Authors Notes:
As always, I don't own Trixie Belden or any of the characters here. I use them lovingly, but alas, they are not mine. They belong to the lucky people of Random House.
Again as always, my story involves the Bob-Whites as teens. It's not "R" but it's also not "G". It's probably "T" for Teen, due mostly to the fact that these are 16 (ish) year olds acting like 16-year-olds. There's swearing, crude jokes, innuendo, kissing, and so on.
Enjoy!
Ch. 3
Dan was avoiding Trixie's gaze. He had made a few trips back and forth from the house to the yard, helping carry various dishes, utensils and condiments. But he couldn't shake the weird, guilty feeling that he had every time Trixie acknowledged him in anyway. Even if it was just to hand him a bowl of macaroni salad, he felt it, like she was evaluating him.
Like she'd smell it on him, sense it somehow, and start smacking him with a wooden spoon. He unconsciously rubbed one hand over his knuckles before he remembered that was his mother's move, not Trixie's.
Mart had a secret, and now Dan did too. And what's worse, he had already promised to help Trixie find it. But he just couldn't do it now. Not to Mart and Di. It wasn't his secret to tell. And it definitely wasn't Trixie's business.
Still…he just couldn't hold his head up and look her in the face. And he couldn't stop thinking about it, which, he was sure, would arouse her suspicions. He was fairly sure he was already getting the Trixie Side-Eye.
Finally, while the girls were busy preparing a salad inside, he had the chance to give Mart a piece of his mind. "I can't believe you man," he shook his head in disapproval. "You're trying to pull this on Trixie? Your bulldog sister?" he reminded him. "She knows something's going on, and she's not going to quit. You know that."
"It's none of her business," Mart retorted quietly, not wanting Jim or Brian to hear. He sullenly poked one of the burgers with a spatula.
"Since when did that ever stop her before?" Dan demanded.
"I get it, I do. But let's worry about Trixie later." He waved one hand, as though dismissing the thought. "Can we just take a minute to celebrate me?" He said smugly and gave Dan a cocky grin. "I'm making out with the hottest girl in school. Did you ever think that I, Martin Belden, would actually close it with Divine Diana?"
Dan laughed. "When you're right, you're right. I can't believe you did it. I'm kind of impressed," he admitted. "But I also kind of hate everything right now. You get to play kissy-face with Di. I get to be harassed by Trixie until I either die, or she finds out. At which point she kills me anyway. Thanks, Mart."
"Oh, come on," Mart protested. "It's not like it hasn't been pretty obvious that this was coming. I don't feel like anyone has a lot of right to act so shocked. Quit clutching your pearls, Dan. I would think you, of all people, would understand."
"Understand?" Dan echoed. "Understand? Why would I understand? You're sneaking around behind everyone's back instead of just going on a date like normal people. I don't think Trixie would care if you just came out and told her. You're the one turning it into this whole big thing." He rubbed his temples, muttering to himself, "Things were finally coming together. Almost done with school. Chance to make some extra money this summer. Instead, I'm going to be murdered. Violently and horrifically, I'm sure. And buried in a hole in the orchard by your sister. Regan won't even look for the body." He brightened suddenly. "But Molinson would love charging her. Trixie Belden catching a case would make his day. He'll avenge me." His mood deflated again. "I can't believe I'm depending on Molinson," he realized bleakly.
"Would you shut up, you moron?" Mart interjected, annoyed. "She's not going to kill you. Besides, I can't just tell her." He began flipping the burgers over, with a jerky, irritated motion. "I'm not trying to keep a secret from Trixie. I don't want it to be a big problem for everybody. Don't you get it?"
Dan gave him a blank look, which indicated he clearly did not. Mart sighed, then explained. "Di isn't allowed to have a boyfriend until July. When she's 16. If her dad finds out, I'm the one getting buried in the orchard. My parents would probably kill me if her dad doesn't. And I don't want to start with her family completely hating me, as the creep she snuck around with." He paused for a moment, letting Dan take this in, then added, "If I tell everyone else, they have to keep my secret too. It sucks. I'm sorry that you have to keep it, that's why I never said anything. But it's not going to help to tell more people, who just have to keep their mouths shut. Making them all suffer isn't going to fix it for us." He shrugged his shoulders helplessly, then looked at Dan seriously. "Really, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I dragged you into it. But it's a moving train at this point. Why bring them into it?"
