Peach Goes Punk

Chapter Three: Tears of Pain

"Ouch!"

"Hush, she'll hear us!" Mario whispered.

"But this bush is thorny!" Toad cried as he yanked a thorn out of his forehead.

"I don't think it's right to spy on Peach," Luigi warned his big brother like he always did.

"I could really care less about morals right now, Weege," Mario said.

Just then, Peach and Tilik walked out of the school together with skateboards in hand.

"What's Peach gonna do with that skateboard, file her nails with it?" Toad thought out loud. Luigi started laughing, then covered his mouth when Mario gave him an evil glare.

Tilik dropped his skateboard on the pavement and zoomed off. "Wait for me!" Peach yelled in that deep voice again. She let out a deep sigh and placed one foot on her skateboard. If this doesn't impress Tilik, then I don't know what will, she thought as she pushed off with her other foot. She gained speed quickly and two seconds later, she lost her balance and ran into a parked car. The three friends hiding in the bushes gasped. Mario started to stand up to help her, but Luigi pulled him back down by his shirttail. "She'll see us," Luigi mimicked in Mario's voice.

Tilik heard the crash and decided to turn around to see if Peach was alright.

"You okay, kid?"

Peach moaned. "No. I mean yes, yes, I'm just dandy, I mean, uh, it's all good. Yeah, that's it."

"Peach, did you change your wardrobe and personality because of...me?" Tilik asked straightforwardly.

"No, I did it because...because...yeah, because of you."

"Why?"

"You didn't like me, so I thought you would like me if I was, well, your type."

"Peach, if I liked you, I would have liked you because of how you were before you were...this way."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"So, what you're saying is, you don't like me?"

"'Fraid so."

"Oh."

There was a brief period of silence. "Well, bye," Tilik said. He patted her shoulder, hopped on his skateboard, and rolled away into the distance. Peach watched his silhouette fade away, tears welling up in her crystal blue eyes.

She walked unsteadily over to the school's concrete steps and sat down gently. She stared straight forward, trying to organize her thoughts.

Luigi and Toad looked at Mario, who had tears in his eyes, too. "We'll leave you two alone," Luigi finally said as he pulled Toad along with him.

"But I wanna watch what happens!" Toad cried.

Mario took a deep breath and stood up. He walked over to Peach and sat down next to her. She didn't even notice him sitting there until he said, "Hey, Peach."

She jumped. "Oh, hi Mario."

"Are you gonna be okay?"

She didn't respond.

"Peach?"

She suddenly burst into uncontrollable sobs. "I was so stupid to think that I could get him to like me!" she cried. "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!"

"Oh, Peach, you're not stupid!" Mario comforted. She clutched Mario's shirt and buried her face in his chest.

"Don't lie to me, Mario, I know I'm dumb!" Peach sobbed.

"Peach?"

"I'm a wet match in a dark cave!"

"Peach?"

"Yo soy muy estupida!"

"PEACH!"

"What?"

"You're choking me!" Mario gasped. Peach let go of her death grip on his shirt collar, and his shirt dripped with Peach's tears.

Mario finally caught his breath and said, "Peach, please don't think you're stupid. You know, you're the smartest sophomore I know! Remember when you were top in our class in eighth grade?"

"Yeah. Then that little brat Stacey Gilmore beat me. Oh, if only I could get my hands around her neck I'd—"

"That's not the point. Anyway, everyone makes mistakes. Just think of today as fulfilling your duties as a human being! Besides, you're much prettier as yourself than as a punk," Mario said shyly as he blushed.

Peach smiled at this. They stared at each other for a few long moments and started to lean closer to each other's faces. They closed their eyes simultaneously and just as their lips almost locked, Tilik raced past them on his skateboard.

Peach's eyes shot open and she started to stand up so she could chase after Tilik. She stopped herself and looked back at Mario, who still had his eyes closed, and she pecked him on the cheek. "Tilik, wait up!" she hollered as she ran after him. "Give me another chance!"

Mario opened his eyes. He smiled and simply said, "She'll be back."

The End

I hope you liked this fan fic. I sure did have fun writing it! Please review!!!! Thanks!!!