, but I'm done."
Maria left then, practically storming out of the Armstrong house. Sue Ellen watched her go through the window. She and Francine had completely lost it over the past year or so, but crushes did that to people. If Sue Ellen's friends didn't care that she was getting older and doing what normal girls did, then she didn't mind letting them go.
Across town, an angry Francine was repeatedly trying to call Muffy. After multiple failed attempts, she finally got an email from Muffy. Like Maria and the others did to Sue Ellen, Muffy had an ultimatum planned. Francine had to stop this nonsense or Muffy was done.
"You care so little about my feelings," Francine spat. "In fact, I bet you never cared about me at all!" she hissed at the computer screen. She typed up a vicious response and hit send without even reading it.
Francine felt the same way as Sue Ellen: If her lifelong friends couldn't understand her feelings, they could easily do without her. She'd find new friends easily. She always had, she always will.
So when the day ended, Francine and Sue Ellen sat alone in their respective bedrooms friendless, and neither of them particularly cared.
