~Chapter Thirteen~
The next day, the three children spent recess at the swing set on the playground. Melissa and Ada sat on the swings whilst Marbles pushed Ada's swing. It was a beautiful day.
"So Melissa," Ada said, "What do you think of our dance lessons so far?"
"I rather enjoy it," the older girl answered a she swung back and forth, "I'm anticipating when we will do ballet. Its something I've wanted to do for a while now."
"Ballet is nice," Ada agreed, "But just wait until you learn the Minuet. It is such fun!"
"I know that dancing is mainly a female activity," Marbles said as he pushed Ada's swing, "But still, why don't they teach us boys? How will we know how to waltz with girls when we are older?"
"You will learn eventually Marbles" Melissa said, "The boy's part of partner dancing is always easier than the girl's."
"And if you do want to learn ahead of time," Ada added shyly, "You could always practice with me after school. I'm a very good dancer. I could easily teach you."
Marbles face turned bright red. "I would like that."
Melissa smiled as she watched the two. Ada had been crushing on Marbles since day one and after about a month of living with the Lovelaces, Marbles had began to show signs of liking her too.
"They're so perfect for each other," Melissa thought, "If they would only admit their feelings for one another! But I suppose we're still too young."
"Uh-oh," Ada said as she saw Lauren and Francesca walking towards them, "Here comes trouble!"
"Well hello Miss Queen of the Popular," Lauren said addressing Ada, "Enjoying being the center of attention?"
"Leave us alone," Ada snapped.
"Aawww," Francesca said mockingly, "Need some alone time with your new boyfriend?"
"We are just friends!" Ada and Marbles said, both of them blushing.
"Is that so Marbles?" Francesca asked, "Then shouldn't you be giving your own sister a push, instead of someone who's 'just a friend?'"
Lauren walked up behind Melissa's swing.
"Here Melissa," she said sarcastically, "I'll give you a push!"
Before Melissa could even react in any way, Lauren took hold of the swing's ropes and brought them as high and far back as she could. Then she pushed it forward with all her might, sending a screaming Melissa flying off. She landed with a loud Thud onto the grass. Lauren flipped back her wavy, dark red hair triumphantly and high-fived Francesca as their victim lay crying on the ground.
"I'm telling on you!" Marbles shouted as Ada ran over to her friend.
But Lauren and Francesca could care less. They had already made a habit of visiting the Principal's office and knew by now how to sneak around their parents' punishments.
"Are you alright Melissa?" Ada said concerned while Marbles ran to tell a teacher.
"I'm fine," Melissa said as her tears dried, "But that really hurt just now."
Marbles came back with Mr. Dell and Mrs. Wilson. Mrs. Wilson knelt down beside the girls.
"Are you okay sweetie?" she said rubbing Melissa's back, "Your brother told us everything."
"I'm okay. Really."
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves, treating a new student like that!" Mr. Dell shouted at the two bullies, "We are all sick and tired of you girls harassing other students! God doesn't like it, the victims don't like it, and your parents don't like it! You will spend your recesses in the Principal's office for the rest of this week! And if any of us hear one more story of either of you hitting, kicking, or purposely pushing someone again you will be expelled from the seminary! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"
"Yes sir," the girls said monotonously.
"Good," Mr. Dell said calming down, "Now go to the Principal's office."
Lauren and Francesca walked casually to the school building, not really caring about the consequences they were about to face...
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"I simply can't stand those two girls," Ada's friend Alice ranted to Melissa and Ada.
Ada and Melissa had gone to Alice's house to help her with the Science homework they'd been assigned in class and then play dolls afterwards. In just the one and a half days Alice knew Melissa, she had already decided that she would be a good friend. She was smart, friendly, and very caring.
"I agree," Ada said, "They're nothing but low-class bullies! Especially Lauren! She is such a... such a..."
"A witch! That's what she is!" Melissa laughed, finishing Ada's sentence.
"Exactly!" Ada and Alice exclaimed, also laughing at Melissa's remark.
