Violet broke down as soon as she sat in her car, and turned the key, the last connection she had was gone, she knew how Shermy was; there was no chance they'd ever get back together, and she thought she would be the laughing stock once the school found out. With her phone out, she wanted to call Lucy and Patty with a conference call, then it dawned on her that they're not her friends anymore, there was nobody she could call that wasn't friends with Peggy, or at least closer friends with her, than herself. All the phone numbers, and nobody she could really talk to.
Joe had finished his meal and slipped out when Shermy and Peggy were making out. Charlie wasn't going to bother them, but Patty decided to say something since they were all done about the same time.
"Another secret couple revealed," she smirked.
"Looks like it," Shermy rubbed the back of his head, "it just happened that way."
"No, I understand. Violet's a terrible person, it was only a matter of time before you two broke up. Are you happy together?"
"She makes me really happy."
"Happier now that we don't need to hide. I hate that it happened this way."
"Stop lying Peggy, you know you don't care that much," Charlie gave her a look.
"Ya got me there, Brownie," she teased, "I don't care that she was hurt. But what's going on here?"
"Just hanging out."
"That's what we called it, too," she laughed.
"She wanted to show me this place, it's got good food."
"Well you two make a good couple," Shermy said.
"We're… not…," Patty trailed off with a blush.
"Not yet. Girl Charlie is so easy, bag him already!"
"Stop it, Peggy… he's just… he's a good friend, he's just been there for me."
"She's just teasing you," he hugged her from the side, "don't let it get to you."
"Such a ladies man, ya got her all flustered. That used to be you. We'll see you at school."
"Yeah, catch you later," Shermy waved.
"Buh-byeee Patty… Brownie Charles," she followed Shermy out.
"Brownie Charles," Patty looked at him.
"It's a long story… good grief…"
Monday rolled around, Lucy was making her coffee when Linus came down, he noticed for the first time she was actually in a t-shirt, but as he got closer, he noticed she had on one of her arm warmers with the skeleton arm print, and frowned. She turned to see him, and stood there a moment before walking past him.
"Lucy," he called out.
"Stop. Stop pretending. Every time we're alone you act like this, but around everybody else… you treat me like crap. I don't like the mixed signals," she grabbed her backpack, going outside.
She sat on the bench in the front yard waiting for Charlie, when Sally came outside.
"Can I ask you something," Lucy spoke up.
"What Lucy, what," she walked over.
"Do… do you think, well… I need to know what Linus thinks about me."
"Huh," she tilted her head.
"He seems like he cares, when it's just us, when he's around all of you, I'm just trash to him. Does he… talk about me with you? What does he say?"
Sally sighed heavy, looked around.
"I don't know what to do anymore, I think I fucked up everything, I don't know why Rerun, Marcie, or even Charlie cares about me."
As soon as she went to open her mouth, Rerun and Linus walked outside.
"Morning, baby," Sally smiled.
"Hey," he walked up with a kiss, "she wasn't bothering you, was she?"
"Lucy? No, she's fine. Morning Rerun."
"Morning Sally," he gave Lucy a hug.
Charlie walked outside, "okay… let's head to this shit show."
"I think I'll just walk," Lucy said.
"What… you'll be late, Lucy," he looked confused.
"It'll just be better for everybody."
"Nope," Charlie walked over and took her hand, "I won't have you walking."
"Come on Lucy, don't be like that," Rerun begged.
Linus just sighed, catching Sally's attention.
"Please… just let me walk."
"Rerun…"
Both boys pulled her up and escorted her to the car, Sally rolled her eyes, and opened the front door, as they pushed Lucy inside.
"Just a heads up, in case you all haven't found out yet; Shermy broke up with Violet, and he's been dating Peggy."
"When did that happen," Rerun asked.
"Patty and me went to that place that Frieda told her about, and we watched the whole thing go down. It wasn't pretty."
"Lemme guess… you're going to talk to her, too," Linus replied.
"Why would I talk to her?"
At school Violet was sitting with Tapioca.
"You know your man is all over Peggy-Jean?"
"He left me for her on Saturday. Apparently I was not a good girlfriend."
"Are you going to do something about it?"
"What am I supposed to do? Try and beat her up, demand he come back to me, beg? There's no coming back from this, I just lost him, and I gotta move on, find a guy who can actually handle me."
"That's the spirit, girl! Keep your head up," she looks around, "I gotta go."
"Why?"
"I'm hungry, and I can't really be seen with you like that," she walked away quickly.
"Oh come on!"
"There's the new couple," Peppermint Patty yelled when Shermy and Peggy walked in.
"You traded up, my man," Franklin gave him a fist bump.
"New couple, when did this happen," Lamar asked.
"Saturday. I finally ended it with Violet, I wasn't happy with her. This woman here has given me everything I could ask for."
"Awe… Shermy," she hugged him.
"Now the whole gangs here," Franklin greeted Charlie and them walking up.
"Marcie," Rerun went to kiss her.
"Shermy and Peggy are dating now."
"I know, Charlie told us."
Marcie saw Charlie and Lucy together, "good morning you two."
"Hey," Charlie smiled.
"Umm… hi," Lucy said.
"We saw the whole thing yesterday, it was pretty ugly from Violet's side."
"Why's she here," Peppermint Patty glared at Lucy.
"She's just standing there," Patty appeared from behind Peppermint Patty, "she's not bothering you."
"We gotta look at her."
"Baby, that's mean," Roy scolded.
"Franklin, Hey Franklin," Emily walked over.
"Emily, whassup?"
"I had a good time on our date, we should do it again, soon."
Most of them started to woo.
"Aye, aye, now!"
"You want to… eat breakfast with me, Franklin?"
"If you say no, I'll beat you up," Peppermint Patty threatened.
"Yeah, I'll eat breakfast with you."
"Cool. Uh… why is she here," Emily pointed at Lucy.
"Charlie is why she's here," Schroeder answered.
"None of us want her here," Frieda spoke up.
"I don't mind," Marcie said.
"She's my sister," Rerun added.
"I thought all of you wanted her here… guess I was wrong."
She walked up to Lucy, who started growing nervous.
"You look like you're having it really rough, I can see in your heart that you want to be different, and you're trying… hopefully they will see it too. May the gods guide you," she turned, and pulled Franklin to the lunch line.
By the time first period was over, practically everybody knew the newish couple of Shermy and Peggy, making sure Violet knew they knew, but all she knew was sorrow, it hit her that she was alone, what anger she had was gone, and it was hard for her to hide her emotions, especially when she would see them together. Violet would see Charlie and Patty, or him with Lucy, any of them alone, only Charlie might glance her way, the other two made an effort to ignore her, it dawned on her that she really could use some friends right now, she didn't know who would talk to her, much less care. The student tormenting never stopped, and in their own ways, reminded her of how it was all her fault.
She bit the bullet and caught Charlie in the hall, "Charlie! Charlie!"
"What Violet," he turned around.
"Charlie… can I talk to you? I need to talk to somebody. Please, I… I don't have anybody."
"And you picked me?"
She nodded, hope and despair in her eyes.
"Violet… sounds like… you better talk to a counselor, then," he walked away.
"Help me," she cried out.
"Nooo," he raised a hand.
Students around them simply laughed at her, teased her, this was way too much for her to handle, and the last thing she needed was for him to tell somebody, like Peppermint Patty, or even Lucy, that would put her in actual trouble, that she doesn't need. When lunch came, Violet decided to leave and go home, she couldn't deal with how things were going. During the rush to the lunchroom, she went to the student lot, hoping nobody saw her, and left as fast as that Cadillac could go.