Rebecca had been sprawled out on the floor with a romance book, daydreaming about the dance, when the phone started to ring. Jerking herself out of her fantasies, she quickly darted to the phone in the hallway.
'Hieloooo?' she said, still trying to shake herself out of her fantasy.
'Um, Hello? Can I speak to Rebecca?' said the voice on the other end.
' You're speaking to her' she replied, now back on earth.
' This is Carlos. The boys and me are doing men's stuff and need you guys outta the way' said the straightforward Carlos in his Spanish lilt.
'Oh damn! Carlos!' thought Rebecca, silently cursing. The hottest guy in the whole police force, he probably thinks I'm a real weirdo....
' Hello? Rebecca? Are you there?' he said.
' Uh yeah. Sorry I there was uh.... interference down my end. Sure I'll hustle us someplace' she said, gathering her words so they came out in some form of intelligible speech.
' Could you like get outta town? Like go shopping at the mall in the next town or something?' he asked.
' Sure. That'll be fine.' She replied, trying her best not to sound too eager.
' Thanks Becks. Later' he said, and he hung up.
'Men's stuff?' Rebecca thought? I wonder...
' Blue or Fuchsia?' asked Claire for the 15th time that day. After much probing by all three women, they still had no idea what the men were up to. Not even Claire's sexy swing of the hips, managed to win Leon over. After much hesitation, he stuck to his guns.
So the women had nothing better to do but to hustle themselves off to the mall, that Carlos had suggested. After Claire's spontaneous coffee rounds and a couple of trips to the rest room, they had begun the inevitable job: Buying dresses for the dance.
Though the retail therapy had worked for them to an extent, they were still unsatisfied. So when Claire asked 'The Blue or Fuchsia' question AGAIN, they had felt they had come to the end of their tethers.
' Claire, you have a wardrobe full of good dresses. So why the hell do you need to try on every damn dress in the store!?' asked Jill exasperatedly.
So far, they had toured the shops Claire had wanted to go to. They all had very different tastes. Claire enjoyed showing off a bit of flesh, Jill had a weakness for strapless and Rebecca was preppy. After two hours of combing the mall, they still had found nothing. They were willing to carry on looking, but in a different place.
' Coffee break?' Rebecca feebly asked.
' Lead the way' groaned Jill, so they trooped off to Star Buck's. After they had ordered, they sat down to go over their options.
' How about that mall down south?' asked Claire.
'Costs a fortune' Replied Jill, whilst studying her nails.
' The mall west of my place?' asked Rebecca.
' Not enough choice' replied Jill, moving onto her hands.
' The Mall 2 miles off Carlos's house' asked Claire.
' Too damn Cheesy' replied Jill, examining the scar across her right hand.
' WHY DON'T YOU MAKE YOURE DAMN MIND UP!' yelled Claire.
' NOT MY FAULT THAT YOURE SO TEENNY BOPPY! Yelled Jill.
At once, two coffee mugs hit Jill simultaneously, complete with glares, from Claire and Rebecca who were both still 19.
' Okay, I withdraw that comment-
Claire and Rebecca smiled.
-But I'm not saying it's untrue'
This time coffee mugs complete with coffee mugs were thrown.
' Yeouch!!!!!!!' yelped Jill as scalding coffee made contact with her skin.
' You asked for it' replied the teenagers.
' What? I sit here with a sign taped to my forehead: Angry? Throw Stuff Now!' asked Jill angrily, rising to her feet.
' No, maybe the odd Kick me sign, but nothing like that' Claire answered calmly. Jill bristled with anger and was about to give Claire one of her patented ' Valentine Poundings' when Rebecca came to the rescue.
' Truce!' she yelled, waving a red silky G String in the air. There was a moment of
Silence, then Claire started to giggle, and Jill let out a chuckle.
' Where'd ya' get that from' asked Jill between laughs.
' I don't know. I just found it' said Rebecca succumbing to laughter.
' Hey it's mine!' shrieked Claire, her cheeks cherry red, as she grabbed it and put it
back in her bag.
' I thought I'd give Leon a prom night treat' Claire said saucily, winking.
' God Claire! He's seen you naked enough times. What would a flimsy piece of string
do for him?' asked Rebecca.
' Something. Leon's mind works in strange ways. Like if I say, get the broom, he gets
the toilet brush' said Claire, a sparkle coming into her blue eyes.
' That's not just a Leon thing. Chris somehow put his Playstaion 2 in the fridge and
got annoyed when the carrots wouldn't load up Dead or Alive!' cackled Jill.
' How about if we head to that mall west of Jill's house?' asked Claire.
