Chapter Text
Jealousy
The night felt like a buzz with clamor and music from the 'Armslegnth Dance' coming from Diorama Elementary school. At least thats how it felt on the outside as Stephanie Putty and her father sang together as she played an original song of hers. It sounded like everyone inside was having as good of a time as they were.
Unfortunately on the inside of the school most everyone was quiet, save the teachers gossiping and the music. The boys and girls that made dates for the dance mostly did so out of obligation, so not to appear as a loser who couldn't get a date. They awkwardly danced with miffed expressions. Except for one couple...Of course that couple being Orel Puppington and Christina Posabule. The Romeo and Juliet of Moralton. They even gave each other a tight embrace while dancing...something unheard of during the so called 'Armslegnth Dance'.
The two shared a lot in common and cared very much for eachother, it was a natural and easy relationship to have instinctually. The only barrier being their families intolerance for the different Christian doctrines they were in. Orel promised himself and to Christina that he'd never let that get in the way of their friendship.
From afar was Doughy Latchkey who had been dancing with Noname Whocares, she was quite unpleasant and shared little in common with him. Doughy had stationed himself near the punch bowl refilling his cup as he watched Orel with his partner. Doughy was at first happy that his friend scored a date to the dance, he thought maybe he'd bring Marionetta. Much to his surprise Orel brought some out of towner girl.
There was something about her that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
While the couple held eachother Doughy sipped from his cup of juice. Something stewed inside him...Some form of jealousy. Not too different from a couple weeks earlier with Orel's dad about that hunting trip. Orel's father manipulating both of them somehow worked to make Orel's technique at shooting much better. Doughy was still trying to get over that stunt, he knew he was being a bad friend but didn't care doing so and now Orel didn't only just have a mom and dad who loved him. He also had a girl....who was a friend?
Doughy was feeling cheated. Why did Orel have a family who cared, why did Orel have a girl?
What am I doing wrong?! Doughy screamed inside his head, his eyes dropping to the ground as if wanting to be enveloped by hell.
Doughy deeply breathed to calm his mood, the dance was ending. This was his time he could try and spend with Orel.
Doughy walked to the loving couple with little care at first but getting closer and closer, he looked at Christina and his heart jumped. He stopped in his tracks. It was 'love at first sight' you could say. Before Orel and Christina could notice Doughy was right in front of them.
"Hey Orel!" Doughy said with a smile.
"Hey Doughy I didn't see you there!" Orel looked to his friend while Christina stood and smiled respectfully as the two friends greeted each other.
"So whose your lady friend?" Doughy said in a nonchalant friendly manner. Meanwhile his heart was pounding harder than it ever had.
"Oh! This is Christina. I met her a few months ago." Orel gestured his hands towards Christina.
"Nice to know you, Doughy." Christina said with a kind look, and gave a curtsey. She then looked over to Orel and asked: "This is your best friend, right?"
"Yup!" Orel said with no hesitation, grinning ear to ear.
"We are-? I mean yeah I'm his best friend!" Doughy said with slight hesitation remembering the whole manipulation with Clay. He thought maybe he and Orel would be lesser friends because of all that but for some reason Orel viewed him the same as ever.
"Me and Christina were going take a trip after the dance to 'Inspirational Point' you wanna tag along?" Orel asked, Christina smiled and noted his care towards his friend.
"Inspirational Point? Why?" Doughy knew that place...His parents would go up there a lot leaving him alone. That's the place where couples would go and 'make love' or have sex in layman's terms. Doughy was put off that Orel would invite him to tag alongside Christina to that scandalous location.
"Yeah I mean...Why not? My parents aren't expecting me back until later." Orel said still not really understanding the point of 'Inspirational Point'.
"U-um...A-a-a-right! I'll tag along!" Doughy didn't understand Orel's intentions. Either way he'd be able to spend time with Orel and waste time until his parents were passed out so he could go to sleep in his bedroom rather than outside as he often had to, as he was forced to stay out of the house while his parents were in the middle of romancing.
-
Doughy, Orel and Christina left the school and said their goodbyes to reverend Putty and they started off to the destination.
"So how was your date Doughy?" Orel obliviously asked since he had been solely focused on Christina during the entire event.
