Hello readers,
Here is another chapter for you. Thank you for the reviews. I appreciate them.
Enjoy.
Chapter Four:
At the football field:
Randy didn't get starting Quarterback like he hoped, but is still the youngest back-up Quarterback. On the other hand, John did get Running back as AJ congratulates her two friends.
"You two guys were great." She tells them. Randy just shrugs still upset. "Randy, stop moping; girls don't like that. Even though you didn't get starting, you need to have confidence you will play." She warns him as they head to Randy's car.
"You don't get it. My parents were looking forward to me being the youngest QB; I don't want to tell them I failed." He puts his, along with John's, gym bag into the trunk.
"You didn't fail them. I know you parents and they will be upset, but not see it has you failed them. Your mom will cuddle with you while your dad gives you a boost. He will boost your confidence until you believe in yourself again. Remember your Pee Wee Football tryout." She smiles as she recalls the memory.
"Yeah I do. I didn't even make it on the team." He chuckles at how far he has come. "You and my parents tried to make me happy, however nothing worked. Finally, my mom placed me on her lap as my dad played home videos of me with him doing skills. He explained that I was the best ever and the coach missed out on a great player. They let us have anything we wanted that day." He feels his confidence coming back.
"Yeah and that started the group dinners. Every time you had a try-out or an important game, I came over to support you."
"And I did the same with your dance recitals." He tries to have a straight face. AJ's mom put her in dance all through Elementary. When she got more into comics and video games, she stopped the classes. She informed her mother that she wasn't interest in it anymore. After a few days of observing her daughter, she finally was convinced that she is not her baby girl anymore; she needs to grow with her own identity.
"Shh, not so loud someone will hear you." She covers his mouth with her hand.
"AJ, you were a dancer?" John is surprise being that she plays video games and reads comic books.
"Yup, she was a ballet dancer." He takes her hand away easily.
"Well, all be; AJ in a two-two and tights. Maybe you should try out for cheerleading." He grins.
"Yup, wear those short skirts and tops." Randy jokes keeping her hands away from his mouth.
"You guys suck." She crosses her arms. After pondering a bit, she gets a brilliant idea. "You know what, I will try-out and speak to Stacey. I will tell her all about your childhood secret about a certain bear-"
Randy now covers her mouth. "AJ don't, you promise." He is in shock. AJ lightly bites his hand "Ouch!" He shakes his hand.
She sniggers. "Oh, there's Stacey now." She waves at her with her being alone. Stacey sees them and walks over.
Randy fixes himself up in the reflection of the car window. John and AJ both titter at his nervousness. "Behave you two." He warns. "Especially you." He points to AJ. AJ whispers 'Me' as she acts all innocent.
"Hey Randy." Stacey approaches still in her gear from tryouts.
"Hey Stacey." He smiles happily.
"Hey Stacey, we heard you are coming today." AJ greets with John waving hi to her.
"Yah, I hope it is okay." She asks them.
"It is fine, Randy's mom makes the best dinners." AJ compliments.
"Why don't you two head inside the car, I'll be right there." Randy politely orders them.
"Sure think Mr. Bearoton." She chuckles as they enter the car.
Randy is embarrassed and mad. "Mr. Bearoton." Stacey tries not to laugh.
"Nothing, just forget it, so how was your try-out?" He questions hoping she made head like she wanted.
"Good, I am up there with assistant head. If the head can't make it them I'm in charge of the team." She smiles seeing this as an opportunity to get head next year.
"Great, I made back-up Quarterback." He smiles feeling better with his position.
"Oh Randy I'm sorry, I know you wanted main QB." She sympathizes with a hand on his arm.
He looks at her hand and feels a tickling feeling. "Thanks, so you are still up for dinner with my parents and my rude friends." He looks at them knowing they are watching.
"Of course, I can't leave you with this disappointment." She assures him. "It is at seven, right?" She clarifies.
"Right, the dinner is at seven."
"I'll be there. Also, your friends are not rude they are funny." She waves bye to them as they wave back. "I'll see you later." She kisses his cheek.
Randy feels his cheek as she leaves. He gets into the driver seat with a huge smile. Afterwards, he turns to his friends. "Not a word or you are walking." He warns with a serious face. AJ and John just sulk not saying anything.
Randy's house:
Just as AJ predicted, Randy's mom cuddles him as his daddy boosts his confidence even higher.
"Mr. and Mrs. Orton, you remembers Stacey, right?" AJ inquires eating some grapes. They always have some snacks out when it is their turn to serve in case they get hungry before supper.
"I do. She is a sweet person that was Randy's group partner along with you." His mother recalls.
"Yah, well Randy invited her to come over for dinner." She eats another grape.
"Randy, you didn't tell us earlier, you usually text if there is any change." She tells him.
"I'm sorry mom I was distracted." He rubs his neck.
"Don't worry son, I'll help your mom with dinner." He offers getting his son off the hook.
"Like you have a choice to help me or not." She rolls her eyes as he tries to be the hero.
"Do you have to make me look bad in front of our son and our honouree children?" He pouts. Each of their parents considers each one of them like their own child.
"Yes I do to show them who the boss is, right AJ?" She proudly responds having there be more boys than girls in the household.
"You know it Mrs. Orton." She giggles at the parent interaction.
"Now, you three go upstairs to get my boy all handsome for his guest." She shoos them away so they can cook.
"You heard her you two make me nice and handsome." John outstretches his arms.
"He was talking about me. Mr. Cena." Randy rolls his eyes.
"Oops, sorry man." He chuckles as he and John heads up to Randy's room.
"Boys, I don't know what to do with them." AJ shakes her head jokingly.
