Courtney felt a weight on her bed. She didn't want to open her eyes. Her desire for sleep over ruled her curiosity for a time, but finally her need to know what it was, was too grate. She squinted her eyes, adjusting to the light, and then slowly opened them. She slowly sat up. She looked down to the heavy spot. Mark was asleep in a chair, with his head resting on the side of the bed. Courtney stared down at him for a minute, puzzled.
"I didn't have the heart to move him."
Courtney looked up to see Mrs. Dimond standing in the doorway. Looking at Courtney's puzzled look, Mrs. Dimond explained.
"You passed out on the dance floor. Those corsets should come with a 'warning' tag," Mrs. Dimond giggled as if she made a joke, "Well, Mark was worried. He insisted on waiting for you to wake up."
Mrs. Dimond left. Courtney looked back at Mark. She brushed his hair with her hand. He was a kind person. A complete worrywart, but kind.
She got out of bed and proceeded to get ready for the day in the bathroom.
Courtney ate her breakfast hungrily. She didn't eat a very big dinner the night before because the corset crushed her stomach.
Foot steps could be heard from the hallway. The foot steps stopped only a few feet behind Courtney. She turned around to see the new visitor. Mark was standing in the kitchen door frame, wiping the sleep out of his eye.
"You're up?" he crocked out.
"Yeah, how are you?"
"I'm fine," he said, taking his chair at the table, "I'm not the one who passed out on the dance floor. Am I really that bad a dancer?"
Courtney laughed. He was kidding. Good old Mark. He was always fun to have around, even if he was a dork.
"Hey, Missy, how's it going?" Dodger asked, entering the kitchen, "Didn't get your brain any more messed up than it is all ready, did ya?"
"Ha, ha! Very funny!" she flung a donut at the other acolyte. It hit Dodger square in the forehead.
"Ow," he said, taking a bite out of the baked weapon.
Mark and Courtney laughed as Dodger sat down.
"So that's a 'no'?" Dodger asked.
"My brain's not messed up at all!" Courtney retorted.
"Courtney, Courtney, Courtney. We're acolytes, our best friends' flume across time and space, all our brains are messed up."
"He has a point, Courtney," Mark said. Courtney hit him upside the head, playfully.
"Knock it off, you three! You're father's boss is coming over."
"What? Why?" Mark asked.
"He wants to apologize for what happened at dinner. You know, about Courtney."
"He doesn't have to," Courtney said.
"That's what I told him, but that man's so kind! He insisted!"
Courtney looked at Mark. He shrugged. They cleaned there plates and prepared for the man to come over.
"Hello!" Mr. Dimond's boss said, entering the house, "Again, I'm terribly sorry for what happened last night. I sure hope Miss Courtney is all right?"
"Yes, she's fine," Mr. Dimond answered.
"And I'm right here!" Courtney said, making herself known.
"Oh, right, I've got something for you!" The man pulled out something from his bag and handed it to Courtney, "It came all the way from Mexico!" he announced.
"It's a wool blanket," Courtney said, raising her eyebrow.
"Well, yes, it is," the man said, scratching him head.
"Thank you, I'll be sure to use it... six months from now."
Mark snickered from the steps, and Courtney giggled at her own joke.
"Seriously, thanks! You really shouldn't have!" Courtney said, giving off a bit more courtesy.
"No, no! It was my party; the welfare of my guests is my number one concern!"
"Well, thank you!" Mrs. Dimond said, entering the room.
Mark descended the stairs. He touched Courtney's new blanket.
"Its kind itchy..." he mentioned.
"Ah, yes! But in the winter, it'll keep you warm!"
"Well, that was very thoughtful of you!" Mrs. Dimond said, shaking his hand.
"We're very grateful for your kindness!" Mr. Dimond continued.
"Hum, oh! This is my nephew, Jacob!" he said, motioning for someone outside. A boy around Mark and Courtney's height entered the house. He smiled at them. He had sandy-red hair and green eyes.
"Hi!" he said.
"Er, hi," Mark said. Courtney just waved.
"Maybe the youngsters could hang out wile we talk?" Mr. Dimond's boss asked.
"Well, okay! I suppose!" Mr. Dimond said, "Mark? Courtney?"
"Er... okay," Mark said.
The grownups left for the kitchen, leaving Mark, Courtney, and Jacob alone.
"So, your Mark and Courtney?" Jacob asked.
"Yeah," Courtney said. Mark and Courtney were used to not trusting anyone new. That stuck with them.
"So, what do you guys do for fun in a place like this?" Jacob asked, "I'm from out of town, visiting my uncle."
"Well, nothing much," Mark said, "Just talk, I guess."
"Just talk? You don't play basketball?"
"I do," Courtney said.
"I can't," Mark said, scratching the back of his head.
"It's simple, really!" Jacob said.
"I've got two left feet and no hand/eye coadunation."
"He's hopeless!" Courtney said, with a laugh.
"Very hopeless!" Mark added. Mark and Courtney laughed. Jacob stared at them.
"So, you two, like, boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Mark and Courtney stopped laughing.
"E-excuse me?!" they asked in unison.
"You know, you two, are you..."
"No!" Courtney yelled, blushing.
"A-are y-you c-crazy" Mark asked.
"Really? Because you two sure look like..."
"Listen, Buster!" Courtney yelled, grabbing him by the collar, "We are not going out!"
"Uh, Courtney! Let go of his shirt!" Mark said.
Courtney reluctantly let go of the kid's shirt. She scowled at him. Mark patted Courtney on the shoulder.
"O-okay! N-now that w-we've set that s-strait, how about s-some c-cupcakes?"
Mark was changing the subject. He wanted out of that conversation. So, Courtney gave him the easy way out, and agreed. Mark got the cupcakes and they set up a place on the porch to eat them. Of course, Mark and Courtney sat on one corner of the blanket, wile Jacob sat on the other. They still didn't trust that kid. Jacob quietly ate his cupcake, not daring to speak. Eventually, Jacob and Mr. Dimond's boss left.
"I don't like that kid," Courtney said, bitterly.
"I don't think he liked you either."