"Oh...Um? I forgot...Nothing really to say about that." Doughy tried to recall his time with the girl but found no words to accurately describe the ordeal. A girl had approached him before the dance and he accepted. Simple as that. No love story there. A one and done show to please whoever had been watching them. No real connection whatsoever.
Christina sensing Doughy's sadness changed the topic: "Doughy what do you boys like to do together?"
"Uh... I guess we like to play soft ball every now and then." said with little confidence. As Doughy finished his sentence Orel chimed in and began to list every little interest and hobby Doughy and him partook in with no hint of shyness at all.
Christina noticed Doughy's dejected nature and decidied to play upon that for his sake.
"I've never even played soft ball before! Daddy said thats just for boys! Maybe you'd teach me how to play with Doughy, Orel?" Christina asked with a warm smile, genuinely trying to please Orel and his friend, plus she could use a new fun game in her repertoire to maybe tame her fake younger brother, Shapey, who had been quietly swapped months ago with her actual younger brother, Block.
Doughy walked silently as he grasped on to the interactions between Orel and Christina.
CHAPTER 2
Doughy, Orel and Christina sat in the grass where the loving couple had prayed the Lord's Prayer months ago. Doughy had been expecting some sort of "spectacle" since they were at 'Inspirational point' surprisingly all they had been doing was looking up at the stars and engaging in small talk. To Doughy this was a place of sin and supposedly excitement, contrast to them, this was a place of love and care, though one could say they too, felt excitement here in disobeying their parents wishes, especially Christina since her father actively witnessed Orel trying to talk to Christina recently.
Christina tried to get a feel for who Doughy was since she intended to spend a lot more time with Orel. She felt it was important to connect with his best friend, Doughy.
"So Doughy! Orel tells me you taught him how to be a good shot on a gun how did you learn that?"
Doughy blushed and cringed once again recalling the whole manipulation. He had no trick or technique. It was just something that came natural to him, For whatever reason Orel found shooting a gun to be a problem that he needed to practice it. Doughy would have bragged about the situation to Christina, had it not been for the barely healed wounds.
He reluctantly remembered the advice he indirectly gave to Orel, the words whispered in his head like some sort of lost dream.
-
"No one cares. Nothing you do ever means anything. You are totally invisible." Something along those lines...
-
Doughy snapped out of his stupor. He didn't want to seem like a depressing slouch to Christina, and he'd rather not gloat next to Orel, since Orel apparently felt some sort of gratitude strangely enough by telling Christina, he had been the one to help Orel's aim "Well I guess the best way to put is to not care about what others are thinking or saying around you."
"Whats it like shooting a gun, Orel? I've never even held one!" Christina asked cheerfully not even really grasping the weight of what a gun could do to something or someone. Orel responded in his own blundering way:
"Oh! Its like...hmm, Kinda like throwing a ball as hard as you can? Maybe Doughy can describe it better?" Orel asked his friend.
Doughy looked over the hill thinking about the time he had his chance at using Clay's weapon. He smiled and then sighed with shame and ego. "Its like being God. Its like having power, the most power you've ever had in your life."
Orel and Christina looked at each other then gave Doughy a glance filled with confusion. Christina's look turned to one of seemingly righteous rage and was quick to call out Doughy's blasphemous statement. "Doughy, you can't feel like God. You don't know what that's like! How does shooting a gun feel like being God?"
Doughy getting lost in the stars hardly registered his answer and Christina's comment, he calmly looked over to Christina and said nothing. He was too happy with being among friends and talking with them. The feeling of being apart...If there was conflict going on he was ignoring it in favor of the peace he was experiencing.
"Christina, I don't think Doughy was trying to say he was God...He just meant he felt like...." Orel attempted finding the words to defend Doughy but realized he was just as offended by Doughy's statement. Christina steeled herself from her initial anger at Doughy for the sake of appearing more tolerant/accepting towards Orel and people in general...as their parents were far less accepting, she didn't want to be more of the same as them. She cringed at herself for being so quick to judge Doughy, remembering how quick it was for Orel's and her parents were to turn on each other.
"I-I'm sorry I didn't understand what you meant, Doughy...but you shouldn't use God's name like that." Christina calmed her rage and instead offered a more sensitive demeanor.
