Disclaimer: I don't own Rocket power! Or Romeo and Juliet!
Shout out to superstoyboi124:as requested, you're in the story! ;)
Author's note: I'm almost done with this! About 2-3 more chaps to go! Please review, and tell me what you think so far. Also, I'm thinking of doing a companion fic on how Otto/Cleo got together… let me know if anyone would be interested.
Scene: Casa Rodriguez, several weeks later. Twister and Cleo are moping in front of the TV. Neither has made any attempt at talking to either of the Rocket siblings.
Twister: You talk to Otto yet?
Cleo: No… you? Talking to Reg?
Twister (ignoring her question): You LOVE Otto, cuz. And you know you can't blame him for defending Reg…
Cleo: You love Reg too… besides it's more complicated than that. It's not so much about him defending Reg than him refusing to take my side when I was right… she did cheat on you and she did break your heart..
Twister (wincing): You HAD to bring that up…
Cleo (shrugging): We're even, cuz. (pause) Sam still on your case?
Twister: Yeah… I've been avoiding him since that day at the beach… He keeps saying he has "something to talk to me about"…
Cleo: I know… Sherry wants to "talk" too… it sucks… the only one I'd be willing to talk to about this is probably Reg…
Twister: Yeah… I miss my best friend too… almost as much as I miss… her…
Cleo: You don't think we overreacted a little?
Twister: I go to bed every night wishing more than anything that I did overreact… but I can't get over what I saw…
Cleo (sighing): Yeah… I know I could apologize, but why should I when I KNOW I'm right…
Twister (smiling slightly): We Rodriguez have integrity…
Enter Lars and Cleo's older brother, Thomas
Twister (mumbling): Well most of us do, anyway?
Lars: Now, Maurice. No hug for your big bro?
Cleo: Chill, Lars. He's had a rough couple of weeks…
Lars: Where's Rocket dork? Shouldn't he be a) risking a pounding by making out with my cousin or b) dragging lil Twist over here around madtown?
Twister (angrily): He's not here, OK? He's probably off with his two timing sister somewhere, catching waves and watching her make eyes at every male in the beach!
Thomas: Dude… I KNOW you did NOT just diss Reggie Rocket. What happened, man? I thought you've been in love with her since you were in diapers.
Cleo (quietly): Reggie kissed him awhile ago… and cheated on him with Trent the very next day..
Lars: And let me guess… you're on his side, and Rocket Dork is siding his sister?
Twister: Man, Lars, you were right all along. Us Rodriguez do NOT need the Rockets… for anything.
Lars: Ya know… for once I think Rocket dork is right.
Cleo: How can you say that… Twist and I SAW her with Trent at the mall the next day, when we went to go buy Tito's birthday present.
Lars: Tito's birthday present… that picture thing? Wasn't it her idea?
Twister: Yeah… and she ditched it for Trent!
Thomas: So… she knew you'd all be at the mall that day?
Cleo: Yeah… I guess so.
Lars: And she would purposely show up there, begging to get caught, why?
Twister (turning red): But… I saw her at the beach the DAY after our break up… and Trent was on one knee, holding her hand, saying some lame- o line from the play…
Cleo (uncomfortably): Twist… you did tell me that Sam, Sherry and Trish were there.
Twister (a sinking feeling starting to form at the pit of his stomach): Oh, man…
Lars: Let me get this straight… my dork of a brother… actually gets a chance to date Reggie "the Rocket", hottest, most amazing girl in Ocean Shores, and HE dumps her.. for cheating… with no real evidence?
Cleo: Can it, Lars….
Thomas: And my sister, who I always thought of as smart… dumps the guy she's been talking about for years… because he took the side of his own sister?
Lars: Who practically helped raise him?
Twister (uncomfortable): Don't you have somewhere you need to be?
Lars: Oh yeah… I'm bailing all right. But before I go… we went looking for you two at the auditorium… you left your camera, and Mrs John asked me to pass it to you.
Thomas: You two might want to have a look at it. You'll probably find something of interest.
Exit Lars and Thomas. Cleo and Twister are left clutching the camera uncertainly.
Cleo: You… want to watch it?
Twister: I guess…
They hook up the camcorder to the TV, and start to watch. The camera pans to Reggie, in a long red dress and a Shakespearean headdress, sitting by a table backstage, reading her lines with a look of concentration, and a trace of sadness in her eye, only noticeable to her best friend, and the teenage boy watching the video. Trent enters.
Trent: Juliet… you still reading?
Reggie: Yeah… I guess I'm nervous about opening night this weekend. It's my first time doing anything like this… and… you know.
Trent (suave smile): You're doing a great job… clearly the best Juliet the school's ever seen.
Reggie (wryly): Yeah, well… we'll let the audience be the judge of that.
Trent: They already have… the play's completely sold out.
Reggie (sighing): That's great news…
Trent: Reg… have you thought about what I talked to you about yesterday?
