Chapter 6: If love is what you need. A soldier I will be.
"How the hell did I end up in here?" Dante asked himself as he was in possibly the most awkward situation ever.
Before Dante went to bed, the day before. Betty messaged him, inviting him for breakfast in her house. Dante accepted. But he thought that Mama Cooper hadn't come back from her trip yet. He was wrong.
At the moment, he was sitting down at the dinner table of the Cooper's home, eating pancakes with Betty and Alice Cooper. Why did Betty invited him, knowing that her mother hated him? It was a question that Dante was asking himself as he ate. Although he ate slowly because he was having an exceptionally dark idea that Alice put poison on his food.
"So, Dante..." Alice started to talk. "I suppose we have you to thank for Betty's ongoing obsession with this Jason Blossom ghoulishness?"
"Actually, Mom, I was the one who asked Dan to help me write it for the Blue and Gold." Betty quickly spoke back.
"Dan? Are you two using nicknames now?" Alice spoke, making a very poor job in hiding her annoyance.
Betty started to call him Dan after Jason's funeral. Dante said that it was okay, since Veronica kept calling him Danticho. So it was fair that Betty called him something else as well. Dan was not even a nickname, it was just short for Dante.
She then signalled him. While Alice was finishing breakfast, Betty told him to distract her while she checked her purse.
"Can I use the bathroom?" Dante asked.
"Sure, I'll show you." Betty said
"No, no. I'll show him." Alice was quick to say.
Dante stood up and followed Alice towards the bathroom, leaving Betty alone. As Dante followed Alice, he was just hoping that Betty manages to find anything.
"What do you think you're doing?" Alice asked.
"What do you mean?" Dante replied with his arms folded.
"Didn't I tell you to stay away from Betty."
"You did? I don't remember." Dante said with a smile. "Besides, it's Betty that keeps coming to me."
"Do I look an idiot to you?"
Dante stayed quiet for a bit. "Do you really want me to answer?" Dante spoke up after a short silence.
"Listen you little-"
"Dante, we're gonna be late." Betty showed up at the corridor and called him.
"It was nice talking to you, Mrs. Cooper." He said while waving at her as he walks towards Betty
Betty and Dante made their way to school as soon as they left the house. They had a normal day and decided to check what Betty has found after the first class. Strangely enough, the teacher of Betty and Dante made their way to school as soon as they left the house. They had a normal day and decided to check what Betty has found after the first class. Strangely enough, the teacher of Dante's first class was absent. So he decided to help Kevin.
"What exactly are we doing?" Dante asked.
"We're checking whether the talent is worthy of being on the Variety Show." Kevin replied.
"So… we're either crushing someone's self-esteem by telling that they suck, or glorifying it by telling that they're okay." Dante commented.
"Pretty much."
For the next hour, Dante and Kevin kept watching and judging the auditions. Dante was somewhat more open-minded than Kevin as he did found a few of the unusual talents to be interesting. Dante was a bit annoyed by some of the Jocks sitting in the back, as they were either mocking or making fun of the ones auditioning.
Suddenly, Dante feels someone touching his shoulder. He turns his face to see Veronica.
"Having fun?" Veronica asked them with a smile.
"Yeah, crushing people's hopes and dreams is very fun." Dante spoke with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
"It's not like, they needed us for that to happen." Kevin commented while writing things down.
"Are we finished? I need to help Betty with something." Dante asked.
"Well, unless Veronica wants to try out, then yes." Kevin spoke.
Dante then looks at Veronica and smiles. "So Ronnie, do you have any talent that we don't know about?"
"Well... If a certain green eyed pretty boy, who I heard from our friend Valerie, can play guitar and sing would climb on stage with me." Veronica spoke with a not so subtle invitation.
"Umm... not that I wouldn't enjoy it, I didn't bring my guitar." Dante made an excuse.
"There's a spare one behind the curtain." Kevin added which made Dante want to punch him.
"No excuses now, so what do you say." She extends her hand. "What do you say, Danticho? Be the Jay to my Bey?"
Dante though about it for a second as he didn't really wanted to be on stage but at the same time, he really didn't want to say no to Veronica. After a split second, he decided to accept.
"Alright," He spoke after he grabbed her hand.
Then the two of them went behind the curtain and Dante grabbed the spare guitar that Kevin mentioned. Apparently there was a bunch of spare instruments from the music room for whoever needs to use it.