Doughy ignored the comments and looked closer at Christina, seeing only her beauty and little else.
"Oh right...Sorry that was rude of me!" Doughy apologized ignorantly "I just meant the power behind shooting a gun is like being in control I guess."
"That makes more sense." Christina sighed in relief that her potential partner's best friend didn't have some sort of God complex or anything.
"We should get back home, Doughy. But lets get Christina back home together!" Orel chimed in to shift the awkward conversation...and it was getting late, surely his and Christina's parents were getting worried, at least thats what he thought with his parents...Doughy, his best friend however...
There was that whole thing with Ms. Sculptham manipulating Doughy, only to get her all those grandiose gifts. Worse yet Orel with the horribly sexist advice he had recieved from his mother, told Doughy to manipulate Mr. Cecil Creepler into giving Doughy gifts to give Ms. Sculptham. As months went by from that incident Orel saw it for what it all was. A desperate cry of help coming from his best friend
Orel would often have to deny Doughy from hanging out with him for one reason or another. Guilt would set in knowing Doughy's parents weren't like his.
A lot of times Doughy felt the need to manipulate Orel with his overly depressed voice to garner sympathy and for many years it unwittingly worked...These days it was working less and less. Orel didn't like to cave in, just as Doughy had to Ms. Sculptham. Orel prayed it would give him some sort of guidance that it wasn't the right thing to do, to get what you wanted. Sadly it worked with little success, but Orel was loyal to his friend and he'd help him in anyway he saw truly appropriate.
Then just very recently did Orel learn from Stephanie Putty her past with Karl and Kim Latchkey. That they had ditched Stephanie at the dance and laughed in her face.
Orel upon seeing Doughy at the Armslegnth dance and having a forgettable time with his respective date pulled at Orel's heart and decided last minute he better invite his best friend with Christina and try his best to be better than Karl and Kim were...Maybe if Kim had just actually befriended Stephanie with Karl rather than having an exclusive relationship, they'd all still be friends...Orel childishly thought the whole experience was still all about friendship and caring for your fellow person rather than just weird sick lustful advances.
Maybe Stephanie left out the more adult parts of the story, not wanting to completely destroy the boy's perception on humanity, friends or love and all that weird junk.
Orel happily held Christina's hand as Doughy walked behind them...Suddenly it had occurred to him, something that his dad often told him.
-
"You are a third wheel!"
-
That expression was lost on him for the longest time, he always wanted to ask what that meant to his dad, before being tossed outside. Not really understanding why his dad was seemingly jealous of any interaction he gave to his mom. But now it had become clear to him.
Doughy who had been trailing his two friends looked down at Orel and Christina holding hands and whispered: "Oh..so that's what he meant..."
CHAPTER 3
After dropping Christina off at home and sneakily saying their goodbyes before a light turned on inside the Posabule household, with the shadow of Art Posabule lurking behind the curtains, Orel and Doughy made a small jog down the street and caught their breath. Doughy who had been mostly depressed over the night was getting his second wind now that Christina was gone. In hindsight this was one of the most exciting nights of his young life.
After the two got ahold of themselves they laughed in unison at how much fun it was to simply bring Christina back home. It was a long walk, and it felt scandalous. A subconscious need in every young boy's mind is to cause as much mayhem as you can. Even if that so called 'mayhem' is as tame as safely escorting a girl home.
Orel and Doughy continued out of Christina's town line small talking until Doughy finally asked: "How did you meet Christina, Orel? She's amazing. Nothing like the other girls in town!"
Orel blushed a little and went on to respond: "Her family was supposed to move in next to my house a few or so months back."
"So why is she all the way out here now?" Doughy asked.
"I'm not really sure honestly. I guess she doesn't believe in God the right way? Thats what my dad said anyway."
"How does she believe in God?" Doughy asked again.
"She forgives debtors instead of trespassers." Orel said nonchalantly.
"Wouldn't we forgive both or is that..." Doughy trailed off thinking that they being Christians were mostly obligated to forgive most any transgressor as it was Jesus Christ's way to forgive his enemies yadda yadda yadda.
"Well yeah, its just the word difference in the Lord's Prayer, we say 'forgive our trespassers' they say 'debtors'"
"Uh...Whats the big deal?"
