"I mean aren't they a little smarter then us, and this has to be the oldest trick in the book!"
"Its in a book? Great! So maybe it won't work!" Dani said falling back onto her full sized bed.
"Relax! It's just a saying! However, it is old enough they've probably heard of it!
"Yes, I know it's old, but they're so lost I don't think they'll notice it was a set up."
"It's not like you're trying something new, I mean how old is this trick really?"
"But that's just it! It's so obvious they won't think of it! I mean, they'll think about it, then decide that the reason it's happening couldn't possibly be what they think because they know that we know they are smarter than that and that is why it will work!"
"Right, how about I just leave the figuring stuff out to you cause that totally lost me!"
"Sounds good, but we're doing it tonight so here's all you need to know. Tonight, when I say let's go get a Purple Flurp, and I need 3 people, don't volunteer Cindy or Jimmy. Also, if I make up a lame reason for us being gone so long, don't say that I'm lying, k?"
"Got it!"
"Really? You mean you paid attention?"
"No, I said I got the little fuzzy that was floating around."
"K, just, whatever I say agree on, ok, and don't ask Jimmy or Cindy to do anything."
"K, I got it now!"
"Good."
"Dani, Stacey, Shayna's on the phone!" Judy hollered from the living room.
"Got it!" Stacey yelled grabbing the fuzzy purple phone that matched their bedroom, and doing a somersault onto the bed. "Hey Shay!"
"Hey Stace, how ya doing?"
"Good, I have to not tell or ask Jimmy and Cindy to d anything!"
"Cool, is Dani there?"
"Yup! Here she is."
"Dani, how much sugar has Stace had?"
"Only a few Hershey Deluxe Chocolate Brownies she talked mom out of."
"HERSHEY DELUXE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES? You did save some for me, right?"
"Don't worry, Mom's gonna cook a fresh batch for us when you come over, you are coming over, right?
"Yep, we gonna do it tonight?"
"That's the plan."
"How you planning on getting them to in the same room?"
"You kidding me, PULEZE it's as easy as Jet Fusion."
"You are a genius!"
"I know… wait no that's Jimmy."
"Ok, but you're really smart!"
"Thanks, I gotta go, be over round 7 k? And don't forget to rent the newest Jet Fusion DVD, Silver Eye."
"Silver Eye, got it! Be over then!"
"Bye!"
"Bye!" Dani hung up the phone.
"Shay says you have to lay off the sugar a little."
"Why?"
"Cause you're to hyper. But who cares, she can be even crazier, member when we spent the night and she drank 10 cans of Purple Flurp to stay awake?"
"And we were just going on our own energy?" Stacey said flopping onto her bed, which was scooted, up to be next to Dani's.
"I remember, she was so hyper Dad had to pull her head out of the ceiling above us!" The two girls looked above them. The ceiling had been glued and nailed back in place, but you had to look really closely to see the very thin line where Judy had to cut through the cling to get Shayna's head out. Thinking about that night sent Dani and Stacey into a fit of laughter,
"I didn't think she'd ever come back." Stacey said once she had calmed down enough to catch her breath. "She was so afraid of Judy yelling at her for like a whole three months she wouldn't even come to the driveway!"
"Yea, but she couldn't stand not being around us for long. I mean if it weren't God's plan none of us would have met, much less moved to this small lil town of Retroville."
"Yea, and she finally ran into the house about three months later and…"
"Ok, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to. I had way too much pop!"
"Shayna, what are you talking about?" Judy asked.
"The hole in the ceiling, I was gonna pay to fix it, but I never got here and…"
"What hole? Oh… That one… it was fixed a while go, really it wasn't that big of a deal."
"Really?"
"Yes, in fact, Dani, Stacey, Shayna's here. Why don't you show her downstairs?"
"Shayna??? I thought you would never be back!" Dani exclaimed.
"Come on!" Stacey said dragging Shayna behind her
"Wow! Where's the hole?"
"Right there." Dani said pointing to a barely visible line.
"She was so shocked that Judy fixed it up like she did."
"Yeah… Hey let's see if Andy can come over tonight and watch A Trip To Remember."
"I'm sure that's at the top of is must see list!" Stacey said laughing once again.
"It is if I want to see it!"
"Doesn't he like even Days After better?"
"Yeah! We'll watch that instead! So you invited Cindy over tonight, right?"
"Yup, and you told Jimmy you got a hold of Silver eye, right?"
"Yup! So how long until Shayna and them come over?" Stacey asked.
"About ten to twenty minutes. Everything all ready?"
"DVD's all we need!" Stacey confirmed.
"Cool!" Dani said, for once there seemed to be no setbacks. "Hey, you mind doing my hair for me?"
""For Andy???" Stacey said teasingly.
"Stop it! I just want my hair up!" Dani said play-pushing Stacey. "Besides, how many times have we gone over this?"
"I know, I know. Has Ms. Perfect Planer called him to invite him over?" Stacey asked twirling Dani's hair around in a ponytail.
