Down the Rabbit Hole Chapter 26 – Shake it Like a Polaroid Picture
Alice spent the next thirty minutes after the play was over getting out of her costume and carefully removing her makeup from the abrasion around the lower part of her eye. Placing the beanie back on top of her head, she gives Ms. Ritta a warm hug thanking her for all her help getting ready for this role. "Now, you keep in touch darling," Ms. Ritta says giving a gentle squeeze to the hug.
"I will."
Pulling back from the hug she looks Alice in the eyes, her hands upon her shoulders, "If you need anything at all, you have my number."
Giving this kind woman a grateful smile, "You'll be the first person I call."
"Good, you make sure that you do darling," she looks from side to side and finds her purse hanging on the back of her chair. Picking it up she slings it over her shoulder, "Now you get going, I'm sure your friends are waiting on you," she shoos her away with a motion of her hand as she speaks.
Alice turns and did as she was told, turning back as she closed the door to take one last look at the woman, getting a feeling in her stomach that this might be the last time she would see her for quite a while. She had come to admire and respect this woman who was living the life she could only dream of right now. Stepping from the backstage area, Edd takes a breath and lets it out slowly looking around the dwindling crowd on the main floor of the small auditorium for his friends. A flash of a camera out of the corner of his eyes, he quickly looks over in the direction it came from, only seeing one of his fellow actors talking to some of her friends.
He spots Tina on the right side of the room with her life partner Pat, talking to some older looking gentlemen, a few paces away from them stood Kevin and the rest of his friends. Taking the steps down to the main floor on the right of the stage he begins to head toward his group of friends. "Hey Edd," a familiar voice calls out to him, "There you are." He turns his head in the direction he was being called from and sees Tim walking toward him holding the hand of the man trialing behind him through the row of fold up seats.
He waves to him and waits for them at the end of the row, "Hey there mister handyman."
"Edd, I would like you to meet Derek," he says as he reaches him, stepping aside so the man could extend his hand to him.
"It's nice to meet you, Tim's told me a lot about you," Derek was a very handsome African American man that stood a little over six feet tall, with light coco skin. He has short well-kept hair, a small goatee upon his chin, beautiful brown eyes with a smattering of freckles across his cheeks and nose.
Edd took the hand offered to him and gave it a firm shake, "It's a pleasure to meet you Derek."
Tim perks up and asks excitedly, "So are you going to the after party?"
"You know he can't honey," Derek motions toward Edd, "It's going to be at The Dock."
"Oh, right," he sounded a little put off that he had forgotten that Edd was underage.
"And we can't go either, like I've already told you, I've got work tomorrow and so do you," he looked a little stern when he said this, like it was the end of a conversation they had already had on this topic before Edd joined it. "Besides," he kisses Tim's cheek, "We have no one to sponsor us in, so you'll just have to wait till next week to go dancing."
He jokingly pouted, "Do you promise we get to go," and lays his head on Derek's shoulder.
He gives his man a side eye glance and shakes his head while chuckling silently to himself, "Yeah, I promise."
Tim bounces back up, no longer pouting, "I'm cool with that," giving his man a quick kiss. Bringing his attention back to Edd he turns him around with one hand, wrapping his arm around his shoulder in that movement then begins to lead him towards Tina, "Let's go meet the rest of your friends," his other hand still holding on to Derek's.
As they walked past Tina to get to the rest of the group Edd could hear the older gentleman critiquing her work upon the play and his opinion was not promising, at least not the part that he had heard. Getting a few feet past he asks the two of them as he points over his shoulder at the man, "Who is that?"
"Tina's teacher," Derek replied, "The play is a part of her grade."
"He doesn't seem to approve of her work."
"It is his job to point out and help her to correct her mistakes or she wouldn't be learning," Tim pointed out.
Edd looks over his shoulder and sees that he was still talking to her, not at all looking happy, "Well he doesn't have to be so mean about it."
They walk up to his friends as Derek points out how cruel the world can be, "She has a lot of unfair hurdles to overcome."