Reggie: Yes… but… I'm just not ready, Trent.
In the Rodriguez living room
Twister: READY? FOR WHAT? IS HE TRYING TO SLEEP WITH HER ALREADY?!?
Cleo: Shush… I can't hear
Back on screen
Reggie: I know it seems weird to you, but I'm just too.. shattered by the whole thing with Twist. He really hurt me, you know? I can't date anyone else for awhile…
Trent: He doesn't deserve you, Reg
Reggie (sighs): I really thought he did… you know, even when we were kids, and it was so hard trying to hold the family together after Mom died, he'd be the one I'd confide in… his lame jokes would somehow always make me laugh, and forget for a moment the huge burden that was on my shoulder… When we got together, I even had visions of us going to the same college, remaining together all through… you know?
Trent: If he couldn't even trust you enough to ASK for your side of it, should you spend the rest of your life moping? You deserve so much better, Reg. You deserve someone who would look at you and know how fantastic you are… and never want to hurt you or let you go… Twister's just a selfish, childish, sometimes amusing guy. His antics may have got you through a tough time, but that doesn't excuse his behaviour…
Reggie (quietly): I guess not… you're right…
Trent: I'll wait for you, Reg… no matter how long it takes…
Reggie (smiling at him): Thanks, Trent. You've really been there for me, every step of the way through this… and I promise, once I'm ready to move on, you'll be the first person I'll date.
Trent: The first and last… besides, after our REAL kiss on Saturday, you'll be singing a different tune. (whistling) Take care, Reggie the Rocket
Trent exits. Reggie remains on camera for awhile, smiling slightly and wiping away the few stray tears that have trickled down her cheeks. The screen suddenly goes blank.
Scene: The Rodriguez living room
Cleo (uncomfortable): I guess our brothers were… right?
Twister (trying to quell the lump in his throat): Hard to believe, huh?
Cleo (bursting out): Twist… what're we going to do? I fought with Otto… for taking Reggie's side… when she was RIGHT! He'll NEVER forgive the things I said about her…
Twister (even more upset): Oh yeah… well I dumped Reggie… hottest, smartest, kindest girl in Ocean Shores… for cheating! I've known her my WHOLE life, and I didn't even think to ASK her what was going on… Trent was right… I don't deserve her. And now she's going to be with HIM after the play… At least you didn't screw things up THAT badly with Otto..
Cleo (glumly): Oh yeah… he'll probably end up dating Trish before I know it… trust me I screwed up worse… I insulted the one who actually made him what he is today…
Twister: At least you didn't humiliate him in front of his friends…
Cleo: We Rodriguez cousins seem to have a talent for screwing up, huh?
Twister (quirking his lips in an ironic smile): Not all of us… our brothers seemed to have caught on pretty quick.
Cleo: Don't remind me… so… what're we going to do now?
Twister: It's pretty clear we need help.
Cleo: I am NOT asking Thomas.
Twister: And NO WAY am I asking Lars for advice, he'd probably pound me, and then proceed to hit on Reggie.
Cleo: Sherry did want to talk…
Twister: And so did Sam…
They thoughtfully head into their rooms, to make a few phone calls.
Scene: The Dullard's house, an hour later.
Sherry: So, it took, like, you're BROTHERS to get you two to realize you'd made a mistake.
Sam: THAT'S ironic…
Twister: We KNOW all that, what we need now is HELP.
Sherry: I don't know sweetie… I seem to recall a certain someone avoiding my calls for the last few weeks.
Sam: And a certain someone telling me, rather rudely need I add, that he didn't need the help of a squid.
Twister & Cleo: OK, OK, we're sorry…
Cleo: Look, we realize we screwed up… badly.. but we NEED your HELP.
Twister (quietly): I know I don't deserve her… what happened over the last few weeks made that clear… but… I just need to tell her I'm sorry.. and that I love her…
Cleo: And I need to apologize to Otto… AND Reg. I can't believe I doubted my own best friend like that.
Sherry: OK, OK cry me a river already. I'm in. Sweetie, do you have any ideas on how to get through to them.
Sam: Well, I suggest you BOTH talk to Otto first.
Twister & Cleo: Otto? Why?
Sam: Because he'll kill you if you go near Reggie without squaring everything with him first… and he could probably come up with some radical "stop Trent and save the day" ideas.
Sherry: Besides, Cleo was like, way harsh and she needs to apologize before he actually starts talking to the thousands of girls in Ocean Shores thrilled by the news of your break up.
Cleo (disturbed): Thousands?
Sam: Reggie and Otto ARE the most popular teenagers in the state. Surely you two know that?
Cleo: Let's go… time's wasting… come on, people. We have to find Otto… NOW.
Twister: Chill, cuz. There's no rush…
Cleo: Saturday's in two days…
Twister: Like the woman says… time's money… come on people… let's goooooo
The Rodriguez cousins leave Sam's room, in a quest to find Otto. Sam and Sherry follow behind, laughing at their zeal.