The Year of the Tyrant
Part Three: What Friends Wouldn't Do
NOTE: READ AFTER PART ONE: EQUALLY AMBITIOUS and PART TWO: HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
ALSO NOTE: I'm dedicating Parts 3 and 4 to my new friend Sara, just because I know she's about ready to murder me for not letting her read them when I had them finished. So, I figure, to make it up to her, I should dedicate parts 3 and 4 to her. This is for you, Sara! =P
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T.J. Detweiler had a long weekend to polish his behavior. Lucky for him (or maybe not so lucky), the first parent-teacher conferences were the upcoming Monday and Tuesday and that meant the teachers needed an In-service Day, so Principal Prickly had planned that Friday off.
This Thursday, he thought to himself, as he lay staring at his ceiling in his bed that night, has been very, very weird. That day, his friend Ashley Spinelli, whom he loved more than anything or anybody else, had returned from the clutches of her forced boyfriend, King Alex the Great Gehrke. As a result of this, King Alex had sent T.J. to the dodgeball wall, and Spinelli willingly went with him. Then, after school, the Ashleys had cornered him and given him pointers on how to be a "real boy"; specifically one that knew how to treat a girl. He, just as they had, had Spinelli in mind the whole time.
T.J. thought he wasn't cut out to start opening doors for Spinelli, or buying her flowers, especially since Spinelli was definitely not the type of girl who liked those types of things. If I bought Spinelli flowers, T.J. mused, she'd probably use them to kill me with. T.J. smiled to himself in the dark.
But the Ashleys had trapped him. They'd told T.J. they knew he liked Spinelli, and visa versa. So he gave in and so doing got himself bombarded with behavioral books, certain brands of cologne, shampoo, toothpaste, et cetera, and a rendition on things he'd better start doing for Spinelli to show he liked her. Most of them didn't seem like bad ideas, and the only thing that really worried T.J. was Spinelli's reaction. As he thought about it some more, however, he realized that treating Spinelli like he really cared about her - as more than a friend - was something Spinelli had not yet in her young life experienced, and T.J. wanted to be the first to show her what it was like. With it would come the dire consequences if he failed. If he was successful, however, he'd get to uncover a side of Spinelli no boy had ever known before.
And besides, he loved what the clarifying shampoo was doing for his hair.
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T.J. walked up to Third Street School on the following Monday, solo and confident that he'd be able to be the little gentleman Spinelli had never had the privilege of knowing. Over the weekend, he'd drilled himself on how to behave in top order as long as he possibly could before Spinelli realized something was wrong with him. T.J. knew that the minute he'd open a door for her, she'd know, but he thought it was worth a shot.
He would get his shot, he realized, very soon. Ashley Spinelli was approaching.
T.J. gulped, assuaged his nervousness by assuring himself he could do this, and smiled widely as she saw him.
"G'morning, Teej," she said. "You actually look awake on a Monday. Ready to fight the Evil Emperor?"
"No," T.J. replied jokingly. "But I don't have a choice, do I?" He found himself walking in synch with Spinelli as they neared the door. This was his first chance.
"Well, what other choice is there?" Spinelli asked, as she climbed slowly up the steps.
"Take the punishment lying down?" T.J. suggested, casually opening the door and gesturing her inside with the slightest movement of his hand. He followed her inside, congratulating himself on not screwing up too badly.
"What was that?" Spinelli asked, chocolate brown eyes wide with wonder as she looked up at him, a semi-confused look controlling her expressions.
"What was what?" T.J. played stupid.
Spinelli pointed to the door. "That," she stated simply, now looking genuinely bewildered.
"What was that?" T.J. repeated, still not answering her initial question.
"That's what I asked," Spinelli replied, matter-of-factly.
"And what was what you asked?"
"I asked what that was," Spinelli said, beginning to look fed up.
"And I asked what was what?" T.J. countered.
"What was that?" Spinelli responded slowly, trying to disassemble the word puzzle in her mind.
"What was that that you asked me what was that?" T.J. asked as he watched admiringly as Spinelli blew her top.
"Why the heck did you hold the door open for me?" she demanded, confused from the punning.
"Cause," T.J. replied shortly, realizing he was becoming less like a gentleman every second.
"Cause why, T.J.? Is something wrong with you?" Spinelli inquired.
T.J. wanted to turn to her, look her in the eye, and say "yes, there is something wrong with me. I'm in love with you, that's what's wrong with me". Instead, he shrugged and replied, "Nope, I'm okay. Just thought hold a door open for a lady for once."
Knowing Spinelli, that was the type of comment that would make her start a melee, but instead, a twisted half-grin lighted her distinct features. "You know I'm not a lady, T.J.," she said softly.
"No, I don't know that. For all I know, you could be one. This is pretty lady-like of you right now, not to wring my neck for calling you a lady," he pointed out.
"Well, maybe I feel inclined to change. For a little while, anyway." Spinelli and T.J. shared a laugh before entering their classroom.
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"Figures," Randall Weems muttered as he watched after Ashley Spinelli and T.J. Detweiler. "I knew this was coming. I saw it a mile away," he praised himself. "I knew Detweiler was going to start going bonkers for Spinelli-" Thinking about it made Randall stop talking to himself for a bit. "Whoah boy, is Alex gonna not like this one." Randall pulled himself to his feet out of the bushes and sneaked around to the Third Street playground. Randall found King Alex the Great atop his throne as usual.
"Hey Kingy," Randall greeted cheerfully, coming to stand on Alex's right side.
"The name's King Alex," Alex replied, as though he couldn't care less that Randall was brimming with enthusiasm. King Alex looked happily entranced for some reason, but Randall wasn't about to get into that, considering King Alex's egoism and his capability to talk about himself for hours.
"Aren't you gonna ask why I'm here?" Randall chided.
"Hmm," Alex pretended to think, "no."
"Why not?" Randall whined.
"Because I'm busy," Alex replied, although he didn't look busy.
"I have news," Randall tempted. Alex turned to him.
"Oh, yeah? What kind?"
"Detweiler just held open a door for Spinelli," Randall announced. Saying it made it seem insignificant, although actually seeing the action was major, knowing that it was unlikely for T.J. to do something so brave for Spinelli.
Alex smiled haphazardly. "Good work," he praised shortly.
"What-you're happy about this?" Randall demanded.
"Well?" Alex asked, eyes sweeping past Randall as he searched the playground.
"Are you gonna do anything about it? I mean, Detweiler is… is… trying to get your girlfriend!" Randall rushed. Alex laughed at Randall's phrasing.
"Sure, I'll do something about it. After all, the punkette isn't my girlfriend anymore."