Dan rolled his eyes. "So why not just stop sneaking around til she's 16 and follow the rule?"
Mart gave him that cocky grin again. "Seriously, Dan, you've seen her. Are you kidding me? I'm taking my chance while it's here, opportunity doesn't always knock twice."
Dan frowned, then shrugged. He had to admit that Mart had a point.
"Whatever, man. Just know this - if Trixie kills me, I'm taking you with me."
"Deal," Mart agreed, shaking hands with Dan to seal their pact. "So, what were you talking about before, having a job this summer? You never told me that."
Finally, all sitting at the table together to eat, Trixie didn't wait long to start grilling Dan. When he asked for the ketchup, she handed it to him. Smiling sweetly, she said pointedly, "Here it is, Dan. I didn't mean to hide it from you. You know I'd never hide anything from you."
Dan snatched the ketchup away uncomfortably, glancing around the table. Jim and Brian were obviously confused. Honey's expression made it clear that she was on "Team Trixie" for whatever this little move was. Dan knew the look. Di just stared at her plate, attempting to look nonchalant but failing. Mart tried changing the subject. "So, the span of our current session of academia will soon be reaching its temporary, but valuable, reprieve," he noted, trying to force enthusiasm. "Any notable junctures or occasions on the schedule?"
"I'm sure we'll have a few more cookouts," Honey replied. "Maybe you can cook the burgers again, Mart. You did a fabulous job."
"Thanks," Mart answered, pleased with the praise. Honey, however, immediately continued. "It's clear that these burgers have been turned. Isn't it, Trixie?"
"Oh, most definitely," Trixie agreed. "My burger was most definitely turned. It's funny, because I always thought my burger was a friend. But now I see that clearly, he's Mart's friend more. So I'm not surprised to find out that Mart could turn him. Disappointed, maybe but not surprised." She stared at Dan, who rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.
Jim and Brian looked around at the group and each other incredulously. Finally, Jim spoke up.
"What are you girls going on about?" he asked, utterly confused.
"Oh, nothing," Trixie replied easily. She wasn't trying to actually ruin the picnic. She just felt compelled to put the boys in check first. "It's nothing. Just mark my words, Martin Belden. You may have turned one burger. But I'm onto you." She pointed one finger at him, threateningly, to make her point.
"What she said," Honey agreed. Then, like it was nothing, she turned to the others. "So, any other big plans for this summer? Jobs? Camp? What's new?"
Trixie picked up her burger but waited to take a bite until after she shared, "I got a job at the inn. Since I won't have my license. And probably a car, most of the time. At least I can bike to the inn easy enough."
Brian rubbed his face, finding the random changes in tone and topic hard to follow. Not to mention weird. But he figured there was no point in going back to whatever that bizarre display was.
Jim clearly agreed with Brian's unspoken sentiment. He simply continued along with Trixie's conversation. "What are you doing at the inn?"
She grinned. "Cleaning the rooms. I figured I know enough about dusting and maid work, might as well turn it into a paying job."
Mart snorted, then choked it back. Dan shot him a frustrated look, clearly telling him not to poke the Trixie right now. Dan felt they had been given a stay of execution, and Mart couldn't be stupid enough to wreck it. Could he?
Uncertain of what the answer really was, Dan instead wisely changed the subject. "I have a job, too. Jim, you tell them."
Jim briefly outlined his own summer plans. Mr. Wheeler had arranged to have a forestry expert begin a consultation on the expansive game land that was part of the Manor estate. For proper growth and a healthy forest, it was necessary to occasionally trim back some of the trees. Some trees may be blocking smaller trees from the sun, creating a canopy that was too thick to be ideal for the forest floor. Others were simply at the end of their life and no longer healthy.
By having a forester evaluate and mark the trees that should be removed, Mr. Wheeler would be helping the ecosystem of the game land. He would, of course, also be able to sell the usable timber, but that was simply a sidenote – the health of the preserve was his first concern.
