It's Crazy Time with Jeremy & Peggy!
Ch. 25 Shot an Arrow in the Sky & it Stuck
(CLARE)
"If you get tired then come home, don't overdo it today. Don't go near anyone you even think is sick. If Owen wants to carry your books then let him you're still weak. Don't forget to take your meds and d…"
"Mom I'll be okay, you've seen Owen with me do you think there is even the slightest chance that if I'm feeling even a little ill, or even tired, Owen wouldn't just bring me home? Not to mention Adam and my other friends will all be watching out for me," I cut her off.
"I'll keep an eye on her too," Jake speaks up grabbing my backpack. He carries my backpack out to the truck and we get in.
"I could have carried my backpack," I tell Jake as he begins driving to school.
"I'd rather carry your backpack to the car than risk one of your mom's dirty looks," Jake replies and I laugh just as my phone alerts me to a text.
Peggy: On the steps and waiting to welcome you back to school.
I smile and text him back that we'll be there in a couple of minutes. When Jake pulls up to the school I see Owen sitting on the steps, but he stands when he sees us pull in and Jake stops near the steps so I can get out. Owen grins coming over and opening my door for me, I hop out and he grabs my backpack from the back of the truck. He puts his arm around me and we walk toward the school while Jake drives into the parking lot to park.
"So what's the plan for telling people?" Owen asks as we walk up the steps.
"You're walking into school with your arm around me the smart ones will figure it out. But you're forgetting one very important thing," I tell him stopping on the steps.
"What's that?" Owen questions.
"Happy 18th Birthday Peggy," I reply kissing my boyfriend.
"Thank you Jeremy but my party is this weekend you need to get your strength back before we can truly celebrate my birthday right," Owen says.
"I agree so the first weekend I'm strong enough we will celebrate your birthday with a truly memorable Jeremy and Peggy weekend," I grin.
"Sounds awesome," Owen smiles taking my lips again.
"Holy shit!" Dallas' exclamation breaks us apart and we look over to see the Torres brothers and Dallas at the bottom of the stairs. Drew and Adam are only smiling but Dallas is totally shocked.
"Welcome back Jeremy," Drew grins walking up the stairs to us with Adam. Dallas remains at the bottom of the stairs too shocked to move.
"You look even better than you did yesterday," Adam smiles.
"Thanks Adam, let's go inside and give Dallas time to recover," I comment with a laugh.
"Hey what's up Dallas?" Jake says running past Dallas up the stairs and Dallas still doesn't move.
"Nurse Patrick is on her way, so what are we doing for your birthday Peggy?" Drew asks.
"Just a quiet dinner at my house with my family and my girlfriend, party on Friday night," Owen replies.
"Sweet Nurse Patrick is ready to party," Bianca grins running over and pouncing on Drew for a good morning kiss. "A Jeremy and Peggy style party?" She asks when she parts her lips from Drew's.
"I don't think my other friends, especially the Ice Hounds, could handle Jeremy and Pe…"
"Hold it," Dallas commands I guess he finally recovered from his shock and caught up with us interrupting Owen. "Why does Clare look like she's been to death's door?"
"Watch it Dallas that's my girlfriend you're talking about," Owen warns him and then looks at me. "You look gorgeous Jeremy," Owen tells me softly kissing my lips.
"That's another thing why is she Jeremy?"
"It's a long story," I reply.
"Okay when did you two start dating? And why do you look…" Dallas pauses I guess searching for a word that won't make Owen angry.
"I had cancer, I'm in remission now. I wasn't in Africa I had cancer and I've been in the hospital. Owen and I have been friends since we were all in London only we kept our friendship a secret. When Tris was in the hospital Owen found me there, he was angry I lied, we confessed our feelings and we've been dating for two months now," I inform Dallas.
"You and Clare? You started dating her when she had cancer? You've been friends since London? I…my head hurts that was a lot of information, I'm going this way now," Dallas sort of mumbles and walks away.
"That was fun, I wonder if everyone will react that way," I laugh.