"But-"
"I'll make sure she regrets it, snitch boy," Alex cut Randall off. "Don't worry." He smiled again as his eyes found Spinelli and her friends. "There she is. Pretty, isn't she?"
"If you, uh, say so," Randall replied.
"Too bad she won't be anymore after today." Alex folded his hands and sat forward.
"What're you planning to do?"
"Never mind that," Alex replied. "Hmm… d'you think it's too early for a pounding?" he murmured.
"No," Randall said uneasily.
"Glad you agree," Alex grinned. He stood up and moved to the edge of the jungle gym. "Spinelli!" he roared. The playground stopped its activities, and most of the kids looked fearfully up at him. However, Spinelli's eyes screamed hatred, and from his distance Alex could see danger flashing in them. "Since you're so eager to go to the dodgeball wall, why don't you go now?"
"What if I don't want to?" Spinelli shouted back.
"What if I said that you don't have a choice?" Alex whistled loudly, and his guards appeared around Spinelli. "You'll be going every recess until you come to your senses."
"You can't do that," he heard T.J. say forcefully.
"And why can't I, Detweiler? I'm King, and one of my subjects has broken a law. Therefore she must be punished until she decides to start behaving." He whistled again, and the guards hauled her to the dodgeball wall. Alex saw the wild anger in T.J., and watched him begin to follow the guards and Spinelli to the wall. Alex whistled one final time, and guards came and dragged T.J. in a different direction. "I forgot to mention. I'm taking you and your friends prisoner every recess, just so that you don't take a punishment meant for the punkette."
The guards dragged T.J. and the remainder of his friends to the area underneath the jungle gym, which Randall had once used as a dungeon when he was prince. "See to it that they don't come out, guards," Alex said. He disappeared from the edge of the jungle gym and was confronted by a shocked Randall.
"That-that was ruthless," Randall said breathlessly.
"No, that was fun," Alex replied. "This is what you do when you're an absolute monarch, snitch boy. After all, doing whatever you want is only half the fun."
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Spinelli had never taken a beating like the one she received in the next few days. When she had barely recovered from the pounding of one trip to the wall, she was sent back for a harsher beating. On Tuesday, she had formed welts on her entire body, and her face was stained from whiplash. She was beginning to become dizzy, and on Wednesday she needed someone to help her stand and walk.
No one had reported Alex to Finster for these crimes because he threatened to take them all to the wall for ratting on him. T.J. had told Finster on Monday, and was immediately taken to the wall. Miss Finster declared that it was just punishment and not torture, so Alex continued to get his way.
Spinelli was in the comfort and protection of her friends that Wednesday after school, but there wasn't anything stopping a particularly murderous Alex from sending Spinelli for yet another punishment. Her friends tried to hold off the guards, but they were severely outnumbered. After a moment of struggle, Spinelli was yet again being dragged to the wall.
"Spinelli!" Jenna screamed after her friend, her torch-red hair falling in her eyes.
"You're gonna pay for this, Alex," T.J. vowed, although Alex was not in earshot and couldn't hear him. He turned to his friends. "You guys go on and warn Mr. and Mrs. Spinelli. Jenna and I'll wait for them to bring Spinelli back." His friends nodded and hurried toward Spinelli's house. They'd arrived in less than ten minutes. Gretchen knocked frantically on the door. Flo Spinelli opened it.
"Oh, hi, Gretchen!" she said cheerfully. "Where's my pookie?"
"Well, Mrs. Spinelli, we have some bad news…"
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T.J. Detweiler and Jenna Platt sat together on the cheese box, staring in silence at the side of the dodgeball, behind which Spinelli was taking the most brutal beating yet. "T.J.?" Jenna asked finally.
"Hmm?" he replied.
"D'you think she's gonna be okay?"
"I don't know. I hope so, but I'm worried about her," T.J. admitted.
"I know you are," Jenna comforted, "and I am too. But at least she's being brave."
"She's not normally afraid of anything," T.J. explained.
"Yeah, it's good to have a friend like that, isn't it?" Jenna agreed. T.J. nodded. Jenna used his silence to continue. "You know that it's really obvious, don't you?"
"What?" T.J. demanded.
"Well, what do you think I'm talking about? You like Spinelli. It's plain as day." T.J. blushed slightly. "Don't give me that, T.J.," she continued. "You don't have to be ashamed of liking her you know. It's normal!"
"How would you know? You're just a fourth grader," T.J. pointed out.
"That may be true, but I'm a fourth grader that knows how this stuff works! I watched it happen! I watched two of my best friends kiss in front of everyone, and then I watched them fall in love with each other. That's exactly what's happening here, T.J., it's just taking a while."
"How d'you know about the Experiment?" he demanded.
"Well, duh! I'm not stupid! I saw you doing flips for Spinelli on the first day of school and I had to ask Gretchen about it! She told me everything." T.J. covered his eyes. "Come on, T.J. It's not bad! Pretty soon we'll all be going through this! In fact, I'm going through it right now, too."
"You mean, you've got a crush, too?" Jenna nodded.
"On Mikey," she whispered, and then giggled. T.J. cocked an eyebrow. "There's really nothing to worry about, T.J.," Jenna said, normal again.
"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm worried about Spinelli," he replied.
"Speaking of," Jenna murmured, eyes wide. Two guards were dragging Spinelli back to the cheese box by her arms. Her feet dragged, and she looked as though she'd been knocked out. Already her eyes were bruised, and her face was cut in several places. It looked as though she'd been beat with a fist and not a dodgeball.
"All yours, Detweiler," one of the guards said, letting Spinelli's limp figure fall in his arms. She was still partially awake, but she looked as if she would fall unconscious at any second.
"They can't do this to you anymore, Spin," he told her determinedly, looking down at her with worry and utmost affection.
"My head really, really hurts," she murmured incoherently. Spinelli looked back up at T.J. with tired chocolate brown eyes. T.J. was helping her stand shakily on the ground when she completely lost her balance. T.J. was able to cradle her, like Mikey had once done for him, because of her weight (or lack thereof).
"C'mon, Jenna, we gotta get her out of here!" T.J. shouted, as they began to walk toward Spinelli's house. Sometime in the walk back to her house, Spinelli lost her last ounce of consciousness and laid, shallowly breathing, in T.J.'s arms.
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Bob and Flo Spinelli never expected to hear what they did from Gretchen Grundler, Vince LaSalle, Mikey Blumberg, and Gus Griswold. They'd always known that their daughter was a fighter, but they always assumed that she was the one starting the fights, not the one getting hurt.
They were still listening, captivated, when the front door opened and in came Jenna Platt and T.J. Detweiler, who was carrying their unconscious daughter Ashley Spinelli in his arms. "Oh, my pookie!" Flo Spinelli shrieked, running to Ashley's rescuers. Bob joined her a moment later, looking worriedly down at her.
