1X05 – Home Run
«Boys,» said Miss Grotke, the teacher, smiling toward the rest of the class, «As some of you may remember, in a couple of weeks it will be the anniversary of the birth of the famous poet and writer John Pelham Hill, whose works immortalized our nation's war of independence: for that date, Principal Prickly himself has proposed an exciting and challenging assignment...»
The boys in the front row struggled to maintain an unchanged expression, while those a few rows behind let go of snorts and groans: there was nothing more annoying and difficult to "digest" than a homework assignment.
«For such work, you will organize yourselves into groups of a minimum of four to a maximum of seven members, and you will all meet together at the home of one of you to research books and put together the material from which you will then derive sources for your work. For the assignment grade, we will take into account the work you have done and the material you have accumulated, and your knowledge on the topic: it is not worth paying someone to do the assignment for you without even reading it, as some have done in the past.»
More mutterings of lamentation resounded, coming mostly from the desks of the original four Ashleys and those who, like them, had already made use of such a strategy.
«Now I will illustrate a list of characters...»
«Excuse me, Mrs. Grotkee, but won't we then be able to choose the subjects of our research ourselves?»
«I'd like to, but I'm afraid it's not possible: it has already happened that, without coordination, several groups chose the same character; last year one class did each research only on George Washington, it was a beautiful example of different visions, but each research should have a specific and defined goal. For this reason, I will personally assign the characters-focuses of each group...»
«Well, this whomps,» TJ said, surrounded by his friends.
«I agree.»
«What a situation.»
«At least, we didn't get too bad a character...»
«Nancy Hart? And who is she?»
«Exactly, we don't know: it might turn out to be a surprise...»
«I still would have preferred Benjamin Franklin or Washington: at least, we would know what to write about; now instead, we will have to do an exhaustive, and blind, search.»
«And that's not the only issue we have to affront. Miss Grotke said we must do such research at the home of one of us. Who will volunteer?»
«Not me: my house is too small.»
«Not me; my parents would not approve.»
«Not me; we just finished reorganizing it.»
«I...»
«Huh, excuse me?»
The six boys turned around, hearing a girl's voice coming from behind them.
«Vicky!» Spinelli said, recognizing their friend as he walked shyly toward them «Are you ok?»
«Yes I am. Just…would it be a bother if I ask you to accept me among you during this homework only?»
«It is not a problem for us, but…we believed you would have worked on it with the other Ashleys. Did they kick you out?»
«No! Just…their topic is Thomas Jefferson, and is someone I do not feel very confident about. Moreover, when I learned your character is Nancy Hart, one of my favorite…I would prefer to do my homework on someone I feel passionate enough.»
«And they agreed on that?»
«I think they are ok: last I saw, they were "inviting" another group to work with them, so…they would not be too bad on it.»
Spinelli shrugged: while Vicky's positive influence had already helped ease both the relations between them and the mainstream Ashleys and the Ashleys' attitude toward everyone else, some habits were still hard to demolish. Among them, the tactics of inviting someone else in your homework and then do the bare minimum so the others could do the homework for you.
«We have no problem with making you join» TJ said «however, we have a little problem because we need to meet each other at the house of someone for the homework, and we still have no clear idea where to meet.»
«I see. Then…how about doing the homework at my home?»
The gang stopped, as they tried to elaborate those words. While they knew Vicky from a long time, by now, no one of them has ever seen her house, or what it looked like: Vicky herself was not very talkative on the issue, and when questioned, she often avoided that or used cryptic replies like "my house…is not a welcoming place". Even the Ashleys, which called themselves Vicky's closest friends, had not seen her house until now.
And now, Vicky was actually inviting them to visit it? Their curiosity was skyrocketing, and by far.
«Your home? Vicky, you never invite us to your home. Actually, you do not invite anyone…»
«Yes, I know. But I want to rectify this, and I do believe this is a good occasion to start.»
«What about your parents? Would they approve?»
«My parents…» Vicky replied, her eyes gloomy and sad «They never come to see me, there is always something more important going on. I doubt they'll ever find out you'll come.»
As she said those words, both Spinelli and TJ had the impression just remembering her parents had caused Vicky to feel a big pain. Were her parents always away for work? Was it why Vicky always looked so gloomy when the discussion verged on her family?
«When we can come to see?»
