Disclaimer: I do not own Rocket power!
Author's note: I'm still trying to figure out how to reply to reviews: sorry if I over-send or don't reply! –pwincess
At the Shore Shack, Cleo spots Otto sitting quietly, a familiar glint of rage in his eye. She approaches cautiously.
Cleo: Hey baby…
Otto (looking up with a distracted smile): What's going on, babe?
Cleo: You OK?
Otto: Yeah… just… you know…
Cleo (giving him a hug): It'll be OK. Try not to be too mad at Twister… he really didn't mean to hurt you in any way, he just-
Otto (cutting her off): Don't mention that bastard's name.
Cleo: Excuse me? Otto, I understand you're upset with him for kissing Reg, but he's your best friend. Surely you shouldn't be calling him names…
Otto: Oh, I'm not upset with him for kissing my sister, I'm upset with him for kissing her and then dumping her a day later!
Cleo (getting upset now; she's remembering the look on Twister's face as she left the house): Well maybe if your sister wasn't the village bicycle, he wouldn't have dumped her!
Otto (eyes glittering dangerously): You take that back.
Cleo (a little afraid, she knows she's gone too far, and has never seen Otto this angry): Otto… I'm sorry… I know she's your sister… but she cheated on Twist!
Otto: She did NOT! Man, do you even KNOW her?
Cleo: I thought I did… but what do YOU call someone whose out with one guy less than twenty four hours after she kisses another one… that she's known her whole life?
Otto: I call her the only mother I've ever known!
Cleo (quietly): I KNOW she's your sister but think of this rationally, Otto, what would you do in his shoes?
Otto: I'd know enough to trust someone that I've known my whole life…
Cleo: Just think about this objectively…
Otto: No, YOU think of this objectively, Cleo. (she flinches. Since they got together, Otto has never called her by her real name) Reggie has been looking after Raymundo and me since she was seven years old.
Cleo: But –
Otto: Raymundo was a mess when mom died. Reggie's been cooking breakfast and dinner for us, doing our laundry, helping me with my homework AND busting my ass over all my dangerous stunts since we were kids. Does THAT sound like the actions of a cheater to you?
Cleo (still stung by the use of her name): Are you calling my cousin a liar?
Otto: Are you calling my sister a liar?
They stand in silence, looking at each other.
Otto (quietly): No one bad mouths Rocket girl to me… not even you.
He turns and leaves. Cleo remains seated at the Shore Shack, her eyes filled with tears. Meanwhile, at the Rocket house…
Trish: Come on, Reg, you need to pull yourself together. You're Reggie the Rocket, remember?
Sherry: Yeah, Twist will come to his senses eventually. Sammy's talking to him right now.
Trish (talking over Reggie): Excuse me, she doesn't need that no good Rodriguez brother.
Sherry: What're you talking about?
Trish: Hello… she has Trent. He actually LIKES her and would TRUST her. Twister dumped her one DAY after getting together with her.
Sherry: That was a MISUNDERSTANDING.
Reggie: um… hello guys, I'm right here.
Trish: Look girl, if he doesn't trust you, and didn't even bother trying to find out your side of the story, after knowing you your whole life, it was never really going to work out, anyway. What would have happened when you went off to college next year? He'd never have enough faith in you to wait out that one year before he comes out to join you; that is IF he gets into the same college you do; which is doubtful.
Sherry: But he's cared for her all his life. He'd definitely wait…
Trish: Then why didn't he bother to find out what was going on? (gently, to Reggie) Look, Reg, I know what it's like to not end up with your first love.
Reggie looks uncomfortable. She knows Trish has had feelings for Otto for awhile now, and Otto had had a crush on her too before Cleo moved permanently to Ocean Shores)
Trish: I've moved on, met someone else, and have never been happier. I actually care for Animal, and he genuinely loves me too. All I'm saying is don't close the door on anything that could potentially make you happy…
Reggie silently ponders her advice. Sherry is eager to change the subject; she and Sam are still actively rooting for Twister and Reggie to work things out.
Sherry: And on that note, let's hit the waves girlfriend.
Trish: Yes, you are officially banned from moping. Go put on that new red bikini we bought in the mall.
Sherry: You'll knock Twister's socks off in that! I mean… all the guys in the beach.
Reggie: Sammy and Animal aren't coming, are they? I really can't handle being the fifth wheel right now.
Sherry: Don't worry girlfriend, today's girls day!
Trish (to herself): With one small exception.
Reggie & Sherry (suspicious): Excuse me?
Trish: Er… I meant that's right girl! Today it's sisters over misters!!!!
They head off towards the beach, with Trish making a furtive text before leaving. Meanwhile, Sam is over at the Rodriguez house, talking to Twister.
Sam: You don't REALLY think Reggie would cheat, do you?
Twister: But she was on the phone with Trent, like hours after kissing me!
Sam: If he called her, what was she supposed to do, hang up?
Twister: AND she went out with him… to "run lines"!
Sam: They're in a play together. Obviously they need to rehearse.
Twister: She dressed up for him at Tito's party!
Sam: How do you know she didn't dress up to impress YOU?
Twister: She got mad when I kissed her.
Sam: Otto saw. Of course she'd be upset. Got anything else?
Twister: She was carrying a rose at the mall.
Sam: He gave it to her. Again, you expected her to throw it away in front of his face?
Twister: But… but…
Sam: You're making all these assumptions with no real basis Twist. My advice is to go talk to her before it's too late.
Twister (mumbling): Yeah, I guess I should. Where would she be though?
Sam: Sherry told me they're all going surfing. There's a distinct possibility you might find them at the beach.
Twister: Can you come with?
Sam (grinning with relief that Twister is finally seeing reason): You think I would pass up a chance to see Sherry in a bikini?
The two boys leave the house, and make their way towards the beach. In the meantime, the girls have "run into" someone at the beach.
Reggie (in shock): Trent?
Sherry (not even bothering to disguise her irritation): Like, what're YOU doing here?
Trish: Hey Trent, what a nice surprise! Out surfing?
Trent (smirking, and getting down on one knee, taking Reggie's hand): But soft, what light through yonder sand dunes break? It is the east, and Regina is the sun…
Twister (in a hard voice, he has arrived JUST in time to see Trent's dramatics): Well, Regina, I see you're having fun.
Reggie (shocked): Tw-twist? This is… this isn't what it looks like!
Twister: Really? Because it looks like you were SO devastated by our break up, you had to go on a date with this loser.
Trent: Now see here, Rodriguez…
Twister: Shut up, pretty boy. (turning to Sam) Enough proof for you now?
Sam (looking at Sherry): There HAS to be a good explanation for this.
Twister: Save it, squid. I'm out.
Reggie: Wait a minute.
Twister (turning around hopefully, he still wants to be somehow convinced that he's mistaken): Yeah?
Reggie: If you don't even have the decency to ask to hear my side of the story, Maurice Rodriguez, you weren't worth it to begin with.
She turns and runs out of the beach, not even bothering to hide her tears. All the others are shocked, they have NEVER seen Reggie cry in all the years they have known her. Trish looks extremely guilty, something a sharp Sam notices off the bat. Sherry goes after Reggie, while Trent stares coldly at Twister. Twister has a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach; this time he KNOWS he has overreacted, but what he doesn't know is what to do about it. In the end, he musters a death glare for Trent and turns on his heel, trying to quell the lump that has formed inside his own throat.