Chapter 10
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Click. "Lex speaking." Lex was sitting sleepily at the dining table with a bowl of cereal in front of her when she answered her phone.
"H-hey Lex!" Randy's voice greeted through the device.
"Oh, hey Cunningham!" Lex said, becoming slightly more awake.
"What's up?"
"Oh, not much. So, did you have any plans for today?"
"Not that I'm aware of."
"Then do you maybe want to hang out with me… and Howard! And another friend today possibly?"
"Sounds cool! Meet you outside my place around lunchtime?"
"Sure. See ya!"
"Bye!" She hung up the phone with an odd, giddy feeling she wasn't use to.
"Hey dad." Lex said, walking into the living room where her father was putting on his shoes.
"Yes sweetheart?" He looked up, giving Lex a warm smile.
"Can I hang out with my friends today?"
"You mean those two boys you tutored two days again? Of course sunshine! Just remember to take your phone with you!"
"Thanks dad!" Lex hugged him quickly before rushing upstairs to get ready. After taking a shower, Lex threw open her closet to choose something to wear. She found her favorite back tank top with a music note on it and matched it with some blue jeans and her purple sneakers. After slipping a purple and silver headband into her hair, she felt entirely ready.
"Jeez, what's got you more dolled up then ever?" Veronica asked when Lex slid down the railing.
"I'm hanging out with my friends."
"Your imaginary friends?"
"I told you already that they're real life people whom I've met at school!"
"Sure… remind me, why would anyone hang out with you?"
"'Cause I'm a heck of a lot nicer than you! Why would anyone hang out with you?!"
"Let's see. I'm hot, brilliant, persuasive, beautiful, a great dancer-"
"Don't forget full of yourself." "What did you say to me young lady?!"
"You're full of yourself! I swear, if I wanted someone more vain than you, I'd have a hard time looking for the impossible!"
"Get out! Go hang out with your 'friends' and see if I give a darn about it!"
"I'll leave in a minute. Keep what's left of your torn up skirt on." Lex left as she looked around for her wallet, just in case she needed it while she was out.
"Bye dad! Veronica. Mordea." Lex said at the front door.
"Don't come back until dinnertime." Mordea called out.
"I'll try!" Lex laughed slightly as she shut the front door and locked it.
*A few hours later*
"How do I look?"
"Like you always do Randy." Randy, Howard, and Nomicon were all on the way to Lex's house for their day.
"I can't believe we're hanging out with a book." Howard said, glancing at Nomcion. The personified book was dressed in a black shirt under an army green hoodie that was slightly unzipped and grey jeans.
"It's not that bad Howard. I'm just an over 800 year old book with unlimited knowledge about most subjects and have taught the best ninjas known to man." Nomcion said as he clearly hid a smirk.
"Show off."
"Is that Lex?" Randy questioned, noticing Lex sitting on the porch steps of her house.
"Hi!" Lex waved with a grin.
"Were you waiting here the whole time for us?" Randy questioned.
"No, Veronica just kicked me out of the house."
"Veronica?"
"My step-mother."
"Oh…"
"So this is the Lex I've heard so highly of." Nomcion stated, staring at Lex.
"Hello."
"Nomi, this is Lex. Lex, Nomi." Howard introduced, laughing at Nomicon's furious expression due to his nickname.
"Anyway, it's a great pleasure to meet a beautiful girl such as yourself." Nomcion said, giving Lex a dazzling smile as he held out his hand.
"B-beautiful? No one's ever called me that… thank you, Nomi." Lex stuttered a bit shyly when she shook Nomicon's outstretched hand. 'He's good!' Randy thought, taking mental notes on Nomcion's behavior.
"So, ahem, shall we head off?" Nomicon asked, a tiny hint of nervousness now in his voice.
"Of course! So, where are we going?" Lex asked excitedly.
"Whoopee World!" Nomcion seemed to be desperately trying not to facepalm when Randy said their destination for the day.
"Whoopee World?"
"I-it's fine if you don't want to go!"
"Are you kidding? That's awesome sauce! I LOVE Whoopee World! I mean…uh…sounds fun." Lex laughed nervously in embarrassment.
"Then let's go!" Howard exclaimed.
"We're going to walk all the way to Whoopee World?" Lex questioned.
"No, my mom's going to drive us." Randy said, clearly embarrassed.
