Every Move You Make
Kristy hurried up the steps to my house, leaving a trail of mud from her old tennis shoes behind her. She had been practicing with the Krushers when it had started pouring rain. Being the slave driver she was, Kristy forced the children to continue playing in the mud created by the pelting drops. Only when it had started thundering and lightning did Kristy relent on her torture. After making sure all of the kids got rides home, Kristy hopped on her bike and pedaled to her own house... when another thought struck her.
Mary Anne.
Kristy hadn't talked to her in a week and she was almost worried. Being Mary Anne's best friend, Kristy knew she should have talked to her days ago, but she'd been so preoccupied with the BSC, Bart, and the Krushers. And although business was business, now she had no excuses. Now, she was making time.
Kristy rang the doorbell and bounced from foot to foot in order to keep warm. It was freezing cold, and being wet didn't help matters. She heard a rustle in the bushes behind her and whirled around, suspicious.
But nothing was there.
She shook her head, plastering her hair against her face, why was she being so paranoid? It was probably just the wind. She tossed her head forward, sending water cascading all over me just as I opened the door.
I frostily said, "thanks, Kristy," as I curled my lip, disgusted. Now I would have to pick more cotton from my backyard to weave more string, so I could hang up my shirt on the line to dry. Dryers are very dangerous to the environment, and wooden close-pins only demolish our rainforests that much faster. Plastic clips were inefficient as well, they waste so much water being made its not even funny!
I opened the door the rest of the way slowly, not wanting her to come in, knowing full well she was going to barrel in anyway.
"Hey Dawn- BRRR it's cold outside!" Kristy said, brushing against me more, creating a big wet spot on my stylish new bicycle shorts. I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
"Yeah," I said a fake voice taking over. Eyeing the mud Kristy had tracked on Richard's spotless white carpet, my stomach dropped. Does she have no consideration? He was going to have a cow when he came home! "Listen, Kristy, I was just on my way out. There's a 'Save the Whales' protest going on right now and I really need to get going. Can this wait?"
Kristy nodded. "It's okay, you can go. I just needed to talk to Mary Anne."
"Well, good luck. She won't talk to anyone." I said, crossing my arms over my wet chest.
"She'll talk to me," Kristy insisted. She was now scraping the mud off of the bottom of her shoe with her other foot. I cringed as it landed on the carpet. Then I felt a greater stab of annoyance. If Mary Anne wouldn't talk to me, why would Kristy think she would talk to her? If anything, Kristy was too bossy and rude and inconsiderate to confide in!
"I don't think now is a good time," I said. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave your shoes outside. You know, not everyone is a millionaire who can just order 'the help' to go and clean up our messes."
But Kristy chose to ignore me and ran up the stairs.
I followed, but went in my room to change before coming downstairs and grabbing the picket sign I had made off of the table. The whales were depending on me to save them, and I couldn't let them down. I'd just clean up Kristy's mess after I got home.
I zipped up my raincoat and started down the steps. Then I stopped as I heard a rustle in the bushes. I turned around cautiously, watching the hedge plant closely for a moment. But it was still. I shook my head. How silly of me! It was probably just Tigger. Satisfied, I continued down the steps and down the sidewalk.
Kristy knocked tentatively on Mary Anne's closed door. Getting no reply, Kristy's overly domineering attitude took over and she heavily banged on the door.
"Go away Dawn," was Mary Anne's harsh reply. "I already told you I don't want to talk."
"It's not Dawn," Kristy said, "It's Kristy."
There was a pause. "I don't want to talk to you either. The only person I want to talk to," Mary Anne paused for dramatic effect, "is Logan!" and with his name, she burst into tears.
"For God's sake, Mary Anne, we're not going to let you see him! Forget about—" Kristy began, before the door she was leaning on for support swept opened causing her to fall forward.
"By we, just who did you mean?" Mary Anne asked through her sobs. "Cause if you mean you and the other people that call themselves my friends, except Dawn, you can just stop right there. You didn't even make time to come see me until something of yours fell through," the normally reserved Mary Anne was deep inside this angry beast. "You didn't even make time to call, Kristy! Its not that hard and doesn't take that much time to pick up a phone, dial a number, and ask how a person is? Or is your head to far up Bart's butt to give a crap about your 'friends'" Mary Anne sneered, using her fingers as quote signs to demonstrate the genuineness of the word 'friends'. Her tears were dry as she stalked up to Kristy. "Leave me alone. And when Bart kisses another girl, and you are upset, tell me right away, so I can wait to care, if at all, for another week."
The two girls looked each other square in the eye, neither backing down. Minutes that felt like hours passed before Kristy uttered, "bye, Mary Anne," through gritted teeth. Kristy ran down the stairs in her semi-clean shoes and out the door, slamming into Logan. Logan was a southern gentleman, but he didn't view Kristy as a lady, so he let her just sit there, failing to offer his hand in aid.
Logan suppressed a laugh, opting to look away. "Is Mary Anne here?" He asked, his southern drawl slowing down his speaking.
Kristy narrowed her eyes and got up. "What do you want?" she said, stepping out of the entrance and slamming the door behind her.
