Chapter Three
Disclaimer: See Chapter One. This particular chapter is dedicated to Mandy because this is her "birthday" chapter!
Bleezie- I am so sorry I didn't get your review for the first chapter! Ooh, thanks for reviewing, I love you! Glomps
Phi-Phi-There will be much Ace, so try not to worry. And yes, he's very important to the plot. Not as of this moment, but soon... oops... spoiler!
Cassie- Oh yeah, mean streaks galore. And I think there might be some Eyeball headed YOUR way very soon. I really should stop giving stuff away...
StormShadow21- Yes, I did steal that from It but it popped in my head and wouldn't go away so I "stole" it. And yes, squishing in with Gordie's not a bad thing. And the slang is just as fun writing as it probably is reading!
Sexual Harassment Pandy- Sniffs No, that's definitely the Dawgs. And you were an accidental skag. CoughMandy'saskagnamecough Sorry, I had something in my throat, lol. This update is just in time for your b-day tomorrow!
Rioxkurtxnirvana- I'm glad people are liking this Chris and Jov as cousins because seriously I was wondering if I could get this down without making it seem awkward and at first it was REALLY hard.
Trinitykicksass- Hee hee, here it is!
Amariel- As long as the reviews keep comin' (and even if they don't) and I don't get writer's block (shudder) then this story will live.
That night was a blast. Aunt Carolyn had left to see my mom and Uncle Eddie was out at the bar, so we decided to throw a party. At least, as much of a party as you got with five kids under the age of fifteen.
Eyeball stayed home with us that night because he was "feeling sick".
"What kind of party are we having?" Sheldon asked from his spot on the floor. Eyeball grunted and I nudged him with the tips of my toes.
"Be nice, you're the one who stayed home. We can have a back to school party," here I flashed a big smile at Eyeball, "With music and food and oh, I dunno, we'll think of something."
Chris winked at Debbie and stood up. "I think we have some popcorn left, lemme check."
"Corn!" Debbie shrieked and everyone, except Eyeball, laughed.
"Jov, will you tell us a story?" Drew said. I raised my eyebrow and let out a long, low sigh. When my parents would start fighting, and trust me no one wanted to be in the middle of that, Drew would sneak into my room and I would tell him a story to get him to sleep. Nothing specific, just stuff I'd make up.
"Maybe right before bed. They're not that good anyway."
"Hey, I found some!" Chris exclaimed from the kitchen.
"Drew, we should..." Emery suggested, trailing off to whisper the rest. Drew's eyes widened and he nodded, an evil grin spreading on his face. I had only seen that particular smirk when he was planning really big trouble like he probably was now.
Emery stopped whispering and walked up, really sweet and trust me, the kid had an innocent face, and gave me a hug. Then he pulled away and started to tickle me. Drew and Sheldon ran over and jumped on the couch to help. I began giggling like a crazy woman, and as weird as it sounds the only thought I had was that the couch was going to break. The laughing got worse when Chris mixed up in it.
"Get... off... you... psychos... aren't... funny!" I managed to get out through the giggles.
"Come on you assholes move." Eyeball said, attempting to push Sheldon off. Debbie waddled over and started to brush at his feet with her small fingers. His eye started to twitch.
"TICKLE RICH!" Chris shouted and we all leaned over to tickle Eyeball.
"Get off me ya cock knockers." Eyeball said, right about the time he started in with his weird laugh and we started laughing with him. We laughed so hard we even stopped tickling him. Then Drew fell on the floor and we laughed harder. This was really a swell time.
"Guys... no seriously-" A fit of giggles, "We... gotta... stop." Chris wheezed.
"Music." Debbie said, clapping her hands together. We let ourselves wind down a little before we did anything else.
"Music?" I asked as soon as I could breathe again. Everyone nodded and even Eyeball had lightened up a little bit. We were all in a party mood.
"Let me get the radio." Chris said hopping over Drew and walking to the room he shared with Sheldon and Drew.
"Yeah and me-n-Drew can do the popcorn." Sheldon said pulling Drew off the floor and running into the kitchen.
Chris brought out the radio. It was an old thing he'd borrowed from Vern, I mean sincerely beat up, but it worked. That thing belted out the best tunes and if you were lucky you could get an out of town station. From the kitchen we heard the melodic sounds of popcorn kernels blossoming into fluffy white goodness.
"And they called it puppy love
Just because we're in our teens
Tell them all it isn't fair
To take away my only dream," I sang along with the radio. Paul Anka had just come out with "Puppy Love" and it was one of my favorites.
