p3n-stroke: one moment, readers....
Juanita: *has a hammer and is destroying computer*
p3n-stroke: it seems my computer keeps deleting this chapter.... Juanita's not happy....
Jim: o//o still cute..........
Alyse: XD
Juanita: PIECE OF TRASH! GET YER BUTT IN GEAR OR I'LL DO IT FOR YA!
Jim: -///-
Jim was a bit late, but Alyse was still waiting for him outside. When he came around the corner, she jumped off the wall.
Her dress had spaghetti straps and was a nice, light green color. The end came just up to her knees. She wore no shoes and her hair was let lose and a bit tangled.
"G'day," he mumbled. He was still off in another world, but kind of knew what was going on.
"Hiya! C'mon, Juanita's waiting for you." She took Jim's arm and tugged. It was like a little child leading a full-blown adult. Their heights didn't help any either.
Jim sighed and let her lead him into the room and had to stop and do a double-take.
Juanita was standing by the door. Her normally lose hair was styled nicely. Her normal "drag" was replaced by a very nice, red dress. The backing was just about to the bottom of her rib cage and had intricate strings wrapping around. The front came down just far enough to reveal some of her skin. The end of the dress was flared and gave her legs a nice look. She was also barefoot, but holding a pair of red heels. She scratched her head when Jim stared at her.
"You're...."
"I'm a girl, yes."
Alyse giggled and let Jim go.
His eyes wandered over the dress a couple of times. He wasn't sure if it was really a dress or he was dreaming.
"What? Girls wear dresses, right? So, I thought I'd put mine to use before I outgrow it."
Jim had to look away and he covered his nose and mouth. That dress.... she would "outgrow" that dress? Jim's mind pitched into the gutter.
Alyse held out a handkerchief. "It's okay. A lot of people do that around Juanita."
"Is he bleeding?" she asked.
"Yes," Alyse answered. She patted Jim's shoulder. "Besides, you'll do fine. She's not asking you to be her punching bag."
Juanita sighed and put her shoes on. "Come here, will you?"
Jim obeyed, unable to do anything against Juanita's power. Actually, he didn't want to do anything else.
Juanita took off the orange scarf around his neck. She unlatched Shirley so she could roam free. But Juanita's hand brushed against Jim's neck and he shivered. They were a bit cold on his neck, but Juanita ignored it. She reached around and pulled his shirt so it wasn't tucked in anymore. "Now, come with me. I've got a surprise." She covered his exposed eye and lead him away.
Alyse was running ahead of them. She opened the doors to the gym and everyone found places to hide. Alyse was by the light switch. Jim stepped in and opened his eye. At first it was dark, until Alyse got the signal and the lights flared on.
Justin was the closest and surprised Jim. The twins threw confetti from the bleachers. Jaden and his friends were all surrounding the outside ledge of the gym.
Juanita looked at Jim's face and smiled. She'd wanted him to feel welcome and happy. She'd gotten her wish.
Alyse just smiled and watched them start playing music. Jim and Juanita blended in, but Alyse didn't. She stood along the wall, sadness setting in. Jesse had called at the last second and said he didn't want to come. She kicked the wall and got on her sneakers. She was going to find him.
---Jesse---
He rolled over and spread out again. The grass had been too pokey, the gravel had been to hard, but the sand was nice.
He heard the ocean rolling away at the beach. It was soothing. Until--
CRACK!
He sat up and looked over his shoulder. Alyse had jumped through a tangle of vines and branches. She was sitting there, licking her wounded hand. There were tears in Alyse's eyes.
Jesse resisted the urge to go and help her. "What're ya'll doin' here?"
"I, ow!" Alyse stopped and got up. She looked so strange. Her hair was slightly tangled, her dress was simple and cute, and she was wearing sneakers with no socks. "I wanted to see you. Why didn't you want to come?"
Jesse shrugged. He looked back at the ocean. "I told you, I'm not exactly a party person."
Alyse sighed and came over to sit with him. Jesse could see she was hurt, but she ignored her wounded hands and looked at him. "Do you like being alone?"
"I'm not 'alone', per say." Jesse sighed and saw Ruby come running up to him. She was done playing with the water. "Just dun like parties all 'n much."
Alyse sighed again and looked out at the ocean. "Well, least I won't have to worry then. You've got someone who's probably waiting for you. She's so lucky," Alys said, getting up.
Jesse's eyes widened and his heart sank. Was that it? Had he just totally blown his chance? Without much thought, he got up and grabbed her wrist. "No, wait! Um, how long is the party going to last?"
"As long as I have fun, mate."
The duo turned.
Juanita was standing just behind Jim, who was smiling at them through the hole Alyse had made.
Suddenly--
"You son of a gun! What did you say to Alyse?! Why is she crying?!" Juanita was strangling Jesse, holding him off the ground. Her "I hate men" attitude had come back. She started shaking him. "You better have a good reason for hurting my sister! What did you say, huh?! You trying to make her hurt?! Don't you know she wanted you there?! Are you so dense you can't tell?!"
