October,
"Well, you better look again." Robbie said, watching for Cat's reaction.
"Because there's been a murder." Jade added, her voice wavering.
We were currently in the Blackbox theater, rehearsing a play. Cat, Jade and Robbie were up front as Tori, Andre, Beck and I sat in the chairs behind Sikowitz. We had been rehearsing for the past week, and it was getting repetitive and boring, so we were all kinda on our phones. Trina had just sent me a funny horse video and I'd sent it to Tori.
"Murder? Where?" Cat asked as I lifted my head up from Beck's arm and leaned forward, watching the video I sent Tori. I laughed out loud, making Sikowitz look back and shush me.
"Sorry." I mouthed, wincing as he turned back around.
"Right here." Jade answered with a nod. They held their green play scripts open in front of them, leaning on the small, tall table in the middle. Behind them was the spaceship for the play, and it was big too.
"On this underwater submarine." Robbie said and Burf clicked the underwater sound effect.
Cat looked away, her eyebrows furrowing. "I better wake up the President." She said before running over to the telephone by the wall. She broke the glass and started laughing, looking at Sikowitz. Grabbing the red corded phone, she put it up to her ear. "Give me the White House." She giggled.
"Oh my God, that's insane!" Tori laughed, looking at her phone.
Sikowitz turned in his seat, "Excuse me?" He asked, grabbing our attention.
"Oh hey." Andre said, laughing before looking up from his phone to Sikowitz's expecting gaze.
"Oh uh, we were just watching a video." Tori shrugged, putting down her phone.
"Yeah, these two horses are...--" Andre showed him his phone, starting the video over.
Sikowitz looked away, cutting him off. "Put your phones away. We are rehearsing a play." He gestured to the stage.
Tori nodded, "Right.."
"Our bad." Andre said.
"Hey, send me the link to that video...—" Beck began to say to Tori before Sikowitz cut him off.
"Stop that!" He exclaimed, making us look at him. I put my phone in my pocket, and laid my head on Beck's shoulder again, putting my full attention onto rehearsal. I was Jade's understudy, so it was actually best if I focused.
"Jade, let's go from your line." Sikowitz said, looking down at the script. "Jade!" He called her again, looking up.
"What's up?" She asked, looking up from her phone.
Sikowitz sighed, putting down his script on the chair beside him. "Gee-m'nee crackers!" He exclaimed, standing up from his chair. "I'm trying to teach you kids something about...--"
A phone ringing cut him off, preferably Andre's. Sikowitz looked at him as he put his finger up, grabbing his phone. "One second." He said, making Sikowitz sigh and hold his head in irritation. "Uh, grandma, what is it?... No. Nobody stole your bed. You're just in the kitchen!" He said as Sikowitz hiked his leg up on the chair he was sitting on and crossed his arms.
"Hang up that phone right now!"
"Take your pills." Andre said before hanging up the phone.
"I'm getting sick and tired of...—"
A mix of our ringtones went off, making Sikowitz roll his eyes. "Ah, what now?!"
I grabbed my phone from my pocket and touched the pearsign, turning it on.
"Oh, I just texted everyone a pic of me." Robbie nodded, looking at Sikowitz as he and Cat sat on the play's backdrop's stairs. He pointed down to Cat's phone, smiling. "That's my sister's shirt I'm wearing."
"Why?" Beck asked slowly, furrowing his eyebrows at Robbie. I laughed at his reaction and looked at the picture again.
"So weird." Tori laughed.
"All right. That does it. That tears it!" Sikowitz yelled, making a x with his arms.
"What?" I asked, looking up from my phone.
"You people are sick!" He yelled, moving his hands around as he stomped his foot down. His face was getting red, especially his bald spot.
"I feel pretty good." Cat said genuinely.
He closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "I'm talking about your addiction to your stupid phones! I swear to Pete, you can't go two minutes without..." He aggressively texted on his nonexistent phone, imitating our phones going off. He faked a loud laugh, looking at us. "Blahblahblah!"
"Oh, come on, I don't think it's fair to say we're addicted to them." Tori said, rolling her eyes.
"Hо, hо, hо, hо. Very well." He laughed, placing his hands on his hips as he began to smirk. "Then I challenge you all—"
Robbie stood up, a slightly determined look on his face as he took his shirt off. "All right. Let's fight!" He said quietly, skipping to Sikowitz with his hands up, balled in fists.
There was something seriously wrong with Robbie, sometimes I wonder what exactly goes through his head.
He stood behind Sikowitz, almost bucking up to him as Sikowitz looked to the ground, holding his head.
"I don't think he means a fight." Andre said and shook his head, making Robbie look away embarrassed. He messed with his shirt, walking away.
I rolled my eyes as Sikowitz began talking again. "I will give each and everyone of you... All 'A''s for the whole semester."
"If...?" I asked, squinting my eyes at him.
"If you can all go one full week." He raised his hand, holding up one finger. "Without using modern technology."
"No phones?" Cat asked, looking up from her phone.
"No phones!" He yelled back, almost immediately. "And no laptops or Pear Pads. No electronic device made since I was born!" He exclaimed, using his arms to further his point. He was yelling so much I literally could see the veins in his neck.