"What are you all talking about," Rave questions.
Tim looks over at him, "Tina's asshole of a teacher."
"So first off, she's a woman," Derek continues, "Which stereotypically in a misogynistic world shuffles her off into the roles of hairstylist, costume designer or makeup artist."
"Or actress," Plank added and Edd gives him a look that said thank you for your two cents.
"And then of course there's the fact that she's a lesbian, which means to people like him that she should be a lighting and set designer." He gives him a moment to let that sink in, "So you see some people allow their personal prejudices or spiritual beliefs to dictate how they are going to treat someone instead of judging them upon their merits."
Tim adds from there, "In his mind he can't understand why a woman would want to be a director, he probably thinks she should stay at home and have baby's."
"It's people like him who are going to make it hard for her," Derek motions toward the teacher, "But she's tough as nails and can handle it. I have no doubt in my mind that she'll make her dream come true, if for nothing more than to prove people like him wrong."
"That's some grade A bull shit," Marie said trying to keep her rage in check, "I thought the show was fucking awesome. What kind of an asshole do you have to be to give her a hard time because she's a woman."
"Apparently that kind," Kevin replied as the man storms by, Tina following slowly behind him.
"How'd it go Tink," Derek asks as she joined the group.
Her expression was forlorn as she comes up and hugs the man, "I got a B minus."
"That fucking asshole," Rave said for the group as a collective, his mother admonished his foul language but shared the sentiment.
"He's just mad I didn't hold it on campus," She looks up into Derek's eyes, "But the center could use the money more than the school could."
"It's alright Tink, you did good," he rubs her shoulder trying to sooth her, "Don't let it get you down."
"Tell that to my grades," she replied as she released her hug on him, she couldn't help the feeling that it was going to be a tough road to graduation, and that she would have to work twice as hard to prove herself. "Are you guys coming out tonight?"
"Nah, got to work tomorrow," Tim replied.
"Ah, I need my teddy bear tonight," she pouted and hugs Derek again.
"Sorry Tink," he squeezes her tightly, "The bills don't pay themselves, but you go out and let off some steam, I'll come by after I get off work tomorrow and we'll have brunch."
"Mimosa's?"
"Absolutely."
"It's a date," they give each other a quick kiss to say goodbye. As she walks away she calls over her should, shaking her finger at him, "Now don't you be late."
Derek shakes his head at his friend as she walked away, taking his man's hand again as they followed the rest of the group toward the exit. 'Derek, Tim," Edd called out, bringing both men's attention to him, "I was wondering if you might be able to do me a small favor."
Tim cocks a brow at the son of his employer, "Whatcha need Edd?"
"Well you see, my friends," he motions toward Jonny and Marie, "Got a ride here tonight from Jonny's cousin and apparently it was only a one-way deal."
"And your cars already full and you want to know if we can give them a lift," Tim finishes for him.
Derek looks at Tim who only smiled a shrugged his shoulders, then turns back to Edd, "We'd be happy to."
"Thanks, I owe you one," stepping out onto the street Edd noticed the subtle change in Derek and Tim, they released each other's hands and put a foot of distance between each other. He understood their reasons behind doing it, but it still made him sad that they had to hide their love for one another while out in public. For the world can be a hateful place, and it is better to love each other safely then to become the focus of some bigot's ire.
"Well in that case," Tim rubs his chin in thought, "I think I've got a few things you can help me do tomorrow."
Kevin looked a little disappointed as he was hoping to spend Sunday with Edd, but now he would be helping Tim with his work. Derek bumps into Tim's shoulder with his own, "Don't be working the bosses kid to hard, remember you want to keep this job." Though they couldn't hold hands they still acted like two good friends walking down that street, joking and playing around with each other, to the rest of the world they would look like two bros just hanging out.
"Nah, his old man would probably approve," he started walking and talking in an exaggerated butch fashion, "It will help build character, make him a man and not some sissy queen," he hawks a loogie and spits it to the side.
