Chapter 4: Waiting It Out
AN: I know it's taken me a long time to get these next two chapters out but thanks to you all for being patient. Please continue to review. If you like the vein of this story check out "A Voice Heard in Ramah" it's a Pretender story. It's on the Pretender fan fiction archive.
Arcadia High School
I can't believe he's still mad at me, Grace thought. We've both forgiven Joan for her little "episode" as evidenced by the way she chats us both up. Baby Voice seems strangely quiet today too. She's barely even hanging on to Rove maybe she's realizing she has her own legs. And there's Luke, just far enough away to not be a part of our group but close enough to watch me. It's kind of creepy the way he's been eyeing me for the last couple days. It's like he expects me to break down any minute and he'll be needed to comfort me. I hate to tell him but that was a one-time thing, something never ever to be repeated. I can understand that Luke has turned into a crazy stalker boy but what I don't get is how one little comment, after all these years of friendship, cause such a huge rift. Besides, I'm right, Adam's not happy with Iris. You can see it in his eyes. They only light up for Joan. Which while completely gross proves my point. This just sucks. I still don't understand why he treats her like just a porcelain doll. She can walk herself to class; she has two legs and a good sense of direction. I can't help but growl as Rove and It head of in the opposite direction from me, my shadow, and Joan. I know that I can be a hard person but I'm always honest. They are the only ones who know how I'm really feeling and what's going on. Not that being a sub-defective is a façade but is does serve as a nice shield.
Adam has rejoined our group as we trudge down the hall. Joan is serving as our personal Berlin Wall, she talks to Rove and me but we don't talk. I take a deep breath and expel it on a sigh. I can't talk to Rove yet. There is no way he's ready for that. As we take our respective seats in class, I actually pay attention to what's going on so I don't have to think about this. Talk about avoidance measures.
Lunch Room
"Yo, Jane." Adam called as I entered the cafeteria.
"Hey, Adam." She returned with her usual chipperness.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure, what's up?" She asked and a frown appeared on her face.
"Outside?"
"Okay." Joan replied as they turned towards the door. I can't help but wish I could know what was going on. It's not nice to leave Grace Polk out of the loop.
"So, what's going on Adam?"
"Well, uh, how would you feel if me and Iris broke up?"
"Did you?" Joan asked suspiciously.
"Cha."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Joan said quickly schooling her features. "Why?"
"Cause of Grace."
"What!" Joan asked surprised by his response.
"Well not really. Just Grace made me so mad but what she said was right but it really hurt and it made me think and she's right."
"Sounds complicated."
"Unchallenged." Adam replied with a big sigh of relief.
"So what was she right about?"
"That me and Iris shouldn't be together."
"Oh."
"Well, she's right. I wasn't happy."
"Are you happy now?" Joan asked trying to mask the hope in her voice. Adam reached over and grasped Joan's hand squeezing it tightly.
"I think I will be." Joan just smiled and squeezed back.
Later that day
Joan was headed home from school with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. And she was completely oblivious to the large woman in the hot pink velour tracksuit in her path.
"Joan, you should really watch where you are going." A familiar voice said from above her, as she lay sprawled on the concrete.
"Well I was going to apologize but now, I don't think so."
"And here I was going to compliment you on your restraint." The woman replied with a laugh in her voice.
"I know. I've been real good haven't I?" Joan said with a smile.
"Just keep doing what you've been doing."
"I will and thanks. This is best assignment yet."
All she got was a wave as the woman ploughed her way down the sidewalk.
See, when people do as I say things turn out so well. This plan is so perfect that when people veer away from it the consequences are often unexpected. The truth is for every action there is a reaction of indefinable proportions. /Great is thy faithfulness O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with thee
Though changest not they compassions they fail not
As thou has been thou forever wilt be
Great it thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me/
AN: I know it's taken me a long time to get these next two chapters out but thanks to you all for being patient. Please continue to review. If you like the vein of this story check out "A Voice Heard in Ramah" it's a Pretender story. It's on the Pretender fan fiction archive.
Arcadia High School
I can't believe he's still mad at me, Grace thought. We've both forgiven Joan for her little "episode" as evidenced by the way she chats us both up. Baby Voice seems strangely quiet today too. She's barely even hanging on to Rove maybe she's realizing she has her own legs. And there's Luke, just far enough away to not be a part of our group but close enough to watch me. It's kind of creepy the way he's been eyeing me for the last couple days. It's like he expects me to break down any minute and he'll be needed to comfort me. I hate to tell him but that was a one-time thing, something never ever to be repeated. I can understand that Luke has turned into a crazy stalker boy but what I don't get is how one little comment, after all these years of friendship, cause such a huge rift. Besides, I'm right, Adam's not happy with Iris. You can see it in his eyes. They only light up for Joan. Which while completely gross proves my point. This just sucks. I still don't understand why he treats her like just a porcelain doll. She can walk herself to class; she has two legs and a good sense of direction. I can't help but growl as Rove and It head of in the opposite direction from me, my shadow, and Joan. I know that I can be a hard person but I'm always honest. They are the only ones who know how I'm really feeling and what's going on. Not that being a sub-defective is a façade but is does serve as a nice shield.
Adam has rejoined our group as we trudge down the hall. Joan is serving as our personal Berlin Wall, she talks to Rove and me but we don't talk. I take a deep breath and expel it on a sigh. I can't talk to Rove yet. There is no way he's ready for that. As we take our respective seats in class, I actually pay attention to what's going on so I don't have to think about this. Talk about avoidance measures.
Lunch Room
"Yo, Jane." Adam called as I entered the cafeteria.
"Hey, Adam." She returned with her usual chipperness.
"Can we talk?"
"Sure, what's up?" She asked and a frown appeared on her face.
"Outside?"
"Okay." Joan replied as they turned towards the door. I can't help but wish I could know what was going on. It's not nice to leave Grace Polk out of the loop.
"So, what's going on Adam?"
"Well, uh, how would you feel if me and Iris broke up?"
"Did you?" Joan asked suspiciously.
"Cha."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Joan said quickly schooling her features. "Why?"
"Cause of Grace."
"What!" Joan asked surprised by his response.
"Well not really. Just Grace made me so mad but what she said was right but it really hurt and it made me think and she's right."
"Sounds complicated."
"Unchallenged." Adam replied with a big sigh of relief.
"So what was she right about?"
"That me and Iris shouldn't be together."
"Oh."
"Well, she's right. I wasn't happy."
"Are you happy now?" Joan asked trying to mask the hope in her voice. Adam reached over and grasped Joan's hand squeezing it tightly.
"I think I will be." Joan just smiled and squeezed back.
Later that day
Joan was headed home from school with a smile on her face and a bounce in her step. And she was completely oblivious to the large woman in the hot pink velour tracksuit in her path.
"Joan, you should really watch where you are going." A familiar voice said from above her, as she lay sprawled on the concrete.
"Well I was going to apologize but now, I don't think so."
"And here I was going to compliment you on your restraint." The woman replied with a laugh in her voice.
"I know. I've been real good haven't I?" Joan said with a smile.
"Just keep doing what you've been doing."
"I will and thanks. This is best assignment yet."
All she got was a wave as the woman ploughed her way down the sidewalk.
See, when people do as I say things turn out so well. This plan is so perfect that when people veer away from it the consequences are often unexpected. The truth is for every action there is a reaction of indefinable proportions. /Great is thy faithfulness O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with thee
Though changest not they compassions they fail not
As thou has been thou forever wilt be
Great it thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me/