"Wanna take that bet?" He asked, as I looked down to my phone. I wouldn't be able to text my friends. I mean we're pretty much together 24/7 but still! I mean, it is just a week.. just a week..
We looked around at each other, thinking. I tapped my thigh softly, looking at Beck, Tori and Andre. Beck shrugged and I stood up, nodding. Just a week, juuust a week.
"Let's do it." Tori said after looking at me, Beck and Andre. She stood up as well and shrugged her shoulders. Sikowitz walked closer and shook both of our hands before backing up.
"Okay." Beck said as murmurs came from Andre and Robbie too.
"Let's do it."
"I'm good."
"Great. Let's have your phones." Sikowitz said, pulling out his shirt. Beck and Andre got up, as well as Jade, Cat and Robbie, giving him our phones.
"Bye phone.." I mumbled, placing my phone in the phone pile of Sikowitz shirt. Jade reluctantly put her phone in, last.
"And, the contest begins.. NOW!" Sikowitz exclaimed.
Yay...
"Wait, how will you know we're not using other people's phones?" Jade asked, smirking.
"Because I trust your honesty." He said and she nodded. "And I'm going to have Sinjin and Burf spy on you." There it wasss.
Sinjin smiled, looking up from his tablet and up to the catwalk where Burf, his friend, was. "It's you and me, baby!" He winked, clicking his teeth.
Burf grinned and bit into his yellow bell pepper, sending Sinjin a thumbs up.
"Hey Oscar." I waved, walking up to his food truck.
He waved, sticking his head out the window. "Good afternoon doll! What would you like today, Querida?"
"Umm, I had the special last Friday, right?" I asked.
"Yeah, hey Y/n," Ana said, dismissing my question. She stood beside Oscar, holding her phone. "Did you see that funny firefighter video I sent you?? And the bunny one? I sent it earlier; you were in like Sikowitz class?"
"Ana! She is in school; you shouldn't be sending her memies—"
"Noo, were in this stupid challenge with Sikowitz." I grumbled, "But did you see the horse video I sent? It was before we had to give up our phones to Sikowitz."
Oscar whipped his head towards me, looking from his granddaughter to me as he rubbed the back of his now shaven head. "You— Y/n Vega, I—" He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Maybe this challenge is just what you need doll, you should be focusing in class, keeping those grades up!"
Oscar had shaved the rest of his remaining hair over the summer, so he was now bald. He didn't want the chemo to take any more of his hair he said. It was hard to see him like that the first time, and every time I see him it's a silent reminder that he has cancer... But that cheerful personality he keeps up every day makes me forget, and I think it makes him forget a little too. We don't talk about it a lot; we don't want to miss out on any precious time thinking about the negative he said... But anyways, enough with the somber update, back to him scolding us.
Ana shook her head and waved her hand in dismissal before rolling her eyes. She smiled at me, turning back around to the kitchen. "What was your order Y/n?"
"Spaghetti, please!"
"Coming right up!" Ana replied, filing the container with Spaghetti and meatballs.
"You can survive a week without a phone doll." He nodded, wiping his hands with a rag. "Now, that Cat, I don't know about her, I worry abo—"
"You got this girl!" Ana said, purposely cutting Oscar off. She sent him a look as she handed me my food.
I laughed a little, seeing Oscar shrug his shoulders. "Thanks guys. How much Osc—"
"No, no, no! Bye, bye!" He exclaimed quickly, closing the window's doors shut. He pulled the food trucks awning down, apparently closing the truck.
I laughed again, "Oh my God?"
"Hey, I wanted to order! Hey!" Burf exclaimed, looking between me and Oscar's food truck.
I shrugged, wincing a little. "Sorry?" I said, an amused smile on my face.
I looked around, watching the kids around us on their phones and tablets. It was quiet at our table; the only sounds being made was Jade anxiously tapping her fork against her lunch container and Cat letting out little whimpers and sighs.
It felt like everyone around us was using an electronic device. I don't remember it ever being like this!
"I don't even miss our phones." Andre said, breaking the silence that was plaguing our table. "Do you guys?" He asked, and we shook our heads. A murmur of no's came from the table as Robbie twitched, and Cat played with the fruit on her fork.
"How long has it been since we had 'em?" Tori asked.
"A few hours." Jade answered, tapping her fork.
"It seems like years!" Cat exclaimed, frowning.
"No, it's not that bad." Robbie said, trying to reassure her.
"Years!!" She yelled, and Robbie looked away, knowing she was right.
"Well, uh, one good thing, you know, about not having our phones is it makes us pay more attention to the world around us." Andre said, gesturing to the Asphalt Cafe. Like any other day, it was crowded and filled with teenagers.
"Yeah, like" Jade looked around, "I've never really noticed this before, but a lot of the kids who go to Hollywood Arts are really not very good-looking." She said, so very serious.
"Well," I faked a smile, looking at her. "I've noticed some things that aren't cruel to say out loud, Jade." I glared at her. She rolled her eyes, looking back down to her lunch.
"Like?" Beck asked, sitting beside me.
