Woes of the Wingmen

№ 1:

"Hi, Finney," Donna said to Finney as he sat down next to her A1 Science. She was wearing an orange-themed outfit with ribbons in her loose pigtails. The color suited her well, in his opinion.

"Call me Finn," he asked. Because Robin called him that. He was special to him, and she was too.

She smiled and went back to writing in her notebook.

...

"You've really got a crush on that D'Amato girl?" Vance asked him as all of their friends sat down at lunch.

"I mean it makes sense, they're both goody-two-shoes." Billy laughed and poked at him.

"C'mon guys, let's stop teasing him." Robin scolded them playfully.

"Yeah, even if this whole romance thing is gross," Griffin, a boy his sister's age, joked.

"You won't think that when you're older, Griffin. Trust me." Robin said, glancing at Billy for a split second.

"Okay, enough. I want your guys' advice on how to like, charm her. And how to know if she likes me back or not."

"It's too soon for her to like you back. You were missing for a week. But even if she doesn't return your feelings in the long run, it's her loss. You're a sweet and smart guy." Billy reassured him.

"And besides, we still need to watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre together."

He sighed, "Oh, c'mon I already told you my dad won't let me watch R-rated movies."

A light bulb went up in the blond's head, one that didn't involve his anger issues.

"Wait, what if we were your wingmen?"

"What?"

"That's a good idea, but what does that have to do with the movie?"

"You idiots, I mean what if he invited her to watch it with us and we acted as his wingmen? To like, make him seem more impressive."

"That could backfire, you know. She's not the type to like angry guys like you."

"And she doesn't have to, Blake, because you'll be the star of the show."

"Yeah, we could invite Bruce too." Billy nodded his head.

"If his parents will even allow it, they're strict Asians, remember?" Robin pointed out.

"And? It's not like Finney's gonna say to his dad, 'Oh, I'm gonna go watch an R-rated movie at Robin's house, see you later!' No, he can just lie about it. Right, Finney?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"But then there's Donna, her parents are Italian, and that means they're probably Catholic." Billy realized, being from a religious family himself, a Jewish one. But a religious one nonetheless.

"Okay, how about this? Before we ask Bruce, how about you ask Donna the next time you see her?"

The bell then, unfortunately, rang, signaling their departures.

"That sounds like a great idea," he nodded as he gathered his things.

"Tell us what she says and I'll call up Bruce. Then I'll call you." Vance yelled as he walked away.

It was funny, they all had scars from their shared time in that basement.

Finney still had those bruises and welts from the belt.

Robin's now scarring wound on the left side of his neck, under his chin. Along with some cuts on his arms.

Bruce had a very noticeable scar along his right eye. (While somehow still not being blinded)

Vance had a smaller scar on the bridge of his nose, below his blue eyes. Along with some cuts on his neck and left arm.

Billy had a scar like Bruce's but on the opposite side of his face and under his eye. Going perpendicular to his ear.

Griffin, who arguably had the most brutal wounds, had a scar across his neck and even one under his right eye.

The evidence of what happened to them was right there, on their faces and bodies. But they tried to be happy in spite of it. Laughing in the face of trauma, together as friends.