"We're going in to school on Monday to complain," he declared. Flo nodded in agreement, angered. She stole a glance at T.J., who was somewhat tired from his long trek, and her features softened.
"You're T.J., right?" she asked. He nodded, taking a quick gasp of breath. "Why don't you go on and take her up to her room and get her comfortable. I know she'd like it if you were there." She winked at the cute young boy, who smiled back at her and headed up the stairs. Jenna joined her friends in the kitchen, and began to fill the Spinellis in on what had happened after school.
Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, T.J. had no problem finding Spinelli's room. On a door was a sign that read "Keep Out - Or Else I'll Cream Ya!" He figured that it was probably her room, so he opened the door from underneath Spinelli, turned sideways to allow her into the room, and took his first steps into a place he'd always wanted to be.
Her room was considerably messy, an assortment of clothes and wrestling toys were spread over her floor, and her bed was unmade. On her dresser were a brush, a can of foot disinfectant, and a bottle of breath freshener. T.J. saw it and it caused him to smile.
T.J. laid Spinelli gently on her bed, took her boots off, and got a great idea. He'd never seen Spinelli's hair down and loose, and while she was sleeping she wasn't going to protest. He took the brush off of her dresser and took off her ski cap, which had been cleaned since the day T.J. used it as a Kleenex. As gently as possible, T.J. took out the two red hair ties that held her hair in place. Considering as much as Spinelli wore her hair in pigtails, her hair stayed in their pigtail shape well. Working just as cautiously, he brushed out both sides of her hair while she slept. When he was finished, he realized how remarkably older she looked with her hair down. "If she was a little taller, she could pass as a sixth grader," he said to himself.
T.J. found himself staring at her for longer than he'd ever done before. He was entranced thinking about her that it scared him when she stirred.
"T.J.?" she asked weakly. He smiled down at her. "Don't let'em do it anymore," she pleaded.
"I won't," he assured. He bit his lip as he gazed at her black eyes. "You look like you hurt."
"I do," she replied, trying unsuccessfully to sit up. Noticing this, T.J. gave her his hand to pull herself up. Once accomplished, she put her arms around T.J. and hugged him tightly. It was an action that never in a million years would T.J. dream of Spinelli doing. Although surprised, he was able to return the hug. When Spinelli finally sat back from T.J., she looked at him through tufts of her black bangs, which, she realized, were not pulled away from her face in her usual pigtails. Noticing her hair was loose around her shoulders, she picked up her brush and gingerly straightened her hair. "You've never seen my hair like this before, have you?" she asked in a delicate whisper.
"No, but I like it," T.J. replied.
"Thank you," she replied. She laid herself down and placed her hand on his, where it rested on the edge of her bed after he let go of her. "Am I becoming a lady yet?" she asked him jokingly.
"I'd say more like a damsel in distress," he replied. She smiled.
"Then are you going to be my knight in shining armor?" she inquired.
"If you want," he replied softly, meaning every syllable. She smiled more broadly, more admiringly, and he returned the smile. After a moment it faded, and a tired look washed over Spinelli's face.
"T.J.?" she asked, as she closed her eyes.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"How come this year has been a crazy mess so far?" she asked sleepily.
"I dunno, Spin," he mused. "I really don't know."
"T.J.?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think love is like?"
Spinelli's half-conscious questions surprised T.J., but he would do his best to answer her. "I think it's wonderful, Spin, when we get there." He had meant his response to pertain to himself and Spinelli, but he didn't know if Spinelli would understand that.
"T.J.?" He smiled to himself, knowing that Spinelli's questions could start like this for hours. He knew she wasn't completely conscious, and that she probably wouldn't remember this conversation in the morning.
"Yeah?"
"Do you love me?" she whispered. T.J. gulped and leaned in close toward her ear.
"Yes, I do, Ashley Spinelli. Every day." And T.J. Detweiler watched in amazement as Ashley Spinelli's face brightened, and she smiled in her sleep.
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Ashley Spinelli didn't expect T.J. Detweiler to still be at her bedside when she woke again, and he wasn't, although she desperately wanted to see him. Spinelli didn't consciously remember the last thing she'd said to T.J., but she remembered something he'd said to her: he'd told her he loved her. Or had it all been a crazy dream? Spinelli thought the latter was much more likely, and although it disheartened her, she still felt hope for a relationship with T.J.
She made her way over to her mirror and studied herself. Her shoulder length, raven black hair was loose and messy, and it surrounded her whiplashed face. Framed by two shiners the size of Texas, her chocolate brown eyes stared back tired and somewhat annoyed. "I really am turning into an Ashley," she said disgustedly. "What's wrong with me?" she asked her mirror. "I never asked to be a boy-liker! I never asked to be in love with T.J."
In love with T.J. Her own words made her stop to think. Was she really in love with one of her best friends, or was it all in her head? Would she wake up one morning and feel normal again, as though she'd never had a crush on "Baby-Tooth" Johnny V. and never kissed T.J.?
And that was another thing all by itself. She had kissed T.J., although it was in no way willingly. Was that what had started these crazy feelings for him, or was it something else? Whatever it was, Spinelli thought, back then it seemed like such a good idea for us all to be so curious. She looked back on the fateful day of the kiss as the day when she got kicked out of her childhood, sent into a world beyond her years.
She picked up her brush and pulled it through her hair, and reached for her hair ties that T.J. put on her dresser. After a moment, she thought better of it. After all, T.J. had complimented her on her hair down.
Without realizing she'd fallen victim to another Ashley trait, Spinelli left her room and padded slowly down the stairs, standing behind the banister, hidden partially out of sight by the shadows. Her parents were standing with T.J. at the doorway, their backs to Spinelli. T.J. was facing her, but she wasn't sure if he could see her. She held her breath and listened in.
"Don't worry," T.J. was assuring the Spinellis, "come tomorrow, I'll make sure no one hurts her again. You can count on me."
"You're such a little gentleman, T.J.," Flo Spinelli complimented. "It's no wonder our pookie thinks so highly of you." T.J. smiled a sheepish little grin.
"Well," he said modestly, "I think a lot of her, too. You've got a really special daughter." T.J. was looking straight into her eyes when he said these words. "I better go. It's almost eight, and my parents are going to wonder where I am."
"Don't worry, T.J.," Bob Spinelli replied. "We'll call your parents and let them know."
"Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Spinelli," T.J. thanked, and as he stole one final glance at Spinelli, he left her house.
"What a handsome, polite little boy," Flo said. "Why, I'd like to see our pookie marry him someday."