' Would it be because they have the widest range of lingerie?' questioned Jill.
' As recommended by Cosmo' quipped Rebecca.
They head off to Jill's convertible and drive off.
Meanwhile, around Chris's house.
Leon is sitting on a chair in the middle of the room; Chris and Carlos are standing in
Front of him, looking down at him. Leon is biting his nails nervously. Carlos and
Chris had called him here 'On business' they had said. When he had arrived they
Had bundled him into the living room, drawn the curtains, and pushed him onto a
Chair and gone off in a huddle.
He had a feeling it that it might be that they had found
That Claire and him, use the infirmary as a small love nest... Leon swallowed and bit
His thumbnail anxiously. When Chris and Carlos had finished their ' discussion' they
began to tell Leon what was happening.
' Well as you know Leon, the RPD Dance is soon' began Carlos, staring at Leon his
brown eyes taunting him.
' And your probably going with Claire' said Chris mysteriously.
' Look, I promise not to let her drink too much and strip like she did last time!' Leon
burst out.
Chris and Carlos give Leon a puzzled look.
' Well it's nice to know that' said Carlos , cocking up an eyebrow.
' And' Chris begun, before Leon burst out with
' Okay! It was me who broke the rocket launcher, and I'm sorry!'
' It was broken? I haven't checked the stores for months' said Chris scratching his head.
' Well as Chris was about to say' Carlos started, but Leon burst out with...
' OKAY OKAY! Me and Claire use the infirmary for a little during work fun!'
Chris and Carlos stare at him and then start to laugh.
' He sounds just like a rookie' chuckled Chris.
' Oh teacher the dog broke the rocket launcher, it wasn't me, honest!' taunted Carlos.
Chris clapped a hand down on Leon's shoulder his eyes suddenly very serious.
' Leon, there seems to be a lot of things that you have not learned yet' said Chris.
' Leon, who cares if you use the infirmary? I know that Jill and Chris here, have the
deed rights for the weapon's room' said Carlos, dropping down to his Spanish lilt.
' And Carlos is partial to the janitor room' quipped Chris.
' Also, if something breaks, who cares? Just blame it on the rookie' said Carlos.
' But I am the rookie!' said Leon anxiously.
' Well blame it on somebody else. Heck who cares?' said Chris.
Leon seemed relieved, and Carlos was grinning like a Cheshire cat, the type of grin that Leon dreaded. 'Oh no.... this ain't gonna be good' thought Leon. It was the grin that Carlos had had when he had told him that the police dogs weren't vicious. The grin he had had when he said that the training run wouldn't be long, just a couple of miles.... Leon shuddered.
' A drink Leon?' asked Chris, who also seemed to be masking a smirk.
' Um, a coke' he choked out.
Chris left the room, and Leon was left with Carlos who still wore his grin. When Chris returned, he handed him a can of coke. Leon cracked it open and took a gulp, whilst the other two, sat, grinning. He carried on drinking.
' Well as you're the youngest rookie, you haven't had your initiation yet' said Carlos.
Leon continued to drink, nodding.
' And at what better time to be initiated into the team, at the RPD dance!' said Chris.
Leon head jerks up, causing him to choke, sending out a shower over all three of them. Carlos swipes drops of coke out of his hair, and Chris reaches for a tissue, as if he was expecting it to happen.
' Judging by your reaction you seem surprised' quips Chris whilst wiping a drop of cola from his eyelid.
' Surprised?! I'm damned relieved! ' Yelps Leon, regaining breath after his coke shower.
' What's with the cloak and dagger?' he continues.
' Well Carlos and me have a bet with Barry, that if we do a prank that's better than the one at the last dance, then we'll get $900 big ones' replies Chris.
' And we figured we could combine it with your initiation' said Carlos, casually brushing back a lock of brown hair.
' So both of you aren't willing to look stupid, so you're using this prank as an excuse for my initiation'
' Well no.' said Carlos hands in the air.
' Well yes. But it's killing a bird with two stones' quipped Chris.
' So basically, I'm gonna be the fool' questioned Leon, Coke in hand
' Well you might look a little' Chris begun.
' Stupid' said all three men together.
' No' said Leon flatly.
' Money shared three ways' stated Chris.
Leon stopped and stared at them. A strange look comes into his eyes. Anger. Then...
'YAHOO! Let's get to work!'
' Alright!' yell Chris and Carlos together punching the air with their fists.
The boys sit down to work out their sting operation....
Chicky sez: Hey y'all! What do ya' think? I think I'm gonna abandon this as nobody seems to like it much....