However, Mr. Wheeler had put off this essential but time-consuming process for several years already. He simply didn't have the time to escort the forester around, answering questions about his long-term goals for the land. This year, he had decided to finally complete the job – by delegating to Jim. Jim understood the goals for the land. He shared his adopted father's love of nature, and Mr. Wheeler could trust that Jim would not let anyone cut too aggressively.
So, Jim would be acting as the preserve spokesperson, assisting during the forester's examination. He was excited to learn more about how the land was evaluated, and how it was determined what trees (and how many) to cut. It would be a physical, outdoorsy job, and it would take much of the summer.
Then, Dan jumped in to explain his part. He would be helping Jim as needed. Being Mr. Maypenny's assistant gamekeeper meant that Dan couldn't abandon his duties entirely, but he could aid Jim on occasion. Like Jim, Dan was curious about what all the forestry expert could teach them. He was eager to see and learn more.
Then, Dan continued, some trees would be marked for cutting that were too small to sell for timber. The small trees that held no real value as lumber were for Dan, Mr. Wheeler had informed him. They still had to be removed, and Mr. Wheeler would pay for Dan to cut them down. Then, as a bonus, Dan could use the wood however he wanted.
Trixie had, for the moment, been so enthralled with the story that she forgot the war she had declared on Dan and Mart earlier. "What does that mean?" she asked with genuine interest. "What can you do with the wood? I don't get it."
"I can make money off it," Dan explained. "I can bundle it for firewood and sell it. Turn it into mulch. I can make slabs of wood into hand-painted signs and sell them. Whatever we want."
Di questioned curiously, "We?"
Dan nodded. "Mart and I already agreed to work together on it. We haven't decided exactly what we want to do with the wood. We just started talking about it earlier today. It will probably take some research first. What items sell, what items make the most profit, what kind of wood we actually have to work with…"
"Dad has some woodworking stuff in the barn," Mart added. "That will make it a little easier. We're going to take some time to think about it, and then we're going to stick to a few things that we have the tools and skill to make a lot of. We'll have to figure out how to sell it, too. Craft shows or a website or something."
Di's face lit up. "If you do anything artsy, maybe I could help," she offered. "I can paint and things like that."
"Way better than either of us," Dan admitted. "Sure, Di. When Mart and I figure out what we want to do, we'll let you know how you can put your artists eye to work," he promised.
Di beamed, looking pleased to be included.
Honey threw her hands up in disgust. "So, I'm going to be the only slacker without a job to do this summer?" Honey wouldn't be 16 until the end of June, which meant she couldn't apply for a traditional job like Trixie or Brian.
"Not necessarily," Mart assured her. "We shall make every effort to incorporate the handiwork of any interested participants, my good woman. You do, naturally, have a more advantageous eye for refinement that others such as your kinswoman to your left lack. I am certain we can accommodate your skills in some fashion."
Trixie, realizing that she was the "kinswoman to the left," chucked a piece of her hamburger bun at Mart. "I have no idea what you said," she admitted. "But leave me out of it."
Mart couldn't help but grin. "No worries, dear twin. We will lay in provisions to accomplish our ideals without your rudimentary skills."
Several more weeks passed, leading the gang into early June. While Dan had managed to avoid Trixie as best as he could, he still had a few awkward run-ins with her. Including, of course, at her brother Mart's birthday party. He could tell that she was suspicious of him, but at least with all of the Bob-whites home, it wasn't hard to avoid being caught alone with her. She was still poking and prodding but had nothing concrete.
And school was quickly drawing to a close. Classes were no longer in their regular schedule. Now, students at Sleepyside High only had to attend for final exams. Since attendance was not required unless you had an exam scheduled that day, it was considerably easier to avoid Trixie and Honey. Plus, they were too busy preparing for finals to put a lot of energy into their witch hunt, which let him off the hook considerably.
This particular day, Mart and Dan were assisting with the forestry evaluation, and it was the first time they had stood in for Jim. Jim had signed up to take a summer course at the nearby Westchester Community College on Tuesdays, leaving him unavailable that day. The boys had no tests that day and could take over.
The forester, Mr. Mackenzie, was gathering his tools. They were done working for the day. Mart was leaning against a tree, chatting with Di. She had been in class earlier that day but had been tagging along for the last half hour or so.
