The Turning Point
2 Days later—Evening
It was Tuesday and Josh didn't have to work tonight at the Premiere. Mindy and Josh
were in the kitchen studying for their history test. Megan walked in to get a bottle of juice
out of the refrigerator. They were holding hands and doing the 'google-eyes in love'
routine.
"Megan, would you get out of here? We're trying to study." said Josh.
"It doesn't look like you are studying to me."
"It's all right, Josh," Mindy spoke in a softer raspy tone than usual, "You don't want to
waste your time getting upset."
Mindy was setting up for a game of verbal tennis with Megan. The younger girl thought
for a moment on how to handle the situation. Rather than give Mindy the sport that she
wanted she just decided to drop the ball and leave the room.
"See ya!"
She wasn't about to tell her that Drake and his band had a gig tonight, because Megan
was certain that Mindy knew of that. Just like how he always enters through the
backdoor and not the front after a show. It was no coincidence that they were in that
kitchen.
"Megan is so annoying." Mindy put her voice to a whisper.
"I know, but despite her prankster ways and general nosiness, she's a really good
sister. Just don't tell her I said that. Now where were we?"
"It's ten forty five." Mindy looked at her heavy-duty waterproof multifunction sports watch.
"Don't remind me." He leaned to kiss her, she accepted.
Mindy put her hand on Josh's cheek. "You didn't let me finish."
"Sorry. Would you like a refill on your soda?"
"Yeah. I'm going to miss curfew tonight. Chances are my parents fell asleep reading
their novels from the book-of-the-month club."
"Aren't you afraid you'll be grounded?"
"Nope. Besides, this test is very important. It counts for half of our grade."
"You'll get an 'A' you always do." Josh put the cap back on the two-liter bottle of Mocha
Cola.
"Megan aside, it's nice to have the place to ourselves."
Mindy stood up to stretch her legs and to casually look out of the window above the sink.
"Dad's doing the eleven o'clock weather to fill in for the evening guy. It won't be like this
all the time and Mom is at the moonlight madness sale at Rutherford's and Drake is
never home on most nights. Not to mention my job at the Premiere."
"Who is the unlucky girl this time?"
"Danielle Warner. I wouldn't call her unlucky, I keep hoping that one of these days Drake
will find 'the one'."
"What's holding him back?" Mindy asked as she took small sips of her soda.
"Youth."
"You are the same age he is."
"Yeah, but I have true love," He put his arm around her and squeezed her, "Drake's not
looking for that."
Mindy put her glass down on the counter so she could put her arms around Josh.
"I'm the luckiest girl in the world."
"And I'm the luckiest guy in the world. Kiss?"
"You bet."
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
"Eww," Drake entered and wish he came through the front door when he saw Josh
locking lips with the Creature from the Black Lagoon. "Get a room."
He put his guitar case against the wall.
"Oh, we didn't hear you come in, Drake." Josh nervously wiped his mouth for any traces
of lipstick.
"So I hear that Danielle Warner is your latest crush?"
"I'm not going to discuss my private life with you." Drake grabbed a mini carton of
chocolate milk out of refrigerator and quickly left the kitchen. He'd bring his guitar
upstairs later when he went to get his amp out of the car.
Damn. He wouldn't bend one bit.
"Does he have to be so rude to me?" Mindy asked
"You can't expect Drake to like you. You never once apologized to him for what you did
to him and the whole Honor Council mess."
"Do you think I should? I mean if we're going steady there shouldn't be any bad blood
between me and your brother?"
"Knowing Drake, he won't accept your apologies. Let me talk to him. I'll see what I can
do. I do appreciate you, Mindy, for trying to make things right."
"Now what were we doing before your brother came along and ruined it?"
"We were kissing by the refrigerator."
"I say let's move that to the living room sofa, Cupcake."
"Now that is my kind of study session."
Mindy Crenshaw was the most amazing woman he has ever known this side of Oprah.
Next morning
It was unbelievable how Drake could sleep all through the alarm clock going off, Josh
getting dressed, and their mother shouting "get up" when she walked by their room.
"Drake! Wake up!" Josh threw a pillow at his face.
"H-hey. I am up."
"I want to talk to you."
"Can it wait?" he climbed out of his bed
"Yeah." Josh put his head down and focused on putting his red binder in his backpack.
Drake could tell that something of importance was bugging Josh so he did his best to
ignore the fact that he had to pee.
"What's bothering you, Josh?"
"You're going to get mad and I hate it when you get angry."
"What is it?" Drake decided to sit on the sofa.
"Promise me you won't get mad."
"I promise. Just tell me."
"Mindy wants to apologize to you for things she did."
"Tell her it's not necessary."
"Because we're going steady she thinks it is."
"Don't worry about it, Josh. I'll take care of it." Drake gave Josh no time to respond as
he sped out of the room.
Today was the turning point. Mindy couldn't keep a journal online or in old-fashioned
book form. Things like that only left a trail and that was the last thing she needed as she
was sitting at one of the smaller tables in the Belleview High School library. She was
supposed to be writing her report on the effect MTV had on adolescents, but all she
could think about was Drake. Josh followed the rules. Yeah he had an earring, but in the
past ten years a lot of kids started wearing them it wasn't rebellious anymore. Josh was
the designated driver in the party of life. It was only a matter of time before Drake went
to the tattoo parlor to get the 'I heart Mindy' tat on one shoulder and an electric guitar
with blazing wings on the other.
They would be so grea---
"Hey! I want to talk to you."
"Wow," Mindy smacked her lips together, "Drake Parker is in the school library. They
don't have comic books here you know."
"You don't have to worry about me, okay? You love Josh and that's fine. We don't have
to be friends."
Fuck.
"If that's how you feel."
"Bye."
Mindy's face flushed over with a milky anger despite getting a nice view of Drake's
bottom in his jeans as he walked away.
"I didn't want to do this," she whispered to herself closing her books with force, "It looks
like it's time to execute Plan B."
"You have a date with Drake Parker!" Mindy's ears perked up as she watched two
sweet tarts grab two encyclopedias probably only to copy from them and not use them
for the intended reference volumes that they were.
"Yeah—he doesn't keep a girlfriend long, Olivia."
"Tina--"
"Danielle Warner is in my English class and she's heartbroken that he…."
"Give Drake some slack. He doesn't want to be tied down to one girl. I can't say that I
blame him. I don't want to be tied down by one guy. We're all in high school. Just go out
with him as a friend. When I told him that he was relieved and that's why we're still
friends since ninth grade. Not that we don't occasionally make out. Accept that and
you'll be fine."
Imbeciles. You're all imbeciles.
Once Drake touches my lips he won't want ANY of you bimbos ever again.
And Mindy Crenshaw was sure of that.
Author's Note: Thanks NovMists ;)
