Crush4Two

Chapter 2

Melvin's parent's car was waiting outside. Audrey flipped into the back seat next to Melvin, and he yelped in surprise, clutching his chest. Recognition filled his eyes and he sighed. Audrey saw his cheeks brighten a little as he laughed nervously. "Uh...hi, Audrey." 
"Hey, Mel-man. Ready for the best concert you've ever seen?"
"I-I guess so," he stammered, looking more flustered than ever. "Thanks for giving me your extra ticket."
    "You're being such a dork, little bro," Maria called from the front. "Maybe you should stop talking."
"Be nice to each other, ninos." Melvin's mother chided. "Seatbelts."
Audrey and Melvin buckled up next to each other, gasping a little as heir hands touched. The shock of electricity was there again. They looked into each other's eyes, and then away.
Audrey sniffed the air in the car. It smelled homely, with maybe a hint of of jasmine there. She smiled. "Your car smells good," she replied.
Melvin cocked his hea YB d. "Really?" he laughed. "Once, I spent a month storing stink bags here until I was ready to release them all." he snickered. "The smell lasted for a year."
    "Whoa. I should try that sometime," Audrey noted.
Melvin rubbed his arms, seeming self conscious. "So...just a random question...but do you know what it feels like to be in crush?" his voice got quiet so his sister and mom couldn't hear.
Audrey's cheeks heated up. "well...I don't know." suddenly, she recalled all the times she had felt that voltage between her and Melvin, which seemed to be happening annoyingly more often now, and her cheeks got redder. "I don't think so." she was curious now. "Why?"
    "I...think I might be in crush with someone." he averted his eyes from her. "And I don't like it."
"Now that I think of it..." Audrey really, really wanted to deny it. She hated herself for letting this happen to her. She was AUDREY! The DESTROYER! Destroyers were not allowed to have crushes. But it was there. Maybe it always had been. "I might like someone." it felt so weird to be saying it. Is this what Lotta felt?"It kind of feels like someone's playing pinball with my insides," she replied.
Melvin nodded. "Yeah." he locked eyes with her, and they both replied, "I don't like it."
They were silent the rest of the ride. Audrey fiddled with her seatbelt. Out of all people...Melvin? She snuck a glance at him. Could it be possible he liked her back?
"Stop thinking that, me," she whispered to herself. "Stop liking Melvin."
They got off at the Harvetorium, and Melvin's mom leaned out of the window. "Be careful! We'll be waiting out here."
Audrey and Melvin met Richie at the entrance to the concert room. He grinned a white-toothed grin. "Fellow Harvey Girl, Fellow Bloogie," he bowed quickly. "I see Audrey gave you her extra ticket?"
    "Uh...she did." Melvin suddenly seemed to stand up taller.
"Great. Let's go, then." Richie's eyes found Audrey's, asking a  question. She shook her head slightly. Don't ask, please.
The band was already starting on the first song. It was one of Audrey's favorites.
"My heart hearts your heart," sang the boys. Audrey immediately found herself lost in the music and began singing along and dancing to the tune she knew by heart. She caught Melvin watching her skeptically, but she didn't care. She wished Lotta and Dot were here to see this. She had mastered the entire routine.
The next song got her. "My book's overdue to the library of your heart," crooned the boyband. Audrey was at a loss. This was a two person dance, and Richie was jamming out with dap-o-tron. Audrey shrugged. Melvin would have to do.
She grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him out of the shadows. "Follow me," she grinned. As the disoriented boy struggled to regain his footing.
"B-but..."
"Come on! This one's not that hard." she slid back and forth, moving her shoulders and hips. Melvin struggled to keep up, but eventually, their feet moved in sync, and he had a huge smile on his face.
"Fun, eh?" Audrey asked, taking his hand and twirling him around.
"Surprisingly!" he exclaimed.
The show ended quickly, and the two slumped back into their chairs, out of breath. They were laughing. Laughing. Two kids who had been enemies since pre-school, changed completely by a truce.
___
"Well, that was really fun," Richie announced, when they exited the Harvetorium. "I can cross 'laugh-till-you-cry,' off my childhood immersion list." 
"Did you see J-frog's new ripped jeans? So cool." Audrey sighed dreamily. "And I actually knew all the lyrics this time. I didn't mumble once!"