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T.J. Detweiler was expecting King Alex to take Spinelli straight to the wall the next morning, but T.J. had made a vow to Bob and Flo Spinelli and a silent one to their daughter that he would not let it happen, no matter what the consequences.
T.J. and his friends were guarding Spinelli near the cheese box when Alex himself, surrounded by his entire army, approached them. "Oh, Spinelli, it's time for your daily dosage of dolor," Alex announced.
T.J. stepped in front of her. "Sorry, Alex, but I'm drawing the line."
"You, Detweiler?" King Alex scoffed. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to do the only thing I can," T.J. replied, pulling himself up and standing on the cheese box. "Kids of the Playground!" he shouted, and everyone gathered around. "This year, we haven't been ruled by a king. We've been ruled by a madman! So far, he's blackmailed kids, forced kids into doing stuff they didn't want to do, and abused kids that wouldn't follow his cockamamie laws! Well, I say enough! Let's make the playground what it used to be! Let's dethrone Alex!" His speech was met by enthusiastic cheering from the kids that had been opressed or fearful of Alex.
"You can't dethrone me," Alex sneered.
"Oh, yeah?" T.J. replied. "Just watch us. Take them!" The Rebellion kids rushed forth, inspired by T.J.'s determination, and so began the first battle on the Third Street Playground between the Rebellion and the Army. T.J. jumped off the cheese box and was going to make sure Spinelli was okay, when Alex found him.
"Detweiler, you'll pay," he vowed.
"We'll see about that!" T.J. replied. He and Alex were just about to go at it full force, when a violent yell and a piercing whistle silenced the kids.
"Who started this brawl?" Miss Muriel Finster demanded. The kids backed away from T.J. and Alex. "T.J. Detweiler and Alex Gerhke." She began to pace in front of the two boys. "I've been hearing some not so good things about your rule, Alex. Where's Spinelli?" Spinelli stepped forward, her shiners more evident than ever in her determined face. "Is it true you did this to her, Mister?" Miss Finster urged, slightly taken aback at the signs of abuse on Spinelli's face.
"No, ma'am, it was the Army," Alex blamed innocently.
"Is it true you ordered this done to her?" Finster rephrased, anger flashing in her cold, dark eyes. Alex had no response. "The pair of you, yes you too, Detweiler, are troublemakers, and I've had about enough of you. You're both suspended for three days." The kids on the playground gasped.
"But Miss Finster-" Alex complained.
"Silence!" she bellowed. "Now get to Principal Prickly's office! The rest of you go back to your games. We will not speak of this again."
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"I feel horrible," Spinelli said some five minutes later. "I can't believe I let him get suspended." She leaned against the cheese box, her head hung.
"Hey, it's okay, Spinelli," Vince comforted. "It wasn't your fault."
"Vince is right," Jenna agreed. "Don't feel bad."
"Yes, Spinelli, you shouldn't feel guilty. After all, T.J. did begin the riot for you," Gretchen added.
"That's the problem. He started a riot for me, and how did I repay him? I let him get suspended. I'm such a lousy person."
"We don't think so," Mikey replied.
"Yeah, Spinelli, you're not lousy," Gus said. "You're nice." Spinelli looked up at her friends. They smiled encouragingly back at her.
"I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble," Spinelli replied.
"Us too, Spinelli," Vince agreed. "Us too."
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T.J. Detweiler did get suspended, however not for three days. Principal Prickly, knowing well of T.J.'s chivalric traits, knew that his intentions were noble and cut the suspension period to only a day. T.J.'s parents, by that time, knew that their son was standing up for the rights of the girl he loved, and every other kid who had had their rights removed, so they took well to the news of their son's suspension. Principal Prickly told T.J. that he would not be able to come to school the next day, Friday.
T.J. told his friends of the news at lunch. Spinelli, for some odd reason, seemed guilty and unhappy. When T.J. asked her what was the matter, she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. But T.J. was going to worry…
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T.J. Detweiler's long weekend passed slowly, and the two days afterward somewhat quicker. King Alex had been given a full, 3-day suspension because of his actions toward Spinelli, so the playground temporarily returned to the way it had been the year before. T.J. had time to think over the weekend about Spinelli and why she seemed so guilty about his suspension, and if in fact she had heard him say he loved her that past Wednesday at her house.
T.J. also realized that when King Alex came back on Wednesday, he was not at all going to be happy. Alex was probably going to shift his attack to T.J., knowing that if he sent Spinelli to the dodgeball wall again he would get in major trouble. In his mind, however, T.J. was formulating a plan that he hoped would dethrone King Alex for good.
King Alex was steaming mad when he returned. His parents had been very upset with him about the news of the girl he'd tortured and therefore had grounded him for three months. Most of all, Alex wanted to kill T.J. As in, literally. He didn't know how he was going to get it done, but he knew it was time for T.J. to realize that his little fun and games were over.
The first thing Alex did when he sat down on his throne on Wednesday was call T.J. up to him. "You make me sick, Detweiler," Alex said evilly. "You get me in trouble for enforcing the law on my playground, so now I'm going to enforce the law on you."
"What do you think you're you gonna do to me?" T.J. sneered.
"Hard labor?" Randall suggested.
"Get lost, Randall," T.J. commanded.
"Sorry, Detweiler, but I don't work for you," Randall scorned. T.J. folded his arms over his chest and turned his attention back to Alex.
"I think I should make him my personal slave," Alex thought aloud.
"And if I refuse?" T.J. asked.
"Then Spinelli becomes my slave. It's you or her, Detweiler. Your choice." T.J.'s expression of cockiness faded and he seemed to be lost in determined thought. Alex smiled at his handiwork. He was leaving T.J. no choice. "So, what do you choose?"
"Neither," T.J. replied strongly.
"I'm sorry, but that's not an option," Alex replied. "Oh, wait. Did I say I'm sorry? Well, I take that back, because I'm not sorry." He and Randall shared a cruel laugh.
"Yes, it is an option," T.J. insisted. "What if I fought you for the rule of the playground? If we had an actual fight, winner take all."
"Forget it, Detweiler," Alex dismissed. "Why would I want to gamble on something I already have?"
"Because if you win, you'd get something you don't have," T.J. explained.
"Oh yeah?" Alex asked, suddenly interested. "Like what?"
T.J. gulped, and spoke bravely. "Spinelli." Alex's eyes enlargened excitedly.
"So you're saying that if you and I had an actual fight, and I won, I'd get to keep the rule of the playground and I'd get Spinelli? Mine as in, she'd never speak to you or look at you again?"
"Yes," T.J. affirmed. Alex smiled broadly.
"Alright, Detweiler. You've got yourself a deal."
TO BE CONTINUED…
© 2001 KD WILD. All rights reserved.
