Boy Oh Boys! (Season 1)

Chapter 10-5

"They really gave you one of their dresses?" Demeter exclaimed. "Whose is it?"

"Who cares?!" Apollo grabbed at the gown and hugged it.

"I'm glad you like it," Charlie laughed.

"We love it!" Apollo cried.

"Yeah! We owe you!" added Demeter as he stole the dress from his brother.

"Hmm. Really?" Charlie arched a brow.

"Yeah! This is the best!" Apollo nodded fervently.

"Well, now that you mention it, I can think of something you might be able to help me with," said Charlie.

"Hey, can you help me first?" said Rib, who apparently had slipped his straight jacket back on while she was inside the academy.

"Only if you help me too," Charlie bargained.

"Sure," agreed Rib as Charlie freed him. "Now, what are we helping you with?"

"Yes. I would like to offer you assistance as well," Max smiled.

"Yeah, what is it?" wondered Demeter.  

Charlie grinned as Posey's words ran through her head.

'Well, you do live with a room full of strong-looking boys.'

~~~

"Okay, so what do we have to do?" Rib sat on Charlie's bunk.

"Well, it's this stunt called a 'Basket Toss' and all you have to do is- Hey! Apollo! Over here!" Charlie waved at Apollo who was busy staring at Charlie's cheerleader poster.

"Sorry! But you know, if you'd have just given me that poster in the first place, it wouldn't be in here to distract me now!" Apollo chuckled.

"Dude, why are you staring at that when there's a real cheerleader right in front of us?" Demeter smacked Apollo.

"Oh, yeah! Now show us what to do!" Apollo was suddenly quite attentive.

"Okay, as I was saying. All you have to do is hold me up and catch me. Like this," Charlie demonstrated the basket toss technique Posey had taught her with Lilly.

"Wow, that duckie is pretty talented," joked Rib and Charlie promptly returned her to her place next to her pillow.

"Well, it looks simple enough," said Max.

"For now we'll just practice the lift part. We can work on the toss part later," said Charlie.

"Okay, let's give it a try," Demeter stood up.

"Yeah, come on, honey," Apollo wiggled his fingers.

"I hope I don't regret this," thought Charlie as the group of boys elevated her into the air.

"Like this?" asked Max from below.

"Yeah! This is going really well!" called Charlie. "Let's just try a tiny toss then."

"Here we go!" Rib shouted from below as Charlie was sent into the air- and landed directly on Pace's bunk.

"Oops!" Rib laughed.

"Are you alright?" Max called.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Charlie sat up, but at that exact moment, Pace walked into the room.

"What are you doing?" he looked harshly at Charlie as the others quickly darted out of the room.

"Sorry! We were practicing a cheerleading stunt. It was an accident. It-" Charlie made to climb down, but her hand slid into something underneath Pace's pillow. "What's this?" she pulled out what appeared to be a sketch book.

"None of your business!" Pace ripped the book from her hands.

"You're in Art Club?" Charlie gaped at him. "Is that why you're always around?" 

Pace did not reply.

"Well no wonder you didn't want the lined notebook I bought you! It was the wrong kind!" Charlie went on in amazement. "I had no idea! Can I see some of your drawings?"

"No," said Pace flatly.

"Come on!" Charlie continued. "Let me see your artwork! We're both in the club!"

"Then quit," said Pace, turning back for the door. "Oh," he added with a pause. "And get off my bed."

"Ugh," Charlie climbed back to her own mattress. "Just when I finally find an extra curricular I'm good at. What do I do?"

Charlie fell back onto her pillow and tried to think, but her thoughts were drowned out by the familiar clanking and moaning of Rib's CD.

"I guess he forgot about his promise," Charlie shook her head.