A/N: Wow. Just realized I have two characters named Alice. Cheer Cap. And Mom. Sorry for confusion. Plenty of names and I chose two Alices. Sorry folks, apparently I had no creativity for a moment there.
Chapter 26: The Truth About Saying Goodbye
Stephanie kept to herself for the night. She occasionally peered through her window at a distant light glowing in a small tent. From here, Robbie was nothing but a light in the dark. Collapsing to her pillows, Stephanie sighed in relief. The school had called her parents about Sportacus, but never mentioned the fruitscapades that took place. If anything, her friends had begged the teachers not to rat them out. Don and Alice Meanswell consoled their daughter and mentioned learning self-defense at some point. They drilled her, making sure Sportacus had not gone further than attacking her neck. She confessed to him speaking with her in a cruel tone, but left out the bit about Robbie and her in the woods. Her parents could know everything, but not everything needed to be known.
In between all of the night's phone calls and frustrations, Don rescued Stephanie from her last week of school. She would graduate with her peers and take finals the next morning rather than the next week. In a way, she was lucky. However, Steph hadn't studied much the past month. The plus side of having such a bad day was being able to read and absorb more instead of resurrecting the ghost of bad memories.
The light in the tent soon went out. Robbie stayed up for most of the night waiting for his Pinky. He realized she was probably trying very hard to keep it together. As Robbie drifted off, soft steps approached his hiding place. Stephanie set an alarm on her phone and placed it on the floor of the ten as she scooted next to a slumbering Robbie. Kissing him on the lips gently partially woke him. He smiled and pulled her against him. Grasshoppers and insects chirped and buzzed as a summer air moved over the backyard.
All seemed peaceful, but Stephanie stirred as nightmares crashed in like a tide. When morning came, Stephanie's alarm saved her from images of an angry Sportacus trying to take her.
"Where are my pancakes and bacon?" Robbie began, "I had a dream you made an extravagant breakfast filled with mountains of food. I was about to eat some when your alarm woke me."
Stephanie giggled and said, "Sorry, Robbie. I would make breakfast but I have to run and do my finals today. Mom and Dad talked with the principal and they basically saved me from one more week of school. I was going to come here sooner, but I needed to study."
"Did you manage to figure out what to do about Sportypants and Lazytown? I'd hate to go back without you." Robbie leaned in to kiss Stephanie on the forehead.
She answered, "No idea. Dad's taking me to Lazytown after my finals so we can talk to the police about a restraining order. So unreal. I cannot believe Sportacus turned out to be such a dick. So, are you heading back, too?"
"I can. I planned on staying until you graduated. But if a week off is what you need, I can understand that. You have been through a lot this year." Robbie sounded a bit down, but smiled.
Stephanie responded calmly, "If I have this week off, I was going to see if I could stay with you. We can talk later, though. I'll be in Lazytown by five tonight. Dad took the day off from work. I have to go, though. I will see you soon, Robbie."
"Good luck on finals, Pinky. See you soon."
Robbie gathered his things in his backpack and left just as Steph did. He walked out of the woods to a bus stop. He studied the times and found a bus that would take him back home. Something didn't sit right in his stomach. Stephanie was his only hope now at surviving the hoopla of a town that never accepted him. Before boarding the bus, he took a last look at the town. He did not want to return to Lazytown. If confronted again by Sportacus, he would most likely knock his lights out. The bus driver collected Robbie's change and waited for him to sit. Robbie sat by the window and stared at houses and trees whizzing by. If only he could stay here forever.
Stephanie stepped into her last final with her head held high. Studying hard the previous night definitely paid off. While in the hall, she spotted a purple-haired girl charging at her like a bull to a red blanket.
"Steph, wait!" Amelia chased after her enemy.
Impatient, Stephanie replied, "What do you want? Do you want to put posters on the wall of me and Robbie making love? Do you want to let the world know that I was verbally and emotionally abused in the halls yesterday? What do you have to say that is so important? You've done your damage."
"He hurt me, too. Sportacus. He bumped into me. He threatened me, Steph. I'm sorry I snooped on you, but I didn't expect you to be in the woods, exposed. I thought I would be clever sneaking around your lawn planting stink bombs. Something stupid. I didn't mean to tell Sportacus everything. He said he would do dirty things to me. I refused and just told him everything. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Amelia began crying. It was refreshing to see, but Stephanie felt guilty.
"Sportacus is mental," Stephanie replied. "I'd rather you tell him my life story than let him touch you. He is mad with desire. He's snapped. Look, I know we've had our differences, but can we just forget the year and graduate with a civil attitude? I have to go to Lazytown tonight and place a restraining order on him. Then, I'm never going back there again. I can't."
"So, you forgive me?" Amelia asked with tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Yes, I do. Clearly, Nathan never treated either one of us right, either. Men. Seriously. Look, I didn't mean for your hair to turn some weird color. If you dye it black, it should erase the damage. You'd look pretty with dark hair." Stephanie shot her new friend a concerned look.
Amelia flailed her arms and said, "Are you kidding? I love this new look. I've always wanted to color my hair some strange color. It reminds me of those anime shows where the girls have like rainbow hair and stuff. So, you are no longer the only one with unique hair. Tell Robbie I said thank you. Stephanie, I will see you at graduation. Take care of yourself. Us girls have to stick together, even if I am a bit snobby and you are a bit nerdy."
"Ha. Alright. I'll see you at graduation then. Tell everyone I'm sorry I couldn't make the party tonight."
"Oh, and the cheering team won second place. They regretted not having you."
Stephanie nodded and began walking to her last final. Talking with Amelia only confirmed her doubts about returning to her summer home. Sportacus would never leave the town he watched over. He was Lazytown's guardian angel, now a fallen one. After focusing on her last final, Stephanie knew what had to be done. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she exited the school. Her father waited in the parking lot and greeted his daughter with a hug.
"You ready, pumpkin? I figured while we were there I can talk to my brother. Milford probably has no idea what's going on. As Mayor, he can most likely remove Sportacus from the town." Don started the car. The engine quickly turned over, ready for its trip.
Stephanie inhaled deeply and said, "Dad, I'd like to take you up on that offer you and Mom suggested long ago. I'd like to travel. Find myself."
"If that's what you want, then we can help you." Don smiled and ruffled Stephanie's pink hair.
She had a feeling saying goodbye to Lazytown for good would not be easy. Her home away from home had always stood as a sanctuary. It was time to grow up. It was time to explore the world and find out who she wanted to be. Maybe it was to climb the Rocky Mountains or to go deep sea diving. Whatever the case, Steph knew it had to be done.