Chapter 4: Let's Get the Facts
Disclaimer: I do not own The Magic School Bus or any of the related characters. The Magic School Bus series is created by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen and owned by Nelvana. This entire story is a work of fanfiction and is meant for entertainment purposes only. I am not making a profit from this story.
Notes: Drinks and drama ;) R&R!
9:00pm
"That's what you're wearing to go clubbing? Pfft even DA was able to pull through," Wanda guffawed at the conservative yellow dress and red cardigan that Phoebe was wearing when she returned to Wanda's bedroom after changing in the washroom.
"I always understand the assignment. I even did my research before leaving the house," Dorothy Ann said defensively, having already changed into the violet halter dress she packed.
"Of course you did," Wanda snickered.
"There's nothing wrong with Pheebs' dress, just let her be comfortable," Keesha chided.
"Ugh this is why I've never gone clubbing with you girls. You're all so boring," Wanda huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.
"At least we agreed to go to the club, which by the way you still haven't given us any details about," Dorothy Ann frowned.
"Right! We'll be going to a club that actually has an all ages event tonight. It'll have the same vibe as a normal club, minus the booze and necessity of a fake ID. Now everyone can be happy," Wanda grinned.
"Wow Wanda, good idea," Keesha sounded impressed by her workaround.
"If that's the case, then why is she still holding that bottle of rum?" Dorothy Ann warily asked.
"Since there's no alcohol being served at the club, we can do some pre-drinking before we take a rideshare there," Wanda said, pouring the rum into four shot glasses. "Think of it as liquid courage to get you on the dance floor."
"No thanks," Phoebe and Dorothy Ann simultaneously declined.
"No fun," Wanda quipped, downing her shot without flinching in one smooth gulp.
"No peer pressure! I'll take one, but only because I want to," Keesha announced, squeezing her eyes shut and following suit.
"Alright then. But if you guys are too shy to dance when we get there, I will ditch you," Wanda warned.
"Fine by us, we weren't that keen on going anyways," Phoebe muttered.
"Why did you two agree to this?" Keesha curiously asked.
"Personal research," Dorothy Ann replied, pulling out a notebook and pen from her clutch.
"Um, same," Phoebe evasively echoed.
"Doesn't sound like it," Wanda said suspiciously, squinting at her friend. But Phoebe remained silent, refusing to elaborate.
Truthfully, she wanted to follow in Wanda's footsteps and let loose for one night. Arnold seemed to be into the extroverted type. That was probably why he never gave her the time of day. However, Phoebe didn't wish to become someone she wasn't. She just wanted to be a better version of herself, one who was not afraid of stepping out of her comfort zone once in a while. Someone who lived a little, but on her own terms. She wanted to do something daring and create a positive high school memory - and maybe get Arnold's attention too. He would surely do a double take when she casually mentioned at their prom that she had gone to a nightclub.
"How about we play a game of Truth or Drink?" Wanda suggested.
"Again with the drinking," Phoebe sighed in frustration.
"If you don't want to drink Pheebs, then you just have to tell the truth," Wanda innocently shrugged as a coy smile tugged at her lips.
"Ooh Wanda, you're a sly one," Keesha cackled while she plugged her phone into Wanda's mini speakers to play some background music as they got ready. She was wearing a magenta and silver one-shoulder dress with her makeup expertly applied.
"Okay, how about I go first to break the ice? Ask me anything," Wanda confidently said, retrieving her cosmetics bag and guiding Phoebe to her computer chair to sit down.
"What are you doing?" Phoebe nervously asked.
"Your makeup? Don't worry, I'll keep it light so you'll still look like yourself," Wanda gently assured her. Phoebe caved and nodded, deciding that she had already declined a lot of her friend's suggestions for the night. Wanda was just trying to plan a fun outing for them to celebrate the end of high school exams. This would also fall into line with being a better version of herself.
"Since I'm letting you do my makeup, you have to answer a question from me," Phoebe said, deciding to level the playing field.
"Fair enough," Wanda laughed as she applied pencil eyeliner to Phoebe's eyelids.
"Do you like Arnold back?" Phoebe quickly asked before she lost her nerve, only to be met with pin drop silence.
"Arnold has the hots for me!?" Wanda cried.
