..."Please?"...
Belle's mom sighs hard. Crossing her arm on chest as Emma begging her letting Belle staying at their friend house tonight. Yes, Emma is trying to ruin the dinner by saving Belle's ass.
Oh she loves to do this for the sake of Belle. "Please?"
"Emma honey. NO! Any minute Mr. Gibson and his wife are coming. Don't you dare to ruin our forgiveness party". Emma snorted. "Belle must stay tonight for my final word".
Emma rolled her eyes. She had an idea to say and she must act now. Breathing hard, Emma drops both her knees on the ground by pulling Belle's mom skirt as she begs again.
"But Mrs. Decker. Tonight we have a study group. Belle needs to go. She is our stars, our heroes. You know our teacher always compliments her because of her bloody Einstein brain she got, she is a genius compared to other students that include me. I am dumb!"
"Emma we never born in dumb".
"That's what I say.. please? This is important. Ask Mr. Gibson if you don't believe me, he knows our exams are coming if we do not study we're doomed! we need to prepare and study..."
"... We had to stay at our friend's house, we studied there and we were going to stay up all night. Tomorrow our friend's parents will send us to school in the morning don't worry about that..."
"... Please, this is our future. I want to become a doctor, Mrs. Decker. Please. Belle is our only hope to survive. Please!"
Belle's mom pulled her skirt back, hissing. More and more lies. She and Belle need to go right now before Gibson is coming.
Emma needs to gain Belle's mom's trust and let them go. She glanced over her watch, she only had a few minutes before Gibson showed up right in front of this door.
..."Please?"...
Emma began faking her cries and sobbing so hard, Belle's dad appeared behind his wife as he heard from the dining room. He looked.
"Emma what happened? (turn to his wife) what did you do Marianne? poor this girl. What fussy about it?"
Belle's mom said. "Emma wants Belle's study group at their friend's house tonight. Clearly this girl is trying to ruin my plans".
"That sounds wonderful. Wasn't she trying to ruin your plans they are studying? That's all (he looked up at the stairs) Belle? honey! Emma is here!" he shouted downstairs.
Belle's mom stops him. "Roger!"
"Marianne enough! Let the girls go, they are just studying and nothing is gonna happen to them".
"But Roger?"
"No but Marianne (Emma smirking) this is my word and I am your husband and Belle is my daughter".
Belle hurried downstairs with a bag and books. He turns to her then back to Emma. "I want you to study hard, no cheating in exams alright?"
"You're the best Mr. Decker! (Emma hugs him with a kiss on cheek) Come on Belle. They are waiting, I still don't understand the history of the Pilgrim".
As the girls walk on the street, Belle's mom turns her heel back to the kitchen in anger as her husband lets the girls get away.
"Oh Marianne...?"
Both Belle and Emma clamp their belly holding their laughter. Quickly they went inside the wood before someone saw them.
Especially from Gibson. "My mom bought that?"
"Not really. Urgh, lucky your dad was there helping us out. I know he doesn't like Mr. Gibson either. And your mom is trying to make you stay. Your mom is crazy Belle".
Belle nods as they walk past the cemetery. "I suddenly had a crush on your dad".
"She tries to make everything perfect. I try to protect myself and she tries to apologize. That isn't fair!"
Emma snickering. "You know there is an old abandoned cabin here? Black's cabin?"
"Urgh, that so tragically a murdered mass. He poisoned his whole family".
"You want to go there? I mean it wasn't far from here".
"NO! (hugged herself) Gosh, is it so cold here (Emma nods) where we are heading right now?"
Emma smirking, said. "Someone is waiting for us. Come on!" The girl started walking fast out of the woods.
"We're sorry for everything my wife and my daughter reported to you towards the police about everything that happened to Belle". said Roger, Belle's dad. "You know, for my daughter's protection, I want to keep her safe from any of this".
Gibson nods and smiles, his fake wife seated beside him. The dad spoke back. "I would like to repay you back (hand the cheque) for my daughter's treatment while she was sick that day".
"Oh Mr. Decker no. I don't need this on me. I feel guilt because I can't protect my students. No, thank you and I appreciate it". he smiled. "I don't see Belle around, is she working?"
Belle's dad shake head, smile. "No. No she wasn't. Exams are coming so she needs to study and she is at her friend's house tonight. Group study, she couldn't join us tonight".
"Oh yes yes of course. Exams I forgot. Belle is a good girl Mr. Decker just befriends someone not like her".
"I think my daughter's friends are good to her (he turns to Gibson's wife) beautiful wife you have Mr. Gibson, congratulations on your marriage".
Gibson's wife smiles. "Thank you Mr. Decker it's very nice to meet you and your family well not your daughter I can tell. Gibson told me everything about yours delightedly to see. I am Anna".
"Well my wife thinks our family and Gibson kindly are like an old family neighbor".
Gibson smiled. "Kindly miss this house dearly".
"Did you suddenly disappear? (Belle's mom spoke) of course you are. Then the rumor spread you get married and everything will change".
As her eyes study Gibson's wife. "Hoping you are coming back but .. the new neighbor is creepy. Not friendly and weird..."
"... so shall we start our dinner?"
The carousel is a run-down tavern at the edge of town, the kind with nascar posters, wobbly chairs and strands of plastic pennants crisscrossing the ceiling.
It's a busy night and the bar is teeming with locals. A bartender sells a case of beer to a customer and passes it over the bar.
