The Look Of Love

Chapter 4: Help Is On The Way

While Bobby was berating Dutch for shoving him, Tommy noticed the girls heading their way."Oh lookie here boys. Some lovely ladies..." he said with an enthusiastic voice. All the boys stopped what they were doing, and looked up from their bikes at his words.

Forgetting about Bobby's tirade, Dutch grew excited. He loves babes and babes love him. He also loves a chase too. So with this in mind, his already huge self-confidence turned up to one hundred. "Hey Ashley," Dutch said sing-songy. "You ever gonna take me up on my offer to show you a good time?," he added. "You know you'd love it on my bike." Teasing Ashley is his favorite pastime.

 "In your dreams," Ashley replied. This guy never knows when to stop with her. He gets on her last nerve. It's like he knows where the last nerve is and just has to touch it.

 Grinning a smirky grin, Dutch quickly bantered back "Every night." 

"Oh, you're disgusting," Ashely said as she rolled her eyes. Focusing her attention away from him, and taking a deep calming breath, Ashley turned to Bobby. "So... Brown how are things going?"

 Bobby, who was in conversation with Jimmy, hesitatingly answered "Fine. Why do you ask?" This all super suspicious.

"Well we couldn't help notice you took a huge faceplant," she responded. 

Glaring at Dutch, he replied "Yeah, you and everyone else thanks to this idiot." He pointed at his friend.

"Hey don't blame me. You just needed a push in the right direction," Dutch declared laughing. 

Shaking her head of red hair, Gwen tapped her foot. "Oh geez. Never let morons do what the pros should handle." These guys!

 "Who are you calling morons?" asked Dutch looking around. He doesn't see any morons around, except maybe Randal across the way. That guy is pretty lame.

With her own brand of sarcasm, Gwen pierced him with her eyes. "You're so pretty," she stated. That's her way of saying you're an idiot.

"Brown this is where we come in" Ashley told him. She gestured to her girlfriends. They all smiled at him.

"Where you come in for what specifically?" Bobby asked with skepticism. His nerves are kicking in and up his stomach. 

"For Mary, duh," Gemma exclaimed whist-fully. When Gemma said this all of the Cobra's, sans Bobby, started snickering. Bobby quietly looked down at his shoes.

Starting to howl with laughter, Tommy exclaimed "Oh man, I'm dying. Even they think you're clueless."

Reaching up to massage the back of his neck, Bobby tried to act unaffected. He's not clueless, he's just shy. There's a difference. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied. 

Gwen patted Bobby's arm and said, "You're so pretty too." All the guys chuckled.

"Oh Brown, Brown, Brown," Ashley groaned. "So, to be clear you aren't interested in our friend Mary. Neither have you been checking her out for... the past three years?" Ash asked. 

Bobby started to speak, when all of the guys burst out with a big "Yes, he is".  Bobby sent them all a withering look. "Asses," he murmured to himself.

His friends are just... Do they not even realize they're making things worse? Ash tried to reassure him. "Bobby it's OK. Don't listen to these idiots. We're going to help you."

"Yes, we actually like you and think you'd be good for Mary. She needs someone like you in her life," added Gemma. 

"So cheer up buttercup," responded Lori. The whole time she inched closer and closer and closer to Dutch.

This is not how he pictured this going. Plus what if she isn't even interested. "I don't know. I mean what if this goes wrong? I can see this going horribly wrong," Bobby mentioned as Tommy elbowed him. 

"And what if it doesn't? So man up. This could go no worse than say... you falling on face," proclaimed Johnny. Tommy snickered at his comment.

Jimmy turned to his friend. He added for thought, "You've got nothing to lose." 

"Except your balance," howled Dutch. Both he and Tommy laughed so much they have tears in their eyes.

 Now standing right beside him, Lori spoke. "Here Dutch. Have a breakfast cookie." She handed him the treat.

Bobby sighed with frustration. They are right. He does have nothing to lose. After hitting the ground, it's only up from there. He surrendered with his hands out, palms up. "Alright. Help away." 

Squeals of joy sounded. The guys tugged at their ears. "Perfect! Meet us at the tree for lunch," Ashley told the group. 

"What's going to happen at lunch?" Bobby asked. He hopes he can save some dignity.

"Conversation," she declared as all the girls turned to walk away.

"Oh crap!" admitted Bobby. He ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "This is not how I wanted this day to go. And I hold all of you responsible when this goes horribly wrong. I just want you all to know that." 

Jimmy snorted with derision. "Yes, because another day of stare and not speak is so much better," he noted. He has his own girl issues to work through.

 Throwing an arm around his friend, Johnny began to talk with confidence. "This is it. This is your big chance to make it work shy boy. So what are you going to do? Wuss out like a pussy?"

Bobby closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said "Make it work. I'm gonna man up and make it work!" Maybe this whole thing won't turn out to be a giant crapfest. And maybe for once he'll walk away with a good girl, no. The best girl. Maybe this school year won't be so bad after all. Yeah and Johnny won't be in a bad mood, nor will his hands sweat when Mary's around. Nope, not happening... This will end badly. He just knows it. Then he'll wind up looking like a doofus and be without his longtime crush to boot.

"Wow!" The guys turned and stared at Dutch. "What? This cookie is really good," he said in between bites. 

"You're disgusting. Chew with your mouth closed," Jimmy told him as the bell rang. The guys turned to walk to their first period class. School has officially started.