"That's it.. okay, you might hafta back up to get in the space," she explained as he tried to pull in a parking space.

"Now it wasn't that bad, now was it, Charles," Marcie asked.

"When are you getting your license, Marcie," he teased.

"Umm… I'm not ready just yet," she looked away.

"Thank you Trish," he hugs her, "I should listen to you more."

"Hey Charlie, was that you I saw driving that thing in here?"

"Sure was, Granddad. My friend Trish here is showing me the ropes."

"Good, good. Follow me back here… I've been talking to your dad and it seemed like you needed some inspiration, but I see you do indeed have good friends who care about you," he lead them behind the shop.

"We love Chuck, he might not succeed in a lot of things but he never gives up, we always has his back. Try to anyway, I realized I sometimes wasn't the greatest of friend, but I'm trying to fix that myself."

"Yep. I hear ya Trish. So in this garage is incentive to pass that test. I'm not going to open it, it's a surprise, a project I was working on for myself. It's not as flashy as that Ranchero, but like you, Charlie; it has hidden potential! It's going to take somebody sure of themselves to unlock it. It's a sleeper to sum it up."

"A… what?"

"A sleeper, Chuck. It's a car that looks plain as all get out, nobody would expect, maybe even laugh at, but does stuff you'd never expect, like a minivan with a Viper engine," Peppermint Patty explained.

"That makes sense."

"I'm just trying to help you and parents out. You come back with that certificate and you'll be driving out of here with the prize behind door number one."

"I promise Granddad, I'm going to get that certificate, I won't let you down!"

"Don't let yourself down," he laughed," I was like you as a kid, one day I got tired of it, if I didn't; not only would I not have this shop, but I wouldn't have you as a grandson."

"I still have a full tank of gas, Chuck."

"Let's do it."


That evening Charlie was talking to Linus on the phone, detailing his day and the offer his grandfather gave him.

"Hey, that's great. You'll have a car after all. Keep that same energy, just imagine being able to cruise around, teenage freedom, the open road!"

"Yeah but like Lucy said; I won't have a girl to ride with, it'll be just me."

"Charlie Brown… you can give me a ride to and from school every day, I'm not a girl, but I'm somebody if you want to play taxi cab."

"Thanks Linus," he laughed.

"Seriously; ignore her, she just wants to see you keep failing, she's getting as bad as Violet, every time she gets shot down from Schroeder, she browbeats you to feel good about herself."

"Man, I wish she wouldn't do that, I can't keep her out of my mind."

"Try bro, try. At least until you pass this thing. After that happens; keep keeping her out, and rub it in her face you got a car before her."

"I'll do my best."

"If it helps; if you pass and get the car, I've been talking to Patty and if everything works out; we'll need a chauffer."

"What… oh come on."

"I'm just saying; you won't be alone that much," he laughed.


Lucy hears Schroeder going to town on something not Beethoven for once, wanting to go inside to see and finally bag him for once and for all. She tries the door and it's locked.

"Oh Schro-Schro, why must we play these games all the time,' she walks to the back door.

Lucy finds the hidden key and lets herself in the back door, he's too busy playing to notice.

"Wha'cha playing Schro-Schro?"

"Gaaauugh! What the fuck Lucy! How did you get in here!?"

"I have my ways, baby. What were you playing?"

"I was playing 'Get the fuck out, crazy bitch, score number three'," he replied sarcastically.

"Sounds good."

He rolled his eyes, "great now I really gotta piss. Don't touch my fucking piano, it's worth more than you."

Schroeder ran to the bathroom, she pulled out a fingernail file to finish carving her heart in his piano."

"Not that you care, but I was trying out some ragtime jazz," he came back, "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"I just wanted to finish the symbol of our love," she calmly answered.

"Are you stupid?! Get off my piano," he grabbed her and pushed her in to a bookshelf.

"That hurt, it's just a piano, relax."

No! You stupid fucking cunt, this is not even how you get a boyfriend, I don't love you, I'm tired of your bullshit," he pushed her to the door."

