My Story

Chapter 6

"Cats"

A month after I had been officially made a member of the team the ducks and I were watching a monster movie marathon in the rec. room, when Wildwing came walking into the room all dressed up.

"Dive, why aren't you dressed?"

Nosedive looked down at himself then to me. "Um, am I naked?"

I played along and covered my eyes, "Dive, I thought I told you not to do that!"

"But I thought I looked good without clothes on?"

"Nosedive!" Mallory and Tanya exclaimed in disgust.

"Dive, I'm serious," Wildwing went on. "We are suppose to be going to see the play tonight."

Nosedive slapped himself in the forehead and collapsed deeper into the couch. "Do I have to go?"

"Nosedive, I already got the tickets."

"I only said I would go so you would let me go to the mall."

"Dive," Wing implored.

"Why don't you take someone else?"

Wildwing looked around the room. Duke and Tanya were snuggled so close together that the Jaws of Life couldn't pry them apart. Mallory shook her head no and Grin continued to meditate (in other words he ignored Wildwing).

"Dive," Wing implored again.

"I don't want to."

"But you promised."

"Only to get rid of you."

"Dive."

"But, Wing."

"I'll go."

Wildwing and the others turned and looked at me.

"What?"

"I'll go."

Nosedive leaned over and tapped me on the shoulder. He whispered in my ear. "Mirage, trust me, you don't want to go."

"Why not? If it's like any of the plays I saw on Puckworld I'd enjoy it."

"You like plays?" Nosedive asked.

"Yes, I like plays."

"All right, then lets go," Wildwing said closing the debate.

I jumped off the couch and went to stand next to Wildwing. "Okay let's go."

Wildwing looked me up and down before asking hesitantly; "you're not wearing that, are you?"

"What's wrong with this?" My tight black jump suit looked good on me. It showed every curve and sexual feature. Who wouldn't want to be seen with me like this?

"Um well"

Nosedive burst into laughter. "It's a formal show, Mirage. You have to dress up."

"Oh I don't have anything formal to wear," I said a little downcast at the news.

"You can borrow something from Mallory," Tanya offered.

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"Tanya, she has no respect for other people's property. I'm not letting her borrow anything!" Mallory protested.

"I won't ruin it."

"I said no."

"Mallory, I promise nothing will happen to it. Just let Mirage borrow something," Wildwing begged. (I think I like him when he's begging, he looks so cute.)

"Fine, but if there is any rip, tear, spot or stain on it, I'm not going to be happy."

Mallory lead me to her room where she rummaged through her closet to find something suitable for me to wear.

"How about this?" she asked as she held up this hideous thing.

"Uh, no thanks."

"Okay, is this one to your standard?"

"Eww, gross."

"All right, this one should be your style."

I looked at the pink frilly thing Mallory held out to me and I wanted to puke. "I'd rather go naked."

"Okay," she smiled as she put the dress away.

"Wait, what about that one?" I asked pointing at a white cocktail dress.

"That one? No, you can wear anything but that."

"Why not that one?"

"I haven't even worn it myself. Why should I let some little thief wear it before I do?"

"I won't steal it, Mallory. I'm only borrowing it for the night."

"No."

"Fine, then you go with Wildwing to the play."

"No way!"

"Please, Mallory. I promise to keep Dive off your back for a while if you do this for me."

"Well"

"Did you know that he's planning on"

"Okay take it!"

"Thank you." *Yes! Reverse psychology works every time.* I left with the dress and headed to my room to prepare for a night on the town. (Even if it was with Wildwing I was looking forward to it.) A knock came at the door and I was surprised to find Mallory out in the hall when I answered it.

"Mallory!"

"Not bad, but it still looks better on me."

"I'm sure it does. I never look good in dresses."

"Is that how you're going?"

I looked down at myself then back to her. "Yeah, why is something wrong?"

"You can't leave your hair like that! And you need some jewelry."

"I don't think"

"Nonsense! Come on girl," She said as she pushed me back into my room. "We've got a lot of work to do."

Mallory put my waist length black as night hair up into a french twist and curled several strands to cascade down my back. There was one lock of hair she left in the front and it fell to the right side of my face. She added little white flowers and small butterfly clips.

"There!"

"Thank you, Mallory."

"Now for the jewelry," Mallory said as she held out a necklace and pair of earrings.

"Actually, I have my own."

Mallory frowned. I don't think she liked the fact that I had my own jewelry. I put on the necklace I had stolen from Duke. I spun around two times for Mallory letting her admire my vision in white.

"So how do I look?"

