Chapter Eight

|Changing Tides|

After nine that night, Arthur and Naomi were the only two up in the Read house. Naomi was helping make an inventory of the pantry for David, and Arthur just happened to be in the kitchen looking for a glass of water. Naomi smiled to Arthur as she chewed the end of her pen and eyed the pantry carefully.

"So, you were in the meeting with them?" Naomi asked. Arthur nodded quietly before sitting at the breakfast table to drink his water. "I didn't want to lie to people, but it was the only way to actually get a job. People are pretty traditional around here still, so it's hard. You forgive me, don't you Artie?" she asked coyly. Arthur nodded again. "You're a texter not a talker," she giggled. "So typical of boys your age, but I kind of like it, as long as you're being a good listener."

"Buster tells me I'm a good listener," Arthur said. Naomi nodded with a smile, turning towards him, "I want to run the whole Abby thing past you. Do you think your parents will allow her to meet the others?" she asked. Arthur shrugged. "Yeah, it is pretty uncertain. She's a great kid. My mom is watching her still, but it's nice to have my own place. Now that they know, she might be able to move with me, if I can bring her here with me."

"You'll just have to ask my parents. They both seem to like you now, so just ask them," Arthur said. Naomi nodded before closing the pantry door and joining Arthur at the kitchen table. "Why did you start texting me all of the sudden?"

"One of your school friends started texting me, some Mary Alice girl," Naomi replied, showing her the entries. "She told me you were really into the whole texting thing, but I'm thinking she was lying to turn you against me. Do you know her?"

"She goes by Muffy, and she's the one who provided the investigator. She's been trying to meet you for a few times now," Arthur explained. "She was trying to turn you against me, but she's one of many girls after me right now. I'm surprised my parents let you stay because of that."

"I told them I wasn't into guys my age anymore because of Abby. That is another white lie, but you don't have much to worry about. You're like my little brother. When your arm is better, you'll be my little helper unless you get a job, which you should do. I'll bring over what I've found for you tomorrow. You might as well look now. That arm will be healed before you know it, and…I hope the girls keep fighting over you even after that cast goes away," Naomi smiled, ruffling his hair. "Now get to bed, young whippersnapper. I have more work to do," she grinned, clicking open her pen and returning to the pantry to continue her inventory.

As Arthur got into bed and thought about the day's events, he wondered if a girl like Naomi would want to be with him. Was she telling the truth about him being her cute little brother? His heart began to pound, and he knew he hoped that was yet another little white lie.

|Crushed Again?|

It was Sunday morning, but Arthur knew from Sue Ellen's phone call that she really wanted to work on their group project. She came over around eleven-thirty, following Arthur into his room without saying a word to anyone. Once they were seated, Arthur expected her to pull out some notebooks or something to work with, but instead she stared at the floor.

"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked. Sue Ellen shrugged, "I don't really know. You're feeling better, aren't you? You didn't get too sick?" she asked. Arthur shrugged; he felt better but nausea could still hit him at any time. "Well, I told Muffy off for how she was acting Thursday. She's been a real pain since she…well she has a crush on you. She'll do anything to have you, and because I stuck up for you—"

"She thought you were getting in her way," Arthur said, and Sue Ellen nodded. "Yeah, well she did the same thing to Fern and they seemed close. I hope it didn't get too nasty," Arthur muttered, knowing it probably did.

"Well, I say good riddance. I haven't agreed with her in so long. Truly, I don't know how we became best friends. We have almost nothing in common. She thinks my father is full of himself for knowing ten languages and traveling all the time, and she won't go to my house on certain days of the week because of the religious ceremonies my parents like to practice. She wants to be in her mansion, even though all she does is complain about her little brother and how much he whines all the time. Did you know he's sickly?"

"I don't know anything about him," Arthur admitted. "I've pulled away from Muffy over the years because of how she treats everyone. Truly I don't even know why she's at Elwood City High. Shouldn't she be in some private school somewhere that costs a lot of money?"

"You'd think, but she likes being at the top of the totem pole," Sue Ellen scoffed. "I'll admit that I enjoyed not being on her bad side, not having to look over my shoulder to make sure the rumors weren't too ugly. But I'm going to enjoy not being her friend even more, and…truly, I'm ready for drama. I know a lot about Muffy because of how willing she is to share information with her BFF's. I have a lot of dirt on her, and well…that's why I'm here."

"Please don't use me to start drama," Arthur groaned, the sick feeling trying to come back. Sue Ellen shook her head firmly, "I'm not, I swear! Listen, she stole Naomi's number and told her to text you a lot because she thought that'd make you mad. I just wanted to know if her plan worked or not," Sue Ellen smirked.

"What's the smile for?" Arthur asked. Sue Ellen's smile widened, "I know it didn't work. She put a note in your locker the other day, Naomi did. Wait, how did…? Ugh, anyway," Sue Ellen sighed, "I just wanted to make sure you were steering clear of both of them. Neither of them are good for you, and you shouldn't have to be with someone you can't stand."

