Without the Wimp

Chapter Five

The month of September continued on, and so did Patty and Greg's feat to change their relationship for the better. They talked about the show whenever they ended up alone, yet still threw insults and nags at each other when the opportunity arose. All in all, things were much more tame than they were weeks before. Holly and Rowley were extremely relieved that the tension and fighting was all coming to a close.

With Rowley back and with Patty and Greg on somewhat good terms, Holly took the chance to invite everyone over again.

On Friday night, everyone was having a good time at Holly's house. They played some games and watched Twisted Wizard: Legacies.

"What do you think we would be if we were all elements of the sky?" Rowley asked the group.

"That's a weird question," Greg said, "What do you mean?"

"For example, I would be the stars. Oh, and Holly would be the sun!"

"If Holly's the sun, I'm the moon," Patty added.

"Opposites attract," Rowley shrugged. "Greg, you'd be the clouds."

"Okay...?" Greg was confused, but he couldn't help but smile. Rowley was the most creative in the group, and he always said what was on his mind.

As the credits rolled on the screen, Greg got up to get a drink of water in the kitchen. Rowley followed him a few seconds after.

"I'm really glad you and Patty are friends now. Everything is a lot more fun," Rowley whispered.

"Hey, just because we have one thing in common doesn't mean we're all of a sudden best friends," Greg said, and took a long sip of water.

"Well, that's not the goal. The goal is to get you guys to just stop hating each other. But, even so, why are you so defensive when I say you're friends with her? What's so wrong with that?" Rowley tilted his head.

"I don't know. I'm just not used to it, I guess. We need a little more time to see if we really work as friends," Greg shrugged. Rowley nodded, and they went back to the living room.

"Where did Patty go?" Rowley asked Holly, acknowledging her absence.

"She just went to the bathro-," in the middle of her sentence, the lights turned off.

"Uhh, did the electricity go out?" Greg wondered aloud.

Holly got up and turned the lights back on. "I guess not."

"What if it's the muddy hand? Or the FOOT?" Rowley grabbed Greg's arm.

"Calm down it's nothing," Greg shook Rowley off. Holly sat back down and went to grab the remote when they heard a scream from down the hall.

"Patty?!" Holly shot up and looked at the boys, then back towards the hall. The three of them ran towards the scream. As they did so, the lights turned off again.

"Okay, I think you guys are just pranking us!" Greg said.

"Greg, take this seriously! Patty could be hurt!" Holly halted to a stop when they reached the bathroom. Patty wasn't there.

"Pat? Where are you?" Holly called out.

"Patty, can you hear us? Are you okay?" Rowley said as they checked all the rooms.

"I'm gonna go back to the living room and look for her there," Greg said, and he went back down the hall. I bet this is just a dumb prank, he thought.

He turned the lights on and plopped back down on the couch. "Patty, if you're trying to prank me, you failed!" he said, in case she was around.

The lights turned off again. Then on, and off, and on, and off.