"Umm... what music do you want to play?" Dante asked. "Cause my range is kinda of limited."
"What song can you play best?" Veronica asked.
"Ummm... Mad World." Dante answered. He learned after he saw Donnie Darko.
"Perfect." She said before grabbing his hand and walking out to the stage. "Just follow my lead."
"Well... Veronica Lodge and Dante Parker." Kevin announced them.
Dante gives a thumbs up to him before playing. He starts to play a guitar solo of the song Mad World, he started to sing not before long.
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Suddenly Veronica started to sing alongside him and their voices fit very well together.
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it's a very very
Mad world, mad world
Children waiting for the day, they feel good
Happy birthday, happy birthday
Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kinda funny, I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take
When people run in circles it's a very very
Mad world, mad world
Enlarge your world
Mad world
After the Auditions, Dante went to the Blue and Gold to check what Betty has found. Apparently, she took a photo of her mother's check book, one check in particular stood out.
"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy." Betty spoke out loud and Dante searched on the computer. "What is that, like a church? Or a charity?"
Dante unfortunately found out what it was. "No, it's a 'home for troubled youths.'" Dante told her. "Where disenfranchised teens will learn such virtues as discipline and respect...enjoying lives of quiet reflection and servitude."
"Poor Polly." Betty said.
Dante then picks up his phone and writes down the address in it. Then they heard the bell ringing and decided to speak while lunching..
Both Dante and Betty gather at lunch.
"It's been months, I need to know if Polly and her baby are okay." Betty spoke.
"Look, we need to get there as soon as we can." Dante told her. "I don't know what the hell your parents are planning to do with her but we can't let it happen."
Soon enough, they are joined by Kevin and Veronica.
"So… you're a dark James Dean, a Karate kid and a guitarist?" Kevin asked.
"What?" Dante asked.
"Kevin was impressed by your singing abilities after our audition." Veronica added.
"Audition? I didn't know you two could sing?" Betty asked.
"Like a nightingale." Veronica spoke. "And Dante sings like a rugged rockstar."
Betty then looked at Dante. "Really?"
"I wouldn't describe like that but..." Dante spoke as he eat potato chips.
"Well, since Dante left before I could announce… You two are in." Kevin told them.
Dante then looked at Kevin with a dumbfounded look. "Wait, wait, wait. I'm not participating, I was just helping Veronica."
Veronica didn't seemed fazed by that. "Really Danticho? Are you going leave a girl hanging like that?"
"No... it's just..." Dante didn't know what to say. "I'm not exactly that good of a guitarist or singer."
"Which means, we will have to practice a lot then." Veronica spoke with a smile. "Maybe get started after class."
Dante stayed quiet for a bit. "I don't have a choice do I?"
"Nope."
"No."
"Probably not."
Veronica, Kevin and Betty told him.
Dante and Betty agreed that they would go to this home for troubled youths, where her parents hide Polly on a day off school.
Dante and Betty agreed that they would go to this home for troubled youths, where her parents hide Polly on a day off school.
Right now Dante was walking with Veronica. Dante was cursing himself for getting himself into singing on the Variety Show with Veronica. Not that he didn't enjoy singing with her. But he wasn't liking the idea of singing in front of the whole school.
He was following her to Andrews construction where she was visiting her mother on the first day on the new job that Mr. Andrews gave her.
"You know... I don't think I ever saw your parents." Veronica spoke as they walked.
"I already told you that my dad is doing some Marine work somewhere." Dante replied.
"Yeah but... what about your mom?" Veronica asked.
"What about her?" Dante spoke in a strange hostile tone.
"Ummm... I don't know, where is she?" Veronica was a bit surprised by his tone.
"Your guest is as good as mine." Dante replied with the same tone.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Veronica asked.
"It means that, I don't know or care where she is." Dante answered while looking at her.
Veronica was about to ask him something but before she could do it. She saw something. Dante moves his gaze to see what it was and sees Mr. Andrews and Veronica's mom kissing through the window.
"Ummm... Ronnie?" Dante tried to talk to her.
"I'll talk to you later." Veronica told him in a low voice before turning around and leave.
Dante didn't know what to say, so he decided to warn her mother on what just happened. He walks towards Mr. Andrews office and knocks on the door.
The doors opens revealing Mr. Andrews. "Dante? What are-"
"Hi Mr. Andrews, ummm Mrs. Lodge." Dante greeted him then called Veronica's mother who was behind him. "Veronica just saw the two of you kissing and left."
