Despite All Obstacles Part II

The Three Stooges

PATTHEW'S STORY

Wednesday, September 5th

This afternoon.

Today's another Day A. No Gracie or Shortcake. But I have bro with me in Lunch C.

I see Matt with the football team, chanting in team spirit, with everyone else in the cafeteria. Their away game is today at three against Palos Hills High's Pumas, a public school.

"I SAY PALM TREES, YOU SAY PARROTS! PALM TREES!"

"PARROTS!!" "PALM TREES!" "PARROTS!!"

"AND I SAY PALM TREES, AND YOU SAY PARROTS! PALM TREES!"

"PARROTS!!" "PALM TREES!" "PARROTS!!"

The cheerleaders cheer their spirits on by marching to the center of the cafeteria. They form a line then step forward, stomping.

"P," Patricia shouts.

"A," Robyn shouts.

"R," Natalie shouts.

"R," Natasha shouts.

"O," Kimberleigh shouts.

"T," another cheerleader shouts.

"S," another shouts.

They all stomp as they say their letters until they all shout at the same time, "PARROTS!!" The whole cafeteria shouts cheers once they pose as these cheerleaders continue their rally.

They step dance in the center of the cafeteria, repeating "PARROTS!!" As they repeat PARROTS, the whole cafeteria starts following their rhythm as they shake to the floor with their arms down and raising both their butts and arms up. The girls cheer for them and the boys stare at them. I'm so shocked and disgusted that my lower lip drops.

What...in the world.

They usually just do cartwheels, splits, flips and their lame dances. But this is new. They've never step-danced before but shake their butts a little after doing helicopters on the field. For some reason, they did it more than ever before this time.

They do cartwheels to their opposite positions and stomp really hard and pose. "PARROTS!!"

After their stunt, the whole cafeteria gives them a round of applause, even the cafeteria workers who were eavesdropping like secret agents. I just give them a straight face.

"Dang! Patt, you see them?! They were shaking their booties!" Bro excitedly reminds me how promiscuous they were being as we turn our backs toward them.

"Yeah, I saw. Never seen them do that before," I say, as I rapidly blink my eyes from that moment.

"Look, I get that popularity took your brother. You can't stay mad at that forever," he tells me.

"I'm not mad about that at all. I just don't care about the games. So, what they're having their second away game this year?"

"I get it. I know that your birthday is coming up on Tuesday." He grins.

"But...." Knowing he hasn't gotten me anything yet, which doesn't really matter if he got me something or not. I got him, Shortcake and Gracie.

"I'm still trying to figure that out. I'm not good with picking out gifts," he tells me. The last gift he gave me and Matt were Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. Matt hasn't touched them, but I played them with bro on Day A's during lunch sometimes, then I forget to bring them.

"Look, bro, it's okay. You can just come over for a small party with me, Shortcake, Gracie and Matt, you can bring your friends from Anime Club and other classes if you want." The only people I won't be inviting are the cheerleaders because I don't want drama to my party.