"How butch," Derek replies in disgust, "Soon you'll be burping and scratching your balls."
"If it turns you on baby, I will," he dodges the slap to the shoulder with a smile and a laugh.
"You're so funny."
"I know," it was his turn to bump shoulders with Derek, "But that's why you love me."
"Our marriage is doomed," he quietly exclaims then playfully pouts.
Reaching the parking lot where their vehicles were parked, Tim unlocks the door to his Nissan truck, opening the door he pulls up his front seat and reaches in the back to drop down the jump seat. "Come on kids, let's get you home," he motions for Jonny and Marie as Rave, his mother and Plank continue on toward their car.
Marie steps up to the door and sees the small seats and asks, "You're a good driver, right?"
"He's a maniac on the road," Derek replied as he opened his door to let Jonny in, "But he hasn't killed me yet."
"That's reassuring," she adds as she steps into the vehicle, buckling up.
Pushing the seat back into position Tim waves goodbye to the rest of the group, "I'll see you tomorrow Edd, let say nine."
"I'll be there," he replied as both he and Kevin start to make their way over to join the other group.
"It was nice meeting you all," Derek waved from his side of the vehicle before getting in.
Getting into Ms. Castellanos's car they shove Plank over against the driver side door of the back seat. Edd taking the middle, he leans over and whispers, "We need to talk, so you better just plan on staying at my place tonight."
Looking up to the front seat at Rave he could guess what the conversation was going to be about, "Alright." It was now almost ten o'clock at night when they started their trip home and the passengers in the car were low on energy and quiet, the only sound was the music coming from the radio. Rave's mother was listening to The Crow soundtrack, the boys were not complaining about the choice since the music was right up their alley.
They reached Peach Creek just a little past eleven as they had stopped at the White Castle drive-thru to get everyone a late dinner. Edd had to remind her that Plank was staying at his place when she turned on her blinker to make her way into the trailer park at the bottom of Groove Hill. Making the quick trip up the hill and turning into Edd's neighborhood, she parked in front of his house letting the three boys out, both Rave and his mother saying their farewells before driving off.
Entering the house Edd turns off the alarm and then resets it before the three of them start climbing the steps to make their way up to his room. Kevin and Plank quietly talking as they walked, the door to his parent's room flying open, his angry mother standing in the doorway glaring at him, "Do you know what time it is?" He nods his head yes, biting his tongue knowing to say anything would just escalate the situation further, her eyes dart towards his friends, "Don't you think it's a little late to be bringing friends over, we've got church in the morning."
His father calling out form their bed half asleep, "Tina May, let the boy be."
She points her finger at him, "We're going to have a serious talk about your recent attitude mister," she steps back into her room and slowly closes the door, "Now get to bed."
Walking down the hall to the stairs to the third floor Plank mocks her in a silent voice, "God what a bitch."
Climbing the stairs Edd calls back to him, "Now Plank, let's not throw stones, I had about as much choice in who my mother was as I did about several other things in my life." Reaching the third floor Plank hurries over and plops down on the couch, groaning out in exhaustion, stretching as he did so. Edd comes around and leans upon the back of the couch, crossing his arms while Kevin took a seat in the chair next to it, turning on the TV, "So do you want to tell us what happened between you and Rave last night?"
Plank pops up into a half sitting position, supporting himself on his elbows, "Well, um, I uh."
"I know what happened," Edd looked at him disapprovingly, "And I will be very disappointed in you if you slept with him just to get your rocks off." Kevin stops what he was doing and looks over at the two of them with a shocked what the fuck expression upon his face, and in seconds choose to stay out of this conversation.
"Why do you fuckers always have to assume that I'm going to fuck and duck?" he replied defensively, "It wasn't like that, ok, I didn't mean for it to happen."
"Oh, so what was it like then?" He stands upright, "You just happened to be naked with a hard on, tripped on one of the twin's toys, and Rave who also just happened to be naked, was in the right position for your dick to just slide up in him. And then what? Every time you tried to get up you lost your balance, thus causing the thrusting motion associated with sex, until you nutted?"