We all laugh a second and begin walking again but are soon stopped when Alli and Jenna come running over to me. I greet them and they welcome me back to school. I hug my friends and tell them I'll see them in class. They all walk me to class but of course Adam has the class with me. Owen kisses me at the door and tells me he'll see me for lunch. Dave comes into class and hugs me welcoming me back before sitting down at his desk.
"Clare you're back," Eli grins coming into class and then gets a good look at me. "What happened to you? You look…"
"She wasn't in Africa she was sick with cancer and in the hospital. Oh and she's dating Owen in case you get any ideas about trying to get back together," Adam blurts out.
"Cancer? You had cancer? Wait Owen?! You're dating Owen? Why would you date Owen?"
"I love him that's why," I reply.
"You love him?"
"Yes Eli I love him," I affirm.
"They're adorable together and totally in love," Adam agrees. Eli stares at us shocked before sitting at his desk. He's quiet for the rest of class but when the bell rings he follows me out grabbing my hand.
"Clare we need to talk."
"Talk about what Eli? The fact that you took drugs and cheated on me breaking my heart? Or maybe you want to talk about how Owen has been there for me every time I've needed him since Boxing Day? While you were disappearing into drugs I was falling in love with Owen and didn't even realize it because we have this wonderful, crazy and incredible friendship. Come on Adam we'll be late for class," I say taking Adam's hand and leaving my ex in the dust. Dave laughs and waves to us as he walks off to class.
"Welcome back Clare how do you feel?" K.C. asks as Adam and I sit down in physics class.
"I feel pretty good thanks and I'm happy to be back at school."
"Have people heard about you and Owen?" Alli asks.
"Yeah we made Dallas' head hurt and Eli wasn't very pleased."
"There's a shock," Alli comments rolling her eyes.
"Has anyone asked about you being sick?" Connor inquires.
"Lots of people have stared but no one has dared to ask. I'm sure word will spread," I reply as the bell rings and class begins. When the bell rings for lunch Adam and I leave class and begin walking down the hall until I get swept up from behind. I smile at my boyfriend and give him a soft kiss.
"Holy shit Milligan who's the…" Luke's question is cut short when Owen and I stop kissing and Luke sees that it's me. "Fuck is that Clare? What's wrong with her?" Luke asks and I see the better part of the Ice Hounds staring at me.
"They've been dating for a couple of months and she had cancer that's why she looks like she's been to death's door and back," Dallas informs them.
"How did…" one of them begins.
"We've been friends since London and we fell in love any other questions?" Owen asks.
"London? Wait is she the kinky hook up girl?" Luke queries.
"You know we do need more bad ties for bondage games that's what I can buy you for your birthday," I smile at Owen.
"Sweet," he smiles.
"But she's wearing an abstinence ring," Luke comments.
"Hey I said she liked being bound with ties and she does, I never said anything about sex you guys have dirty minds. Come on Ace we're late for my birthday lunch," Owen says. He walks a short ways before putting me down. Also joining us for lunch is Bianca, Drew, Adam, Grace, Cam, Tris and Maya. Since Owen's party is Friday night we don't give him his gifts but he does enjoy his birthday lunch. "I have to go do something but I'll see you after school," Owen says kissing me when we get back into the school.
"I'm going to walk Grace to class," Adam tells me and I smile. The two of them walk off along with Tris, Cam and Maya.
"Should we walk you to class?" Drew asks me.
"I have independent study this period I'm just going to the resource center I need my backpack but I can get that," I reply. Drew and Bianca smile and walk off, I begin walking toward the resource center when I become surrounded by several members of the Ice Hounds and Dallas seems to be in the lead. Dallas falls into step with me on my right side, Luke on my left, Bo and Ingvar behind me with a couple of other Ice Hounds whose names I can't recall.
"Just what did you and Owen do in London?" Dallas inquires.
"Which time?" I question back.
"You guys went back to London?" Luke asks.
"At the end of February the weekend after my birthday, although we spent the first night in Paris at a bed and breakfast," I tell them.
"You guys…" Dallas starts but gets interrupted by Eli.
