Schroeder sits by himself at the malls food court; a bag of new sheet music, still mad at Lucy and hoping his dad will understand why some of his brandy disappeared the other day. He doesn't even want to touch that piano, every time he looks at that heart, he wants to take an axe to it.

"Schroeder, are you okay?"

"Hmmm… yeah… I'm just lost in thought."

"I'll meet you girls at the table, I need to talk to him."

"You sure you'll be safe, Frieda," asked Violet.

"I'm sure."

"Well make it quick," she walked off.

"I heard about what happened yesterday."

"I lost my cool. I don't make an effort to hit… anybody, I'm not that guy, it's just… just… it's been going on for so long no matter what I say, she would never listen. I'm not proud of it, I just wanted it to stop," he lamented.

"You been drinking?"

"A little. It's been bugging me. I can't get no peace from her, I would've been fine as friends, I let my anger out and made sure that the friendship was lost so she wouldn't keep pursuing the… marriage that was never going to happen."

"You regret hitting her don't you, wish you hadn't?"

"Exactly. I don't want to hit another person outside of self defense, I feel like shit. I am not going to, however apologize to her and give her hope. Then if I wanted somebody; I'm afraid that she would get in the way thinking I would 'come around' after I cooled down."

"I know you're not a woman beater, I can't say the same for Violet and Patty. I know you're a good guy, I've only ever seen you angry at Lucy… and Charlie sometimes."

"It's just she won't leave me alone, and that's just one of many pianos she's ruined, difference is this one isn't a toy; it's an upright grand, I sacrificed getting a car to get."

"I believe you, you don't hafta defend yourself to me. I know you wouldn't hurt me."

"I wouldn't want to mess up that amazing hair," he gave a weak smile.

"Schroeder… to be honest; I hope she leaves you alone… I've been afraid to tell you…something," she beat around the bush.

"Huh? Why would you be afraid to talk to me?"

"Because I know… I can't beat her in a fight… I'm not sure Violet could even do that."

"What does that have to do with me?"

Frieda sighs, "I think I might love you, Schroeder. It's too soon I know," she tears up, "I understand if you don't feel the same, I just… I… I want to try! If you don't want to, I'll be okay. I swear to god I won't stalk you, or mess with your piano. Maybe not love… but I wanted to see if I could love you over time. I'm being a dumbass."

"No! No you're not, Frieda, please don't cry."

"I just don't want you to think all girls are like her and end up never finding love… because she messed with your head. I don't want you to be lost, I want to give you my heart."

"You want to date me?"

Frieda nods.

"What if Lucy gets mad at you?"

"I always kept it bottled up for her sake, if I had you, she could pummel me in the dirt every day, if you're there to take the pain away, I wouldn't care. No I never thought about getting married and having kids and all that shit she had in her delusional world. I just wanted to be with you, even if it was just a week."

"Frieda," he handed her a napkin, "you're serious?"

"I just want to say I dated Schroeder Doran. I never knew if you would be interested even if Lucy wasn't around."

"Frieda, I'll be your boyfriend. I promise I will never, never hit you."

"I promise I'm not Lucy the second, I actually want to see you happy, not be selfish about it, like her."

Schroeder held her hand, looking at her; "I'm sold, and I know you're fairly nice to my friends, just one caveat; please stop trying to get Snoopy to chase rabbits, he might be spry, but he's too old for that."

"Anything to make you happy," she smiled, "I might be able to talk to my dad to have your piano fixed, once he finds out you want to date me, he might buy you a whole new one, knowing how happy you've made me."

"Really? I don't want your money, honestly… why would he…?"

"I told you; I've been wanting to be with you. I've cried at night, feeling like I would never have a chance. Lucy was never hurt over you turning her down, she brushed it off. She wanted you for herself, I want you for you."

"In that case, I'd rather have a car," he laughed. "Seriously… I think your happiness is good enough."

"Okay. I feel like crying again! I'll give you your space, you call me when you're feeling okay," she stands, "I waited this long, I can wait a bit longer… calm down Frieda, relax."


