Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are property of Marc Brown and PBS.
A/N: So sorry this took so long. But I'm finally done with my finals. No more school for the Summer. My chapters should come a lot quicker now. Hope your wait wasn't too bad.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Twelve: A Hard Choice
Prunella ran through the rain, wishing she hadn't seen what she had. It was horrible. It was disgusting. How could Rubella do this to her? What would people say?
"Pruny! Prunella!"
She ignored the call, just kept running. She entered her house, soaked to the bone, tears streaming down her face. Her mother grabbed her.
"Prunella, what's the matter? What happened?"
Prunella shook her head, shivering. The door behind her opened and Rubella came in. Upon seeing her, Prunella jerked out of her mother's grip and ran to her room. She fell on her bed and clutched her pillow. Rubella came and sat down next to her.
"Pruny," Rubella began softly, running her fingers through her sister's curly hair. "Pruny, you just have to understand."
"I understand," Prunella muttered. "You want to ruin my life."
"No, Pruny," Rubella insisted. "I would never do that."
"Well, you have," Prunella sniffled. "Do you know what the kids at school will say when they catch wind of this?"
"I never meant for anyone to find out," Rubella said.
"I'll be the laughing stock of the whole school," Prunella sobbed. "'There goes Prunella Kirst, the little sister of the teacher-kisser.' Everyone will think my grade come because you're dating my teacher too."
"I'm so sorry, Pruny," Rubella apologized. "I guess I didn't realize how this would affect you."
Rubella bit her lip and let out a sigh.
*************
On Monday, Ratburn had a hard time looking Francine and Prunella in the face. Neither one of them raised their hand all day. He didn't ask them any questions. It was the most embarrassing thing. Everytime he would hear whispering, he wondered if it might be about him and Rubella.
Ten minutes before the final bell, Ratburn was writing some notes on the board when he spotted Rubella through the window on his door. She looked rather solemn.
"Class dismissed," Ratburn said instantly.
The class stared at him in confusion and shock.
"Yes, you heard me correctly," Ratburn assured them. "You may go."
As the kids put their things away in their bookbags, Brain put up his hand.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ratburn," he said. "Does this mean we have no history homework?"
"Just review the notes you've taken so far," Ratburn instructed.
His class rushed out of the classroom. Prunella stopped half-way through the door when she saw Rubella standing there. Rubella smiled down at her sister. Prunella continued out the door. When all the students had gone, Rubella came in.
"How are things?" Ratburn asked as he sat on the edge of his desk.
"Well," Rubella began, troubled, "I've talked to Prunella and...I've come up with a decision. Nigil, I can't see you anymore."
"What?" Ratburn blurted, falling off his desk.
"I'm sorry," Rubella muttered, avoiding his gaze. "I have to think about Prunella. She's really upset about this."
"I thought we decided not to care what people thought," Ratburn said.
"If that was true," Rubella began, "than you would have told Mrs. McGrady what you were really doing with me."
"She wouldn't have understood," Ratburn insisted.
"You're right!" Rubella exclaimed. "No body would understand. My parents wouldn't understand. Mr. Haney wouldn't understand. Your students wouldn't understand. Neither would my friends. Prunella doesn't understand....and I don't understand."
"But Rubella..." Ratburn began frantically. "...I-I thought we cared about one another."
Rubella lowered her head.
"Listen, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella said formally. "I have places to be."
Rubella turned toward the door.
"Will I see you?" Ratburn asked sadly.
"If you do," Rubella said over her shoulder, "just say 'Hello, Miss Kirst' and let that be the end of it."
As Rubella left the room, she took a part of him with her. Ratburn felt like his was suddenly in this cold, black place that he would never escape. It felt so wrong without Rubella near him. He sunk into his chair and put his face in his hands.
"Nigil," came Mr. Haney's voice.
Ratburn looked up.
"I would appreciate it if you would OK it with me before you let your class out early."
Ratburn nodded and Mr. Haney left.
A/N: Stay tuned. There are two more chapters coming.
