Rugrats
"Cruel Summer"
Series: SHHS
Summary: What happened between "The Junior Year" and "Finally Seniors"?
Rating: R (the usual)
Disclaimer: They're still not mine. So there.
Note: If you ever wanted to hear from the people who don't get their own say in
the regular stories, here's your chance.
Feedback: Is cleansing for the mind and spirit. WickedWonder1979hotmail.com
For: All of you who read "Junior" and reviewed so nicely. You're my heroes!
sniff
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Chapter One: Angelica
June 5
Okay, so I'm giving this diary thing another shot. I know I never keep them up,
but I promise to try harder this time. Besides, I have something to talk about.
It all started with the hair.
Phil and I were, um, hanging out, as usual. We decided to go to the mall.
Really, I decided, but does it matter? So, we were walking around, when I
noticed this hot new store, specializing in young men's clothing. (Their words,
not mine.) We were looking to see if the clothes were worth the money they
wanted for them when I spotted a sign. Models needed for hair show, it read.
Males or females needed. Must be willing to change length and/or color of hair.
'Sounds interesting,' Angelica mused to herself. "Hey Phil, check out the sign."
She pointed his attention to it and watched as he skimmed quickly and then
turned back around.
"Angie? You're thinking of cutting your hair? That's gotta be... sacrilege, or
something!"
She laughed aloud. "Not me, silly! Me, cutting my hair?" She flipped it
expertly. "No, I was thinking of you."
She cast a critical look at Phil's hair. He usually kept it kinda short, but he
had neglected to get it cut for a while and so had brown waves almost to his
shoulders. Not necessarily a bad look for him, but a little change never hurt
anyone.
"Me?" Phil questioned, looking shocked.
"Yep. It'll give you an opportunity to change your look, going into your senior
year, and if it sucks, it'll be corrected way before school starts," she
reasoned.
"Okay," Phil agreed. "Where do I sign up?"
"What do you think?" Angelica asked.
"It's so, not me. Different." Phil's hand wandered back up to his head and she
slapped it down. "Sorry."
"Don't mess it up until we can show you off!" she looked admiringly at her
made-over boyfriend. The stylist had shaved the back of Phil's head and left
about an inch of hair at the top. She had tipped that hair blond and then spiked
it messily, making Phil look like he had just rolled out of bed, but in a good
way. To top it off, the clothing store had comped him an outfit for being a
model, so he looked really put-together.
"I think you look hot," she told him, kissing him on the cheek.
"Don't I always?" he responded as usual.
They walked out of the mall and headed to her car. "Where are we headed to now?"
Phil asked.
"Do you want to see what everyone's up to? The Finsters' residence is close to
here," Angelica suggested.
"Can't you just call them?" Phil wrinkled his nose. "I know they're probably all
together, and we don't have to run all over town, hunting them down."
"Good point." She dug through her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She hit
memory four and listened as it dialed and then rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey Kim, it's me. What's up?"
"Nothing so far. We're just hanging over here for now."
"We'll be there in five minutes," she told Kim and closed the phone. "Okay Phil,
ready to roll?"
"Sure thing."
"Okay," she said, and then tossed him the keys. "Here, you can drive," she said,
feeling generous.
He smiled and went to open her car door before climbing into the driver's seat.
They pulled up to Kim's house and got out of the car. "Hey, after this, you
wanna go out to dinner?" she asked.
"Sure, Angie." Phil grinned and rang the doorbell.
I wanted to add one thing. And I'll hurt you if you tell. (I know you can't, but
still...)
I love it when Phil calls me Angie. It's like, his personal thing. No one else
calls me that. This guy at work tried it, and he should be glad that I was in a
good mood. Enough said.
Kim answered the doorbell. "Hey, Angelica. Are... oh my God, Phil! What happened
to you?"
Phil smirked. "Got the hookup, girl! You like it?"
"You look totally different! Man, if I wasn't so afraid of Angelica, I'd be all
over you!"
"Whoa, little lady! You got a man!"
"Oh yeah!" Kim skipped upstairs and Phil and Angelica followed her. Lil was
lying on the bed, reading a magazine.
"Hi, guys," she threw over her shoulder. "You know, this magazine says that this
woman was smoking pot, and she tried to jump out a window."
"Let me see that." Kim snatched the magazine. "This Jane is way old. Good, but
old. Wanna read something more current?"
"Nope," Lil cheerfully said, and snatched it back.
"Lil, you notice anything... different about Phil?" Angelica prompted.