"Stop the screeching." Eyeball said, covering his ears with his hands. I glowered.
"You sing it then smart ass." I replied.
"I cry each night my tears for you
My tears are all in vain
I'll hope and I'll pray that maybe someday
You'll be back in my arms once again." Eyeball sang and I stared at him, speechless.
"Rich, you're- that's dumb." I mumbled, not bothering to try and compliment him.
"Ooh, Jov's jealous." Eyeball announced.
"I am not!" I exclaimed, even though I could feel my face gettin' hot.
"Oh yeah? You're pissed." He said. I shook my head, too flushed with rage to even talk to him.
"You're a dick." I said then realized Chris was still in the room and so was Debbie. "Enh." I said sticking out my tongue.
"Bite shit." Eyeball replied, tossing the pillow he'd been lying on at me. I threw it back, but he ducked and it hit Chris.
"Hey!" Chris exclaimed. Eyeball laughed and I almost laughed with him.
"We got popcorn!" Emery exclaimed, running in. I hadn't noticed he'd gone with the other two. Not only was he innocent looking he was quiet to boot.
"Yup and it's the best popcorn ever." Drew said putting the bowl on the table. I grabbed a handful and threw a couple of pieces at Eyeball.
"Yummy." Debbie toddled over and grabbed some popcorn. I set her on my lap while we decided what to do.
"We should play Truth or Dare." Sheldon suggested.
"That's pussy." Drew shot him down. I faked a gasp like I couldn't believe my little brother had just said that.
"What about your mouth buddy? You better hope mom doesn't catch you talkin' like that or she'll hide your ass to next week and back."
"Aw... you're not gonna tell are you?" He asked, looking up at me with those big blue eyes. Dad said he looked like a Chambers, and when he said it he didn't sound very proud.
I couldn't resist.
"No, but only because you're cute." I told him.
"This sucks, I should've gone with Ace." Eyeball whined. I rolled my eyes at him.
"Instead of complaining like a whiny bastard, why didn't you?" I replied.
"Because I had to stay home. I'm sick." He muttered. I didn't mention the fact he hadn't coughed or sniffled once.
The front door slammed open and shut with a bang and we all knew who it was. Uncle Eddie had come home from the bar early. We all looked at each other and ran for our rooms. I held Debbie close as Eyeball quietly closed the door, both of us hoping we weren't caught. Chris had managed to hit the light switch before he got in and for a minute it seemed that we had almost gotten away with it. Then, I heard it.
"Call my baby lollipop
Tell you why
His kiss is sweeter than an apple pie
And when he does his shaky rockin' dance
Man, I haven't got a chance."
In my mind I cursed the Chordettes until I was sure that they were going to meet an untimely end. I curled up around Debbie under the blanket on the mattress we shared and I shivered even though it was blazing hot.
"RICHARD! CHRISTOPHER!" Uncle Eddie yelled and I sat up with a start. I felt that breathless chill that came with the kind of scared you are when you feel like you're on the verge of dying.
Eyeball got up and walked out of the room like a man condemned. And without seeing him at all I knew Chris was doing the same. I held my breath a lot of the time they were out there and occasionally I heard bangs and loud sounds of someone getting smacked. I wanted so bad to run out there and help, but sometime Drew and Sheldon had snuck in and they were all crowded around me, trying to see if I could help the boys.
"Who wants to hear a story?" I whispered, trying to hide the fear in the voice I'd just found. I wasn't good at it though because you could tell I was pretty shook up about it.
"Yeah, story." Debbie said putting her thumb in her mouth and staring up at me with her wide eyes.
"Okay, once upon a time there were two people, a girl and a boy and they were in love. But the girl was a princess and she had four brothers who were always on her case. They never left her alone and were always ranking on her.
"When the princess decided that she was actually in love with the prince she also decided that she would use the prince to get back at her brothers. She thought of the best way to do it too.
"One day..." I said and told them the story. And once I got started with the story they were so into it that they barely noticed the screaming and the loud bangs on the wall. I couldn't wait until the night was over and everything was partially right again.
((A/N: Hey homies. Oh you would not believe how into this chapter I got. Sorry it's so short; hopefully it was worth the wait. Between baby-sitting and the phone calls and having to get up to stretch my legs every five minutes (because they're sore from PE) I got it done! Yay! Please R&R or I will be a sad, sad little monkey.))