Season of the Sharks (part three) by Lindsay Meanie
"So…" Frank said as coolly as possible. "How've you been?"
"Um, okay, I guess," Shonda replied quietly. "You?"
"On behalf of that I've changed and have a better life, I'm terrific. But Shonda, without you, I've been awful."
"You can't possibly mean that, Frank."
"But I do, I really do."
"Well, how do I know I can believe you?"
"What's not to believe? I actually have a life now, and the only thing that would make it better is if you were back in it."
Meanwhile, not too far off, Ness, Paula, Jeff and Poo ran into the three Sharks.
"Have you seen Frank?" One of them asked.
"We've gotta talk to him," the second said.
"Well, he's sort of preoccupied right now," Jeff replied.
"Whaddya mean?" The third Shark asked cockily.
"Well," Poo said. "He's with an old…friend."
"Who?"
"Does the name Shonda ring a bell?" Paula said.
"What?!" the Skate Punk replied. "She's here already?"
Paula nodded, and the Pogo Shark said, "Hey, let's find them, and see what outcome happens!"
"What?" Ness said. "No way! They've gotta be by themselves!"
"They don't have to see us. We can sneak around them."
"I still don't think so," Ness said.
"Oh, come on," Jeff said. "I want to see what happens too. They won't even notice us!"
"Well," Ness hesitated. "All right. Just be quiet, okay?"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So did you like living in Fourside?" Frank asked, as he, Shonda and Mr. Saturn were walking around the woodland.
"Not really," Shonda sighed. "City life just wasn't for me."
"I've never even been there. I've lived here in Onett all my life." Just then, Frank took Shonda's hand. She felt a bit strange about it, but said nothing.
"I've heard you've changed, but I still don't know if it's true."
Frank lowered his pointed glasses and said, "Shondie, believe me, I'm telling the truth. I'm not the selfish jerk I was. And, I want to say I'm sorry that I got mad that night."
Shonda's unsure feeling was beginning to dissolve. "You are?"
"Positive."
Shonda gave him a soft smile, and Mr. Saturn got a happy look on his face. By now, the sun was beginning to set, and they sat down near the edge of a cliff, which had the beautiful view of the sun settling into the ocean.
"I forgot how beautiful this place looked when the sun sets," Shonda said.
"I come to this exact spot when I need to get away from problems," Frank said. "Watching the view from here reassures me."
"I feel the same way right now." Shonda began to relax and put her head on Frank's shoulder as Mr. Saturn began to doze off.
Meanwhile, further down the woodland, Ness, Paula, Jeff, Poo, and the three Sharks were wandering further up.
"So where are they, anyway?" One of the Sharks asked.
"They WERE right here," Ness said, gesturing the spot they were at.
"I guess they went off somewhere," Jeff said.
"Let's find them," another Shark said, and the rest of the gang continued to search for Shonda and Frank.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"You tired?" Frank asked Shonda, who still had her head on his shoulder.
"A little," She said softly. "But not enough to leave."
"Yeah, same here. But I think Mr. Saturn looks tuckered out." He pointed to Mr. Saturn curled up in the soft grass.
"Frank, I know by now you've changed. And I think I'll stay here from now on."
"Never leave me again!" Frank said. "I was crushed without ya, Shondie."
"You know," she said. "I was too."
Meanwhile…
"I'm getting tired of walking!" One of the Sharks exclaimed. "We haven't seen them anywhere!"
"Let's see if they're around the cliffy part," Ness said. "I've noticed Frank there a few times."
"Well, let's go over there!"
The gang quickly headed towards the cliff, and stopped when Jeff said, "They're over there. But let's get behind these shrubs so they won't notice us."
"Did you hear something?" Shonda said.
"No," Frank said. "Probably just the breeze rustling through
the trees."
"Yeah." By now the stars were coming out and the moon was rising and chasing away the sunlight.
"Hey," Jeff said. "I think they're hitting it off."
One of the Sharks laughed a little. "Yeah, this reminds me of when we used to be a gang. I haven't seen them together since."
"Shh," Ness whispered. "They're talking again."
"So where do you live?" Shonda asked, starting another conversation.
"Not too far off from here," Frank said. "Just outside of town. It's simple and small, but I like it."
"I had an apartment, which had no separate rooms other than the bathroom, so Mr. Saturn and I were pretty tight."
"Aww, you don't deserve that."
"If you think that's bad," Shonda laughed. "I had to work at the burger shop!"
"Hey," Frank chuckled. "I work at the burger shop!"
"I guess it's a small world, after all."
"Yeah," Shonda and Frank then looked at each other, and said absolutely nothing.
"Hey," Jeff said. "I think that moment's coming up." He winked.
"I wanna get a closer look!" The Pogo Shark said, pulling himself up near the top of the shrubbery.
But just as Frank and Shonda were about to kiss, the Pogo Shark lost his balance and toppled over the side, revealing the rest of the gang watching.
"What was that??" Shonda asked, putting her arms around Frank.
"I don't know," Frank said. "But we'd better find out!"
"Now you've done it!" Ness said to the Pogo Shark.
"Hey, it wasn't my fault!" he replied.
Just as Shonda and Frank got over to the shrubbery, Frank's feeling of nervousness was replaced by annoyance.
"What's going on here?" He said as calm as possible. "What do you guys think you're doing invading our privacy?"