«Even today, if you feel like» Vicky smiled, an invisible tear running from her right eye «I just need to warn Gerard, and then you'll be fine…»
She walked away, a strange feeling of happiness spreading all over her face and body, while the gang simply stood there, unaware of the words. It was not until Vicky has long left that Gus raised his hand, and said a question no one else had asked until then:
«Huh, guys, I do not want to ruin the moment, but…anyone of you know who is Gerard?»
«I feel nervous» Vince said, looking around. Along him, TJ and the others, everyone of them, stood almost motionless with their schoolbags on the back, waiting for Vicky to appear.
«Me too» added Gus «This is the first time we go to Vicky's house.»
«This is the first time anyone goes to Vicky's house» Spinelli corrected him «I am nervous as the day we went to see the teacher's lounge.»
«Let's hope it will not be like that day» TJ intervened «Do you remember our cool our ideas were, and how lame was that room in truth?»
«Come on, guys, this is Vicky we are talking about» Gretchen said in turn «The first Ashley we found likeable, and the first Ashley to join our team during a kickball event. I am quite sure that, even if she has a quite common house and events, she…»
«Guys?»
«Vicky!» the six kids said almost at the same time «You're here?»
«Yep, I wanted to tell you that Gerard is here, if you want to go.»
«Actually, can we ask who this Gerard is? Is your uncle, cousin, or…?»
«Nope, actually Gerard is my butler.»
Silence. And then, the commotion.
«YOU HAVE A BUTLER?!»
«More like a caretaker. It's a long story…»
«Miss Adelaide» said an adult voice, and an old man with moustaches, well-dressed in a tuxedo and with a strong English accent, appeared «The car is ready, and so…who are these?»
«Gerard, let me present you my friends TJ, Spinelli, Vicky, Mickey, Vince and Gus» replied Vicky in a strange, sympathetic but quite cold tone of voice «Friends, this is Gerard, my caretaker and, before you, the only person I could call…friend.»
«It is quite an honor to meet all of you,» Gerard said, kneeling a little bit «And, I want to express my happiness in finding out you made friend with Miss Adelaide: this is obliviously an influence she needed.»
«Wow. A real English butler…»
«Wait, Miss Adelaide?»
«Is my second name» Vicky replied «You call me Vicky, Gerard calls me Miss Adelaide, and I get called by my full name whenever I have to participate in an official event … or whenever Gerard or someone else I know very well gets angry at me.»
«Miss Adelaide, I suppose you want to go in the car?»
«Yes. Can my friends…?»
«Sure, little Miss.»
«So, Gerard was your butler.»
«Like I said, is more like a caretaker. He takes care of me and the house…in absence of my parents.»
Spinelli realized there was a sad tone in Vicky's voice, but she had not time to go deeper, as the sound of a mechanical engine warned her that Gerard had brought the car.
An amazing, otherworldly, unbelievable luxurious car.
The car was black in color, with tinted windows (to prevent anyone from seeing in) and was at least twice as long as a normal vehicle, with powerful headlights that, when turned on, would create a glare.
Gerard, in the driver's seat, pressed a button, and a side door opened, allowing TJ and his friends to see inside the incredible automobile: along the right side of the vehicle (i.e., the visible side, opposite the door) ran a long gray pillowcase sofa, large enough to accommodate all of them with plenty of superfluous space; on the right, at the end of the space, was a TV set of no indifferent size, which by the looks of it had to be brand new; not only that, in a corner of the large car, a small minibar with mysterious contents.
«Guys,» said Spinelli, who couldn't believe his eyes, «This car is amazing!»
«Vicky, do you use it to get to and from school?»
«Yes, but it wasn't mine. At least, it wasn't bought for me-my dad had bought it, but since my mom didn't approve, they decided to give it to me. More to make sure the other one wouldn't keep it than out of any real desire to give it to me. Would you like to come aboard?»
The boys, albeit with some hesitation, followed Vicky inside, noting (appreciatively) that the interior settee was extremely comfortable, by feel.
«It's very comfortable.»
«I know,» Vicky replied, «Can I offer you a drink for the ride?»
Vicky's hands swiftly debouched over the mini-fridge, opening it and showing those present a vast assortment of soft drinks, juices, pre-packaged milkshakes, and miscellaneous, so many that everyone (including TJ) felt peckish.
«What can I offer you? I have a little bit of everything...»
«Do you have a strawberry juice?» asked Mickey, taking the opportunity
«Certainly! Just you?»