Lil looked over her brother. "Oh my god, they've brainwashed you."
"Excuse me?" Phil and Angelica said together.
"You look like one of the boys out of Seventeen. Not real. But, um, I take it
you like it?" Lil continued hesitantly, as she looked at Phil's face.
"Yes," Phil said shortly.
"And you're not just saying that because the person responsible for it is
standing right next to you?"
"Okay, Lil, I'm starting to think you're the one smoking something. Phil, you
look great. Angelica, whatever you did or didn't, more power to you. Now, I'm
kicking you and Phil out, so that I can unstick Lil's head from her ass. Don't
wait around, it may be awhile." Kim gently but firmly pushed them out the door.
"I take it that Lil doesn't like it, then," Angelica said wryly.
"Seeing as how she doesn't have to, I don't care. Let's go hunt down someone
else. Hey, can I still drive?"
"I've created a monster," Angelica sighed dramatically as she followed Phil down
the steps.
I know it wasn't really a big deal that Lil didn't like Phil's new look, but the
way she implied that if he hadn't liked it, I would have overruled him... that's
crazy.
I wouldn't do anything like that, would I?
"Susan, I need reassurance," Angelica said, flopping back on her bed.
"Okay, about what?"
"Do you think I have Phil totally whipped?"
"Well, yeah. But isn't that the way you like it?"
"No. Yeah. I don't know. See, I'm used to getting my way."
"Really? I'd never have guessed." Susan said sarcastically.
"But I don't want to trample Phil or make him feel like he can't stand up to
me."
"Honestly, Angelica, I don't think he feels that way. We've known Phil
practically our whole lives. What makes you think he would just sit back and
take it if you were just running over him?"
"Lil seemed to think so," Angelica grumbled.
"I think she was just shocked. Remember that it was years before we knew what
Phil's real hair color was, because of his insane need to dye it? Or the fact
that he wore the same pair of 'lucky' socks for a whole soccer season, despite
us dying because of the smell?"
"Yeah, and your point is..."
"Phil's growing up, and Lil's just now realizing that," Susan said simply.
"I don't see how, considering she was the one who found out we were together
first."
"Knowing someone's dating, and knowing someone's seriously dating are two
different things," Susan wisely said.
"Well, oh great advice giver, what should I do?"
"Chill. Things could be worst."
"How?"
June 10
See, I should know better than to ever ask how things could be worst. But I
never learn, and it certainly bit me in the ass today.
"Angelica, did you forget about the gala tonight?" Angelica's mother swept by,
still barking orders into her phone.
"No, I didn't," Angelica lied, inwardly cursing. She had spaced it and planned a
date with Phil. "Um, can Phil be my escort?"
"No, sweetie, go stag to this one," her mother said, before going into her home
office.
Angelica groaned and went to get ready, but not before she made a phone call.
"I'm so sorry, Phil," she said when he answered the phone.
There was a short pause, then, "I take it you can't make it tonight?"
"Mom's bash is tonight, and I'm playing dutiful daughter. Hey, at least you
don't have to go," she tried to joke.
"Listen, don't feel bad. I'll hunt down Tommy and hang. We haven't seen each
other since the picnic."
"Well, okay. I'll call you later. Love you."
"Back atcha. 'Bye."
Angelica hung up, sighed, and went shopping. If she had to suffer, she was going
to look good doing so.
Well, everything was boring as I predicted, but then...
Angelica was sitting at a table alone, watching her parents make the rounds of
business executives. She had long since tired of politely meeting and greeting,
and fervently wished the meeting over.
"Mind if I sit here?" A guy, vaguely her age, gestured to an empty chair.
"Sure, I guess." A more sarcastic response popped into her head, but she
refrained and turned her attention back to the people.
"I must say, you look as happy as I feel being here," the guy said
conversationally.
"Are you here of your own free will? Because if you are, sucks to be you."
He laughed aloud. "Are you always this blunt?"
"Pretty much. Tact is for losers."
"Well put. My name's Thom."
"Angelica." They shook hands firmly.
"Well, Angelica, why are you here, if not by choice?"
"My parents? Are throwing this thing."
"You're Charlotte's daughter?" Thom exclaimed.
"Yes," Angelica said slowly. "Why?"
"I've been looking for you all night."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm supposed to be your date, right?"
"My date? The hell?" Angelica got up, prepared to have it out with her parents
right then and there.
"Didn't you know about it?" Thom asked, confused.