"Nice, where'd you get this?" She asked as she inspected my pendent up close.

"It belonged to my mother. She gave it to me before she died."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The Saurian's killed her and my little brother."

"Mirage, I I didn't know," Mal whispered.

"How could you have. You don't know me."

We left my room and went to see the others. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at me, especially Nosedive. His beak hit the floor and his eyes shot out of his head. I wish I had a camera. Good thing Mallory was carrying one. She and I are going to ransom Dive for the picture. He's too stupid to ask for the negative.

"Wow, Mirage, you look stunning," Wildwing said, almost out of breath. (I can't believe I had taken even his breath away.)

"Thanks, but this is was all Mallory's doing. Everything's hers."

"That's a nice necklace," Duke said as he approached me. (Can you believe it; he actually let go of Tanya! Quick call the media this is a rippley's believe it or not moment!)

"Oh, well, that's mine. It's a family heirloom," I blushed. Damn! How could I have been so stupid! I should have known that he would have recognized it.


"Really? It's pretty. Matches your eyes."

"Hey, Mirage,"

"Yeah, Dive?"

"Your dad must have been a thief."

Duke jumped, as did I. Had he figured it out? "Why's that?" I asked in a shaky voice.

"Because he stole the stars from the sky so you could wear them in your eyes."

"You have no idea what your talking about," I tried to laugh it off.

"Are you through with the corny lines, Dive?" Wildwing asked.

Dive nodded. Duke turned back to my necklace. He fondled it one last time before playfully tapping my lower bill. "Have fun kids."

"Are you ready to go?" Wing asked as he extended his arm to me.

I nodded and hooked my arm around his. We must have made one hell of a funny looking couple- he in his black tuxedo, and I in Mallory's white cocktail dress. The silk underskirt felt nice against my legs, but the chiffon overskirt made so much noise. It was deafening! Maybe it was just me because Wildwing didn't seem to notice.

He took me to a nice restaurant where we had this fantastically flavored meat. (I think they called it fillet minion). Whatever it was called it was good. After dinner we went and saw the play Cats'. Now that was an interesting play. There were cats, cats, cats and more cats. Duh, that's why it's called Cats' Mirage! We were so wired up from the play and because we were hungry, Wing took me out for some ice cream afterwards. I learned a lot about him that night. Maybe he's not as stiff as I once thought. He has a lot of things to deal with and he's under a lot of pressure. Being team captain isn't an easy job you know.

We came home really late, I think at about four in the morning, and we looked like we had been drinking (but we hadn't). I was so tired that every other step I took I tripped in Mallory's high heal sandals.

"Take them off," Wing whispered.

"I'm almost to my room."

"You're going to break an ankle," He laughed.

"Oops, too late," I giggled.

The lights flashed on and blinded us.

"Where have you two been?"

"Dive?" Wing asked, surprised to find him still awake. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I've been worried sick. Why didn't you call?"

Wildwing chuckled and continued to shade his eyes from the light. "You're starting to sound like Dad."

"Not funny, Wing. Where have you been?"

Wildwing thought for a minute. "Out."

"OUT!" Nosedive huffed. "You're starting to sound like Duke!"

"Learn from the best," I remarked with a cocky smile.

"Come on, Dive, lighten up."

"Lighten up! Lighten UP! You come stumbling in at whatever time it is, in this state of debauchery and expect me to lighten UP! Do you have any idea how worried I was?!"

"I had my com with me."

"So. That's not the point. Look at you! What is all that on you?"

I giggled like a schoolgirl (I know disgusting, but I did). I looked at Wildwing; head full of whip cream. "Whip cream, sprinkles with a cherry on top." I plucked the cherry off and was about to eat it, but Wildwing grabbed my wrist and directed the fruit into his mouth.

"You two are disgusting."

"Come on, Nosedive. You mean to tell me that you never over dosed on sugar before?" I questioned.

"Never!" he said with a straight face and crossed his arms. He acted so righteous with his bill held up so high in the air. If I didn't know Dive better then I did, I would have been under the impression that he thought that he was better then me.

"Impossible," Wildwing laughed.

"Bed! NOW!" Nosedive ordered and pointed down the hall.

This was one hell of a night. I will always remember it. I came to my door and rested my head on the doorframe as I fumbled in the dark for the handle.

"Have fun?"

I jumped, startled by the sound of Duke's voice. I spun around to find him glaring at me. What is with him and having the need to glare at me?

"Where have you been?"

"Out with Wildwing."

"Not good enough."

"Why don't you go ask him?"

