Part 7

Bibi drove like a maniac to Xzavier’s house. He lived in a quiet neighborhood on the north side of town and she tore through the streets like the she had just robbed a bank. She parked horribly (the front wheels on the curb and the back wheels two feet away from it) and slammed the car door harder than necessary in her haste.

She had long ago taken off her shoes to drive and had shimmied out of her tights at a red light when they became too bothersome. So she made her way, barefoot, into the side yard. She gathered some small pebbles and, heart pounding, threw one at what she knew to be Xzavier’s second-story bedroom window. The light was on in his room but she couldn’t tell if he was in it or not. She threw another pebble, slightly harder this time.

A boy’s curly head popped out of the open window.

“Let down your hair!” Bibi called. Her palms were slick with sweat.

“Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!” Xzavier shouted back. Then his head disappeared.

Bibi stared at his bedroom window as the light went out. The rest of the house was dark and silent. She looked down at her slightly grubby bare feet and wondered if this was Xzavier’s way of refusing her.

“Sorry,” Xzavier stepped out the back door and joined Bibi on the lawn. He was wearing blue pajama bottoms and a worn t-shirt, sneakers shoved on his feet. She suddenly felt extremely over-dressed.

“It’s okay.” With every fiber of her being Bibi wished she had a piece of gum to calm her nerves. She hadn’t had one all night and it was now catching up to her. She was such an addict.

“So, you found out, huh?” Half of Xzavier’s face was in shadow, making his short, curly hair seem darker. Bibi felt like they were having an illegal meeting.

“Yes.” She met his eyes defiantly. “That was a very sweet thing you did.”

Xzavier held her gaze and took another step closer. He gently put a hand on her cheek, half-cupping her face. “Anything.” His voice cracked and a light blush stained his cheeks but he stood his ground. He cleared his throat. “Anything for you.”

Bibi had never seen Xzavier so vulnerable; it just made him all the more appealing. And then she suddenly realized it had been Xzavier all along. Xzavier was the one who teased her, who made her laugh, who was there for her when she was feeling down.

The words tumbled from Bibi’s mouth, sweet as honey. “You’re my Prince Charming.” And then she kissed him.

*

Bibi and Xzavier were sitting together on the couch, watching a movie, when they heard the loud slam of a car door. Raised voices, clearly heard through the thin living room walls, followed.

“I just don’t understand how it got so out of hand!” Ailia said, plainly distressed and slightly annoyed.

“Just help him out of the car.” Zaiden ordered.

There was the noise of someone opening a car door, followed by pitiful groaning.

“He’s so heavy!” Ailia sounded as if she was being crushed.

“Give him here.” Zaiden said.

More groaning, followed by an oomph!

“You dropped him.” Ailia pointed out.

“I’m aware of that.” Zaiden said bluntly.

There was some huffing and puffing as well as some muttered words about diets and common sense and then the front door flew open. Zaiden came in first, followed by Bernard –head lolling and barely conscious –whose arms were around both Zaiden and Ailia’s shoulders. Ailia, panting, brought up the rear.

“Bernard!” Bibi gasped, leaping up and going to help her brother.

With Zaiden’s assistance, they managed to get him to the couch. Ailia sat in the chair adjacent to it.

“What happened?” Asked Xzavier. All four teenagers stared at the figure on the sofa.

Bernard looked, in a word, rough. He was sporting two black eyes, his cheek was beginning to turn purple, and his lip was bleeding onto his white dress shirt. Also, he had grass stains all over from the faceplant he had just taken in the front yard.

“He got beat up.” Zaiden said simply.

“Obviously.” Xzavier responded.

“But how?” Bibi interrupted.

Zaiden scratched the back of his head. The collar of his shirt was askew and he had what looked like pink lipstick on his neck. Bibi glanced over at Ailia and saw that her lips were smudged. Figures.

“He got in a fight.” Zaiden finally said. “Because he was trying to dance with this girl and her boyfriend got all mad. Then, I guess the boyfriend was too rough with the girl, or something? Because, next thing we know Bernard has his ‘angry face’ on and is talking to the boyfriend all hushed. Then the boyfriend gets mad and throws a punch at Bernard. He blocked it,” Zaiden added hurriedly, seeing Bibi’s horrified expression, “but the punches just kept coming and Bernard got into it and started yelling stuff about ‘how to treat women’ and eventually these big bouncer guys had to come and, uh, we got kicked out.”

