Curiosity Killed the Friendship
Chapter one- Tracey's 'love' for Kevin
Joan asks her friend Tracey, what she sees in her older brother Kevin, as he, is in a wheel chair and is rather emotionally vulnerable and she doesn't want her friend hurting his feelings, making him even more depressed than he'd been the past year. Tracey, said that she loves the way he finds purpose in life, working and playing basketball, eventhough he is disabled. Joan doesn't think that is a valid reason for loving her brother.
How right she is, she didn't know at that moment.
The actual reason Tracey wants to date Kevin, is because she is curious as to how he gets in and out off his chair and bed and if he is still able get it up. Also, she likes a guy that's vulnerable, which Kevin definitely is in more than one way.
Joan had seen the way that Kevin looked at Tracey whenever she came over to their house to study with her and knew he fancied her. Tracey is a radiant and very out going person, something Kevin used to be before the accident which paralyzed him. Maybe that's what attracts him in Tracey, her being what he used to be and would like to be once more someday. The frustrations that he was faceing not being able to play baseball or go out without worrying about obstacles in his path and girls passing him looks of pity instead of marvel, kept him in an almost permanently depressed and introvert mode.
Maybe she is wrong, if Tracey was to date Kevin maybe she could bring back a part of the old Kevin like his great sense of humor and radiant personality, which the Girardi's so missed since the accident . Joan would even welcome some of Kevin's arrogance which had so annoyed her before! Anything but the depressiveness and bitterness that now overshadowed his actual personality. Joan, recognizes her older brother's face, other than that it is as if someone else has taken possession of his body!
Against better judgement, Joan tells Tracey, that she may ask Kevin out as long as she promisses that she really does love him for who he is and will not hurt his feelings. Tracey swears that she does love him and doesn't dream of hurting his feelings.
What Joan doesn't see, is that Tracey has her fingers crossed on her left hand! However a childish sign, if Joan saw it, this would change her opinion about a relationship between Tracey and Kevin and even her friendship with Tracey for sure!
Helen and Luke are sitting at the kitchen table, when Joan and Tracey arrive to do some homework. Joan goes to her room, to set up the books and things, that they need for a Biology project they are working on.
Meanwhile, Tracey goes to Kevin's room and knockes softly on the door. He answers in a soft, yet grumpy voice, "who's there?" "It's Tracey, may I come in?" She hears a swooshing sound from behind the door, a few moments later it is opened. Kevin, looks at her, with a dumbfounded and a bit annoyed expression on his face. "What do you want?" He asks her suspiciously. Eventhough he fancies her he can't find anything nice to say or produce the slightest smile. Since the accident a bit more than a year earlier the feelings he has been able express are those of bitterness, self-pity, annoyance, anger and frustration. It is as if the good feelings parished along with the sensation in his lower body.
Tracey doesn't seem thrown off by his lack of joy to see her. She asks him once more if she may come in. Kevin answers by moving away from the door, leaving enough space for her to enter the gloomiest room she has ever seen. The blinds shut out all light and there are no pictures or posters on the wall to give the room a personal touch. The room is lit spookishly by a small bed-side table lamp only.
Tracey moves over to the bed and sits down "What do you want?" Kevin asks Tracey once more giving her a look over, his face emotionless.
Tracey is very determined, to go through with her carefully thought out plan to seduce Kevin. She produces a slightly shy smile, knowing that it will unweapon him, if anything will. Then she said "Kevin,...I don't know how...I...can't...(then her words came in a flow) stop thinking about you! Please will you go out with me!"
Kevin's first reaction, is to laugh in disbelief. "You wanna go out with me! If this is a joke, it's a very bad one!"
Tracey, produces another shy smile. "No, I mean it! It's not a joke! I just can't try to explain how strong my feelings for you are Kevin! Oh, how I hope, that you feel something for me too!"
Wow, Kevin thought, someone he likes, has actually fallen for him, wheel chair and all! Unbelievable! The way Tracey looked at him, the way she spoke he just couldn't but believe her. No one, could put on an act that good, right!
"Tracey, there are a lot of things I can't do anymore; like going for a swim in the sea, walk on the beach and going somewhere spontainiously if you can deal with these things and a lot more, which I can't come up with at the top of my head and me not being too cheerfull most of the time then I'll gladly go out with you, as I do like you too! If you can't handle what I just mentioned, then just say so right now and there'll be no harm done."
"Oh Kevin, I'm so glad you feel for me too! I can handle whatever obstacles we may come across, as long as you're by my side!" Tracey says with a big confident smile from ear to ear. She had come, seen and conquered Kevin's heart! First part of her plan is a success how proud she is of herself having put on such a perfect performance!
