Stephanie shivered as she sat in bed, with her legs to her chest, and her arms trying to keep them from shaking. She couldn't believe what had happened with Trixie. Her jaw hurt when she moved it, and her bottom lip had finally stopped bleeding. With all her daydreaming about being kissed by Trixie - She hadn't ever imagined that it would taste so much like... nostalgia.
"Stephanie?" Her uncle called, knocking on the door. "Can I come in?"
"J-just one minute, Uncle!" She dove under the sheets, pulling them up to her nose. "Come in!" Stephanie could hear her heartbeat hard against her chest. What would she say to explain if he saw the black and blue? She still shaking slightly under the sheets, being significantly terrified from what Trixie had told her earlier. What Trixie had done earlier. But no matter how much she ran through how wrong it was in her head... She knew she'd end up giving in to Trixie. She had no one else she'd rather suffer for.
And that terrified her. "Steph," Milford said. "Are you okay? You didn't talk at all when you came home." He sat down on the end of her bed. "Do you need to talk about something?" Usually, she would cheerfully tell her Uncle that things had went well. However, this time, she came home only to rush off into the shower. It was the same thing she did when they came home from the car accident. Stephanie pulled the sheets closer, and forced a giggle into her throat.
"Oh, I'm fine, Uncle Milford. I'm just really, really tired."
A concerned expression spread on his face. "What did you do that was so tiring?" Stephanie blushed, covering her mouth. He couldn't possibly be assuming that...
"Oh! Uncle! I danced, that's all!" She clutched her jaw, huddled up in the sheets, with her back towards him. More tears were forming in her eyes.
Her uncle rose. "Okay." Milford brushed a hand through her hair, just barely missing seeing the prominant bruises on her jawline. "I'll see you in the morning."
A tear dripped.
"Yes, Uncle Milford. Goodnight."
Saturday.
Ziggy pulled out a seat next to Stingy in the library. The brown-haired boy was dealing cards to two other boys who were seated infront of him. He had shockingly quick gambling hands, and a face of surprizing confidence. The face of someone who would bankrupt you with a smile. Ziggy suddenly felt a bit uneasy. This wasn't the Stingy that he had mingled with the night before. This was a boy who adjusted his red bow tie like a man. While he was waiting for an opening, or recognition, Ziggy caught the gaze of Pixel who was also by his side. An expression of confusion and curiousity. "Hello, Ziggy." The voice of the rich boy said, floating high above the commoners. "To what do I owe this kindly visit?"
"I need your-"
"What are your bets, Gentlemen?" Stingy interrupted, speaking to his players.
"One thousand." The boy replied, causing Ziggy to sink low in his seat with an expression of shock on his face.
"Will that be in cash or credit?"
Ziggy leaned back in his seat, poking Pixel, and mouthing 'What are you doing here?'
Pixel rubbed a hand past his googles and through his orange dreads. 'Stephanie.'
"Oh." Ziggy smirked. "Still?" Pixel grunted, and leaned back forwards. The two 'common-folk' watching as Stingy massacred the two boys' in their false bet, and thousands of dollars were exchanged in tight packaging. Who the hell did this in a library? Shouldn't Stingy be scoping stocks or studying for his high-class private school studies? Apparantly not.
"Let's make a bet." Stingy said to Pixel and Ziggy once the players had left the table.
"NO!" They shouted, causing the librarian to violently shush them across the room.
A bemused smile crossed his face. "No, a bet more... your style... you're coming, specifically, about Stephanie and Trixie aren't you?" The two boys nodded. "About what the chances are that they'll be interested in you? Then, why not make a game of it? I'll bet money that neither one is interested in you two. What are the prices?"
Ziggy looked perhaps even offended, while Pixel muttered "Figures" under his breath. "I'll put fifty dollars on each household name. If you prove to me that the chosen girl is your girlfriend in a month, then you'll get the money. If not, I will name my price in possession versus dollar value. Got it? Go." He set down his cards. "I have to study."
The two boys walked out together.
"I came for advice from the ruler of good and bad bets, and I leave with that." Pixel complained.
"Hey, it might be fun! I could use that fifty dollars to take Trixie out somewhere nice, you know?" Ziggy giggled optimistically. He couldn't help himself from thinking the most of it. He truly believed in the ultimate goodness of his black-haired asian friend.
"Dude, when did you even start -liking- Trixie? She's ... completely left wing from you." Pixel sneered.
Ziggy glared. "Like Steph's not for you? Look, don't talk about Trixie. She's way cool."
"Since WHEN did you start even noticing she was alive anymore?"
..."Look, a while, okay? Jeez." Ziggy marched off.
Trixie smirked beside the library, smoking her cigarette. A bet, huh?... Hm.
She withdrew the cigarette, licking her lips.
This would be fun.