"Like... um.." I looked around, trying to find something interesting. "Oh! Look, look, there's the Hollywood sign right there!" I said, gesturing to the sign. "Not many people can say they can see the Hollywood sign from their school.. That's really cool..." I said, nodding, trying to convince myself it was cool. I picked up my fry, biting the top of it aggressively as Beck rubbed my back.
"Yeah, and here's another cool thing!" Robbie said, grinning as he did a little jig. "You guys know how I usually keep my phone in my shirt pocket here?" He asked, touching his shirt's pocket.
"I don't care." Jade said, not even looking at him.
"Yeah?" I nodded.
"Well, now, I'm using this pocket to carry cheese, and my allergy pills." He said, grinning.
"Won't the cheese melt in your pocket?" Beck asked, facing him.
"No, I don't think the cheese will melt in my pock..--" Robbie replied, snarky as he dipped his hand down into his shirt pocket and pulled out his allergy pills. It was covered in melted cheese, creating a cheese pull.
"Oh, Rob!" I exclaimed, watching as he pulled at it, grimacing.
"Uh, Robbie!" Tori exclaimed as well.
"Robbie!" Jade groused, hitting her arms on the table softly.
"Gross." Tori muttered as he placed his allergy pills on his empty food tray. Beck gave him a napkin, as Cat let out a sigh.
"I miss my phone!" She whined, dropping her hands onto her lap. Beck grabbed another napkin and dabbed at Robbie's shirt, cleaning the cheese that was on the outside. Robbie continued to frown as Beck cleaned his shirt up and put a hand on his shoulder. I grabbed my bag, grabbing my makeup wipes. It would have to do until Robbie could actually clean his pill bottle.
Cat put her arm on the table, resting her chin in her hand. "What do you guys think it's doing right now?" She asked dreamily as I grabbed Robbie's cheesy pill bottle with 2 of my fingers, trying not to get sticky cheese on me. I got one of my makeup wipes, cleaning the bottle the best I could.
"Come on Cat, we can do this! Let's try to not even think about our phones." Tori said, nodding her head.
"Okay but...—" Cat said loudly, about to whine some more.
"Hey everyone!" Sinjin shouted, cutting her off. He ran from the parking lot, holding his phone up. "Look at your phones! Look at your phones! Look at your phones!!" He yelled, right before everyone's phones began to go off. "There's a new funny video on Splashface!"
By now everyone was looking at him, murmurs of 'what' coming from almost every table. He skipped around, facing the table behind us. "Just go on Splashface and look up wacky donkey!" He instructed as everyone began to go on their phones and open up Splashface. "It's hilarious! Wacky donkey!!" He yelled, his voice breaking.
Cat began to whine, letting out little sounds as she waved her hands around. She covered her ears as I looked around at everyone on their phones. What was wacky donkey?
"You guys, come on!" Tori said, getting our attention. "It's just another one of those videos. You know, I'm sure it's not that funny." She said, and like clockwork, everyone began laughing at their phones and tablets. Sinjin laughed so much he threw up!
I stood up, barely getting my leg out from under the table, "Y/n!" Jade and Tori exclaimed, before I felt arms wrap around my hips. I looked at the arms, seeing plaid sleeves. Beck pulled me all the way down to the bench, making me look at him. His eyes was closed as he shook his head. "I wasn--"
"No." He said, putting his finger to my lips to shush me. I sighed, giving Robbie back his allergy pills as Beck kissed my temple. The pill bottle was better than it was, and most of the cheese was gone. If he needed them, he could access them.
This was gonna be a long week.. UGHH!!
"Mom, what year did they disband the Soviet Union and start calling it Russia?" I asked after flipping through like 30 pages. I was going crazy! And it had only been like 9 hours!
"I dunno, look it up on the Internet." She said softly, glancing up from her phone.
"I can't!!" I exclaimed, whining.
She stared at me before responding, cooing. "Okay.." She nodded as I sent her an irritated look. Her phone went off and she smiled almost immediately, giggling.
"What? W-who texted you? Dad?" I asked eagerly, as she pulled her phone closer to her and further from me.
"Oh, it's just Gary. Your father's friend on the police force." She said, resting her arms on the table.
"What'd he say?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing." She dismissed, smiling down at her phone. "I'll just delete this." She said bashfully as she leaned back in her chair. I looked at her as she smiled at her phone and deleted the message. The doorbell then ringed, and we both looked up. "Hey, could you get the door? I wanna watch this wacky donkey video again. It's hilarious, have you seen it?" She asked, touching my wrist.
"Mommm, you know I haven't!" I whined, hitting my hand on the table gently. "Why are you killing meee?!" I asked, getting up from my chair. I walked to the front door and opened it, seeing Cat.
"Look what I got." She said, holding up a yellow and blue dog toy?
"What is that?" I asked.
"It's a dog toy that looks like a phone. Isn't it cool?" She asked before squeezing it, making it squeak. I looked at the toy, tilting my head a little. "I'm coming in now." She said, walking past me.
"Okay..." I mumbled slowly, closing the door. "TORI, CAT'S HERE."
"Hi Mrs. Y/n's mom." Cat waved, standing by the couch closet to the kitchen.
"Hello, Cat." Mom greeted.
"Why do you have a dog chew toy cell phone?" I asked, walking from the front door as Tori came down the stairs, sending Cat a wave.