"YOU SPENT A WEEKEND AWAY WITH HIM WHILE WE WERE DATING?!" Eli yells approaching me but Bo, Ingvar and one of the other Ice Hounds suddenly move in front of me blocking Eli from not just getting to me but seeing me.
"Probably because Owen's not psycho now get lost," Dallas tells him.
"I want to know what my girlfriend did for a weekend in London with another guy," Eli snarls.
"I told you t…" Dallas begins but I put my hand on his arm.
"It's okay he can here this," I say stepping forward a little and pushing Bo and Ingvar apart slightly. "Owen and I stopped in Paris that night and got a free night at a bed and breakfast because we pretended to be newlyweds. And yes we shared a bed Eli. We went to a sci-fi/comic book convention, crashed a wedding pretending to be engaged and won a karaoke competition. In short we had fun Eli and that was just one weekend, that's not even everything we did."
"You cheated on me you b…" Eli starts but Ingvar shoves him into the wall cutting Eli off.
"Watch your mouth Emo boy she's dating one of us that makes her one of us," Luke says.
"The seasons over jock brain," Eli responds.
"The season might be over but we're still a team, get rid of him," Dallas orders and the twins escort him away.
"Thanks," I smile at Dallas, even though I think it was a little excessive but I can't deny it was nice to have Eli taken away.
"No problem you're one of us now, so did you and Owen really share a bed?" Dallas questions.
"Yes, we've slept in the same bed lots of times but all we do is kiss. I'm waiting until marriage," I tell them as they start walking me to my locker again.
"So what do you do with the ties?" Luke questions as we reach my locker.
"We use them for bondage games," I reply opening my locker. Hey I'm not going to tell them everything and it's technically true we do use the ties for bondage, just not in a sexual way.
They look confused but I tell them I'm not giving them any further information and they walk off. I start to pull my backpack from my locker but a hand reaches in and grabs it.
"I carry your books, at least for now," Owen tells me before taking my lips for a soft kiss.
"You've been speaking to my mom haven't you?"
"Yes and mine, since it's my birthday my mom said you could sleep over. After some convincing and begging, and a few caveats your mom agreed too," Owen tells me.
"What caveats?" I inquire as we begin walking to the resource center.
"I promised your mom you'd sleep in the guest room but you won't of course. I also promised to carry your books until school is out and make sure you don't over exert yourself in anyway, that one I will keep," Owen grins.
"Then I guess we'd better swing by my house after school so I can pack an overnight bag," I comment.
Owen walks me to the resource center putting my backpack on the table and kissing me before he leaves. Since both my last period classes are independent study, after everything that happened with Asher and being fired from co-op, I stay in the resource center until Owen picks me up again. Tris meets us on the steps and we drive to my house, I pack what I'll need for tonight and tomorrow morning and then we go to Owen's house. Tris and Owen both get snacks from the kitchen but I'm not hungry. Tris stays in the living room to do his homework while Owen and I go to his room.
"You sure you aren't hungry?" He asks sitting on the bed with me.
"No the oral chemo is better than the IV but I still don't have much of an appetite. I will be hungry for dinner though."
"Did you enjoy your first day back?" Owen asks getting out his homework.
"Yeah it was great to be out of the hospital and back to something that was normal. Even if we don't generally like the normal. No one really asked about me being sick and only Eli took the news of us bad, not that I expected him to take it well," I tell him.
"Yeah Dallas told me about it in math class and that you told them we haven't had sex but still used the ties for bondage games. Dallas wanted me to clarify but I wouldn't."
"The team was pretty effective in making Eli vanish I had no idea they could be so…protective and unified as a team even after the season is over."
"Yeah I guess all that team bonding stuff in London actually did work," Owen says and I smile.
Since Owen has a spare 4th period he got most of his homework done already and I finish mine quickly. After we finish our homework we go out to the living room and sit on the sofa watching a movie. Tris finishes his homework while we watch the movie. Owen's mom gets home a little after five and begins making dinner. When Owen's dad gets home we sit down for dinner. They ask about my first day back at school and everyone talks about their day. After dinner we do cake and Owen's family gives him his birthday presents. Then Owen and I go to his room and watch movies for the rest of the night.