"What?!" She asked before walking out of the door. "Sorry Fred, I have to talk to her."
"It's okay, go." Mr. Andrews told her and she left right away.
Dante then turned to him as she left. "Sorry about this, Veronica wanted to visit her mom on the first day."
"It's alright, you don't have to explain anything." He was quick to assure him.
"Anyway, how's things around here?" Dante asked.
"Well... to be honest-"
Mr. Andrews invited Dante inside for a Coffee and explained him the situation. It turns out that Fred only has enough money in the bank to pay his guys for two more weeks, he would be putting his business at risk if he doesn't fire some people, but he explained to Dante that he is waiting to hear about the bid for the new development where the Twilight Drive-In used to be, in which the construction for could put him back in the black. However, he doesn't know who the buyer is, but since Mayor McCoy is handling all the arrangements for the buyer, he figured he'd present her with the bid, and he asked for Hermione to be his co-host, to which she agreed. Hermione also offered to have the dinner at her place, since it's nicer.
"Oh, that's good... I hope things work out, a lot of guys here need this job." Dante met some of them when he worked there during summer.
"Yeah, me too." Mr. Andrews replied. "You and Hermione's daughter?"
"We're going to perform on the Variety Show together." Dante explained. "She kinda forced me to be her partner."
"I guess she got that from her parents, Hermione and Hiram were always good at convincing people." Mr. Andrews said as he sipped a cup of coffee.
"You know her father?"
"Yes, Hiram Lodge." He spoke. "Although I never really interact with him, him and your father knew each other well."
"Wait... they were friends?" Dante asked. As he was getting really tired of getting information about his father from other people.
"Oh no, no, no. They were definitely not friends." Mr. Andrews assured him as he finished his coffee. "They were... rivals of sorts."
"Rivals?" Dante asked with a confused look.
"Well... more of a one sided rivalry." Mr. Andrews stood up from his chair and refilled his coffee. "Hiram was constantly trying to compete against your father in everything, no matter what it was, Hiram would turn into a competition. Your father never cared about it but Hiram acted like beating your father was some type of life purpose. Like when the two were in the wrestling team back in high school, Hiram was constantly trying to sabotage your father so he wouldn't win." He finished explaining. "I think even his marriage with Hermione is a result of that."
"Excuse me?" Now Dante was even more confused.
"Virgil and Hermione actually dated for a while." Mr. Andrews explained.
Dante didn't know whether he should be surprised or not. He only knows that his father really has a lot of explaining to do. "I think after hearing about his relationship with Alice Cooper, I can't get any more surprised."
"I don't blame you." Mr. Andrews replied. "They started to go out a month after his break up with Alice, it didn't last long." He explained. "But as soon as they were over, Hiram made a move on her."
"That's actually a little disturbing." Dante replied.
"Yeah... Since you and Veronica are in a forced partnership, would you like to come to the dinner?" He invited him.
"Ummm... Isn't this a business meeting?" Dante asked. "Should me and Veronica be present?"
"Mayor McCoy will bring her daughter and husband, so I thought it would be good for you and Veronica to be present." He explained.
"I don't know about Veronica but... If I can be of any help, then I'll be there." Dante answered.
"Thanks Dante."."
"After leaving the construction, Dante went back home and spend the rest of the day practicing on his guitar for the Variety Show. He decided to give some time for Veronica to process the situation tAfter leaving the construction site, Dante went back home and spend the rest of the day practicing on his guitar for the Variety Show. He decided to give some time for Veronica to process the situation that she was in.
Suddenly he hears his phone ringing. He picks up right away.
"Hello"
"Hey Dan."
"Hi Betty."
"Look... can we go tomorrow?"
"Why the hurry? Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just... I need to see my sister."
"Alright, alright, Tomorrow it is then."
"Thanks Dan."
"You know... every time you call me Dan I end up thinking about Fatal Attraction."
"Wait what? Why?"
"Well..."
For the next hour Dante and Betty started to have a funny conversation about the name Dan.
The next day came quickly, which Dante was spending the majority of the day trying to find Veronica. Luckily he found her in the student lounge sitting on a couch.
"Hey." He greeted her. He sits beside her. "What are you doing?"
"Hey Danticho, I'm just deciding which song we should play in the show." She said to him in return but Dante noticed that something was wrong.
"Ronnie, talk to me." Dante said while grabbing her hand.
She looks at him with her brown eyes before speaking. "It's just what happens when my dad comes home?"