You couldn't text.. call.. tweet.. nothing. But it was cute!
"To help me get through the week. I mean, I know it's not like having a real phone but.. at least I can pretend." She smiled.
"But what's the point in...--" Tori asked, standing beside me.
"This is all I've got!" She yelled, squeezing the toy in her hand.
"But it's not even...! Can I hold it?" Tori asked, stopping herself mid-sentence. She held out her hand, taking the toy from Cat gently as I laughed.
"Oh, you girls are pathetic! When I was your age, we didn't even have cell phones." Mom said, making us look at her.
"Yeah, but mama, you had stuff that we don't have." I said, following Cat to the table.
"Yeah, like dinosaurs and Moses." Cat added, sitting down in my previous seat.
Mom looked away, gasping playfully. "Oh, for corn sake! Sikowitz isn't here, so just use my phone!!" She urged, giving us her phone.
"We can't!" Cat whispered loudly.
"Noo!" I said, shaking my head.
"Sinjin is out there spying on us!" Tori said, gesturing to the back patio.
Mom turned around in her chair as Sinjin came up from wherever he was hiding, standing in the door. "Can I use your bathroom?" He asked.
He couldn't have been far seeing as he heard Tori!
"No!" Tori exclaimed.
Without a word, Sinjin turned around, he looked down as he unzipped his pants. "NOO!" We yelled, startling him enough to run away.
"Oh my God.." I grimaced, as mom turned back around in her chair and looked at us.
Tori looked at Cat as she squeaked on her play phone. She walked over to her, "Who are you pretending to text?" She asked.
We were in Sikowitz class, but in the Blackbox theater and rehearsal was about to begin. Sikowitz hadn't arrived yet, it was only me, Tori and Cat so we were basically waiting on the boys - and Jade.
"My brother." Cat said, putting some hair behind her ear.
"Can I pretend to text him?" Tori asked, almost pitifully. She held her hands out, waiting for Cat to hand over the toy. She slowly gave it to her, staring at it. This was so sad.
"I can't take it! I can't take this!" Jade exclaimed, striding into the room.
"Want me to rub your shoulders?" Burf asked, walking in the chair aisles.
Jade looked at him, sending him a glare. "DOWN!" She yelled and Burf screamed, falling to the floor. He didn't get up.
"What's wrong?" I asked as she walked closer to us. Tori kept pushing on Cat's dog toy phone, making it squeak, over and over again.
"Do you know what they're showing live, right now, on Funnydanger.dot com?!" She asked.
"What?" Cat asked.
"A roller coaster got stuck at Mystic Mountain, and there's an old lady hanging upside down from it!" She said, slightly pacing the floor.
Tori and I gasped, putting our hands over our mouths. "Oh my gosh!"
"Is it someone you know?" Tori asked. I could answer that, nope.
"Wha— No! It's someone I wanna laugh at!" She grumbled before letting out a sigh. "But I can't watch the live video because of our stupid bet with Sikowitz!"
"Don't remind me.." I whined, turning around.
Sikowitz swung the doors open, our box of phones in his hand. Andre and Robbie followed him in. "All right boys, girls, and.. others." He said, looking at Burf on the ground. "Let's get this rehearsal started!" He walked to the play's prop table, putting the box of phones there. "We're gonna start with scene fourteen—"
The door opened, cutting Sikowitz off as I walked to my seat. Beck trudged in, touching his face for blood. "Oh my God!" I said, looking at him. His black jacket was covered in egg and eggshells, he had scratches all on his cheek and a busted lip!
"Oh man!" Andre said, just seeing him.
"What happened to you?!" Robbie asked, sitting beside Jade.
I walked up to Beck, moving his face gently to side where I could see all his cuts.
"Jessica Baxter." He said, putting a hand on my waist. "She texted me about a hundred times last night, and I didn't text her back." He looked at Sikowitz.
"Well, did you tell her that you can't use a phone? And why is she even texting you?!" I said, looking at Beck.
"Yeah." He nodded, throwing the eggshell off his jacket. "Right after she threw this egg at me and scratched my face!" He chastised as I picked at the remaining eggshell pieces that was still on his jacket. He grabbed a towel from the chair, looking back at Sikowitz.
"Aw. Did Becky get eggy'd and scratchy'd?" Sikowitz mocked, using a baby voice. He poked his bottom lip out, acting like a toddler.
"Yes, yes he did'd" Beck said, sending him a glare.
"Listen, if you all wanna use your phones..." He tipped the box over, smelling the box. Beck and I walked closer. "They're right here." He grinned, moving the box side to side.
Cat gasped softly, looking at the box. Sikowitz tipped the box more, giving her a better view. She threw the toy phone and screamed, getting up.
"Cat no!" I exclaimed, running to her.
"No!" Andre yelled as he, Tori, Robbie and I all grabbed her, pulling her back. Jade ran in front of her, her arms out to stop her before Cat kicked her down.
"I need my phone! I need my phone! I need my phone!" She yelled, running out of our hold, she ran to the box as we fell back. I almost ran into the chairs and Tori did run into the chairs! "I need my phone! I need my phone!" She chanted, grabbing the box. She turned around, hitting Beck in the face with the box. She sent him down to the floor.
