When the end of class bell rung through the high school, Zoey walked out of Mr. Turner's classroom. Once she walked out of the classroom, her jaw dropped in shock.
Both Shawn and Cory were standing in the middle of the hall wearing cheerleading outfits. Zoey tried her hardest to hold back her laughter as kids whistled or laughed at the two.
"Hey, check out the new competition." Eric commented as he and Topanga appeared beside Zoey. "Pretty hot, huh?"
"Look at them, they must starve themselves." Zoey added with a smirk.
"I just get so nervous around such beauties." Eric teased as he walked away from them.
"No wonder I never made the squad." Topanga said before she walked away.
"Well, Cory, those Buns of Steel videos must have paid off." Shawn stated proudly.
Zoey stepped forward, looking at her best friend and boyfriend as every muscle in her body tried to keep in the laughter. "I don't even want to know."
Cory sighed and swished his pom-pom at her. "Okay, Zoey, let's hear it."
"Hear what?" Zoey asked.
"Make fun or laugh like everyone else." Cory said.
"Cor, come on. This is Zoey, she would do no such thing. She's different." Shawn said as he stepped forward and wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders.
Zoey broke. She suddenly doubled herself up and burst into a loud harsh cackle of laughter. Shawn turned and gave her a pointed glare. Zoey couldn't help it as she continued laughing before she walked down the school hallway.
••••
Zoey unlocked her locker and placed the books and folder that were in her arms into the metal storage. When she finished, she found Shawn and Cory wearing some John Adams hoodies and pants from the lost and found to wear.
"Ah, this sure feels better than those skirts." Shawn said.
"Well, I don't know, Shawn. I mean, there's something to be said for the freedom that they gave." Cory responded.
"Yeah, you thought that too?" Shawn asked.
After a moment, they both shook their heads in denial. Zoey raised her eyebrows at them skeptically.
"I both call you liars." Zoey said as she approached her friends.
Shawn sighed. "Well, we better get out of here before Frankie comes looking for us."
"Oh, not to worry, Shawn. Mr. Feeny just read him the riot act, remember? I mean, even Frankie wouldn't be stupid enough to mess with us after that, right?" Cory wondered.
Frankie approached and placed a firm hand on the boys' shoulders. "Oh, you'd be pained at how stupid I could be." He then pushed Shawn and Cory into Mr. Turner's classroom to which Zoey simply followed after. "You ratted on me and Joey. And as Joey used to say...." Frankie changed his voice to sound like Joey. "'Live by the rat, and die by the rat'."
"Well, what does that mean?" Zoey wondered as she sat on a desk.
"Well, why don't we ask him?" Frankie questioned. "Oh, wait, we cannot, for my one and only friend, Joey, has been suspended. I walk alone in this world, except for the grilled cheese sandwich in my pocket." He suddenly raised his fist towards the boys. "So who dies first?"
"Please, don't ruin their faces, especially Shawn's." Zoey advised.
"Whoa, whoa, Frankie... You know, what I'm getting here, pal, is that friendship is very important to you." Cory quickly observed. "So how about this? You let us live, you got two new friends."
"Make it three." Zoey added as she slid off the desk and walked towards the boys.
"Who?" Shawn wondered.
"Us, you stupid." Zoey replied.
"Think about it." Cory told Frankie. "We could, you know, hang out, go to movies, ball games, whatever."
"Poetry readings?" Frankie asked.
Cory nodded. "Poetry readings, we're there."
"I hate poetry." Shawn stated.
"Shawn, if our friend who's gonna let us live likes poetry, then we like poetry." Cory hissed.
"Oh, poetry!" Shawn exclaimed, finally catching on. "I thought said... liver."
"So what do you say, Frankie? Friends?" Zoey asked with a small smile.
"So this is a sincere effort and not just a phony move on your parts to avoid agonizing pain and suffering?" Frankie questioned.
"After what you just said, I'm sincere." Zoey replied.
"Sincere." Shawn agreed.
"Absolutely heartfelt." Cory added.
"This makes me very happy." Frankie said happily. "Come here, friends."
Frankie stepped forward and wrapped Shawn, Cory and Zoey in a hug. The three let out a small groan when they began to feel their oxygen cut off.
"Oh, gosh! Nothing we ever do is right." Cory complained.