"I don't know... no one does, the only thing I know is that... some people search for love where they can find it." Dante told her.
"They're married. To other people." Veronica added.
"So? Both marriages aren't exactly ideal at the moment." Dante explained.
"So… what, the marriage has a crisis, so it's okay to cheat? Veronica asked in a slightly hostile tone.
"Probably not... I don't know, I only met people with shitty marriages." Dante pointed out.
"Come on, now you're exaggerating." Veronica said.
"Not really, back in Detroit I only knew two married couples. One, was a couple where both cheated on each other. Other, the wife was a secret junkie." Dante explained.
"Damn, are you serious?" She asked with a disgusted look.
"Yup."
Veronica sights a bit. "You know what, let's change the subject. I've got a lot of aggression that needs channelling into something positive." Veronica stands up and extends her hand for Dante to take it.
After spending most of lunch practicing with Veronica. Soon enough it was time to leave school and finally get to the bottom of it. It was time for Dante and Betty to finally find Polly.
As soon as they left school, they took a bus that led to the address that Dante wrote down. Soon enough, they were both in front of their destination.
"This place looks like the scenario of a vengeful ghost story where everyone dies in the ending." That was all that Dante could say about the place.
Betty quickly went ahead while Dante followed behind her. The two quickly got inside and went to the front desk. " Hi, my name is Elizabeth Cooper. I'm here to see my sister Polly." Betty told the woman in the front desk. Dante was looking around the place and it looked like an insane asylum to him.
"May I see some identification?"
"Yeah."
"Sign in here, you'll have to wait." The moment she said that. Dante turned around and the woman saw his face. "Charles?" The woman called him.
"Who?" Dante asked in confusion after being called that.
"Oh, sorry. You look like someone who used to live here." The woman told him. "Polly's room is right this way. Though right now it's silent reflection time and she usually spends that time in the Garden of Deliverance." She signalled Betty to follow her.
Leaving Dante alone in the insane asylum looking place. The only problem is that Dante wasn't in the mood to wait so he decided to find another way to this Garden of Deliverance which sounds like some cursed place than a peaceful place.
Dante made his way to the front door. And looked for a way to get on the back of the building. Luckily he saw a tree that was high enough for him to climb through on of the walls, as he saw what was the other, he could the place was peaceful enough to have lame name. Dante jumped over the wall and landed on the ground.
As he walked around trying not to be seen by the other nuns or whatever they were. Dante sees Betty and the woman who called him Charles from afar. He also sees a familiar figure from afar as well. There Polly was, picking flowers.
Soon enough the woman turns around and leaves Betty. Then she approached her. Dante then approached Betty.
"Hey."
Betty got startled before she turned around to see him. "How did you got here?"
"Wall." He answered before pointing at the direction that he came from. "And I just didn't want to wait." He moved his gaze to Polly.
"Come on."
Betty grabbed his hand the two approached her. She was just there, touching a rose on the garden.
"Polly?" The moment she heard her name, Polly turned around and sae Dante and Betty standing there.
She smiled before running towards them. "Betty." She said as she hugged her. "Dante." She then wrapped her arms around him.
"Hey..." Dante said in a low voice before returning the hug. When the two separated, he saw her growing belly and he touched it. "How's my godson or goddaughter?"
"Much better now." She replied.
Betty then got closer as well and touched her belly.
"Please be happy for me, Betty." She told her.
"I am, Polly." Betty assured her while touching her shoulders. " I'm just... I'm so sorry I didn't come sooner. I should've, but Mom and Dad, they stopped-"
"No. What'd they tell you? That I was on drugs? Alcohol?"
"They said you were sick. And you tried to hurt yourself."
"And they told me you didn't want to come and see me, which I knew was a lie."
"Why did they lock you up in here anyway? What the hell are they planning?" Dante finally interrupted the sisters reunion to ask his own questions.
"Because they couldn't control me, Dante." She told him. "I was ready to leave, on July 4th, I woke up, packed a bag, and I went downstairs to start my new life... But Mom and Dad found out about everything."
"Polly, what the hell happened?" Dante asked.
"I went downstairs, there was a woman I didn't know sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea, with two men behind her." Polly explained.
"Oh my god." Betty spoke.
Dante touched his forehead in frustration after hearing that.
"They threw me in the back of a van. I was screaming. I don't think I stopped screaming until I got here in this place." She finished explaining.