"Oh. Get her!" I yelled as she put her hand in the box. Robbie grabbed the box, not quite getting the box from her as she moved around. Phones was flying out of the box as it got sloshed around. "Stop her! Stop!" Her phone fell out and she let go of the box, letting Robbie have it as she fell to the ground, looking for it. Andre and I grabbed her as she stood up, screaming. "I got my phone! I got my phone!"
She pulled away, trying to get away from our hold. Robbie and Andre had wrapped his arms around her stomach as Tori was on the other side, holding her arm. Jade and I were on her other side, Jade holding her arm as I tried to pry her phone from her hands. She hit Tori in her face, making Tori back away as Beck grabbed her legs and they held her up. "NO! NO! NOOOOO!" She cried, screaming bloody murder.
"GOT IT!" I yelled, breathing hard as I got the phone from her tight grip. I ran to the phone box as Sikowitz grinned and chuckled, his hand on his chin as he watched us in pure delight.
"AHH NOOOO! STOP!" Cat screamed at the top of her lungs, Beck, Robbie and Andre were literally carrying her. Beck holding her legs and Andre holding her upper body. Robbie was behind Andre still. Robbie ran from behind Andre as Cat moved around, somehow turning towards the floor. Beck was in between her calf's, making him almost fall to the floor as they tried to move her to a chair. Jade held onto her arms as Robbie latched his hands around her stomach. Sikowitz was red in the face, that's how much he was laughing.
They got her to her seat, literally manhandling her as they sat her down. Beck was on the ground in front of her as Andre and Tori stood behind her seat, both still holding onto her as Robbie held her down, beside her. "Hold her! Hold her!" Robbie grunted as Cat still tried to move. Tori and Andre latched on to one of her arms each as Beck held her legs down. Jade stood behind the chairs, catching her breath as I stood behind Beck, watching Cat.
Oh. my. God!!!
(A/N: Did I just write that scene in detail, yes. Yes, I did)
"See?! I knew it! I told you the girls would crack before us!" Andre said, still holding Cat down as she glared at us.
"Yeah! And we guys don't wanna lose our "A"'s just because girls are weak!" Robbie said as he and Beck walked to Sikowitz. Beck looked at Cat as he walked away, and held his hand out, telling her to 'stay'.
"Weak?!" Tori repeated.
"He might have a point." Cat said, looking at her.
"No! Did we NOT, ALL OF US, just get jumped by this little red head??!" I said, walking closer to them. Cat was NOT weak and we aren't either. Well.. maybe not, like right now.. like in this moment but later, YES.
"That's garbage! You GUYS are just as desperate for your precious technology as we are!" Jade said and they sticked their tongues out. Little boys.
"Blehhh."
"N'yehhh." We sticked our tongues back.
"You all wanna cancel the bet?" Sikowitz asked.
"No!" I exclaimed.
"No!" Andre said.
"Possibly!" Cat said, flipping her hair back.
"We just don't want the girls to wreck it for us." Andre said, making the boys agree with him.
"Exactly."
"Right."
"Okay." Sikowitz said, nodding. He walked around from the table, walking in between the boys and the girls. "Then let's change the bet. Boys," He pointed at Andre, Beck and Robbie, before looking at us. "Against the girls." He pointed at us, keeping both hands up. "Whoever uses a phone or any modern technology first, loses the bet for their side." He explained before gesturing to both sides. He crouched down a little, punching the air.
Andre nodded, "It's on."
"It's on." Tori confidently said, her hands on her waist.
Robbie raised his finger up as we all stared at each other with smirks. "Just to be clear, I am on the boys' side?" He asked. Seriously Robbie?
"Yes." Sikowitz answered.
"Sweet!" He exclaimed, quickly nodding.
Burf stood up, standing behind Jade with his knees slightly bent. "Can I get up now?" He asked and Jade turned around with vengeance.
"NO!" She screamed and he fell back to the floor.
"Uhh! Please get off me, please!" Cat pleaded, whining. Tori was sitting on her because of earlier, and because of her newest attempt, when we got home. She almost got on Trina's laptop!
"I can't! Not 'til Jade gets here!" Tori said, leaning back on the couch.
"But I have to use the bathroom!"
"Do you really?" I asked, sitting down on the coffee table.
"Yeah.." Cat nodded, looking at me.
Tori rolled her eyes, "Are you lying?"
"Yeah.." She said softly as Jade knocked on the front door.
"It's open, come in!" I said and she opened the door, coming in.
"Okay! I'm here." She said, tossing her bag on the ottoman. "Why did you... Why are you sitting on Cat?" She asked looking at Tori.
"If I let her up, she might try to grab a real phone and I don't know if we can stop her by ourselves." Tori explained.
"I don't think you can, I'm pretty scrappy!" Cat said, squirming. She kicked her legs and arms out, making Tori move with her.
"Hey! Stop doing that!" She exclaimed, hitting Cat on her bum, making her laugh.
"So, I'm here to assist you?" Jade asked.
"No. You're here to help all four of us!" Tori said, standing up.
