Dynamite

Chapter Four: Love Boat

Tony was walking down the hallway, which was unusually empty. Especially since his school taught seventh grade through twelfth grade, the hallways were always packed. He wondered why there wasn't anyone at school. Then he wondered... was school not in session that day? Was it just unusually deserted? Was he at the wrong school?!

He turned a corner and saw two guys, in the middle of the hallway, talking to each other. They turned around and noticed him. Then they began snickering at him. Tony sighed in relief, since he now knew he wasn't at the wrong school and school was in session.

"What's up?" Tony greeted. One of the guys pulled out a jar from behind his back. It was a jar of the spiciest salsa in the world. The salsa from the initiation last night. Tony gasped in shock at the guys laughed hysterically at him.

"WHO TOLD YOU?!" Tony screamed. The laughing echoed as Tony began to freak out, afraid that everyone at the school would now know of the salsa initiation and the humiliating torture he experienced.

"Tony... Tony... wake up!" a voice snarled. A lashing pain crashed onto his arm. Tony quickly woke up and stared at his teacher, who had a yardstick in her hand. He mentally sighed in relief, realizing that it all was a nightmare.

"Sorry ma'am, I... fell asleep," Tony apologized. The teacher crossed her arms. Tony shyly smiled while a couple kids chuckled.

"Would you like to tell the class what you were dreaming about?" the teacher angrily asked. All of the kids laughed as Tony looked around at the class.

"I'll pass on that," Tony chuckled nervously.

"Get out," the teacher growled. Tony sighed, grabbed his backpack, and left the classroom. He had the next half hour to himself since he was kicked out of class.

He suddenly realized that it was eighth grade's passing period. He decided to find Emma and say hi. He searched through the hallways until he found her, hid behind her, and threw her the hood of her sweatshirt over her head. She turned around and laughed while taking off her hood.

"Hi Tony," Emma sighed. "Why aren't you in class? Aren't you supposed to be in... history right now?"

"Yeah... my teacher kicked me out," Tony sighed. "I don't think she likes me. Yet again, I was sleeping in her class. I was having a dream about the salsa initiation." Emma laughed. "That salsa was so spicy, I think there are second-degree burns on my tongue. And I can still slightly taste it."

"That's how serious Dad can be about the secret," Emma sighed. "Jess, Gavin, and Adam had to do the same initiation. It's comical and annoying at the same time." That was when she and a guy collided into each other. She fell onto the ground, and the books she was carrying scattered across the hallway. The boy she ran into grabbed her books and helped her up.

"I'm so sorry!" the boy apologized. He handed Emma her books. She looked up and noticed who it was. "Hey, you're Emma Charleston, right?" The boy was none other than Cody "the player" Rosado. Cody was the boy with the reputation of playing girls. He had ear-length, light brown hair and dark brown eyes. Wherever he went, he tended to have a line of girls drooling over him. This time, however, he didn't.

"Y-Y-Y..." Emma stuttered. She wasn't even able to get one word out of her mouth! Her cheeks turned a dark shade of pink. Tony, who was standing at the side of the hallway and observing, used all his strength to not laugh.

"Yeah, you are Emma Charleston," Cody laughed. "We have social studies together, but I don't think we notice each other." Emma looked over at Tony, who awkwardly smiled.

"I know that you are in my social studies class," Emma quietly whispered.

"Cool!" Cody laughed. "Well I've been meaning to ask you something." Emma looked up into Cody's large brown eyes. "Emma, you are the most beautiful girl in eighth grade, and I mean it. Would you be willing to... be my girlfriend?" Emma shyly and excitedly smiled and nodded. "Wow... I didn't think you were going to say yes. Anyway, here is my number. Text me later." Cody gave Emma a paper with his phone number and a quick hug before leaving. The hug caused a few girls to stare at Emma with envy in her eyes. She didn't care though; she just stared at the ground, her cheeks heating up.

"Emma, do you just realize what you've just done?!" Tony questioned. Emma looked at Tony and smiled larger.

"I just got my first boyfriend," Emma giggled.

"With Cody 'the player' Rosado," Tony added.

"Tony, relax," Emma giggled. "He called me the most beautiful girl in eighth grade... and I think he meant it. These last few relationships I heard about, he wasn't the one to cheat on him. Maybe... maybe he's changed."

"Whatever, I'll just be sure to punch his nose in if he cheats on you," Tony sighed. "Now, to make you embarrassed about your first boyfriend, I'm going to sing 'Love Boat' for the rest of your passing period."

"Tony, please don't," Emma groaned.

"Love... is exciting and new," Tony loudly and terrible sang. Right away, people stared at him. Some were confused, others were entertained. "Come aboard. We're expecting you!"

"Tony I swear if you sing one more line-," Emma started.

"And love... life's sweetest reward," Tony continued. "Let it flow... it flows back to you!" At that point, a small crowd had formed around them.

"Tony, this is not funny-," Emma began.

"The love boat soon will be making another run!" Tony sang. "The love boat promises something for everyone!"

"Tony, now people are video taping us-," Emma started.

"Set a course for adventure," Tony sang. "Your mind on a new romance! And love won't hurt you anymore. It's an open smile on a friendly shore. Yes LOOOOOOOOVE!"

"I can't hear anymore of this," Emma muttered, embarrassed and humiliated. She shoved herself away from the huge crowd of people and hurried into the next class.

"Welcome aboard, it's LOOOOOOOOVE!" Tony finished. Everyone applauded and cheered for him while laughing. "Thank you, thank you very much. Did you like it Emma? Huh... where did she go?"