"NO! I totally forgot!" Dani said lunging for the phone. "OW!" She cried not a millisecond later.
"Sorry, but when I kinda have your hair in my hands; you really can't just jump without it hurting!" Stacey said shaking her head. "Didn't you learn that last week?"
Dani giggled nervously, "yea, but this time it was because of Andy and my stupidness."
"You're not stupid, and last week it was because Mom said Andy was on the phone and your forgetfulness too."
"Oh, right…" Dani said dialing Andy's number. "Hello…. Hey Andy, feel like coming over to watch Seven Days After with Hershey's Deluxe Chocolate Brownies? Great! See ya soon!" Dani said, and being over excited jumped to put the phone back up, again pulling her hair.
"Dani, I just don't think you'll ever learn!" Stacey said, again shaking her head.
"Well… are you done yet?"
"Almost, unless you want it in a regular old ponytail."
"You know how I want it."
"Ok then, give me about… one minute without you moving your head, and I'll be done." Stacey said grabbing the pieces of hair that kept falling every time Dani moved.
"I'll try," Dani said, determined she wasn't going to move.
"I know you try, you always try, but I don't think you'll actually ever do it." Stacey said. Dani tried to act mad and pouted, "See, what'd I tell ya? Try to imagine Cindy and Jim going out."
That always did it; if one of the older kids in the group was having troubles concentrating, or feeling down the others would always suggest that they imagine Cindy and Jimmy going out. All of them thought they made a cute couple, and most of them thought they'd eventually crack. However, only Shayna, Dani, Stacey, Shelby, and Andy knew that day was today.
""Got it!" Stacey stated triumphantly about thirty seconds later. "Here, make sure it's 'perfection." Stacey said handing Dani their little handheld mirror, which neither could really see anything in, but for some reason they made a point to ALWAYS look into it.
Dani touch-checked her hair briefly, and then replied, "prefect, as usual." Dani hopped up on to the bed and started painting her toenails.
"Why on earth do you paint your toenails, then put on socks on and no one sees them anyway?" Stacey asked.
"I'm bored. Besides, it's on the inside not the outside that matters!"
"Right." Stacey said scratching her head. "So… like this whole idea, it's perfect for you and Andy and Cindy and Jimmy, but what about me and Shayna?"
"Well, technically me and Andy are just best friends… and technically Cindy and Jimmy are still the worst of enemies, so I don't see how that's weird for you and Shayna at all."
"No technicalities, PLEASE!!!!!!" Stacey screamed squirming in her bed as if someone had tickled her rather than said 'technically.'
"Stace, what on earth are you doing?" Came a voice from the stairwell. Stacey jumped and scrambled for her pillow, in the process completely destroying her bed. "What'd I do now? And here's the movie," Shayna said waving a DVD case above her head somewhere near mid-staircase.
"Stace, its just Shay." Dani said rolling her eyes.
"I knew that." Stacey said totally unconvincingly.
"Just Shay??? I'm sick for a week and all I get is 'its just Shay!'" Came a familiar voice from behind Shayna.
"ANDY!" Dani said excitedly, and jumping at the sound of his voice. She ran off the bed to meet him just at the bottom of the stairs and give him s hug. And, in the process knocking the fingernail polish onto the floor, but somehow not spilling it all over the place.
"Wow! I should be sick more often! First its 'only Shay' the next minute I'm hugged so hard I can barely breathe." At that comment Shayna and Stacey giggled and Dani blushed.
"Ok, so I'd hat to break up this lil Dani and Andy love fest, but where is that movie?" Cindy said strolling down the stairs. "Jet is SO cool… not to mention WAY cuter than Nick!"
"Cin, is that saying much in your eyes? I'd say he looks like Jimmy… don't you think so?" Stacey asked. "And Shayna has it."
"Ok, ok, I'm here sis, ya got the…. What is SHE doing here?" Jimmy said pointing at Cindy and mustering as much pure hate in his voice as he could."
"I believe the question is, what is HE doing here?" Cindy said, adding just a little more hatred in her voice then he had. "I thought this was a girl's night out deal?"
"It's my house, and whenever my sister decides to watch my favorite movie in the world, which she usually hates, I can join when I want."
"James, Cynthia, cool it! Cindy overheard that I had gotten a hold of Silver Eye and wanted to watch it, so I invited her over, k? Dani said this was working exactly according to plan.
"Actually, I…" Dani sent Stacey a sharp, 'don't say anything' look, "was suppose to go to the mall with Libby, but she had to cancel to watch the Jamster Awards." Stacey corrected herself.
"So here's what we'll do, Cindy you sit on one end of the couch, Andy and I will sit next to you. Then Shayna and Stacey, and finally, Jimmy, you can have the other edge. Everyone happy?" Dani said.
"Except I thought we were going to watch Seven Days After." Andy said trying his best to sound confused.