"Naomi is really nice, but…she's older, way older," Arthur said. He told Sue Ellen the secrets of her past, and Sue Ellen's expression said it all: Maybe those little white lies were a little bigger than Naomi and the Read's assumed them to be. "I don't want anyone though, Sue Ellen. I want to…do my homework without wondering why people are staring at me at school, or work on school projects without drama. Please, you said you wanted to come over for our report. Can we work on that?"

"Of course, Arthur. I've known you since I got to Elwood City and you've been nothing but nice to me. If you want to just be a normal teenage boy, so be it," she smiled, pulling out her work. "I'm stuck on this last part, but then I'll be able to pass it to you for editing. Buster should look at it too in case I don't mention something that's on his model."

Arthur smiled, looking over Sue Ellen's shoulder to view the report. She smelled so exotic, he thought, his nose picking up scents from her hair and clothes that he didn't recognize. He felt himself blush as she talked about the report, and his mind almost instantly created a picture of him and Sue Ellen…were they holding hands?!

"Arthur, are you okay?" Sue Ellen asked, looking down at Arthur. "I don't think you are okay if you're going to be falling out of chairs. Should I just go?" she asked. Arthur shook his head, composing himself and getting back into his chair. He was pale now, almost scared-looking, but Sue Ellen took his word for it, continuing to work on school work. And Arthur's mind? Well it kept putting two and two together, causing his heart to pound loudly even after Sue Ellen left.

|Beginning of the War|

"It's nice to have you back, Arthur," Buster smiled, patting Arthur's good shoulder as they boarded the bus. "Oh, Sue Ellen emailed me the report. She said you were going to edit it too, when you got it that is," Buster said. Arthur nodded, taking their usual seat midway up the bus.

"Good morning, Arthur," Brain said, turning to face them. "I do hope you're feeling better today. Those stomach bugs are pretty wicked nowadays," he smiled, passing Arthur a package of tea. "That's what my mom fixes me when I have an upset stomach. Perhaps if you need it again—"

"Thank you, Brain, I'll be sure to use some if I need it," Arthur smiled nervously. Across the row from him, George snickered, turning around to the row behind him, where Francine was sitting with one of her sports buddies. The laughter continued, and soon Arthur felt eyes hit him.

"Something's up," Buster muttered. "Wait, how are things with you and the ladies? Anything weird?" Buster asked, careful to whisper. Arthur shrugged; he couldn't admit he was dreaming about Naomi but having intense daydreams about Sue Ellen too, not even to his best friend. "Well, I heard Sue Ellen told off Muffy in the cafeteria before you left. Are they literally fighting over you?"

"No, Sue Ellen doesn't think Muffy should be so intense about things. She told Naomi to text me a lot to turn me against her," Arthur explained. "It didn't work. We have a lot in common. But it could never work. Naomi is really in her twenties, so I'm too young. It's fine. I think she sees me more as a little brother than anything else."

"You're probably right, but…you need to watch yourself. Everyone is staring at you, and I can almost smell that Crosswire funk coming out of these phones. She's up to something, probably something that will keep her on the Brat List long after we're gone," Buster muttered, his ears falling from nervousness as he eyed the bus. People were turning around to tell people something, but the boys couldn't hear…until someone turned around to Brain.

"You do all realize this is a very poor photo editing job, don't you? Arthur doesn't have a sixth and seventh finger either," Brain scoffed, pushing the boy's phone away. "Arthur, are you aware of what Muffy sent out about you?" Brain asked. The bus went silent as he turned around to Arthur, who blushed at the stares reaching him.

"No, but I'd like to know what it is," Arthur admitted. Brain called around, but not many people were willing to show him. Finally, Francine reached her phone out over the aisle. Buster gasped as Arthur looked on silently; Muffy had edited a photo to show Arthur holding hands with Naomi, edited poorly to look pregnant.

"Who is that girl?" Brain asked. Arthur sighed, "It's my siblings' caretaker. Muffy is jealous of her being in my house or something. I don't know what the deal is, but I just want to be left alone. Everyone seems to think that because my arm is broken, I suddenly need the attention of an A-list celebrity. Well I don't."

"So Muffy is jealous of a babysitter?" Francine asked, laughing gently as Arthur nodded. "Yep, made the right choice cutting that chick off, am I right, Maria?" Francine asked. Maria high-fived her with a smile as laughter flowed through the bus.

When they reached Elwood City High, the rumors continued to flow, but Arthur sensed a change in the atmosphere. Had his bus mates defended him and tried to forget the incident? Had Muffy caught wind of their defiance and started something with those who stuck up for him? Arthur didn't know what, but he really wished that stomach virus had stuck around a little longer so he didn't have to find out.