Odd Man Out Chapter 5: Serious Changes, an animal crossing fanfic

Personally, I thought this chapter was horrible, so I made some HUMONGOUS updates. Take a look. D

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Brzzt. "Why can't w-" Crrk. "be frien--" Prkft.

DING DONG!

"Znn..Huh?" Jeffery rolled over and looked at the door, as if his mind was trying to answer it. His eyes opened widely quickly, and he sprang up to answer the door. He tripped and fell, and succeeded to hit his head on the floor. He groaned, got up, and anwered the door.

He opened it, his eyes glazed with weariness. And to his surprise,

"Jade? Uh..."

Jade smiled up at him. "Hi Jeffery!" she said cheerily. "How are you this...uh...afternoon?" She smiled weakly at that.

Jeffery looked behind him quickly. "Pretty good, um, sleeping...Why'd you drop by?"

She shook her head. "No reason. Just wanted to drop by."

Jeffery looked at her like he did this morning. "Alright, whatever you say...um...come on in."

Jeffery cleared the way and let Jade in. Jade looked above her, her hands held behind her back. Jeffery was slightly embarrassed because of the condition of his house, but mostly, it was the first time he had ever had a girl (besides family) in even the same room as him. He shut the door, and Jade walked over to his bed and plopped down on it. She smiled at the bounciness. Jeffery slowly made his way over to the bed, completely unsure of what to say.

"Uh, um...What's...up?" He stuttered.

Jade looked at him funny. "...Nothing...?" she replied, bouncing a bit less.

Jeffery had a quick mental battle. Come on, doofus! It's just a GIRL. Talk to her, unless you WANT her to think you're a total dweeb! Pretend she's one of the guys. She won't bite.

"I hope," he mutterred.

"Huh?"

"Nothing! I uh...burped a little." Doh! He slapped his head.

Jade giggled. "Weirdo."

Jeffery lowered his head. Way to go, slick!

Jade bounced up and off the bed. "Hey, I have some spare Bells...Why don't we head on down to Nook's and buy some stuff for your..er...house!"

Jeffery looked up. "Nah, that's okay, you don't have to do that, You keep your Bells and I'll-"

"Come on!" Jade had already grabbed his arm and led him out the door.

The door shut behind Jeffery as he stumbled out of Jade's grip and on to the concrete.

"Oopsie!" Jade put her hands up to her mouth.

Jeffery closed one eye and rubbed his head, and looked to the left to see Wolfgang and Hopper laughing at him from afar. Jeffery frowned and got back up, dusting himself off. Jade shook her head and smiled. "You're too clumsy. Come on." She skipped ahead of him playfully towards the store. Jeffery jogged to keep up with her.

Jade was thinking out loud. "We could get you a nice Blue set...and maybe a few bonsais, or maybe a Cabin set with an asteroid..."

Jeffery stopped her. "How about we just look for something that looks good?"

Jade shot him a look. "That's what I'm trying to do!"

Jeffery looked forward, and decided not to get in the middle of a girl's thoughts anymore.

Jade gabbed on for awhile, and soon enough they walked into Nook's store. They were greeted instantly.

"Jeffery! And valued-customer Jade! How are the both of you this fine day?" Nook exclaimed.

Jeffery was about to speak, but Jade put her hand over his mouth and spoke first. "We're looking for some things to...spice up Jeffery's house with."

Nook looked at them for a second, and then scooted over to his shelves, which held many an item. Nook raised a few leaves up. "How about a nice cube clock? Or maybe a fabulous watering trough? Or this extravagant-"

"Have any refridgerators?" Jeffery asked.

Nook paused for a moment, and scrounged through some things. He pulled out another leaf. "Here it is! The Moderator Kitchenator Refidgerator! Only...800 Bells!"

Jeffery's jaw dropped. "I don't think-"

"I'll TAKE IT!" Jade shot.

Jeffery stuttered. "But I-"

Jade put a finger on his lip. "You'll thank me." She smiled.

Jeffery sighed again. "How about an end table...and a lamp?"

"And a way to the checkout lane?"

Jeffery looked next to him to see Adam and Eddie, arms full of groceries. Jeffery stepped to the side quickly and let them through. Nook helped them quickly, and then returned to Jade and Jeffery with a big carnie-smile on his face.

Jeffery thought. "Wallpaper?"

"Ranch wallpaper... 1,256 Bells."

"Ring it up," Jade said.

The two walked out of the store, Jeffery's pockets bursting with furniture.

"I can't thank you enough, Jade...You're seriously helping me out here," Jeffery told her.

Jade waved to Adam and Eddie, who were passing by. "It's no problem," she said. "You need it, anyway. You wouldn't be happy without-"

"You?"

"Hm?"

Crap! Uh..Uh.."You...and your awesome interior decorating skills?" Jeffery faked a smile.

