Thanks to "lilvickiryan" and "Spinelli Woods, Esquire"! Thanks for reviewing my chapters especially since it looks like I'm disinteresting more and more readers by the lack of reviews. I'm sorry if the sixth posted chapter was heavily depressing, but I felt that Stacey's inner private world needed to be exposed to you guys (the readers) to know where she is coming from.
Chapter Sixteen: New Feelings Lead To New Attitudes
Location: In Third Street's Library, just before 3 AM
Stacey and Menlo both decided that they were going to take a nap for a few hours before continuing his 'tutoring session.' Stacey was sleeping on a chair, reclined against the wall, with her legs raised up on top of a table. Menlo was lying down on a librarian's book checkout desk, and then a buzzing sound started!
BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!
Menlo got up from his nap and turned off his alarm clock. He promptly got up and sighed, "Ah! 3 AM on the dot exactly!" He went to the doors and flipped on all of the switches. Stacey grunted having to wake up with the bright, white florescent lights. He teased Stacey, "Time to get up now. We still have plenty much to do!"
Stacey blinked her eyes a few times and yawned. She was a bit taken back finding herself on where she was, but then after seeing Menlo she remembered what happened yesterday. She turned around, placed her feet on the library floor, and slowly walked up to Menlo while trying to get fully awake.
Menlo remarked pompously, "Ah Stacey! Thank you for waking up... I think we shall continue our lesson?"
Stacey took a deep breath and was finally awake. She advised, "Let's see what you have learned so far....okay? Um....let me see your notes..."
Menlo arrogantly answered, "With pleasure..." and gave the notebook to her.
Stacey's eyes were glancing over his notes and she yelled, "WHAT?!?"
Menlo cockily sighed, "I know...my note taking skills are beyond the call of excellence..."
Stacey flustered, "I mean....the dance moves.... Here...like...step 6! 'Adjust posterior to the left corner and rapidly move that to the right, maintaining the fluid movements of the gluteus maximums by shaking it'!!!" Her voice continued to rise in shock, "And...WHAT THE....step 34...'Give the person you are having an infatuation with by looking at them stupidly yet with a touch of slyness and sensuality.' HOW DETAILED DID YOU TAKE THESE NOTES?!?" Stacey kept thumbing and skipping through the many, many pages.
Menlo sighed in self-admiration, "So finely detailed....that I impress myself sometimes!"
Stacey placed the notebook back on the table and looked down covering her eyes with her right hand. She felt that Menlo just didn't understand what she was emphasizing for the past 3 and a half hours. Stacey looked back up and forcefully yet tactfully said, "Look Menlo...you don't seem to get what I'm saying do you? You have to loosen yourself up and not be so strict!"
Menlo shocked, shouted back, "WHAT?!? 'Loosen myself up'?!? Do you know what you are suggesting?!? It's like saying allow disorder and chaos into my life!" Menlo became so angry that he ripped the notebook pages up.
Stacey sighed, and shook her head trying to free herself from this situation. She sternly said, "Menlo...YOU can't expect to get Ashley A if you are not willing to make a compromise! You just can't see this as some type of....oh, I don't know....an assignment or task from your 'to-do list'! OKAY?!?"
Menlo knew that Stacey had a point. He knew that Ashley A had a different personality than he did and that he had to make some changes. He sighed in annoyance, "Fine! All that effort and time wasted..." He looked down at the ripped pieces of paper that littered the carpet library floor.
Stacey took a few thoughts and calmly suggested, "Menlo... I'll let you in on a tip about us girls..."
Menlo's eyes bulged out when Stacey said 'us girls.' He stuttered, "Uh...okay..."
Stacey smiled humorously seeing Menlo's reaction and began, "What girls like, is that we like confidence in a guy. A guy who knows what he's doing and is confident in himself. I don't mean as cocky as Lawson....you know? I've noticed that you get all nervous and fidgety, and you got to cut that out..."
Menlo dumbly replied, "Uh...okay..."
Stacey added, "Knowing how Ashley A is...you can't just make yourself as if you are her 'pet'. You have to show, or...pretend in your case... that there are other girls...better girls than Ashley A."
Menlo nervously asked, "But...a....how do I start?"
Stacey slyly smiled and answered, "Just listen carefully, follow what I do, and NO note taking this time."
Stacey taught Menlo how to charm girls for a few more hours. As the sun rose, and dawn was breaking, then suddenly while everyone was sleeping the snow storm had finally ceased. The city was able to clear the roads and the janitors of Third Street were able to clear a way for the students to meet their parents in a few hours. The school board decided to close school during Tuesday and Wednesday to provide enough time for snow removal and restoration of city services. The gang wanted a chance to play with each other, since they would have two snow days and enjoy the enormous amounts of snow (for snowball fights, building snow fortress, etc.), but their parents forced them to stay inside since the temperatures were about 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet T.J. and Spinelli, felt awkward being near, or talking with, each other since they were so close that deep, harsh cold Monday night. They both felt as if they did something inappropriate.
On Wednesday evening, Stacey was gathered around her mother and father near a piano. (Stacey was the only child in her family and today she didn't wear her glasses.) They happily all agreed to play and sing songs at the piano since they couldn't do anything outside of the home with the city still recuperating from all of the endless amounts of snow. They all happily sang some old 50s and 60s songs to pass the time. Suddenly, their home received a phone call.