"I guess it is to my and her parents who think it is. Reverend Putty didn't seem to mind me bringing her to the dance, and he was one of the people who said using that version of the prayer was going to send me to Hell."
"Well could you just add both debtors and trespassers just in case? I'd be upset if we didn't meet each other in heaven..."
"Hey that's a good idea I didn't think of that! Thanks for the idea Doughy!"
Doughy smiled outwardly at the praise for his simple solution and continued on with Orel. That is until finally reaching Doughy's so called 'home'. Orel and Doughy exchanged a knowing glance as Doughy walked up his stoop, before Orel could have the heart to say a formal goodbye he had to know if Doughy could get inside his house. Thankfully the house key was easy to find under the welcome mat but the door wasn't even locked to begin with. Doughy stepped inside and turned to Orel. At first he was going to say his usual solemn goodbye, but tonight was really nice, so he thanked Orel and smiled, and Orel said his goodbyes back. As Orel was about to walk off, Doughy stopped him mid departure and chimed: "Um Orel could I talk to you about something? Before you go?"
Orel relentended at first but gave in: "Sure, what is it Doughy?"
"I wanted to say sorry for trying to take your dad away last month." Doughy sincerely apoligized for his trangressions at last. Taking that weight off his shoulder was easier compared to the next bombshell he wanted to share.
"...Um Its okay Doughy I really didn't think of it like that." Orel accepted his apology before Doughy even had a chance to apologize. He knew how Doughy's family was, it was natural that Doughy would have attempted to pull a stunt like that.
"I don't think theres anything in the world that gives me more happiness than you, Orel." Doughy softly said as he lurched his head on a banister.
"Well of course! We're best friends! You give me a lot of happiness too!" Orel partly lied through his teeth. It wasn't in his nature to lie at all but he could see Doughy was at a breaking point. Orel held on to his friend's shoulder and smiled.
Perhaps puberty was setting in for everyone? Orel thought.
CHAPTER 4
A week had passed since Doughy had last heard from Orel, the night of the Armslegnth Dance. One of the last days of school in fact. Orel had been absent that last week of school. It wasn't in character for Orel to miss even a day of school let alone a whole week. The last week...
Doughy at first thought perhaps Orel's hunting trip with Clay had extended itself into the last days of school. But the very last day of school with no Orel in sight left Doughy in a bit of a panic.
Doughy attempted to point out Orel's extended absence as 'strange'. Ms. Sculptham shot down the question with little care: "If Puppington wants to miss school thats less work for me."
Joe Secondopinionson who had been daydreaming snapped out of his dream like state at the mention of Orel Puppington. He recently saw him on his trip to the hospital on an unrelated matter. Joe saw Orel and Clay exit the hospital. Orel had been in a wheelchair as his father, Clay wheeled him to his car.
Joe noticed the distress about Orel came from Doughy. Who was obviously upset about not seeing Orel in class.
Joe had learned some form of empathy the previous days leading up to this and decided to tell Doughy all that he knew about Orel's absence. What little he could provide.
After school had finally ended, Joe trailed Doughy. At first Joe hesitated, he wasn't completely on Doughy's good side..."H-hey! Doughy!" Joe stopped him before they completely left the school's stoop. Doughy flinched at Joe's voice and turned his head towards him. His eyes were cold and alone.
"What is it, Joe?" Doughy asked bluntly. He didn't want to engage in anything regarding Joe...Joe was a bully and a fiend.
"I wanted to tell you something about Orel...You asked a question about him today..." Joe said as he clutched his chest trying to reel in his emotions. He didn't want to appear weak to Doughy but he did think Doughy deserved the truth of the matter.
"How do you know about O-orel?" Doughy's stoic demeanor became more willing at Joe's words.
"Umm...I saw him at the hospital a few days ago." Joe said rubbing the back of his head.
"W-What!? What was he doing there??" Doughy stammered as he grabbed onto Joe's shoulders.
"h-He was in a wheelchair...Had a cast on his leg. I don't know why." Joe stated as Doughy darted past him almost making Joe trip over the edge of the steps of the stoop.
