And I'm back once again with another chapter! I want to thank Cre8ivelybankrupt87 and CukooCoa for reviewing last chapter. This chapter I've decided to dive deep into some character development.
I still own nothing but the plot
Nadine pov
Nadine with tears in her eyes ran as fast as she could carry her legs away from the Wolfgang, she probably wouldn't have stopped until she got home if she hadn't ran into her parents.
"Lovebug? What's wrong?" Her mother asked turning to face her daughter a clear look of concern on her face.
"Nadine is everything alright?" Ms. Fitzgerald asked looking down at her with an equal amount of concern.
"I want to go home." Nadine just states looking down at her feet. "Can we please just go now?"
"Alright Nadine we'll leave right now if you want." Her father says taking her hand and walking with her down the street her mother following after them.
Nadine remained quiet while she and her family walked back home. Lucky for her, her parents didn't push for any answers as she got lost in her thoughts. Deep down when Nadine thought about it Wolfgang's behavior wasn't too surprising, it was very hurtful but she'd be lying if she said she didn't often wondered if Wolfgang really didn't mind hanging around a fourth grader. He does after all have his reputation as the biggest fifth grade bully for a reason. She had just hoped in wanting to be with her Wolfgang was starting to change at least a little.
It wasn't like she expected him to be friendly with every fourth grader at P.S. 118 but she hadn't thought he would in any way be ashamed to be her boyfriend. But he was very much in fact ashamed to admit to anyone that he was her boyfriend. Why else would he say that a fifth grader would have to be out of their mind to date a fourth grader? It wasn't like she'd ever been blind to the fact that the two grades didn't get along and probably would never really get along. But she had hoped that she and Wolfgang wouldn't worry themselves about that nonsense.
And it really was nonsense this whole fifth vs. fourth grade thing, actually that same kind of nonsense was why she never sees certain family members from both her mother and father. Though she was younger at the time she could still remember the arguments her normally easy going parents had with varies relatives whom wouldn't let her visit them over different school breaks because the relatives were worried of what others would think if they saw her with them. It was one of the few very serious moments in her young life and she vowed to never be around anyone who was ashamed to be seen with her for any reason she wasn't going to be hidden away because of something as stupid as being in different grades. Ten minutes later Nadine found herself back in her room when the phone rang, she knew of course that this would be Rhonda wanting to know how the date went.
"Hey Rhonda-" Nadine begins to try and say.
"Okay Nadine I want a total recall of the whole date! From what time he picked you up to when he walked you back home so spill." Rhonda demands in one sentence, to her surprise though Nadine was silent. "Nadine? You haven't said anything?" Rhonda says after a while.
"I broke up with Wolfgang Rhonda." Nadine explains finally with a sigh.
"But Nadine you two just got together?!" Rhonda questions in surprise. "Was the date that bad?"
"No it wasn't the date itself that was bad…although considering what I know now some stuff is starting to make more sense." Nadine tells her friend. "Remember when we saw each other back at the fair and I told you I was waiting for Wolfgang to come back from the bathroom?"
"Yeah?" Rhonda says.
"Well after a while I decided to go look for him since it was getting kind of late." Nadine pauses to sigh before continuing. "Turns out he was with the other fifth grade boys and I guess they were talking about Arnold and Lila's date being pathetic because they're fourth graders. And then they all started talking about how one of them dating a fourth grader would be even more pathetic."
"What?" Rhonda says completely outraged. "Do they not know that their precious leader Wolfgang is dating a fourth grader?"
"No." Nadine said to her friend. "In fact Wolfgang not only agrees with his fellow fifth graders but also added that a fifth grader would have to be out of their minds to date a fourth grader. When he walked away from the other boys I confronted him about it and he said that he had a reputation to keep and that people couldn't know that we were together."
"What?!" Rhonda yells on the phone even more upset. "That's completely stupid! No wonder you broke up with him."
