And I'm back with another chapter! I want to thank DanteVirgil09, Kryten and Cre8ivelybankrupt87 for reviewing last chapter. Okay people I know that you've missed Nadine and have been wondering why she's taken a back seat in this story relax I promise this chapter will focus on mainly Nadine and Wolfgang. This chapter will have features from the episode 'School Play' which will bring up a subject matter that hasn't been fully explored yet.
I still own nothing but the plot!
Nadine pov
It had started out like any other Monday for Nadine, the sun was burning high in the sky that morning a new reminder that the city was phasing from its spring time weather to hot summer. The days were already getting longer and the end of another school year was close at hand. Yes Nadine knew that the coming summer would bring in a lot of changes, only when the day started she thought that the changes would include simple things such as freedom from school for a little while, new bugs to collect at the park and of course the end to her time being a fourth grader. So of course when after lunch Mr. Simmons announced that their class would be performing Romeo and Juliet for the end of the school year play, she had no way of knowing the changes that this simple play would cause in her life.
"Oh Nadine, I really do hope that you get the part as my nurse for this play." Rhonda states as she reads over the lines for Juliet.
"Rhonda, you haven't even gotten the part yet remember? Lila, Sheena and Phoebe all got callbacks too." Nadine reminds her friend, though she really wasn't all that surprised with her friend's behavior. Rhonda wouldn't be Rhonda if she didn't just assume that the part was hers even though she had to undergo another audition.
"Soooo?" Rhonda asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Soooo! What if one of them gets the part of Juliet instead of you?" Nadine asked knowing that Rhonda needed to be prepared for possible disappointment.
"Oh really Nadine, that is simply absurd." Rhonda just says rolling her eyes looking away from the script to face her friend. "The role of Juliet can only be brought to life by someone with unwavering stage presence, someone with endless beauty, pose and flare! In other words this role could only be done by yours truly."
"If you say so." Nadine said rolling her eyes at her best friend.
"You know if Mr. Simmons really wants this play to be a success he should consider renaming 'Juliet' into something that invokes the image of beauty like Rhonda, I mean it's just common sense and that name 'Juliet' is so last century." Rhonda says in a superior tone as the two walk back towards the auditorium.
"I'm pretty sure you can't ask for a name change." Nadine says trying not to shake her head at her friend.
As the two friends were walking they noticed a large group of boys from their class walking away from the auditorium grumbling and complaining loudly as they walked.
"It's just wrong, sick and wrong!" Sid exclaimed to the other boys.
"You said it Sid, there's no way that they'd ever convince me to do it neither." Stinky proclaims in a dry tone.
"Even I'm not crazy enough to do something like that." Curly declares. "And I've done a lot of crazy things!"
"What are you guys talking about?" Nadine asked as the two girls stood in front of the boys.
"We just found out that whomever plays Romeo and Juliet for the play has to kiss!" Eugene explains in dismay. "Like really kiss on the lips and everything."
"Really?" Nadine questions in surprise.
"It's disgusting!" Harold says with a sour look on his face. "No way you'd ever catch me kissing a girl!"
"The only reason a girl would even consider kissing a slob like you Harold! Is because she was forced to anyway." Rhonda says rolling her eyes at the group of boys. "I mean really guys it's Shakespeare, you'd think you could at least try to act mature about this. Come along Nadine, Mr. Simmons can't keep waiting for Juliet to arrive."
Nadine took a seat in the third row as Rhonda walked confidently to the stage so that she could wait for her chance to audition.
"Oh Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou Romeo?" Lila says as she reads the lines.
"Deny thy father and refuse thy name, or if thou wilt not…" Phoebe reads during her audition.
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Sheena says as she reads the lines.
"Romeo, doff thy name and for that name, which is no part of thee, take all myself." Rhonda says at the end of her performance which was better than the other girls though Nadine didn't want to admit that for fear that it would boost her friend's already swollen ego.
"Oh, that was terrific Rhonda." Mr. Simmons proclaimed while standing up. "All, all of you were very good, thank you. Well, now that I've seen all the Juliet's-" He stops hearing the sound of the doors swinging open.
"I'm here for the Juliet callbacks." Helga proclaims out of breathe as she ran towards the stage.
