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I own nothing related to Bowling for Soup, Gwen Stefani, or Fall Out Boy. (As far al copyrights and other legal shit goes.)
“Shake that thing James!” she joked as she and Henry watched from the couch. James started doing a very bad imitation of the hula, made even more comical by the fact he was dancing to a rock song. Amy walked through the living room at that moment, and paused, looking more than slightly disturbed. The blond boy waved at her and she seemed to back away slightly before moving on to the kitchen.
“Mom, Rebecca’s friend is weird!” Amy called ahead of her, making her little sister laugh.
“So what’s your mom going to do with the puppies and Peanut while she’s at the Road of Lights?” James asked taking a seat next to Henry on the armrest of the couch.
“She decided on taking them all with her. I still say they’re going to pee on the seats.”
“Probably,” agreed Rebecca.
“Rebecca, would you please turn off such vulgar music?” Rebecca made a claw with her hand as her Aunt Margaret stood in front of the mirror hanging in the walkway of the living room, putting on her earrings.
“It’s not vulgar music,” the teenage girl insisted. “It’s good music. Bowling for Soup is a good band, just like Fall Out Boy!”
“Yeah it is,” said James nodding his head enthusiastically. “They’re an awesome band!”
“Their songs contain swearing and speak of sex,” Aunt Margaret scoffed. “And what kind of name is ‘Bowling for Soup’? Obviously they have no creativity, and their songs are so negative! High school is not as bad as they make it sound, and neither is the rest of the world!”
“Their songs aren’t negative at all.” Henry finally spoke up for the first time since his girlfriend’s aunt entered the room. “They’re actually rather comical if you listen closely.” He was using his more refined vocabulary usually reserved for unfamiliar adults.
Aunt Margaret eyed him like a hawk sizing up a rabbit. She remembered what her sister had told her about this boy. He wasn’t straight at all, and was two-timing! Then again, if what Cindy said was true about Rebecca’s behavior, then it was actually a fitting punishment.
“Hey Rebecca, do you have any Gwen Stefani?” asked James rocking back and forth on his toes.
“Um, I have few songs I downloaded.” she answered, already getting up to fetch her CD book from off the top of the TV.
“Which ones?”
“Let’s see,” Rebecca flipped through the pages. “That’s not it, that’s not it; I’ve been looking for that one. Hah! Found it. I have Holla Back Girl, Sweet Escape, Rich Girl, Wind It Up, and Cool.”
“Did I hear someone say Gwen Stefani?” Amy popped her head out of the kitchen, still chewing on part of her ham sandwich.
“Yeah, we’re going to listen to it, I think,” said Henry, watching as James and Rebecca flipped through the CD case, commenting on the music.
Amy rushed over to the pair, grabbed the book, whipped out the Gwen Stefani CD, and replaced the Bowling for Soup with it. Seconds later Holla Back Girl was blaring out of the speakers so loudly that Henry, who was across the room from the CD player, had to resist the urge to cover his ears. He also had to resist the urge to gorge his eyes out when Amy started dancing…terribly.
“Then she was all ‘no you didn’t’ and I was all, ‘yeah I did’ and then she pushed me off the desk. So, that’s the story of how I got five bruises from Rebecca in one class period.” James suddenly started rocking side to side, no doubt trying to think of some other stories to tell.
“Rebecca, you pushed him off a desk?! You could have hurt him!” her mother reprimanded turning around in the drivers seat.
“He only fell like three inches,” Rebecca protested. “James was already pretty much standing up.”
“Still, it only takes one wrong landing to hurt you.”
“Mom, just watch the road.”
“He was fine Mrs. Leeman,” said Henry. “James is sturdier than he looks.”
James snickered, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. “You two would know all about how sturdy I am now wouldn’t you?” In return he was elbowed simultaneously by the other two teenagers in the back seat. Rebecca sent him a glare, plainly stating “shut up or die”. Henry opened his mouth to break up the minor disagreement, but he was beaten to it.
“Okay, everybody be quiet while Grandma finds the Light’s radio channel.” Mrs. Leeman’s command immediately put an end to any and all talk in the vehicle. Grandma tuned the car radio until she found the right station: 91.3 AM.(1) Rebecca flinched as a recording of “Jingle Bells” from the 80’s poured through the speaker. Amy on the other hand began to sing along, as well as Aunt Margaret. Once she had paid the admission fee, Mrs. Leeman joined in.