"What the fuck." That was all that Dante said.
"Dante, Have you talked to him? Does he know that I'm here?" She asked Dante. Who's only response was to look at her confused.
"Who?" Dante asked.
"Jason. That's how you found out that I didn't leave with him, right?" Polly spoke up which Dante made a worried face.
"You gotta to be fucking kidding me." Dante thought as he just figured out that Polly doesn't know that Jason is dead. He looks at Betty not knowing what to say.
"Polly, Jason-" She tried to tell her but Polly interrupted.
"What does he think happened? He knows I'm here because of Mom and Dad, right?" She kept talking.
"Polly, you don't understand-" Betty kept trying to talk.
"I can fix this Betty. I know I can." She stars to mumble something. " You just have to help me get out of here. And then I'll go to meet him. Dante left a car, on the lost highway off of Route 4. I'm packed. We're packed. We'll go to the farm, like we planned."
"Polly, stop." Betty interrupted her.
"What's the matter, Betty?" She asked. "Dante?" She stared at him. "What is going on?"
Dante takes a deep breath before speaking. "Polly... Jason is ..." He tried to say but he stopped in the middle.
"What, did something happen to him?" She asked in near desperate tone.
Dante then looked down a bit. "When I heard...about your parents sending you away... I went to check the car... it was still in the exact same spot I left. ... Jason never made it to it."
"D-Dante... W-w-what's that supposed to mean? " Polly asked in a terrified face that was near unbearable for Dante.
"Polly... Jason is dead." He decided to be direct.
" Oh, my God." Polly then started to sob and Betty quickly hugged her. "He's... He's... He's..." Dante then also joined the hug. "Oh, my God, I knew it!"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Polly." Betty told her as she sobbed on her shoulder.
Suddenly, they're attempt to comfort her was interrupted. "Come with me, you two. Now." The same woman from the reception called them..
Dante and Betty sat down for a while waiting for whatever the hell was going to happen next. The two of them stayed quiet as they were digesting what they just found out. Then suddenly like a storm, a dark thought came into Dante's mind.
"Oh shit." Dante spoke out loud.
"What is it?" Betty asked.
"Betty. .. I think your parents are just keeping Polly here until the baby is born." Dante pointed out. "But what happens after."
Betty then figure it out what Dante means. "You don't think they-"
Suddenly the door of the room opens revealing Alice Cooper.
"Oh great, now this goddamned is complete." Dante thought as he sees Alice.
"Mom? What are you doing here?" Betty asked.
"I pay the sisters good money. You think they don't notify me if Polly gets a visitor?" She replied turning to Dante. "And you. What you did was trespassing , I could tell them that you were harassing my daughter and have them call the police on you." She spoke as bitterly as always.
"Please do, I'm gonna love using my telephone call to tell the Blossoms what you plan on doing with their grandchild." Dante spoke back just as bitterly.
"You don't know anything." She spoke in a hostile tone.
"Oh please, 'Jason made her sick' you were talking about the baby. I know exactly what you're planning to do." Dante retorted while repeating what Hal told Betty.
"No, it wasn't just Jason, it was you as well." Alice spoke in his face. Before turning around and grabbing Betty's hand dragging her out of the room. Dante followed them, but while they were on the corridor.
Polly appeared. " Mom?"
"Polly." Alice replied.
"Jason's dead? And you didn't tell me? And you kept me in here?" Polly spoke while sobbing.
"Baby, it's for your own good." Alice spoke in return.
"No! You always say that! It's not true!" Polly yelled before two orderlies tried to drag her away.
Dante and Betty tried to help her but one of the orderlies held Dante back, he could have easily knocked him out but he was already in trouble for the trespassing and he decided that it would be better not to do it. There was no way to help Polly in that moment.
"No, Betty!" Polly yelled as Betty managed to get pass the orderlies and reach Polly.
"I'm gonna get you out of here, I swear to god." Betty tells her. "I love you, Polly."
"No! No!" All that both Betty and Dante could do was watch as the Orderlies drag Polly away she screamed desperately trying to break free of them.
To Dante Parker, this day just kept finding ways to get worse. He just had to break the news to one of his best friends that she's going to give birth to a fatherless child. Then her crazy control freak of a mother drag his other best friend away, leaving him there without a way to get home.
He had to walk for hours until he got back home. And to make matters worse, he receives a call reminding him of the dinner that he was invited to. He really wanted to give an excuse to not go to it after this mess of a day. But he could really use spending some time with Veronica. So he decided to go.