"Juanita! Juanita!" Alyse touched her sister's arm. "It's okay, really. He doesn't want to go. Let him go, please...." She gave Juanita her best puppy-dog-eyes and Juanita dropped the blue-haired boy.
She hugged her sister. "Okay, Alyse, if that's what you want. C'mon, they're going to start the party if you don't hurry."
Alyse nodded. She gave Jesse a little pat on the head. "Sorry, my sister doesn't like me crying."
"Would that explain her hating men?"
"Erm, kind of." Alyse smiled.
Jim shook his head and held a hand out to Jesse. "C'mon, mate. You've got to at least come and see what's there. You can leave after that, mate."
Jesse nodded. No harm in trying, right?
---Juanita---
She pushed Justin, with feeling, towards Alexis. "Just ask her already.... don't dilly-dally."
Jim was playing with Alyse out in the hall, because Jesse still hadn't shown up and he'd gotten worried. Juanita had a sneaking suspicion Alyse was becoming like Shirley to him; a sister in arms, as it were. Alyse, on the other hand, was treating Jim more like Juanita. Respect and humor.
Jim poked his head in. "Juanita, c'mere."
She followed him out and stopped.
Alyse was sleeping on the floor and Shirley was tucked under one arm and guarding her protectively.
Juanita looked at Jim. "Is it possible that...?"
"I think so, mate. It looks like your sister and mine are one and the same."
Juanita smiled, for the first time, because she was thoroughly pleased. Of course, in the spur of the moment, she kissed Jim's cheek before kneeling beside Alyse and Shirley. "Prendermi cura di mia cara sorella, Shirley."
Shirley seemed to agree and snuggled closer to Alyse.
Juanita noticed Jim was kind of rigid. "You okay?" Then she realized her red lip gloss had imprinted a kiss on his face and she covered her mouth. "Jim! I'm so sorry! I wasn't.... I didn't think I'd do that!" She quickly reached out to wipe it away.
Jim grabbed her wrist. "No, it's okay." He smiled warmly at her. "I kind of enjoy that. Do it again?"
Juanita tipped her head to one side. "Again? But why would a girl like me be interesting to a boy like you?"
Jim's face changed colors and he shook his head. "Not 'interesting', Juanita. You're intoxicating most of the time."
Alyse made a noise and they both looked down.
"She's the reason I can't get close." Jim sighed and let go of Juanita. "I'm afraid that if she doesn't like me, neither would you." He brushed Alyse's hair away from her face. "She's your whole world right now. Where would I fit in? Where could I fit in?"
Juanita suddenly gave a short laugh. "Do you know that Shirley is the same? I don't know if I'm allowed near you because she's snapped at me a good few times."
Jim smiled. "Shirley doesn't snap for no reason. If she growls and then snaps, back off."
"No, she just snaps." Juanita knelt beside Alyse and Shirley.
"Then she wants to show you something, mate." Jim touched Juanita's hand. "Here." He put her hand on the crown of Shirley's head. "Pet her. She likes it."
Juanita started to rub Shirley's head. The croc moved and Alyse made another noise. Everyone stopped and then sighed and Alyse remained asleep.
"It's amazing," Jim commented.
Juanita blinked and looked up. "What is?"
"You're nothing like Lisa."
Juanita narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"
"You see, Lisa was never really concerned about Shirley. She pretended to be. You seem to think very highly of her, mate. I wonder, do you really like Shirley?"
Juanita's face changed colors. "Well, that depends." She put her hand on Alyse's head. "What makes it easy?"
There was a pause. It was only broken by the dull thud of the music on the other side of the wall. Until they heard....
"Piano?" Jim asked, looking at the wall as if he could see right through it.
Juanita recognized the tune and looked down at Alyse.
'If I could catch a rain drop, I would show you how it gleams, Before I let it drop. I'll show you all my dreams, Just don't let me go.
'Make this your statement, Tell them you're hell-bent, Show them your smile, For the millionth mile, Show them it's now or never, And make this your statement of forever.'
"Alyse! You let them play that song...."
"Is that you singing?" Jim asked.
Juanita dropped her head. "No, it's Alyse. When she sings, she sounds like me."
"She can sing?"
"Not a great amount. She's too shy. But I came up with the music to it. She wrote the words."
"Well, ain't that somethin'," came a voice from behind.
Juanita turned and looked up a bit.
Jesse waved. His smile was bright and warm. "Mind if I sit with her?"
"No." Juanita smiled at Jim. "C'mon, you have to hear the rest of the song! Alyse knows her words well."
A/N: i wrote a song called "Statement of Forever or Never" and that's kinda what the title came from. the reason is this; the singer of the song has a dear one that they love, but life and family seem to be in the way. so, they write a statement to their dear one. i'll write out the whole lyrics in the next/last chapter.... whichever i decide upon.... -p3n-stroke
