The Athlete, the Sweetheart, and the Cynic

A sticky situation

An audible sigh of disappointment came from inside the house. I looked into the window that was right beside the bush I was entangled in, and saw Betty, gazing wistfully out the window. I hated to see that look on her face, and instinctively I jumped up. I forgot all tact or subtlety, and sprung from the bush. Betty screamed in shock, then started laughing hysterically. Slightly confused at her amusement, I blurted out, "You may be Wonder-Woman, but tonight I'm going to be your Super-Man! I'm going to get you out of this, Betty!" She attempted to stifle her giggles, and walked out of the front door to where I was standing. I turned to her, waiting for a response to my forward flow of consciousness. My heart was beating so loud I was nervous Betty would hear it. Maybe she felt the same way, maybe she would let me be her superhero, at least for tonight.

"Juggie, you have leaves all over you! On your shirt, in your hair... Oh, and I didn't quite catch what you were saying to me a minute ago?"

She didn't hear my cliche speech about being her superhero. I was torn between being disappointed, and relieved. If she didn't hear it, then she couldn't take it the wrong way, right? But on the other hand, if she had heard, she might feel the same way I did about her. She'd let me save her from this situation of her undoubtedly annoying and overbearing Aunt babysitting her. Then we might be a thing. Jellybean did say that in order to get a girlfriend, I had to make a move. Telling Betty that I would be her own personal Super-Man was a move, right?

"Oh, I said that I'm gonna get you out of your situation having to be babysat by that Aunt of yours..."

"Well, first I'm going to get you out of your situation of having leaves all over you. You really do look hilarious," Betty giggled.

She picked the leaves off my clothing one by one, and I think it took way longer than it should have. I could have gotten it myself in half the time, but I didn't complain.

"It's in your hair, you're going to have to..." She said, looking from my beanie to my eyes.

I took off my hat slowly. "Can you get it out?"

Flashbacks from 3rd grade came rushing in my brain of the last time I wasn't wearing my beanie in public-the time Betty stood up to the bully for me. She was always there for me, it was time for me to be there for her.

"Thanks, Bets."

"No problem. Why were you in that bush? I thought you went home!"

"I couldn't leave you alone with your aunt watching you as if you were a baby."

"Oh, don't worry about me, I'll be okay. Aunt Jane isn't too bad."

"Betty, you're 14! You don't need to be on house arrest. Especially not on a night like this. Feel that breeze?! This night is a divine night. You don't get weather like this any day. I say that we go see a movie or something, at the drive through-actually Rebel without a Cause is playing tonight, you'll love it! What do you say?"

"Juggie, what about my aunt? She'll be here soon, and she's not going to let me go!"

"If you let me call her, I think she'll let you go."

"Thanks, but I don't think there is anything that you could say that would convince her to let me go. My Mom's paying her to watch me!"

"I have an idea. Don't worry about it. Can I use your phone?"

"Sure. I guess it's worth a try." We went inside and she handed me the home phone. I took it from her, and suddenly a devilish afflatus filled me, and I winked at her. "Don't worry about a thing, darlin', I gotchu."