Chapter Ten

On Saturday, Dustin and I were washing the dishes when we heard a phone ping.

"Is that your phone?" we asked at the same time.

It pinged again.

"Oh, it's yours." Dustin said, just as I said, "it's mine."

I dried my hands on my apron and let Dustin continue with the dishes. My parents went to see a friend of theirs who just delivered a baby. I didn't want to go because, I'll be tempted to carry the baby and I want to avoid after I almost broke my baby cousin's unstable head. They promised to take videos and pictures for me though.

"I'll go check who it is."

I walked to the parlor where my phone was charging and unplugged it. The moment the charger was removed from the phone, the phone automatically turned on and I saw it was a message from Clark.

Clark

Hey, it's Clark.

Clark

Uh, can you meet us at the diner close to our school?

Us?

Who's us?

Oh and I changed his name back to just Clark.

Me

Why? Is anything wrong?

I didn't ask him who is 'Us' though. I think I already know who they are.

Clark

Nah!

Clark

There is something we want to discuss with you

Clark

Is all

Clark

So are you coming?

I thought for a while.

Me

Sure. But I am bringing my best friend

He replied in an instant.

Clark

Sure whatever

Clark

Just come

I turned off my phone and went to the kitchen.

Dustin was already done with the dishes and he was cleaning the worktops.

"Hey, do you wanna go to Monty's?"

"Sure. Lemme just wear a shirt."

"Okay."

While he went upstairs, I walked to the sink and saw that some of the plates he left to dry on the top were either still oily or not washed properly.

I guess I have dishes to wash when I get back.

"Alright I'm ready. Let's go."

I unplugged my phone and sent a message to Clark.

Me

We'll be there in sec

-*-

The moment Dustin and I entered the diner, we saw Clark. With three other people. They were sitted in a booth beside the window.

His friends. Caesar, Fred and Jayden.

"Oh man. What did you do now, Trace?" Dustin hissed inside my ear.

We made our way to where they were sitted and saw each of them nursing a drink.

"Hi." I said waving my hand in a weird sort of way.

"'Sup?" Fred said. The others only looked at me.

"Uh, I'm gonna go over there, where the tension isn't cutable." Dustin piped up. I mentally rolled my eyes.

Trust Dustin to be the tension breaker.

The minute he left, I wish he hadn't. I don't know these boys. For all I know, they might be drug dealers(there is a black amongst them) or worse, madams in a prostitute business(there is a red head amongst them).

"Hi." I said forgetting I had greeted them earlier.

"Hey. You greeted us earlier." Clark said.

"Please young beauty, sit." Fred said pointing to where a chair was supposed to be.

I looked around and took an empty seat from one of the empty tables around.

"So what is it you wanna talk to me about?"

"Is he your boyfriend, uh, what's his name?" Fred asked from nowhere.

"What? Who? Dustin?"

"Yes Dust-in. Are you guys like dating?"

"Ew. Gross. No. That's like dating a slobbery dog. We are just friends. Really close friends. Why would you even think that he and I are dating?"

"You are always together."

"You are always with your friends and you don't asking if you are four-ples."

"True that." Clark said.

"Was that why you called me here? To ask a question you could have texted?"

"Actually, no." Clark said then motioned to Caesar to talk. From the jaw set of the blond boy, it seemed like he was having a conversation with the brunet boy opposite him. After about 4 silent minutes, Caesar finally blinked and rolled his eyes before facing me.

"We know, you know."

"Know what?"

I'm confused.

Caesar sighed again before rephrasing:

"We know, you know that we are still virgins."

My eyes widened.

"How are you sure it was me?"

"I saw you." Jayden piped up.

"It could have been anybody you saw. I'm not the only brown haired girl in school you know."

"The back of your jeans had an ink stain. I've seen that jeans on you before. And you are the only one who has that type of jeans."

Drat my choice of jeans.

"Okay, so you know. What are you going to do about it? Report me to your parents or school authorities? I have the freedom to hear whatever I want to hear."

Clark rolled his eyes.

"We know Margaret Tacha. But we might consider," he stopped to use his thumb to slice his neck in a melodramatic way.

I gulped.

They were going to kill me.

I couldn't help it,

"Please don't kill me. I'm poor, my dad's poor, my mom's poor. My grandparents were shoe shiners for the presidents. But you can take everything I own. Even Dustin. You could be a five-ple."

Fred and Clark laughed. Caesar only raised an eyebrow an Jayden hid a smile.

"First of all, we are virgins not virgin murderers. Second of all, I so doubt that your grandparents were shoe shiners. Third of all, we don't care for your valuables and fourth of all, we just want to make sure you don't tell anybody." Jayden said

"So you won't kill me?"

"We might consider–" Clark stopped when Caesar reached across the table to whack him. "Just kidding. No we won't."

"Alright, I won't tell anyone."

"No. You have to swear it." Jayden said.

"Yeah. Captain Man and Kid Danger swear it." Fred added.

The four boys looked at him.

"You are still watching Nickelodeon?" Clark asked.

"You said you were over it." Jayden added.

"You even made fun of the station." Caesar said with a small frown highlighting his face.

"I have a little brother remember? What choice do I have?"

"Watch Netflix on your phone."

"But they still show some Nickelodeon there. I'll be tempted. It's not easy to throw away something you are addicted to. It's like being addicted to sweets or TV."

"I know what you mean."

"See, she gets it."

"Wait, can I tell Dustin? I mean, he's my best friend and all."

"No." Fred barked, scaring not only me but the scanty people in the building. "You cannot tell anyone. You have to swear it. Lie if you have to but don't tell him. "

"Okay. Fine. Sheesh. I swear it."

"No. Say," he stopped to think then smiled and clicked his thumb and index finger together. "I'll rather have a chainsaw shoved up my ass."

"What?"

"Enough with your ideas from TV, man." Clark said.

"Yeah. It's already old." Jayden added.

"Whatever. Say it."

"I'll rather go to bed than say that. Can't I just say, cross my heart and hope to die."

"No, even little kids don't take that swear seriously."

"I'm religious."

"Then swear on the Bible." Caesar suggested.

"That's insultive. And my parents told me to never swear with the Bible or Qur'an."

"Would you rather do the Captain Man and Kid Danger swear?"

"What's the Captain Man and Kid Danger swear?"

Fred, Clark and Jayden gave me wide eyes.

"Only the best swear in the world. It's like saying a pledge only it's wickedly childish." Caesar said giving me a skeptical look.

Okay, I'm just gonna say it. It's weird seeing Caesar with emotions on his face rather than a blank, bored look.

"Say it then. And I'll repeat it."

"I, Tracy Bouts, pledge to never, ever, ever tell anyone that Caesar Brown, Fred Meyer, Clark Colin and Jayden Crown are virgins. Can you also please forget an ever. Thanks." Fred said.

I only gave them a confused look.

"I, Tracy Bouts, pledge to never, ever tell anyone that Caesar Brown, Fred Meyer, Clark Colin and Jayden Crown are virgins."

"You forgot an 'ever'."

"Ever."

"It is done." Clark said.

"That was something I'll never forget." I said standing up. Dustin was already coming.

"While you are at it, can you also read this. Tell us what you think on Monday." Fred said.

Jayden dug into his bag(he was the only one with a back strap) and brought out at least a 3 page file.

"Wow. Uh, sure."

"Thanks. Waiter, our check please."

Just at that moment, Dustin came.

"You ready?"

I nodded in affirmation.

-*-