"Yeah. But at least the whole day is starting to make more sense." Nadine continues to explain. "Wolfgang had been acting weird and I had first thought it was because he was embarrassed because his mother was always hanging around but the truth probably is he was making sure people didn't see us together. We never went on the really popular rides the whole time. Every time I suggested it he'd always give some excuse for why we couldn't go."
"Nadine I'm sorry. I should have never encouraged you to go out with that bully." Rhonda says in an apologetic tone. "You just never seemed to be interested in anything other than bugs and-"
"You don't need to apologize Rhonda." Nadine says interrupting her friend. "I know you were hoping that maybe the bullying from the fifth graders would stop or something that's why you encouraged it but I didn't have to go along with it if I didn't want to." She says. "I decided to give him a chance and whether I was right or wrong that was my decision."
"Okay than let's move on to your next important move." Rhonda says with a malicious smirk.
"Next important move?" Nadine questions. "What are you talking about?"
"Why revenge of course!" Rhonda says like Nadine should have already realized this. "Wolfgang broke your heart and now he has to pay for all your pain and suffering. Not to mention all your youth that you've wasted while dating him."
"But we only dated for like a week?!" Nadine states in a confused tone.
"And you're never going to get that precious time back!" Rhonda says forcefully. "And I also count the almost two months you spent getting to know elf ears boy. So yes we must now plot for revenge, its breakup rule number one."
"Thanks but no thanks Rhonda." Nadine says shaking her head at the idea. "I just want forget all about this and move on with my life. I have the rest of my life to figure out relationships anyway."
"But image if you could?" Rhonda ponders out loud coming up with an idea. "I've got it Nadine the perfect plan for revenge!"
"Rhonda I just said I don't want revenge!" Nadine says again forcefully.
"Okay, okay fine but the plan will be here in case you change your mind." Rhonda says with a sigh giving up for now. "So hey how about we do something that you want to do tomorrow? We can even (gulp) go to the swamp to get dragonflies if you want?"
"Thanks for the offer Rhonda but I really don't feel up to going anywhere tomorrow." Nadine says with a sigh.
"What?!" Rhonda shouts in disbelief over the phone. "You're turning down going bug collecting?"
"I just don't feel up to it right now okay?" Nadine explains sadly.
"Sure Nadine whatever you say." Rhonda just says in a quite tone.
Wolfgang pov
If there was one thing Wolfgang wasn't expecting to see at the end of the night it was defiantly not the look of complete disappointment on his mother's face when he finally made it to the entrance. Nadine and her parents were already gone and all that was left was the emptying streets saved for his mother. He put his head down and dragged his feet over to his mother with the stuffed grasshopper still in hand.
"Wolfy what happened? Nadine just left with tears in her eyes and-" His mother began to ask.
"Mom can we not talk about this now." Wolfgang says with a sigh his head was still down he refused to meet his mother's eyes.
The walk home was quiet as mother and son made their way back to their shared home. Wolfgang still couldn't believe that Nadine had broken up with him. Granted he knew eventually that he would have to tell Nadine that they couldn't let anyone know about them but he hadn't thought she would break up with him because of it. She didn't even turn back when he called after her either…maybe he'll just give her some time to calm down than he'll talk to her and explain himself. Tell her not to take it too personally it wasn't that he didn't think she was great it's just that there are rules to these things.
Wolfgang was king of fifth grade and he worked hard to get the respect of his peers, and he spent too much time proving himself. If anyone were to find out he had a fourth grade girlfriend people would start thinking he was weak! He couldn't lose all that respect someone had to be the leader and that leader was meant to be him. Hopefully Nadine would understand that when he explained it to her, she tended to always be understanding whenever she gave him a chance to explain himself.
"Wolfgang." The sound of his mother's voice cuts Wolfgang out of his thoughts and fills him with dread, she never called Wolfgang unless she was upset or disappointed in him. Wolfgang shyly looks up at his mother finally noticing that while he was pondering his next move they had already made it home. "What happened at the Cheese Festival Wolfgang? Why did Nadine leave in tears?"