••••
It was around seven o'clock and Zoey was over at Mr. Turner's place waiting for Shawn. The two were going to Chubbies for dinner. Zoey was resting on a couch, reading a book that Mr. Turner had insisted on reading for English.
"Whoa, John! You've been doing some heavy cleaning today." Shawn said as he walked down the stairs and spotted Mr. Turner looking dressed up. "Oops. That's your cologne."
Mr. Turner laughed sarcastically. "Oops, you've got noplace to live."
"So you did it, didn't you?" Zoey wondered with a smirk, lowering her book down. "You called Melanie."
"And we're all gonna move to a big house in Connecticut." Shawn added excitedly.
"You been talking to Eli, huh?" Mr. Turner asked.
"A little bit." Shawn replied.
"Shawn tells me everything." Zoey explained.
"Look, that's only who she thought I was, Shawn. It's not who I am." Mr. Turner told him.
"So why do you think she called you?" Shawn wondered curiously.
"Because she wants to find out how I turned out." Mr. Turner answered honestly. "How unhappy I am. You know, how she made the right choice and I made the wrong one."
The door suddenly buzzed.
"I think she's here." Zoey muttered.
Mr. Turner took a deep breath. "Get ready. You're about to meet Melanie Clifton, the richest girl in Westport, Connecticut. She's gonna walk through that door, big old fur coat, jewelry, she's gonna take one look around this apartment, she's gonna criticize my lifestyle and then she's just gonna go on back to that big old house and all that money. You just watch."
"Would you be real upset if I went with her?" Shawn asked. Zoey rolled her eyes and slapped him across his arm.
Mr. Turner walked over to the door and opened it. On the other side of the door was a pretty average woman. This woman was completely the opposite to whom Mr. Turner was just talking about.
"Hi, John. It has been way too long." Melanie said before she stepped inside. "Nice place. You know, it kinda reminds me of mine." She then turned to Shawn. "Hi, you must be Shawn."
Shawn smiled and shook her hand. "Hi, you must be money, M-Melanie."
••••
Shawn and Zoey were inside Chubbies. The two of them were sitting in a booth together, eating a burger and some fries.
"Cory." Shawn called when he spotted their friend. "Are you alone."
"No." Cory replied with a frown. "I tried to get away on my bike, but Frankie jogged behind me the entire way... I mean, pound for pound, he is the fastest man on Earth."
Zoey sighed. "Guys, come on...."
Frankie rushed down the stairs and approached Cory, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, my friend. I enjoyed our little workout. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must replenish fluids."
And with that, Frankie turned around and walked away from the three of them.
"Cory, the guy invited me to his house for a slumber party." Shawn said as he began to panic.
"Oh, you're gonna be there too? Yes, that's great!" Cory exclaimed excitedly.
"You're not helping." Shawn stated.
Cory sighed. "Look, my mum told me everyone has good qualities. "
Zoey nodded in agreement. "You're mum is right, Cor."
"No, she's not." Shawn argued. "He doesn't have any good qualities. He's a thug!"
"Well, now he's our thug, all right?" Cory told his best friend. "Let's just find the good."
"What good?" Shawn wondered in confusion. "Wherever he goes people scatter. Look, look at this guy give him his burger."
A young kid approached Frankie with his burger in hand. "From your humble servant. It's turkey. I hope that's not a problem."
Frankie just shrugged and accept the burger before walking towards a table that was filled with seven-graders. When the seven-graders saw Frankie they instantly left the table.
"Seventh-graders just give up their table." Shawn added.
"Yeah, they bow down to him like he's the king of the school." Cory said.
"Guys, let's find the good." Zoey insisted.
"Guys...." Shawn spoke quickly.
"Yeah?" Cory and Zoey asked.
Shawn smirked. "I think we have found the good."
"No." Zoey scoffed, shaking her head. "Don't you two even think about it."
"Hang on, Zo. Let us be sure." Cory told his best friend. He stepped forward and cleared his throat. "If anyone needs me or Shawn, we'll be sitting right here with our new best friend, Frankie Stecchino."
Then all of a sudden a seventh-grader got up and handed Cory a tray, then a burger, ketchup and mustard as well as a rose. Zoey raised her eyebrows, slightly impressed before another seventh-grader pushed a tray into her hands with a burger.
"No thank you. I can buy my own bu..." Zoey trailed off when the seventh-grader placed ketchup, mustard and then the rose on the tray. Zoey rolled her eyes and handed the tray to her boyfriend. "It's for you."
