Just Try It

Chapter 3- Worries, Worries, and More Worries

Saturday, February 11 9:40pm

Seymour Dojo and Fitness Center on Swisher Street

Danica came in and joined the much subdued group.  She shared that Moe had said he wouldn't tell anyone.  After a few seconds of silence, she forced a big smile as she asked, "Whose turn next?"

She had to dodge towels that were thrown at her from the other girls.  They chased each other from one end of the building to the other before they all collapsed back upstairs. 

When Danica finally caught her breath, she turned to Sondra and asked, "Are you really mad at me about the pole dancing dare?"

Sondra sighed before answering, "No, it was kind of fun for a little.  It is just my luck that Moe is around every time that I am doing something stupid.  He has seen me do so many stupid things that he treats me like a kid that can't make her own decisions.  That was the one thing I didn't miss about him when he got so busy with his stream of girlfriends."

Danica smiled and encouraged, "You are smart enough to figure out a way to show him you aren't a little kid anymore.  After all you have that photographic memory."

Jamie sat up and looked at Sondra in surprise.  "You have an eidetic memory?  Is that how you remembered how many times he was hurt and helped your grandma?"

Sondra blushed, but nodded in embarrassment. "I don't let it get around.  People come up and want you to tell them silly details from last week, like it is a party trick.  It isn't a big deal.  It helps with schoolwork, but what it really does is let me remember every stupid thing I have ever done in perfect detail.  My brain has a whole file of stupid things I have said or done in front of Moe."

Danica smiled and said, "Don't worry.  We'll straighten him out and get him back on track."

Sondra bit her lip and nodded, but the words made her think about how things had gone so wrong and what she really did want. She wasn't sure she wanted to get back on the old track with Moe.

For a long time, just being around Moe had been enough.  She hadn't minded Moe scaring away other guys, because she had always thought of Moe as hers.

She had been crushed the first time she had gone over to the Simpson's house and found out that he was out on a date.  Just the week before, everything had been fine when she went to the beach with the Simpsons.  Things had seemed to go well that day, and she had even found a swimsuit that made the most of her small and recent curves.  Only after they had gotten back had he started seeming to avoid her. 

When she found out he was on a date, Sondra had somehow managed to force a smile.  She had made herself stick around for a few more minutes before allowing herself to claim a headache and escaped to the safety of her room.

It hadn't been a lie, because everything had seemed to hurt.  After getting home, she had cried until she had been sick, and missed the next day of school. Danica had brought her books over after school, and shared that Moe had already asked a different girl out for the next Friday. 

Sondra thought about that a lot after Danica left.  The pain didn't go away, but it eased to a dull ache when he never became serious.  In fact, he rarely went out same girl more than once, but she constantly worried that he would eventually find one that would stick around.  She hadn't been sure how she would get by if that happened. 

Getting on with her life and acting like it didn't matter became so important that she hadn't even noticed that Aaron was flirting until Moe had shown up long enough to order her to get rid of him.  It was an awful reason, but she had first shown an interest in Aaron just to see if Moe would be around more often.  It had even worked.  She had seen Moe glaring and watching her more and more.  Aaron had seemed so nice that Sondra had even started to wonder what was wrong with her for NOT liking him more, and that was why she had eventually agreed to go out with him.  Things had felt wrong from the very beginning though.  He had still been nice, but every time he had kissed her, she ended up thinking that he was testing the waters for easy prey. Keeping dates to an activity with one quick peck at the end had become her main goal.  She had been trying to find a nice way to break up with him when he had blown up at her.  Even though it had ended badly, she had been relieved too.