WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR SHEEN
"Can you believe it!" Libby cried as she held Cindy's hands and jumped up and down. "A full scholarship for the dance program at Julliard!"
"Wait! With me at NYU and you at Julliard--we can be roommates! Goodbye Retroville, hello New York!" Cindy sighed as she flopped down on springy pink bed, her short blond hair flying in her face. "This is what we wanted, ever since we were little girls."
Libby cleared her throat. "I thought you always wanted to be Mrs. James Neutron. You're fine being away from Jimmy for four, maybe five if we party too much, years? You're not afraid of him picking up some cute biochemistry student while he's at MIT?"
"Don't be silly! We made a promise to each other. And look, he gave me a ring," Cindy said as she showed Libby a thin platinum band with a single tiny diamond in the center. "I can use it to communicate with him via hologram."
"That's really sweet," Libby replied with a blank expression on her face. Her heart sank instantly. In all the excitement of receiving her acceptance letter, she had forgotten one minor detail.
"Hey Libs," Cindy began nonchalantly as if she were reading her mind. "What about Sheen?"
That one name brought Libby out of her daze. Her wrinkled letter floated to the floor as she looked up at Cindy with tearful amber eyes. "I don't know."
Seeing that he was two years older than everyone else in his graduating class, Sheen had hit his growth spurt first and was taller than all the other guys. His hair had stayed the same, aside from his new trendy sideburns. He wasn't exactly ripped, but he had a solid body with good muscle tone along with the six-pack abs Libby couldn't keep her hands off. Libby started developing before most of the girls she grew up with, but she was still a few inches shorter than her best friend Cindy. Even though Libby was thin and petite, she had incredible curves. All the other guys thought Sheen was a very lucky man.
Jimmy always said the sexual tension between the two of them was thick enough to cut with a laser. As much as Sheen gawked at her cute figure and as close as she snuggled up to him when they were hanging out at the Candy Bar, he had never tried to take their relationship any further.
"All this tension is making me uncomfortable," Carl, now built like a football player but still as cowardly as ever, whimpered one night when all three boys were sitting around Jimmy's lab.
"Shut up Carl! What do you know about girls?" Sheen cried in his normal manic tone.
"More than you," Carl replied with a snort. "The timid, non-threatening best friend act I put on works like a charm."
"Cut it out guys," a long-haired Jimmy reasoned. "Carl, we all know you have us both beat when it comes to numbers--er I mean women. Now Sheen, I had a talk with you when you started puberty, several years before Carl and I. I said it's only natural for a male member of a species to want to try and procreate with a female member of a species once they've reached maturity."
"I heard you the first time Jimmy," Sheen said, clenching his fists. "That's how the whole Brittney fiasco happened when Libby didn't speak to me for our entire sophomore year. And I was saving myself for Libby!" He said as he sank to the floor.
"Rumor has it she saved herself for you," Carl snickered.
Jimmy grimaced at Carl. "That's your problem buddy," he said as he patted Sheen's shoulder. "You put Libby on such a high pedestal that you don't want to touch her."
"Lies!" Sheen cried as he brandished his finger in Jimmy's face. "You thinkI don't want to kiss every inch of her sweet, sweet cocoa skin or run my fingers through her raven hair? You think I don't want to bask in her undying glory?"
Jimmy rolled his eyes. "Anyway," he began. "What do you two have planned now that we're out of high school?"
"McSpanky's!" Carl cheered. A newer and much nicer restaurant had been built since the last one had been destroyed. He and Sheen planned on working at the restaurant and going to school part-time. "Oh, and..."
"RVCC represent!" Sheen added.
"I take it that means Retroville Community College?" Jimmy responded.
Sheen made himself comfortable on the front steps of his house just as the sun was beginning to set. Hesat up against a railing in his new Ultra Lord raglan and khaki cargo pants. Ever since Ultra Lord was made into a brooding vigilante crimefighter and given his own live action big-budget film, Sheen was able to sport his favorite superhero all over again.
Libby walked down the street towards Sheen's house in her low rise jeans and a clingy red tank top; her bouncy, slick black curls flowed long past her shoulders.
"Looking good little mama!" Sheen called to her as she came up to the front gate. "Come and give papi some sugar!"
She burst out laughing then ran up the path, throwing her arms around him. He kissed her strawberry gloss-covered lips and squeezed her tight. His strong arms felt so good around her petite body.
They sat on the top step together. Sheen put his hand on Libby's silky brown shoulder. "I missed you," he said before giving her a light peck on the lips.
"I missed you too," Libby said as she took Sheen's hands in hers. "I'm so lucky to have you."
