Tipping The Scale

Chapter 10

Tubby’s P.O.V

Imagine me, Jeremy Raimundo Tubby Vagner, out in public with a jock. Can you see how wrong this picture is? I can’t, for the life of me, remember why exactly I had not only invited him but also told him to leave his car behind so I can drive him back. What ever happened to going home, doing homework and drinking Coke? Instead here I am sitting across from a guy who had not only ignored me through the entire course of our educational experience but also was so full of himself that he would make Candy look humble… and I don’t think that that is supposed to be possible to human kind.

In the morning I had practically told him that any chance of us ever hanging out again was not likely, and yet here I sit with him just a few ours later ditching school. I’m not a ditch-er! Okay, so maybe I do ditch school sometimes, but still, never with Pavarotti. Never again shall I ditch school with Pavarotti I tell you, never again! Although he does make for surprisingly interesting company, I mean, he isn’t as dull and boring and over-self-centered and idiotic and stupid and stick in the muddish as I originally thought. It’s good to know. He actually looked so adorable sitting on the floor in the restricted section of the library gripping a book tightly and listening to music while reading intently. Yes, I did use the word adorable! I have the right to, it says right here in the book of guy laws: ‘A guy may use the term “cute, adorable and sweet” when describing another guy, albeit the former being straight, if and only if the guy has a gay best friend’. Ha! What ‘cha saying now! Yeah, that’s what I thought.

“Tubby!” Pavarotti yelled. I jumped slightly and looked at him with a confused look. He sighed “I was asking if you need to be somewhere”

“Why?” I asked eyeing him suspiciously

“Because you keep staring at either Jamie or the door and that makes it look like you would rather be anywhere but here.” He mumbled flashing a quick tight smile and looking at his half full ice cream cup.

“No. no. I’m good. I don’t need to be somewhere.” I assured him a little too fast.

“Oh, uh, ok then.” He kept his eyes on his ice cream. He suddenly stood up and straightened his pants and shirt “Well, I uh, I have to go now. It’s been awesome hanging out with you but, uh, I have to go I told Adam I would come to his house before practice so yeah. Thanks again, Tubby” he said nervously looking anywhere but at me. He went to the counter and gave Jamie note and then rushed out of the ice cream parlor like the devil was chasing him.

I sat at the table feeling shocked, confused and a bit disappointed. Why disappointed – I have no idea. I stood up slowly and walked to the counter in a daze. What the hell just happened? One minute everything is fine, the next he is rushing out of here like he just saw a ghost. Jocks can be so confusing.

“What happened?” Jamie asked with a confused look on his face

“I don’t know” I responded slowly

“Eh, Jocks” he joked and gave a small smile.

I smiled back at him “Yeah, one minute they are here next minute they are gone” I shrugged. “So Delicious, how much do I owe you?” I said cheering up a bit

“Nothing Jock-strap paid for it” he stated shrugging casually. I gave him a confused look “Your friend that ran out just now. I forgot his name so I gave him a new one. He’s a jock so jock-strap is fitting” he said smiling widely. I laughed at his simple-mindedness and shook my head.

“You are something else, Jamie” I chuckled. I hugged him goodbye and walked out of the ice cream parlor. I stood a few feet in front of my car staring at the person leaning casually against it.

“So I guess you figured that it’s too far to walk?” I asked him smiling

“You said you would drive me back,” he retorted rolling his eyes and pursing his lips. I looked at him leaning against my car with his arms folded over his chest as he looked into the distance. I think he is a wanna-be model. That job would suit him though, he does act like a diva after all.

“Yes, but you ran out of the store like you were on fire so I figured you didn’t want me to”

“Well, I’m here aren’t I?” he said grumpily. I raised my eyebrow him. Is he on his period or something?

“What’s up with you, Pavarotti?” I asked slightly irritated but not moving from my spot.

“Nothing. Can we just go.” He said turning away and trying to open the door but it was still locked. He tried to open it again but obviously it didn’t budge “Please” he huffed.

I unlocked the car and he got in so quickly one would think the car was about to disappear. I stood there looking at the spot where he was just standing, bewildered if that’s the word. Suddenly a loud honk broke through the trance I was in and I sauntered off to the car. I got in and drove away from the ice cream parlor. Pavarotti was definitely one weird fellow. Yup, this is one of the reasons I don’t make friends with jocks.

We got back to school and Pavarotti jumped out of the car before it was even off. He hurried into his car and waved me off as he drove out of the parking lot.