-
Doughy arrived at the Puppington household. He never liked to show up unexpected or uninvited but if Joe was being sincere or telling him a lie about Orel going to the hospital then he needed to be sure. Doughy rang the doorbell. The first 30 seconds no answer. Doughy rang the doorbell again. Someone peeked through the eye hole of the door. Bloberta Puppington, mother of Orel answered the door. Doughy greeted Bloberta at first and quickly segwayed into the subject of Orel's absence. "Mrs. Puppington, what happened to Orel? I haven't seen him in a week!"
Bloberta had briefly thought about this while the doorbell chimed. She slightly cursed herself for not coming up with a list of excuses beforehand. Meanwhile Clay was sequestered to his study the whole week after the whole ordeal happened. Clay refused to take knocks at the door, or calls from the phone, Bloberta was the one to take the questions for now and she disdained Clay all the more for it. "Orel has a fever, I've been taking care on him. You should go before you catch his fever too." Bloberta lied.
"Umm someone told me he had a cast on his leg...is that true?" Doughy asked with a genuine curiosity. Bloberta froze up recalling the hunting trip. Bloberta could never know truly what happened during that so called 'hunting trip'. All she knew was that Orel was hurt physically, mentally and emtionally. She would never dare tell a soul that she allowed her husband, Clay to shoot Orel. The thought itself ruined Bloberta. She would not be able to forgive herself forever.
"No, it just a fever..." Bloberta continued to lie.
"Um...When should I check in then?"
"Try next week."
Doughy tried to talk further but the door was slammed in his faced. That wasn't really anything new to him, all he was truly afraid about was that Orel was in some sort of danger.
Doughy before going back home decided to go to Christina's. If anyone was going to know anything and say anything it would be her...and if not then maybe he could get to know her a little more...
CHAPTER 5
Orel noticed the clamor downstairs from his bedroom, he laid incapacitated. Disappointingly to Orel, Bloberta had lied about his condition as Clay did. Orel could have used a friend like Doughy to talk to, but his parent's desperate need for good appearances was finally taking its toll on Orel.
Bloberta had been as helpful as ever to Orel in his injured state, and yet she was still being selfish. An odd paradox. Though Orel himself just mere days after the hunting trip didn't want other people to know what exactly happened either. Orel felt ashamed he was willing to lie over something as traumatic as this...Not really to protect his dad or mom or even himself...More so Orel wasn't ready to even accept it all happened in the first place...
Orel tried to sleep as he heard the front door slam on Doughy's face.
-
Doughy made the somewhat long journey to Christina's home. It was so dark out the night he and the couple ventured there, but he noted some key landmarks along the way. He made a somewhat direct way there with a bit of doubt laced with every direction he took. Sure enough he found her house though. Doughy trembled as he knocked the door unsure if he was going to be greeted nicely by Christina, or angrily by her parents.
It was a mix of the two scenarios in his head...
Christina had thankfully come to the door, to Doughy's delight, but she wasn't exactly being totally nice.
"Um, Doughy? What are you doing here?" Christina said with an irritated tone. Not that she didn't like Doughy or anything but to come uninvited and without the object of her affection wasn't really something she wanted at the moment.
"Do you know what happened to Orel over the past week at all?" Doughy asked whispering trying to keep his excitable mood in check.
Christina raised her eyebrows and looked behind her to make sure no one was listening in on the conversation. "No, I haven't heard anything from Orel since the night of the dance..."
"His mom said he had a fever, but Joe, this bot in class said he saw him with a cast on his leg."
Christina's curiosity piqued, this was news to her, and she hated the idea of being in the dark to anything wrong going on with Orel. "Orel's mom didn't let you see him?" Christina asked as she tugged at her hair.
"Well she told me she didn't want me to get his fever...I think?" Doughy told her with a dejected expression. Christina shut the front door behind them and extended towards Doughy's face, with an expression full of drive and care.
"We need to go on a stake out, tonight." Christina said with passion. She could feel in her heart something wasn't right. Two different stories going on made her anxious. She wanted to know for sure what was going on with Orel. It had been too long since their last encounter she didn't want a repeat of months of no interaction. It was this time where she would be the one to be assertive...with the help of Doughy of course!
"Steak out? Where do they even serve steak in Moralton? I've only gone out for-" Doughy trailed off not understanding the phrase 'stake out'
"Not Steak the food, stake the verb! We need to make sure Orel is okay!"