"Happy Birthday Owen," I smile kissing my boyfriend's lips just before we go to sleep. We're both lying in his bed, his arms around me and my head on his chest.
"Thanks but the real celebration is this weekend," Owen grins. "Now get to sleep if you're exhausted tomorrow your mom will kill me," Owen says and I laugh. He starts stroking my back lightly like he did in the hospital and I fall asleep happily in his arms.
(OWEN)
"Party to-night," Dallas smiles when I see him at school on Friday.
"Yep and no parents or baby bro," I grin.
"Yeah you're parents are awesome, when I turned eighteen I just got cash. So do I get to hear the kinky details of you and Clare yet?"
"Not a chance," I shake my head.
"You suck, so who else is coming tonight and what am I bringing?"
"Parents took care of provisions, all but the alcohol. Well Clare's coming obviously, Drew, Bianca, Adam, Grace, most of the team except for Cam he's going home this weekend. K.C.'s coming and Fiona and Imogen," I tell him and Dallas smiles.
I spend most of the day talking about the party tonight. Since my parents didn't want me wrecking the house they rented me a beach house for my party. They already stalked it with groceries and removed all the breakables but the party will be pretty small anyway. Right after school we leave for the beach house. The house is fairly isolated so we can play music pretty loud, and be pretty loud ourselves, without bothering anyone. Luke turns on some music and we start getting out the food. It doesn't take long for everyone to arrive and the party begins. Clare is looking a lot better after five days back at school, she's getting her strength back and Eli's been no more trouble.
"Hey Gorgeous how you feeling?" I question Clare wrapping my arm around her from behind.
"Good," she smiles.
"Dr. Susan says what she needs is a day of crazy fun," Drew comments.
"Is that your professional opinion Dr. Susan?" I ask him.
"Yes that's my professional opinion, don't you agree Nurse Patrick?" Drew questions looking at Bianca.
"I do indeed," Bianca nods.
"I think I'm strong enough for a day of Jeremy and Peggy fun but we need the whole gang," Clare says and looks around the room. "HEY ACE," she calls to him over the music. He's talking with Grace but looks over when Clare calls and then walks over with Grace after she whispers something to him.
"What's up Jeremy?"
"Jeremy and Peggy fun tomorrow are in?"
"Of course," Adam grins.
"Prescribed by Dr. Susan it's just the thing she needs," Drew comments.
"Who's Dr. Susan?" Grace asks.
"Hmm you think we ought to let her in? I mean it would make it an even six," Clare says.
"Is she crazy enough to be one of us?" Bianca asks.
"Just how crazy are we talking?" Grace queries.
"Well I know she sings karaoke," Adam comments looking at us and then looks at Grace. "How do you feel about hustling pool?"
"I don't really play pool but I'm all for a good con," Grace responds.
"What are your thoughts on dressing crazy? Would you wear a really ugly 80's prom dress to a posh restaurant?" Clare asks her.
"That sounds pretty awesome, I would love to see everyone's snooty faces," Grace smiles.
"How about crashing a wedding?" Bianca asks.
"Cool," Grace says.
"Dressing like the Village People to sing karaoke and sneaking into a sci-fi comic book convention by posing as an EMT?" Drew questions.
"Both very cool," Grace replies.
"How about being bound to Adam's wrist with one of the ugliest ties you've ever seen? Would you crash a self-help seminar? How do you feel about leaving random gifts for strangers?" I inquire.
"Bondage is fun, crashing a self-help seminar would be hilarious and leaving random gifts for strangers could be cool."
"Okay she's in," I smile.
"Now you need a name, I'm Jeremy and Owen is Peggy we got those by pretending to be docents at a museum. Adam is Ace since giving him a name of the opposite sex didn't seem right the way Owen and I are. Ace as in the bully from Stand By Me because Adam is exactly the opposite of a bully. Drew is Dr. Susan, both a name of the opposite sex and probably the only time he'll ever be called Doctor," Clare is saying when Drew interrupts.
