Chapter 10: It All Comes Out!

"Well, it all happened when my mom and dad left for their second honeymoon, they left me with Uncle Dean, he beat me up and that's how I got the shiner; he threatened to kill the someone I care about if I told anyone," Spinelli said taking a breath. "Is that's why you distanced your self from us?" Mikey asked. Spinelli nodded, "then Randell blackmailed me," she took a deep breath again and quickly whispered, " and kissed me" T.J tightened his fist for a second as Spinelli continued "saying if I didn't do as he said, that he'd tell Dean about T.J and Dean WOULD KILL him." "Why of all the no good rotten things he has done!" Vince yelled. "Oh, don't worry I got him back, but look at Spin's left cheek," T.J said frowning.

They did as they were told, and all gasped. "Yeah, the weasel got a free hit," Spinelli said, eyes going back to the ground. "Like I said I got him, but nothing compared to what he did to Spin," T.J said, balling his hand into a fist. "Theodore J. Detwiler what did you do to him?" Mrs. Detwiler asked, her eyebrow raised. "He punched him, but it was to help me so please don't punish him," Spinelli said, her eye's pleading with Mrs. Detwiler's.

Mrs. Detwiler started to laugh, "why would I punish him when I'm so proud of him?" They all just stared at her, eyes wide and jaws dropped. "You're proud of me?" T.J asked. "I know I am," Mr. Detwiler chipped in. Mrs. Detwiler nodded, "sticking up for a friend is a good thing, if anything that little Randell boy got what he deserved."

"Thanks mom," T.J said smiling. "Dude, I hope you got him good," said Vince hi-flying T.J. "He'll probably have a shiner," T.J said smiling. " Why don't you continue with the story," Gretchen stated. "Ok anyway, T.J knocked Randell down for punching me then Randell told me to spend what little time I have left with him, I guess when he got home he called my house and told Dean that T.J knew," Spinelli drew in a breath and continued, "then I told T.J about what happened, he told me to go to his house and call the cops, but we couldn't because Randell had probably told Dean what T.J looked like, so T.J got this great plan to switch jackets and he took off his hat so he wouldn't look how Randell described."

"Not one of my best plans," T.J said putting his head in his available hand. "What do you mean?" Gus asked. "The rest of the plan was for Spinelli to walk on the left side of me so Dean wouldn't be able to see her because if he did then we'd been in Whompsvile," T.J said sighing. "That doesn't seem like such a bad plan, what went wrong?" Mr. Detwiler asked. " I happened, I tripped over the curb and Dean saw us," Spinelli said looking away from T.J.

"It's not your fault, how many times have I told you?" T.J said getting slightly angry. "If I wouldn't have fallen, you wouldn't have gotten shot!" Spinelli yelled. "If I didn't suggest the plan you wouldn't have tripped and neither of us wouldn't have gotten shot!" T.J yelled. "It's neither one of your faults, accidents happen," Mikey said, trying to lighten up the mood. "Anyways, that's how T.J got shot the first time," said Spinelli said sighing.

"How many times did you get shot!" his mother yelled. "Three times," T.J said, like it was no big deal. "Three times?" the gang yelled. " Anyways," Spinelli said, taking a bite out of her big n' tasty, "T.J took the bullet for me in the back, then as we were running I got shot in the thigh." T.J could tell Spinelli was having problems telling the story so he decided to take over, "so I ran over and gave her a piggy-back ride over to my house."

Spinelli lipped the word "thank you" to him. "Dean chased us, but we got their before he did, I made Spin go up to my room and not come out until the cops got there," T.J said looking over at Spinelli. "That's all I know," said Spinelli. "T.J I am very proud of you for being so responsible," said his mother hugging him. "I'd still like to know the rest," Mr. Detwiler said smiling.

"Anyways, I gave her the phone and she went up stairs and called 911," T.J said, "Dean tricked me and went to the back door, which I had forgotten to lock, but I got there before him, then I took a breather." "With the amount of running and blood you lost, I would have thought you'd passed out then," Gretchen said surprised. "After about 5 minutes, I walked back into the living room only to have Dean bust our door down," T.J said sighing, " he started firing at me like a mad man but I hid behind the couch, once he had stopped to reload his gun, I speared him..." "Theodore J. Detwiler how could you be so reckless?" his mother yelled. "I did what I thought was right," T.J said, in a defending manner, "Anyways, I took his bullet box, but I had no clue how many rounds he might have loaded so when he pointed the barrel at me I froze."

"That was not the most intelligent thing to do," said Spinelli, looking at him. "I was afraid, when he fired at me the gun didn't go off and I showed him the box, he then told me he had two rounds and he fired again but I managed to move so I didn't get a fatal wound," T.J said, taking some of Spinelli's fries. Spinelli let him and took some of his onion rings to make it fair. "That's when I got shot in the leg, then he had the nerve to make fun of the situation and he tried going up stairs but I wouldn't let him," T.J said, sipping on his soda, "then the cops came in and they tried to get me to move but I couldn't or Dean would have gone after Spinelli." Spinelli took a drink of her soda, "why didn't you?"

T.J looked at her with a shocked look on his face, "because you ARE MY FRIEND." Spinelli got up and threw her trash away. "Please stop arguing, just finish the story," Mrs. Detwiler said sighing. "Anyways, Leena kept on trying to get me to move but I wouldn't; then she asked me if I was ok and I lied, Dean told her to look down and when she did she was surprised to see me standing in my blood," T.J said looking out the window. "Dude, that's gross," Vince said sticking out his tongue.

T.J nodded, "I got another brilliant idea, I took a step forward and pretended to collapse, he believed me and pointed his gun at the cops, I grabbed some of my blood and threw it in his eyes then speared him, the gun went off and shot me in the stomach." "Once again, not the smartest thing," Gretchen said smiling. "The next part makes up for that," T.J said smiling. "What'd you do?" Mikey asked. "I sat up off him and punched him dead in the nose!" T.J yelled, laughing.