The Carousel is definitely not a club. Clubs are for attractive people in populous urban areas. Clubs have DJs and champagne and separate bathrooms for guys and girls.
All they have is a broken jukebox, a few domestic taps and the sticker toilet.
Belle and Emma enter the bar. Every guy in the joint stares at the girl, who snaps her "MINOR" wristband distastefully.
"God, I can't wait until I'm old enough to get wasted. Have you ever had peach schnapps?"
"I don't think so".
"Peach schnapps are excellent, they even taste good when they come out of your nose mid-puke". She turns to Belle. "Welcome, your worst nightmare begins here".
"My worst nightmare has already begun at home. I wonder what will happen when he does not see me around the house".
"So you care about Gibson huh?"
Shake head. "Wasn't. I'm the one who invited him and the next thing he knew I wasn't there. Gosh. I feel so relaxed with this funky music..."
"... If I were there right now I don't think I could survive, this is all my mom's fault. She shouldn't have invited him nor apologized because he deserves that".
Emma snorts. her eyes searching. "Yeah. We're doomed if she finds out where we are right now".
Emma pulls out a pack of camel wides and lights one awkwardly. Belle notices Abdul from India, a foreign exchange student, standing by himself away from the crowd.
"Hey, it's that Abdul, the foreign exchange guy. What is he doing here all by himself?"
"I can't believe we traded a cute hockey player for that".
"He seems okay. He's got that cool elephant statue in his locker".
Belle and Emma greet him, Belle smiles. "What are you doing in Abdul?"
"I've been thinking if I should entertain myself". he spoke. "What are you two doing here?"
"Same as yours. There's a band coming to town, are you here for that?" He shook his head no. "Good to know".
Emma quickly drags Belle away from him. Belle pointing at the stage. "Look, there's the band!"
A group of skinny indie rock boys are setting up their equipment on a pathetically tiny stage, it's more like a dais.
The lead singer has intense, spooky eyes, nearly obscured by a shock of hair. The locals, mostly good ol'boys, eye the band suspiciously.
"They're weird. I wish we had more guys like that, all stylish and shit".
Belle nods dumbly. she stares at the band, awestruck. "They look so cool".
She gazes at the stage, hearing only the whistling rush of arctic air. In slow motion, the guitarist unsheathes his fender jaguar from its gig bag. He notices her staring and runs the tip of his tongue over his lips. Belle swallows hard.
"Hey, I think they need two groupies. Come on! it'll be almost famous! I'll be Penny Lane and you can be the other girl".
She grabs Belle's hand and enthusiastically tries to drag her toward the stage. Belle stops her. "Emma?"
"Don't be J.V. Belle. They're just boys. Morsels. We have all the power, don't you know that? don't worry about Jake, he will know. You think I don't know what you two are doing".
She plants her hands on Belle's chest. awkwardly. She pushed Emma's hand away from her chest.
Emma wink at her. "These things are like smart bombs, point 'em in the right direction and shit gets real".
Belle shrugs free of Emma's grasp and follows her reluctantly across the room.
The lead singer of the band is already striding forward to meet them at the lip of the stage. His gait is as smooth as his shock of dyed-black hair.
"Hi, um, we just really wanted to meet you or something? I'm Emma and this is my friend, Belle".
The lead singer eyed Belle with a smile. "I'm Chris and this is my band". he reaches down and pumps Emma's outstretched hand. "I don't see you two here, not tonight. New here?"
"Yes".
"You two teenagers, am I right?" he guessed right.
Emma nods. "Yeah! You guys are a Funky Punk Machine, right? I've heard you guys are super, super good at playing your instruments".
"Thank you. I hope we can live up to such.. high praise. Thanks for coming". he scanned the girl in curiosity. "Does your parents know you two are here in the middle of the night?"
He caught them. "Don't worry. When I was your age I did the same thing".
"Hey, if you don't mind me asking, why did you want to play all the way out here? you live in the city, right?" Belle said.
"Yeah. But I think it's so important to connect with our fans in rural areas. Plus, the audiences in small towns really appreciate us".
Belle suddenly got an idea. "Hey, you and your band could come to our school for our next school carnival. They will love you guys".
"School. Where is that?"
"Colorado Sierra High school. You know where it is?"
Chris nods, familiar with that name. "I think I know that school. We drove past that building. That's a great idea (he stares at her) Belle right?"
"Yup".
"Tell you what. Why don't we exchange our number so I can call you both and I prefer your principal approval or else we don't have to come".
The girls said together. "Sure!"
After they exchange the number. Chris notices something about the girl. The thing is how they two get in here without the adult's companion.
He glances over his watch and almost at midnight. These girls could be in danger out there if he let them be alone.
"After this, where are you two heading?" asked Chris.
"Home".
Nod. "Okay. I bet you two need a ride, it's not good young girls like you two alone in the dark". he smiled. "You two waited at the corner, after the performance we sent you back home. There's no way I could let a teenager like you two alone at night".
"Thanks!"
Chris walked up the stage and started to sing their song. Minute pass. As the girl watched the band performing, Emma elbowed Belle, without looking at her face.
"What?!?"
"He's kind of cute".
Snort. "Are you kidding me right now!?" Belle sighs out loud.
After the performance, Chris kept his promise to send the girls back home. Belle stayed in Emma's house for the night.