Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 15:51:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Fup Duck Subject: Under Pressure - High School 14 STANDARD DISCLAIMER: Let's see: 1. If it's illegal - don't read this. 2. If you can't accept it - don't read this. 3. If you're underage - don't read this. 4. It's mine - don't distribute without permission. 5. Characters and events bear an uncanny resemblance to people I grew up with and stuff I went through - ooops. ;-) That about covers it. Okay, last chapter for the week. Please keep the cheers down to a low roar, thank you. Bear with me on this chapter - I HAD to put it in here. Another one of those times when the memory comes crashing down all over you. Plus it sets up about the next year and a half of David's high school life. lol Here's Chapter 14...... Fup ****************************************************************************** FROM CHAPTER 13 David shook himself out of his reverie. "Some girl?" The only girl that had his phone number was Sally, and he didn't think she'd be calling him right now. Confused, he answered the phone, "Hello, this is Dave." "Ummm, hi." "Hi," David answered, still totally confused. "Who is this?" His question was answered by the dial tone. Shaking his head, he hung up and went back to his room. One thing he did know was that whoever it was, they were just as shy as him. UNDER PRESSURE/HIGH SCHOOL 14 - The Hardy Boys The next day his friends had their own ideas about his phone call, none of which were any help. While the other four spouted their ideas, David noticed Kelly just standing there with a grin on his face. "You know something you're not telling me?" he asked. Kelly arched his eyebrows, "I know a lot of things you don't know, where do you want me to start?" "How about a mysterious phone call?" "Wasn't me, I was doing Geometry homework," Kelly grinned. "I betcha it was one of Sally's friends, checking up on you - or wanting to have your babies," Sean laughed. David shook his head, no answers forthcoming, he changed the subject, "So you guys have dates for the dance?" "We're just gonna take some of your left-overs," Steve chuckled. "You know, comfort the ones you disappoint." "Yeah, right. I'm not going anyway," David responded. "So you have your pick." "The stud of the ninth grade isn't going to the dance?" Sean asked. "I don't have very good luck at dances, and I don't like wearing a suit." "Well, Steve and I already have dates," informed Sean. Raising his eyebrows, David grinned, "Now who's the stud?" "We're just going as friends," Sean stated. "Yeah, I'm sure. With benefits, no doubt," David teased. "Yeah, you won't believe who they're going with," Jim interjected. "Shut up," Steve glared at him. This exchange piqued David's interest. "Not going with each other are you?" he asked with a laugh. "Not quite," Sean laughed back. "Steve asked me, but I already had a date." "Hey, I can't help it I waited too long," Steve said with a pout, then grinned. "So who ya goin' with?" asked Kelly. "Ummm, promise you won't get pissed?" Steve asked. "Yeah, jeez, what is it, a state secret?" asked David. "Well," Sean glanced at Steve, who shrugged. "We're sorta going with Sally and Polly." David and Kelly looked at each other and raised their eyebrows, then shrugged. "Cool, you'll probably have a nice time," David grinned. "Yeah, they're pretty nice," Kelly added. "You're not mad?" asked Steve. "Hell no, why?" "Well, you know." "It's not like we're still going out or anything," David said. "Two single girls, two single guys, a dance, sounds like a match made in heaven." "Well, we sorta thought you'd be mad," Sean stated. "Are you mad?" David asked Kelly. "Nope," answered Kelly. "See, all is well," David assured Sean and Steve. "She was moaning your name anyway, Sean," David laughed. "Oh shut up." "Well, she was," David continued, glad to be on this side of the teasing for once. "Oh, Sean, harder," he chuckled. "Oh Sean, is it in yet?" Kelly whispered breathlessly. "You guys really need to find another hobby," Sean said, red-faced. The boys continued laughing and teasing Sean and Steve until the bell rang for home room, then it was business as usual. Lunchtime conversation once again focused on David's phone call. "Maybe it's a secret admirer," Mark suggested. "You are keeping your curtains shut at night, aren't you?" Steve teased. "No sense in letting the cat out of the bag yet." "Oh great, so now you think it's some sort of pervert?" David asked with a smile. Steve pantomimed secretly looking in a window, then he turned to Jim with a questioning look, "I can't see anything, do you have a microscope?" David snorted, throwing one of his chips at Steve. The other boys laughed as Steve looked at David with a hurt expression, then dramatically picked up the chip, and popped it in his mouth. "Does this mean we're going steady?" he asked David. "No, it means you just ate a potato chip I was kind enough to let you have." "Don't feed the animals," Sean laughed. "Yeah, they follow you home," Jim grinned. "Well, I definitely don't want that one following ME home," David chuckled at Steve's feigned hurt