Part Three: What Friends Wouldn't Do
NOTE: READ AFTER PART ONE: EQUALLY AMBITIOUS and PART TWO: HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT
ALSO NOTE: I'm dedicating Parts 3 and 4 to my new friend Sara, just because I know she's about ready to murder me for not letting her read them when I had them finished. So, I figure, to make it up to her, I should dedicate parts 3 and 4 to her. This is for you, Sara! =P
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T.J. Detweiler had a long weekend to polish his behavior. Lucky for him (or maybe not so lucky), the first parent-teacher conferences were the upcoming Monday and Tuesday and that meant the teachers needed an In-service Day, so Principal Prickly had planned that Friday off.
This Thursday, he thought to himself, as he lay staring at his ceiling in his bed that night, has been very, very weird. That day, his friend Ashley Spinelli, whom he loved more than anything or anybody else, had returned from the clutches of her forced boyfriend, King Alex the Great Gehrke. As a result of this, King Alex had sent T.J. to the dodgeball wall, and Spinelli willingly went with him. Then, after school, the Ashleys had cornered him and given him pointers on how to be a "real boy"; specifically one that knew how to treat a girl. He, just as they had, had Spinelli in mind the whole time.
T.J. thought he wasn't cut out to start opening doors for Spinelli, or buying her flowers, especially since Spinelli was definitely not the type of girl who liked those types of things. If I bought Spinelli flowers, T.J. mused, she'd probably use them to kill me with. T.J. smiled to himself in the dark.
But the Ashleys had trapped him. They'd told T.J. they knew he liked Spinelli, and visa versa. So he gave in and so doing got himself bombarded with behavioral books, certain brands of cologne, shampoo, toothpaste, et cetera, and a rendition on things he'd better start doing for Spinelli to show he liked her. Most of them didn't seem like bad ideas, and the only thing that really worried T.J. was Spinelli's reaction. As he thought about it some more, however, he realized that treating Spinelli like he really cared about her - as more than a friend - was something Spinelli had not yet in her young life experienced, and T.J. wanted to be the first to show her what it was like. With it would come the dire consequences if he failed. If he was successful, however, he'd get to uncover a side of Spinelli no boy had ever known before.
And besides, he loved what the clarifying shampoo was doing for his hair.
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T.J. walked up to Third Street School on the following Monday, solo and confident that he'd be able to be the little gentleman Spinelli had never had the privilege of knowing. Over the weekend, he'd drilled himself on how to behave in top order as long as he possibly could before Spinelli realized something was wrong with him. T.J. knew that the minute he'd open a door for her, she'd know, but he thought it was worth a shot.
He would get his shot, he realized, very soon. Ashley Spinelli was approaching.
T.J. gulped, assuaged his nervousness by assuring himself he could do this, and smiled widely as she saw him.
"G'morning, Teej," she said. "You actually look awake on a Monday. Ready to fight the Evil Emperor?"
"No," T.J. replied jokingly. "But I don't have a choice, do I?" He found himself walking in synch with Spinelli as they neared the door. This was his first chance.
"Well, what other choice is there?" Spinelli asked, as she climbed slowly up the steps.
"Take the punishment lying down?" T.J. suggested, casually opening the door and gesturing her inside with the slightest movement of his hand. He followed her inside, congratulating himself on not screwing up too badly.
"What was that?" Spinelli asked, chocolate brown eyes wide with wonder as she looked up at him, a semi-confused look controlling her expressions.
"What was what?" T.J. played stupid.
Spinelli pointed to the door. "That," she stated simply, now looking genuinely bewildered.
"What was that?" T.J. repeated, still not answering her initial question.
"That's what I asked," Spinelli replied, matter-of-factly.
"And what was what you asked?"
"I asked what that was," Spinelli said, beginning to look fed up.
"And I asked what was what?" T.J. countered.
"What was that?" Spinelli responded slowly, trying to disassemble the word puzzle in her mind.
"What was that that you asked me what was that?" T.J. asked as he watched admiringly as Spinelli blew her top.
"Why the heck did you hold the door open for me?" she demanded, confused from the punning.
"Cause," T.J. replied shortly, realizing he was becoming less like a gentleman every second.
"Cause why, T.J.? Is something wrong with you?" Spinelli inquired.
T.J. wanted to turn to her, look her in the eye, and say "yes, there is something wrong with me. I'm in love with you, that's what's wrong with me". Instead, he shrugged and replied, "Nope, I'm okay. Just thought hold a door open for a lady for once."
Knowing Spinelli, that was the type of comment that would make her start a melee, but instead, a twisted half-grin lighted her distinct features. "You know I'm not a lady, T.J.," she said softly.
"No, I don't know that. For all I know, you could be one. This is pretty lady-like of you right now, not to wring my neck for calling you a lady," he pointed out.
"Well, maybe I feel inclined to change. For a little while, anyway." Spinelli and T.J. shared a laugh before entering their classroom.
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"Figures," Randall Weems muttered as he watched after Ashley Spinelli and T.J. Detweiler. "I knew this was coming. I saw it a mile away," he praised himself. "I knew Detweiler was going to start going bonkers for Spinelli-" Thinking about it made Randall stop talking to himself for a bit. "Whoah boy, is Alex gonna not like this one." Randall pulled himself to his feet out of the bushes and sneaked around to the Third Street playground. Randall found King Alex the Great atop his throne as usual.
"Hey Kingy," Randall greeted cheerfully, coming to stand on Alex's right side.
"The name's King Alex," Alex replied, as though he couldn't care less that Randall was brimming with enthusiasm. King Alex looked happily entranced for some reason, but Randall wasn't about to get into that, considering King Alex's egoism and his capability to talk about himself for hours.
"Aren't you gonna ask why I'm here?" Randall chided.
"Hmm," Alex pretended to think, "no."
"Why not?" Randall whined.
"Because I'm busy," Alex replied, although he didn't look busy.
"I have news," Randall tempted. Alex turned to him.
"Oh, yeah? What kind?"
"Detweiler just held open a door for Spinelli," Randall announced. Saying it made it seem insignificant, although actually seeing the action was major, knowing that it was unlikely for T.J. to do something so brave for Spinelli.
Alex smiled haphazardly. "Good work," he praised shortly.
"What-you're happy about this?" Randall demanded.
"Well?" Alex asked, eyes sweeping past Randall as he searched the playground.
"Are you gonna do anything about it? I mean, Detweiler is… is… trying to get your girlfriend!" Randall rushed. Alex laughed at Randall's phrasing.
"Sure, I'll do something about it. After all, the punkette isn't my girlfriend anymore."
"But-"
"I'll make sure she regrets it, snitch boy," Alex cut Randall off. "Don't worry." He smiled again as his eyes found Spinelli and her friends. "There she is. Pretty, isn't she?"
