CHAPTER 7: NOW OR NEVER
Marcie worked hard with Melanie getting her ready for the big test so she could cheer at the Homecoming game. She had her doubts, but following Peppermint Patty's advice by making it like cheerleading seemed to work. She did all she could, but now it was up to Melanie. The day of the test came.
When the teacher handed out the test papers to the students, she said to wait until she said begin. When she said "Begin" they started. Melanie thought hard about the stuff she learned with Marcie. She envisioned the cheerleading squad cheering the answers. So she got the hang of it and went through.
Later that day after school, Melanie ran toward Franklin, excited. "FRANKIE, I PASSED!" Melanie shouted to Franklin with happiness. "I passed the test!"
"Wonderful, Mel!" said a happy Franklin. "I knew you could do it."
"It was thanks to Marcie. She made it easy for me to grasp the answers by making them like a cheer!"
"Uh okay," Franklin said, slightly confused.
"Now I can cheer at the big game!" Marcie walked by with Peppermint Patty. Melanie immediately hugged Marcie.
"Oh thank you, Marcie!" she said smiling. "I passed my test because of you! I am forever in debt to you."
"It's all right, Melanie," said Marcie, turning a little red. "I was glad to help."
"C'mon, Frankie," said Melanie. "Let's go to Joe's Café to celebrate!" Melanie grabbed Franklin's arm and ran for Joe's.
"You did well, Marcie," said Peppermint Patty.
"I just took your advice, sir," said Marcie. "I just made the study lessons easy for her by making them like cheers."
"And it worked," said Patty. "She passed her test. Let's go get our men and join them at Joe's. We may run into Chuck and Frieda while there." And they went to get Hans and Franco.
Sure enough, Charlie Brown and Frieda were already at Joe's eating some burgers and fries. Franklin and Melanie walked in and spotted them.
"Look, Frankie!" said Melanie. "There's Charlie Brown and Frieda. Let's tell them about my passing the test."
They walked over to the lovebirds who were enjoying their date. Charlie Brown and Frieda looked up and greeted the other couple who just walked in. "Hey Franklin. Hey Melanie," said Charlie Brown.
"Hi Charlie Brown and Frieda," said Melanie. "I just passed my big test! And it was thanks to Marcie's help."
"That's great, Melanie," said Frieda.
"Now I can cheer in the Homecoming game."
"I almost forgot!" exclaimed Charlie Brown. "That is coming up, isn't it?"
"Yeah, Charlie Brown," said Franklin. "I'm surprised you're not playing this year."
"Are you kidding?" said Charlie Brown. "Play with Lucy holding the ball only to make me look like a fool again? No thank you."
"I've always wondered how she managed to get away with that," Franklin said, thinking. "But even more perplexing is how YOU got the blame when it was her that sabotaged the game."
"I always wondered how she managed that, myself," Frieda said. "I apologized to Charlie Brown when I found out he wasn't at fault for losing the game."
"Yeah, but Peppermint Patty still insisted I was at fault after it became common knowledge," Charlie Brown remembered. "Even Marcie had a hard time convincing her for a while. It took showing footage of the game to convince her I was a victim of Lucy's shenanigans. Even with her knowing that Lucy pulls that stunt on me every single year… Oh well. I'm not going through that again, especially knowing that she put Lucy back on the team this year. I'd rather her pull the ball away from me when it's just us rather than in front of a crowd of spectators."
Just then, Peppermint Patty and Marcie with their boyfriends Franco and Hans came in. "Speak of the devil," said Franklin, noticing them.
"Hey gang," said Patty. "What're you guys chatting about?"
"Melanie's passing her test and the game coming up," said Frieda.
"Yeah," Patty remembered. "We could really use you, Chuck ol' boy!"
"Thanks but no thanks," said Charlie Brown. "If you didn't add Lucy to the team again, I'd consider it, but after last time, I rather not be a scapegoat this year."
"He's right, sir," Marcie interjected. "After Lucille pulled that stunt with him with pulling the ball away and you blaming him for missing the kick when he wasn't at fault, can you blame him for not wanting to be humiliated again?"