expression. Then, anticipating the answer, he continued, grinning at Steve, "And I know I hurt you deep." "You're no fun," Steve grumbled. "So who do you think it is?" "I have no clue, never heard the voice before. But I think someone knows," David finished, glancing at Kelly. "Not me," Kelly grinned. "I was doing homework." "We didn't HAVE Geometry homework." "I never said Geometry," Kelly answered. "C'mon, tell me." "Oh okay," Kelly sighed, "It was English." "Huh?" "English homework." David glared at Kelly, but Kelly was silent, an angelic grin on his face. David just shook his head, and finished his lunch. The conversation moved onto lighter subjects and the phone call was forgotten. On their way to David's locker where Kelly had stored his books for the last half day of classes, David tried to interrogate his boyfriend on what he knew about the call. Kelly deflected all David's questions until they reached the locker. "You know, don't you?" he asked. "Told you before, I know a lot of things." David shook his head, obviously Kelly was going to keep his mouth shut. He opened his locker, and an envelope fell out onto the ground. He glanced at Kelly, who shrugged, and reached over to pick it up. His name was written on the front and it was sealed. Facing the lockers, he ripped open the envelope and slid the folded paper out. With Kelly looking over his shoulder, he read, "Dave, I really like you. I was wondering if you'd like to go to the dance Friday night? Just write yes or no and put it in locker B130." David looked at Kelly, "Isn't this wonderful?" "Wonder who has B130?" Kelly asked. "I have no clue, but gonna find out." "How, Sherlock?" "Well, Watson," David grinned, "We're gonna stake it out." "You watch too much TV, man," Kelly laughed. "Get Sean or Steve, or one of the guys to watch it." "Might work, but when?" "I'll say something to Sean in Chemistry," David stated, "And since I get here later in the morning, you guys will have to do it and let me know." "Ok, Sherlock, whatever you say. But what's your answer gonna be?" "I just wanna find out who it is first, but I'm not goin' to the dance, no matter what." "Another heart broken," Kelly teased, clutching his chest. "Shut up, I wouldn't be in this position if you'd just tell me who it was." "My lips are sealed, I promised." "So you DO know?" "Maybe," Kelly grinned. "You are so dead, you know that?" Kelly laughed and squeezed David's shoulder in a friendly gesture, "I'm just helping you out, man." "Some help." "Well, I work in mysterious ways," Kelly said, then the bell was ringing for the next class. In Chemistry, David filled Sean in on the plan, and Sean agreed to do the detective work the next morning. "It's gonna cost ya," he joked. "Whatever, I just need to know who it is, and what Kelly has to do with it." "You mean you're serious? He knows what's going on?" David grinned, "Yeah, he knows. I'm working on a payback plan." Sean laughed, "You two are gonna end up in early graves if you keep doing this to each other. You know that, don't you?" "Right now, I'm in the backyard digging," David joked. "No sweat, man, I'll play Hardy Boys with ya." "Thanks," David replied, patting Sean's back. "You're a lifesaver." Sean puffed out his chest, "What a compliment, I'm so proud." Then his face crumpled, and he threw his arms around David, drawing stares from the rest of the class. "You're my hero," he wailed, drawing a rebuke from the Chemistry teacher. He raised his face, and grinned at David's red face, "Sorry, just had to show my appreciation." David slid lower in his seat, but with a small grin, "Man, you're insane. Been hanging around Steve too long. I think you two plot ways to embarrass the hell out of me." "You just need to lighten up a little, Dave. Sometimes you get so focused on something, you aren't a whole lot of fun." Surprised at Sean's serious tone, David turned his head to look at his friend. Then he grinned, "Aww, I didn't think you cared." "You might be surprised, man. We've been friends a long time." "You getting mushy on me?" "Nope, just honest. You know it's what friends do." David smiled warmly at Sean. "Thanks. Really." "No sweat, just don't try to kiss me okay?" Sean chuckled back. "Ugh, those are Sally's lips now man," David teased. Sean grinned at David and nodded his head, then the boys returned their attention to the lesson on inert gases. The next morning David approached his friends anxiously. He was a little put off by their serious expressions, especially Kelly's. Kelly knew what was going on, and for him to have that expression, well, it was worrisome. "Hey," he greeted his friends. He was answered with a round of subdued hey's, then Sean started. "Okay, we checked it out this morning - the locker. B130 belongs to a senior." "A senior girl wants to take me to the dance?" David asked, confused. "Umm, it's not a girl. B130 is Lenny Troxell's locker." "Huh?" "Lenny Troxell, man. That's who the locker belongs to." "Oh shit. What the hell is this?" David asked, looking at Kelly. "I dunno Dave, I gave Suzy your number and I thought she wrote the note. I don't know what's going on either. Guess I screwed up." "Oh man," David