The Best One

Closer than ever

Another year has passed by. Johnny and Jenice have moved up to the fourth grade, and Jenice is taking a few 5th grade classes. Susan has been dating a nice man named Reed Richards. He is about ten years her senior, which her father did not approve of, but he liked the man anyways since he was kind to Sue and was, as Dr. Storm called him, "a man headed for scientific greatness".

It was never mentioned, but it was very obvious that Dr. Storm has been fading away from his family ever since his wife had died. Jenice was no longer permitted to stay the night at the Storm household (Sue's rule), while Johnny stayed over at her house more often than he stayed in his own. The ten year olds certainly did not mind sharing a bedroom once her father decided to buy an air mattress for Johnny to keep in Jeni's bedroom. He also had his own small dresser in her room, a toothbrush in the bathroom, and even designated seat at the dinner table. The designated seat has been there for a very long time now.

Every weekend night and every Tuesday Johnny spent the night at Jeni's house. This rule was decided by Susan one week after her mother died, when their father came home very drunk every night on the weekends, and even Tuesday nights. She knew that he was trying to wipe away the memory of his wife's death. Tuesdays were hardest on him because that was the day of week when he crashed their car.

After school on Tuesday Jenice and Johnny walked home together. "Home" today was Jenices house since Johnny's father was going to be out again. Johnny was being very quiet, and was obviously distracted by something. "Step on a crack, break your mother's back" my butt. If Johnny keeps tripping on those cracks, he's going to break his own back. Jenice considered saying this out loud since it may make Johnny laugh, but she knew better. Both of our moms have problems.... It wouldn't be that funny.... My mom is in and out of the hospital, and Mama Storm is... dead.... I can't believe she's gone... As Jeni was thinking, she didn't see that Johnny had tripped on the side walk yet again, until she herself tripped over him.

"Oof!"

"Hey! I was here first, dipstick!"

"What are you doing on the ground, dipwad?!"

"Well I could ask the same of you, pumpkin head!"

"Well, like you said, you were here first, birdbrain!"

"HA! That's not an insult! Birds can fly, and flying is cool, so beat THAT, you... you smick!"

"Not all birds can fly, dumbbutt. And really? You had to make up a whole new word to insult me?"

"I may have a dumbbutt, but at least it's not supposed to think, unlike your wonky brain!"

Jenice jumped off the ground and then fell onto Johnny's back, with a resounding "Oof!" from Johnny.

"Ha HA! Now I'm the top dog!"

Johnny proceded to roll the two of them over, into Jeni's front yard, where Sue was standing, silently laughing and taking pictures of the two of them. When Johnny succeded in trapping Jenice underneath his back, he smugly proclaimed himself top dog.

"Who's top dog now, Breeze?"

"Mmmrrmmf!"

"What was that? I couldn't heeear yoouuu!"

"Fine! Fine you're the top dog. Now get your big butt off o' me an' let me breath already!"

Johnny rolled off of the other blonde's back, giggling at her accent. Whenever Jenice became flustered she would begin to speak in a strange accent. No one could figure out where she got th accent from, she has just always had it. One of their teachers had theorized that she got her accent from watching too many movies.

Sue began laughing out loud and the two preteens jumoed and glared at her. When it was very obvious that she had startled them, she couldn't help but tease the pair.

"Awe, I'm sorry. " she cooed "Were the two of you having a moment?"

Jenice and Johnny both glared at Sue.

"There is no way I would ever have one of those moments with Storm. No way."

"And us liking each other? Me liking Jenice? No way."

The duo looked at each other for a moment, reading each others eyes then smirkimg and turning back to Sue, who was doubked over in laughter. The younger blondes quietly ran ariund the teen and into the house behind her. When Sue finally looked up expecting to see the Jokers, as she loveingly called them due to bith of their names beginning with a J and both being pranksters, she was confused when they had disappeared.

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