"To talk to Mary Anne, obviously. It's very important."
"I would say have at her, but I think I might still have a little emotion not reserved for myself so back off, you're not getting anywhere near her, after what you did."
"Look, Kristy, I accept that Mary Anne probably hates me now, but I have to see her. I have to warn her about- "
"Warn her?" Kristy interrupted disbelievingly. "The only warning she needed was to never date a jerk like you. Now, if you don't mind, I have to be going." Kristy brushed by him and picked her bike off of the lawn. Logan was watching her from the porch.
"Don't even try to get in the house," Kristy said, buckling her helmet. "I made sure the door was locked."
She hopped on her bike and peddled away as an enormous clap of thunder boomed. She coasted down the street, splashing through puddles as she went. It was raining more heavily than before now, and it had gotten dark.
This is getting dangerous, Kristy told herself. I'd better hurry home.
She turned the corner, reaching the beginning of Darr Street. The street was comprised of a long, steep hill that the neighborhood children loved to coast down but despised peddling up. Kristy began to descend the hill; careful not to go to quickly when the street was this wet. She had picked up speed as she neared the middle of the hill and gently squeezed the breaks by her handlebars.
Nothing happened.
Nervous, Kristy squeezed them again- tighter this time. But she continued to fly down the hill. Panicked, she squeezed the breaks as tight as she could. By now, each of the houses was a mere blur as she flew by them.
Someone cut out the breaks, Kristy realized as the bottom of the hill approached. There was a solid stone wall at the end- if she couldn't stop, she was going to crash right into it head-on.
By now Kristy's hands ached from squeezing the breaks so hard. She was too petrified to scream, and the wall was becoming closer and closer- she could make out every single stone in its side- could see where Bart had carved KB and decorated it with little hearts a month before...
At the last minute, Kristy made a sharp right turn to avoid the wall. Her bike slid sideways on the slippery pavement, throwing her off it. She threw out an arm to stop the fall, and it collapsed painfully as she began to slide through the gravel. Her back began to burn as it dragged on the bumpy rocks... she could do nothing to stop herself; she was paralyzed with shock and fear...
Finally, everything stopped. She lay at the bottom of the hill, a few feet away from the wall, her arm twisted at a strange angle underneath her. Her bike lay on the street; it's wheels still spinning as if someone was still riding it.
She groaned, feeling too weak to get up... go find help. It was too cold, she was too wet, her arm hurt too badly... all she wanted was to close her eyes... she could barely keep them open.
There was another clap of thunder, and Kristy gave into the overwhelming urge to sleep.
Kristy hurried up the steps to my house, leaving a trail of mud from her old tennis shoes behind her. She had been practicing with the Krushers when it had started pouring rain. Being the slave driver she was, Kristy forced the children to continue playing in the mud created by the pelting drops. Only when it had started thundering and lightning did Kristy relent on her torture. After making sure all of the kids got rides home, Kristy hopped on her bike and pedaled to her own house... when another thought struck her.
Mary Anne.
Kristy hadn't talked to her in a week and she was almost worried. Being Mary Anne's best friend, Kristy knew she should have talked to her days ago, but she'd been so preoccupied with the BSC, Bart, and the Krushers. And although business was business, now she had no excuses. Now, she was making time.
Kristy rang the doorbell and bounced from foot to foot in order to keep warm. It was freezing cold, and being wet didn't help matters. She heard a rustle in the bushes behind her and whirled around, suspicious.
But nothing was there.
She shook her head, plastering her hair against her face, why was she being so paranoid? It was probably just the wind. She tossed her head forward, sending water cascading all over me just as I opened the door.
I frostily said, "thanks, Kristy," as I curled my lip, disgusted. Now I would have to pick more cotton from my backyard to weave more string, so I could hang up my shirt on the line to dry. Dryers are very dangerous to the environment, and wooden close-pins only demolish our rainforests that much faster. Plastic clips were inefficient as well, they waste so much water being made its not even funny!
I opened the door the rest of the way slowly, not wanting her to come in, knowing full well she was going to barrel in anyway.
"Hey Dawn- BRRR it's cold outside!" Kristy said, brushing against me more, creating a big wet spot on my stylish new bicycle shorts. I rolled my eyes and scoffed.
"Yeah," I said a fake voice taking over. Eyeing the mud Kristy had tracked on Richard's spotless white carpet, my stomach dropped. Does she have no consideration? He was going to have a cow when he came home! "Listen, Kristy, I was just on my way out. There's a 'Save the Whales' protest going on right now and I really need to get going. Can this wait?"
Kristy nodded. "It's okay, you can go. I just needed to talk to Mary Anne."
"Well, good luck. She won't talk to anyone." I said, crossing my arms over my wet chest.
"She'll talk to me," Kristy insisted. She was now scraping the mud off of the bottom of her shoe with her other foot. I cringed as it landed on the carpet. Then I felt a greater stab of annoyance. If Mary Anne wouldn't talk to me, why would Kristy think she would talk to her? If anything, Kristy was too bossy and rude and inconsiderate to confide in!
