Chapter 4-Bombshell

Sue Ellen and Arthur got noticed at school. Francine fumed but she had bigger problems. Someone posted flyers about her 3-way with Muffy and an older guy. The school counselor got involved, but the principal stopped her. She was enjoying it too much.

Arthur tried to ignore the drama. He stayed with Sue Ellen during every free moment. She let him into the English department's office after school. Fern was there too. They were working on the school paper. Fern had a grin on her face that Arthur couldn't place. Sue Ellen asked her why she was so happy.

"You know already, Sue Ellen," Fern smiled. "We've been tracking this guy for months. A 3-way with Lakewood High girls? Well that just proves his sole purpose in life is to breed with anything that moves," Fern laughed. It was a dark laugh. Arthur shivered.

"I forgot to tell Arthur about that. I knew about him because we've been tracking him. The pregnancy rates at his school went through the roof. It's either him or a group of guys like him. We're not sure yet, but we're getting closer," Sue Ellen said. A teacher came in. He looked the girls over, "Nothing goes in about the gossip, okay?" he said. They nodded. He nodded back and left again.

"How bad is it at the other school?" Arthur asked. Fern thought for a moment, "Well, their average number of pregnant students was maybe 3 per year. Two years ago, it tripped to 6. Then last year, they had 15. Right now there's 20. Lakewood High only has 1 but she dropped out, but I expect that number to rise. Do you know if Francine was on birth control?" Fern asked. Arthur shook his head. "How could you not ask her?" Sue Ellen asked. "It never came up," Arthur said.

"Arthur isn't like these guys, Sue Ellen. You're lucky you've got him, though if Francine wasn't so busy protecting her precious reputation, she'd be trying to steal him back," Fern noted. "Well I don't want Francine. Anyone who does nasty things like that doesn't need to be with me. She's too bossy anyway," Arthur grimaced. Sue Ellen squeezed his hand. Arthur squeezed back.

A moment later, a man in a suit barged into the room. He ruffled papers. Fern and Sue Ellen screamed loudly. Arthur ducked out of the room and got another teacher. When they returned, the English teacher and another teacher had tackled the suited man. They asked who he was. He wouldn't say. They called the school's resource officer. The resource officer called the police. The man was taken away. He never said who he was.

"Go home, kids," the principal demanded. Arthur, Fern, Sue Ellen, and a few others left the school. Sue Ellen was scared so Arthur took her to the Sugar Bowl for a milkshake to make her feel better. But she was still shaking. There was nothing to do now but wait.

"Did they start any stories about us?" Francine asked. A suited man shook his head. The other one was still at the Elwood City Police Station. Muffy pouted, "I think you're wrong. Sue Ellen had to write a story about this. She stole your man from you." "She did, but she can have Arthur. I bet he's the one who spread the rumor. He heard us."

"Francine, your mother's here," Bailey said. Laverne rushed into the room. Her face was red. She looked furious. She dragged Francine out and threw her into the car. She floored it to her doctor's office. She was speaking in Hebrew and saying curses about Francine. Francine was pale; that was something her aunts from the Old Country did, not her mother.

At the doctor's office, the doctor examined Francine. It was obvious what she'd done. He asked if she'd used protection. Francine didn't understand. Her mother was in the room; she started to sob, "Is there anything you can do?" "No, it's too late now. Watch her closely for signs of pregnancy. I want her back as soon as you know. Either way, you'll have an appointment in six weeks to check for diseases—" "Diseases?!" Francine shrieked.

"You stupid girl, you should've known better," Laverne choked in Hebrew. Francine cried. She didn't understand any of this. Her mother took her home. Her father yelled at her for what she did. Her mother yelled too. Her aunt called. She yelled. Everyone was yelling at her. Francine cried when she got to be alone. How could this happen to her?

Millicent found out about her daughter sending detectives to Lakewood High. She stormed into Muffy's room. The older guy was there. Millicent got red-faced and threw him out. She texted Bailey that he wasn't allowed inside anymore. Bailey didn't even know the boy was there, but he promised to step up patrols.

Millicent asked about the detectives. Muffy said people were spreading rumors and she didn't want them printed in the school's paper. Millicent didn't like her answer; she knew that rumors had sources, and those sources were usually truthful.

"What did you do, Mary Alice?" Millicent asked. "Nothing," Muffy said. They argued. Ed came into the room asking about the noise. When he heard about the rumors, he asked about them. "Nothing, Daddy, I swear," Muffy said, but Ed knew better. He pulled out his smartphone, "I'll search you online. Oh my god—" he cried before Muffy could stop him. He threw the phone. His eyes were welling with tears: "My baby girl's a whore!" he screamed. Millicent screamed dramatically. Muffy protested. Bailey watched from the hall, a smile on his face.

"Some detective called me about the rumor," Buster said. He was on the phone with Arthur. "I was just playing when I said I'd spread the rumor. I started playing games instead. You didn't think I'd done it, did you?" Buster asked. "No," Arthur said. "You should have though. Francine deserves this."

"Well, I looked into this boy they're talking about. People call him The Worm because he got people sick. I don't know how but they say he makes things rot off too. I don't get it, but Francine shouldn't have been with him. You didn't do anything did her, did you?" Buster grimaced. Arthur shook his head, "No, never. We're too young for that." "Good. I didn't want your stuff to rot off, whatever that means," Buster chuckled. "Hey, do you have math homework too? I'm stuck on a problem…"

Arthur helped Buster with his homework then called Sue Ellen. She was doing the same research as Buster and found the same things. She was worried that Muffy and Francine would spread them around Lakewood High. "Our school was so clean before they got there," Sue Ellen sighed. "It's not just them, but yeah, gross," Arthur nodded. "Promise me you never did anything with her," Sue Ellen said. "We barely kissed, especially lately. We never did anything else either. We're too young, and you and me are too young too."

"Agreed," Sue Ellen said. They told each other good night and hung up.

At the Crosswire mansion, Muffy's parents finally calmed down. They were furious at Muffy. They thought she knew better. Muffy protested. They yelled. Then, her parents dropped a bombshell: "We're sending you to reform school in Europe to clean up your act, effective as soon as we can get you on a plane out of here!" her dad commanded.

"No, all my friends are here! Please, no, I'll be a good little girl!" Muffy cried. Millicent scoffed, "You've been saying that your whole life, and I feel like the dumbest person in the world for believing you. You need to improve yourself, become a better person. Until then…you aren't my daughter."

Now everyone was crying again, but the decision was final. The next morning, Muffy was dressed in her best outfit. Bailey drove her to the international airport in Metropolis. Muffy boarded a plane to Francine, tears in her eyes.