AN: Man, that was a looong, long break! I apologize for the delay, but I'm back (in black, yes; I always wear black) and quite full of fluff ideas. So many fluff ideas... No, I haven't gotten to see Spider Queen yet, but that'll probably give me more ideas once I do watch it, so really, it's all good. Have a fun, fun time reading this chapter! I eagerly await your reviews and such. )
Mandy led Billy back to the party, all the while scouting out potential means of ruining it. There were several large jugs in the corner- one with water, one with wine, one with milk- and table after table filled with dripping foodstuffs. Mandy nearly smiled. In front of the DJ, several popular girls- Mindy included- were doing assorted "dance" moves: one girl was slowly unzipping the front of her pleather dress. Mindy was being ground upon by a cool-looking ponytailed boy and was happily returning the favor. Billy watched them for a second, then looked back at Mandy, disconcerted. "D'uhm, shouldn't they, be, uh-"
"Yes," Mandy replied swiftly. "But soon-" she lifted a candied apple and held it at arm's length away- "they'll be taught a lesson. Everyone will."
Billy grinned. "Foodfight-a!"
"Yes."
Mandy hefted the apple, as if testing its weight. Billy watched her eagerly as she glanced at the apple, drew back her arm, and flung it as hard as she could into the center of the dancefloor. The apple hit the girl in the pleather dress- whacking her in her ample cleavage. The girl squealed as the apple left an oozing trail of caramel between her breasts. Somehow, the boy dancing with Mindy managed to seize the other girl while continuing his former activity, and started to lick the caramel off. Mandy winced. "I don't think they're sober. Billy?"
"Yep?"
"Help me." Mandy narrowed her eyes, grabbed two more candied apples, and threw them quickly. This time, they hit other dancers. Several people turned angrily to look at Billy and Mandy.
"Hey!" Billy shouted at them stupidly. "We're throwing food at you!"
. An apple was flung back at him, and it hit him in the eye. Billy giggled. Mandy was half-pleased to see him lift an entire fudge fountain, whinging it directly back, hitting someone and covering almost everyone with a nice thick splatter of melted chocolate. Several cries of anger, and then-"FOODFIIIGHT!!!"
The music was drowned out by screeches and bellows. People stopped dancing to throw handful after handful of salad, sandwiches, melted cheese, cups of soda, rotting strawberries, and much much more at each other. Mandy grabbed the entire punch bowl, strode over to Mindy, and dumped it over her. Mindy snarled and grabbed a bowl of pretzels, raising them above her head.
The pretzels were never thrown. Mandy felt liquid blast into her, causing her to fall and curse quietly amidst the confusion. "Deeheeheeheehee! Lookit me, Mandy. I got milk!"Mandy wiped the white liquid from her eyes. She looked up. It was true: Billy had found some way to attach the entire milk container to his back, and was delivering heavy blasts of it from the tap of the jug. "Preeeeeetty smart, eh?" Billy continued, looking pleased with himself. "And, ooh, guess what else, Mandy? When I shoot people, the jug makes these glug noises, and it taps my back. It feels kinda good, like some kind of back rub. That's double smart, mmhmm!"
"I don't care how good the rubbing feels," Mandy replied through gritted teeth, "you need to stop shooting milk from your tap. Here, help me-" Mandy felt several squishy objects hit her face. She spluttered for an instant. Mindy had recovered, and was launching several now-soggy pretzels in Mandy's direction. Mandy reached out blindly and found the nearest object. As rage burned inside her, she raised the object high- and flung it quickly at Mindy.
"Raw eggs!" Billy blurted out. "I need some of those."
Mandy wiped the pretzel and milk from her eyes. Very shortly after, there were several soft cracking noises: the noises of egg shells hitting something and breaking. A few people turned to bellow in rage. Billy laughed out loud, blew a raspberry in their direction, and squirted them with milk. Mandy ducked as an entire glass bowl was thrown over her. Angrily, she grabbed handful after handful of food and threw them at the offending party.
"My dress!" wailed the girl in pleather. Her zipper had almost been completely yanked open, but her dress was still covering enough- barely- to hide her nipples. She stumbled quickly away on eight-inch heels. There were several other squeals, and soon, people began to follow her. The food gradually stopped being flung about. People were grumbling and filing away from the destroyed party.
Mindy strode over to Mandy furiously. "Bitch," Mindy hissed. She delivered a hard, brutal smack to Mandy's face, then ran away with the rest of the crowd.
Billy and Mandy stood alone in the destruction. Every table was overturned. Every piece of glassware was broken. A slippery coating of food covered the dance floor, and music was still playing softly- a slow song, this time. Mandy's face smarted where she'd been slapped, and her eyes watered up from the sting.