His heart started pounding and he could feel his cheeks reddening. Since they had all graduated high school a few weeks ago, Sheen had been dying to talk to Libby about more serious issues and now seemed like the perfect time. "So what are we going to do now? I was thinking maybe we could get an apartment together. I've been saving and I'll be up for a promotion at McSpanky's soon," he trailed off when he noticed Libby didn't look as thrilled as he thought she would.
"I'm going to New York with Cindy," she said, tears dribbling down her cheeks. "I got accepted into the dance program at Julliard."
Sheen jerked his head away, not wanting Libby to see his watery eyes. "You're leaving me then? I thought we'd have a future together Libs."
"I'm not breaking up with you. I'm just going away to school for a little while. I'll come visit during the holidays. I'll ask Jimmy to invent something so we can talk and see each other every day just like he did for himself and Cindy." Libby had rehearsed these lines hundreds of times in her head, in order to reassure Sheen as best she could. it didn't seem to be working. "I'm yours and nothing can change that."
Sheen and Libby spent every minute of summer either together or with their friends. All five of them went to Retroland every few weeks or took the hover-car to various tropical islands and played on the beach. The group even had a little fun with some tablets Jimmy invented that made everyone see pretty colors.
As the summer wore down, everyone was so busy getting ready for their first semesters of college they started seeing less and less of each other. Cindy, Libby and Jimmy were all getting ready to head for the East Coast. This left Carl and Sheen to wander around downtown Retroville looking for an apartment they could afford. Once they did find a place, Sheen felt a little better. Unfortunately, he wasn't living with the person he had originally hoped for.
"When Jimmy offered to help us move, I didn't think he'd just send over Goddard," Sheen said as he stood up against a lamp post in downtown Retroville and looked up at the apartment building where he and Carl would be roomates.
"But he sure knows how to get the job done," Carl replied while Goddard used his telescopic arm to lift boxes up to an open window on the third floor. "Besides, Jim wants to spend as much time with Cindy as possible before she and Libby leave for New York in two days."
"Two days! Two days! You mean I have two days to profess my everlasting love to my queen!" He squawked.
He turned his head away from Carl and saw Libby walking up the street.
"Carl, your mom wanted me to tell you that you left your special shoes at home," Libby said before Sheen could even greet her.
"How could I forget to pack my special shoes!" he screamed. "I better go get them before she makes them into decorative planters or something."
"Bye Carl!" Libby shouted happily after him. "Now where was I? Oh yeah," She threw her arms around Sheen like she always did and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
He put his hands on her waist and peered into her sparkling amber eyes. He leaned in and gave her a soft, passionate kiss on her lips. "Mmm, pineapple," Sheen said as he licked her lipgloss from his own lips.
Libby smiled at him. "I'm so excited for you and Carl. I can't wait to see the apartment."
"It's spacious, yet cozy. Modern, yet timeless. Cheap, yet within our budget." Sheen said in an airy tone as he sat on the first step and motioned for Libby to join him.
"That was your cue to invite me upstairs," Libby giggled.
Before he could reply he had taken him by the hand and began leading him up the stairs. Sheen fished the keys from his pocket and opened the creaky door. The place was small and a bit shabby, but not a bad place for two boys' first apartment. Most of the furniture stood up against one wall and Goddard had neatly stacked the boxes in one corner.
Sheen pried the top box open. "Hey, Carl didn't leave his special shoes at his mom's house. They were right here in this box the whole time."
"I know," Libby shrugged. "His parents aren't home either. It'll be a few hours before he realizes it though." she said as she slowly approached him. "I just told him that because I thought we could use some quality time together before I have to go."
She stood on the tips of her toes and kissed him again, this time opening her mouth slightly. Libby felt so warm pressed against Sheen and could feel his heavy breathing. They didn't kiss like this often. Sheen had never tried to go very far with her. He didn't want to upset Libby or make her think he only wanted her for sex.
Libby pulled away from him, but he still had his eyes closed and lips out. "Sheen, I want to give you something to remember me by."
He opened his eyes wide. "A copy of Bloodlust: Ultra Lord's Revenge special collector's edition three-disc set on DVD?" He said dreamily.
"No," Libby said with a little nervous laughter in her voice. "Something better."
She put his hands on her waist then guided them up her sides, lifting her top and revealing her beautiful curves. She unzipped her jeans and showed him the rest of her. If he thought she was gorgeous every day he saw her, she was amazing naked.
"I really like Ultra Lord and all," he stammered. "But this is pretty nice too."
Libby woke up on a futon mattress they had unrolled in the middle of the livingroom with her head resting on Sheen's chest. She listened to his heart beat for a little while then kissed him gently on the cheek.
"Morning, beautiful," he whispered to her. "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied, running her fingers through his hair. "So that's what it's like, huh?"