"They were sold out, and Dad said he was going to be watching the one we own. How about we watch it later?"
"Ok," Andy said. This would be SO much easier if I didn't know the whole plan, oh well; Dani wants those to together, so if it's the last thing I o they will be together.
Dani walked over and put the disk into the DVD player. "Ok, everyone take your seats, I'll get the lights." Dani said, everyone did as told, and Dani turned the lights off and ran… er stumbled back to the group, stubbing her toe on her bedpost, her dresser, and… a pencil?? Finally she reached the group and lumped in between Cindy and Andy, and landed short, right on top of Andy. "Sorry," she whispered, because the movie had already started.
Being one of those people who easily get caught up in the plot of movies, Cindy was prying onto Dani's arm during one of the main fighting scenes when Jet's girlfriend's life was at stake. It was then Dani decided would be the perfect time for phase two, "Man, I'm getting kind of hungry, I'm gonna go get some popcorn, Purple Flurp, and Purple Dew; as well as see if mom has any of those Hershey Deluxe Chocolate Brownies made yet. Andy, would you please come with, Stace, can you get the pop?"
"Wait a second, we're talking about Hershey Deluxe Chocolate Brownies; I'm coming!" Shayna said getting up with the rest. "We'll be right back." Stacey, Dani, Andy, and Shayna and ran up the stairs.
"You think they planned this?" Cindy said really wishing that she had someone to hold on to, or lean against; because she was getting a little tired.
"No… I know they did. Can tell when Stace is for real and when she's acting, and this whole night has been SO much acting it's not funny."
"But why?"
"You're kidding me, right? You seriously have no idea?"
"Well…. I kind of have an idea… but…"
"Yea… same for me. Ok on the count of three say why you think they planned this."
"One…two… three!" They counted together. "They want me to tell you the truth." They both said, again in unison.
"Which is what?" Jimmy asked, not paying ANY attention to the movie anymore.
Cindy, come on, think girl! You can't tell him the REAL truth… um… "Humphrey's adopted." Ok, so…. Maybe just saying the REAL truth would have been better. "What's it they wanted you to tell me?"
Why should you say the REAL truth, she didn't? "Goddard's made out of parts of my mom's blender."
Does he seriously think I buy that… well mine was a lil far fetched too. "Cool, glad I got that off my chest!"
"Me too! I hate keeping that secrete from you, but you know, you already teased him enough, so I thought it was the right thing to do. Think those girls are done yet?"
"Give em' a lil more time. It's only been a few minutes." Cindy said, and then she and Jimmy turned their attention back to Silver Eye. Once again they got into the movie, and about fifteen to twenty minutes later again thought about the food they were supposed to be getting. "Ok, they've been up there long enough to eat all the popcorn themselves, let's go get them!" Jimmy agreed and the two of them ran half way up the stairs but stopped when they saw something on the top stair. As they got closer they saw it was a plate with 3 Hershey Deluxe Chocolate Brownies, and a bowl full of now cold popcorn, a glass with two straws, and a note. Jimmy picked up the note and read it aloud.
"'Sorry, Dad was watching Seven Days After and it was at Andy's favorite part. G ahead and keep watching Silver Eye, and enjoy! Love; Shayna, Stacey, Dani, and Andy.'" Jimmy read from the paper. "Dad, watching Seven Days After? Definitely a set-up! And I've watched Seven Days After with Andy and Dani before EVERY part is his favorite. Oh well, might as well watch the rest of Jet Fusion."
"I guess your right… but what are we going to do about the drink," Cindy said turning back towards the basement.
"There's two straws, so we'll know which is which because I usually chew on my straw. So no problem there!"
"Um…. I kind of chew on my straw too."
"Great… you can have it, I should probably cut back a little on the sugar."
"Sacrificial, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you really do like me more than you let on. However, I must let you have the pop because Purple Flurp is your favorite."
"Sacrifice and knowledge, I'd say it's you who likes me more then you'll admit. However, you're a girl, and a guest, so you must have the pop."
"Well, that's awfully nice of you."
"Yea, well, just don't get used to it!"
"I wasn't gonna! Now let's go finish Silver Eye." Jimmy decided that was a good idea and they went back to watching the movie. When it was over they went upstairs, to find Seven Days After was only halfway through. And Dani, Andy, Stacey, and Shayna were on the couch, with a plateful of brownies watching the movie. At least Andy was… the girls were talking about…"
"Did I just hear what I think I heard?" Cindy said.
"Depends on what you think you heard." Jimmy said more confidently then how he felt. If she heard what I heard, two things will happen by the end of the night. One, Cindy will finally be mine. Or two, she'll officially hate me for not telling her."
If he heard what I think I heard I'll be Jimmy's girlfriend by the end of the night…. Or he'll hate me for the rest of eternity. I mean he couldn't possibly like me if he knew I liked him the whole time… could he? Either way, Cindy Vortex would cease to exist, as the world knows her.