Tracey holds out her arms to embrace Kevin, whom reacts a bit hessitantly as things are moving a bit too fast for him. Yet he lets Tracey embrace him just the same afraid if he doesn't he will hurt her feelings. How ironic can things get!
Not wanting to intrude on their privacy Joan knocks on the door which is ajar, revealing nothing but a gloomy light at the back of the room. She hears Kevin's voice slightly merrier than normal asking who is at the door. Joan asks if Tracey is ready to join her for their Biology project. Tracey replies that she'll be there in a minute. Joan goes back to her room where Tracey and to Joan's joyous surprise Kevin join her shortly after. Joan notices that Tracey looks perfectly happy and Kevin's facial expression even seems less bitter than it has been! Joan is now convinced that she has done the right thing, letting Tracey ask Kevin out and expressing her true feelings for him.
Tracey and Joan finish the project in an hour and a half with some help from a slightly smiling Kevin, which is in love and is feeling better than he has for a long time.
Two Weeks Later:
Kevin and Tracey, are going to the movies. Only when he asks her does Tracey put his chair in the back of the station wagon. Kevin thinks this is due to the newness of it all, as he has no idea she was eying his every move curiously, the uselessness of his legs arrousing her, as he transferred himself from his wheel chair, to the driver's seat of his car.
Tracey, gets in the passenger seat and gives him a reassuring smile, her heart beating profusedly in her chest, as part two of her plan is coming together!
After parking in one of the reserved parking spaces in front of the movie theather Tracey gets Kevin's chair and put it in such a position, that he can get in it while she can observe him without him noticing it, as she is behind his chair, so called keeping it in place.
Half way through the movie, in the dimly lit theather, while everyone's eyes are turned to the screen, where an action packed movie is being shown, Tracey decides to move on to the next level of her plan. Her Heart pounding like crazy, she gropes between Kevin's legs. No reaction! That disappoints her as she expects something to move, she looks at Kevin's face which is turned to the screen, he is none the wiser as he really didn't feel her hand on his crotch! Wow, she has gotten away with this move! Only the reason why isn't to her liking as there really isn't any life down there!
As Kevin transferres into the driver's seat after the movie, Tracey doesn't look and put his chair emotionlessly in the back seat at his request.
On their way home, they each get a hamburger and a milkshake at a drive-in restaurant, which Kevin gladly pays for.
Gallantly Kevin brings Tracey home. Once in front of her house, Tracey bends over to Kevin, which smiles thinking she is gonna kiss him, instead, she whispers "You're a sucker for believing I'd fallen for you, as I only went out with you, to see how you do certain things and to see if certain parts of your body still works, I found out certain things don´ t! Having said that Tracey gave the astounded Kevin a develish smile and left the car without looking back.
Leaving Kevin in tears flabbergasted, hurt and dissillusioned.
Somehow in a daze his vision blured by tears Kevin is able to manouver his car the 4 blocks to his house. Emotionally and physically drained, he is unable to retract his chair from the back seat in order to leave the car. Frustrated by his helplessness along side all the other emotions he is experiencing after Tracey dumped him like that, tears continue to stream from his eyes. He doesn't know how long he has been sitting in front of his house before Joan knocks on the side window. Joan seeing her brother in such a bad state panicks and goes to get their father, which helps Kevin into his chair and into the house. It takes a while for Kevin to recover enough to tell his family what happened on his date with Tracey.
Joan is so mad that she confronts Tracey the next day at school, Tracey doesn't understand Joan's anger, as she thinks it was a great joke!
Helen and Will now really has reason to worry about Kevin´s state of mind. He wont speak to anyone and hardly eats anything at all, as he has sunken into an even deeper depression than before his date with Tracey. Helen and Will decide to have a serious talk with Tracey and her parents. Tracey, can´t be bothered about her devastating actions her parents on the other hand are deeply ashamed of their daughter. They decide that she needs proffesional help as this is far from normal and exceptable behavior.
A week later, Tracey is admitted to a clinic as a psychiatric pasient. Joan is glad that she doesn´t have to face Tracey at school, as she just couldn´t handle seeing her after what she has done to her brother,whom now suffers from a deep depression and is even more of an emotional wreck than when he heard he´d never walk again!
Joan, is wondering why God didn't warn her. Normally God showed up unannounced giving her signs and assignments to better people´s lives. Why not warn her about Tracey´s true intentions? What good would come of this? Someday Joan would find out!