"It's just a big misunderstanding mom!" Wolfgang says quickly trying to get away from his mother as fast as he could. "I'll talk to her tomorrow and it will be good as new!"
"Wolfgang." His mother says sternly as he was trying to make it to his room. "Sit." Wolfgang sighs when he hears his mom's no nonsense voice he sits down on the couch in the living room, his mother than takes a seat next to him. "Explain."
"It's just a big misunderstanding mom really!" Wolfgang says defensively. "Nadine just heard something she wasn't supposed to hear and took it too personally okay." Wolfgang than moves to head towards his room again but the look on his mom's face stops him in his tracks.
"And what did Nadine hear that was so bad that it caused her to cry so much?" His mother asked and Wolfgang's heart sank at the reminder that Nadine had in fact cried. She could still be crying for all he knew.
"Oh, nothing serious really you know some guys from my class were saying stuff about fourth graders and…I didn't disagree with them and you Nadine's in fourth grade so she kind of took it the wrong way." Wolfgang explained decided not to tell his mother the full truth. "Like I said I'll talk to her and-"
"Wolfgang." His mother interrupts before he could continue. "I know when you're not telling the truth okay. Now whatever happened was deeper than just a simple misunderstanding."
"I said that a fifth grader would have to be out of their mind to want to date a fourth grader." Wolfgang finally admits. "She wasn't meant to hear it!"
"That doesn't make it okay Wolfgang!" His mother very nearly yells. "No wonder Nadine was so upset."
"I didn't mean to upset her. I just you know had to keep up appearances." Wolfgang tries to explain. "It's just the way it is! Fifth graders are supposed to be here and fourth graders are supposed to be there we're not supposed to be friends let alone date or anything! Especially me I'm like the leader everyone knows I'm the toughest everyone respects me how would it look if people knew I was dating Nadine?!"
"Oh Wolfy." His mother just sighs shaking her head at him sadly. "I've told you this before a lot of other kids might fear you because you're a lot bigger than most kids right now even some sixth graders but they don't all respect you. And this whole fifth grade vs. fourth grade (sigh) that maybe how it is right now but it's not going to be like that forever you two will always be a grade apart unless Nadine skips or you get left behind at some point. So what's going to happen? You guys can't stay a secret forever it's already very clear that Nadine doesn't want that."
"I know she…broke up with me." Wolfgang says sadly with a sigh. "I tried to explain but she just wouldn't listen to me!"
"Oh Wolfy…just give her some time I'm sure she'll talk to you eventually." His mother says sympathetically kissing his forehead.
"You think so?" Wolfgang says softly.
"I do just try to remember this whole fifth and fourth grade thing…it really will be over before you know it." His mother says before walking to her room.
Wolfgang was left to ponder his mother's words the rest of the night before falling asleep. He already had a plan for the next day after all his mother was right they wouldn't stay in the grades they currently are in forever. The next day Wolfgang walked over to Nadine's with the stuffed grasshopper in hand hoping that he would be able to win her back. He was very nervous as he knocked on the door and waited for an answer, soon someone came Nadine's father.
"Ah Hi there Mr. Lowenthal can I please talk to Nadine?" Wolfgang asked in a nervous tone.
"She doesn't want to see you Wolfgang." Mr. Lowenthal says with a stern frown that looked out of place on the normally easy going hippy.
"Please sir it's really important." Wolfgang pleas with the older man.
"I can't do that Wolfgang." Mr. Lowenthal continues to say sternly. "You've already made her cry once already and I won't let it happen again."
"But Mr. Lowenthal please I just want to make things right!" Wolfgang continues to plea. "And I'm not leaving until I do!"