"Because I'm asking you."

"We were having fun."

"Fun? Really? Did you know that you and Wing had Dive up all night worrying his brains out?"

"Dive has brains?" I mused.

Duke did not care to respond to that.

"I already knew that. He gave us a lecture."

"Good."

"Can I go to bed now?"

"Not until you get MY lecture."

"Geesh, Duke, your such a dad."

"That's right, your Dad, now move," He growled as he pushed me into my room.

I didn't get any sleep that night because Duke spent it blabbing on and on about nothing. I don't see why he's so worked up. It's not like he's wanted to be in my life before. Besides I was with Wildwing, what would I have done wrong with him around to ground me?

***

The next day Wildwing canceled practice and man way I glad he did. It meant that I could sleep in (if you call it that). I only got three hours of shuteye before Nosedive came pounding on my door. He insisted that I watch Saturday morning cartoons with him. I fell asleep on the couch half way through the first one. When I awoke he was gone. I looked at the clock, ten am. So I got a grand total of four and three quarters hours of sleep. I was exhausted, but I was also very hungry. So I went to the kitchen to scrounge up some breakfast. Most of the food around the base wasn't the greatest, but it was better then the stuff I use to find in garbage cans. Anyway, now that you're totally grossed out, I stopped in the hall when I heard voices coming from the kitchen.

"It's disgusting!"

"What is?"

"The way she hangs onto Wildwing and Nosedive."

"Mallory," Tanya laughed.

"Don't say anything, Tanya. You know as well as I do that she's been batting her eyes at them since she got here."

"Jealous?" Duke asked in his cocky manner when bantering with Mallory.

"Your lucky she hasn't gone after you, Duke."

"I don't know, Mal. It would be nice to have a young beautiful duck dangling off my arm."

Tanya let out a choked exclamation before tossing the towel she had been using to dry dishes with at Duke.

"Come on sweet heart, I was only kidding."

"Like I was saying, she's ungrateful, deceptive, rude, overly clingy and completely self centered."

"Mallory, you don't need to be so upset."

"She ruined my brand NEW dress, Duke!"

"She had help from Wildwing," Tanya pointed out.

"I don't care. I wish she'd just disappear."

"Now, Mallory, you don't mean that."

"Of course I do, Tanya."

"But, Mal"

"She promised me last night to keep Nosedive off my back, so what happens after she leaves, he pulls another prank. Those two are the worst combination."

"I think it's good. Dive needs to hang out with someone his own age and species. It's great that he and Mirage hit it off," Tanya said.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Don't you think your getting ahead of yourself Tanya?" Duke asked. "They are WAY too young to be hitting ANYTHING off."

"Oh Duke, don't be so close minded. Nosedive knows better and Mirage is a good kid," Tanya laughed.

"I'm with Duke, she's trouble with a capitol T."

"Mallory, they only play pranks on you because they like you."

*No, I pull pranks on her because I want to annoy her. Maybe Dive pulls them because he likes her eww gross. Deleting mental image.* I thought.

"After all I did for her last night!"

"Mallory, give her a chance."

"I did, Tanya, and she abused it!"

I had about enough of the verbal bashing, so I left. They no doubt continued on bashing my already delicate self-image after I left.

"Mallory, she's had a pretty hard life," Duke said.

"I guess your right," she sighed. "After all she doesn't have any family left."

"Really?" Duke scoffed leaning closer. "Do tell."

***

I was torn apart inside after hearing Mallory. I had actually thought that I had gotten through to her last night. Stupid, stupid me! Was this how all the ducks felt about me? Did they pretend to like me to my face, but talk trash when I wasn't around? Why am I always being rejected? First my Dad, then my Mom and brother, then my teachers and classmates, now the ducks. Jack was the only one I could trust, but he was back on Puckworld. He always listened to me. He always had time for me. Wait a minute, Grin always listened and had time for me!

I quickly ran to his room, praying the entire way that he was there. Thank goodness my prayers were answered.

"Grin?"

"Yes, Mirage."

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course, what is troubling you? Your aura is cloudy."

"I overheard the others talking about me."

"Eavesdropping isn't polite, Mirage."

"I know, but I wasn't intending on doing it. I was going to the kitchen for food when I heard them talking. I waited out in the hall because I didn't want to disturb them."

"What did they say?"

This is where I lost it. I broke down and stood their wailing. Grin stood up, walked over to me and comforted me as I cried. He let the majority of my tears subside before taking me into his arms and whispering soothing words. It was in these special quiet moments that I was glad I came to Earth.