AN: My apologies to readers who visited prior to the most recent update... I accidentally skipped a small part, which is now posted as Chapter 3. The previous Chapter 3 is now Chapter 4 (a.k.a. right here). My bad.
DATE: JAN. 31 (TUESDAY)
TIME: 04:18 PM
BROFLOVSKI RESIDENCE
THE AWKWARD PART
COUNTDOWN: 15 DAYS
Charlie walks down the street at a leisurely pace and sings to herself. She approaches the Broflovski house.
Charlie (singing to herself): …Well, I taught the weepin' willow how to cry, cry, cry / And I taught the clouds how to cover up a clear blue sky / And the tears I cry for that man [she steps onto the Broflovskis' stoop and rings the doorbell] they're gonna flood you, Big River! / And I'm-a gonna sit right here until I die! / I met him accidentally [Kyle opens the door] in St. Paul, Minnesota! [Speaking] Hi, Kyle.
Kyle: Hi.
They stand there awkwardly for a few seconds.
Charlie: Well, aren't you going to invite me inside or something?
Kyle: Oh. Yeah. Here.
They go inside. Ike is playing with blocks on the floor in the living room.
Ike: Bulldozer!
Charlie: So are any of the other guys coming?
Kyle: Oh. Uh, no, I don't think so. I guess we could invite them if you really want…
Charlie: Nah, that's okay. [She sits on the floor by Ike and the blocks.] We can have fun just the three of us. Right, Ike?
Ike: Mermaid boa.
Kyle: Uh—actually, it's Ike's naptime now.
Ike: NO! Bed bur buh buh buh BAH!
Kyle (pointing up the stairs): NOW, Ike.
Ike: Mum bum bum bum gore.
Ike hops up the stairs. Charlie looks up at Kyle from the floor.
Charlie: So do you wanna play Scrabble again or something?
Kyle: Nah. Look, Charlie, I've gotta talk to you about something.
Charlie: What about?
Kyle sighs and sits down on the couch. Charlie climbs up on the opposite end. Kyle folds his hands in his lap and appears to be thinking hard. Charlie scoots a little closer to him.
Kyle: So, I've been thinking… You know, we hang out a lot, and it's fun and stuff. Right?
Charlie: Yeah.
Kyle: I mean, I like hanging out with you. You're pretty cool for a girl.
Charlie: Thanks! I like hanging out with you too!
Kyle: Yeah. And sometimes when people hang out with each other a lot, and stuff happens, then they have to either pretend stuff didn't happen, or hang out in a different way, or stop hanging out altogether. Am I making any sense?
Charlie: Uh, not really. [She suddenly looks worried.] Are you saying we can't be friends anymore or something?
Kyle: No! No, that's not what I meant. Sheesh, I really don't know where I'm going with this. Uh… You remember a few weeks ago, how there was that dance at school?
Charlie's eyes light up as she starts to catch on to where the conversation is going.
Charlie: Uh-huh.
Kyle: And you remember when, uh, we… you know…?
Charlie (smiling sweetly): Yes?
Kyle: …Kissed?
Charlie (still smiling): Uh-huh…
Kyle: And… and… did you like it?
Charlie (biting her lip): Kinda… Did you?
Kyle: Me? [He clears his throat a little and looks down.] Oh… uh, yeah. Yeah, I did.
There is an awkward pause.
Charlie: I think if it had been somebody else I wouldn't've liked it very much. But since it was with you, it was kind of nice.
Kyle's face flushes and he seems to be at a loss for words. Charlie looks at him for a few seconds as if waiting for him to say something. When he doesn't, she continues.
Charlie: Do you ever get kind of sick to your stomach, but in a good way? Where you feel kind of… kind of fizzy, like you've got a million bubbles inside you? And they're just going to lift you up to the sky? [She looks at Kyle, but he doesn't say anything. She folds her hands in her lap and looks at them.] Sometimes I do. I think it's the best feeling in the world. [She glances at him again and waits a few seconds for him to say something. Finally, she sighs, apparently conceding defeat.] Do you wanna play Stratego or something?
Kyle: Nah, listen, Charlie: the-the reason I wanted to talk to you today is because I… I really like you.
Charlie (grinning): I like you too, Kyle!
Kyle: I mean, like, I like you.
Charlie: I like like you too.
Charlie smiles down at her hands. Kyle looks tense but hopeful.
Kyle: …Really? You do?
Charlie: Yes. You're the first boy I ever like-liked.
Kyle: Then do you think we could, you know… be boyfriend and girlfriend? Sort of like Stan and Wendy?
Charlie: Yes! Yes, that would be awesome!
She throws her arms around his shoulders in a hug. Kyle looks relieved.
Kyle: Does that mean we get to kiss again?
Charlie: Not yet, silly. We have to go on a date first.
Kyle: We do?
Charlie: Yeah. Haven't you ever seen it on TV? The boy has to ask the girl to go on a date, and then at the end of the date, they get to kiss, then they become boyfriend and girlfriend. It's a process.
Kyle: That's not what happened last time.
Charlie: Yeah, but that was an accident. [She half-smiles.] Sorta.
Kyle: Well, what sort of date do you want to go on?
Charlie: Well, on TV, they usually go to the movies or fancy restaurants.
Kyle: That sounds kind of expensive.
Charlie: Good point. [She rubs her chin, thinking.] Oh, I know! Sometimes they have romantic picnics! We could do that!
Kyle (unenthused): I don't know…
Charlie: It'd be cheap.
Kyle: Yeah, but it also sounds kind of… gay.
Charlie: Well, Kyle, sometimes you just have to do the gay thing to get the dating process started. It's a sad fact of life.
Kyle: Well, can we do it right now?
Charlie (giggling): No, silly! It has to be on a Friday or Saturday, and it has to be in the evening.
Kyle: Why?
Charlie: That's just how it works, Kyle.
Kyle: So… can we have our date this Friday then?
Charlie: Sure! We can go to Stark's Pond! That's almost like having a picnic on the beach, except we'll have snow instead of sand, and it'll be thirty degrees out.
Kyle: O-okay. So… so should I come to your house and bring you there?
Charlie (nodding): Yup. The boy always goes to the girl's house at the beginning of the date.
Kyle: What time?
Charlie: Five-thirty?
Kyle: Cool.
Charlie: We're gonna have the best first date ever.
They sit on the couch for a bit longer without speaking. Charlie looks ecstatic. Kyle looks relieved.