"Hey! Well yeah that's probably true."
"Bianca is Nurse Patrick another name of the opposite sex, plus she's smart enough but I can't really see Bianca as a nurse," I remark.
"Working with sick people no way," Bianca shakes her head.
"I got it names that are your opposite," Grace remarks.
"Yeah and let's see you've got dark hair that's got green streaks in it and a bit of a punk edge," Clare says.
"And she's good with computers," Adam speaks up.
"And very counterculture," Bianca adds.
"And not very smiley or cheery," Drew remarks.
"I got it Rainbow Bright," Clare grins.
"You're joking right?" Grace asks hopefully.
"Nope Rainbow Bright is perfect, Bright for short. So are you joining us tomorrow?" Clare questions.
"Sure but what are we doing?"
"I still don't have all of my strength back so we should start easy how about mini-golf? Jeremy and Peggy rules of course, we'll need to get some supplies," Clare says.
"I'm in," Grace smiles.
"You might as well sleep over tonight then too. We have the beach house for the night and Adam was already taking the pull out. Clare and I will be in one room and Drew and Bianca the other," I tell Grace.
"Cool," Grace grins.
I enjoy the rest of my party which goes until nearly two in the morning. Of course some people have curfews and leave before that. Clare and I take the master and get ready for bed, I hold her in my arms and we fall asleep together. We all sleep in for a bit but we have to be out of the beach house by eleven and we have to do some clean up before we leave. I set an alarm for ten and the six of us get ready and clean up then we stop at my house where I get every bad tie I have. Once I have the ties we go to the mall where Clare gives us guys the task of buying fake mustaches and beards and plastic top hats or bowler hats. The girls are shopping for different supplies but she won't tell us what they are. We meet up with the girls after an hour and drive to the mini-golf place. We pay and go to the first hole.
"Hang on did you guys get them?" Clare asks.
"Three top hats," Adam says handing Clare a bag.
"And three costume mustache and beard sets," I tell her handing her another bag. Clare puts on a top hat over the top of her dark blue wig. Then she hands a top hat to Bianca and one to Grace. Then Clare puts on a black mustache and beard, she gives Bianca the red set and Grace the blonde mustache and beard set.
"What do you think?" Grace asks Adam when she's got the beard on.
"You make one sexy bearded lady," Adam replies and Grace kisses him.
"And for the boys," Clare says pulling three sets of costume rabbit ears a bag and we put them on.
"Don't forget the bunny tails," Grace comments pulling three fluffy rabbit tails from a bag, "turn around boys."
The bunny tails go on with safety pins and each of our girlfriends has one and puts it on the backside of our jeans. It takes a second and then we turn around again and the girls smile.
"Almost done you wouldn't be proper bunnies without noses and whiskers," Bianca says taking costume rabbit noses with attached whiskers from another bag and we put them on.
"One last thing each couple take a bad tie and bind your wrists like this," Clare instructs taking the ties and tying her left wrist to my right one.
Once each couple is bound together we start playing golf. The course is pretty busy and everyone is staring at us, little kids think it's hilarious and the adults think we're nuts. They really think we're nuts when we call each other by our names. Not that we mind of course. Grace fits right in, cracking jokes and calling us all by our crazy names instead of our proper names. After playing mini-golf we go for pizza still bound together with ties and in the costumes.
"Grace should come to prom with us," Clare says while we're eating.
"Yeah we should go shopping for prom after lunch," Bianca agrees.
"I'm not a senior and neither is Adam," Grace remarks.
"It doesn't matter we already got Adam a ticket I'm sure we can get one for you, although Fiona will probably kill us when she sees us," I warn Grace.
"Why what are you guys planning to wear to prom?" Grace inquires.
"Well this is how we dress for mini-golf so just imagine what we wear to prom," Clare replies and Grace starts laughing.
"Awesome I can't wait this prom will be great."
Update next Monday will probably begin with Monday at school and include prom.