Bart's Friend Diggs

Chapter 9

When we arrived home, I just stormed to the living room, flopping myself down on the couch and folding my arms, very angrily.

Lisa was still at the door, walking gingerly in with mum who also guiltily following.

"Bart, I-"

"You should've said no."

"But- but-"

I glared up at her and she shut her mouth quickly. I slit my eyes and stared into her soul, a dark expression coming from me, as I greatly disapproved of all this chaos.

"You don't even really know him. WHY, Lis?"

Lisa pressed her fingers together, fiddling them nervously before looking back over to me and uttering, "I understand him better than you think." I looked at her confused, "He's an outcast... like me."

"You're NOT an outcast, Lis."

"What was it that you said?" She said bringing up a topic that was weeks old, "I don't know how to treat friends because I don't have any?"

I zipped my lips at her words. She continued, almost jaded, "Diggs understands."

I watched her silently as she turned the ring around on her finger, looping it before putting it back in its proper place.

"He understands.."

"The only thing Diggs understands," I answered her, standing up now to face her eye to eye, "Is birds and his weird obsession with them."

Lisa only looked deep into my eyes, almost feeling some sort of sorrow for me, "Look beyond the words and actually see the person."

With that, she left me and walked away upstairs to her room. It was then I felt my mother's eyes on me and I stayed stilted in my angry position, muttering.

"Yes, Mum?"

"Go easy on her, Bart."

I lowered my eyebrows and glared up at her as she approached me.

"The wedding is so far off that Lisa will probably see the truth well before it actually happens."

I sighed, nodding my head weakly and looking shamefully down to the ground.

"Just be her brother." Mum continued, placing her hand on my shoulder and I gazed sadly up at her, "Just be her friend."

I sighed again, closing my eyes and feeling pain at my conviction. My ears suddenly perked up when I heard the sad sound of a lonely saxophone being played from upstairs. Each note was like a hurting jab to my heart and I knew I had to get out of the house.

I picked up my mobile and rang the only person I knew who would hear my side of the story.

Milhouse.

~x~

When I arrived at the park, I saw Milhouse wave over to me, and I waved back... but felt half sombre with my actions.

He approached me and asked with a helpless growing smile over his lips, "Hey Bart, what's up?"

"Nothing... I guess. Y'know, like life and stuff is pretty messed up at the mo, y'know?"

Milhouse nodded his head slowly, seeming a bit confused at my muddled words. He finally said in a drawn-out voice, "Yeah... no. What are you talking about?"

I exhaled heavily and looked into his eyes. I finally let the words slip, "Lisa is engaged to Diggs. Y'know? My old friend."

Milhouse didn't say a word. His expression was unreadable. Like a brick had been thrown in his gut and his brain was still trying to register the pain.