"Schroeder…"

"Bah! Like you; I don't want to hear it! I fucking hate you, I don't have the patience anymore god damn it! I regret letting it go on this long, don't you realize that I am not interested in you and your ugly personality?!"

"Okay! Okay, I get you're mad," she hugs him, "why don't we take it slow, I've came on too strong."

He breaks her hold, slapping her on the face, she stands there a moment, his face is demonic.

"I'll burn this mother fucking piano to the ground if you finished that tag, get the fuck outta my house, you are not going to fuck up another piano! God damn it! Go be somebody else's burden!"

She looks at him frozen, holding her face.

Move! Go! I'm tired of your shit, been tired of your shit, I do not want you, I do not like you, you insufferable fucking cunt," he growls, seething with rage.

Schroeder shoves her to the front door, as she tries not to trip over her own feet, he opens it, pushing her out, Lucy stumbles and trips over the steps, falling down. She looks at her skinned arms and hands, back at him glaring at her.

"Hope the message gets across, mess with me again and I'll beat the brakes off of you, Linus and Rerun be damned," he slammed the door and screamed like a mad man.

Lucy picked herself up, trying not to cry, walking home.


Schroeder did his best to calm down, stealing a bit of his dads brandy before calling Linus.

"Linus… I have to tell you something, you're going to be mad, so I might as well man up about it," he huffed.

"What is it, why would I be mad?"

"I lost my shit with your sister just now. She made me so god damn mad and I went too far, I don't think she would've gotten the picture otherwise, but as a friend I respect in high regard; man I'm sorry."

"What happened?"

"She broke in here somehow and when I went to the bathroom, she started scratching our initials and a heart in to my piano. I… lost my shit and slapped her and she fell when I pushed her out the house. I'm not proud of myself, I'm not gonna make excuses, I don't know what else to say, man. I shoulda had better control."

"I get it. She's obsessed with you, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish you hadn't hit her, I get that you were mad…"

"If you want to hit me, I won't stop you. I know she annoys you too, but she is your sister and I shouldn't have done it. I just wanted her crazy to end. I'm sorry I did it, to you and Rerun, I'm not apologizing to her and have her think it's okay. If you don't want to be friends, fine. Her shits just gone on long enough."

"I'm not going to fight you. We're still cool, I'll tell Rerun to call you later… just don't hit my sister again, I'll talk to her. Thanks for coming to me about it and not saying anything, though."

"If I didn't, I'd really hate myself."

"She probably deserved it. Bet she was surprised that somebody other than Peppermint Patty would fight her," he laughs, "I'll see you later."


Charlie is putting a fresh coat of paint on the doghouse, when he hears crying out front. He runs up to see Lucy bloody and lost in herself. He goes inside and grabs the first aid kit.

"What am I doing? Why should I care about her," he thinks walking up to her sitting on the steps.

She's given up fighting her tears and sadness, looking up to see who was standing in front of her.

"Lucy, what happened?"

"I went too far with Schroeder… he… he h-hit me and I fe-fell when he pushed… pushed me out his house," she cried.

"Damn. Here; let me help you," he knelt down.

"Huh? Just say it; nobody wants me, why would you help?"

"Lucy… look at you, you're bleeding."

"I don't need your pity, Charlie," she sniffed, "you think you're better than me all of a sudden?"

"No, I don't. I just-"

"You think I'm a loser like you?! Well I'm not… I'm just back on the market now, I'm still better than your good for nothing, can't do shit, pathetic ass self!"

"Lucy, you got it all wrong."

Linus opened the door from the noise. Lucy jumped up and punched Charlie in the face.

"Learn your damn place," she snarled.

"Lucy, the fuck you hit him for, what did he do?!"

"Did that make you feel better, Lucy? Good 'ol Charlie Brown the punching bag, I just wanted to help."

"You did, now fuck off," she ran past Linus to her room.

"I'm sorry about that, man," Linus admitted sullenly.

"It's okay, just take care of her, she's bleeding.