"If you, uh, say so," Randall replied.
"Too bad she won't be anymore after today." Alex folded his hands and sat forward.
"What're you planning to do?"
"Never mind that," Alex replied. "Hmm… d'you think it's too early for a pounding?" he murmured.
"No," Randall said uneasily.
"Glad you agree," Alex grinned. He stood up and moved to the edge of the jungle gym. "Spinelli!" he roared. The playground stopped its activities, and most of the kids looked fearfully up at him. However, Spinelli's eyes screamed hatred, and from his distance Alex could see danger flashing in them. "Since you're so eager to go to the dodgeball wall, why don't you go now?"
"What if I don't want to?" Spinelli shouted back.
"What if I said that you don't have a choice?" Alex whistled loudly, and his guards appeared around Spinelli. "You'll be going every recess until you come to your senses."
"You can't do that," he heard T.J. say forcefully.
"And why can't I, Detweiler? I'm King, and one of my subjects has broken a law. Therefore she must be punished until she decides to start behaving." He whistled again, and the guards hauled her to the dodgeball wall. Alex saw the wild anger in T.J., and watched him begin to follow the guards and Spinelli to the wall. Alex whistled one final time, and guards came and dragged T.J. in a different direction. "I forgot to mention. I'm taking you and your friends prisoner every recess, just so that you don't take a punishment meant for the punkette."
The guards dragged T.J. and the remainder of his friends to the area underneath the jungle gym, which Randall had once used as a dungeon when he was prince. "See to it that they don't come out, guards," Alex said. He disappeared from the edge of the jungle gym and was confronted by a shocked Randall.
"That-that was ruthless," Randall said breathlessly.
"No, that was fun," Alex replied. "This is what you do when you're an absolute monarch, snitch boy. After all, doing whatever you want is only half the fun."
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Spinelli had never taken a beating like the one she received in the next few days. When she had barely recovered from the pounding of one trip to the wall, she was sent back for a harsher beating. On Tuesday, she had formed welts on her entire body, and her face was stained from whiplash. She was beginning to become dizzy, and on Wednesday she needed someone to help her stand and walk.
No one had reported Alex to Finster for these crimes because he threatened to take them all to the wall for ratting on him. T.J. had told Finster on Monday, and was immediately taken to the wall. Miss Finster declared that it was just punishment and not torture, so Alex continued to get his way.
Spinelli was in the comfort and protection of her friends that Wednesday after school, but there wasn't anything stopping a particularly murderous Alex from sending Spinelli for yet another punishment. Her friends tried to hold off the guards, but they were severely outnumbered. After a moment of struggle, Spinelli was yet again being dragged to the wall.
"Spinelli!" Jenna screamed after her friend, her torch-red hair falling in her eyes.
"You're gonna pay for this, Alex," T.J. vowed, although Alex was not in earshot and couldn't hear him. He turned to his friends. "You guys go on and warn Mr. and Mrs. Spinelli. Jenna and I'll wait for them to bring Spinelli back." His friends nodded and hurried toward Spinelli's house. They'd arrived in less than ten minutes. Gretchen knocked frantically on the door. Flo Spinelli opened it.
"Oh, hi, Gretchen!" she said cheerfully. "Where's my pookie?"
"Well, Mrs. Spinelli, we have some bad news…"
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T.J. Detweiler and Jenna Platt sat together on the cheese box, staring in silence at the side of the dodgeball, behind which Spinelli was taking the most brutal beating yet. "T.J.?" Jenna asked finally.
"Hmm?" he replied.
"D'you think she's gonna be okay?"
"I don't know. I hope so, but I'm worried about her," T.J. admitted.
"I know you are," Jenna comforted, "and I am too. But at least she's being brave."
"She's not normally afraid of anything," T.J. explained.
"Yeah, it's good to have a friend like that, isn't it?" Jenna agreed. T.J. nodded. Jenna used his silence to continue. "You know that it's really obvious, don't you?"
"What?" T.J. demanded.
"Well, what do you think I'm talking about? You like Spinelli. It's plain as day." T.J. blushed slightly. "Don't give me that, T.J.," she continued. "You don't have to be ashamed of liking her you know. It's normal!"
"How would you know? You're just a fourth grader," T.J. pointed out.
"That may be true, but I'm a fourth grader that knows how this stuff works! I watched it happen! I watched two of my best friends kiss in front of everyone, and then I watched them fall in love with each other. That's exactly what's happening here, T.J., it's just taking a while."
"How d'you know about the Experiment?" he demanded.
"Well, duh! I'm not stupid! I saw you doing flips for Spinelli on the first day of school and I had to ask Gretchen about it! She told me everything." T.J. covered his eyes. "Come on, T.J. It's not bad! Pretty soon we'll all be going through this! In fact, I'm going through it right now, too."
"You mean, you've got a crush, too?" Jenna nodded.
"On Mikey," she whispered, and then giggled. T.J. cocked an eyebrow. "There's really nothing to worry about, T.J.," Jenna said, normal again.
"Oh, yeah? Well, I'm worried about Spinelli," he replied.
"Speaking of," Jenna murmured, eyes wide. Two guards were dragging Spinelli back to the cheese box by her arms. Her feet dragged, and she looked as though she'd been knocked out. Already her eyes were bruised, and her face was cut in several places. It looked as though she'd been beat with a fist and not a dodgeball.
"All yours, Detweiler," one of the guards said, letting Spinelli's limp figure fall in his arms. She was still partially awake, but she looked as if she would fall unconscious at any second.
"They can't do this to you anymore, Spin," he told her determinedly, looking down at her with worry and utmost affection.
"My head really, really hurts," she murmured incoherently. Spinelli looked back up at T.J. with tired chocolate brown eyes. T.J. was helping her stand shakily on the ground when she completely lost her balance. T.J. was able to cradle her, like Mikey had once done for him, because of her weight (or lack thereof).
"C'mon, Jenna, we gotta get her out of here!" T.J. shouted, as they began to walk toward Spinelli's house. Sometime in the walk back to her house, Spinelli lost her last ounce of consciousness and laid, shallowly breathing, in T.J.'s arms.
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Bob and Flo Spinelli never expected to hear what they did from Gretchen Grundler, Vince LaSalle, Mikey Blumberg, and Gus Griswold. They'd always known that their daughter was a fighter, but they always assumed that she was the one starting the fights, not the one getting hurt.
They were still listening, captivated, when the front door opened and in came Jenna Platt and T.J. Detweiler, who was carrying their unconscious daughter Ashley Spinelli in his arms. "Oh, my pookie!" Flo Spinelli shrieked, running to Ashley's rescuers. Bob joined her a moment later, looking worriedly down at her.