Billy let the milk container slide off his back. "Did she hurt you?" he asked anxiously. He raised one hand, brought it to her face, and stroked her cheek, so gently that she could barely feel his touch. For a moment or two, he simply let his hand rest there. Mandy stood as still as she could. Inside, she was vibrating and quivering ever so slightly, like a plucked bowstring. She didn't know what would happen if she tried to move. Her eyes connected with his, and she must have looked nervous somehow, because he said, "It's okay. I won't touch your face any harder than this, 'cause it'd prolly hurt you. Wanna dance?"
The question was abrupt and random, and, without waiting for her response, Billy placed his hands on the small of her back and moved gently from side to side.
"Love of mine, someday you will die..."
Mandy brought her arms up and clasped them around his neck.
"But I'll be close behind: I'll follow you into the dark."
She allowed herself to sway with him, dancing slowly in time with the music. His breath, since he was slightly taller than she was, swirled warmly around the base of her neck. Mandy felt a deep, quiet shock inside: when had they moved so close? The music played quietly. Billy caressed her back gently with his thumbs, and shifted so that he was holding her tightly. The thought that she should struggle away from him flitted across, and eventually out of, her mind. She'd struggled away so many times before. She'd always broken eye contact. She'd always pushed him away. She'd always told herself she hated it when he acted that way- and in some ways, she did hate it. It made it so, so difficult for her to act cold.
Cold. The wind blew gently, pushing the cold night air against her back. Billy moved away slightly to let the air wash in between them, and Mandy didn't bother trying to suppress a shiver. "You cold?" Billy asked, right on cue. He moved close again.
The music played its final cord, then stopped. Night sounds took over. The two stopped dancing, and Billy held her gently. He was vaguely surprised when Mandy moved her arms down around his waist, and this time, it was she who clung to him. The shaking that Mandy had felt inside finally burst out. Her entire body quivered. His arms tightened around her. "You're sooooo far away," he said miserably.
"I'm right here, moron."
Billy felt her arms clasp about his back, and he smiled at her. Here she was- hey, and she wasn't fighting when he tried to hug her lots! Billy felt her heartbeat thudding against him. It made him even happier; he was so happy to be close enough to feel her heart against his.
Well, it wasn't directly against his. There were ribs, and blood, and stuff. And flesh. Lots of flesh, on Mandy's part. Her heartbeat was drowned out suddenly as Billy's own heart began to thud uncontrollably against his ribcage. He held her closer, trying to find her heartbeat again- but the closer he held her, the louder his own heart became.
"What is it, Billy?" Mandy asked, sounding annoyed.
"I-" Billy didn't know what to say. He was aware of feeling dizzied, and his mind seemed drugged again.
Mandy's eyes widened for a split second. "Never mind. I know what it is."
Billy's face flushed. He stepped away from her so she couldn't feel anything, and readjusted his pants, which seemed uncomfortably tight all of a sudden. "It's been fun," he whispered loudly to his groin area, "but you gots to go now. Yer makin' me dizzy like I just drank twelve sodas!"
Mandy turned away and walked to the river.
-GABM-
"Hi-ho-a-merry-slow, the farmer went to Hell," Billy sang loudly. He plopped himself down on the riverbank where he had gone an hour ago to help Mandy wash her dress off. Mandy was sitting and glaring across the river. Billy sidled up to her. "I betcha didn't know those were the words," he said to her.
"Those aren't the words," Mandy said icily.
There was a long, long pause. It was about ten o'clock at night, but the stars and the moon gave off enough light for both of the teens to see clearly. "Are you mad? Do you still like me?" Billy asked finally.
"I never liked you," Mandy hissed.
"Oh..." Billy hung his head.
Mandy looked away from him, feeling dirty and ashamed. Where was her infamous heart of stone now? Where was it when she needed it? It isn't my fault, she said to herself, it's Billy's; he's weak. She swallowed her words and stared as the moon glinted cruelly on the water. It didn't seem like a fault when it applied to Billy. It was just... Billy.
Mandy heard a small noise to her right and turned sharply. Billy was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms folded over his knees, and his head buried in his arms. Mandy took his baseball cap off of his head. Leaning against him slightly, she reached out and ran her hand gently through his hair.
"Billy."
Billy raised his head up and looked at her. As Mandy suspected, his eyes were red and his face was tearstained. "Yeah?" he sniffled.
"Don't cry."
"Does this mean you forgive me for, um, you know?"
"There's nothing to forgive." Mandy went back to watching the water flow.