Dan couldn't resist a chance to annoy them. If he was going to keep Mart's stupid secret, he was at least going to make it enjoyable. "I gotta know, Diana. Why? Why?" he asked in an overdramatic voice.
Di just looked at him, wide-eyed. "Why…. why I'm with Mart?" she clarified.
Dan nodded. "Is it pity? Is he dying? Oh, Mart, are you dying?" he questioned, an incredulous tone in his voice as though he had just stumbled on a great secret. Then, he snapped his fingers and nodded sagely, as if he had the answer. "Do you have a fetish for short men? Short and pale," he corrected.
"Hey," Mart protested indignantly. "I'm not short!"
Dan cocked his head to the side. "So, you agree you're pale?"
Di leaned over to kiss Mart's nose. "I don't think you are short or pale. You're perfect." She kissed him again, on the lips this time. Dan made a fake retching noise, mostly just to aggravate them. He still didn't appreciate being lumped in on their secret. And he didn't love that they seemed to get bolder and bolder about acting like a couple when he was the only one there to see. If he were going to pretend not to know, he would prefer to not have it shoved down his throat every day.
Mart never once looked away from Di. Clearly, a kiss from his girlfriend was his priority. However, it didn't stop him from wordlessly lifting one arm, and face-palming Dan away from them.
Bored of his jokes, Dan decided to take the hint, walking a distance away. He waved to Mr. Mackenzie, who was ready to start back down the path out of the woods. "I'll be back on Friday," he informed Dan with a wave back. Dan nodded. Then, he decided to show Jim what they had accomplished for the day. He pulled out his phone, recording a short video that spun in a circle, showing a swathe of trees marked and ready for logging. He sent it off to Jim, then called over his shoulder to Mart that he was heading home.
Jim slung his backpack across his back. The class was over and he was heading for the stairwell, eager to leave. Jim would have preferred to be out in the preserve, though he knew he had to take his classwork seriously. As he left the building, he remembered suddenly that he had felt his phone vibrate in his pocket earlier. He pulled it out while walking down the stairs, and saw that it was a message from Dan. He hurried outside and moved over outside the front doors to read it. He quickly glanced at the video, then began typing a reply.
He paused, one finger in mid-air over his keypad. Had he…? He quickly replayed the video, confused. His blood ran cold. He rewound, again and again, like a voyeur at a car crash, his brain trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Finally, he dialed Dan's number.
Dan answered the phone, wincing as a long string of rather...inappropriate words came streaming out the other end. It certainly wasn't his first time hearing them, but it had been a long time since he had heard so many used together. Or so creatively. He actually pulled the phone away, double-checking that it was, in fact, Jim calling him. He knew that Jim had a bit of a temper, but he was also such a Boy Scout that Dan had honestly never pictured hearing this kind of colorful language from him.
Finally, Jim had run out of obscenities, and there was a moment of silence. "Easy, man," Dan said gently, not really sure what had Jim in such a bunch. "What is the matter?"
"You tell me, Dan. Did I have a stroke? Am I dead? Is this hell?" he demanded. "Did the entire world go upside down while I was in my class? I thought I was sitting through a few hours of Sociology. I didn't know I would be coming out to Armageddon. Which is exactly what it's going to be when Trixie finds out that Mart and Di were sneaking around in the game preserve today. Pretty sure I saw tongue, Dan. Was that tongue? No," he quickly amended. "Don't tell me. Just don't tell me."
There was a long silence as Dan processed Jim's words, finally understanding. He must have caught Mart and Di on film, though he hadn't realized it. Or had he? Was this what people meant about the subconscious, and being wracked by guilt until they incriminated themselves? Had he cracked and let the secret out on purpose, on some unknown level?
Jim continued after a beat, scratching his forehead. "Who knows, Dan? Tell me everyone knows. Tell me this isn't a secret. Tell me I'm just really out of the loop." Dan sighed, and Jim could sense, deep in his gut, that he wasn't going to like the response.
"Nobody else knows. Me, Mart and Di. That's it. I caught them at the cookout at the farm, that one back in May."
Jim rubbed his face in frustration. "This is bad, Dan. I can't lie to Trixie. You know I can't. I get all weird and sweaty and then I can't stop clearing my throat. I've got like 16 tells and she knows every one of them. She'll break me, Dan."