Stacey's mother politely interrupted, "its okay honey..." referring to her husband, "...I'll get it...you've been way too busy dealing with business calls back from Detroit."
Stacey's father smiled thankfully, "Thanks honey..." He noticed his small, cute daughter staring out at the window especially at a group of kids that were having fun across the street from them. He saw how his daughter looked sad and disappointed as if she was a pet locked in a cage and couldn't go outside; one of those sad puppies locked in the pet shop without anybody to choose it. He tried to warmly look at her daughter's eyes and softly spoke, "Hey sweetie....what's wrong?"
Stacey just gave an artificial smile trying to cover her yearning to belong out there with the other kids. Stacey tried to calmly say, "I'm fine Dad."
Stacey's father pressed the issue a little more so, but delicately. He asked, "You don't want to go outside and play with your friends? I mean I never hear anyone call you or you wanting to go over to anyone's home." He knew something was bothering his young daughter but he didn't know what. Stacey kept it too well covered and hidden.
Stacey took a small breath and looked up to her father's eyes. She wanted to tell her father about how she felt so lonely and never felt accepted in the past, but she knew how critical her father's business condition was. That it was on the verge of collapsing since that day back at the Renaissance Center. She remembered how many sleepless nights her father would stay up trying to manage his business, the heartache he carried by laying off employees, the persistent struggling of trying to do well, and probably what stood out on her mind was that day back at the Renaissance Center when she saw her noble, courageous, fearless father breakdown, for the very first time, after he lost over 15 years of business success in less than 5 hours. She saw her father sacrifice his interests, luxuries, and pride so that his family could be better off. She focused again on her father's eyes and felt that what she was experiencing was just something miniscule and would be more burdensome if she told him. She took a small thought and tried to reassure him, "Dad...it's okay...I'll see my friends tomorrow." She knew she was lying from her teeth.
Her father kissed her on the forehead and caringly comforted, "You know....if there is anything...I'm right here, okay?" Stacey tried to smile again, but she felt emotionally torn and burdened with both of them experiencing so much heartache. Her eyes were starting to water up, but she quickly stopped herself. Her father did not see it and lightly teased, "How 'bout some sugar?" They both shared a small laugh and gave a kiss to each other on the cheek. They both gave each other a deep, overflowing hug of caring and concern to each other. Her father took a deep sigh as they were hugging, feeling emotionally relieved because Stacey gave him the inspiration and determination to continue fighting and persevering with his business as horrible as it might be. She was a cherished gift from God that always filled him with joy whenever he saw her angelic loving eyes. They continued hugging each other deeply and tightly, as if they never wanted to let go because they emotionally rejuvenated each other with the strength and courage to face every new day. Inside, they both felt that they needed each other's strength, as weak and as beaten down as they were with everything that was going on in their lives. They may not have been crying, but they could feel that their hearts were and their eyes communicated that to each other...
Stacey's mother went back to them with the cordless phone and questioned Stacey with curiosity, "Stacey baby, there's some friend from Detroit that wanted to speak...to you?" She looked at her husband and Stacey hugging each other, deeply worrying, "Are you okay Stacey?"
Stacey lied, smiling, "I'm fine Mom...." Stacey looked down and walked up to her mother. Her mother was caught off track for a moment wondering if something was hurting her daughter but then she suddenly remembered the phone call. She was confused because none of Stacey's 'friends' called her home at all really.
Stacey was clueless herself and with a suspicious tone she said, "I'll take it mom..." Her mother gave Stacey a quick hug while Stacey gave her a kiss on the cheek. Her mother joined with her father as they slowly played, a piano key at a time, rehearsing the next song, waiting for Stacey to return so that all of them could sing together, but her mother whispered to her husband wondering if Stacey was alright. Stacey took the phone with her to the kitchen and she slowly said, "Hello...?"
An angry voice barked, "I told ya Stace that I would be back!" Stacey was familiar with the voice but she remained silent, scared to say anything. The voice continued, "Yeah, that's what I thought! Nothing to say....girl, ya betta start gettin' your act together otherwise expect trouble! cause if ya don't I'm bringing the hood over there!" Then there was a click and buzz, the phone line was cut off. Stacey remembered what the voice kept on wanting and she knew she couldn't hide from her past any longer, even if that past was hundreds of miles away.
She put the phone back and slowly walked back to her parents.
Her mother concerned, asked "How was your 'friend', baby?" Both of Stacey's parents looked at her with deep interest because Stacey really never talked about her friends with them.
Stacey just dismissively replied, "He's okay...in fact, he's missing me..." The parents looked at each other in confusion, but they went on continuing to play and sing on the piano knowing it was impossible for Stacey to truly reveal about her friendship situation as much as they loved and worried about her; but Stacey's strange behavior from the phone call stuck out in the back of their minds. Stacey couldn't really think about the songs being played, the time passing by, or the many kids that played outside their home. All she could think about was the phone call she had just received; her mind was swarmed with flashbacks of the past and she could feel the emotions of fear, and deep sadness creep over her. This phone call would only be a small, tiny sample of her nightmarish past that would be back....maybe soon or late.....but eventually nonetheless....
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To Be Continued…