Holding Back

After school, Mike was wondering what was up. The girls didn't meet him at his car. The only class any of them shared was his morning class with Bubbles, so he hadn't seen them since lunch. He waited ten minutes just in case, then figured they'd been called out to help with some disaster or another.

He was surprised when he saw Bubbles sitting on his doorstep as he pulled into the driveway. His parents had taken his dad's car to go to his aunt's wedding out of state.

He smiled when he left the car, but when he came closer to Bubbles he grew worried. She was wringing her hands and, while apparently happy to see him, seemed troubled about something.

She was on her feet and talking before Mike could say anything. "Hey, Mike. Can I come inside? I need to talk to you, please."

"Sure, sure," Mike said, hurrying to produce the house key. Bubbles slipped inside immediately. Glancing around first, he followed her. By then she'd already taken a seat at the kitchen/dining room table. Mike dragged one of the chairs closer and joined her.

"Bubbles, are you all right? I've never seen you like this." Realizing he hadn't seen Buttercup yet, he asked, "Are you and your sisters all right?"

"Well, it is about Buttercup," Bubbles said, in a rush. "Something happened after lunch and I've been thinking about it all day, but it's still so weird to me. I just can't think straight yet."

When she didn't continue, Mike prompted, "What's up with Buttercup?"

Bubbles laughed. To Mike, who knew her laugh well, this tittering was unsettling. "Well, she held me up after lunch to talk about something. She almost didn't, then it was like she didn't know what to say, and then... Mike, she kissed me."

"Kissed you? You mean...a for-real kiss?"

"Yeah. Right on the lips. I just... I don't know. I just kind of left her there. I don't know what to do, Mike. I'm still just so confused. It's a lot to take in, you know?"

Mike felt a little out of his league. He wasn't sure what he thought about it, either. He'd need more time to figure that out. It looked like Bubbles did, too.

"How about this: why don't you stay here tonight? Just...take your time with it, all right?"

She acknowledged his comment, but still seemed distracted. "Yeah... Yeah, that's good. I shouldn't have just left her there like that. I don't want to do that to her again. You're right, I should just try and sort this out first."

Mike smiled and put his hands over hers to stop her fidgeting. "Don't worry about it. It'll all be just fine. I'll be right in my room if you need me." Mike stood up, feeling that Bubbles probably had to work through this some on her own before she could turn to someone else. "Now is there anything I can get you? I was going to make coffee."

"Does your mom have any iced tea?"

Mike smiled. "Yeah. She made some green tea before she left."

"Thanks, Mike," she said, drifting off to some place inside herself.

He poured her a glass before he started the coffee maker. He glanced at her before leaving. She was staring at the tablecloth.

"Mike?" she asked before he was gone. "Did you see this coming?"

"No, not really. Did you?"

"No." Quietly, she added, "But maybe I should have." After a heavy silence she said again, "Thanks, Mike."

"Still no answer there," Blossom said as she hung up the phone. It was past nine o'clock and they hadn't seen or heard from Bubbles.

"Buttercup, are you sure you can't think of anyplace else she might be?" Professor asked. Blossom had already called a classmate, who confirmed that Bubbles was at school even until the end of her last class. Bubbles had seemed preoccupied, though.

"Not this late, I don't. Unless she's at Uncle Ben's farm, but..."

"Well, she's not at Mike's," Blossom said, half-matter-of-factly and half-accusingly. "She's gone missing without so much as a phone call. We're never out this late without at least telling someone. I say we sweep the city."

Buttercup squirmed a little in her chair. "I don't think she's in trouble."

Blossom frowned. "So you claim you have no idea what's going on and somehow it doesn't bother you? Spill it, Buttercup--you know something, don't you?"

Buttercup said nothing.

Blossom continued, "Look here, Buttercup, if you don't say something we have no choice but to assume the worst and go looking for her."

The phone rang. Blossom picked it up without hesitation. "Utonium residence, Blossom speaking."

Buttercup focused her hearing on the phone.

"Hey, Blossom, this is Mike. I just got your calls."

"Hi, Mike. Have you seen Bubbles today?"

"Yeah, we touched base after school. I don't know where she is, now. She just needs some time to deal with something. I'm not worried about her. My opinion still counts for something, right?"

"I guess so," Blossom agreed for sake of avoiding argument. "So you have no idea where she's at?"

"Nope. As far as I know she plans to be back to school in the morning, though."

"Well if you do hear from her again before we do--"

"Yeah, yeah," Mike interrupted. "Later." The phone clicked.

Blossom paused a moment before putting the phone down, probably trying to hide the fact she'd been hung up on. "That was Mike. It sounds like Bubbles is going through something." Blossom glared at Buttercup. "Sounds like he's not worried about her, either."

"Well, that'll have to do for tonight," Professor said. "If she doesn't want us to find her tonight then I don't doubt she'll succeed. And, Blossom, you let me take care of your sister, all right?"

"Which one?" she asked. Buttercup glared back at her.

"Both of them. Now why don't you get ready for bed. If you don't see your sister in the morning, give me a call right away."

Buttercup felt cold and small once Blossom left her alone with their dad. For over a minute she just stared at the tablecloth, afraid to look up. She tensed when he finally put his hand on her shoulder.

"Good night, sweetie," was all he said before heading upstairs to his room. A good ten minutes later, Buttercup ambled up to hers.