"You just show your leader power and they will follow." Randy's mom advises her.
"Listen to her AJ she knows what's best." Randy's father pecks his wife.
"Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Orton." She follows Randy and John up the stairs.
Around 6:30, AJ is making the final touches to Randy's look. First AJ made him take a shower with a lot of body wash. She put on lotion and deodorant, which Randy hates. He thinks that if you wash properly there is no reason for deodorant. For lotion, he only uses it when he gets itchy. Afterwards, she picks out one of his few nice boxers and nice socks. Randy usually his barefoot at home, but this isn't an ordinary dinner. Lastly, for the clothes, she brings out a nice cotton shirt with some nice black pants. Then for the hair, she puts some water to make it look sharp and not fluffy.
"Am I done now?" Randy impatiently asks.
AJ does one more final touch. "Okay, you are done Mr. Bearoton." She giggles.
"Okay, no more of that at dinner. No childhood memories from you to tell Stacey." He authorizes.
"Why not?" She pouts.
"Because I said so." He yells. "Damn, sorry AJ please just don't tell her any stories." He hugs her knowing he went overboard.
"Randy, I think you need to calm down and use your exercises. I think your anger is coming back; this stress is not good for you." AJ pats his back staying calm.
"I think so, thanks AJ." He hugs her tighter for his own comfort. No one, instead of AJ and his parents, knows that Randy had some issues with his angry at times. When he gets over stressed, he lashes out to have the stress leave.
"Randy, Stacey is here." His mother calls out as they break off the hug.
"John, can you occupy her for a bit until he is ready." AJ directs John who is a bit shock. This is his first time seeing him this mad that he yells at AJ. He sees him raise his voice however never fully yells at her.
"Are you sure?" He worries about AJ's safety.
"Yes John, it is okay. Just tell his parents that he had one of his moments, that it." His parents and her have 'moments' as a word to call his anger.
"Okay, get well Randy." He sympathizes.
"Thanks man I will." He smiles not wanting John to see him like this.
When John leaves, AJ starts on his exercises. They consist of breathing, looking through his happy memory book they made, and hugging a teddy bear that AJ and his parents gave him with positive phrases.
"I'm sorry I shouldn't have said Mr. Bearoton lots of times." She hugs her best friend again.
"No it is okay. I want Stacey to like me. I want her to be there with me forever. It seems like I'm fast-forwarding this, but I haven't felt this strong for someone like this in my life. It is like my friendship love for you, but in a romantic way." He hugs his Mr. Bearoton.
"I know you like her that way." Randy is looking at her with a surprise expression. "Yes, we are best friends for a reason. I know when you more than like someone, so don't worry. I won't tell her anything that you don't want me to tell her. On the other hand, your mother is another story." She tries to put a smile on his face.
He chuckles which makes AJ happy. "She is probably showing her my baby pictures of me as we speak."
"Then we better get down there to stop her." She jumps up and pretends to run.
He chuckles again. "Thanks AJ for everything." He stands up as he puts Mr. Bearoton on his pillow.
"I'm not going anywhere." She tries to wrap her arm around his shoulder, but he is too tall. He takes her arm as he kneels down to give her a piggyback ride.
To their surprise, John is only with Stacey.
"Hello, Randy." Stacey greets seeing them enter the living room.
"Hello Stacey, I'm sorry for the wait for us." Randy apologizes while putting AJ down.
"It is quite all right; let's eat." Randy guides her to her seat all gentlemen like.
They are all eating dinner as AJ made an excuse on why they were late. The excuse was that Randy was nervous and needed time to calm down. Randy didn't want her to tell her yet what really happened. By Stacey expression she didn't buy the excuse, so he knows he has to tell her when they go for ice cream.
The dinner went great as Randy and Stacey excuses them to get the ice cream. As they are driving, Stacey tries to bring up the conversations, but doesn't know when to.
"I will tell you when we get our ice cream." He offers knowing what she is thinking.
They get to the ice cream shop for Randy to be again all Gentlemen like.
"Thank you." Stacey smiles as he opens the car door and the entrance door for her.
"What do you want, my treat? Anything you want." He offers.
"Can we get a banana split for us?" She smirks hoping this gives them a start in their relationship.
"Definitely." He gives her a big smile. "One big banana split with extra cherries, please. Do you don't mind the cherries on the split?"
"Actually, cherries are my favourite." She is please that if he didn't get extra cherries, she would request more.
"They are mine too, but please don't tell anyone." He whispers not even AJ knows about it.
"Your secret is safe with me." She giggles and honoured to know one of his secrets.
They find a table to sit as Randy tells her the truth. "So since I have anxiety, every time I get overstressed I lash out a bit." He explains eating a cherry.
"Wow." Stacey is shocked and a bit frightened that he might do that to her.
He sees her expression and sulks. "If you want to leave it is okay."
"Can you drop me to your place?" She says quietly needing time to think about this.
"Sure, you can take this with you." He covers the banana split and hands it over to her.
"Thanks." She holds it as they exit. Randy still opens the doors for her still being a gentleman.
When they get home, Randy says goodbye to her. "I'll see you at school." Stacey tells him.
"Yup." He tries to be happy. Afterwards, he enters his home to see AJ, John, and his parents there. They saw the whole thing and feel bad for him.
"Come here baby boy, it is okay." His mother hugs him tight as he sighs.
"How about some Monopoly, we can take all of John's money again." AJ offers.
"Hey, although, it is always true when we play." John smiles do anything to see his friend smile.
"Sure." He gives them a smile. Even though he has the worst day, he can always count on his friend, his best friend, and his parents to always make him laugh and happy.
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