«Me too if possible,» said Gretchen.
«Can I have a space-cola if you have it?» asked TJ.
«Make it two,» said Spinelli.
«Can I have a pear juice?»
«A lemon soda, please.»
Vicky replied with a smile, taking bottle for each of the requests, and pouring each into a paper cup. Except one.
«Vicky, what are you doing?» asked TJ and Spinelli, almost at the same time.
«I beg your pardon, but I only have one glass for your Space-Cola,» she said with a mischievous smile, «However, I think I have the solution.»
So she said, and poured the two colas into a large glass (or similar), with two straws.
«What?» said TJ looking suspiciously.
«With two straws, you will be able to drink without any problems the same way.»
Spinelli and TJ looked at each other for a moment, with nervousness and a certain blush: they still remembered the day when, in the name of an experiment, they had had to..., ahem, kiss in front of the whole school. And what was worse, was that although they had denied it with everyone else, Butch had been right: kissing, it felt good, and they had enjoyed it. And that thought, it made their blood run cold in their veins.
«Is there any problem?» Vicky asked.
«No, is just…even at school, usually girls and boys do not drink from the same glass…»
«They don't? I saw my Ashley friends do it…»
«That was for the jinx!» everyone screamed at her.
«Oh, right.»
Between discussions, the boys lost track of time and also forgot to look out at the path, so it was almost a surprise when they heard the car stop and the door open.
«We're here, little miss,» said Gerard, adjusting his hat. Vicky nodded, moving to get out, quickly imitated by her friends.
What they saw left them (again) amazed and intoxicated.
As much as seeing that Vicky had a limousine, complete with chauffeur, had puzzled them, they were certainly not ready for the vision that was her house: it was horseshoe-shaped, with a large door in the center, a wider door on the right (probably the garage, where the car was kept when it was not needed), while the left side was cycrcular in shape looking almost like a medieval wizard's tower. The house was two stories high (three, if you counted an additional line of windows that appeared just below the roof) and its walls were all covered with stone, with a roof of gray-green tiles; two tall trees with deep green leaves surrounded the entrance like sentinels, and were surrounded in turn by bushes that were all the same height and well-tended.
«Wow.»
«Vicky, do you live here?»
«It's a temporary residence,» Gerard intervened, «Currently, Little Miss lives here to have easier access to her course of study, and I am her legal guardian. Except for us, no one else lives here.»
«It's a beautiful house.»
«I suppose so,» Vicky replied melancholically, «Would you like to come in? I'd love to show you around.»
«I'll fix up the car, after which I'll be at your complete disposal again.»
«Hey, these are not ordinary trees,» said Gretchen as they passed through the entrance, noticing the two tall trees «These are...»
«Canadian maples,» Vicky replied, «when autumn comes, their leaves turn a beautiful red color, which makes the house even more beautiful.»
«I had never seen them with my own eyes before; at least, not in person...»
«Anything can be found, if you can pay for it properly,» Vicky replied, but her tone betrayed more sadness than sneer.
«Vicky, are you ok?»
«Yes, I mean, no, however…can we just get inside?»
«I…suppose it is a good idea.»
Vicky moved to the door, and pressed her right hand on…something, before speaking «Ashley Adelaide Victoria»
Immediately, a strange gun popped out of the house wall and pointed toward TJ and the others, giving them no time to even react.
«And friends.»
The gun retracted itself, quickly disappearing as it appeared.
«What was…»
«A Sentry Homelander 99-X!» Gus was the first to speak «These are high-tech automatic sentries, developed by the Army to protect their most precious labs; how can you have one in your home?»
«You should ask my parents, it was already there when I first came here. But, that's assuming you have the chance to speak with them…»
The door unlocked, and the children entered inside. The house interior was not beautiful as the exterior was: it was better.
«Incredible» TJ said, looking at the white-milk walls and the floor in wood «Is this …for real?»
«Yep» Vicky replied, not even bothering to look happy «Home, sweet home. Follow me, I'll led you to the library.»
As the kids followed Vicky, they could not be amazed by the furniture around them: the whole house looked like it just got out of a magazine. And yet, something was bothering them: if it was one of them living here, they would be enthusiast of it; instead, Vicky did not looked very happy, but rather, dull and depressed. As, she hated living there.