"She really is," Alice continued, "I remember back in kindergarten, we were painting pictures and Lauren threw a full cup of black paint onto my uniform. And another time, near Valentine's day, we were cutting out heart-shaped cards. She came up behind me while the teacher wasn't looking and cut a huge chunk of my hair off!"
"My goodness!" Melissa exclaimed.
"And Francesca's almost as bad," Ada explained to the 'new girl', "One time she punched a boy so hard in the face he had a bruise for weeks. She was suspended for three days, but I say she should have gotten a month."
"You're lucky to have not broken anything Melissa," said Alice, "In fact I don't even see any bruises on you!"
"I don't bruise easily," the girl answered, "I used to climb trees for fun back in our old home and there were plenty of times when I fell off the highest branches. But no bruises."
"Lucky!" Alice said.
Melissa smiled. "Well as long as they stay far away from my brother, they can do whatever they want with me."
"Good grief Melissa," Ada exclaimed, "I've never known someone to be so protective over a younger sibling!"
"I know," Alice added, "You sound like my mom right now."
Melissa smiled. "I seem to get these comments a lot."
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Marbles watched Margaret Lovelace as she attempted to fix a laptop that had been damaged after its owner spilled hot coffee onto it. It was 3:45 P.M and the girls were still at Alice's house.
"Well it would seem that Mr. Miller has damaged his laptop beyond repair," Margaret stated after hours of repairing and trying to reboot it.
"What are you going to do?" Marbles asked.
"I will have to give him his money back," Margaret replied as she wiped her hands on her apron, "I never accept payment for a job which I cannot complete."
"What shall happen to the laptop?"
"He must dispose of it and purchase a new one of course," the woman answered.
Marbles thought for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "Do you suppose..."
"Yes Marbles?" Margaret said waiting for the boy to finish his question.
"Do you suppose this cyborg would let me keep the laptop?"
Margaret was confused by this question.
"I am sure he would since there's not much he can do with it. But what in Cyberspace would you want with a broken laptop?!"
"Maybe someday I could find a solution to these types of problems by using the laptop as a sort of experiment."
Margaret smiled. "Just like Clyde," she thought to herself.
"Well," she said, "Alright. I will ask him. But if he says yes, then you are only to work on the 'experiments' up here in this attic. Is that understood?"
"Of course," Marbles answered, "Thank you Miss Lovelace."
"You're very welcome Marbles." Margaret paused. "Don't you have any homework?"
"Not today," Marbles answered, "Our homework was to finish whatever classwork we didn't complete and I finished it all in class."
"Well that's good," Margaret said.
"And I was the first student to finish!"
"Now Marbles we don't boast in this house," Margaret said trying to be stern but failing miserably, "But that's wonderful Marbles. You truly are one of the most intelligent children I know."
"Your daughter is very intelligent also," he said smiling at the thought of Ada.
Margaret smiled too, knowing quite well that Marbles was beginning to have a crush on her daughter. "Yes she is. All three of you are little geniuses."
"Thank you," Marbles said, "I'm going to go to my room and read, if you don't mind."
"Of course I don't mind Marbles," Margaret said, "Have fun. It was lovely having you around while I worked on this."
"Thank you. It was fun to watch what I will eventually be doing some day," the boy answered.
Marbles then left the attic to go to his room, where he would spend the rest of his afternoon reading a biography on his favorite cyber-scientist. Margaret went downstairs to her own laptop in the parlor room and emailed her customer about the unfortunate news. After she had sent the email she went to a book shelf and grabbed a scrapbook. As she flipped through the pages, she found a photo from her college years. It had been taken on Pi day after a pie fight took place in her Calculus class. The event was so spontaneous that Margaret couldn't even remember who threw the first pie. In the photo, a young Clyde stood next to his then-girlfriend Donna, both covered head-to-toe in pie filling.
Margaret laughed lightly at the photo, reminiscing on that day. (And how long it took herself to wash the pie off)
"Oh Clyde," she whispered, "You'd be so proud of your children. They have a bright future ahead of them."
So this was kinda just a filler chapter. But please review all the same. Feel free to be completely honest!