"I don't see anything wrong with that. C'mon guys!" Lex ran ahead with Howard towards the Cunningham's waiting car parked perfectly on the driveway.
"Oh, so you must be Randy's new friend! How delightful!" Said a woman with Randy's purple hair, except it was straight, and his navy blue eyes. She sat patiently in the front seat of the car, the keys twirling around in her hand.
"And you must be Mrs. Cunningham! Hi, I'm Lex!" Lex introduced upon entering the vehicle.
"It's a pleasure to meet you dearie! Now, are we all set?" Mrs. Cunningham asked, looking into the back seat to make sure everyone had their seat belts on.
"Yep!" Everyone replied in unison as Mrs. Cunningham started the car and drove out of the driveway. During the whole ride, Lex and Randy whistled the Whoopee world theme song, successfully annoying Nomi and Howard to the breaking point.
"Shut. Up!" Howard yelled, still covering his ears.
"Never!" Lex laughed.
"I wouldn't have ever thought this would happen in 800 years." Nomi added.
"C'mon, you know you guys still love us!" Randy chuckled.
"That is a matter of opinion."
"Cunningham! I think Nomi and Howard hate us!" Lex fake gasped, giving them an overly exaggerated sad look.
"We don't hate you." Nomi sighed.
"I might. Just a little bit." Howard said, laughing when Lex punched his arm lightly.
"We're here!" Mrs. Cunningham announced as they pulled into the Whoopee World parking lot.
"Yay! Thank you Mrs. C!" Lex exclaimed, jumping out of the car.
"Hurry up guys!" She called as she ran to the front entrance.
"I'll pick you all up at seven o'clock, alright Randy?" Mrs. Cunningham said.
"Okay, thanks mom!" Randy said, eager to follow Lex.
"Bye sugar plum! Have fun!" Mrs. Cunningham proclaimed, kissing both of her son's cheeks before getting back in the car and leaving.
"Sugar plum?" Nomi snorted, trying his best not to laugh along with Howard.
"Shut up." The trio walked to the front gates and saw Lex looking around with a goofy smile on her face.
"Man, what's got you so excited?" Howard asked, chucking at Lex's faraway stare.
"What? Oh! Nothing… it's just that I've always had some happy memories here with my mom and dad." Lex replied.
"That explains your enthusiasm." Nomi chuckled.
"What should we ride first?" Randy asked.
"The Annihilator!" Lex said, jumping up and down.
"It's a new ride that supposed to be the fastest and most terrifying roller coaster ever!"
"Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way!" Howard said, running alongside Lex as they saw the ride. It was ginormous, with corkscrews, loops, and tons of tall inclines.
"Warning: do not ride if you suffer from nausea, drowsiness, intense screaming, fear of heights, fear of bone loss, fear of extreme sickness, and/or overall cowardliness." Nomi read the sign in front of the coaster and looked up worriedly at the ride, it's current passengers screaming loudly as they zoomed along the track.
"Nomicon, are you… scared?" Randy asked.
"Of course not! I've been around since these rides weren't structurally safe, so I'm fine!" Nomi said defiantly, but he gulped when the ride stopped in front of them.
"Alright, who wants to board first?" Asked the Robo-ape running the attraction. Everyone else in the line ran off, screaming, while Lex raised her hand excitedly like a school child.
"Me me me me!"
"Alright, get in." Lex hopped into the first car and patted the space next to her, wanting the boys to get on the ride.
"C'mon Cunningham!" Howard dragged Randy away from sitting with Lex and they sat in the car behind her.
"Nomi, aren't you going to ride?" Lex asked Nomicon, who blushed.
"I-I'm not sure about it…"
"C'mon Nomi! Please?" He sighed and reluctantly sat next to Lex.
"Have fun." The Robo-ape started the ride and the safety things (I have no idea what they're called) came down over the riders heads and locked into place just as the coaster began moving.
"Woo hoo!" Lex held onto the bars at her sides as the car immediately inclined upward. Lex and Howard chanted "coaster, coaster, coaster, coaster!" the higher they went and Randy seemed to be enjoying himself as well. Nomicon looked down once they'd made it to the top and gulped, feeling nauseated when he noticed how high up they were and that the ground seems to be miles below them.
"I don't wish to accompany you all on this ride." Nomicon stammered, his knees shaking and his hands gripping the safety bars so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Too late Nomi!" Lex yelled, screaming more when the coaster sped down the track incredibly fast.