“Oh-kay... what a weirdo” I muttered to myself as I re-started my car and drove home.

*

“mi hijo!” I heard my mother calling from downstairs.

“Oui, Mama?” I called back. Up to this day I am not willing to stand up and go all the way downstairs just to see what she wants.

“Votre ami est ici!” she yelled

“Quel qu’un?”

“Vien ici et tu peux voir ! » she shouted back.

“D'accord, je viens” I sighed and got up from my position at my desk where I was using the net. I trudged down the stairs to make the point that I was not happy about having to go all the way down stairs. Low and behold, there stood Pavarotti.

I stood there dumbfounded and a little annoyed at the fact that just a few hours ago he didn’t even want to share the same space as me for too long and yet here he was standing in my house...again. He stood in the foyer looking intimidated by my presence as he glanced at me cautiously. His hands were clasped together in front of him as he reflexively played with his fingers keeping his gaze steadily on his hands or the floor. I silently assessed him, trying to figure out why on earth he was at my house without an invitation, again. I was tempted to flip him off and go back upstairs and ignore him for the rest of my days but I know my father would make a fuss of it. I was stuck between a rock and an uncomfortable place, the rock being facing my father’s scolding for the next few weeks or months and the uncomfortable place being facing him and hearing him out. I chose the uncomfortable place. I didn’t see another option in this case; for some reason my parents actually like him or at least tolerate him.

Mum looked cast us questioning glances, she as the bystander to the tension that had built up in the house all of a sudden. I remained silent waiting for him either to get so uncomfortable that he would leave or say something and we could get this over with. I, however, resolved not to speak until spoken too.

“Uh, son, what’s the problem” she asked unsure in Spanish, looking at him then at me.

“Nothing, mama” I replied.

“Oookay, then I’m going to leave you two in your awkward nothingness” she shrugged and walked towards the sitting room.

We stood in silence with Pavarotti still looking intimidated and uncomfortable and out of place. I regarded him with weary annoyance as I waited for him to speak up. If he didn’t speak soon I would go back to what I was doing. I have a low tolerance level for drama queens like Pavarotti.

Sighing in thorough irritation, I turned sharply on my heels and began to ascend the stairs once again. I have no time to waste with silence.

“Tubby” his voice came soft yet firm and uncertain…almost cautious. I stopped in middle of the stairs and turned back to face him but not descending the stairs. I folded my arms over my chest and cast him a weary glance. “Wait”

*

Matt’s P.O.V

“Tubby,” I called out as I watched him retreat up the stairs. He was leaving and in a sense that was not necessarily true because I could easily have spoken to him tomorrow at school, but Adam had been adamant about me apologizing for my apparently appalling behavior at the Ice-cream parlor. "I'm sorry... for how I acted at the Ice-cream parlor towards you...and Jamie. I guess I just fell back into bad habits. I had a rough day and-"

"You know," he interupted looking bored and quite irritated "I don't know why you think that if you come to my house I will automatically do what you want. It's getting really old and quite frankly, irritating. You seem to think that this is your house now, which it isn't." He continued in the same monotonous tone with his expression never wavering.

"I know but it's just that-"

"It's nothing, Pavarotti" he cut in again roughly and started descending the stairs. He stopped just a few feet in front of me with his eyes narrowed and a scowl now on his face "It's nothing that's worth my time. I don't even know why I agreed to try to be friends with you. I don't know why you pretend to want to be friends with me."

"Tubby I do-"

"Get out"

"Tubby, Please just calm down" I pleaded. I'm really getting tired of being interrupted.

"I am calm, can't you tell? Just leave, Pavarotti. We can talk about this tomorrow. I'm busy right now and don't have time to indulge in pointless conversation"

"It's not pointless and you know you will avoid me like the plague tomorrow so let's just talk now and get it over with." I said rolling my eyes.

"I'm beginning to think that you are the plague." he uttered looking at me boredly. I felt a dull ache in my heart when he said that....I felt hurt. I stared at him incredulously with the hurt I felt shining through my eyes. He rolled his eyes and sighed "Fine. Outside now" he grumbled.

I found myself outside once again with him, like the last two occasions. "So, start talking" he said as soon as we were safely out of ear shot. "What exactly was your problem at the parlor anyway?" he asked harshly.