Billy scratched his head, now looking more confused than sad. "Does that mean 'yes'?"
Mandy was silent.
"Silence always means 'yes'. D'aww, thanks, Mandy!" Billy encircled her in a tight, nearly-painful embrace. "You're the greatest. Not mean like my dad who grounds meh! I'm so glad you n' me're cool now. Let's go swimmin'!"
! Mandy's peaceful view of the river was interrupted by Billy's enormous cannonball into it. Billy popped his head above the water, laughing in delight. "C'mon Mandy!" he cried. "If you jump in, I'll catch you!""Fat chance," Mandy said flatly, reclining somewhat on the riverbank and watching Billy splash about like a first grader. He giggled, splashed himself in the face, and giggled again. "Be careful," Mandy said sharply. "It hurts to watch your stupidness. And if you drown- I swear..." Mandy let him have her death glare. Billy looked serious for an instant, saluted her, and resumed his idiot activities.
"Oh-my-gosh-Mandy!" he shouted suddenly. Mandy looked at him quickly. "My shoes are wet!"
"Then you should come out and let them dry," Mandy replied, her patience strained.
"My clothes are wet, too. Wetter than a chupamafluhbluh!"
"Then take them off and dry them," Mandy snapped.
"O-kay," Billy said happily. Somehow, after making his way back to the riverbank, he managed to launch himself up onto the shore, landing on his belly like a penguin. "Teeheehee. I loves being nekkid!"
Billy peeled his shirt off, throwing it on the ground with a wet "plop." Mandy turned away as he began to unbutton his pants, letting them, too, fall to the ground in a heap. "Heyyy," Billy said suddenly, "how come you gets to see me naked all the time and I never-"
"Shut up."
Billy giggled again and threw his clothing casually over a tree branch. "Good thing I'm not wearing white briefs!"
Mandy glanced at him, then quickly glanced away. "You are wearing white briefs, nincompoop."
"Deeheeheehee!"
Mandy took her shoes off and dangled her feet in the cool water. Billy was sweet, and innocent, but he didn't possess ability to keep his urges under control. Not that he'd ever force her to do anything. Mandy exhaled gently in what could have been called a sigh. She'd never lain with anyone and she didn't plan to. Billy, on the other hand, he'd been with Gorla...
Mandy's feet became numb, and she withdrew them from the water.
"Gee, you've got tiny feet," Billy blurted.
Mandy looked at her feet- her ankles. Those disgusting ankles. She glared into the water, silently fuming.
"And purty ankles," Billy went on tactlessly. "And- you're so pretty."
Mandy was caught off guard, and her eyes widened from their usual scowl for one small instant. She let one single word slip from her mouth. "Pretty," she repeated quietly, her tone half-questioning.
"Sure," Billy said happily. He sat down beside her, looked at her, and threw his arm over her shoulder. "Deehee, it's nice, is'nit? Gosh... I bet you have a boyfriend or something..."
Mandy slapped his face. "Don't be ridiculous," she said coldly. "What do I want with boys?"
"Uh, a girlfriend?" Billy replied, looking a little worried.
Mandy slapped him again, harder. "No," she snapped, "that's not what I meant. I meant I don't need a significant other, and I never will."
"But if you had to choose, it'd be a boy, right? Somewhere around your own age? Maybe... maybe a redhead, mmhmm?" He leaned in towards her, smiling foolishly. Hopefully.
"I suppose you think you're being clever."
"Yeah," Billy said. His voice was quiet suddenly. "I'm not too good at that, nuh-uh. But, I, uh, I love... I love it when you're near me. Like tonight, when we were dancing? I'm sorry I made you leave. I couldn't really helps it, ya know?"
Mandy tuned in to every word he said- while glaring absently across the river.
"Uh, Mandy?" Billy said, uncertain.
Mandy turned to look at him, but said nothing. She lay down on the ground, reclining easily and looking up at the stars. Billy gave her a fond glance, looking stupidly endearing, though wearing nothing but a pair of briefs and an overjoyed smile. He was past optimism- his personal cup was way over half-full; it was running over and spilling copiously all over the place. "Well," Billy said confidently, "you were listening to me, after all! Thanks a shmillion, Mandy." He gave a huge, content sigh. Mandy closed her eyes, feeling him curl up next to her- feeling him curl up right into the small of the curve that her torso made. His head rested directly on her ribcage, and almost on top of her breast.
"You're acting like Saliva," Mandy said coolly.
"Yep! Deeheehee."
She opened her mouth, trying to tell him to get off of her. Instead, she fell into a deep slumber, exhausted by the day's events, and warmed by the idiot who slept at her side.