StillSomeone, Scorpiogrl576, and Alexxiiaa Thank you for reviewing, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story. And keep speculating, I'm getting a huge kick out of your predictions.
Gus's POV
Shoot where is my cologne? I really need something to mask the smell. I have all these useless supplies, calculators, a ruler, scissors but no fropping cologne. Okay I guess I'm going to have to go in there. Maybe mom and dad wont notice?
I opened the front door and was greeted with the smell of pot roast, mmm my favorite. I inhaled deeply and began to cough, ugh this cough just will not go away.
"Soldier, you're late." Dad didn't sound too happy. He stood in front of me with his arms crossed and a look of disappointment on his face.
I stood up straight, saluted my father, and rested my arms at my sides. "I'm sorry sir."
He raised an eyebrow, why does he look like he suspects something? Oh god it's my stench, he knows doesn't he? "Dinner has always started at eighteen hundred hours."
"Yes sir, it won't happen again sir."
"Go wash up, and we'll eat."
"Yes sir." I saluted him one last time and ran up to my room. I quickly changed my clothes and sprayed myself with air freshener. I hurried down stairs, my parents refuse to start eating until the whole family is present at the dinning room table. Don't get me wrong I loved growing up in a military family, but sometimes the routine and strictness drives me insane. I greeted my mother and took my seat, thankfully she didn't seem to suspect anything.
"Gus, Mikey called just before you got home."
Oh great I can only wonder what that's about. "Okay, thanks mom."
"How is Mikey doing? I haven't seen him or any of your other pals around for that matter."
Shoot what has everyone been up to? I haven't really talked to the gang much in a couple of weeks. "Um Mikey has been doing choir and um the rest of the gang has been doing after school stuff..." That's good Gus keep it vague.
"After school stuff?" There dad goes again raising his eyebrow. "You mean like clubs?"
Okay maybe I was too vague, I do sound a tad suspicious. "Yeah. Clubs, they're all into clubs and stuff." Ugh could I be anymore obvious?
I continued to be awkward for the remainder of dinner, as soon as I finished eating I excused myself from the table before they could ask me anymore questions. Before I made it out of the room my mom reminded me to call Mikey back. I mulled it over in my head whether or not I'd call him back. I ran into him at school today, actually he found me... well It wasn't exactly my finest moment. I knew he was going to confront me about what I was doing. I didn't want to start an unnecessary fight, so I picked up the phone and dialed his number.
"Blumberg residence, Mikey speaking."
"Hey Mikey it's Gus, you called earlier?"
"Indeed I did, I wanted to talk about what I saw today."
Ugh do we have to? "Mikey..."
"I must say I'm worried about you old friend."
"There's nothing to be worried about. I'm fine, so what have you been up to lately? How's choir?"
"I got kicked out, I'm sure I've told you this." Yeah he might have mentioned that.
"Oh right, you were accused of cheating on that math test. I still can't believe Tj and Spinelli stole the ans..."
"Gus, please stop changing the subject."
"I'm not changing the subject! Say how much trouble did you get into for that?" Okay maybe I am changing the subject, but I don't want to talk about...it... I knew I shouldn't have returned his call.
"Gus seriously, I'm worried about you. What you're doing isn't healthy."
"Gee what happend to the Mikey who always thinks the glass half full."
"Normally that is my attitude towards life but this is different, if you continue on this road you are bound to get into trouble!"
"I'm not going to get into trouble, I can quit anytime I want."
"Gus..."
"I gotta go Mikey I've got homework to do, catch you later."
"Gus!" I felt bad for hanging up on him, but I can't handle talking more about that subject right now. I knew my friends wouldn't understand. Oh well who needs em?
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"Thanks for waiting Spinelli." Tj ran up to Spinelli who was waiting for him at the bleachers in front of the football field.
"No probs man. How was your first day back at practice?"
"Well I didn't get kicked off the team." Tj half smiled.
"That good eh?"
He sat down beside her and made his self comfy. "How bout you? How was your first cheerleading practice since the suspension?"
She shrugged. "None of the airheads on the team were effected by the test so they're not mad at me, but I have a feeling that'll change as soon as the next pop quiz arises."
"Well at least you have something to look forward to." Tj joked.
"On that note we should probably plan some study time, I really don't want to fail one of those quizzes."
"We can do that, but more importantly we have a birthday to plan." He nudged her side.
Spinelli smiled slightly and opened her mouth to reply, but was caught off guard by a football nearly hitting her in the face. Luckily she saw it in time and was able to catch it. She looked around the field to find the owner of the ball so she could oh so kindly return it to them.
"Hey watch it Lawson!" She threw it back in his direction. Her aim was nearly perfect, the ball would have nailed him square in the face if Vince hadn't intercepted it.
"Yeah Lawson you almost hit Spinelli!"
"Sorry Det-Cheater! I didn't mean to hit your girlfriend!"
A couple of football players stood by Lawson and laughed, Vince however looked confused.
"She's nnn-not my ggg-girlfriend." Tj said with an unconvincing stutter. He blushed with embarrassment and scratched the back of his neck. He looked over at Spinelli who didn't share his reaction. She looked angry, angrier than usual. Normally she would attack anyone who dared to verbally attack her but she just stood in place shaking with anger.
Lawson and the guys laughed. "Sss-sure sss-she's nnn-not, Stut-weiler!"
If Spinelli had tried to attack Lawson this time Tj wouldn't have stopped her. He thought about taking care of Lawson himself, but after the beef with Mundy the other day he thought he better back off.
He looked at Vince who had joined the football players in mocking and laughing. Vince caught him staring and shot him a dirty look.
"Let's get out of here Spinelli." Tj turned to where Spinelli was sitting only to find that he was alone. He looked around in every direction wondering where she went. He caught a glimpse of her walking into the woods, a shortcut to the pond the gang used to hangout at.
As he ran after her he heard the guys making more jokes about the stolen test answers, he was tempted to turn around and give them a piece of his mind but Spinelli was higher in his priorities.
Tj finally caught up to her at the pond. She was sitting on the edge of the dock dipping her feet in the water. Tj took off his shoes, picked up a few rocks then joined her on the dock. He sat beside her, took her hands in his and passed her the rocks that he collected.
She raised an eyebrow.
"They look decent for skipping."
She smiled, she found skipping rocks to be therapeutic. Well actually she found anything involving throwing, kicking or punching to be therapeutic, skipping rocks seemed like the least violent form of therapy.
"You okay Spinelli?" Tj wrapped his arm around her shoulders once she ran out of rocks.
"I guess." She turned her head away from him.
He grabbed her chin and turned her head back to face him. "What did Lawson say that bothered you back there?"
"You know." She said with a bit of an attitude, she freed her chin from his grasp and turned away again.
"No, I don't know. He got quite a few insults in there, which one made you upset?"
"I'm not upset!" She pushed his arm away from her, this hurt Tj a bit. It was the first time Spinelli rejected one of his attempts at consoling her.
"Was it the jokes about stealing the test answers, him mocking my stutter... or the girlfriend comment?" He felt nervous asking her that question but he had to know how she felt.
Spinelli was quick to respond, Tj had just wished she had done it verbally instead of physically. She pushed him to the edge of the dock and he fell into the water. He resurfaced and rubbed his eyes, when his blurry eyes cleared up he found that Spinelli had dove in after him and was staring at him with a wide grin. He looked at her with a confused glare.
She splashed him and laughed. "I'm fine Teej, really."