Jade blushed. "Aww, how sweet!"

Jeffery breathed out in relief.

Jade opened Jeffery's front door (which Jeffery was relieved to see so quickly). "Let's get started, then!" Jade told him. She grabbed his hand and dragged him inside, much like she had dragged him outside earlier. Jeffery tripped over his doorstep, and when he hit the ground, a leaf fell out of his pocket in front of him. Jeffery looked up, dazed, and when he tried to get up, he manged to hit his head on the underside of the end table that had just popped up. "Yowch!" He fell on the ground again, and Jade laughed at him.

"Nice one, smartypants!"

Interior decorating was alot harder than Jeffery thought it was. Putting furniture in the right place, making sure everything matched, making the wallpaper even...Mom made it look so easy, and Jeffery thought of home again...

Jade brushed her hands together. "Well! We did an awfully good job. Welocme to your new house, Jeffery!"

Jeffery took a look around. He had matching Ranch wallpaper and flooring, a stove, microwave, counters, a sink, a stocked refridgerator, a couch, a small television set, a bookcase with a few books and CD's, a lounge chair with an armoire, an end table with a lamp...Jeffery felt his heart lift. He felt accomplished. And it was all thanks to...

"Jade?"

"Yeah hun?"

"Thank you."

She smiled at him and hugged him. "I'm telling you, it's no problem."

"Can I repay you?"

Jade thought. "Hmm...Sure. Come with me."

She led Jeffery out of the house (this time careful not to trip) and towards her house.

"Where are we going?" Jeffery asked, Jade skipping ahead of him.

"Nowhere special. Just where I go to cool off, usually..."

Jeffery nodded. He had a new feeling inside of him, a feeling that wasn't afraid, or shy. He felt he had a new-found confidence, and it felt really good. He smiled as he thought to himself. He should've hung out with a girl years ago.

They walked by the edge of the cliff, only to hear whistling noises form below. Jeffery looked down to see Wolfgang and Hopper mocking him with arm gestures and puffing their chests up to look manly. Jeffery sighed and walked on.

It was sorta silent for a few acres. The surroundings were beginning to get darker, and soon all of the house were out of sight. Jeffery looked above him to see the forest had grown slightly thicker, and as they walked along, it became more and more secluded. It was peaceful, really.

"Hey Jeffery?" Jade asked, tugging on him.

"Yeah?"

"Why were Wolfgang on Hopper laughing?"

Jeffery looked ahead blankly. "Because they have nothing else better to do."

Jade sighed. "I'm being serious.

"I am too. I never said a word to them before, and the first time they saw me they pegged me with apples."

Jade shook her head. She began to walk ahead of him, towards a lone tree sitting in the middle of a green clearing.

"They were just picking on me, Jade..."

She plopped down, and crossed her arms. "They're still jerks. And I know Adam and Eddie are saying stuff too."

Jeffery shook his head. "No..."

"Don't lie to me, Jeffery..."

Jeffery sighed, and Jade spoke. "What did they say?"

Jeffery sat down next to her, his mouth scrunched up. "They thought...that we..."

"Yes?"

Jeffery sighed again. "they thought that we were...you know..." He pointed his fingers together. "A couple..."

Jade sunk her head in her knees. "Why...They..." she sniffled.

"They didn't mean anything," he told her. "Guys are guys...we're not all that great." Jeffery forced a smile at his lame joke.

Surprisingly, Jade giggled. "You got that right." She lifted her head and nudged his arm.

Jeffery laughed a little and poked her. "Don't be mean."

Jade pffed. "I'm only telling the truth," she said. "You're not all you're cracked up to be, ya know..." she giggled.

"Well you know what?" Jeffery told her.

"What?"

Jeffery tickled her.

Jade laughed and squirmed. "Ahh! Quit it!" she squealed.

Jeffery laughed and continued. "Not until you take it back!"

"Never!" she said and rolled away from him.

Jeffery tried to tickle her as she got up, but he only fell on his chest, laughing. "You're gonna eat your words!"

He scrambled to his feet quickly and chased her. She avoided him easily, and practically ran circles around him. She ran behind the tree, giggling. Jeffery was stuck on the other side, and every time he tried to go to one side, she'd pop out of the other and evade him. "Can't catch me!" she yelled to him as she scampered into the forest.

"Aw Jade!" Jeffery yelled to her. "Don't cheat!"

She shouted something incoherent. Jeffery sighed and jogged after her.

He ran into the thick bushes and tripped immediately. He spat the leaves and dirt out of his mouth and continued to look for her.

"Jaaa-aade!" He called. "Come on!"

There was a giggle from one of the bushes. Jeffery looked around, to see that there were a circle of bushes around him. He smirked.

"You're in one of them," he said. "Aha!"

He dove into one of the bushes to find...thorns. He yelped and jumped back out, some of the thorns scratching him and making him bleed. "Ouch..."