"We're going in to school on Monday to complain," he declared. Flo nodded in agreement, angered. She stole a glance at T.J., who was somewhat tired from his long trek, and her features softened.
"You're T.J., right?" she asked. He nodded, taking a quick gasp of breath. "Why don't you go on and take her up to her room and get her comfortable. I know she'd like it if you were there." She winked at the cute young boy, who smiled back at her and headed up the stairs. Jenna joined her friends in the kitchen, and began to fill the Spinellis in on what had happened after school.
Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, T.J. had no problem finding Spinelli's room. On a door was a sign that read "Keep Out - Or Else I'll Cream Ya!" He figured that it was probably her room, so he opened the door from underneath Spinelli, turned sideways to allow her into the room, and took his first steps into a place he'd always wanted to be.
Her room was considerably messy, an assortment of clothes and wrestling toys were spread over her floor, and her bed was unmade. On her dresser were a brush, a can of foot disinfectant, and a bottle of breath freshener. T.J. saw it and it caused him to smile.
T.J. laid Spinelli gently on her bed, took her boots off, and got a great idea. He'd never seen Spinelli's hair down and loose, and while she was sleeping she wasn't going to protest. He took the brush off of her dresser and took off her ski cap, which had been cleaned since the day T.J. used it as a Kleenex. As gently as possible, T.J. took out the two red hair ties that held her hair in place. Considering as much as Spinelli wore her hair in pigtails, her hair stayed in their pigtail shape well. Working just as cautiously, he brushed out both sides of her hair while she slept. When he was finished, he realized how remarkably older she looked with her hair down. "If she was a little taller, she could pass as a sixth grader," he said to himself.
T.J. found himself staring at her for longer than he'd ever done before. He was entranced thinking about her that it scared him when she stirred.
"T.J.?" she asked weakly. He smiled down at her. "Don't let'em do it anymore," she pleaded.
"I won't," he assured. He bit his lip as he gazed at her black eyes. "You look like you hurt."
"I do," she replied, trying unsuccessfully to sit up. Noticing this, T.J. gave her his hand to pull herself up. Once accomplished, she put her arms around T.J. and hugged him tightly. It was an action that never in a million years would T.J. dream of Spinelli doing. Although surprised, he was able to return the hug. When Spinelli finally sat back from T.J., she looked at him through tufts of her black bangs, which, she realized, were not pulled away from her face in her usual pigtails. Noticing her hair was loose around her shoulders, she picked up her brush and gingerly straightened her hair. "You've never seen my hair like this before, have you?" she asked in a delicate whisper.
"No, but I like it," T.J. replied.
"Thank you," she replied. She laid herself down and placed her hand on his, where it rested on the edge of her bed after he let go of her. "Am I becoming a lady yet?" she asked him jokingly.
"I'd say more like a damsel in distress," he replied. She smiled.
"Then are you going to be my knight in shining armor?" she inquired.
"If you want," he replied softly, meaning every syllable. She smiled more broadly, more admiringly, and he returned the smile. After a moment it faded, and a tired look washed over Spinelli's face.
"T.J.?" she asked, as she closed her eyes.
"Yeah?" he replied.
"How come this year has been a crazy mess so far?" she asked sleepily.
"I dunno, Spin," he mused. "I really don't know."
"T.J.?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think love is like?"
Spinelli's half-conscious questions surprised T.J., but he would do his best to answer her. "I think it's wonderful, Spin, when we get there." He had meant his response to pertain to himself and Spinelli, but he didn't know if Spinelli would understand that.
"T.J.?" He smiled to himself, knowing that Spinelli's questions could start like this for hours. He knew she wasn't completely conscious, and that she probably wouldn't remember this conversation in the morning.
"Yeah?"
"Do you love me?" she whispered. T.J. gulped and leaned in close toward her ear.
"Yes, I do, Ashley Spinelli. Every day." And T.J. Detweiler watched in amazement as Ashley Spinelli's face brightened, and she smiled in her sleep.
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Ashley Spinelli didn't expect T.J. Detweiler to still be at her bedside when she woke again, and he wasn't, although she desperately wanted to see him. Spinelli didn't consciously remember the last thing she'd said to T.J., but she remembered something he'd said to her: he'd told her he loved her. Or had it all been a crazy dream? Spinelli thought the latter was much more likely, and although it disheartened her, she still felt hope for a relationship with T.J.
She made her way over to her mirror and studied herself. Her shoulder length, raven black hair was loose and messy, and it surrounded her whiplashed face. Framed by two shiners the size of Texas, her chocolate brown eyes stared back tired and somewhat annoyed. "I really am turning into an Ashley," she said disgustedly. "What's wrong with me?" she asked her mirror. "I never asked to be a boy-liker! I never asked to be in love with T.J."
In love with T.J. Her own words made her stop to think. Was she really in love with one of her best friends, or was it all in her head? Would she wake up one morning and feel normal again, as though she'd never had a crush on "Baby-Tooth" Johnny V. and never kissed T.J.?
And that was another thing all by itself. She had kissed T.J., although it was in no way willingly. Was that what had started these crazy feelings for him, or was it something else? Whatever it was, Spinelli thought, back then it seemed like such a good idea for us all to be so curious. She looked back on the fateful day of the kiss as the day when she got kicked out of her childhood, sent into a world beyond her years.
She picked up her brush and pulled it through her hair, and reached for her hair ties that T.J. put on her dresser. After a moment, she thought better of it. After all, T.J. had complimented her on her hair down.
Without realizing she'd fallen victim to another Ashley trait, Spinelli left her room and padded slowly down the stairs, standing behind the banister, hidden partially out of sight by the shadows. Her parents were standing with T.J. at the doorway, their backs to Spinelli. T.J. was facing her, but she wasn't sure if he could see her. She held her breath and listened in.
"Don't worry," T.J. was assuring the Spinellis, "come tomorrow, I'll make sure no one hurts her again. You can count on me."
"You're such a little gentleman, T.J.," Flo Spinelli complimented. "It's no wonder our pookie thinks so highly of you." T.J. smiled a sheepish little grin.
"Well," he said modestly, "I think a lot of her, too. You've got a really special daughter." T.J. was looking straight into her eyes when he said these words. "I better go. It's almost eight, and my parents are going to wonder where I am."
"Don't worry, T.J.," Bob Spinelli replied. "We'll call your parents and let them know."
"Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Spinelli," T.J. thanked, and as he stole one final glance at Spinelli, he left her house.
"What a handsome, polite little boy," Flo said. "Why, I'd like to see our pookie marry him someday."