Melvin shrugged. "The dance moves were cool, I guess. But I'm more into bands like 'The Booger that got away' or 'the fartsmokers.'" He tipped his head toward Audrey. "It was fun, though."
Audrey tried not to blush, nearly cursing as she felt her cheeks warm. "Stop being such a mush!" She whispered. She then decided. She needed to find a way to fall out of crush.
"Are those even real bands?" Richie was asking Melvin. He nodded seriously.
"You should listen to their new album, Fart Destiny." He grinned. "It's some good fart inspiration, that."
By the time they had almost reached the car, Melvin and Richie were in a full-on argument about which was better, Farts or Boogers. Audrey was surprised that calm, collected Richie would be so passionate about a subject he had little experience in.
"Obviously farts," Melvin scoffed. "They can be used as weapons as well as—"
"Boogers are muses for art! They're masterpieces waiting to be sculpted."
"You sound like Pinkeye. Here, let me prove farts are better right—"
"Okaaaaay, both are brilliant it's been a long night we should really get going now bye!" She grabbed Melvin's wrist and pulled him away, ignoring his gripes and protests.
"Hey! Let go! I was just about to—"
"Come on! It's almost bedtime."
"It's eight!"
She reached the car and stuffed Melvin inside. His mother watched them with wide hazel eyes.
"How was it?" She asked.
"Oh, it was totesally amazical." Audrey began. "I knew every single song and dance!"
Mrs. Cortez chuckled. "Really? That's wonderful. What about you, Melvito?"
"I liked it. Surprisingly." He said curtly. He crossed his arms. "I'm a bit hungry, though. Could we maybe go—"
"Out to eat? Si!  Let's show Audrey our place, hmm?"
"Um...do you think she'll like it?" Melvin looked a bit nervous.
"Oh, I will. I like most things. Trust me." Audrey grinned. "Hot dog and chocolate ring a bell?"
Melvin laughed. "Oh, right. Restaurante Catalina it is."
Audrey watched the city of Harvey rush by her window as they sped through town. Mrs.Cortez sang along to old-sounding Spanish music that Audrey tried desperately to understand, only picking up a couple words. After maybe fifteen minutes of driving, they stopped at an old, small-looking diner. The words 'Restaurante Catalina' popped out at them from a neon sign.
"It's not very pretty, but it's the most authentic Mexican food around. I hope you can handle spicy." Melvin's mother chuckled good-naturedly.
Audrey scoffed. "Puh-lease. If I can eat broccoli, I can take on a bit of heat." She smiled smugly at Melvin. "Hey, the truce never said anything about friendly competition. Care to have one?"
Melvin narrowed his eyes. "You're on."
——
They sat down, ordered, and soon enough, Audrey and Melvin were both staring at bowls of steaming chili.
"Ready to get roasted?" Melvin quipped. "Or are you too scared?"
"Too scared? Is the heat messing with your head, Mel-man?"
"Come one, eat it already," drawled Maria, holding her phone in front of her face. "I'm filming."
Audrey took a big spoon. It tasted delicious, and at first she dien't feel anything, but then it hit her. A huge wave of spicy. She continued chewing, struggling to swallow as sweat beaded on her forehead.
"D-deliciousness!" She strained. "Let's see yours."
Melvin shoved some in his mouth and swallowed with ease. He smirked.
Audrey growled and downed the entire bowl.
Bad idea.
"Yeeeeoww!" She shrieked, jumping up and alerting everyone. She gulped down her entire glass of water, and then Melvin's. It hurt.
Panting, Audrey grabbed for Maria's water but the teen slapped her hand. "Deal with it," she hissed.
Tears of pain pricked Audrey's eyes. "Whew!" She sighed, when Melvin's mom lent her water. "I regret that so much. Melvin, how do you eat that stuff?"
"I guess I'm used to it." He gulped some down and eyed her. "You 'Kay?"
She nodded. "Yeah." She forced a grin, though her touché protested. "It was too spicy to tell but I'm pretty sure it was delishyfish."
He laughed lightly. "Good."
Mrs.Cortez was well-equipped and had instant ice packs in the car, so Audrey was able to get her tongue inflammation down, but it still hurt really badly. She waved to the family as they dropped her off in front of her house.
"Bye, Maria, bye Melvin!" Called Audrey. They waved back, and then were gone.
That night, Audrey made a plan to herself. Tomorrow, she would try to find a way to fall out of crush with Melvin.