"Dad who's at the door?" Nadine asked coming up from behind her father to see who was there only to frown and turn her head away when she saw that it was Wolfgang. "Oh it's you, leave I don't want to see or ever talk to you again." She says in a huff and starts to walk away.
"Nadine please don't go!" Wolfgang nearly shouts. "I know you're mad but could you at least give me a chance to say sorry?!" He tries to reason with her.
"Okay." Nadine says evenly. "I'll give you a chance to say sorry." She says as upset as he had made her yesterday she still wasn't one to hold a grudge that tightly. He father stepped aside so that she could now be at the door instead of him and walked to the living room.
"I'm sorry." Wolfgang begins to say once he was sure her father was away. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I don't really think a fifth grader would have to be out of their mind to date a fourth grader. I have a reputation though and people expect me to act and say stuff like that. But I talked to my mom last night you know…and she said that this whole fifth grade fourth grade stuff isn't going to last forever and she's right it's not."
"So what are you saying?" Nadine asked uncertainly. "Is your reputation not as important to you anymore?"
"Of course my reputation is still important! I worked hard to be known as the toughest kid at P.S. 118." Wolfgang said sternly. "I like you Nadine, you're nice, pretty and fun and you're not afraid to get dirty like most other girls which is why we get along so great."
"But you still don't want people to know we ar-were together?!" Nadine says feeling very upset.
"It's not like it will be forever Nadine!" Wolfgang tries to reason. "Just at least until the end of the year! After that it won't really matter because fifth graders and sixth graders are pretty much okay with each other."
"I'm not going to wait till the end of the year for you to stop being a coward." Nadine says forcefully turning her head away from him.
"What did you call me?" Wolfgang asked trying to hold back his temper obviously only focusing on the word coward.
"A coward!" Nadine states glaring at him. "That's what you've been this whole time! You say that this fourth grade fifth grade stuff won't matter eventually but you still want to hold on to your reputation! It's the only thing you really care about being a bully, do you think it's easy agreeing to hangout and date you knowing that you're always mean to my friends? Don't you think that I've thought about how some of my friends would probably become afraid to be around me just because I'm your girlfriend?"
"I-" Wolfgang begins to say but gets cutoff by Nadine.
"Of course you haven't because it's all about you and your reputation!" Nadine says still glaring at him. "And that's the problem we have here. You may have liked me liked me first but clearly I'm the only one who's willing to deal with whatever happens at school not you! So yes you can talk about how you're the toughest boy at P.S. 118 all you want but all I see is a coward and I'm not dating a coward."
"So what are you trying to say?" Wolfgang asked getting upset himself and glaring back at her. "Are you saying if I don't tell people we're dating now you'll stay broken up with me? That's not fair Bug Girl!"
"I'm not going to date a coward Bully!" Nadine says firmly.
"You know what forget it!" Wolfgang yells losing his temper as his face went red with anger, he throws the stuffed grasshopper clear across the street. "I'm not going to try to reason with you anymore!"
"Please you weren't trying to reason with me!" Nadine says poking him in the chest. "You were just hoping that I'd go along with you needing to protect your stupid reputation!"
"At least my reputation is important!" Wolfgang says glaring down at her. "What's yours? Oh yeah that's right you're just some weird Bug Girl in the background who hardly ever speaks and when you do no one listens! At least people respect me, your own best friend just treats you like a sidekick!"
"Well I'd rather be that than a loud mean Bully who no body actually respects and doesn't have any real friends!" Nadine yells before slamming the door in his face.
"Fine be that way!" Wolfgang yells at the door before turning around and heading back home.
A/N and there you have it people the end of another chapter! Wolfgang is really not looking so great right now is he? Well he's going to get worse before he gets better and next chapter is going to be…oh boy! For those whom might wonder why Wolfgang is still on the whole fifth and fourth grade thing even after talking to his mom well remember that as smart as Wolfgang is he's still just a kid. Sometimes you can tell them something and they'll only get it to a certain degree. Anyhow please read and review see ya next chapter.