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T.J. Detweiler was expecting King Alex to take Spinelli straight to the wall the next morning, but T.J. had made a vow to Bob and Flo Spinelli and a silent one to their daughter that he would not let it happen, no matter what the consequences.
T.J. and his friends were guarding Spinelli near the cheese box when Alex himself, surrounded by his entire army, approached them. "Oh, Spinelli, it's time for your daily dosage of dolor," Alex announced.
T.J. stepped in front of her. "Sorry, Alex, but I'm drawing the line."
"You, Detweiler?" King Alex scoffed. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to do the only thing I can," T.J. replied, pulling himself up and standing on the cheese box. "Kids of the Playground!" he shouted, and everyone gathered around. "This year, we haven't been ruled by a king. We've been ruled by a madman! So far, he's blackmailed kids, forced kids into doing stuff they didn't want to do, and abused kids that wouldn't follow his cockamamie laws! Well, I say enough! Let's make the playground what it used to be! Let's dethrone Alex!" His speech was met by enthusiastic cheering from the kids that had been opressed or fearful of Alex.
"You can't dethrone me," Alex sneered.
"Oh, yeah?" T.J. replied. "Just watch us. Take them!" The Rebellion kids rushed forth, inspired by T.J.'s determination, and so began the first battle on the Third Street Playground between the Rebellion and the Army. T.J. jumped off the cheese box and was going to make sure Spinelli was okay, when Alex found him.
"Detweiler, you'll pay," he vowed.
"We'll see about that!" T.J. replied. He and Alex were just about to go at it full force, when a violent yell and a piercing whistle silenced the kids.
"Who started this brawl?" Miss Muriel Finster demanded. The kids backed away from T.J. and Alex. "T.J. Detweiler and Alex Gerhke." She began to pace in front of the two boys. "I've been hearing some not so good things about your rule, Alex. Where's Spinelli?" Spinelli stepped forward, her shiners more evident than ever in her determined face. "Is it true you did this to her, Mister?" Miss Finster urged, slightly taken aback at the signs of abuse on Spinelli's face.
"No, ma'am, it was the Army," Alex blamed innocently.
"Is it true you ordered this done to her?" Finster rephrased, anger flashing in her cold, dark eyes. Alex had no response. "The pair of you, yes you too, Detweiler, are troublemakers, and I've had about enough of you. You're both suspended for three days." The kids on the playground gasped.
"But Miss Finster-" Alex complained.
"Silence!" she bellowed. "Now get to Principal Prickly's office! The rest of you go back to your games. We will not speak of this again."
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"I feel horrible," Spinelli said some five minutes later. "I can't believe I let him get suspended." She leaned against the cheese box, her head hung.
"Hey, it's okay, Spinelli," Vince comforted. "It wasn't your fault."
"Vince is right," Jenna agreed. "Don't feel bad."
"Yes, Spinelli, you shouldn't feel guilty. After all, T.J. did begin the riot for you," Gretchen added.
"That's the problem. He started a riot for me, and how did I repay him? I let him get suspended. I'm such a lousy person."
"We don't think so," Mikey replied.
"Yeah, Spinelli, you're not lousy," Gus said. "You're nice." Spinelli looked up at her friends. They smiled encouragingly back at her.
"I just hope he doesn't get into too much trouble," Spinelli replied.
"Us too, Spinelli," Vince agreed. "Us too."
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T.J. Detweiler did get suspended, however not for three days. Principal Prickly, knowing well of T.J.'s chivalric traits, knew that his intentions were noble and cut the suspension period to only a day. T.J.'s parents, by that time, knew that their son was standing up for the rights of the girl he loved, and every other kid who had had their rights removed, so they took well to the news of their son's suspension. Principal Prickly told T.J. that he would not be able to come to school the next day, Friday.
T.J. told his friends of the news at lunch. Spinelli, for some odd reason, seemed guilty and unhappy. When T.J. asked her what was the matter, she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. But T.J. was going to worry…
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T.J. Detweiler's long weekend passed slowly, and the two days afterward somewhat quicker. King Alex had been given a full, 3-day suspension because of his actions toward Spinelli, so the playground temporarily returned to the way it had been the year before. T.J. had time to think over the weekend about Spinelli and why she seemed so guilty about his suspension, and if in fact she had heard him say he loved her that past Wednesday at her house.
T.J. also realized that when King Alex came back on Wednesday, he was not at all going to be happy. Alex was probably going to shift his attack to T.J., knowing that if he sent Spinelli to the dodgeball wall again he would get in major trouble. In his mind, however, T.J. was formulating a plan that he hoped would dethrone King Alex for good.
King Alex was steaming mad when he returned. His parents had been very upset with him about the news of the girl he'd tortured and therefore had grounded him for three months. Most of all, Alex wanted to kill T.J. As in, literally. He didn't know how he was going to get it done, but he knew it was time for T.J. to realize that his little fun and games were over.
The first thing Alex did when he sat down on his throne on Wednesday was call T.J. up to him. "You make me sick, Detweiler," Alex said evilly. "You get me in trouble for enforcing the law on my playground, so now I'm going to enforce the law on you."
"What do you think you're you gonna do to me?" T.J. sneered.
"Hard labor?" Randall suggested.
"Get lost, Randall," T.J. commanded.
"Sorry, Detweiler, but I don't work for you," Randall scorned. T.J. folded his arms over his chest and turned his attention back to Alex.
"I think I should make him my personal slave," Alex thought aloud.
"And if I refuse?" T.J. asked.
"Then Spinelli becomes my slave. It's you or her, Detweiler. Your choice." T.J.'s expression of cockiness faded and he seemed to be lost in determined thought. Alex smiled at his handiwork. He was leaving T.J. no choice. "So, what do you choose?"
"Neither," T.J. replied strongly.
"I'm sorry, but that's not an option," Alex replied. "Oh, wait. Did I say I'm sorry? Well, I take that back, because I'm not sorry." He and Randall shared a cruel laugh.
"Yes, it is an option," T.J. insisted. "What if I fought you for the rule of the playground? If we had an actual fight, winner take all."
"Forget it, Detweiler," Alex dismissed. "Why would I want to gamble on something I already have?"
"Because if you win, you'd get something you don't have," T.J. explained.
"Oh yeah?" Alex asked, suddenly interested. "Like what?"
T.J. gulped, and spoke bravely. "Spinelli." Alex's eyes enlargened excitedly.
"So you're saying that if you and I had an actual fight, and I won, I'd get to keep the rule of the playground and I'd get Spinelli? Mine as in, she'd never speak to you or look at you again?"
"Yes," T.J. affirmed. Alex smiled broadly.
"Alright, Detweiler. You've got yourself a deal."
TO BE CONTINUED…
© 2001 KD WILD. All rights reserved.