"This is awesome!" Howard yelled, Randy nodding in agreement as he, Howard, and Lex held their hands up and laughed whilst they screamed. Nomicon was shrieking in fear, his eyes wide and his hair flying everywhere as they rode through three loop-de-loops in a row. They continued into a corkscrew and spun into an insane pattern as they reached many more, but smaller than the first, inclines. Nomicon shut his eyes and hoped for the ride to end soon, all while trying to make sure he didn't vomit. Just as he thought he would pass out (which would be disastrous on this ride) the ride slowly came to a halt.
"Hope you enjoyed the ride and have a nice day!" The Robo-ape from earlier said, raising the safety thing so the passengers could leave.
"Uh, Nomi. You okay?" Nomicon cautiously opened one eye and noticed his arms were wrapped around a soft, black fabric. He looked up and blushed intensely when he noticed it was Lex he was holding.
"I-I am so s-sorry! I did not intend to hold you in such a cowardly and offensive manner!" Nomicon apologized quickly.
"It's fine, though I believe you can let go now." He hurriedly released his grip from Lex's waist and stood up, tripping and falling on his butt on the platform.
"Need help?" Lex laughed, holding a hand out to the still flustered Nomicon.
"T-thank you very much." He muttered, standing up unsteadily, still shaky from the ride. He almost fell when Lex caught him and put his arm over her shoulders.
"I think we should all sit down, don't you?" Nomicon nodded as he let Lex lead him to a bench.
*Randy*
He watched as Lex helped a staggering Nomicon onto one of the nearby benches meant for the people who were SUPER nauseated by The Annihilator. His jaw clenched and his hands were in fists. Why, however, he didn't know. It was just his (highly attractive) friend aiding another (highly intelligent) friend and making sure they didn't faint.
"Cunningham. By the look on your face, I think you should calm down." Howard said, nudging Randy's arm.
"What? Oh, sorry." Randy said, calming down a bit.
"Geez, what got into you?" Howard followed Randy's gaze which was still locked on Nomcion and Lex.
"Oh! I see!"
"See what?"
"You're jello."
"What! Me? Jealous? No!" Randy said hurriedly.
"Sure, that's why you're looking at Nomi like you're about to hurt him."
"Howard, I'm NOT jello, okay?"
"Whatever you say." Randy sighed and walked over to the bench Lex and Nomicon were sitting at.
"Hey Randy. Whatcha think about The Annihilator?" Lex asked with a charming smile.
"It was Bruce! You okay Nomi?" Randy looked over at the book, who was pale and clutching his stomach.
"Yes, I believe I'm alright." Nomicon answered. He stood up, though swayed slightly.
"Okay, if you're alright then that means that we can all ride another coaster!" Lex said, smirking when Nomicon hurriedly shook his head.
"I'm just kidding! You can stay here while the rest of us ride everything, if you want." Nomi sighed in relief and looked up at Lex gratefully.
"I would enjoy that. Do have fun without me."
"Well, you heard the man Cunningham and Weinerman! Let's go!" Lex said, smiling back at Nomi before running off and dragging Howard and Randy behind her.
*Nomicon (a few hours later)*
"Ah, there you are. How were the coasters?" Nomicon asked pleasantly as he sat down at a table. Lex, Randy, and Howard had rode half the rides and were now sitting with Nomicon, their stomaches rumbling as they thought about what to eat.
"They were awesome sauce! You really should've come!" Lex sad, playfully punching Nomicon's shoulder.
"No, no. I'm perfectly content on the ground, thank you." He chuckled.
"Enough talk! I'm starving! What are you guys having?" Howard asked, standing up to go order something at one of the shaded snack stands surrounding the tables.
"A hot dog and some chips probably. You?" Lex said.
"Corn dog." Howard said.
"Then we should go order." Lex stood up and walked over to a stand with everyone else in tow.
"What do you two want?" Lex asked Randy and Nomi.
"A burger." Randy said.