His tone startled me but I cleared my throat and looked him in his eyes. "It's just... Well... I'm so used to being the centre of attention... The one that's always accepted, you know, Mr. Popular. When we were at the ice cream parlor, I wasn't that person... I know that Jamie doesn't like me, I get the feeling it's cause I'm a jock but he doesn't even know me and yet he looks at me like I'm not good enough to be your friend... Like you should be ashamed to be seen with me. Then you went quiet after a while and kept looking at the door...or Jamie, and I got the feeling that you wanted to be somewhere else, with someone else... I felt like I wasn't good enough, and when I asked you, you just said you had nowhere to go,not that you wanted to stay with me so thought I'd do you a favor and leave so that you wouldn't have to be stuck with me. Then after some...thinking, i realised i handled the whole situation wrong. So here I am apologizing again." I explained sitting on the porch steps with arms wrapped around my knees.

"You are such a drama queen," he scoffed, I could tell he was rolling his eyes "I didn't need to be anywhere and I was with you because I wanted to be so I don't know what that's about." he said sitting beside me. "Although," he said thoughtfully "you are right, Jamie doesn't like you and it is because you are a jock and he is not to fond of them." he sounded amused. "but, I don't know why you jocks have the need for everyone to like or swoon over you...It's an unfounded expectation and quite unrealistic. Half of you don't even like each other, so why do you need everyone to like you." He sighed.

I shrugged and looked at him "I don't know, It's the way we are. It's who we are expected to be...It's strange that all these people don't seem to like me. Beau doesn't seem to hate me though" I conceded shrugging again with a teasing smile

"Don't flatter yourself, Beau likes everyone, especially guys...He's too innocent." he mused smiling.

"Oh, well still it counts as another person so whatever"

He chuckled and turned to face me, his eyes bore into mine."Ok, Pavarotti"

"So i'm forgiven right?"

"I will see"

I groaned and threw my arms around him. Time for manipulation...hehehe "But, Tuuuubbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbyyyyyyyy" i whined

"It's not going to work, Pavarotti, no one is here to make me do it"

I filled my eyes with fake tears and sniffed "Bu-bu-but I'm sooooo sorrry," I whined adding a few stutters "Tubby, please..."

"No" he said simply...Why is this not working!! Hmmm

"Please"

"No"

"Please"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"Yes"

"No"

"No?" I whined

"Yes" he stated

"Yes!!!" I shouted victoriously

"Pavarotti" He growled

"Tubby" I replied "If you don't forgive me then....then... I will lick you!"

"What?" he asked bewildered looking a bit scared

"You heard me...I. Will. LICK. YOU." I replied sticking my tongue out and moving closer to his face

"Pavarotti, No" he said sternly trying to move away but i had a tight grip on his neck. Matt 1 Tubby 0. whoohoo.

"You forgive me" I asked cunningly.

He shook his head still trying to get away. I moved closer to his face with my tongue still sticking out. "Now?" I asked. again he shook his head no. I moved closer and my tongue reached his face and I held it just by his ear lobe. "Now?"

I asked...again he shook his head even though he cringed. I slid my tongue down his face tracing his jaw line before stopping "I will keep doing this until you forgive me" I warned before starting to lick him again.

I felt him shudder under my tongue. "FINE!" he gave up "Fine, I forgive you. Just stop!" he yelled

"NO takesie-baksie's?" I demanded

"What are you? Five?" he asked with a raised brow, I shot him a look with my eyes narrowed but i was pouting at the same time. Don't try that at home, folks, only I, Matt Pavarotti can pull it off. I'm not being pompous or anything; it's just true. Anyway, he relented nonetheless

"No takesie-baksie's!" he agreed sighing and shaking his head. He had his arm around my waist this entire time, and it tightened as he nodded. "good" I removed my tongue from his face and just squezzed him in a hug before letting go.

"Awww, I was really getting into it. Oh, well, at least i'm forgiven"

"You are a twisted human being!" He yelled removing his arm from around my waist wiping my saliva off with his sleeve

"Eh, you enjoyed it!" I smirked at him and put my legs in his lap.

"No. I didn't you crazy person. That's really odd, and weird! You're something else!" he said shoving my legs out of his lap.

"Yes," I smirked scooting closer to him and linking my arm in his and cuddling his side. "Yes I am" I agreed. He just scoffed in reply as we lapsed into a comfortable silence. Comfortable for me at least. hehe *grins evilly* I love getting what i want, when i want it.

A/N: TRANSLATIONS

“My son!” I heard my mother calling from downstairs.

“Yes, Mama?” I called back. Up to this day I am not willing to stand up and go all the way downstairs just to see what she wants.

“Your friend is here!” she yelled

“Which one?”

“Come here and you can see!" she shouted back.

“Okay, I'm coming ”

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