A/N: So sorry this took so long. But I'm finally done with my finals. No more school for the Summer. My chapters should come a lot quicker now. Hope your wait wasn't too bad.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Twelve: A Hard Choice
Prunella ran through the rain, wishing she hadn't seen what she had. It was horrible. It was disgusting. How could Rubella do this to her? What would people say?
"Pruny! Prunella!"
She ignored the call, just kept running. She entered her house, soaked to the bone, tears streaming down her face. Her mother grabbed her.
"Prunella, what's the matter? What happened?"
Prunella shook her head, shivering. The door behind her opened and Rubella came in. Upon seeing her, Prunella jerked out of her mother's grip and ran to her room. She fell on her bed and clutched her pillow. Rubella came and sat down next to her.
"Pruny," Rubella began softly, running her fingers through her sister's curly hair. "Pruny, you just have to understand."
"I understand," Prunella muttered. "You want to ruin my life."
"No, Pruny," Rubella insisted. "I would never do that."
"Well, you have," Prunella sniffled. "Do you know what the kids at school will say when they catch wind of this?"
"I never meant for anyone to find out," Rubella said.
"I'll be the laughing stock of the whole school," Prunella sobbed. "'There goes Prunella Kirst, the little sister of the teacher-kisser.' Everyone will think my grade come because you're dating my teacher too."
"I'm so sorry, Pruny," Rubella apologized. "I guess I didn't realize how this would affect you."
Rubella bit her lip and let out a sigh.
*************
On Monday, Ratburn had a hard time looking Francine and Prunella in the face. Neither one of them raised their hand all day. He didn't ask them any questions. It was the most embarrassing thing. Everytime he would hear whispering, he wondered if it might be about him and Rubella.
Ten minutes before the final bell, Ratburn was writing some notes on the board when he spotted Rubella through the window on his door. She looked rather solemn.
"Class dismissed," Ratburn said instantly.
The class stared at him in confusion and shock.
"Yes, you heard me correctly," Ratburn assured them. "You may go."
As the kids put their things away in their bookbags, Brain put up his hand.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ratburn," he said. "Does this mean we have no history homework?"
"Just review the notes you've taken so far," Ratburn instructed.
His class rushed out of the classroom. Prunella stopped half-way through the door when she saw Rubella standing there. Rubella smiled down at her sister. Prunella continued out the door. When all the students had gone, Rubella came in.
"How are things?" Ratburn asked as he sat on the edge of his desk.
"Well," Rubella began, troubled, "I've talked to Prunella and...I've come up with a decision. Nigil, I can't see you anymore."
"What?" Ratburn blurted, falling off his desk.
"I'm sorry," Rubella muttered, avoiding his gaze. "I have to think about Prunella. She's really upset about this."
"I thought we decided not to care what people thought," Ratburn said.
"If that was true," Rubella began, "than you would have told Mrs. McGrady what you were really doing with me."
"She wouldn't have understood," Ratburn insisted.
"You're right!" Rubella exclaimed. "No body would understand. My parents wouldn't understand. Mr. Haney wouldn't understand. Your students wouldn't understand. Neither would my friends. Prunella doesn't understand....and I don't understand."
"But Rubella..." Ratburn began frantically. "...I-I thought we cared about one another."
Rubella lowered her head.
"Listen, Mr. Ratburn," Rubella said formally. "I have places to be."
Rubella turned toward the door.
"Will I see you?" Ratburn asked sadly.
"If you do," Rubella said over her shoulder, "just say 'Hello, Miss Kirst' and let that be the end of it."
As Rubella left the room, she took a part of him with her. Ratburn felt like his was suddenly in this cold, black place that he would never escape. It felt so wrong without Rubella near him. He sunk into his chair and put his face in his hands.
"Nigil," came Mr. Haney's voice.
Ratburn looked up.
"I would appreciate it if you would OK it with me before you let your class out early."
Ratburn nodded and Mr. Haney left.
A/N: Stay tuned. There are two more chapters coming.