Claustrophobic (Teddy Duchamp)

8

Teddy grabbed an apple for lunch and sat down at a table. Soon after, Vern sat down next to him, looking kind of dazed and blushing slightly.

Chris Chambers came over and plopped into the seat across from Teddy, smirking at Vern. "So Verno, I heard about your girly issue."

Teddy turned to look at Vern, who turned an even deeper red. "You did?"

"What happened?" Teddy asked. Vern and girl weren't in the same sentence often.

"Are you gonna tell him, or can I?" Chris asked Vern.

Vern just gulped and nodded to Chris to let him know he had permission to tell.

"Right," Chris began, his face full of amusement. He recounted how he and Vern had just left gym class when Cynthia Matland walked up to Vern and asked him to go on a date with her.

At this point, Vern was as red a firetruck and poking at his food.

"Well, what'd you say, Vern?" Teddy asked.

Chris just smiled at Vern, who looked up still looking bashful. "Yeah, Tessio, whadya tell her?"

"I said yes," Vern mumbled.

Teddy jumped up and slapped Vern's shoulder. "Whoooppee! Look at that Verno! You've got yourself a girlfriend, you wet end you."

Vern's face had an expression that was a mixture of deep embarrassment and pride. "Teddy, sit down."

Teddy just shook his as he lowered back into his seat. "Damn, who'd've thought you'd be the first of us with a girl?"

At this point, Chris was looking distractedly at something behind Teddy.

"Hello? Earth to Christopher." Teddy waved his hands in front of Chris's face.

His attention snapped back to his friends. "Right. I'm..." He stood up, looking back at whatever it was. "I'm gonna go. I'll see you idiots later." He walked away, eyes still glued to whatever.

Teddy and Vern exchanged a confused look. They turned around to where Chris was looking. Lucille Payne, a tall dark haired girl, stood there talking to Chris now that he'd gotten over there.

The boys had always ragged her because she had always been pretty obnoxious, but Chris didn't seem to remember that.

Teddy and Vern turned back around.

"Hey, you seen Gordie?" Vern asked.

"Nah. I haven't seen his candyass since before school started." Teddy shook his head in slight disappointment.

He suddenly remembered his summer very clearly. He went to see his dad two times a week, every week. He only hung out with the gang a couple times. They had all been too busy, so he spent hours talking to his dad, hoping he wouldn't go into a rage again.
_____

"You did what?!" Agatha, Cecelia's best friend, exclaimed.

Cynthia had been telling Cecelia and Agatha about she asked Vern Tessio to go on a date with her.

Cynthia just giggled in response to the other girls' looks of question. "Oh what's the matter? Vern's so cute!"

"Well... You know what? Never mind," Cecelia replied, shaking her head.

"Oh well," Cynthia flipped her light brown curls. "I told Mrs. Brown that I'd help her during lunch." With that she got up from the table and skipped off.

Agatha sighed and rolled her eyes. "We're not even in senior high yet. My mama said not to worry about going steady yet." She cracked up a little. "At least, not until my boy can drive me to our dates."

Cecelia laughed with her friend. Agatha was the only person Cecelia had ever considered her best friend. Sure, she had other friends, like Cynthia, but jot anyone like Aggie.

"Oh, I'm having my birthday party on Saturday. Do you think you can come?" Aggie asked before taking a bite of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"I'm sure Mama and Dad'll let me go. Besides, I've helped enough around the house as it is."

"Okay, good."

The two went on about which teachers were their favorites and not-so favorites so far. They both agreed that Ms. Jackson was on the list of not-so favorites.

Agatha began talking about how attractive the boys had gotten over the summer, despite what she had said about mot thinking about going steady yet.

Cecelia zoned out as her friend talked on and on. She reflected on her hot, cramped summer. It was mostly spent in the house because there were fans in the house, not outside.

She had had to deal with all of her siblings at once. It seemed like this past summer had been worse than the summers before. Everything just felt smaller to her, more compacted. She'd often found herself doing whatever she could to get away from the house.

"What do you think?" Aggie asked, pulling Cecelia back into the present.

Cecelia blinked. "I'm sorry. What do I think about what?"

Agatha rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You never can stay into a conversation very long." She repeated her story.

I haven't updated in forever! I just really wanted this chapter to get somewhere. I hope you all like it. I love you guys' comments. They all mean so much to me. I have special plans for the next chapter, so yeah. M'kay.

~Mariah