"O-oh right!" Doughy kinda getting the term but not really, was happy the two of them were going to spend time together, making sure Orel was alright.
"Meet me at inspirational point when the sun goes down. We'll find out whats going on with Orel together." Christina's eyes went wide as she felt the door behind her rumble. Doughy took it as a clear sign to hightail it.
Christina told a simple lie of talking to a solicitor to her father and Doughy caught his breath behind a bush. He didn't have much to do for the next few hours before the sun went down. He opted to circle Inspirational point until the sun went down. He didn't want to go up the hill to hear all the sounds of lust and sin he'd heard so much before but he definitely wanted to see Christina after this whole week of no Orel around to play with.
At last the sun had begun to set and Doughy trailed up the hill to the top and met Christina much like Orel had months prior but her expression was far less happy and more so upset and determined. Doughy smiled at her appearance though.
"You are going to have to lead the way, I forgot where Orel lived after all these months." Christina said with no hint of weakness. She needed to know how Orel was doing and she wanted to know as soon as possible.
"Ah...right!" Doughy almost forgot the whole reason he came up here to meet with her. He was definitely concerned about Orel, but Christina seemed like a favorable replacement if worse came to worst...Doughy shook off the horrible thought and led the way to Orel's house.
Christina made little effort in conversing with Doughy on the journey there. Her mind was focused and unwavering. She made small observations of the town she was still getting use to but that was it.
Doughy knew the way to Orel's like the back of his hand, and attempted to talk to Christina getting met with cold one or two worded stoic responses. He didn't feel too put off by her demeanor, in fact he thought they were hitting it off well.
Christina was thankful for Doughy telling her about all this but was weirded out by his cheery emotion. Maybe he was less worried about Orel? Maybe he knew he was just fine and this was all just a stunt Orel told him to play on her to get her over here?
Christina and Doughy had at last arrived to Orel's. Christina pulled Doughy aside from going to the front door. "Doughy you aren't supposed to go to the front door on a stake out!" Christina yelled a frantic whisper.
"I didn't know that." Doughy said with little expression in his voice. Christina sighed and asked where Orel's window would be. Doughy led her to the back lawn. Doughy was starting to feel very afraid if Clay or Bloberta happened to see him sneaking around their house. Christina wasn't really afraid of Orel's parents. She figured the worst they could do would be shoo her off and if they told her parents, they would quickly take her side in any case due to the animosity they all shared to each other.
"Do you see any pebbles lying around?" Christina asked.
"For what?"
"So we can throw them at his window."
"Uh...lets see...oh I got a bunch!" Doughy lifted his arm winding up a pitch to throw a ball of pebbles at Orel's window.
"NO. WAIT." Christina called out at Doughy, but it was too late Doughy threw a scatter of small rocks at Orel's window like a shotgun blast. Christina shielded her head as some of the small rocks ricocheted into her hair.
Thankfully the sound fell on deaf ears, Clay had been black out drunk and Bloberta was vacuuming. Before Christina could lecture Doughy on his poor stake out abilities, a figure appeared in the window, he was raising himself off the floor hunched over. The figure raised the window revealing it to be Orel in his pajamas holding on to the windowsill to keep himself up.
CHAPTER 6
Doughy and Christina reeled themselves back as the figure began to slide the window not recognizing Orel's visage at first. At last Orel came to view to Doughy and Christina. At first Orel was in surprise and put on his usual bright smile and welcoming eyes, he was so happy to see his friends after a week of nothing but nightmares. However Orel was having an ongoing nightmare and this moment of seeing his friends was nothing more than a bittersweet reminder of how much his world had changed this past week. His welcoming face turned to an anxious mess. He greeted them cheerfully at first and then said as he gritted his teeth: "What are you guys doing here?"
"We wanted to see what was going on. Doughy said you haven't been to school the last week." Christina called out to Orel as quiet as she could.
Orel deflected her with fear disguised as concern for her well-being: "C-Christina, its too late to be out, won't your parents be upset?"
"Don't worry about that of all things!" Christina's temper getting the best of her that Orel dodged her inquiry. Doughy observed the two's interactions. Apart of Doughy was happy someone like Christina felt the care for Orel that he did.