«This is the library» Vicky said, opening a door who lead to a room with huge shelves full of books «It's my favorite place to stay when I have homework to do, or when I am in the mood for a good book with a tea cup. The books I have…should contain more than enough information for us to do a good work together: please feel free to use them as you wish, as long as you do not dirty them. »
The boys nodded, unsure what to say. The library had a small table, and some chairs around it, so the kids quickly moved and sit, everyone on a chair of their taste, and after some more time spent looking around, they started their own research.
«Hero and heroines of the Revolution War» Gus said, moving a large book with a lot of images and drawing on the inside «This could be useful.»
«This one too!» Gretchen replies, putting another book on the table «Complete and detailed history of the American Revolution War, and the real face of the protagonists.»
«Boys, I think we have just hit jackpot!» Announced Spinelli, putting a third book the table, which was titled «Nancy Hart: a long-forgotten feminist heroine of American history.»
«Perfect, boys!» T.J. smiled «Now we have more than enough sources to make a good work; we just need to find the information more useful, and…»
«Huh, T.J.?» said Mickey, pointing to the chair where Vicky was currently sitting on. The kids followed his indication and found out that Vicky was looking at them, motionless.
Her eyes, were full of tears…
«Guys…» she said, her little heart sobbing «guys…»
«Vicky!» Spinelli said, rushing to her said, quickly followed by Vince and Mickey «Are you ok?»
«Did we say something we shouldn't have?»
«We can assure you that the books are not damaged-»
«No, is not about the books» Vicky said, strolling to talk through her own tears «It is just…I waited so long, I carved so much for a moment like this…»
«What?» now it was T.J.'s turn to be surprised and a little bit shocked «What do you mean?»
«I already told you» Vicky said, her tears stopped (at least for now) so she could now speak more normally «Before I came here…I had no regular friends to meet and have fun together. You, the Ashleys … I had no one. I always wanted to have a day like this one: me and my friends, here in the library, or someplace else in my home, or somewhere else entirely…but I always missed the most important ingredient: REAL friends.»
«How can this be possible?»
«It is true, young friends» it was the voice of Gerald, pushing a small trolley of sweets and hot tea into the room «While it hurt me and my honor as lady Victoria's tutor to admit this out loud, before she brought you here Miss Victoria has quite a lonely life. I tried to take care of her as best as I was allowed to, but I am her manservant, not her father, and while I wish to give her the love she deserves, I cannot do it without violating my professional etiquette.»
«But your parents…they are never here…?»
Vicky started to cry a little big again «No: my mother is too busy with her socialite events to even remember that she has a daughter, and whenever she DOES remember, is mostly to fill me up with useless and boring events from her days, or because she needs to vent about my father, or better, about something my father did. »
«Something that…»
«They were in love once, enough for them to bring me into this world» Vicky admitted «But since I was born, their love soured, and they started to bicker every often; and Father…he grew interested in other kinds of women. He often prepared luxurious gift for them…and any time Mother found out, they had an even worse quarrel, and many times he was forced to give up whatever he planned to gift…to me.»
«To you?» the children asked
«While I should not be allowed to say this» Gerald intervened «I do have the impression so far the main job that Miss Adelaide does for her family is being her parent's dumping ground for unwanted gifts that create polemic around them…"
«Fancy painting, nice jewelry, I sell them all» Vicky admitted «They are a useful income for my school needs or if I want to eat something different, but they cannot replace the emptiness I feel.»
Gus raised his hand «And your father?»
«My father» she repeated «He's traveling so much around the world that airplanes are his new home; whenever he's not away for a business trip he's there and there to see some world famous location or trying to flirt with some new girl who always tells me I will have to call her my new mom soon, but after some time he grows bored or my REAL mom finds out, or the girl gets greedy… and I never saw them again.»
The conversation continued for a little while, but it son dried up. Gerard shared the sweets and hot tea with the children, and the work on Nancy Hart continued, but TJ and his friends kept giving glazes at Vicky, making sure to not say anything that would make her sad once more.
And still, no one of them forgot what she said, and the tears she poured. And so, a plan started to hatch and grow in their minds…
A few days later, Vicky, while still nervous about the days upcoming to her, was on the car, Gerard driving her as close to school as possible, while she simply looked outside of the window, and the work she did with the others.
TJ and the others had promised her to not tell anyone about the fact that she cried during their homework session, but while she had hoped to push everything that had happened in the back of her own mind, to simply forget and go forward with her life…
Nevertheless, she could not. And she couldn't, because her own instincts was telling her something was not right.