"We're on the same team and we've gotta show the guys that we're stronger than them!" I shrugged, looking at Cat specifically. She was the WHOLE reason why it's girls vs boys now.
"Dude, I am going insane not using my phone. And so are you and Tori. And let's face it, Cat is a disaster." Jade said, looking at Cat as well.
"Such a disaster.." She mumbled.
"There's no way she's gonna make it another five days without texting or using a phone for something." Jade gestured to her, making me sigh.
"It's true. I'd do anything to text someone right now, and I mean anything." She said, making us look at her. "Yeah!" She nodded, answering our silent question. I looked away; my eyebrows raised.
"Okay fine.. Then let's just give up now." Tori wallowed, dropping herself onto the couch. She grabbed one of the pillows and snuggled it as Cat jumped up.
"Okay! Where's a phone, I need a phone, where's a phone?!" She exclaimed, running towards Jade.
"Wait!" Jade yelled, pushing her onto the couch.
"No!" Cat yelled, trying to stand up.
"Help me!" Jade grunted as she pushed Cat all the way down on the couch. I ran over, sitting on Cat's legs as Jade sat on her back.
"Okay, I'm down." She whimpered after trying to move.
Jade sighed, looking up from the ground. "Think about this, we know we can't win, but... What if we can make the guys lose?" She said.
"Yeah." Tori smiled, "If they lose, we win."
"Uh-huh." Jade nodded.
"I'm not clear on the plan.." Cat said, looking over her shoulder.
"We're gonna trick the boys into using their phones before we do Cat." I explained.
"Ooh, sounds great. Can I get up now?" She asked.
"You promise you won't run out and use a phone?" Jade asked as we all looked at her.
"Promise..." She said and we looked at each other, nodding. Jade and I got off of her as she stood up.
She looked at us after avoiding eye contact, letting out a whimper. "Cat..." I said, eyeing her.
She turned around, "You better sit on me again." She said, laying back down on the couch. I shook my head, laughing a little as we sat down on her, again.
Tori opened Sikowitz class's door, waving us in as we walked in behind her. Robbie was the only one in the room, with our phones, so our plan should work just right.
I let out a small whine as we walked in further, looking at Robbie.
"No way! I can't believe your own sister would do that to you." Jade said, sounding concerned.
"I know, right?" I said with a sigh.
"Wait, what did Trina do?" Cat asked, loudly.
"Okay, you guys know how I have that weird mole on my butt?" I said, acting sheepish.
"The mole shaped like a fish?" Jade asked, again loudly.
"Right." I nodded, "So, last night, my mom took a pic of it, to send to our doctor." I looked at Cat as Tori nudged her.
She let out a small gasp, looking up. "Oh! Go on." She said, missing Jade's eyeroll.
"You wanna know what our evil older sister Trina did?" Tori angrily asked as she wrapped her arm around my shoulders.
"What?" Cat asked.
"Yeah." Jade said.
"She copied the pic of my butt mole and posted it on The Slap!" I whined and Cat gasped loudly. "And now anyone with a phone can just go on The Slap.com and see my butt mole!" I shook my head, glancing at Robbie.
"Shaped like a fish..." Tori said, shaking her head.
"Shaped like a fish!" I repeated, acting shocked.
"Outrageous!" Cat exclaimed.
"Hey." Tori looked over at Robbie, "Let's go check our makeup in the girls' room."
"Good call." Jade said, opening the classroom's door.
"Alright.." I said quietly, as Cat rubbed my back.
"I'll follow you three out!" She said, walking behind me.
"Mmm hmm..." Rex mumbled as we walked out the room, I glanced back before Robbie stood up with Rex and looked.
The door closed and we stood almost outside of it, leaning on the wall. We looked at each other, nodding.
"Go, go, go!" Jade hissed as we ran down the hall.
"I'm going!" I said, as we rounded the corner of the hallway. We stood just outside of the 2nd door that led into Sikowitz classroom.
"Cat, you're in the window!" Jade whispered, moving her to the other side of the wall.
"Oh." She said quietly, smiling.
"Shhh!" Tori exclaimed, putting her finger over her mouth. She cracked the door some and held it open with her boot.
"Nobody's gonna know. We're alone!"
Robbie looked around, "I-i dunno." He sighed.
"Come on Rob! You deserve to see that pic. I mean, what else do you have to live for? It's shaped like a fish!" Rex exclaimed as Robbie fidgeted.
"Oh.." His face visibly crumbled, and he looked at the box of phones. It was sitting on crates, under the whiteboard.
"Mm-hum." Rex mumbled with a nod as Robbie looked around one more time.
"Okay!" He breathed, putting Rex down. He ran up the stage, grabbing the box as Beck and Andre walked into the room, in conversation.
"Rob no!" Andre yelled as he and Beck ran to the stage.
"Don't!" Beck shouted as Robbie turned around with his phone, holding his arms out.
"No! No! I have to check The Slap! No!" He screamed as Beck and Andre tackled him to the ground. "There's a pic of Y/n's butt mole. Lemme go, lemme go!" He yelled as they pinned him down and tried grabbing his phone.
"There's no pic of Y/n's butt mole on The Slap! She doesn't have one!" Beck yelled over Robbie's screams. He continued to fidget, trying to get out of both their holds.