"I don't think now is a good time," I said. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave your shoes outside. You know, not everyone is a millionaire who can just order 'the help' to go and clean up our messes."
But Kristy chose to ignore me and ran up the stairs.
I followed, but went in my room to change before coming downstairs and grabbing the picket sign I had made off of the table. The whales were depending on me to save them, and I couldn't let them down. I'd just clean up Kristy's mess after I got home.
I zipped up my raincoat and started down the steps. Then I stopped as I heard a rustle in the bushes. I turned around cautiously, watching the hedge plant closely for a moment. But it was still. I shook my head. How silly of me! It was probably just Tigger. Satisfied, I continued down the steps and down the sidewalk.
Kristy knocked tentatively on Mary Anne's closed door. Getting no reply, Kristy's overly domineering attitude took over and she heavily banged on the door.
"Go away Dawn," was Mary Anne's harsh reply. "I already told you I don't want to talk."
"It's not Dawn," Kristy said, "It's Kristy."
There was a pause. "I don't want to talk to you either. The only person I want to talk to," Mary Anne paused for dramatic effect, "is Logan!" and with his name, she burst into tears.
"For God's sake, Mary Anne, we're not going to let you see him! Forget about—" Kristy began, before the door she was leaning on for support swept opened causing her to fall forward.
"By we, just who did you mean?" Mary Anne asked through her sobs. "Cause if you mean you and the other people that call themselves my friends, except Dawn, you can just stop right there. You didn't even make time to come see me until something of yours fell through," the normally reserved Mary Anne was deep inside this angry beast. "You didn't even make time to call, Kristy! Its not that hard and doesn't take that much time to pick up a phone, dial a number, and ask how a person is? Or is your head to far up Bart's butt to give a crap about your 'friends'" Mary Anne sneered, using her fingers as quote signs to demonstrate the genuineness of the word 'friends'. Her tears were dry as she stalked up to Kristy. "Leave me alone. And when Bart kisses another girl, and you are upset, tell me right away, so I can wait to care, if at all, for another week."
The two girls looked each other square in the eye, neither backing down. Minutes that felt like hours passed before Kristy uttered, "bye, Mary Anne," through gritted teeth. Kristy ran down the stairs in her semi-clean shoes and out the door, slamming into Logan. Logan was a southern gentleman, but he didn't view Kristy as a lady, so he let her just sit there, failing to offer his hand in aid.
Logan suppressed a laugh, opting to look away. "Is Mary Anne here?" He asked, his southern drawl slowing down his speaking.
Kristy narrowed her eyes and got up. "What do you want?" she said, stepping out of the entrance and slamming the door behind her.
"To talk to Mary Anne, obviously. It's very important."
"I would say have at her, but I think I might still have a little emotion not reserved for myself so back off, you're not getting anywhere near her, after what you did."
"Look, Kristy, I accept that Mary Anne probably hates me now, but I have to see her. I have to warn her about- "
"Warn her?" Kristy interrupted disbelievingly. "The only warning she needed was to never date a jerk like you. Now, if you don't mind, I have to be going." Kristy brushed by him and picked her bike off of the lawn. Logan was watching her from the porch.
"Don't even try to get in the house," Kristy said, buckling her helmet. "I made sure the door was locked."
She hopped on her bike and peddled away as an enormous clap of thunder boomed. She coasted down the street, splashing through puddles as she went. It was raining more heavily than before now, and it had gotten dark.
This is getting dangerous, Kristy told herself. I'd better hurry home.
She turned the corner, reaching the beginning of Darr Street. The street was comprised of a long, steep hill that the neighborhood children loved to coast down but despised peddling up. Kristy began to descend the hill; careful not to go to quickly when the street was this wet. She had picked up speed as she neared the middle of the hill and gently squeezed the breaks by her handlebars.
Nothing happened.
Nervous, Kristy squeezed them again- tighter this time. But she continued to fly down the hill. Panicked, she squeezed the breaks as tight as she could. By now, each of the houses was a mere blur as she flew by them.
Someone cut out the breaks, Kristy realized as the bottom of the hill approached. There was a solid stone wall at the end- if she couldn't stop, she was going to crash right into it head-on.
By now Kristy's hands ached from squeezing the breaks so hard. She was too petrified to scream, and the wall was becoming closer and closer- she could make out every single stone in its side- could see where Bart had carved KB and decorated it with little hearts a month before...
At the last minute, Kristy made a sharp right turn to avoid the wall. Her bike slid sideways on the slippery pavement, throwing her off it. She threw out an arm to stop the fall, and it collapsed painfully as she began to slide through the gravel. Her back began to burn as it dragged on the bumpy rocks... she could do nothing to stop herself; she was paralyzed with shock and fear...
Finally, everything stopped. She lay at the bottom of the hill, a few feet away from the wall, her arm twisted at a strange angle underneath her. Her bike lay on the street; it's wheels still spinning as if someone was still riding it.
She groaned, feeling too weak to get up... go find help. It was too cold, she was too wet, her arm hurt too badly... all she wanted was to close her eyes... she could barely keep them open.
There was another clap of thunder, and Kristy gave into the overwhelming urge to sleep.