"You can't tell?!" Phoebe, Keesha and Dorothy Ann exclaimed.
"Well no, Arnold acts skittish around practically everyone," Wanda snorted.
"Please answer the question," Phoebe said impatiently.
"Why do you want to know so badly?" Wanda slowly asked, narrowing her eyes.
"It's not my turn to answer a question," Phoebe cheekily shot back.
"Well played," Wanda commended her friend. "No, I don't like Arnold that way."
Phoebe sighed in relief as Wanda carefully applied mascara to her upper lashes and a pale pink cream blush to her cheeks.
"Okay, I volunteered for the first round. Who's next?" Wanda asked, spritzing Phoebe with a light floral body spray to finish her off.
"I'll bite the bullet," Keesha grabbed Wanda's makeup bag and went to join Dorothy Ann on the loveseat in the corner.
"Don't argue, you'll thank me later," she ordered, as she wiped off the makeup Dorothy Ann had clumsily applied before she left her house. "Matching your eye shadow to your dress color is tacky. Remember that."
"Okay Keesha, how far have you and Ralphie gone?" Wanda demanded.
"Delving right into my sex life. Shocker. We started going all the way last summer," Keesha replied, dabbing a smoky gold eye shadow onto Dorothy Ann's eyelids.
"Nice! That was around the time I lost my v card too," Wanda grinned.
"With who?" Phoebe asked in surprise.
"Some guy at my summer camp. I can't remember his name because he caught feelings and I had to block him on social media. The experience wasn't too great and I haven't done it again since then," Wanda shrugged indifferently.
"Okay, my turn is up. DA, do you want to go next?" Keesha asked as she finished applying liquid eyeliner and mascara to her friend's eyes.
"If I must," Dorothy Ann exhaled in defeat.
"Don't worry, I'll come up with a harmless question. When did you and Carlos have your first kiss?" Keesha asked, sweeping a cherry lip stain onto her friend's mouth.
"We haven't. It's not like we're together or anything," Dorothy Ann drew her eyebrows together in confusion.
"WHAT?!" the rest of the girls yelled.
"Didn't you hear what Janet said earlier today? She called me a virgin and told everyone that I don't have a boyfriend or a date to prom," Dorothy Ann pressed her fingertips against her temples, wishing she didn't have to relive that painful memory again.
"Well we believed the virgin part, but we thought she was just talking out of her ass for the rest of it. Everybody knows that you and Carlos have been glued at the hip since the start of high school," Wanda emphatically said.
"Let's get the facts. How come Janet is the only one who knows the truth?" Keesha frowned.
"Because I told her when she asked me about it during freshman year. That's why she's always flirting with Carlos. She knows he's single," Dorothy Ann explained.
"Damn, and here I was thinking she was a homewrecker," Wanda shook her head in disbelief.
"Just to make sure we're all on the same page now, you DO have a crush on Carlos, right?" Phoebe asked. Dorothy Ann nodded and everyone sighed in relief. At least they got that part right.
"Are you going to the club to do research on how to flirt or something?" Keesha teased.
"Ooh, imagine if some random guy flirts with DA over there. Ha! Carlos would get sooo jealous," Wanda crowed triumphantly.
'Hmm not the worst idea,' Dorothy Ann mused.
"It's almost 10pm, so I'm going to get a rideshare to take us to the club," Wanda announced. Phoebe jumped up from her seat and made a beeline for the door.
"What's the name of the club again?" Keesha asked, picking up her clutch purse.
"It's a surprise," Wanda winked.
"Wait a minute! We still have one round of Truth or Drink left. Don't think we've forgotten about you Pheebs," Dorothy Ann gleefully said. Phoebe sighed and turned around. So much for trying to skip her turn.
"Why did you want to know if I have a crush on Arnold?" Wanda repeated her question from earlier.
Phoebe fidgeted while her friends waited for her response. Suddenly, she lurched forward and grabbed one of the shots Wanda had poured when they arrived. In one fell swoop, she downed its contents and gagged before abruptly opening the door and using the bannister to stagger downstairs.
"I guess she chose to drink," Wanda deadpanned.
Notes: Welp, it looks like Phoebe kinda answered Wanda's question without having to say a single word :)