CHAPTER TWO.....
It's Like Monopoly, But Physical....
Chapter Two.
"Alright, on three," I tell the guys and they all nod. "One...two...three," I say and start to move, but none of them do. "I said on three!" I snap at them. Gosh, they're idiots. I have a bad feeling about this time.
"Yeah, but you didn't say go," Dex says and the rest of the guys nod, in agreement.
"That's because I said on three!" I point out.
Dex nods, "yeah, one, two three, GO! You can't forget the 'go'!"
I roll my eyes, "fine, on go," I say. "One...two... three...GO!" I shout and we all run down the hallway. I sneak up behind some random guy and pull his pants down as the other guys do the same.
With in one minute, I've managed to pants four guys. That's a new record. I think Dex, Nathan, and Mitch are still doing it because I don't see Kyle or Van around anywhere and I have no clue where Michael is, he didn't meet us out front. Alright, one more guy, I tell myself, just to make it an even five. Well, not that five is even, but it's one full hand, to me that's even, if that makes sense.
I sneak up behind a guy and quickly yank his pants down, but get a look at his boxers. Batman. "Batman? Seriously? What are you, seven?" I say laughing, then look up and see Van's face and immediately stop laughing. He's blushing. Did I just embarrass him? No way.
"Ms. Elliot and Mr. Taylor," Principal Barns starts talking as Van and I take a seat. "Why am I not surprised to see you in here?" he asks.
Blah, blah, blah. Just get on with the punishment. I don't really care what it is because that was totally worth it. I pants Van! Which is the ultimate prank in out group. Nobody's been able to pants him. Well, except now.
"Ms. Elliot, are you paying attention?" Principal Barns asks me.
"Sir, yes sir," I say jumping in my seat a little and Van starts laughing.
"Is this funny to you, Mr. Taylor?"
"Sir, no sir!" Van says and I slap my hand over my mouth, laughing even harder than he did. How are we supposed to take this seriously? This is too funny. Even the people who get pants think it's funny. It's not like we pants people to be mean and I think deep down Mr. Barns knows that.
"Well, the two of you will be serving five Saturday detentions. Starting tomorrow," he says. "I could be going a lot harder on the two of you, but I don't see the point. You two are nothing, but trouble and after all the punishments you've been through, I don't think it's working," he explains and then it's quiet for a minute. "Is there anything that you two would care to add?"
"We're sorry...?" Van says, not knowing what we're supposed to say.
"Hey, man, speak for yourself," I tell him and he smiles.
Mr. Barns makes a loud, impatient sigh. "Get out of my office, both of you," he tells us.
Don't have to tell me twice, I think to myself as Van and I practically jump out of our seats.
Once we're in the hallway we start laughing hysterically. "That...was...so great!" I say in between laughs.
Van nods in agreement. "My partner in crime," he says, still laughing while draping a lazy arm over my shoulders.
You know, the funny thing about Van wearing Batman boxers is that this morning when I was getting dressed, I put on my Superman underwear. I saw them in my dresser and thought about our argument last night about which hero is better. To be completely honest, I wore them in thought of him. Which sounds really weird. Hmm, I wonder if he did the same?
When we make it to the cafeteria, I sit down in my usual lunch spot while Van goes into the lunch line. I forgot my money today, so I'll just eat off of my friend Lia's food. As much as I love hanging out with the guys, a girl has to have a girlfriend to turn to. Occasionally. Lia, is the only girlfriend I have, she's probably the one person more sheltered than Kyle, but I love them both for it. I especially love the shocked looks Lia gets when one of us says a dirty joke; the three light freckles on her forehead rise. It's so adorable, she's like a little kid with her strawberry blonde hair, falling towards her face in short layers and her pale skin, making her dark brown eyes pop.
"Dude, that was so beast, I can't believe that you missed it," Dex says to Michael who's just now sitting next to me.
"I'm sorry man, I kind of got caught up in a closet," Michael replies grinning, while Van sits in the chair in front of me.
"Really?" I ask. "And how did it feel coming out?" The whole table bursts into laughter, even Lia, I'm shocked she even got it.
Michael looks at me then says, "I was kind of surprised when you didn't come over last night."
"Yeah, well, that's me, full of surprises," I smile.
"Here, Abbs," Van cuts in while sliding a small package of Oreos over to me. YUM. I have to say, for a complete jerk, Van knows my weaknesses.
I take out an Oreo and lick all of the icing off, then hand the cookie to Van, who eats it. I know, it's probably weird, but our oppositeness, works out sometimes.
Michael stares at me with him mouth open. "What?" I ask annoyed.
"You guys are..." Michael trails off in his thoughts, trying to think of the word.
"Swapping spit," Dex says for him. "Yeah, they were doing it last night too," he adds.
Michaels eyes widen. "So, that's why you didn't come over last night?"
"Dex is exaggerating," Van says looking at Michael. "We were doing it with cupcakes," he explains and the whole table laughs again.
"Okay, you guys suck at explaining things," I state. "Van doesn't like the icing and I don't like the cookie. Same with cupcakes," I explain to Michael.
"Yeah," Van agrees. "It's like Monopoly, but physical," he adds, flashing me a grin.
"Dude!" I say as we laugh and high five across the table. Then we look around and see everyone looking at us with confused expressions.
"Do we want to know?" Kyle asks as Van and I both shake our heads, still laughing.
Wow, this is such a typical Friday at lunch.