He thought quickly. "Okay! you win! I give up! I'm going home." Jeffery turned around and began to walk away, and hearing the bushes rustle, he suddenly turned around, and standing there, surprised, was Jade. Jeffery poked her.

"Gotcha!"

She backed away from him, acting dramatic. "Oh, woe is me! The dreaded one has cornered me! But, how?" She threw her hand on her forehead.

Jeffery was surpressing laughs and responded. "It is because I am your-WHOA!!" He tripped suddenly, stumbled forward, and found himself on the ground, pressed against Jade.

Both of them widened their eyes and looked at each other. Jeffery quickly rolled off of her, and in a quick maneuver looked the opposite way and coughed.

"Uh...sorry about that," Jeffery mumbled.

Jade smiled, unseen. "It's okay..."

Jeffery shook off the awkwardness and sat with his back on a nearby tree. Jade skipped over to him, and sat by his side. She looked at him, smiling. Jeffery was looking down at the grass, obviously embarrassed. Jade poked his side.

"Don't worry about it," she giggled. "It was jsut an accident."

Jeffery smiled a bit. "I know, it's just.."

"Just what?"

Jeffery wrapped his arms around his knees. "The guys..." he muttered quietly.

Jade frowned and sighed. "It's not like the're watching us."

"Well, supposedly Eddie saw us this morning, in the tree..." Jeffery started. "He must've taken it the wrong way, he's young, after all..."

Jade looked at him, her golden eyes shining. "What are you embarrassed about then?"

Jeffery sighed and leaned back against the tree. "They...I...they picked on me..."

Jade looked at him still. "They were just kidding...at least that's what you told me earlier.." Jade said. "Don't worry about them, they're just..."

They both sighed. Jade suddenly leaned her head on Jeffery, and Jeffery got nervous again.

"I'm still glad that you talked to me this morning...you made me feel alot better..." Jade's voice became soft.

Jeffery's eyes looked in a different direction. "I'm glad you helped me too...I can actually LIVE now..."

Jade closed her eyes, smiling, and shook her head. "Jeffery..."

They felt the cool grass sliding underneath their fingers, as both of their hands came together.

Jade scooted closer to Jeffery, her head still leaned on his shoulder. Jeffery, the butterflies in his stomach practically throwing up, leaned his head on hers.

Jade smiled, and softly began to sing.

"HOLY BUTT-MONKEYS!"

"Shut up! Don't let them hear you, feather-brain!"

Wolfgang and Hopper backed away from the bushes they were hiding in, both of them snickering.

"I can't believe that doofus got her to like him!" Hopper laughed quietly.

Wolfgang was sitting on the ground, holding back tears of laughter. He couldn't speak, and when he did, he sputtered saliva everywhere.

"I ah..hoo, oh boy..Bahaha! Hoo hoo...ah." Wolfgang got up, still holding in laughter. "We have to make sure everyone, and I mean EVERYONE knows about this, got it?" he demanded. "We can't let this chump's puppy love go unannounced!"

Hopper nodded. "This is going to be great!"

They both snuck off, Hopper accidentaly tripping on a root, Jeffery and Jade still completely unaware.

Jade stopped singing. "Did you hear something?"

Jeffery's eyes were locked ahead, amazed. Her singing was wonderful. Her soothing voice almost rocked him to sleep.

"Huh? Oh..no."

Jade got up, still holding Jeffery's hand. Jeffery got up with her. She looked up at him, smiling. Jeffery yawned.

"Take me home," she told him, hugging his side.

Jeffery nodded, and they walked out of the forest, past the clearing, and back to her house.

Her hand was soft in his(and not just because of the fur). He looked at her through the corner of his eye, to see her looking down, a blush on her face. Jeffery looked ahead, smiling a little himself.

They walked up to her dark doorstep after a few minutes, and Jade stepped ahead of him and turned around.

"Thank you, Jeffery. I had fun today."

Jeffery nodded. "Me too."

Jade smiled and nodded.

"Well um...I guess I'll see you tomorrow..then?" Jeffery said nervously.

Jade hugged him. "Okay, sounds good."

Jeffery hugged her back, and, still holding him, she leaned back and kissed him on the cheek.

"Bye," she said, letting go of him and walking into her doorway, closing the door quietly. "Put on some band-aids!" He could hear from outside.

Jeffery stood there, woozy. "Buh..bye..."

She closed the door, and Jeffery turned towards home, his eyes wide.

He went to take his first step and fell flat on his face.

"EWW! How dare you, Shredder, to do such things with fictional characters!"

I know that's what you're all thinking. And you have a point, it IS kind of weird.

But hey, I don't really care. I'm trying to progress the story some, and I honestly think this will have great affect on it later on in the future!

But thank you for reading, anyone! Please tell me how you liked it.

-The Shredder