LATER THAT NIGHT
"How bout a movie?" Nick asked.
"Nah, don't feel like it," Ananda answered him.
"Dinner?"
"No."
"Shopping?"
"Mmm. No thanks."
"Clubbing?"
"Uh-uh."
"Okay, what's wrong?" Nick's voice was exasperated over the phone line.
"Nothing," Ananda lied.
"Bullcrap."
"Why is it bullcrap? I don't feel like being social tonight." Ananda sat in her room, leaning against a giant teddy bear Nick had bought her for her 15th birthday and watching TRL.
"More bullcrap. I know you. If you don't feel like shopping or clubbing, something has to be wrong."
"Nothing's wrong Nick... Oh guess who's number one again?" She gazed at the TV as Larger Than Life started playing on the screen.
"Don't change the subject on me." Nick's voice was sharp.
"Sorry."
"Well what do you want to do tonight?"
"Mmmm..." Ananda trailed off as she watched Nick dancing in his little robot-outfit-thing.
"You're not even paying attention to me!" Nick whined.
"Sorry. I was paying attention to how hot you look in that video."
"Stop saying sorry!"
"Sorry," Ananda apologized, then burst into giggles when she realized what she'd done. She could hear Nick laughing on the other end of the line too... which was a good sign considering the mood he seemed to be in. "Look, why don't you just come over and we can go for a walk or something?"
"Okay. I'll be there in a few. Love ya."
"Love you too. Bye."
"Bye."
Ananda hung up the phone, grabbed a book on ancient Egypt, and stretched out on the floor to wait for Nick.
*****
Domingo flung himself down on the couch in Stacy's living room. "What a bitch!"
"Sssh!" Stacy hissed. "My mom is still here, in case you've forgotten."
Joe, Dalila, Stacy, Craig, and Domingo were all gathered at Stacy's house.
"I know that," Domingo replied sullenly.
Dalila sat in a chair, twisting a long strand of blue hair. "You guys, I do feel kinda bad about what we did."
"Oh shut up," Stacy snapped. "Her problem is that she's too good for her own good. We were doing her a favor."
"That's bullcrap and you know it - you were supposed to be her best freind out of all of us, Stace, listen to you."
"Please," Stacy muttered.
"Calm down, both of ya'll," Joe snapped.
"No wait, Stace's right." Craig joined the conversation. "I mean I even called her up and apologized, and she's still acting like none of us exist."
"She needs to learn a lesson," Domingo muttered.
Everyone turned to him as he rose from the couch.
"Domingo Cruz, where are you going?" Dalila asked.
Domingo scoffed. "She needs to learn a lesson."
"What are you going to do?" Joe asked.
Domingo told them.
Stacy's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh Domingo, don't-"
But he was already gone and out the door.