"Don't see her," Dan pointed out. "I've been avoiding her for like two weeks." He paused, then admitted. "It's bad, Jim. She's in my head. I keep thinking I see her following me. And she probably is, she's freakin' nuts. So, I just keep my head down, mind my business, and try to stay away from her."
Jim snorted. "I don't think I'm going to be able to stay away from her, Dan. I mean, for you, that means what? You stop going to her house. But for me, she's always over here. She does everything with Honey. How do I just not see her?" His voice began to rise, sounding agitated. "She's going to kill me, Dan. She's going to say my name in that mad voice she has. Like it has two syllables. You can't say Jim in two syllables. The second syllable is the hidden threat, you know."
"Jim, calm down. Breathe."
"I can't breathe, Dan," he protested. "I think I'm having a stroke. At least it's going to kill me before she does."
True to his word, Jim didn't last long at all. He tried staying busy, he really did. The girls were at school most of the day, and busy studying in the evenings. Jim tried to follow Dan's advice. Keep his head down, mind his business, and stay away from Trixie.
Jim really didn't have much business to mind, though. He supposed he should start drumming up some business. Where did other guys get their business, he wondered? Maybe he'd have to check again with Dan for better instructions.
The first few days, Brian was away for his medical scribe work in the city. Thursday, when he came home, they made a point of helping Regan exercise the horses. Friday, he was with Mr. Mackenzie, and then met Brian to ride again.
He cleaned up just before dinner, feeling rather proud of himself. Maybe avoiding Trixie wouldn't be so hard after all. Maybe Dan was right. He could do this. He was just starting to believe this situation was manageable, as he entered the dining room.
And there she was. Trixie, in the seat directly across from his own. He flushed and immediately began to sweat, already thinking about the one thing he couldn't tell her. Of course, hyper-focusing on it probably wasn't the best plan.
He tried to ignore it and act normal. Sitting down, he took a deep breath and willed his heart to stop racing. He noticed that the table was Honey, Trixie, Diana, and Mrs. Trask. He knew that his parents were out of town for the week but hadn't known the girls were getting together. "I see we're having a party tonight," he said carefully, trying to keep his voice level and not arouse suspicion.
"A small gathering," Honey agreed. "Just for us girls."
Jim cleared his throat. "Well, that's nice," he finally said lamely. All three girls looked at him, which immediately made him feel like they were already onto him. Great. Now he was starting to sweat even worse. Probably noticeably. He tugged at his collar uncomfortably, then tried to focus on his plate.
Just don't talk. Don't say anything. Eat your food.
You have to say something. Say anything. They're going to notice if you don't say anything.
No, be quiet. If you say anything, you're going to say the wrong thing.
But you have to say something. Just don't say that. Don't say that one thing. It's literally the only thing you can't talk about. You can say anything else.
He realized that the table had fallen silent and looked up warily. Everyone was looking at him. "What?" he finally asked hesitantly.
"We asked you how it was, working with the forester," Honey repeated gently. Mrs. Trask was looking him over with concern, while Di and Trixie looked suspicious. He started to sweat even more.
"Oh, it's fine. He's very interesting. It's a lot of work, but it's fun," Jim stammered out. "Are you feeling all right, Jim?" Mrs. Trask asked kindly. "You look a bit pale. Too much sun today, perhaps?" she offered. "If you need to leave the table to lay down, don't let the present company keep you obligated."
"No, I'm all right," Jim hurriedly refuted. He gave Di a helpless, guilty look, and her eyes widened. No words were said, but they both realized at that moment that the other one knew their respective secret.
"No, no," Di suddenly agreed nervously. "Jim's fine. Just busy. He's underplaying it, really, how much work it all is. I was talking with Dan and Mart the other day, about the process. It's really a lot of math," she explained. "More than you'd think. I don't know, the whole thing had me a bit confused." She let out a nervous laugh. "Of course, you know me and math. It would be more surprising if I weren't confused, right, girls?" She laughed again, though it sounded forced and uncomfortable.
Trixie's eyes narrowed, darting between Jim and Diana. Jim gulped and slid down in his seat. Trixie and Honey made eye contact. Nothing was said for a long moment. Then, wordlessly, the two began to calmly and quietly eat simultaneously.