“C’mon you three, sing with us,” she insisted. “Jingle Bells, jingle bells!” As the car drove through the unlighted area before the Road of Lights began, Henry pressed his face against the cool window, not caring it would most likely leave smudge marks. Aunt Margaret, who was easily the worst singer out of them all, had amplified her volume enough to actually drown out the radio. The woman was worse than James had been at the scrapbook party.
“Me thinks I’ll pass,” Rebecca declined, unbuckling her seatbelt. She pulled off her sneakers and crouched in the seat, looking out the window at the light sculptures that passed by. Soon James had his chin resting on her shoulder as he looked too. Rebecca shrugged her shoulder, hoping the blond would take the hint and move but he didn’t. Out of the corner of her eye she glanced at her family members. They all thought Henry was her boyfriend, not James. Her aunt firmly believed a girl should not allow a boy to touch her unless they were dating, and if she noticed, her aunt was sure to blow it out of proportion when reporting it to Rebecca’s mother.
“James,” she hissed, “get off my shoulder.”
“Why?” he asked.
“Just do it please, I’ll tell you when we get home okay.”
James stopped leaning on her, though albeit a little reluctantly. He instead watched out the rear window, ensuring he could see on both sides.
“Looky Henry!” he said, tugging on the others sweater. “They put your cousin in the Road of Lights!” James pointed in the direction of the glowing Puss in Boots.
“Nah, I’d say he’s my fourth or fifth cousin, twice removed on my great Aunt Joey’s side.” Henry responded, deciding to play along.
“Aunt Joey?” asked Rebecca.
“Josephine.”
“Oh, just checking.”
“It always is,” Henry pointed out. “Seems like every year something cooler gets added to the Road of Lights.”
James had no comment to add and merely yawned. “M’ sleepy,” mumbled.
“When’s your mom coming to pick you up?” asked the only girl in the room.
“She said like around five-thirtyish. I think. I’m not sure. What?” Henry and Rebecca were both giving him a ‘you’re an idiot’ look. “I’ll go call, sheesh.” James got up and meandered to the kitchen, ruffling Henry’s hair as he passed.
Mrs. Leeman’s critical eye followed him into the kitchen as she passed the blond on her way to the staircase on the other side of the livingroom. “Hello,” James said pleasantly as he passed. The woman was surprised at how civil he was nothing at all like Rebecca, who would just as soon ignore you completely. Maybe he wasn’t such a bad boy after all…if you ignored the fact that he was the boy her daughter’s boyfriend was cheating on her with. How was Rebecca even friends with that little worm?
Henry was trying to un-mess his hair as James called his mom's cell phone. Rebecca watched him for a moment, before grabbing her brush off the nearby lamp table and brushing his hair.
"Ow, ow! Knock it off Rebecca! It hurts!"
"It would hurt so much if you just stayed still!"
"I can't help it. Your pulling too hard!"
"Oh suck it up, and take it like a man Henry! My Grandma pulls harder than I do, you should be thankful."
During the time it took for Rebecca to brush out Henrys hair, James finished his call and became a spectator. When their girlfriend was finished, James leaned over and kissed the top of Henry's head. The older boy swatted him away.
"Knock it off," he huffed.
James shrugged. "Oh well, I guess I'll give all my kissies to 'Becca!"
"Ack, James!" Rebecca laughed as the blond tried unsuccessfully to kiss her on the cheek. She leaned out of his way and pushed his head back slightly. "Seriously, Henry's right, you need to knock it off."
However, James did not take the bit of advice thrown in his direction, and instead kissed them each on the lips in turn.
"Rebecca, what are youu three up to?" yelled her mother from the laundry room at the top of the stairs.
"Nothing!" all three teenagers chorused back, smiling.
Well folks, this is the end. It took us nine chapters, plotlessness, unreliable updates, and a bunch of tea, but we're here.
I would like to thank the following people for reviewing: Kahaku Cho, Uadea U Ja, magalinal, givelifeyourall, Fei, and fancy feet.
A huge thanks goes to LooneyKitty for being a faithful reviewer and for her gorgeous fanart. She was there all the way!
I have a sequel coming up, it should be out in April or May. But I want to know, would you rather have the sequal or another story? Check out my profile for more info., I should have some more summaries up pretty soon.
It's been a blast, see you next time! (I feel like a talk show host. --U)