It Started With a Pen

Chapter 2: Poison Ivy

The group piled into Denny's car and drove over to his apartment. In the back of the building was a greenhouse/shed thing that he used for his insane experiments.

"Um, Denny?" Lucia frowned. "Did you really paint a lightning bolt on the side?"

Denny blinked. "Yeah. I like it."

"Honey, I love you, but it's tacky," Lucia chuckled, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Denny sighed. "I know, but I just want to be cool," he pouted.

"I like it," Jonah grinned.

Lucia moved over to Monica. "And that's the guy you like?" She whispered.

Jonah and Denny high-fived. "Thanks for backing me up, man," the latter grinned.

Lucia and Monica both shook their heads.

"Ready to go inside?" Jonah chuckled.

"Sure," Monica smiled shyly.

Lucia quickly nudged her. "Stop that."

"What? He just asked," Monica whispered.

"I meant, stop smiling like that," Lucia whispered back. "He's going to know you like him, if you keep it up."

"I doubt it. He's so blind."

"Woah. Is that a pumpkin?" Jonah laughed when he stepped inside. "That thing's huge!"

Lucia rolled her eyes. "Again, why on earth do you like him?" She asked Monica.

"He's cute. Why do you like French Fry Man?

"Potato Guy," Lucia sighed. "And I like him because he's got a nice personality. He's sweet and funny and caring and smart."

"There you go. That's why I like Jonah."

"Hey, Denny! What's this plant over here?" Jonah asked with great interest.

"No! That's poison oak!" Denny slapped his friend's hand away. "I can touch it, but you can't."

"Why?" Jonah whined.

"Because I'm doing it for science. Besides, I'm ninety-eight percent sure I'm immune to it and poison ivy."

"But it's pretty."

"Stop it."

"I want to touch it."

Denny sighed. "I don't want you to touch it."

Lucia chuckled. "It's like an all new version of Who's On First."

Denny smiled some and pushed his friend farther away from the plant.

"Can I at least touch the poison ivy?" Jonah grinned. "That won't do anything, right?"

"Yes, it will! Let me do the experimenting."

"I thought that was a myth," Jonah frowned.

Denny sighed and shook his head.

"Maybe Jonah shouldn't be in here," Lucia chuckled. "Go ahead and start the experiment, Denny."

Denny nodded and took a bit of the poison ivy plant, ground it up, and rubbed it on his arm. "Alright. I have to just wait a few minutes."

Monica sighed. "This'll be fun."

Denny smiled and then sprayed some Windex on himself to test if it would stop the itching.

His friends watched carefully as, despite his effort not to, he began to itch his arm where the poison ivy had touched him.

"Looks like that Windex is really working for ya," Lucia chuckled.