He put on a black T-shirt, black slacks and black Oxford shoes.
He got to the Pembroke quickly enough after that and was impressed by how fancy it was. It was the first time that he went there, it looked like a rich girl's home. He didn't see Veronica anywhere, when he asked Mrs. Lodge about her. She told him that Veronica was at Pop's with Kevin. Which made Dante very frustrated and regretting not making up an excuse to no attend this dinner.
It wasn't long before he was sitting down on the dinner table with the McCoys, Mr. Andrews and Mrs. Lodge in a very awkward dinner that he really wish that he hadn't attended.
While eating, Dante noticed that Josie and Mayor McCoy made some confused looks at him. Probably asking themselves what was he doing in there? Since Dante wasn't in the mood for a conversation, he decided to stay quiet. Although he had one question, which was for Josie's father. Dante never liked Josie very much because of her diva attitude, but this might be his only opportunity to ask.
"Ummm... Mr. McCoy, do you mind if I ask you a question?" Dante finally spoke up as he was quiet the whole dinner.
"No, ask away." He replies as he sipped a glass of wine.
"Have you... ever struggled with the art vs commerce aspect of being a musician?" Dante was wondering, he was music listener and he often wonders the meaning behind the songs, usually they have a personal story like that.
"All the time, you mostly have difficulty when it comes to the type of music that you want to play against the type they want you to play." He explained to Dante.
"They? You mean the public or the record company?" Dante asked.
"Both actually." Mr. McCoy spoke.
"I see, well I'm not a musician but... It must takes a lot more than talent to be a professional," Dante made a comment.
"It does take a lot, it's not just about talent. It about determination and focus, just as much as it is about talent." Mr. McCoy talked in a passionate matter. "Do you play?"
"Guitar, but... I'm average. Josie plays way better than me." Dante answered while pointing at Josie.
"Don't sell yourself short, everyone starts out as average. It's all a matter of practice, Josephine was a disaster when she picked the guitar for the first time."
"Wait, Josephine?" Dante asked Josie. "That's your full name?"
"After Josephine Baker." Mr. McCoy said.
"Oh."
"You have no idea who that is, do you?"
"I do, Josephine Baker was a Vidette, singer, dancer, actress, civil rights activist and French Resistance agent." Dante explained. "Or are we talking about another Josephine Baker?"
"No, precisely that one." Mr. McCoy seemed pleased that Dante knew who it was.
"Fred? You wanna get started on that presentation?" Mayor McCoy spoke.
"Yeah." He replied.
"Well... if you're going to start on the presentation, I'm going to call it a night." Dante spoke as he stood up from the dinner table.
"You don't have go now Danticho." Mrs. Lodge told him.
"I know but, I had a long day and I really need to get some sleep." Dante replied. "Thanks for inviting me for dinner and thank you for answering my questions Mr. McCoy."
"Call me Myles, and it was no problem." The two shake hands. "Are you going to the Variety Show? " He asked.
"I'm actually playing on the show with Mrs. Lodge 's daughter Veronica." Dante explained.
"Oh good, I can see if you're just average with the guitar as you claim you are." He joked to Dante.
"Ouch, and I thought I couldn't get any more nervous than I already am. A professional Jazz player is gonna watch me play guitar." Dante joked in return.
"Nervousness is good thing, it helps you be more prepared." He told him.
As soon as he left the Pembroke, Dante went straight back home and quickly went to sleep. Unfortunately sleep didn't last long as he woke up as soon as the sun came up. He couldn't stop thinking about Polly and this entire mess.
Not just the fact that whoever killed Jason was still out there but also the fact that Polly's parents are probably planning on getting rid of the baby as soon as it is born. He read that The Sisters of Quiet Mercy, aren't just a "home for troubled youths. They're also an Orphanage. They're probably planning to give the baby up for adoption.
Beep, Beep, Beep
Dante got up from his bed, but decided not to eat breakfast or anything, he picked up his skateboard and went straight to Betty's house. He got there but rather than knocking on her door, he knocked on Mr. Andrews's door and asked if he had a climbing ladder. He made confused look but ultimately leant him the ladder.
Dante the use to climb into Betty's window.
He tapped on it and she opens it.
"Hey there, princess." Dante greeted her. "Is the witch around?"
She just smiled at that before letting him enter through the window.
"They're crazy. My parents are crazy." That was the first thing she said to me.