groaned, leaning against the lockers. "Note?" asked Sean. Kelly answered for his silent boyfriend. "Yeah, Suzy's interested in going out with Dave, so I gave her his number. I guess she's the one that called him and hung up, she seemed real shy when I was talking with her and Brenda. I figured she wrote the note asking Dave to the dance, since there was no name or anything, and Dave was supposed to write his answer and drop it in B130. But I guess I was wrong." "Kel, man, I can set up my own dates, if I want 'em," David grumbled. "Sorry, Dave, really, I had no idea this was gonna happen." Trying to interject a little humor, Steve said, "Wow, you've been asked to the dance by a senior." "Shut up Steve," the other boys chorused. "Sorry," Steve answered, deflated for once. "What the hell am I gonna do?" David asked. "Ummm, I could talk to him," Kelly offered. "No Kel," David said somewhat kindly, but with an edge to his voice, "You've quite done enough." "Just ignore it," Jim offered. "Pretend it didn't happen." "Yeah," David replied. "Maybe it'll all go away." "Dave, man, I'm so sorry," Kelly apologized again. "Kel, it's okay. I think. Just don't try to set me up anymore, okay?" "After this? No way." Kelly answered. The bell rang, and the subdued teens started their day of classes. On David's part, he was more worried about this whole situation than anything his teachers were trying to teach. Almost every morning class had the teacher prodding him to pay attention, he tried to ignore his distraction and listen, but was glad when lunchtime rolled around. It was a quiet bunch at the table, even Steve couldn't lighten the mood much. They sat and ate, chatting about neutral subjects, none of them willing to broach the subject that was on all their minds. Once during lunch, David felt Kelly pat his leg. He almost jerked away from the touch, but held back his reaction, throwing Kelly a wry grin. The rest of the day passed in the same blur to David, and when he finally got home, he threw himself on his bed and heaved a sigh. A boy wrote him a note asking him to a dance, it didn't make sense. And a senior boy? No way. It had to be a prank. But who? His friends were out, unless they were great actors - their concern was too real. Who else? He didn't pay much attention to anyone else in school really, so he had no clue. Obviously someone had it out for him. He was so lost in his thoughts, he lost track of time, until his mom knocked on his door, announcing supper. "David, what's wrong? You look terrible. Are you sick?" "No, just a bad day, mom." "Oh, ok, well supper's on." David plodded through supper and retired to his room again. About an hour later, the phone rang and his dad announced it was for him. Sighing, he walked to the kitchen, thinking it was probably Kelly. "Hello?" "Is this David?" came a male voice. "Uh, yeah. Who's this? "This is Lenny Troxell," David started to panic. "You don't know me, but you know my sister." "Huh?" "Suzy," Lenny stated. "She wanted to know why you didn't answer her note about the dance." "Uh, Suzy's your sister?" "Yeah, she wanted me to call you. Hold on." After a pause, the same voice as last night came on the line, "Dave?" "Uh, yeah, hi," David responded, thinking he must sound like a total loser - his verbal skills definitely needed some work. "Hi," Suzy said softly. David got the idea she was ready to bolt if he said 'boo.' "Hey, so you wrote the note?" David asked, regaining some composure. "Yeah, umm, so?" "Well, that solves a lot of questions," David laughed. "What?" "Never mind, Suzy. It's no big deal," David assured. "Oh, okay." "And as far as the dance, I'd like to. But it would probably be a little weird with Sally being there with Sean, ya know?" "Oh, okay," came the disappointed reply. "But, definitely some other time okay?" "Really?" David groaned inwardly, what was he getting himself into? "Sure. Maybe a movie or something, sometime?" "Ok, Dave, just tell me when." "We'll talk in school, okay?" "Okay." It was almost like pulling teeth, thought David. "So I'll talk to you in school tomorrow?" "Yeah, thanks Dave." "No sweat Suzy, see ya tomorrow." "Ok, bye." "Bye," David replied, hanging up the phone, a relieved smile on his face. He tried to call Kelly to give him the news, but the line was busy. He was sure this was going to be quite the amusing subject of conversation tomorrow, and Kelly would be happy to know that he really didn't screw up. The thought crossed his mind to play it up and make his boyfriend pay for his actions, but then realized that he probably had paid enough. He tried to call two or three more times that evening, but the line was still busy, so he attempted to do some homework. He managed to finish about half of what he had before it was time for bed. Tomorrow was going to be interesting, no doubt about it. ***************************************************************************** Boy, the feelings this brought back! Almost forgot how it happened, but I remembered the 'girlfriend' with the big bro. It's all about image....LOL Please feel free to contact me with any questions or feedback. email: fupduckmd@yahoo.com AIM and Yahoo: fupduckmd Fup