Nicky, Ricky, Dicky and Dawn The Cheerleader

Manipulation

Dicky straightened his jacket nervously as he stood on the doorstep of Kayley’s marble mansion. “Can you hear me? Can you see the door? Is this thing working?” He whispered, tilting his head down towards his lapel pocket, tapping his fingernail on the metal cube clipped onto the fabric.

“We can hear and see just fine, Dicky, stay focused.” Ricky’s voice blasted in his ear, accompanied by a bout of static. Dicky yelped, his hand flying to his ear.

“How do you turn the volume down on this thing anyway?” Dicky hissed, fiddling with the nuts and bolts on his hearing aid. “It’s way too loud.”

“Oops, sorry.” Ricky said, not sounding sorry at all. It seemed as if Dicky had found the volume controls anyway as Ricky’s voice didn’t blast his eardrums out this time.

“What do you want, Dicky.” The front door flew open and a sassy, mean-looking cheerleader stood in the doorway. Kayley. Dicky’s mind was clouded with anger and sorrow from the moment he saw her, but Ricky kept him grounded by yelling in his ear.

“Don’t get distracted! Pay attention! You’re here to manipulate her, not win her back!” Ricky screeched.

“I know, I know, be quiet!” Dicky snapped out loud. Kayley’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you telling me to be quiet?” Her voice was dangerously low. “Are you sure you haven’t come all the way over here to apologize?”

“No, no, I came over to apologize.” Dicky said hurriedly. The words tasted disgusting in his mouth. “I’m sorry for being such a jerk. I shouldn’t have invited my siblings to eat with us at lunch.” Kayley sniffed.

“You really shouldn’t have.” She said.

“I know, and I want to make things right between us.”

“Okay. Because I’m such a forgiving person, I’ll forgive you this time.” Kayley said, tossing her hair. “Come in.” Dicky hobbled over the threshold, keeping weight off his injured ankle. Kayley shut the door behind him. The sight of the vast hallway amazed Dicky as much as the first time.

“Focus, Dicky. Now, turn to Kayley—face her, Dicky--” Ricky’s voice crackled over the hearing aid. Dicky turned. “Good. Remember the movie you and your popular friends planned after they played the next basketball game? Tell her you can’t go and you’re giving her your ticket. She’ll have alone time with the populars.”

“But I wanted to go to that!” Dicky complained.

“You wanted to go to what?” Kayley asked suspiciously.

“Erm—my friends and I were going to go to a movie after the next basketball game, but I can’t go because—um, previous arrangements…” Dicky cocked his head, listening to Ricky’s directions in his ear, “And was wondering if you were willing to take my place—my ticket, I mean, you’ll get to spend time with my friends and--”

“I’ll take it!” Kayley’s eyes gleamed hungrily. “Where’s the ticket?”

“Give her the ticket.” Ricky’s voice told Dicky.

Dicky pulled a ticket out of his pants’ pocket, grimacing as if the action pained him to do so, and handed it over. Kayley stuffed it into her own pocket and looked back at Dicky. “Is that all you came here to do?”

“Now tell her your friend Zeke—he’s the most popular one, right?” Ricky said, “Tell her Zeke was wondering why she didn’t give him a present for his past three quarter birthdays.”

“Zeke’s wondering why you didn’t give him presents for his past three quarter birthdays.” Dicky recited.

“Quarter… birthdays?” Kayley blinked blankly.

“Tell her Zeke takes his quarter birthdays really seriously and is offended that she didn’t give him anything.” Ricky directed.

“Zeke takes his quarter birthdays very seriously and is offended that you didn’t give him anything.” Dicky said.

“OMG, OMG, I just offended the most popular guy in school--” Kayley freaked out. She glared at Dicky. “Don’t. Move.” She ran off down the hall. Dicky let out a breath.

“What’s a quarter birthday?” He said into the camera. “I didn’t know Zeke had quarter birthdays.”

“He doesn’t.” Ricky said, his voice full of mischief. “It’s called manipulation.”

Kayley came rushing back holding four large shoeboxes. “Take these to Zeke.” She said, shoving them at Dicky. He stumbled back, wincing as his injured ankle took on the added weight. “Three are per quarter birthday I missed—and the fourth is an apology present for missing them.”

“Sweet!” Dicky whispered. Ricky laughed in his ear. “I’ll make sure Zeke gets them.” Dicky said to Kayley. “I’m sure he’ll be thoroughly grateful.” Kayley beamed. “I hope they’re expensive.” Dicky said, trying to peek in a box. “Zeke only appreciates valuable presents.”

“Oh, trust me.” Kayley said, “They are.”

Dicky nodded and turned to leave.

“Wait!” Ricky cried in his ear. Dicky froze. “Give her the paper in your jacket pocket.” Dicky reached into his pocket and pulled out a square of folded paper. “Tell her your friends want her to learn these new cheers for the next game.” Dicky turned and handed the paper to Kayley.

“My friends really want the cheerleaders to do these new cheers for the next game.” Dicky told her as she took the paper and unfolded it curiously. “They’ll really appreciate it.”

“Are you sure? These seem like really strange cheers.”

“I’m positive, Kayley. Trust me.” Dicky beamed charmingly. Then he turned and left.

Back in the control room (AKA the boys’ room), Ricky, Nicky and Dawn turned away from the computer screen and cheered. They all high-fived.

“Phase one,” Dawn said evilly, “Complete.”