"Frankie, buddy!" Shawn exclaimed, smiling widely. "Where have you been all our lives?"
"Around." Frankie simply replied. He turned to Zoey with a small frown on his face. "I am also terribly sorry about the sleepover being a guys only things."
Zoey smiled. "It's fine, I totally understand."
••••
Zoey liked having Frankie as a friend. She was always running away from him when she saw him in the school corridors, but now her and Frankie hung out and got to know each other. The next time Zoey saw him, she knew that she could call him, a new friend.
She had also found out a few things about Frankie. He sung in the local church choir and sings like an angel. He had his own pool cue and was really into poetry.
At school, Shawn, Cory, Zoey and Frankie walked together into the cafeteria, holding their trays of food.
"Ah, the lunchtime rush and nowhere to sit." Cory said, making it obvious as to why they like Frankie.
"What shall we do, Frankie?" Shawn wondered.
Once Shawn said his name, a whole table in front of them scattered which caused Zoey to sigh in annoyance. She didn't like the fact that her best friend and her boyfriend were using Frankie to get whatever they want.
"Well, look. A convenient opening." Cory pointed out.
"Yeah." Shawn began with a smile, placing his tray down on the table as all of them sat down. "See that, Frankie? You hang with us, the seats just open."
"I see it different." Frankie responded. "You know, guys, I've been thinking about our friendship and it dawns on me, what kind of friends are we? No, really."
"Best friends." Zoey answered honestly.
"Frankie, we value your friendship very much." Cory told him. "Fry-cleaning?"
"Dry-cleaning?" Frankie and Zoey asked in confusion.
Zoey dropped her for on her tray when a seventh-grader came up to Cory, showing his sweater.
"They got the stain out." The kid informed.
"Oh, thank you. Thank you, young man. You're too kind. What's your name?" Shawn asked.
"Robert." The kid replied.
Shawn shook his head. "No, not anymore. From now on you are... Dances With Sweaters."
"I like it." Robert stated, handing Cory his sweat before leaving.
Zoey immediately slapped Shawn up the head. "Dances With Sweaters? Really?"
"What did I do?" Shawn questioned, cluelessly.
Frankie suddenly stood up from the table and began to walk away.
"Frankie, where are you going?" Cory wondered.
"I need to be alone and reflect." Frankie grumbled. And with that he walked out of the cafeteria.
"What's the matter with him?" Shawn asked.
Cory shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Do you know what's happening?"
Zoey simply shook her head and ate her lunch silently. It was obvious that Frankie had figured out what Shawn and Cory were doing.
••••
After school Zoey went over to Mr. Turner's place to settle down with her boyfriend. The couple laid on the couch, entangled with each other. Zoey laid her hair on Shawn's chest. Her left arm was draped across his stomach while his arm was wrapped around her waist, pulling her into his side.
Shawn huffed. "Okay, what did I do this time?"
"What do you mean?" Zoey wondered in confusion.
"You haven't spoken to me since lunch." Shawn told his girlfriend. "What did I do?"
Zoey rested her chin on his chest and looked at him. "Do you want the truth?"
"Yeah, and please don't hit me up the head." Shawn begged jokingly.
"I'm mad at the way you and Cory treat Frankie. Like he's only your ticket to getting free lunch, dry-cleaning and a table to sit at." Zoey explained.
Shawn rubbed her shoulder. "Babe, he's Frankie. He doesn't have feelings and doesn't care about the way Cory and I treat him."
"He's still human, Shawn." Zoey reminded softly.
Then the machine to the phone beeped from behind them.
"Shawn, this is Frankie Stecchino." Frankie greeted over the phone. "I feel that you and Cory and me need to talk if we are really gonna be friends because it occurs to me that you don't know who it is I really am. Please call me at your earliest convenience." Barking was then heard on the other end. "Please, Dad, I'm on the phone."
Frankie hung up and Zoey simply glared at her boyfriend with a pointed look. After a moment, the front door opened and Mr. Turner and Mr. Williams walked inside.
"So she actually apologized for the way it ended?" Mr. Williams asked, surprised.
"Yeah, she did." Mr. Turner replied, sitting down on the other end of the couch. "But I gotta tell you, man, we had a great time last night."
"Yeah?" Shawn wondered, raising his eyebrows. "So when are we moving to Connecticut?"