Jim fidgeted, wondering what to do next. He met Diana's gaze again, guiltily, and seemed to ask with his eyes, What do I do?
Diana just resumed eating, clearly trying to finish her meal and get away from the table. Since that sounded like as good of an idea as any, Jim followed her lead.
"Oh, is that so?" Miss Trask asked. "What sort of math is involved?"
"What?" Jim asked, confused.
"The math that the forester does," she repeated calmly.
"Oh!" Jim had forgotten the entire conversation, though it had just occurred moments ago. "Um, I'm not sure exactly. He has a formula. It involves counting the trees and the diameters, to figure out how dense they are in each area. Then he can put that in and compare it to the optimal tree cover, to figure out how many trees should be removed, and what size." It really was, actually, very interesting. It was simply hard to be excited about a topic like this when your life was flashing before your eyes.
And, judging by the stony look on Trixie's face, Jim's life was about to end at any moment.
The rest of the meal passed in near silence. Miss Trask tried to introduce a few new topics. However, it didn't take her long to read the tone of the room. She soon gave up much conversation, clearly unwilling to interject herself in whatever this latest drama was. Jim couldn't blame her. Now, Miss Trask, that was someone who knew how to mind their business! He should have asked her.
The girls finished eating and excused themselves first. Jim hesitated for a while, slowing down. While leaving the table had once sounded like a great idea, it was now beginning to look like the safest place to be. That is, while the girls were gone. He took seconds, pushing the food around on the plate before finally eating it.
I can't sit here all night he reasoned. Trying to muster up some courage, he finally excused himself from the table and returned to his room. Pushing open the door, his heart just about burst out of his chest. He let out a loud, startled yelp, realizing that Trixie was waiting for him. She sat on the edge of his bed; legs crossed primly.
I should have stayed at the table.
Trixie stood up, immediately backing him into a corner. "You," she accused, poking him in the chest. "What are you up to? You're hiding something."
"No," he denied. "I'm not hiding anything." Okay, it was half the truth. She looked at him evenly. "Jim, you're sweating so bad it looks like it's raining outside."
He cleared his throat, pulling on his ear. Dammit. That was another one of his tells, and her eyes narrowed at it. She had caught him, 3 giveaways in a row. Just don't say anything else, Jim. But the words came rushing out, even if the voice sounded like it was someone else's. "I mean, things are being hidden. Are things being hidden, sure. But am I hiding them? No."
"Then who is?" she demanded, taking another step closer to him and poking him again. "What-"poke "do-" poke "you-" poke "know?"
He rubbed his chest. "Nothing!" he denied forcefully, but his voice was way too high, and he knew he was toast.
"Frayne! Tell me! Tellmetellmetellmetelllme- "she leaned closer and closer with every word, as Jim backed further and further away. Finally, panicked and trapped, he caved. "Mart and Di have been going out behind everyone's backs!" he blurted in a rush.
Trixie's mouth dropped open in surprise. Her eyes were wide. After a moment, as what Jim said had really sunk in, her face began to change. She closed her mouth wordlessly, then opened and closed it again, floundering for a moment. But instead of surprise, she looked almost…crestfallen. Jim had been prepared to feel regret at spilling the beans – regret giving up Mart, or Dan, or even Diana's secret.
But he had never, ever, thought that he would be feeling regret because his frank admission had hurt Trixie. If he had known that, he just might have been able to keep his mouth shut. She wasn't full of the rage or the fire he had expected. She didn't make threats.
She looked confused and sad, and it pulled at his heart. He almost wished she'd start poking him again.
"Oh," she finally said quietly. "I see."
"Are you okay?" he asked in concern, taking her hand.
She yanked her arm away, surprising Jim with her abrupt dismissal. "I'm fine," she retorted coolly. "I have to go talk to Di." And, without another word, she left the room.
Jim finally collapsed on his bed. His knees were weak and nothing that had just happened made any sense to him. Worse, he was pretty sure he was in the doghouse with Trixie. Of course, that much he had kind of seen coming, but it didn't make him feel any better.
I should have stayed at the table.