"All right, all right," Patty said getting frustrated. "I understand. I realized I was wrong about you blowing the game, Chuck, but Lucille is a strong player. And I could use a great kicker. What do you say?"
Charlie Brown thought for a moment. He remembered that was the game where he was trying to impress the little red-haired girl who was the Homecoming Queen that year, only for Lucy to pull the ball away because her sick desire to make Charlie look like a fool outweighed winning an important game. But the little red-haired girl had moved away and he was dating Frieda now, so could he go out there and play for the team? Plus he hadn't gotten any practice in for a while, only passing the ball around to Linus or Snoopy at leisure.
"Patty," he began, "if I'm going to play in this game, I want you to promise me one important thing."
"Name it," she said.
"I want you to promise me that Lucy will NOT hold the ball when I come running up to kick it. Her pulling that trick when we're off the field is bad enough, but on a grand scale like this is even worse. I don't care if you get someone else to hold the ball or let me use a kicking tee; just don't let her do it, no matter how much she wants to. If you can promise me that, I'll play in the game."
"Consider it done, Chuck!"
Charlie Brown sighed deep. "Okay. I'll do it."
"WOO-HOO!" cheered Peppermint Patty. "We got our kicker back, Franklin!"
"All right, Charlie Brown," said Franklin with a smile.
"I'll see you at practice, Chuck. C'mon folks, let's leave the lovebirds to their meal." Patty, Marcie, and the rest left to get their food. Charlie Brown looked uneasy.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" asked a concerned Frieda.
"I'm worried, Frieda," said Charlie Brown. "Even though Patty agreed to honor my request, I'm worried Lucy will find a way to weasel her way into holding that ball."
"She said she'd make sure that didn't happen. Don't worry, Charlie Brown. I'm sure Peppermint Patty won't let anything happen to you. She now knows that you weren't at fault for losing the last Homecoming game. Plus you're not on the Homecoming court this year either."
"Who is on the court this year?"
"Well, this girl named Sidney Walsh is the queen this year, and, unfortunately for her, Pig Pen is her escort."
"I know Sidney. She's a nice girl. I just hope Pig Pen cleans himself up at least a little bit. And I'll be able to keep my kite out of a kite-eating tree." They both snickered a little. Trevor walked in and everyone took notice.
"OH MY GOSH! IT'S TREVOR B.!" shouted a girl out of nowhere. A crowd of people gathered around Trevor.
"What's Trevor doing here?" asked Frieda.
"I don't know," said Charlie Brown. "Maybe he's getting a bite to eat before he leaves for the next gig."
"He's leaving today?"
"Didn't I tell you? Must have slipped my mind." Charlie Brown waved at Trevor to join him and Frieda at their table. Trevor walked away from the bevvy of girls to join his cousin and his cousin's girlfriend.
"Hey guys," he said. "Does Joe's still have the best burgers around?"
"You know it!" said Charlie Brown.
"Charlie Brown says you're leaving today," Frieda said.
"Yeah, I got to get to my next gig in time," said Trevor. "Snoopy already said his goodbyes to Spike and I said it to Sally who was at home. She told me you two were here on a date, and I wanted to say my goodbyes to my favorite cousin." Charlie Brown smiled when Trevor said that.
"Well I'm glad you came to visit, Trevor," Charlie Brown replied. "I hope to see you this Christmas if you get a chance."
"I'm sure that Lee, my manager, can make sure I get some time off around then."
"It was nice meeting you, Trevor," said Frieda. "And thank you for the advice on singing. I will use it for sure."
"I'm glad to hear that, Frieda," said Trevor with a smile. "And you take care of my cousin, you hear?"
"You don't even have to ask," she said, hugging Charlie Brown, who blushed with a smile.
"All right I'll see you, Charlie. Say goodbye to the aunt and uncle for me."
"See you, Trevor," said Charlie Brown. He and Frieda waved at Trevor as he left for his next gig.
"Even if he is a famous singer, he's still very down-to-earth," said Frieda. "Just like his cute cousin." She gave Charlie Brown a kiss and he smiled. He forgot about his worries for the Homecoming game just for that moment. Although he would miss Trevor, he knew he'd be back to visit again.
NEXT CHAPTER: THIBAULT'S DAY OF RECKONING