Doughy had become frustrated with Orel and Christina's back and forth barely acknowledging his presence. Christina wouldn't have even known Orel was in some kind of trouble had it not been for him, and yet the only one getting any word in was her...Before Christina could try once again to get more information, Doughy walked forward and stared Orel down.
Orel almost forgotten Doughy was there, he was mostly standing in the shadows. Doughy and Orel had been keeping their eye on Christina but not at each other. Orel started to sweat a little at Doughy's face looking somewhat cold. A look not unlike his father, Clays. At last Doughy's voice was heard: "Orel just tell me what's going on so I don't keep myself awake thinking about it."
Orel's apprehensive face turned to a look of defeat. He didn't want to lie...but he didn't like the truth. So for now he'd offer his friends a nugget of truth...A half-truth if you will...Orel looked down at the pair and sighed: "I uh...shot myself in the leg by...accident..."
"You what?!" Christina exclaimed.
"Wait- I thought you learned-" Doughy trailed off and then started to think about the idea.
"Yeah...I'm sorry Doughy I was too embarrased to tell you. Maybe you should have gone on the hunting trip with...my dad...afterall." Orel said genuinely, with no hint of malice.
Before Doughy and Christina could respond, the voice of Orel's mother was heard inside the room: "Orel, you shouldn't be standing up like that in your condition. Here let me help you back to bed." With that Christina and Doughy bolted through the side yard before they were detected.
-
Christina and Doughy made their way to main street of Moralton and caught their breath. Doughy sat on the curb collecting his thoughts on what Orel said. It didn't make any sense to Doughy. Sure Orel was a lousy shot at first, but he actually did learn a thing or two from Doughy. The only way Orel could have shot himself is if he was being careless. A trait Orel lacked in most regards. Orel took care in every venture, activity and adventure he took. The idea of Orel making such a dumb mistake made Doughy question Orel's character. Maybe he (Doughy) should have been the one to accompany Clay on the hunting trip if Orel still had that awful trigger finger of his...Unbeknownst to Doughy, Christina took a seat on the curb next to him and sighed. "Thank you for getting Orel to tell the truth, Doughy."
Doughy turned to Christina with an eyebrow raised for a few reasons. Firstly, another person besides Orel was tagging along with him for this amount of time, and secondly that Doughy wasn't so sure about this so called "truth" Orel told them. "Oh uh...yeah thank you." Doughy said with his head in his crossed arms.
Christina giggled lightly: "You're supposed to say, 'You're Welcome' when someone else says 'Thank you'. You shouldn't say 'Thank you' back to them."
Doughy's mind had to restart after that avalanche of a sentence, but after processing it he lightened up and laughed a little. "I'm sorry, its just I'm so use to saying thank you to everyone even if I don't know what I'm thankful for."
"Well, I'm thankful for you Doughy! I can't thank you enough for telling me about Orel's problem." Christina smiled and then frowned remembering Orel... "How long do you think it takes for a leg to heal from a gunshot?"
Doughy pondered only for a moment, his care for Orel tonight had subsided in being fixated to Christina. Doughy offered a cryptic answer: "Who knows...Maybe never."
CHAPTER 7
The first week into summer vacation was uneventful for Orel, Doughy and Christina besides the previous stake out to Orel's house. A child should be having all the fun in the world with their friends the very first day of summer to the last day of it, and yet there was an awkward barrier set up by Orel to both Doughy and Christina.
Doughy would call Orel's house and receive bitter dismissal from Bloberta, who was still protective of the situation and didnt want anything to be known for now. Of course Doughy didn't know exactly why she was acting like that, but it raised his suspicion further. However he didn't have the courage nor the motivation to break in the house to talk to Orel himself about what was really going on.
-
Doughy noted the gossip around town the last few days of the week...varying rumors.
Orel sure is popular...Doughy thought to himself...Everyone was talking about Orel after his long absence around town. Usually once a week Orel was out and about causing some hi-jinks or mayhem but now there was nothing happening. Doughy though slightly jealous of the attention, took note of the various rumors he had heard through out the days.
Orel shot himself.
A bear shot Orel.
Orel tripped on a gun and a bullet ricocheted to his leg.