He playfully but halfheartedly chuckles, "If that's what you choose to believe, then yeah, that's what happened."
Edd tuts and comes around to sit on the couch, forcing the boy to sit up properly, "Come on Plank, tell me the truth, do you like him?"
Planks expression turns from the playful carefree one he was using as a wall to hide his feelings, to one of worry and concern, "Yeah, I think he's cute."
"That doesn't answer the question," Edd was starting to get irritated.
"I don't know," it was like neither one of them was willing to give him an answer on whether or not they like the other. "But I'm not going to stop being his friend just because we had sex, if that's what he is worried about."
"Why do you think he is worried about that?"
Plank was starting to look sad, "He looked like he regretted it all as soon as it was over, he just rolled over and fell asleep, he hasn't said anything nice to me since."
"Maybe," Kevin decided to finally contribute, "You should tell him that you still want to be his friend. Because if you don't, you will end up losing him, because we all know Rave can be hard headed at the best of times and will probably continue to be standoffish until he stops talking to you all together."
"He's right you know," Plank looks from Kevin back to Edd, "You need to talk to him and then show him that you mean it."
"I hear what you're saying, I'm just," Plank was trying to stifle his fears of rejection.
"No Plank, you have to, or are you really wanting to lose him as a friend?" Edd asks and Plank shakes his head no, "Alright, then I suggest you get up early tomorrow and do it. You can go over there when Kevin goes to pick up his scooter," he stands and walks toward his bedroom, taking Kevin's hand to lead him there, "Now get some sleep, you're going to need it." Taking out the spare blankets and pillows from his closet, he brings them out to his friend, depositing them neatly on the couch, "Goodnight," giving him a sympathetic look, "It's going to be alright, you'll see." Edd leaves him and returns to his room closing the door behind him, Plank pulls out the hideaway bed and makes it before turning off the lights to lay down to a restless night.
The following morning Jeffery had decided that it would be alright for Edd to miss church this week, much to the chagrin of his mother. Edd woke up a little after eight to find a sticky note on his door from his father, telling him to enjoy the day with his friends but that he would be going to church next week. After taking his shower, he wakes his friends up and asks for another favor from Tim once he arrived. Dropping both Plank and Kevin off at the winery, he returns home to help the handy man out with his work keeping his fingers crossed that Rave would be open to talking to Plank. Finding out later that night when he was talking to Kevin on the phone that he had, as Kevin put it, "Chickened the fuck out," and had him drop him off at his home.
The next morning Edd finds Plank at his usual spot right off the high school campus behind a strip mall, smoking his morning cigarette with a few of the other boys who are considered delinquents. Walking up to him he smacks him upside the back of his head, "What the hell Plank, I thought we had talked about this and that you were going to talk to Rave."
"I know," he didn't have time to finish what he was going to say as Edd had taken the cigarette form his lips, took a drag to calm his nerves, then grabs him by the arm to drag him to the school.
"You're going in there right now and explaining everything to him, I don't care if I have to stand there to keep you from running away, but we are settling this." Walking through the front doors of the school they turn the corner into the first hallway to head toward Rave's locker when Plank stops him in front of the notice board.
Edd turns around to look at him, pointing his finger in his face he opens his mouth to tell him to stop stalling, but Plank speaks first, "Edd," he points toward the board, drawing Edd's attention in the direction he was looking. Pinned to that board were several photo copies of polaroid pictures, Edd takes a step closer to get a better look at them and his heart nearly flew out of his chest as he could feel the floor drop out from beneath him. Several of the pictures were of him in his Juliet costume and one of him dressed as a boy as he was coming out from the backstage area then another one was him standing near Kevin, Plank, Rave and the rest of his friends.
A/N- KABOOM, this is the emergency broadcast system, this is not a test, we advise everyone to seek shelter immediately, please stay tuned to this station for further instructions.