Trixie leaned against the wall in the hallway, taking a deep breath. She tried to pull her thoughts together. Mart and Di were going out? How had Di never mentioned it? She thought they were friends. All that time she went on and on and on about liking Jim. Di must have thought she was so stupid. What a loser she was, pining over the boy next door. Di had a real boyfriend and kept it a secret. And Mart? Mart was her brother! How was she the last one to know?
Angrily, she stormed back into Honey's room. Di clearly knew what was coming and just flinched, throwing her hands up over her head defensively. "I'm sorry, Trixie! I'm so sorry!"
"You lied to me, Di!" Trixie accused her, seeing red. She glanced over at Honey, but it was clear by the look on her face that Di must have confessed to Honey just a few minutes ago. Honey looked surprised and overwhelmed; a feeling Trixie could relate to.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lie, I just didn't know how to tell you," Di tried to explain.
"Right. You weren't going to say anything because you were so busy pushing me into Jim," she scoffed. "You made this big deal about me and Jim. You made me look like a complete idiot. Then, you wouldn't let it go. And it turns out it wasn't even for me. You didn't want me to date Jim because it was a good thing for me. You did it because it was a good thing for you," she accused, ignoring the look of dismay that came across Diana's face. "You wanted to date Mart and rather than just tell me the truth, you lied! And you figured you'd get me and Jim together, and then you'd have what you wanted, and then it would be easy to tell me about Mart." She shook her head in disbelief. "You could have just told me, Di. You didn't have to trick me. Just tell me you like my brother. It's not like I didn't know – why did I have to be a pawn in some weird game? I found out after Jim! Jim," she stressed. "I am second to Jim - the man who put his underwear in the freezer last July. He knew, but me and my normal underwear could not be trusted." By this point, Trixie looked flabbergasted.
Di looked horrified. "Trixie, no, it's not like that." But Trixie just glared at her and stormed out.
Jim caught her in the hall, where he had been pondering his next move. He knew Trixie was mad at him, and he knew she was upset, and he wanted to fix it. But he wasn't sure how. When he saw her charge angrily out of Honey's room, he took a breath and made his attempt.
"Trixie, I just want you to know that I told you basically right away. I mean, this is the first time I've seen you since I found out. I didn't want to keep it a secret."
She stared at him, practically buzzing with anger. Becoming aware of the mood, he took a step back. "That's just because you're a terrible liar, Jim," she ground out.
"Okay, fair enough," he muttered. Di and Honey came out into the hall now, Di looking contrite. "Trixie, honestly. I swear. It wasn't a game or whatever you think it was. I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you both so much. But it didn't seem fair. It was our secret, and we decided to do it, you didn't. Our parents can't find out or we're both in huge trouble. We didn't want you to be stuck keeping a secret for us, against your will. If we told you, we were forcing you into a bad spot that you never asked to be. We couldn't do that to you." Di frowned sadly, begging Trixie with her eyes to understand what it felt like to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. "If I could have told anyone, it would have been you guys. It was killing me, not to share it. I love you guys."
"We love you too," Honey assured her tearfully, but Trixie just sulked. Honey nudged her with her elbow, and Trixie rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh. Finally, she admitted grudgingly, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."
"The rest," Di continued, glancing up at Jim for a moment and then back at Trixie. "I wasn't trying to make you do anything you didn't want to. Or anything because it was what I wanted. I really, honestly, thought it was the right thing. For you. And…everyone."
Trixie pursed her lips into a thin line, contemplating it. After a moment, she relaxed. "Oh, fine," she muttered grudgingly.
Di squealed and hugged her. "Really?! You forgive me? I want you to be happy. That's all I ever wanted. I'll stay out of it, Trixie, I'll stay out of everything. I promise." By the end, she was squealing again. Trixie just flinched. God, she hated that noise Di made.
Di looked over at Honey and drew her into their hug. "I'll stay out of your business, too," she assured her. "I'm just glad that you guys know now. It's been killing me to hide it."
Trixie pulled away. "You're going to hide it a little longer. Because I'm getting back at Dan and Mart, and you can't tell them that I know." She snorted incredulously. "They think they can outsmart me!" She held out a pinky, waiting for each of them to agree to secrecy.
Honey, Jim, and Di all faced each other uneasily. But, ultimately, they all did what they normally did where Trixie was concerned.
They gave in.