I am posting this along with my other, shorter chapter. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own the goonies, the song 'Prisoners of Love,' or the name Mel Brooks. ;)
Chapter 6: Inedible Treats and Unentertaining Entertainment
I waltzed into the library at 3:15 on Thursday. My joy at having no homework was dampened by this seemingly never-ending task.
I was going to spend a lot of time alone in here over the next few days. I didn't want to bother the guys on something that I was unsure about. The election wasn't getting any further away.
Grabbing the 1966box, I sat down at one of the tables and began reading.
I read at a rate of about 1 month every 2 hours. At least the weekend was coming up. I'll be in the library all day Saturday and Sunday. What fun.
No Elgin Perkins. Now I had only one newspaper to go until April. And it was 5:31.
I had to be home by 6 for dinner. I probably didn't have time to start another newspaper.
Okay, still not very far. But I can definitely get this done over the weekend. I'll have almost limitless time on Saturday, and a fair-sized amount of time for Sunday, too.
I rushed into the front door at 6:05. Chances are, I got caught up in that last newspaper and left the library too late. Now my main worry was that dinner might be cold.
It seemed awfully quiet here. I called Mouth's name twice. No answer.
"Mom! Dad!"
No answer.
I sighed and threw my stuff on the nearest chair. I hadn't made any stops between the school and the library.
Now what was I going to do?
The phone rang in the kitchen, and I ran to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?" It was Mouth.
I rolled my eyes. Uh, you're calling the house phone. Obviously…
"Um, where else would I be answering the HOME phone?"
He sighed. "Where were you?"
"I was at the library. Why aren't Mom and Dad home?"
"Dad had a business meeting to go to and Mom went with him. Don't you remember ANYTHING?"
I mentally kicked myself. They had told Mouth and I that this morning! How could have I forgotten?
And come to think of it, I forgot to tell them I would be at the library.
What was WRONG with me?
Oh, well. At least I forgot to tell Mom and Dad that I wouldn't be home on a day that THEY wouldn't be home. That would save me a lot of trouble. And possibly a weekend of punishment.
"Uh, Lea?"
"Yeah?"
"Still there?"
"Well… obviously."
He sighed again. "If Mom and Dad get home, tell them I'm at Mikey's house…"
CRASH!
"Oh, shit!"
"What was that?" I asked, concerned.
He didn't answer.
"Oh my god, Chunk, you IDIOT!" I heard Mouth shout.
"What? What happened? Hello?"
I heard shouts and swear words on the other line, but no one answered me.
I sighed and hung up.
Curiosity, suspense, anxiety, and concern bubbled inside of me. What had happened at Mikey's house? Whatever the explosion was, it was pretty loud.
I just had to find out.
I grabbed a post it note and quickly scribbled…
Mom, Dad, me and Mouth at Mikey's house. Don't know exactly how long.
Lea
I rushed out the back door, stuck the note to the front of the door where my parents would surely see it, then took off at a brisk pace to Mikey's house.
I arrived within minutes. I opened the front door, and examined the scene before me.
Nobody had to tell me what happened.
Chocolate cake was everywhere, including on the rug and furniture. There stood a very pissed off Mikey and Mouth, an exasperated Data, and a sheepish guilty-looking Chunk, immediately identifying him as the culprit. They were cleaning as thoroughly as possible.
Yes, nobody had to tell me what happened.
But I was so curious as to how it happened it was nearly killing me.
The door shut behind me. Everybody looked up.
"Ah, just what we need, more company." Mikey said sulkily.
"What…"
Mouth glared at me. I took one good look at his face and decided that now was not the best time for explanations.
"Um, do you need a little help, guys?"
"Obviously," Mouth said, putting major stress on every syllable. I could tell that he was really pissed.
I made a mental note to pull Chunk aside and explain an important, unspoken rule: It's funny when Mouth is pissed off… until he's pissed off at you.
But he probably knows that now, from this experience.
I scrubbed hard at the dark spots on the carpet and wondered exasperatingly how I would ever get chocolate off of the furniture.
The TV was switched on, and blaring at full volume. Some show was on that was EXTREMELY annoying. I was trying not to listen, but it was kind of hard not to.
"Prisoners of love
Blue skies above
Can't keep our hearts in jail!"
I sighed. They have GOT to be kidding me. Even Mel Brooks didn't go as far as to take that song seriously. Who in their right mind would ever take it seriously?
I scrubbed hard, putting my whole mind into the work, trying to block out what had to be the corniest show of all time.
The song 'Prisoners of Love,' kept popping into my head, so I must've not been so successful.
"Commercial break!"
I sighed with relief. I wasn't sure I could take that torturous song for much longer.
I heard ads for videocassettes, records, clothing, and a bunch of other things. I kept working, glancing up a few times to check out the record albums.
I had to get this rug done. Nothing would slow my pace.
"Be smart. Vote for Perkins in the upcoming election."
WHAT?!!! My head shot up.
There he was, his smug, lazy, condescending face.
It took most of my self control to stop myself from tipping the TV over the table and breaking it. Needless to say, breaking your best friend's TV is NOT a way to get on their good side.
Especially considering that Mikey was not really on anyone's good side right now. Until we got the mess cleaned up, at least.
"The election is at the beginning of next month.
Oh my gosh! I had forgotten all about the date of the election! That only gives us a little less than 3 weeks!
Ihad to get done with these papers over the weekend. We had to pick up the pace.
What if…
No! Not 'what if.' You WILL find something, and Mr. Walsh WILL win the election.
I cleared my mind of all doubt, and tried to calculate how long I would have to be in the library.
April, 2 hours, May, 4, June, 6, July, 8, August, 10, September, 12, October, 14, November, 16, December, 18.
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
It wasn't definite that the newspaper I was looking for would be the last week in December. It wasn't even too likely! I probablywouldn't have to read for 18 hours!
Of course, assuming that Elgin Perkins was in a 1966 newspaper.
So I have to go to the library Friday immediately after school, as soon as the library opens on Saturday, and…
Wait.
The library isn't open on Sunday! Damn it.
Saturday 9 to 5… that would be 8 hours… Friday for 4 hours… that would be ending around 7:15 on Friday. Well, 8:15. I should leave an hour, just in case.
Om Saturday, I'll go to the library at 9 with the guys and just not leave with them.
That would work.
I had my weekend all planned out. Well, almost all planned out.
Hope this makes up for my shorter chapter. Please review!
