Hidden Valley (D. SWING)

VI. Tuesday

"Woop, woop!" The chant grew, and grew, and grew until she was hollering at the top of her lungs. "Woop, woop!" Her head swung backward and her mouth opened wide as she waterfalls from his gatorade bottle. Swallowing quickly, she leans her head out of the window with a wide grin, the chant continues. "Woop, woop!" The music cuts. Her head snaps to the front right, where he sits, "What the fuck, Dal?"

Prepared for any kind of altercation between the two best friends, Don purses his lips as he drives down the road. "You said you was gone help me with this and you back there looking like a' extra in a Janet Jackson video." Cynthia smacks her lips, she tugs on Don's sleeve, prompting him to take control and turn up the music. After all, it is his car.

Don turns the corner, shaking Cynthia's grip off of him. "Okay," exhales Cynthia. "Since I'm Janet's extra, how about you spell.... Mamasaymamasahmamamahcuhsah." Dalvin's face falls flat, agitation enhancing within the center of his chest. Cynthia keeps her laughter under wraps as she taunts Dalvin. "What, you can't spell?"

"Fuck y–"

Don pulls over. The sudden ceasing of movement caches the duo off guard. They had failed to noticed how close they were to being back at Cynthia's house. "Home already?" Cynthia slightly pouts at the idea of separating from Don's car. She's not old enough for clubs and his stereo system is as close as she will ever get to the live experience.

"Yeah, y'all go study because service starts at five today," says Don. "And Cyn," he calls out as she's getting out of the car. Cynthia stops snd leans forward to hear his words. "I heard we might've gotten the job, be on the look out, okay?"

Cynthia nods her head, she slips out of his car with Dalvin right next to her. They hold onto their backpacks as Don drives away. For the first time in a long time, Cynthia and Dalvin are getting their chance to spend time together with zero interruptions. Cynthia told Dalvin that she'd help him study for his in-class spelling bee for five extra credit points. Dalvin meant to start immediately, but Cynthia had other plans when she turned up Don's Cameo tape in the car and lost her mind.

The two step into Cynthia's home to find Big Mama walking into the laundry room down the hall. After waving and speaking their usual greetings, they work their way into the kitchen where they once spent their adolescent nights playing board games. Cynthia, knowing what Dalvin drank most often, reaches into the refrigerator to grab him a can of Apple Slice. She picks up her own Pepsi can, sliding Dalvin his drink of choice. Dalvin pulls his book out and sets it on the table as Cynthia reaches into the cabinet to grab a bag of pretzels, Dalvin's favorite snack to accompany his favorite drink. She's kept them sealed until having the chance to eat them with him. It's been a week.

Dalvin pops open the pretzel bag. "Okay, so Mr. Roary said it'll be these words," Dalvin pushes the list closer to Cynthia's notebook. She sits still staring at him and the elephant in the room. "What?"

"Dal, where you been at, man?"

Confused, Dalvin throws a pretzel in his mouth. "I been here, what do you mean?"

"Dal, I been catching a ride home from Don everyday because I don't want to ride the bus without you. I just got back like last week and I've barely seen your face." Cynthia stares Dalvin down for a moment. "You got a girlfriend?" Dalvin's laughter makes her feel as if she is being taken for a joke. "No, Dalvin, I'm serious. Who's these girls you always going on dates with? You sure it isn't just one girl? 'Cause not nair single one of y'all DeGrates goes on that many dates! Not Don, not Derek, nobody!"

Dalvin laughs, still shaking his head. He assumes that she has forgotten everything he has told her over the summer, these dates are nothing new. "What do you think I did this summer?"