"But they...—"
"The girls already tried that on us!" Andre exclaimed.
"They tried to trick you!" Beck said as they watched him, he wrapped an arm around his shoulder, helping him stand before shoving him a little bit.
Robbie gasped as they helped him up, "Those wenches!"
"Uh-huh." Beck nodded, breathing heavily as he glared at Robbie. "But we're gonna get 'em back!"
"Oh yeah." Andre smirked, "The game is on."
"It's way on."
"On like Billy Kwan!" Robbie exclaimed, fixing his shirt. Beck and Andre looked at him, furrowing their eyebrows. "He's a boy I went to camp with." He shrugged, "From Asia! Good kid, you guys would like him." He explained, smiling before walking to his seat to get Rex.
Beck bent down, grabbing his backpack and Robbie's phone as Andre stared at Robbie, slightly confused. Beck tossed his phone back in the box, following Robbie and Andre.
"Great idea Jade!" Tori sarcastically said and Jade sent her a glare.
"Noo, don't come for me. THIS," She gestured to Sikowitz classroom. "Was Y/n's idea!"
"Don't!" I held my hand out, "I thought it would at least work with Robbie.. he's disturbing!" I said as we walked away. Jade rolled her eyes with a groan.
"Mmm" Tori whimpered as she massaged her temples.
"Ooh! I'm pretending I got another text!" Cat exclaimed, sitting up from the floor. "It's from Robbie's friend Billy Kwan, all the way from Asia!" She said, squeaking the dog toy.
"It's kind of sad. Watching Cat go mentally insane." Jade said, looking at her. "I always thought it would happen more gradually."
"Yeah.. me too.." I said quietly, although I really didn't need to. Cat was in her own world.
She was held back by her pink leash harness that we tied to the stair's railing. Don't give me that look, we had to, okay?? Let's just say sitting on her did not work anymore.
"I texted Billy back! I said, 'Yay Asia!'" She laughed, showing us the phone. "Oh my God, I wish it were real!" She exclaimed, looking at the phone.
The doorbell ringed and Tori let out a small groan, looking at the door. "Who is that?" She said before getting up. She opened the door and a little girl that looked 11 - 12 looked at us, almost crying. "Hello?"
"Will you help me? I'm lost!" She said as I got up as well, going to the door.
"You're lost?" Tori asked.
"Uh-huh. Will you please call my mom and tell her where I am?" She asked, messing with her bag's strap.
"Uh, sure we'll call your mom...—" Tori said, nodding.
"Wait!" Jade screamed, standing up.
"What?" I asked as Tori, and I looked at her.
"It's a trick!" She hissed, walking over to us. "So, we'll use our phones." She crossed her arms.
"It's not a trick!" The little girl said, bringing our attention back to her.
"Who sent you?!" Tori yelled.
"I have asthma!" She screamed.
"Was it Andre?" Tori asked, leaning closer. "Robbie? Beck? Who?!"
"I just got lost. I took the wrong bus!"
"Well," Jade said, moving Tori out the way. "You know what happens to little girls with asthma who take the wrong bus?" She asked, her hand on the door.
"No.."
"They get a face full a door!" Jade screamed, slamming the door.
"What does that me—"
Jade walked away as Tori, and I stayed still. "Little Grunch."
"Honestly! I can't believe those boys would try to trick us with a lost little girl!" I said, gesturing to the door. That's low.
"Just to try to make us use our phones." Tori said.
"Yeah!" I nodded.
"Jerks." Jade whispered; her arms crossed.
I sighed, looking at the floor. "Unless she really was a lost little girl!" I gasped, "What if she was?" She had her backpack and everything.. but it was almost 7. That's a little late to STILL be lost.
"Then she'll learn a valuable lesson. Ya know, always... Take the right bus.." Jade said, nodding unsurely before we heard a tear. We looked at Cat, her leash in her mouth.
Tori gasped, looking at us. "Cat!"
"She chewed through her leash!" Jade exclaimed as we started to run to her.
"I'm free!" She yelled, running into the kitchen.
"Cat! Come here!" I shouted as Tori, and I ran to the piano and Jade ran after her.
"I'm free! I need a real phone! I need a real phone!" She screamed, dodging us both. We ran in behind her as she booked it to the door. I caught up to her and blocked the door, making her run the other way. Tori and Jade closed her in, both waiting for her on either side of the couches. They tackled her down in a football tackle as she screamed. "No! NO! NOOOO!"
"I'm in charge of this underwater submarine!" Cat exclaimed, walking down the play's backdrop's stairs.
"Your point?" Jade asked, standing at the table.
"You and your husband are accused of a very serious crime. Now, where is he?!" She asked, pointing a finger at Jade.
She smirked, "Right behind you." She said, menacingly.
Cat let out a gasp, turning around. She turned around to nothingness and looked at Sikowitz. "He's not here." She shook her head.
"Dad-gummit, where is Robbie?!" Sikowitz exclaimed, sitting up in his chair.
The Blackbox theater's doors opened almost immediately, and he waltzed in, his shoes squeaking. "Here I am!" He exclaimed, wearing the most RANDOM and embarrassing outfit EVER.