"Oh, ah Helga I didn't see you at the first auditions." Mr. Simmons states in a confused tone.
"I had a dentist appointment." Helga explains evenly. "Where do you want me?"
"Helga the truth is I've already made my decision." Mr. Simmons tells her gently, before turning back to the stage. "I'd like to have all of you play Juliet, but I can only chose one girl. Rhonda you will be our Juliet, Sheena, I'm awarding you the honor of first understudy. Phoebe, you'll be the second and Lila you'll be the third understudy." He finished explaining.
"Where does that leave me?" Helga asked in a forcefully tone.
"Well Helga, I appreciate the sudden interest and enthusiasm so I'm awarding you the position of fourth understudy for the part of Juliet." Mr. Simmons told her.
"What's that in English?" Helga asked forcefully.
"That means that in the unlikely event that Rhonda, Sheena, Phoebe and Lila are all for whatever reason unable to perform the part then you will play Juliet." Mr. Simmons explained.
"So what you're saying is if they all drop out, then I'm Juliet." Helga restates and in that moment Nadine knew that somehow her best friend wouldn't get a chance to perform as the famed Juliet in this play. Though it wasn't too surprising for the nature loving girl. If Arnold was going to play Romeo and there was a shared kiss on the line then no way would Helga allow anyone else to play Juliet.
"That's right, but I should caution you that the odds of all four girls dropping out of the play are pretty unlikely. I don't want you to get your hopes up." Mr. Simmons warns.
"Oh, I understand Mr. Simmons." Helga says calmly as she walks away from the stage.
Getting the role for Juliet had put Rhonda in a great mood, she was practically floating on air as the two friends walked away from the school.
"Isn't this fanatics Nadine, my first starring role on my road to mega super stardom." Rhonda proclaims with a dreamy sigh.
"It's just a school play Rhonda, no different than the other plays we've done before." Nadine says.
"Oh Nadine, with that attitude it's no wonder that you didn't get the role as the nurse." Rhonda said shaking her head at her friend.
"Fine by me I'd rather do the set designs than have to remember all those complicated lines." Nadine said with a shrug.
"Yes well memorizing the lines isn't going to be a problem for yours truly but ahem-" Rhonda paused for a second suddenly feeling nervous. "Nadine can I ask your advice on something?"
"Sure Rhonda." Nadine said turning to face her friend.
"Well…okay…I mean it's not that I don't think I'll do a wonderful job as Juliet after all I did beat out all the other girls for the role." Rhonda begins to ramble stopping to pace in front of Nadine. "And it's not as if I don't have my fair share of admirers but despite that I don't really have any idea what it's like to kiss a boy."
"I thought you and Harold-" Nadine begins to say.
"We agreed not to bring that up anymore." Rhonda interrupts with a hiss. "Anyway, you've been with Wolfgang for a while now so you must surely know a lot of stuff about kissing on the lips and with-"
"What?!" Nadine interrupts looking at her friend in shock.
"Oh Nadine there's no need to be coy, I mean I've seen you kiss his cheek and he kisses your forehead sometimes but that's clearly just a public appearance thing. By now surely you two must have kissed for real." Rhonda proclaimed.
"What?! No we haven't!" Nadine claims shaking her head in disbelief.
"But you guys have been together for so long?!" Rhonda nearly shouts in dismay. "You spend lots of time together, he walks you home almost every day! I mean come on Nadine how has it not happened already!"
"I don't know it just hasn't." Nadine replies in a quiet tone.
"That doesn't make any sense." Rhonda states shaking her head. "I mean who has a boyfriend and doesn't want to kiss him."
"So what if we haven't?" Nadine counters back. "Why is that even such a big deal?"
"Oh Nadine, even in a relationship you are still soooo naïve." Rhonda said still shaking her head at her friend. "Think about it Nadine, boyfriends and girlfriends kiss each other they just do. I mean you've see it in TV shows and movies all the time 90345, Madison's Residence, Sandra's Decision…I could go on and on but the point is couples in relationships kiss. It's what they do and when they don't well…usually not to long after they breakup."
"Breakup?" Nadine repeats back in a dreadful tone.
