The Good Ones

Chapter Six - Fellow Boy

° F E L L O W   B O Y °

"I know a boyfriend is like a friend but... friendlier?"

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Simon slams the door harder then he meant to which makes him wince when Rodney's dad glares at him through the rearview mirror. "So are you all going to Lita's house cause' I ain't driving all around Maine."

"No, you're just dropping me off home. I'm pretty sure Simon is going to Rodney's house." Rodney and Lita look I Simon who nods his head in agreement. "Yeah."

"You kids alright?" The three of them nod. "Mhmm."

-

Rodney has to start eating the rest of his lunch at home. The three of them traveling around the school looking for places to eat took away most of their time. Currently, they are both eating their Fruit Roll-Ups while flipping through channels on the television.

Simon couldn't stop thinking about Lita though and how he might have completely ruined their friendship. He didn't know the first step to being a boyfriend and he is terrified that she'll sense that. "What do I do?" He groans and throws himself out on the floor.

Rodney turns halfway to face his friend. The need to burst into a fit of laughter has now snuck it's way to the tip of his tongue. "About Lita? Your girlfriend?" He watches Simon nod with little energy. "Do you even know how to like someone?"

"Obviously if I asked her out!" Simon's body rose like the dead. He crawls over to Rodney's position on the carpet and grabs a handful of potato chips from the wildly ripped bag. "But what if she doesn't like me. What if she just said yes because she feels bad? What if—" Rodney's finger is suddenly pressed against Simon's lips.

"Shhh," the short boy grins. "I am a master at helping people. At least that's what my mom tells me when I decide not to help her with the dishes. But since I know it's true, I will help you." Simon promptly sits on his bottom and stares at Rodney as if he was his keeper. "The first step to a successful relationship is knowing how to be a boyfriend."

The two of the boys cringe at the word but quickly play it off. "Okay. I know a boyfriend is like a friend but... friendlier?" Rodney's eyebrow lifts at his friends lack of knowledge. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't tell me I'm wrong. I know I'm right ninety-three percent of the time."

"No problem... but you're wrong," Rodney beams in excitement as he gets that off his chest. "And I'm right!"

"Enough! Just teach me!"

Rodney holds a finger in the air as he darts out of the room. Simon rocks back and forth on his butt to pass time. But seconds turned into minutes before he knew it. Simon was on the verge of making sure his friend didn't die when Rodney came running back in with magazines flooding his hands.

"Rods? What is all this?" He shouts when one of them fall into his lap. "Teen Post? We don't read these. We don't even buy these."

"I know, they aren't mine. They're my sisters. She reads them all day long. I once have seen her taking a quiz on how good of a friend she is. If we look through them well enough, we might even find a quiz on how to be a better boyfriend."

Rodney settles in and props open a magazine. With much hesitation, Simon did the same thing. With each page, he flipped through as if it was a used band-aid. Every once in a while Rodney would look up at him and laugh. It isn't until Simon's eyes lit up that the silence in the room was filled with cheers.

Rodney rushes over to Simon's side as he flattens out the magazine in front of them. "Are you boyfriend material?" Simon reads out loud just as Rodney snatches it up. "What are you-"

"It's more accurate if you can't see the answers." He points to his bean bag chair on the other side of the room. "Go sit over there and answer honestly." Simon does as told while draping a quilt over his shoulders for extra comfort. "Question one, where would you take her on the first date?"

"I don't know. Maybe the movies to go see Star Trek again. Remember that time we went and she couldn't stop punching me at all the intense parts. God did I enjoy it."

Rodney looks at Simon strangely before scribbling in an answer. "Okay... question two! How would you act?"

"Totally be me. I mean that's why we're friends right now right. Oh! Maybe I shouldn't use that word around her anymore." Rodney was about to scribble in an answer just as Simon jumped in the air. "Girlfriend is such a name for her right?"

Rodney mutters, "that is what she is... m'kay!" He scribbles some more then smiles. "Question three says why did you ask her out?" Simon freezes in his seat and Rodney's eyes widen on him. It was like they were both shot by freeze rays and it would take a whole lot of honesty to save them. "Simon? Woo hoo," the younger male whistles.

"Because I..." he looks to Rodney for help but got nothing. "I don't know. At first, I wanted her to be my Lady Linda but now my brain isn't even about Lady Linda. It's about Lita and how to impress her."

"Simon, are you telling me you like her as more than a friend because if you do I'm sending you back to Uiturn!" His hand went flying through the air as if he was holding a magical staff. Simon jumps to his feet in bewilderment.

"Only Lawd Gak can do that!"

"Then Dorgak my son, I have found my calling." The staff is lowered enough to stop in the center of Simon's glasses. "Now answer me Dorgak. Do you jock Lita?"

"You wouldn't."

"Oh I would."

The stare off is intense but it brought Simon to his knees anyway. "Lawd Gak," he breaths steadily. "Get real!" The staff is knocked out of Rodney's hand making him screech. "Like I said, we're just closer friends."

"No! Boyfriends are more intimate friends. You guys will have to smash faces and actually have to hold each other's hand. It has to be believable and realistic. Lita has to actually be happy. You know, just until she dumps you because we all know she will."

Simon stands up to stomp his feet in protest. "Well, not if I break up with her first!" Rodney winces at those words. "I mean, not like that's my mission."

"She'll make you road pizza and if she still likes Christ, then they'll team up against you," Rodney rubs his hands together deviously.

Simon's eyes dart to the scribbled on magazine before reaching to pick it up. "Forty-two percent!? I'm not even half boyfriend material. No foolin'? What lies did you put in here about me?" Rodney chuckles as his friend scrambles through the pages.

"Maybe it's because you're boring."

"Boring?"

"RODNEY MITCHELL O'NEAL! WHERE ARE ALL MY MAGAZINES!"

The boys turn to stone at the sound of Chelsea's booming voice. "You took all of them? Really, Rods?" The chubby boy shrugs before they both click and scramble to gather up the issues on the floor.