"Hey," Ness said. "Don't look at me, your Sharks made us follow you!"
Frank turned toward the three Sharks, lowered his glasses, and gave them a slight glare. "So, what's the big idea, huh?"
"Well, uh…" the Hula Shark stammered.
"Frank," Shonda laughed. "Don't be so hard on them."
"Ah well," Frank smiled a little. "No hard feelings…while we're all together, let's go to my place."
"Oh sure," Shonda smiled. "Let me wake up Mr. Saturn."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"So Paula," Shonda said, sitting on the couch in Frank's living room. "Is the party on?"
"Party?" Frank smiled. "What party?"
"Oh yeah!" Paula said. "The one at the Chaos Theatre tomorrow night…with the Runaway Five, performing live. Wanna go?"
"Heck yeah! If Shonda's going, that is."
"Of course," she smiled. "All of you can come. It'll be fun!"
"All right!" Ness said. "I haven't seen the Runaway Five in a while…and what kind of party is this?"
"Formal," Paula said. "It's a dance, actually."
"Well," Frank smiled. "Sounds great."
"I've never been to a dance before," the Pogo Shark said. "What do I bring?"
"A girl, dummy!" the Skate Shark replied.
"Oh yeah!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
After everyone else had gone home, Shonda and Frank were sitting next to each other, talking some more.
"So what's this party for?" Frank asked.
"No special reason," Shonda smiled. "Just because…hey, I'm getting tired. You mind if I stay here tonight?"
"Mind? Why would I?" Frank smiled.
"I don't know," Shonda yawned. "It's pretty late, I'm going to sleep." Shonda sprawled across the opposite end of the couch.
"'Night Shondie," Frank said, kissing her cheek.
"'Night Frank," she yawned again, patted the sleeping Mr. Saturn on the head, and dozed off.
* * * * * * * * * * *
"So the party's on?" Elwood Blues asked Paula the next morning back in Twoson.
"Sure is," Paula smiled brightly. "Shonda and her boyfriend made up…so you can play tonight, right?"
"Heck yeah!" Jake said. "Anything for our friends!"
"Thanks!" Paula replied, leaving the theatre and heading back to her house to meet Ness.
"So is it set?" he asked.
"Yep!" Paula replied. "We'd better tell everyone else about it."
Meanwhile, back in Onett, Shonda woke up, stretched and checked her watch. "11:30 AM? Frank, why didn't you wake me up?"
"You looked peaceful," Frank said, opening a can of Pop. "Besides, we were up late."
"Well I'm starved, what's for breakfast?"
"That I have yet to figure out, Shondie…how about something from the bakery?"
"Sounds good to me. Mr. Saturn, want some breakfast?"
"BOING!"
"I take that as a yes," Frank laughed, and headed out the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
That evening, Shonda went back to Paula's to get ready for the party.
"So," Paula said as she brushed out her hair. "Are you and Frank really back together?"
"Seems like it," Shonda smiled, smoothing out her dress.
"Ness was right…he has changed. I wonder what got into him to do so?"
"Oh," Paula smiled. "One of my friends straightened him out."
"Well," Shonda said, fluffing her hair. "Let's head out!"
When they got to the theatre, everyone else was already there clad in suits. Shonda laughed a little at the sight of the three Sharks in tailored clothes. With that, Frank put his arm around her waist as they went inside.
They had one table set up near the dance floor, and everyone took a seat as Elwood went up to the microphone and loudly announced into it, "Good evening ladies and gentlemen! And welcome to the show! Now let's get on with it, baby! One…two…three…GO!"
With that, the Runaway Five began to play a very fast swing song. While everyone else went out and danced like crazy to it, particularly Mr. Saturn, who was jumping up and down in a mad frenzy, Shonda and Frank just stayed put. That is, until a few songs later, when Jake got the microphone and said, "We'd like to dedicate this song to a very special couple tonight…who went through some hard times, but are now happier than a lark could ever be…Shonda and Frank Fly! They rock! So we'll have a nice, slow song just for them…HIT IT!"
"May I have this dance?" Frank stood, offering his hand to Shonda. She smiled, taking it. They made their way to the middle of the dance floor, hands locked together, opposite hands on each other's waists. As they began to dance to the slow measured song of heavy bass chords and soft piano playing, Jeff smiled and said, "Well, Ness, you were right about them!"
"I sure was," he laughed a little. "They hit it off better than I thought they would!"
"That's for sure," the Skate Shark said, and smiled a little. "It's nice to see them like this."
"This suit is itchy!" Poo said, off topically. He had yet to get used to Western cultures!
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Thank you all, and goodnight!" Elwood said as the party came to a close.
When they headed outside, Paula said to Shonda, "So what are you going to do? We're all going to get a pizza. Want to join us?"
"We'd love to," Shonda smiled. "But Frank wants to take me, and of course Mr. Saturn, out alone."
"Okay," Ness winked. "Have a nice time…and we'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Sure, pal," Frank replied. "See ya then!" As soon as he, Shonda, and Mr. Saturn almost to a nice restaurant not too far off, he said, "Really feels good to be back, doesn't it?"
"Sure does," Shonda smiled.
"BOING!" Mr. Saturn said gleefully, and toddled along with them.
The
end ;)
I'd like to say thanks to one of my best friends, Shonda
Applewhite. Without her, I never would have finished this story! Thanks
Shondie! Thanks ever so much!