"Well yeah Nadine, when a couple doesn't kiss they don't stay together for very long." Rhonda explains as the two friends continued to walk home together. "I'd be worried if I were you Nadine, I mean the school year is almost over soon we'll practically be fifth graders and Wolfgang who's already an older boy will be a sixth grader. And if we go by how the sixth graders act now when they're in a relationship he'll expect more than a simple peck on the cheek eventually."
The rest of the walk home was silent as Nadine thought over what Rhonda had told her. It had never even crossed her mind that she and Wolfgang hadn't shared a proper kiss. She always felt that the amount of affection they gave each other was good enough as it was. The cheek and forehead kiss was nice and comfortable for her but what if Wolfgang wanted more? Like Rhonda mentioned before Wolfgang was almost a sixth grader and they certainly did a lot more than simple pecks on the cheek and forehead. As hard as it was to admit Rhonda might have a point about this subject after all, kissing was a thing that couples did. But was she ready for that step herself?
Wolfgang Pov
There were a few changes that are starting to take place in his life that Wolfgang knew wholeheartedly meant change was on the way. The near end of the school year was one of them for example and was one change he couldn't wait for. Freedom from most studies besides the occasional oboe lesson were just a few short months away. In a few months summer would be on in full swing bringing nothing but fun, fun and did he mention fun. And after summer was over he'd dominate over all of P. S. 118 from the highest office in the land as a sixth grader, he'd be feared by all grades, he'd answer to no one life was going to be good next year.
But first he'd have get through the rest of the current school year which again was luckily about to end in a few months. All Wolfgang had to do was get through the last few months left which shouldn't be that hard…in fact the very idea that it could be hard at all was the furthest thing from Wolfgang's mind until Arnold asked him a gut punching question out of nowhere after school that very day.
"Hey Wolfgang, I bet you and Nadine have kissed on the lips before so do you mind telling me what it was like when you first kissed her." His cousin had asked him that simple question just after promising to play the role of Romeo in the school play and Wolfgang for the life of him didn't know how to respond. And that was because he'd never kissed Nadine that way before, and he didn't even get enough time to come up with an answer anyway because soon he was surrounded by other boys from both the fourth and fifth grade classes (there may have even been some sixth graders nearby) and they were all waiting for his answer. It was in that moment that he realized that this advice was going to go beyond just helping his cousin. Sure a lot of kids had their crushes but between both grades he was the only boy that was in an active full blown relationship. He was the only one there who could set the standard for what the boys would expect which wouldn't be a problem if it wasn't for the fact that he was just as clueless as them. So Wolfgang did the only thing he could think to do in that moment.
"It was great, it's takes a little while to get the hang of things I mean it's kinda awkward the first time but once you get used to it it's really easy." Wolfgang lied though he considered it to be a bit of a half-truth, sure the group of boys thought he was explaining what it's like to do real lip kissing but who's to say it didn't apply to the forehead and cheek kisses he actually does with Nadine. The first time was certainly awkward since they had been arguing before he suddenly kissed her on the cheek and then she pushed him because she was so shocked from said kiss.
"Did you start using your tongues right away?" That question was asked by Stinky and it took all of his well-power for Wolfgang not to blush in embarrassment at that question.
"T-that's…I-It's kinda too personal to answer." Wolfgang stutters while clearing his throat hoping that the other boys hadn't notice. "Besides it's not like any of you meatheads need to know the answer to that anyway, none of you have girlfriends or anything and Arnold doesn't even have to do a 'real' real kiss. It's just a stage kiss it won't last longer than five seconds." With that said the large group cleared out leaving only Arnold behind and giving Wolfgang a chance to finally breathe easy again.
"I hope you're right about this Wolfgang." Arnold says in a nervous tone. "I'm under a lot of pressure with just the lines by itself, and kissing a girl on top of that makes it so much more nerve racking. I'm glad I could at least come to you for advice about this."
"Yeah well, you could have gone to Uncle Phil about this too." Wolfgang tries to not sound shaky as he said this. "He's got to have kissed Aunt Gertie at least once right?"
"Eww Wolfgang, I can't ask my grandpa something like that it's gross!" Arnold proclaimed with a shudder. "Besides you and Nadine have been together for a long time you're probable like an expert by now."
"I won't really say expert." Wolfgang said trying not to cough nervously.
"Well the point is that you know what you're talking about." Arnold states evenly. "Anyway I have to get home and start reading my lines for the play."
