Chapter 24: Confrontation

"Sportacus, you need to tell me what is wrong. Why are you here? What happened to your nose?" Stephanie's patience was wearing thin. She stood in an empty hall where Sportacus paced.

His facial expression was indecipherable. Sportacus took a deep breath and shot a glare at Steph. He said, "No one has died. No one is hurt. I came here because I cannot wait any more. I think about you constantly, Stephanie. I cannot sleep. I can barely eat. My acrobatics have not been one-hundred percent. Stephanie, I love you. I have a feeling you don't feel the same. You told me you would take the time and think about it. I want you. Please, answer me now."

"Well, you know how to put someone on the spot. Sportacus, I do not love you. You and I are complete opposites. I love staying active like you, but that doesn't make us destined to be together. I feel like you hold expectations just because we teamed up all the time. We shared a nice moment together. You were my first kiss. But I don't love you the same way you love me." Stephanie tried not to sound mean, but she wanted to be honest.

An angry tone startled Steph when Sportacus replied, "How can you not love me? I'm perfect. Perfect for you, perfect for anyone. I chose you."

"You sound conceited, Sportacus."

"Look at me, I stay healthy, clean, and I am very sexy – if I do say so myself. Can I change your mind?" Sportacus now sounded desperate.

Inches closed in between them. Stephanie looked around nervously. She said, "No. I'm in love with someone else. Someone who will take care of me."

"Did he tell you to say that?" Sportacus replied, "Did Robbie plant words so you could hurt me? Tell me, Stephanie, is he a good lover? Did he make you feel good?"

"What? How dare you!"

"I know you two have been flirting. I planned something too, just in case Robbie didn't come through. I knew sending him here was a bad idea."

Stephanie could feel Sportacus' hot breath like fire on her face. She said, "What plan? Robbie didn't fall in love with me on purpose."

"So you admit it. Robbie says he's fallen in love with you? Well, I'm not sure about that. But I do know from a certain Amelia that you two made love in your back yard. You're such a little slut. First, you want Nate, then me, now Robbie? Are you just doing it for the feeling or are you charging people now?"

Another inch closer, Sportacus pinned Stephanie between his arms and lockers. His arms rested on either side of her and he forced himself on her neck. After a few kisses and bites he laughed.

"Stop! Leave me alone."

"I heard everything, Stephanie," Sportacus said. "Amelia followed you to your house to get back at you. She had no idea she'd be bumping into me after running from an embarrassing sight. I paid her heavily for the information. You see, you aren't the only one who can make love to anyone you want. You know we are both attractive. Just give up and let me have my little super-heroine."

"Hey!" A female voice interrupted the dramatic scene. "You cut that shit out right now, old man!"

"Tiffany," Steph mumbled.

Startled at the sight of a witness, Sportacus let his arms fall and straightened his back. At first he laughed. When Lily, Alice, and the cheering team appeared in the hall, his face fell in worry. Stephanie remained statue-still.

"Great," Sport joked anxiously, "you all want a piece of me? I will autograph anything."

"You won't be autographing anything anymore," A serious tone emerged from the female crowd. Robbie, without a wig on, just being himself, came out of the lunchroom with an apple in his hand.

"Robbie, did you really reveal your true identity to an entire school? Do you realize how much trouble you will be in? Everyone, this perve snuck into the school pretending to be a teenager. He was going to hurt my Stephanie." Though confident on the outside, Sportacus had a million reasons to run and hide.

Leading the cheerleading team closer, Robbie said, "You are disgusting. Talking to Stephanie like she is a piece of meat, attacking her like some trophy. That's all you care about, Sportacus. Winning. Gold, no bronze, no last place. You want everything your way. Well listen here, it is time you leave for good. I always had a feeling I would really hate you someday. Today is that day. Step away from Stephanie and no one will get hurt."

"Robbie," Stephanie ran to her villain's side. "He bit my freakin' neck. Sportacus, you are the villain. Get away from me."

Stephanie was handed an apple. Her old cheermates held fruit in their hands, ready to throw.

"I'm not moving." Sportacus said.

Robbie smirked and tossed the apple up the air and caught it again. He said, "Yes, Sportacrap, you are leaving. Go home."

Before he could blink, Sportacus was hit hard in the head by Robbie's apple. The other girls started throwing fruit as Sportacus flipped and cartwheeled out of the way, all the way out of the school.

"You ok, Pinky?" Robbie looked at her and put a gentle arm across her back.

Stephanie, overwhelmed by everything, replied, "No. No, I'm not. Sportacus just tried to rape me pretty much. He kissed my neck. He bit me. What the hell just happened?"

"Steph," Tiffany said, "I had to get Robin – er, Robbie. Sportacus was nice at the prom and all, but I heard the way he was talking to you from the front of the lunchroom."

Alice added, "No worries. The lunch lady alerted school security about a fruity man who needed to be escorted out of here. I'm pretty sure the way he verbally abused you will land him a restraining order. Stephanie, we are all behind you. Robbie was great disguising himself as someone else to keep an eye on you. He told us."

"Robbie, what am I supposed to do now? I can't ever go back to Lazytown. Sportacus isn't going to leave there. I just need to go back home. Clearly, coming here today was a bad idea. Girls, thank you so much for coming out and helping. I'll be fine. I need to clear my head."

The cheerleaders hugged their friend. The bell rang and it was time to get to class. Stephanie and Robbie left and headed back to her house. Her mind could not stop thinking she woke up late for a reason. If Steph had stayed home with Robbie, would Sportacus have bothered making such a spectacle? Perhaps he wouldn't have gotten loud and borderline abusive. Stephanie tried not to blame herself, but she could not help it. In the beginning of this situation, she had been spiteful and asked Sportacus to attend prom with her. That was the first mistake. The second mistake was kissing him and not telling him right out that she had no intention of being involved with him romantically.

Stephanie considered her feelings for Robbie a factor for the drama with Sportacus. If she had lied and pretended she believed Robbie's alias, he probably would not have had a run-in with Sportacus. In fact, Stephanie was surprised Robbie did not tell her about his epic punch. She wasn't mad, but disappointed. After sharing such a romantic moment, she thought Robbie would be honest. Then again, she wondered if Robbie wanted to keep it from her so she didn't become anxious again. In other words, he was protecting her.

"Here we are again," Stephanie said to Robbie. "I'm sure the school has called my parents by now. I'm shocked the teachers watched the show rather than try and stop you. Thank you for defending me. I really do not understand why Sportacus has turned into such a horrible person lately. His head is messed up."

"Sweety," Robbie said, taking Steph's hand in his, "No need to fret. Lazytown was a huge chunk of your life, but it's not the only part. Sportacus is going to get in a lot of trouble for what he did. Be prepared to stand your ground. As for now, it is time to let me hold you and maybe convince you to make a cake. Hm. I could make you one."

"Not in the mood."

"Trying to make you laugh, Pinky. The important thing is that you are fine right now. If you want, I can come clean with your parents and tell them about Sportacus."

"I need some time to myself, Robbie." Stephanie said with a tear in her eye. "I'll come out to the tent a bit later. I want to rest my head. I'm not feeling so well. I love you."

Robbie kissed Stephanie's cheek and said, "I love you too."

Back inside her bedroom, Stephanie couldn't help but feel that old familiar pain of life settle on her sheets.