"More or less, yeah," he responded, turning on his side to look at her. "You're not disappointed with the Sheen are you?"
"Of course not," Libby said as she pressed her body closer to him. "Actually, " she paused. "Can we do that again?"
After an hour or so, Libby was resting her head on his chest again, listening to Sheen's heart pound as he tried to catch his breath. They laid together for a few precious seconds until they heard a knock on the door. The pair immediately sat up. Sheen pulled his old Ultra Lord sleeping bag over himself and shared the rest of it with Libby.
"Who is it?" Sheen sang.
"Just open up the door people," Cindy said, sounding agitated as usual. "I think you misplaced your roommate, Ultra Dork."
"Yeah, uh, Sheen, we found Carl crying and sifting through my parent's garbage," Jimmy added, trying not to laugh.
"I gotta find my special shoes!" Carl cried.
"For crying out loud you guys, the door's open," Sheen said, flopping back down on the futon.
Cindy entered first, looking as if her eyeballs were going to pop out of their sockets. "Eww! Libs you could do so much better," she responded instantly.
"It had to happen sooner or later," Jimmy said as he walked in with a huge smirk on his face.
Both Sheen and Libby leered at each of their best friends while Carl waddled in. "Carl, I'm sure you have something smart-assed to say too, so get on with it," Sheen demanded.
"Jim you owe me twenty bucks," Carl laughed as he stuck up both his thumbs and grinned at Sheen..
Sheen bared his teeth. "Now if you all would please excuse us, my girlfriend and I were having a private moment here, until almost half of Retroville High's graduating class walked in! Don't make me have to throw Carl's special shoes at you!"
"Hate to burst your bubble Libby, but our plane leaves tomorrow at six a.m. So you better get packing," Cindy chimed as she followed Jimmy outside and Carl skittered off to his room, slamming the door behind him.
"I gotta go!" Libby whispered as she slid her jeans back on. "Come visit me tonight, okay?"
He didn't say a word as he watched Libby get dressed. She kissed him on the cheek before she closed the door behind her. "Bye Libs," he said long after she had gone.
Their studio apartment in New York City was so small it made Cindy's old bedroom at home look like a palace. Libby's new bed folded down from the wall and Cindy had to pull hers out from inside the couch. The wallpaper was peeling and there was a musty smell they couldn't get rid of, but it would have to do.
One evening, after a light day of only two classes, Cindy sat cross-legged on the floor talking to Jimmy via hologram. "Do you really think I'm good enough Jimmy?"
"See how the semester goes and let me know how you're doing," he replied. "Then I'll see what I can do."
"Cindy!" Libby screamed from the bathroom, where she had been spending more and more time lately.
Both Cindy and Jimmy's hologram turned their heads, looking nervous. "Cindy, I better let you go." Jimmy said. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Bye Jimmy," Cindy said as she put the ring back on her finger and ran to see why Libby had called her.
Cindy pushed the door open and saw Libby sitting on the edge of the bathtub. They had been friends since the first day of kindergarten, but she had never seen Libby look so upset.
"Cindy, it's blue," she sighed, showing Cindy the pregnancy test she had been holding onto.
"Libby," Cindy began, looking both confused and concerned. "You know where babies come from and how to prevent it. How could you let this happen?"
"Maybe somewhere deep down inside I secretly wanted this," she replied, resting her head in her hands. "I've loved Sheen since grammar school. I've always loved him. Maybe I didn't want for us to be apart."
"Then go tell him that," Cindy sighed as she fidgeted with the hem of her khaki skirt. Cindy was crushed. She never understood why Libby loved Sheen, and she definitely couldn't see why Libby would let herself get pregnant. They were supposed to go to school, live a chic big-city life together, and kick back and enjoy their twenties. Now that could never happen. Cindy herself was never one to let emotions get in the way of her academic achievement. If that was the case, she would have started dating Jimmy long before their junior year of high school.
"Oh, and Libby," Cindy murmured, looking up from her skirt with a pained smile. "Me and Jimmy are here for you and Sheen no matter what you do."
"Die!" Sheen yelled at the television screen while he sat in his apartment playing video games. He heard a knock on the door. "Dammit Carl, did you forget your keys?"
"Sheen, it's me, Libby," she said softly from the other side.
He jumped off the couch and raced to the door, almost tripping over his backpack. He threw the door open, his eyes wide with excitement. "Libby!" he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. "I knew you'd come back!" He said as he squeezed her, closed the door and placed her back on her feet. "But I thought your semester ended in December. Why'd you come back so early, my love?"
Libby looked up at the big confused smile on his sweet face. "Sometimes things happen a lot sooner than you expect them to," she said holding his hands in hers. "Sheen, I'm pregnant," she said so low he almost didn't hear her.