"Yeah, okay later." Wolfgang says with a sigh as his cousin walked away.
Now Wolfgang was left alone wondering how life had gone from just looking forward to summer to lying about kissing his girlfriend. Well not lying lying just…being more creative with the truth. Because the truth was he has kissed her…just on the cheek and forehead not the lips. Sure it was a different kind of kissing but it wasn't that different was it? Besides it wasn't as if he wouldn't know what it was like to kiss on the lips eventually right? Sure he hasn't even thought about trying that yet but that didn't mean that it wouldn't happen? But then again everyone seemed so sure that Wolfgang would know what it was like already so does that mean that he and Nadine should have kissed like that by now? He was well passed the phase where kids thought that all that kissy stuff was gross, and he'd be in sixth grade soon and some of the sixth grade boys did do real lip kissing with their girlfriends (even though they got in trouble with Principal Wartz if they were caught) did that mean that he should too?
These thoughts were on his mind the rest of the day which was something his mother took notice of during dinner that night. "You're really quiet tonight Wolfy is something wrong?"
"Just thinking I guess." Wolfgang says with a shrug.
"Well you look like you've got a lot on your mind." His mother says in concern. "Did something happened at school today?"
"Well ah-" Wolfgang paused as he thought carefully about telling his mother what was on his mind before speaking again. "See Arnold got the lead role in some play thing today."
"Oh." His mother just says waiting for him to continue.
"Yeah and in the play there's gonna be a scene where he has to kiss a girl and I mean like a real kiss on the lips and everything." Wolfgang continued on.
"Really now?" His mother says in an interested tone. "Which play is he in?"
"I think it's like Romeo and Julies or something?" Wolfgang answers though he wasn't completely sure if that was right.
"Romeo and Juliet." His mother corrected. "That's a bit advance for elementary school, especially for a fourth graders."
"Yeah well anyway, Arnold asked for my advice about what it was like to kiss like that." Wolfgang continues on his face turning a bit pink. "And there was all these other guys hanging around and listening so I said some stuff about kissing but…I don't actually know if all of it is true. I mean I didn't lie lie I just-"
"Didn't tell them that you didn't really know yourself?" His mother finished for him shaking her head. "Wolfgang you know it's wrong to lie to your cousin who needed you to be honest with him."
"I only said it was great just a little awkward at first." Wolfgang said defensively. "I mean I did feel that way the first time I kissed Nadine on her cheek so that makes it kinda not a lie! I mean kissing on the lips isn't really that different is it?"
"Luckily your advice though a lie isn't that far from the truth." His mother said with a sigh. "But it is very big and very different experience from pecks on the cheek and forehead."
"Oh." Wolfgang said in an even tone. "So it probably wasn't a good idea that I made it sound like I had kissed Nadine that way?"
"No it wasn't and for a lot of reason too." His mother said sternly. "For one it was wrong of you to lie in the first place about something you didn't do and it was especially wrong to lie and talk about such intimate details about your relationship with Nadine in front of a group boys."
"Why is that bad to talk about?" Wolfgang asked. "I mean I know I kinda lied about the kissing thing but Arnold asked for my help?"
"And so the conversation should have at best been just the two of you in private." His mom began to explain. "And you're not just lying about something you didn't do, you're also lying about something Nadine didn't do either. And there could be serious consequences for Nadine because of a lie like that, other kids could start looking at her differently, saying bad things about her that aren't true and-"
"If anyone tried to do that I'd just pound them into dust!" Wolfgang interrupts his hand balled into a fist.
"Oh Wolfy, you can't do that to every person that says these things." His mom said shaking her head at him.
"Well sure not everyone, but after like the first five times it happens people will get the message." Wolfgang said with a shrug.
"Oh Wolfy, don't ever change." His mom said with a laugh.
"Mom?" Wolfgang asked in a shy quiet tone. "Is it weird that Nadine and I haven't kissed like that yet? I mean everyone acted like we should have? But I never even thought about doing that until Arnold asked."
"Well Wolfgang, in a lot of ways you and Nadine are ahead of the rest of the kids in your classes." His mother began to explain. "But you're still kids like them too so maybe you're not ready for that kind of kissing yet? And that's okay, you don't have to rush into anything just yet although when you do start you'll understand why I make you keep the door open when Nadine is in your room."