Ailia shot him a look and he quickly corrected, “Well, Bernard got kicked out and when we said we were with him we got kicked out too. Also, I think we were blacklisted, cause they took our picture. So, I guess we’re not going to the ball next year.”

He looked at Ailia, as if asking if he left anything out. She still seemed miffed.

“Was the girl a pretty blonde?” Bibi asked, moving closer to Bernard and inspecting his injuries. “Xzav, could you please get me a first-aid kit?” Xzavier nodded and disappeared upstairs.

Zaiden thought for a minute. “Uh, yeah I think so.”

Bibi sighed and accepted the kit from Xzavier. “I should’ve warned him.” She mumbled, lifting up Bernard’s shirt. There was only one bruise there, just over his left ribs. She began to dap at his lip with a cotton ball.

“So what happened here?” Zaiden waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Bibi decided not to give in to his insinuations. She look at Xzavier, shrugged, and said to Zaiden, “Nothing much.”

Xzavier nodded his agreement.

Zaiden seemed disappointed.

Bibi patched Bernard up and they all watched television while waiting for him to regain full consciousness. Finally, he groaned loudly and sat straight up. He stared around, bewildered. All four teenagers stared back, wide-eyed.

“Is the ball over?” He asked stupidly.

“Well, it did end at midnight and,” Xzavier checked his watch, “it’s two in the morning.”

“Lovely.” Bernard swung his feet over the couch so he was sitting up. The movement seemed to hurt him because he moaned and touched a hand to his head, which made him moan louder.

“You are the wimpiest soldier I have ever met.” Bibi said to him.

Bernard gave a grimace/smile. “And don’t you forget it.”

Ailia had to grin. She had been very put out when they were kicked out of the ball in front of everyone for fighting of all things, but now she was starting to see the humor in the situation.

Suddenly, a shrill ringing filled the room, making everyone except Bernard jump. He simply reached into his pants’ pocket and brought out his cell phone, which he answered with a “’Llo?”

A broad smile filled his face and he seemed to sit up straighter. “Lauren? It’s great to talk to you! Yeah, I’m doing okay, just a few bruises.”

Bibi snorted. She and Xzavier were sitting on the floor since Bernard had previously been hogging the couch. Xzavier discreetly tangled his fingers with her’s.

“Dinner? Of course I’d love to! I’ll call you tomorrow, or, I guess, today and set up the time. That sound good? Great! It was cool talking to you. Bye.” Bernard closed the phone and announced, “And that, boys, is how it’s done.”

“Is Lauren the girl you were dancing with?” Ailia asked curiously. She was still in the large chair, Zaiden perched on one of the arms.

“The very same.” Bernard said proudly.

“Didn’t her boyfriend beat you up, though?” Bibi reminded him.

Bernard waved a hand, dismissing the information as petty. “She broke up with him because he was too violent. By the way, was I knocked out because of him?”

All of them nodded. Bernard looked slightly disappointed but said brightly, “At least I had the common sense to slip her my number.”

Bibi shook her head. “You amaze me.”

Zaiden agreed. “Yeah, rea- Hey! Something did happen with you guys!” He jumped up and pointed to Xzavier and Bibi’s hands excitedly. “I knew it! I knew it!”

“You knew nothing.” Xzavier denied. His cheeks were pink but he seemed somewhat pleased.

“I so did! Didn’t I, Princess?” Zaiden turned to Ailia, who was –for some odd reason –smirking. Bibi couldn’t remember the last time Ailia had looked that devious.

“Sorry, but I called it.” Ailia held out her hands and looked from Bernard to Zaiden. “Now pay up.”

Both boys grumbled but reached into their pockets for their wallets anyway.

“How am I looking, by the way?” Bernard asked out of the blue after he had handed Ailia the five.

“Not so good.” Bibi said honestly. Bernard went down the hall to check for himself.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Zaiden leaned down close to Bibi and Xzavier and whispered, “How do you think his date with Lauren is gonna go? Five bucks says she kicks him to the curb before their main course arrives.”

“Nah,” said Xzavier. “I bet he’ll make it at least to dessert.”

“I give them at least a week.” Bibi said.

“I think he’ll be the one to break up with her.” Ailia announced. No one had the heart to disagree with her.

The End

*

Well, it's done. My story is over *sob*. I love this tale to be honest, and I thank everyone who has read it. It means so much to me when others enjoy reading my stories as much as I love writing them. I'd appreciate a vote or comment if you'd like and special thanks go out to anyone who has believed in this little tale from the beginning. Thank you <3

 ~Tippy