Right when I walk through the door at home my mom is in the living room with a very pissed off expression on her face. I already know that the school called her. I would've been home earlier, but Lia and I went for slushies and talked at the pier. We were only there for like an hour.
"Mom, before, you start, I want you do know that-"
"Abby, is there anyway that you can go a week without getting into trouble at school? Do I need to ground you? I mean, I hate doing it, but I will," my mom says, cutting me off. "Maybe, you should spend less time with Vance, I think that's the problem."
"No, mom, Van's not the problem, it's just...you know, having fun. We're in high school. Ask dad, I'm sure he did it in high school," I remind her. In fact I know he did it because the first time we pants people, he told Van and I his first Pants story.
"Have you even tried working on your calculus?" She asks. "I swear, if you don't get that grade up to at least a B, I will for sure ground your ass," she says seriously.
"Oh my gosh, Mom!" I pull her into a hug. "You cussed! I'm so proud of you!" then I pull away.
"Well, I suppose I did," she mumbles. I don't think my mom has ever cussed a day in her life. "But, I mean it, Abby, I've been letting you slide a lot," she says.
That's true. I for sure thought that I would already be grounded for my D in calculus. Come to think of it, her not grilling my ass lately is kind of out of the ordinary. I wonder why that is.
"I know, mom and I promise that I'll make it up to you," I tell her. "I'll ask for tutoring in calculus, okay?"
"You better," she says.
"I will," I say and walk into the kitchen. I grab the carton of chocolate milk and take a drink of it. Right when the liquid hit's the back of my throat, I know that it's not chocolate milk. It's...strawberry. GROSS! I look down in the carton to see strawberry milk swishing around in the carton. Van! I take out the strawberry milk carton and look in it. Of course he would do that! He put the chocolate milk in the strawberry milk carton and the strawberry milk in the chocolate milk carton. UGH! What a jerk.
I put both cartons and run over to his house, banging on the front door when I reach it.
The door opens and a Vans' mom is standing in front of me. I instantly think of what Van told me last night. About how his dad is having an affair. Ugh, his dad's a jerk, I feel so bad for Mrs. Taylor
"Hello, Abby, Van's in the pool, you can head back there if you want," she tells me.
"Thanks, Mrs. Taylor," I say and smile. I walk around the back, through his moms' garden, until I'm standing in front of Van's in ground pool. All the guys are here too, along with a Jessica Marshall, Kendall Kennedy, and Liz Perry, skanks. They're in tiny, string bikinis. That explains a lot about them. They have this look on their faces, like they're too cool to swim.
"Van!" I yell at him.
"Nice to see you too, Abbs," Van laughs, looking up at me from the water, engulfing him.
"Don't you try and play stupid with me, Van Taylor, you know what you did!" I say to him. He knows I'm only joking, but it's our game to act like we're serious. Everybody is looking at us by this time, like usual.
"And just what did I do?" he asks, playing along.
"Let me paint you a picture; I get home and think 'oh, I think I'll enjoy a nice drink of chocolate milk', but then I get your freaking strawberry!" I shout at him.
Van holds back a laugh. "So, are you getting in?" he asks, gesturing towards the pool.
"Yeah, sure," I shrug and pull my t-shirt over my head, revealing my red bra, that could easily pass for a swimming suit top, then slip off my shorts.
Van quickly draws his attention to my underwear, "Superman! Are you serious? Didn't we have this talk last night?!" he asks.
"Yes," I laugh. "In fact, I wore them in spite of you," I tell him and then jump in the pool. The water's extremely warm, I guess because of how hot it is outside.
I hear Van laughing as I come up for air. "So, you wore Superman underwear just to piss me off?"
I laugh. "Don't flatter yourself, Van," I say, going underwater again.
When I come up again, Michael jumps in the pool right in front of me, splashing water on my already wet body.
"So," Michael starts, as everybody goes back to their own conversations. "Are you done playing games with me?"
"You're the one that's playing games," I remind him. "Why else would you be hooking up with Jessica?"
"Come on, Abby, you're doing the same thing with Vance," Michael replies, with a grin.
I laugh. "Well, you're sleeping with Jessica, and if I'm as you put it 'doing what your doing, with Van', then you're wrong, because Van doesn't even make the cut on my list of people to sleep with."
"So, who's number one?"
"Ashton Kutcher," I reply and he laughs at my joke.
"For real."
"For real, I don't want to talk about this here," I tell him.
"Then lets get out of here," he says leaning in closer.
Hmm, Michael's very tempting. I don't know if it's his body, his face, or his eyes. I think it's a combination of the three. Michaels' chest is glistening with beads of water, dripping down his chiseled stomach. His light brown hair, is wet and clings to face, and his eyes are so green they're intense. Being around him makes me feel, giggly inside, but I can't show that. I'd never admit that I have feeling for somebody. That's too much trouble.
"Maybe later," I say, swimming towards the steps in the pool that leads out. While ringing out my hair, I step out of the pool and walk back over to my clothes. I slip into my shorts then pull my t-shirt over my head. "I'll see you later, guys," I tell everybody.
"What? You're leaving already?" Kyle asks confused.
"Yeah," I answer. "Oh, and Van?" I ask, just before leaving.
"Yeah?" Van says, turning his full attention towards me.
"Stay the hell away from my fridge," I tell him, seeing a smile slowly spread across his face and I walk through Mrs. Taylor's garden, going straight to my house.