"You and her parents do that because you think we'd rather kiss than play video games or watch TV?" Wolfgang asked in confusion shaking his head at that idea. "Mom that's crazy, there's no way kissing could be more fun than those things!"
"Don't ever change Wolfy." His mom said with a laugh much to her son's confusion. "Don't ever change."
The next day at school Wolfgang learned that his mother had been right about why he shouldn't have lied to the group of boys about kissing Nadine. Before he'd even stepped through the front doors of the school there had already been a line of boys waiting for a chance to ask him more questions. Questions that he couldn't really answer but he didn't want them to find out he was lying. So he tried his best to keep his answers short and vague which was enough to answer questions without people finding out that he was a liar. Deep down he knew that he should have probably just told the true and be done with it then and there but he assumed that the boys would move on soon enough. So what was the harm in answering a few questions if everyone would forget everything next week anyway?
"Why do people in school think that we've kissed?" Nadine confronted him on the playground.
"Oh, well I'm pretty sure that some kids have seen me kiss you on the forehead so-" Wolfgang tries to play innocent but as always Nadine sees right through him.
"Seriously Wolfgang? You know what I'm talking about." Nadine interrupts a clear frown on her face. "Girls all day have been asking if it was true and boys have been whispering behind my back!"
"Whose been whispering?!" Wolfgang asked forcefully. "I'll knock their teeth out so fast-"
"They wouldn't be doing it in the first place if you hadn't lied!" Nadine very nearly shouted. "Why did you lie?"
"I don't…I didn't mean to." Wolfgang tries to explain but can't find the right words. "I mean Arnold just asked me about it out of nowhere and everyone made it sound like we should have kissed like that already…I don't know the way everyone talked about it made it seem like we would be weird if we hadn't. BUT that's not how I feel or anything...I mean I hadn't even thought about it until Arnold brought it up."
"I know what you mean when Rhonda asked me it caught me off guard too." Nadine admits. "When I heard that you had told people that we real kissed when we didn't I was mad because you lied but kinda scared because Rhonda said you'd want to breakup if we didn't real kiss and-"
"Whoa wait breakup?!" Wolfgang interrupts before she could continue. "I wouldn't want to breakup with you over that?!"
"Well, I didn't know that!" Nadine explains. "She said that real kissing is what couples do and since we didn't and you're like almost a sixth grader so you must want to and-"
"But I don't!" Wolfgang interrupts again. "I mean like maybe one day I would but I would never like breakup with you because we didn't. I'm happy with how we are already."
"Yeah me too." Nadine says with a small smile. "The only reason why I even thought something was wrong was because of what Rhonda said and it didn't help that you lied about it either."
"I know and I'm sorry Bug Girl." Wolfgang says sheepishly. "And I'll tell everyone I lied if you want?"
"Thanks." Nadine nods in relief. "So you're really okay about us not actually real kissing?"
"Yeah, I mean we probably will like one day but it doesn't have to be now!" Wolfgang said with a shrug. "If you're happy I'm happy."
"I'm happy." Nadine nods in agreement.
"I better start with Arnold then he's the one that actually needed the advice anyway. Should I warn him that he'll end up doing the play with Eyebrow?" Wolfgang says as he begins to look around for his cousin. "I'm surprise that Eyebrow hasn't already killed Rhonda or something by now."
"Oh, Rhonda already quit this morning, and Helga volunteered to help Sheena with the lines after school." Nadine states.
A/N and that's the end of that chapter! Sorry it took so long to get another chapter believe me when I say I spent two weeks just trying to figure this one out, because the truth is I had planned on Wolfgang kissing Nadine on the lips in the second chapter! Seriously it was written out and everything but during the last edit I decided it might be too soon for it. The subject of real kissing for Wolfgang and Nadine was always something I struggled with trying to figure out when to bring it up. In a lot of media around that time people seemed split on the idea, you watch one show and the kids are grossed out by everything to do with this. You watch another and the kids don't really care so much as they like having a reason to tease you the same way kids would tease you if you're wearing the wrong shoes. One of the biggest challenges I have with this story was wondering if this was accurate not only to the show but to what actually happens in childhood especially mine because I was a kid in the 90's. Anyway let me stop rambling please read and review!