Sheen's smile faded. Libby had buried her head in chest and he began stroking her hair. Out of all the things he was feeling that moment--everything from happiness to guilt--he felt sorry for Libby more than anything. "You do what you want Libs. It's your decision," he said after a minute of silence.
"I want to keep it," she began.
A wide smile shot across his face. "That's all I needed to hear," he said, giving Libby a quick kiss on her forehead and squeezed her again.
"But that means I'd have to leave the dance program. Even after I have the baby, I won't be fit enough to perform professionally," she said, then bit her lower lip.
He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Who needs to be seen dancing when you can be heard singing? Libby, you have a beautiful voice and there's no reason to give up your dream," he said gently. "Can't you change majors?"
"Sheen, that's a great idea!" Libby squeaked. "I don't care what Cindy says, you are a genius!" She jumped up and hugged him. "But I'll still miss you," she pouted.
"I ain't gonna let my baby's momma fend for herself," he said, wagging his finger at her. "I'm going with you. Somebody has to work; and there must be a McSpanky's on every corner in the big city," Sheen said with a twinkle in his eye.
"We're going to be okay aren't we Sheen?" she said, running her hand over her flat stomach. "The three of us?"
"We'll buy him little Ultra Lord pajamas," Sheen said on his way to the kitchen.
"What if it's a girl?" Libby asked as she curled up on the couch.
"We'll buy her little Ultra Lord pajamas," he replied, splitting a cold McSpanky's burger in half and giving Libby a piece.
Cindy's last few months in New York were tough, yet she was able to manage. She never imagined she'd have to share an apartment with Sheen, but Libby needed him. So Cindy had to exhibit as much self-control as possible. Cindy promised to keep her mouth shut if Sheen promised not to sit around the place in his underwear. By the end of the fall semester, Jimmy had pulled some strings and Cindy was on her way to MIT.
Sheen rolled over on his back at three in the morning. He was still half-asleep, but a sweet voice kept telling him something that he couldn't understand.
"Sheen, put on your pants," Libby said for the fourth time. "The cab's here."
"You want to dance and have a beer?" He said, shielding his eyes from the fluorescent light overhead. "You can't drink, you're pregnant."
"Yes, but I won't be for very long," Libby replied, keeping her cool as usual. "My water broke almost an hour ago. I'm all packed and the cab is waiting for us downstairs. All I need is for you to put on your damn pants."
He slowly opened his eyes to see a very pregnant Libby leaning over him. "Baby," she said, pointing to her stomach and then an imaginary watch on her wrist. "It's time."
Sheen sat up in bed and took a deep breath, but Libby covered his mouth with her hand before he was able to let out the panicky scream she had been anticipating. She kept her hand over his mouth while he got dressed, as they got into the cab, and up until they made it to the hospital. When Libby stepped out of the cab an orderly sat her down in a wheelchair and with one careless movement of her arm, she accidentally lifted her hand from Sheen's mouth. He instantly threw his hands up in the air and ran off screaming though the revolving doors.
"I must really love that boy," Libby sighed to herself as she was wheeled into the hospital. Sheen was handling the situation exactly as Libby had expected him to.
Sheen kept running screaming up and down stairs; through every corridor and waiting room. He finally skidded to a halt when he heard Libby panting in a room he had just passed. "Hey Libs, I was looking for you," he said calmly as he poked his head into the room.
"A little help, papi?" she squeaked between pushes.
"That was kinda neat! Last time I saw anything being born, it was an alien popping out of Carl's behind," Sheen trailed off as the nurse put a squirming bundle of pink blankets in Libby's arms.
The baby had dark brown eyes and caramel-colored skin.
"Sheen," Libby began, almost too exhausted to speak.
"Yeah, I know." he sighed, rolling his eyes, not letting Libby finish her sentence. "That was the most painful, horrible experience of your life and if I ever touch you again you'll quitar mi huevos."
"I just want to say I think you're going to be a great dad," she murmured as he put the baby back in Libby's arms.
"Miss Liberty Folfax?" asked a stocky nurse holding a clipboard. "You plan on naming that baby anytime soon?"
Libby looked down at her little girl and smiled. "Justice."
"Justice Estevez," Sheen piped in from the other side of the bed. Libby looked over at him in surprise, but before she could say anything, he grabbed her hand and slid a thin gold band around her finger.
In a few short months Libby had auditioned for the Vocal Arts program and had been accepted. Sheen was managing the McSpanky's a few blocks from their apartment when he began dabbling in stand-up comedy at open mic nights around the city. He eventually had to get out of the fast food business entirely when he was asked to be a cast member on a televised sketch comedy show.
End.