She walks over to het friends to eat her food.

"What was that all about, why are you crying, did he threaten you," Violet wondered.

"Nope. I'm just happy."

"What? Happy for what," Patty asked.

"He said he would go out with me, I've been waiting for this moment."

"Are you serious?! One; Lucy will probably murder you, and two; he hits women," Violet snapped.

"I don't care how Lucy feels about it, she can beat me up every day, as long as I have him. She wanted him for her own selfish reasons, I doubt she even cared about him. Schroeder is not a woman beater, he's been beating himself up over what he did to her, he wishes he didn't do it."

"He's probably afraid I'll beat him up."

"I doubt that. I know you have a mouth, but I doubt you fight as well as Lucy, and if you did fight him… if he didn't fight back, for my sake, I'm sure you would hafta answer to Peppermint Patty."

"Ugh… that dyke bitch," Patty moaned, "sorry Violet, you'd be screwed."

"I kept it a secret because I was afraid what would happen if Lucy found out. She's my bitch, but all she was going to do was end up messing with his head, putting him off dating anybody. It's been killing me inside, keeping this secret for so long, I feel like a freed prisoner."

"Frieda… I don't like the idea of stealing another girls man, but let's face it; Schroeder would bury himself in Beethoven's grave to escape that woman. We'll break it to her as gently as we can, she's going to find out anyway. I just hope she won't lose it," Violet explained.

"Just me and Violet," Patty added.

"Thanks guys, I didn't want to hurt Lucy, but I love him and want him happy."

"Why didn't you tell us you were so depressed," Violet wondered.

"I couldn't, I was afraid. Now I'm a little less afraid. If he only dates me for a week, I'll be the happiest girl in town."

"Oh I think he's going to love you for a long time," Violet smiled.


"See… you got it, Chuck, you're not a stupid kid," Patty congratulates him on his driving.

"You might be a natural born driver, Charles, even with altered depth perception from your black eye, you're not bad," Marcie added.

"I still want to give that bitch a piece of my mind," Peppermint Patty growled.

"It's all good, Trish, she's just hurting, I know she didn't mean it."

"Charles, I know you still have depression and all that, but just because Schroeder did what he did, doesn't excuse the fact she had no right to take it out on you, when you wanted to help her. Don't take this the wrong way, I don't want to hurt you: but are you fucking stupid? She takes everything out on you. I know you have limits, you chewed Trish out for that a long time ago and she's your friend, Lucy is not your friend anymore."

"You're right Marcie, but who am I to add fuel to the fire?"

"Just know it's going to get worse now that Schroeder is way more out of her reach, than he ever was. I can't say I blame him, if all it took was a slap, he shoulda did it years ago."


Violet dropped off Frieda at her house before her and Patty go to try their best to break the news to Lucy.

"Dad, guess what? I saw Schroeder at the mall and got to tell him how I felt!"

"What about Lucy?"

"He finally convinced her that he was never going to date her in a way it would stick in her blockhead. I hate to see her hurt, but it was never going to happen. I poured my heart out to him, I want him happy, he said 'yes', I'm so happy!"

"I'm glad, pumpkin! That kid comes from good stock, my girl is finally that happy girl she used to be, I worried about you. I hope he's being serious," he hugged her.

"If we only date for a week, I'll be happy we tried."

"I think if he broke up with after a week, he'd be crawling back. I need to reward this boy for pulling my girl from darkness and pain."

"He said he wanted a car."


Violet parks in front of the Van Pelt home, Patty runs up to the door.

"Hey Patty, Linus greets.

"Hey, handsome."

"We want to talk to Lucy, you might want to join us," Violet greeted.

"Sure, follow me."

"Hey sis, Violet and Patty are here."

"How you feeling girl," Patty sat on her bed.

"Like my heart was put in a blender, how could he…?"

"Lucy… do you understand that he was never going to love you, I don't want to make you feel worse, but it's true."

"It still hurts so bad, now I see nobody will want me, it's just worse what he did was because I pushed him too far."