Yesterday, the other Ashleys were talking about something in a very confidante manner, but whenever I tried to ask them what was about, they kept waving it off with sentences like those that "this is a matter without importance, Ashley V", or those they were "just gossiping about someone you absolutely do not know". While Vicky for herself has always disliked the idea of gossip, the fact that her closest friends on the playground were actively excluding her from something was putting her mind at unease.
And they were not the only ones.
During class, now, Spinelli was looking at here more than the usual, and Vicky was sure that she almost noticed her classmate look at her and whisper to each other; she wasn't sure, because every time her head turned, it looked normal and no one talk or even looked at her, leaving her no guess; except that they did not want her to catch on them.
On the playground, she was still welcome, but the other kids who interacted with her looked less friendly and more nervous; the other Ashley were more silent than usual; TJ and his friends…
Well, every time she was close to them she was now feeling like the new strange oddity at the zoo…
I guess I should not be surprises, she thought with empty sadness, after showing too much emotions that day, I guess they now think I'm a person too much emotively and hysterical, and they do not feel very much interested in having me around. The thing is…why they did tell the others.
They had promised, and swore to tell anyone else, but apparently, they went back on their own words. And what they said…whatever they said…might have spread all over the school.
This is bad, she thought with worry, if the words are spread enough, there is no way to discredit them without using…rich people's methods. And even if I do, I might be unable to keep my life going like this.
Would she have to move again, change school, and look for someplace else? Would she be able to do it…again.
No, I can't do it anymore, she leaned her head, I can't go back and try to look for another place where to try and have friends; after everything that has happened so far, after so many schools I changed…I can't do it anymore. Maybe this is a good time to admit defeat, and ask for a private tutor at home…
The idea of having a tutor, it was hideous as the first day her mom even first suggested to her: since she always craved to have friends and long-lasting relations with people of her own age, forgave it all and chose a study path that would have no other person in it than herself and her own teacher would force her to a self-inflicted punishment until she was old enough to become autonomous.
Nevertheless, it was still better than stay in an environment who kept shutting her out.
She walked to the door of her classroom: no one was outside, and that would mean, the second she entered, she would be noticed by all.
«This is my school, now» she sighed.
However, destiny had different plans, and Vicky found out, as soon as she entered, she could see a powerful light, nice classic music beginning to play in the background, as well as the cheer of many voices, many of them children. And when her sight was normal again, she saw TJ and his gang, the Ashleys plus every kid and professor who she ever met before (even hank the janitor) smiling her, a large candy-like cake on her bench…
«What? What the-»
«Ashley Adelaide Victoria» Miss Grotke said to her «I am proud to inform you that the work you did on Nancy Hart, together with your squad, has gained full points,» she said, showing her their homework, with a very beautiful rank written on it.
«What?»
«And since your friends were so insistent that they wouldn't have been able to do it without the support from your own library, and that you deserved the recognition for what happened, I allowed them to…prepare this small party for you.»
«What?»
«We are sorry to not inform you first, » Ashley A. said, walking up to her «But you know, surprise party requires surprise, or they would have to have a different name. »
«You… a surprise party? »
«Whenever they told us how lonely you were» the Library kid spoke «We decided that it was a good way to show you that this school will always be your place. Every person who is your friend is there…»
«Every…friend…»
«We made a collection to buy the cake» This was Ashley Q. «To tell the truth, we wanted to buy once ach at first, but this is supposed to be a friendship moment, and not to show foo…»
«What the heck is happening?» Vicky said, still un-realizing what was happening around her.
«Vicky» the girl turn around, and found Spinelli facing her «After that day…after we saw how alone you are at home…and how far are your parents from you… we realized why you like this school so much. And we understand that we may as well be the only friends you have. So, as long as you'll go to this school…we made a promise, to never let you be alone again.»
«Huh?»
«Because this is what friends do!» Spinelli said, louder «We are here when our friends need help, and they help us in return when is our turn. We help each other….»
For a few seconds, Vicky stood there, soundless, as her brain acquired this info. Soon, the dark cog all over her mind and heart vanished, melted, and a new warm feeling spread all over her body.
She had friends. She was not alone.
«SCANDALOUS!» she yelled, quickly imitated by the other Ashleys and her friends
And she would never be alone again…