"And when should we pack our bags?" Zoey added with a teasing smirk.
"No, Zoey. We're not. We're staying right here." Mr. Turner decided.
Shawn sighed in defeat. "That's probably better, John. All that money would only spoil me. By the way, would a pillow be too much to ask for?"
Mr. Turner simply ignored him. "You know, what she was most sorry about is that she only knew me as this rich man's kid, you know. She never really knew who I was or even tried to know."
"You spent all that time together and you were never really friends." Mr. William said, sitting on the arm of the couch on the other side of the couple.
"Yeah, well... I guess when you're young, first impressions are everything." Mr. Turner simply explained. "Sometimes you completely miss who someone really is, you know?"
••••
Early in the morning, Shawn and Zoey were walking through the school corridors because Shawn had gotten a message from Cory to meet him there. Zoey had wrapped her hands around his arm as they turned around the corner to see Cory standing in front of the lockers.
"Cory... what's going on? Why did you want to meet me?" Shawn asked, approaching his best friend.
"I didn't." Cory replied. "I got a message that you wanted to meet me."
"What?" Shawn wondered in confusion. "That makes no sense."
Robert the seventh-grader suddenly stepped out from behind the trashcan. "Makes a lot of sense to me."
Zoey raised her eyebrows. "Robert?"
"Dances?" Shawn questioned.
"Twas I who called you both." Robert explained. "We seventh-graders aren't gonna take it anymore. No more giving up our food. No more doing your errands."
"What about my dry-cleaning?" Cory asked in concern.
"Finished!" Robert exclaimed.
"Yeah?" Shawn challenged. "Says you and what army?"
"My army." Robert said before he snapped his fingers.
Zoey raised her eyebrows in surprise when tiny seventh-graders appeared out of lockers and classroom coming towards Cory and Shawn.
Cory laughed nervously. "We're kidding. We love you guys."
"Changing your tune? Tune changers?" Robert accused.
"Robert, we can talk. We can work this out." Cory told him, slightly panicking.
Robert crossed his arms over his chest. "Not so tough without your Enforcer, eh, boys?"
Just then, Frankie stepped out of the boy's bathroom behind the seventh-graders.
"Frankie!" Cory exclaimed, pointing at him in relief.
"Frankie?" Robert questioned. He turned to see Frankie behind them. "Raid!"
All the seventh-graders began to panicked and ran away.
"Wait, wait, wait, guys! Guys, wait" Shawn called out, causing the seventh-graders to stop. "What are you running from?"
"Frankie The Enforcers." Robert replied in an oblivious tone.
Shawn shook his head. "No. No, that's only what you think of him."
"Shawn, what are you doing? They're leaving." Cory told his best friend before turning to the seventh-graders. "Go on. Leave. Leave, go back to your lockers."
"No. No, Cor." Shawn protested. "I've got something to say. I mean, have any of you ever really looked at Frankie Stecchino?"
"Yeah, upside down." Robert answered.
"No, I mean really look at him." Shawn responded. "I bet nobody here knows that this man has a very poetic soul."
Cory nodded. "Yeah, you know, he does."
"I mean, he goes to poetry readings. He's kind and also a very good friend." Zoey added with a smile.
"Yeah, that's right." Shawn agreed, wrapping an arm Zoey's waist. "And believe me, deep down he's gentle."
"Yeah, and you guys should forget about what you think he is, all right, and just... I don't know, take a good look at him and give him a real chance. Kinda like we should have." Cory admitted.
Frankie smiled.
"Showing his teeth. Run!" Robert yelled, and the wimpy seventh-grader all ran out of the corridors.
Shawn shrugged and walked over to Frankie. "I'm sorry, man. We tried."
"All that stuff you said, did you mean it?" Frankie questioned. "Or once again were you just trying to avoid an indescribable pain?"
"What do you think?" Zoey asked, smirking.
Frankie took a moment to look between the three people in front of him. "I think I want to grab a burger with my three new friends. What do you think?"
Cory nodded. "Sounds good to me."
"I'm in." Zoey chuckled.
"Let's do it." Shawn insisted.
"Yeah, we can get to know each other." Cory said.
The four of them began to walk out of the school corridors to go to Chubbies and get to know each other. Zoey reached out and grabbed onto Shawn's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as she rested her head against his arm. She couldn't be more proud of her boyfriend.
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PUBLISHED: April 22, 2018
WORDS: 3197