ꫝꫀ᥅ ꪊᜣ᥅ﺃᦓﺃꪀᧁ

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑭𝒊𝒗𝒆

"What's your idea, Patty?"

We were on the bus, heading back home. The snow picked up again. It was a blast watching it with her, even though I cared little for stuff like it.

"Well, you remember that chick I made with paper and glue for art class in what..grade school?" I was sitting with my legs open to the world, but Giuseppe was crossing her legs like a mother. I never noticed that before. Fellas don't really stick their noses into that junk.

She looked at me. God, she was something. "Yes.."

I looked around before whispering in her ear. Honest to God, I really didn't think I'll pull through. But I did in the end.

"I hope we hit the big one." She had her head on my shoulder. My heart was doing the Lindy Hop.

I was smiling like a sap. You should've seen it. "Well, why don't we have some fun? It's the last day of 1926."

"Really? We can?" She sounded like a young child.

"Don't have a cow, you sap. I don't even know what we're doing yet."

We hopped off in Princeton. I got to admit; I never understood why people say Jersey has a stink. I really don't think it does. Smells like coffee, if anything.

"It's like a little village in a fairytale!" What a doll. She was so happy. It made me sad in a way. She never left the state before. It was a very first taste of freedom.

We had fun that day, let me tell you. First, we had to go this march. They were selling stuff there, stuff that girls like. I brought some of it, went to an inn with Giuseppe, and showed her.

I pointed to the window. "What's that?" She turned around, and when she looked back to me, I was holding the roses. I think I was as red as one.

"Oh, Pat. You shouldn't have." I've never seen her smile so much before.

Before, I thought I was boss, but I was a mess. Stuttering and playing with my hair like a broad. When she gave me a kiss on the cheek, forget it. I could've melted.

I couldn't even speak, but I gave her a green dress. You'll never believe what happened next: she changed right in front of me! Now, don't mistake me for a sap. We've changed our shirts before. It was between friends, but this was different. I can't explain it. She took her shirt and pants off. She put on the dress. It was green, had pearls and lines on it, and she put on the little headband with a green feather on it. She looked-

"So?" She looked down."Patrick!"

I can't write down what she saw, but I was burning red and covering myself. "You should be a chick in skins next."

After a break, I composed myself and helped Giuseppe look as broad as possible. It was hard to style his hair, but I think we did millions. We didn't have makeup, but I think she's better without it.

"There we go." I said as I put the pearls 'round her neck. "What do you think?"

She looked at herself in the mirror. I didn't see the tears in her eyes until she started leaking. I was in knots. I thought I did something wrong.

"Oh, I adore it! I really feel like..me!" I hugged her shoulders. She held my hands. They were sweating like little runners. "I wish I had a name to go with it!"

"I'm sure you'll know when time is right."

We did other stuff that day. I can't tell you what because then the publishers would be twisted in knots, but to say the least, it was the most fun we ever had.

She was asleep by the time I finally remembered something. My parents! I had completely forgotten about them. There was a candlestick in the room.

I moved slightly, Giuseppe moving with me in her sleep. "Cool it, Gus. I'm just using the stick."

I dialed my house. My folks are really slow when it comes to picking up. I honestly didn't expect them to pick up at all, but my sister did the first ring.

"Patrick! Where the hell are you?!" I could hear background noise. "We haven't heard from you in-"

"Patty!" My mother took the phone. "Patrick, are you well? Where's Giuseppe?!"

"Ma, ma. I'm okay, I didn't have access to a dial. Giuseppe.." I started like a teenage girl. So embarrassing. "...she's fine. Me and her...y'know..."

My sister took back the phone. "Good to see your hip, but I think you ought to start heading back home. Giuseppe's parents are getting real hot about everything."

I scoffed. "Bastards. Listen, get Father and Ricky on the dial, I have a plan."

I spoke to my brother and dad. We agreed on a plan. I hung up after telling them to meet me at the back of the ice cream pollar at around seven.

"Giuseppe, baby-" I blushed as I shook her awake. I became a mush overnight. "-wake up. I need you to model for me."

"Model?" She rubbed her eyes as she got up.

I led her by the hand to the center of the room. She was the berries. "Yeah, for the plan."

---

We were back home at seven. Perfect. Poor Giuseppe, she was white as a sheet.

"Welcome back, you two." Dad hugged me then her. "Okay, where are we stuffing her?"

Me and Ricky opened the sewer drain. She looked terrified. I helped her in. I was worried about her. She was still sick, and it was freezing. All I could was give her my coat.

"Don't sweat it. Your folks will think you made the big one."

She nodded at me, trembling. I wanted to kiss her, but I was too much of a baby to do it in front of everyone. I showed them the model I made out of paper and mash while dad was closing the drain.

"Looks pretty good." Ricky grinned at me, holding his pistol. "You ready?"

I felt a hot feeling in my stomach. I nodded.

-

It was a blizzard. Mom had called Giuseppe's parents over to get her. I heard them talking. I felt so good.

"Giuseppe, you asshole!" I felt my body becoming hot. How dare he. "Get over here NOW!"

I was holding the model, making it look like it was walking. When it was about to reach the light, Ricky screeched. While her parents were briefly detracted, dad suddenly came from behind mom and pointed.

"Watch out!" He made mom and the Bastards duck.

Ricky shot the model with the pistol. Giuseppe's mother saw it first and screamed as two more bullets rang out. By the time my ears recovered, the model was destroyed.

The rabbit kept screaming, clinging to mom as she fell. Giuseppe's father tried to find who did it, but Ricky and I had already sped off.

--

"Giuseppe! Giuseppe! I'm back!"

The snow smacked me in my face. I could barely see the drain. Ricky tried to kick it to get her attention, but nothing. I felt scared again. I ripped the drain off, and she was shivering and starting to turn blue again.

"It's okay! It's okay!" I pulled her out and put her on my lap.

She was hugging me. "Pa-Patty, I was so scared!"

We got in Ricky's car. She was bleeding because she scraped her knee. She was cold and shaking. I had her wrapped up and was cradling her. It was almost like a newborn baby.

"You're glorious." I whispered to her.

She sniffled, then smiled shakily. "That's it! I-I think Gloria would be a good name!"

We laughed. "Yeah! I like that name!"

We started making out in the backseat. I don't think we were doing it too hot, but my brother would disagree.

"You kids knock it off!" We jumped as he was speeding back home to get out of the storm. "All that smooching is gonna make me crash!"

He started mocking us, making us laugh. That night was truly magical. I had my family with me, and I had my Gloria.