It was starting to get really confusing and odd to Doughy. Yet for some reason the most obvious answer was being avoided. The aspect of Orel's father, Clay never came up in any of the rumors...Doughy realized this after a few days of being out and about.
Curious how it never came up in the rumors...Doughy pondered.
Doughy somewhat respected Clay as a father but the idea that he had something to do with Orel being hurt was crushing. His pseudo father hurting Orel seemed impossible to him. Though he had to admit to himself that something was off...Clay hadn't shown his face around town in the same amount of time as Orel. It was...off putting...
-
Christina had busied her time playing catch with God or reading the Bible. Then there was the night...After praying, Christina often found herself overthinking about things in these more recent times, Orel was always on her mind. The two had exchanged numbers at the arms legnth dance as a sure-fire way they'd never have a long period of time where they weren't speaking to eachother like before. Yet Orel hadn't called her at all. Christina being the traditional girl she is, didn't like the idea of her calling him...
it should be him calling me!
She thought blindly as she attempted to sleep.
What should have been a wonderful summer filled with friendship and romance before middle school had been sabotaged.
Christina had been inwardly thinking so much that she had forgotten about her "Brother". Orel and Christina had agreed to swap their respective brothers back at some point but had been so enamored by each other that the idea took a backseat, plus Shapey and Block were more or less the same, making it difficult to even discern the two from each other. And now Orel's brother, Shapey was now gone from her house as well. She was now the only child in the house. Christina decided to ask her mother, Poppit about her "Brother"
"Uh...mom where did-" She struggled to say the name Block knowing full well it wasn't the true Block but did so anyway to avoid confusion with her mother. "Where is Block? I haven't seen them anywhere."
Poppit rolled her eyes recalling her last week when Mrs. Puppington rudely arrived at the Posabule home to not only take Shapey back, but to take Block's affection as well. Not that Poppit cared too much at that point. She was relieved as much as she was jealous.
"He left home." Poppit coldly said as she cleaned the tiles to the kitchen.
"He's only 7 why would he leave-" Christina was confused.
"Because some men, are always looking out for themselves..."
"But...he's a boy?"
"Christina please go outside before you give mommy a headache."
"Um...Okay." Christina didn't entirely mind swapping brothers but she saw it as a mutual trade so to speak, Christina didn't want to think of the possibility that she didn't look out well enough for Shapey while Orel seemingly looked out for Block just fine.
Despite her nervousness she decided she better tell Orel, or at least his parents personally that Shapey had gone missing from her home. This was a valid excuse to try and see Orel himself if they had enough compassion not to slam the door in her face. Plus Orel went to her house in broad daylight, this was one day to return the favor...
Christina trembled as she lifted her finger and pushed in the doorbell.
A figure resembling her mother answered the door, Bloberta, Orel's mother. Her stoic face went to one of surprise as she looked down at Christina. Bloberta looked from side to side and cautiously asked: "Um...what brings you here...Christina, was it?"
Christina looked down to the ground afraid: "Um...well I just wanted to let you or Orel know something...that-" Before Christina could say anymore familiar voices screamed in joy, two different screams, and two different children ran past Bloberta behind her. Bloberta sighed and looked behind her making sure the children didn't get into any of her cleaning supplies.
"You want the red head back right?" Bloberta asked while looking to nowhere in particular.
Christina was a little taken back, she didn't exactly know how to comprehend why or how both Orel and her brother were living here. Finally taken out of her trance, the red head, Block exclaimed in happiness: "Christina!" hugging her in the process of screaming.
Christina snapped out of it, momentarily forgetting about Orel and decided to bring Block back home with her. "Okay Block lets get you back home..." as she directed him off the Puppington property Block resisted her grasp and screamed. "Come on Block you are coming home with me!"
"NO!" Block sharply screamed again as Shapey came running out of the door and pulled onto Block's hand. Christina noticing this frowned and gave up causing the two children to fumble backward and Christina to fall down as well. Bloberta in the distance walked slowly towards the three.
Bloberta looked to Christina's defeated look, and saw Orel's heartbroken face in her. The rejection Block had just given her in favor of being with Shapey reminded her of a girl she knew way back then...That being herself, alone.
Bloberta reluctantly asked as she shut her eyes tight trying to avoid seeing Christina's sad face: "Would you like to come in for a moment?"