"I'll take a…" Nomicon looked at the menu behind the vender's head. "He's gonna have a hot dog, as am I. We'll also need a corn dog and some chips with that." "Will that be all?" "Yep." "That'll be $8.50." Lex took out her wallet and handed the money to the vender. "Hey, we can pay for our own food." Randy said. "Randy, don't turn down free food." Howard whispered. "I know you can, but I took my wallet and already paid, so there no going back. Let's consider it me making things even." "What even?" Howard asked. "Well, beating you at video games, Randy helping me when I was hurt, and Nomi… I don't know, because I can!" Lex responded as she was handed their food. "Now c'mon! I'm hungry and I want my food!" She laughed, walking back to their table. "Your friend is quite nice Randy." Nomicon said, watching her as she set everything onto the table. "Yeah…" Randy said, his eyes locked on the female as well. "If you two are done, I want to eat and finish the rides!" Howard called. "Shall we?" Nomcion sighed with a smile. Randy nodded as they walked back to the group.
*later*
"Okay! One more ride! My mom's going to be here any minute!"
"Yay! Thank you!" It was almost time for the group to leave, but they had somehow managed to ride almost everything in the amusement park.
"Can it be a bit more mild? I think my lung is still somewhere on the track of the last ride." Nomcion said, his hair messed up and his movement staggered, though he had a smile on his face.
"Fine, but what here isn't moving at practically one hundred miles an hour?"
"Well, there's the new Ferris wheel over there." Nomicon pointed behind Lex. She turned and saw a red and yellow Ferris wheel with little lights.
"Ugh, a romance ride? I'll wait for you guys at the front gate." Howard said, walking away. "Let's go then." Nomcion said. Lex shrugged and walked ahead, Nomicon talking quietly to Randy.
"Now's your chance."
"What?"
"Nothing is more romantic than a moment on a Ferris wheel. It's cheesy, but it works."
"You're a genius!"
"I've been told." Nomicon chuckled as Randy ran after Lex, himself following suit.
"Next passengers!" The guy running the ride called. Couple after couple boarded into passenger cars until it came down to the last four people, Nomicon, Lex, Randy, and another girl.
"C'mon guys. Let's get this over with so I don't have to look at all the lovey dovey couples." Lex said, taking a seat. Randy was about to walk forward when the guy in charge of the ride stopped him.
"You weren't next in line. You," he pointed to Nomicon, "go."
"What? Oh, no no no, there must be some mista-" The man ushered Nomicon next to Lex and started the ride up again, leaving no one anytime to react.
"Nomi!" Randy sighed.
"Great." Nomicon muttered.
"What, you didn't want to sit next to me? I'm hurt." Lex said with a laugh.
"N-no, that's not it!" Nomicon said hurriedly.
"I'm just kidding! C'mon, take a joke!"
"Oh, a joke… funny." Nomcion said awkwardly, looking away from Lex as the passenger car rose higher and higher still.
"Nomi?"
"Yes?"
"Are you… scared of heights?"
"Of course not! What would make you think that?" Lex smirked and pointed over the side of the car. Nomicon looked down and yelped, quickly closing his eyes.
"I'm ashamed to say that I am."
"Nomi, it's just a ride. Look at me," Lex grabbed his hand shyly and turned his head up so he was facing her, "it's just a ride."
"Just a ride." Nomicon repeated, his brown eyes looking deeply into Lex's soft violet ones.
"Just keep looking at me, then maybe it won't seem so scary, okay?" Lex said. Nomicon nodded, not taking his eyes off of her.
"Your eyes are magnificent." Nomicon blurted.
"W-what? Thank y-you Nomi." Lex said, turning away in embarrassment. Nomicon's face became tomato red as he looked down at their still intertwined hands. 'What is this odd feeling in my chest?' He thought in confusion. 'Am I sick? Yes, that's probably it.' Once the ride finished and they stepped out of the car, Nomicon turned to Lex with a shy grin.
"I apologize for my cowardliness. I'm not too fond of heights, as you can tell. I thank you for comforting me during the experience." He said, bowing slightly.
"It was no problem! Anything for a friend!" Lex said. "By the way, you can let go now." Nomicon snapped out of his slight daze and released his grip on Lex's hand.
"I apologize again!"
"Calm down Nomi! It's fine."
"C'mon you two, my mom's in the parking lot." Randy said, stepping between the two.
"Come along then boys! Howard's probably dying of boredom." They all walked back to the parking lot, all the while Nomicon feeling an emotion he couldn't name.
whoa! Did I just make Nomi a possible love interest? Probably! Did I just make fans of Lex and Randy mad and/or surprised? Most likely! Am I annoying the heck out of the readers with my unnecessary author's note? Obviously!
Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this immensely long chapter and stay Bruce!