You know those cute dad's that dress up for their 5-year-old tea parties, okay imagine the theme being 'Scuba Diving and Fairies'. That was this!
He skipped around the room as Cat started to laugh. I covered my mouth, hiding my smile.
"Oh my God." Jade said, stunned.
"Why are you dressed that way?" Sikowitz asked as Robbie stopped in front of him.
"Because I'm the scuba fairy! And I'm here to grant all of your underwater wishes!" He exclaimed as he moved his imaginary magic wand around.
"That is an embarrassing costume!" Andre said as he and Beck laughed from their chairs.
"Really embarrassing!" Beck nodded.
"Yeah! So, nobody better take a picture of me and post it online!" He shrugged, looking at Tori, Jade, Cat and I.
"I have to take a picture of him and post it online!" Cat giggled, holding her stomach.
"No!" I said, standing up.
"That's what the guys want us to do," Tori said, standing up as well. This was clearly an attack, and we were NOT going to lose because of Scuba Fairy here.
"So, we'll lose the bet!" Tori and I whispered loudly as we walked closer to Jade and Cat.
"Who cares?! Look at him! This is too good!" Jade said, watching Robbie dance and frolic around.
"Take a pic! Take a pic!" The boys started to chant. I whipped my head around to face them, shaking my head.
"Shhh!" I hissed, putting my finger over my mouth.
"Take a pic! Take a pic!" They continued as Tori argued with Jade and Cat.
"Stifle! Stifle! Stifle!" Sikowitz shouted, standing up. The chatter and noise quieted down as we gave him our attention. "I am a teacher and I'm tired of this nonsense!" He bent down and grabbed the box of phones, walking to the table. "Here, you want your phones? Take them." He said and put the box down.
Nobody did anything for a good 2 seconds, before Tori and I looked at each other and started running to our phones. Cat's hand was the first hand in the box, then Jade's then Tori's and then mine. Beck and Andre rushed up, running to the box as we powered our phones on and started taking pictures of the Robbie.
"Smile Robbie!" Jade exclaimed, holding her phone up as Robbie danced and twirled.
"Turn around!" Cat exclaimed, recording him.
"Pose!!" I yelled, taking picture after picture. Ohh, this was definitely going on The Slap.
"Hi scuba fairy!" Tori laughed, "Yes!"
A loud sound came from the back of the Blackbox, causing us to stop and look up. Sikowitz had ringed a metal Gong, putting the Gong stick up, he turned around, "That's it everybody!" He slowly walked up beside Andre, Beck and Robbie. "The boys win!" He yelled.
I scrunched my face up in confusion, glancing at Tori and Jade. "Huh??"
"What?!" Jade exclaimed as we looked at him.
"Uh-uh, no way! You said the contest was over!" Tori said, a confused grin on her face.
"No, I believe I said, 'if you want your phones, take them'." He crossed his arms.
"He didn't say anything about the contest being over." Beck said, making me glare at him as Robbie patted his stomach.
"Wait, no no! The guys... You guys all got your phones too!" I said, looking at their phones in THEIR hands.
Andre held up his phone, "Off."
"Off?" Beck said and held up his.
"Off!" Robbie showed off his off phone.
"You girls turned yours on." Andre said as Sikowitz bent down a little and leaned over for a high-five.
"Boo-ah!" Beck exclaimed, hitting his hand.
"Okay!" Andre added, high fiving Sikowitz too.
"And what?" Robbie asked rhetorically, hitting Sikowitz hand a couple times.
Cat gasped and pointed at Sikowitz, "Sikowitz!" She exclaimed.
"Yeeess?" He asked.
"You were in on this with them!?" Jade said.
"You helped the boys trick us?" Tori asked, nodding.
"Absolutely!" He said without a beat.
I closed my open mouth, frowning. "But whyy?" I whined.
"Look, this turned into a contest between the boys and the girls." He said, walking closer. "Now, I may be an educator, and I may be your friend. But first and always," He backed up, standing right in between Andre and Beck. Beck welcomed him in with open arms, patting his back. "Erwin Sikowitz... Is a boy!"
Robbie started walking around us, Beck following as they rubbed it in our faces. "Boy power! Boy power! Boy power! Boy power!" They all chanted, circling us as they clapped and stomped. "Boy power! Boy power! Boy power! Boy power!"
Beck grabbed my hands, messing with my phone as he kissed my other hand. I shrugged him off playfully, crossing my arms. "Boy power! Boy power! Boy power!" They chanted, running to the door.
"You play dirty Sikowitz!" I exclaimed as the Blackbox door closed.
"Boy power! Boy power!"
Our phones started to go off, grabbing our attention. We all got on our phones, after not having them for almost 4 days. The photo I had posted of Robbie just now was at almost 2 thousand likes.
"Whoa!" Tori exclaimed, looking at her phone. "I got forty-three text messages."
"Oh my God, the picture I posted of Robbie is going viral." I laughed, showing Jade.
"I have two hundred more followers." She said with a smile.
Cat started laughing, waving us over. "Look at the wacky donkey!" She said, laughing uncontrollably before she threw up in the box that held our phones.
"Ohh!" I exclaimed as Tori, Jade and I looked at each other, laughing.
~