RANDOM DANCING! the big voice boomed.
Gibby let loose. Carly shrieked in laughter as she began bouncing around. Sam started flipping her hair back and forth and Freddie stopped looking in the lens of the camera to watch her. As the guest-stars on the show began doing robot moves, Gibby's big hands closed around Carly's and suddenly, they were dancing together. The lights were low and colorful strobes were flashing. He was doing some smooth hip-hop moves, which she mirrored. He was a good dancer.
His big frame and her little one moved well together to the music.
Gibby Dance.
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Abstractly, it could have been a baby deer. With your head titled sideways, it looked a little more like an owl. It was supposed to be a baby elephant.
"Wow, Gib." Sam said.
Freddie smirked. "Never thought it would've been possible."
Gibby smiled proudly at his work of art. "Ya like it?"
They laughed, shook their heads.
"You're worse than Carly!"
"Have you ever even seen an elephant?"
"I have Elephant Love on DVD!"
"Then how is that an elephant?"
"How's it not an elephant?"
"Guys," Carly cut in sternly. "If we can't play nice I'm taking up the crayons."
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"Wanna do the science project with me?"
He looked around. Yeah, she was talking to him. "I'd love to!" he bellowed.
She liked him as a partner, he didn't put the work off on her, enthusiastically gave his own ideas, made her laugh. He was disorganized, but so was everyone in Carly's eyes. He didn't tease her when she suggested note cards.
He liked her as a partner. She was smart, nice. She laughed at his jokes…
But then she spent the whole Lock-In running around with Sam or Freddie, asked him to mop up vomit.
So just friends.
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Kelsey was hot. She had long legs and satisfying curves. She bumped into them outside the Inside Out Burger. She threw her arms around Gibby and kissed his cheek, prattled on about how she missed him. They talked for a moment and then she was on her way. They watched her go. Freddie gaped at their friend. Carly didn't.
"HOW?" Freddie screeched. Gibby was taller but he was FATTER! "How do you get a girl like that and I can't?"
Gibby shrugged, tossed a look around then said lowly, "The secret's in the cuddling."
"The cuddling?" Freddie echoed.
"The cuddling."
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He never took his shirt off anymore. Carly didn't notice until he wore a shirt in the pool once. She asked about it. He waved it off, made excuses. She didn't buy it. She dropped it, though. Then she happened to see him changing shirts. It was the same old Gibby-gut under there until he turned. She saw his other side, a puckered pink line three inches long in his skin; surgical scar.
He saw her see it, pulled his shirt down over the flawed Gibby-skin, looked away, "Appendicitis,"
"You should go shirtless again."
"Nah,"
"You should, scars are cool."
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They were left together because everyone wanted to win Pictionary, and staying away from the bad artists was a sure way to do it. It was Carly's turn to draw clues for Gibby.
Everyone smirked and frowned as she drew; they didn't have a clue. Gibby huffed, "Peas in a pod," he said.
Carly blinked and looked from him to her drawing and back, "Yes!"
Gibby sprang to his feet, gave her a high five. Then it was his turn to draw. She totally knew what his scribbles meant. They were going to win.
Two bad artists made a right.
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It was tomorrow, the test. They were studying late—had spent the week dealing with the show, not the study guides. They needed to cram. The library was quiet. Sam snuck food in, fell asleep with it in her mouth. Carly leaned across the table to nudge her friend awake. When she did, her shirt came up, showed Gibby her lower back between peach-colored shirt and black low-rider jeans. White lace band was the edge of her panties.
Gibby gulped, glanced up, and saw Freddie look away from the sight as well.
Gibby failed the test, but remembered the panties.
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Gibby won Guppy a giant gorilla at the basketball hoops. His little brother jumped up and down excitedly until he got his hands on it, then he held it over his head and ran around cheering.
Gibby laughed, then his eye caught a young couple nearby. The girl was holding a panda, kissing the guy. He knew them both from algebra. As Guppy lead him over to the bumper cars, Gibby found himself picturing how Carly would smile, jump around and laugh while he was winning her a panda. She'd be cute, hugging it to her chest. He'd feel good.
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Gibbeh: What're you doing up this late?
WebShowHost: Oh, hi! I just can't sleep. You?
Gibbeh: I'm a night owl. Any reason you can't sleep?
WebShowHost: Just too much thinking
Gibbeh: About what?
WebShowHost: Just teenaged life stuff
Gibbeh: Know how that goes. Wanna distraction?
WebshowHost: Yes please!
Gibby was good at distractions, peeling back the layers of his weirdness as he told her whacky stories about random things. If ever she couldn't sleep, she would just hop on-line. Gibby would be on, and would be sure to make her laugh until she was tired enough to sleep.
Gibby Nights.
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Junk Spencer'd hauled in for a sculpture had been filled with bugs. Gross bugs, different kinds. Home needed fumigation. Charlotte was out of town. Grandpa shouted it was okay. Spencer could bunk with Gibby in his room. Charlotte wouldn't mind Carly staying in hers.
Up in the night to pee, a large shadow in the kitchen made her pee early, a squirt, a yelp.
"Sorry," stepping into the light. He was in boxers. His toes were hairy. Hers were painted blue. His eyes went from them up to her shoulder hanging out of her big t-shirt.
He smiled. "Sleep tight, Carly."