"Yeah, I kinda of already knew that for some time now." Dante commented.
"No, but what if... What if Polly is, too?" Betty asked.
"Betty, Polly literally found out that the man she was going to marry was murdered." Dante pointed out.
"Yeah but, the way she was talking to us, the way she looked at us... And now, all I can think is," She kept on speaking. "Maybe I'm crazy like they are."
"Betty, listen to me." Dante puts his hands on her cheeks. "This whole mess sucks, and it will suck for a long time. But we can't allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by it, because we're not gonna be able to help Polly if we do." Dante explained to her.
Betty sights and takes a deep breath. "You're right."
Dante the gives a kiss on her forehead before walking to the window. "Look, we will find a way to get Polly out of there. I have to go now, I have to rehearse the song with Veronica for the show."
"Okay, I'll be there." She tells him.
"Cool." That was the last thing he said before descending the stairs.
Soon enough, it was time for Variety Show, which Dante was very nervous for it. Currently him and Veronica were watching the Pussycats perform. They were singing a song called I Feel Love by Donna Summer. Dante really liked their outfits for the presentation.
"They're really good." Dante commented to Veronica.
"Yes,they are." She replied.
The end of their songs arrives and the public cheered loudly for them.
"You're ready Danticho?" She asked him.
"No." Dante spoke with a smile.
"Here's Dante Parker and Veronica Lodge!" Kevin announced them.
The two made their way to the stage hearing claps from the audience.
Soon enough, Dante started to play his guitar. The music that they choose was an old song that Dante heard as a kid. Veronica though that this song would fit Dante's voice after he showed her the lyrics.
When I have nowhere else to go
Dante sang in a loud voice.
And in my sky there are no more stars
Veronica then joined him like last time.
Where did courage go?
'I'm tired but I won't give up
But I can see a light at the end
Does anyone still look after me?
Don't judge me for not being equal
Suddenly Dante and Veronica noticed the rest of the school clapping alongside the song like it was a big drum.
I carry the truth here in my eyes, in my eyes
I just pray to be fine
I know it will
I believe everything will be okay
And just pray to be well
I know it will
I believe everything will be okay
God only knows how I ran
And what I did to get here
This world is no longer mine
I don't surrender nor surrender
But I can see a light at the end
Does anyone still look after me?
Don't judge me for not being equal
I carry the truth here in my eyes, in my eyes
I just pray to be fine
I know it will
I believe everything will be okay
And just pray to be well
I know it will
I believe everything will be okay
I just want to be what I am
I just wanna not have to lie
Because I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I just want to be what I am
I just wanna not have to lie
I haven't found it yet, I haven't found it yet
Dante then did a guitar solo. Which was enough prof to most that he was definitely not average with that guitar.
I just pray to be alright (to be alright)
I pray to be well (I pray to be well)
I pray to be well (I pray to be well)
After they finished singing, both received cheering and applauding ftom the Audience. Which the two just smiled at it.
Soon after their performance, Veronica went looking for her mother and Dante went looking for Betty.
But he ended up bumping into Mr. McCoy.
"Hello Dante."
"Oh, Hello Mr. McCoy." Dante greeted him and shake his hand. "Hope you like the show."
"Some parts, but I must say. You and that girl were definitely the highlight of it." He commented.
"Oh, don't let Josie hear that, because she might get mad at me." Dante joked.
"Josephine and the Pussycats's performance left something to be desired. There was a lack of integrity, at least from Josephine's part." He bluntly spoke about his daughter.
"Some people get nervous when doing something in front of her father." Dante tried to argue.
"That's no excuse. You never performed before and yet there was more integrity coming from you than her." He kept on speaking. "I need go now." He picked something from his jacket. "If you ever plan on playing professionally, give ne call."
"Wow, thanks Mr. McCoy." Dante took a card from him, and put it on his pocket.
Mr. McCoy then turned around and walked towards the exit.
Dante then turned around and noticed Mayor McCoy and Josie staring at him, Josie had tears in her eyes. Dante is almost sure thar she heard everything. She walks away crying and Mayor McCoy runs after her.
Dante decided not to get involved on this family matter and went back on looking for Betty. Luckily, he found her quickly. But she was on her phone with a very worried face.
"Betty? What is it?" Dante asked.
She turns to him and looks at him in the eyes. "Dan, Polly ran away from the Sisters of Quiet Mercy."
"WHAT?!" Dante yelled in deep confusion.