"No," Angelica replied shortly. "Someone better start explaining, now."
"Don't ask me," Thom threw his hands up. "All I know is, my dad, who works with
your mom, asked me to escort Charlotte's daughter tonight."
"You're Jonathan's son? Well, that clears up some things." Angelica went to
leave, but not before explaining to Thom, "Look, I'm sure you're nice and all,
because you have my cousin's name, but I have a boyfriend. A serious one, who I
ditched tonight to be here for my mom, who told me to go stag. So I have some
things to settle, and I don't want you in my crossfire. Nice meeting you."
"Listen, before you leave. My dad will blame me for screwing this up. So can you
maybe not do this here?" Thom pleaded.
"Good point. Okay, well, I'm still leaving, but at least it's not your fault."
Angelica swept out of the room, ignoring the stares of the people around her.
She got all the way to the parking lot before she realized that she had ridden
with her parents and didn't have a way home. "Shit," she moaned and pulled out
her cell, hoping that Phil was easily reachable. She tried his house first, but
when no one picked up, she switched to his cell. It went straight to voicemail.
"Excuse me, but you left this inside." Thom came out, holding the wrap that went
to her dress. "Hey, you okay?"
"No! I just realized that my car is sitting in front of my house, and my
boyfriend is out doing god knows what. And I'm really pissed off at my parents,
which is nothing new, but still." Angelica ran out of breath and sighed. "And I
really don't want to sit in the car until they're ready to leave."
"I can run you home, if you like," Thom offered.
"Could you? I really appreciate it."
"Yeah. Come on."
Angelica followed Thom to a Porsche Boxer. "Nice," she said admiringly.
"Thanks. Graduation present."
Angelica got in, and gave Thom brief directions to her house. The drive didn't
take long, and Thom let her out right behind her car. "So, this was different,"
Thom said wryly.
"That it was. Listen, thanks again. If your dad asks, I took ill suddenly and
dramatically."
"Works for me. See you around." Thom took off, and Angelica walked up to her
house.
"Gonna kill my parents," Angelica muttered out loud as she went up to her
bedroom.
June 15
So, I asked my parents (well, my mom, really) why did she ask Thom to escort me.
She gave some bullshit answer about not wanting us to be bored. I could have
stayed home if she wanted me to be unbored. So then I asked again why Phil
couldn't have escorted me, and she actually said that it wasn't his kind of
crowd. Well, I don't care who you are, you don't insult my boyfriend. (And no,
she didn't say anything against him exactly, but she used that 'I know what's
best for you, don't try to argue' tone.) So, it's been a cold war around my
house lately.
I'm going out.
"Susan, tell me again why I shouldn't kill my mom?"
"Angelica, you know she has your best interests in mind, blah blah parentcakes.
Can we talk about something different now, like how many sweaters I should
pack?"
"You're packing sweaters? For a July trip?"
"Hey, the weather's unpredictable. Really, Angelica, you and your parents might
just have to agree to disagree on this one. It's what me and my parents are
doing."
"About what?"
"Chuck's and my relationship." Susan added two sweaters to her suitcase, changed
her mind, and pulled out one.
"When did they disagree?"
"They've never really... agreed. We just shelved the topic."
"What's wrong with Chuck?"
"In my parent's words? 'He's too different for you.' My interpretation of that?
Why can't you find a nice black boy?"
"So what'd you say to that?"
"I found a nice boy. And that's that. Listen, just sit down with them, and tell
them that you appreciate their concern, but that you're serious. And then don't
discuss it with them. You are an adult."
"I am, aren't I," Angelica mused, as a smile crept over her face.
"Oh, I've started something, haven't I," Susan said warily.
"Don't worry, I'll take all the credit for this one," Angelica assured her.
June 29
So what did I do, you ask? I declared a moratorium.
I totally stole the idea from Susan, but she'll never know, right? She's all
ready for her trip and not thinking about anything in Silver Heights anyway.
I went to my mom, who was bitching about something, (but it wasn't me so I
didn't care) and asked ever so nicely to shelve the topic on who I date for now.
I know it's a cop out, but the way I figure is that if I'm not all in their face
with this right now, we should be able to slip under the radar for the next
year. It's worked so well for the last previous 19 years, right? [/bitterness]
I know they're not happy, but I can't make them happy the way they want me to
right now. I need to make me happy, and Phil does that.
I think I'm starting to like this diary thing. I might keep going with this.
Might.
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No, nothing got solved in this. But that's not what these are for! Stay tuned...