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Project Gaymo	By : MistressKitty Category: A through F > Baby-Sitter's Club Views: 7646 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the book series The Babysitters Club, nor any of the characters from it. They are the property of Ann M. Martin. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Project Gaymo
- 1
Title: Project Gaymo
Author: MistressKitty
Rating: PG-13, for adult situations
Thanks: Libby for the beta!
Notes: This piece is attempted in the style of the books and switches from first person Mary Anne to the third person objective. This takes place around book #100 which is where I stopped being quite so familiar with the series.
-----

He took it pretty well, I guess. Is there a scale for this kind of thing? How much did it register on the Richter?
Well, Dawn has been through some pretty rough earthquakes and I was prepared for the worst with him. But I guess I wasn't expecting what I got. Who is he you ask?
He is my boyfriend (wow, I guess I have to say ex-boyfriend now) Logan Bruno. We'd been dating awhile (we were pretty much a fixture in Stoneybrooke life) and were happy enough. I thought we were head over heels in love- but that was before I really understood what that experience was like.
So anyway, we were sitting around with the gang after one of our BSC meetings (Babysitters club. More on that later.) when Logan leaned over to me and whispered in his soft southern accent that he wanted to talk to me about something outside. I glanced around at my friends. Claudia was stuffing her face with another Peep (it was close to Easter) much to Stacey's horror. They are best friends. They've always seemed a bit more sophisticated than the rest of us. At least they did most of the time. Maybe when Peeps weren't involved. Dawn, my step-sister, smiled gently at me and indicated that I should go on with Logan.
The others (Mallory, Jessi, Abby) weren't paying any attention to me, so I looked at Kristy.
Kristy. She is my best friend and the mastermind behind all this. The Babysitters Club is one phone number where parents can reach at least nine sitters at any time to care for their child. The genius, Kristy, stuck her tongue out at me and rolled her eyes.
I coughed to hide a laugh but made a face back at her before I followed Logan out of the room.
Once we were outside, I slung my backpack on to the ground and leaned against the big oak in the Kishi's front yard (we use Claudia's house for meetings) so I had a view of her bedroom where the antics continued without Logan or me.
"What's going on?" I asked Logan, who was fiddling with something in his bag.
Before he could reply, someone stepped to the window to look out at us. Kristy. My heart sped up a little. You see, Kristy and I have been best friends for longer than I can remember, but lately, things have felt different between us. Like right now. My eyes locked with hers for what felt like an eternity with hers... I don't even think I was breathing!
Then I realized Logan was standing in front of me, his gaze following mine up to the window. I sure jumped! I bet I was bright red when he began to speak.
"Mary Anne, do you want to go to Spring Fling with me?" He was so sweet and honest. It made what I suddenly knew I had to do all that much harder.
"I'd love to, L-" (I'd love to, Logan, but... was what I would have said if he hadn't cut me off.)
"I made you something."
My fingers tightened and I realized that I was still holding the BSC notebook. Reminded, I looked back up to the window, but Kristy was gone.
"Here." Something cool and metallic slid into my hands. It was a picture frame. I smiled, at a loss for words. "Here's my favorite part," he pointed to the bottom part of the frame where engraved there were the words 'Logan and Mary Anne 4-Ever'. I felt a strange jumping feeling in my gut which may have been my conscience promising one heck of a stomachache for going through with this, for ending "us", for breaking his heart. The feeling might also have been from the intense way he was looking at me. It was strange... he should have been smiling, you know?
"Logan-" I began, again interrupted.
"I've had that frame for two months, and I didn't give it to you."
What?
"I guess I just had to know for sure. Had to ask one last time?"
It was beginning to occur to me what he was talking about.
"I think I'm gay, Logan," I said quietly, so quietly I doubt if he even heard me.
"You're in love with Kristy, aren't you." He wasn't accusing me, but he wasn't asking me either. He just knew. He was just stating a fact.
I bit my lip. I could feel the pressure start to build up behind my eyes and wished for the millionth time that I wasn't such a crybaby. "Sorry," I mumbled pathetically, sliding down the trunk of the tree to sit at its base with my head in my hands.
"It's okay, Mary Anne. I'm not going to ask you to be someone that you're not. I couldn't do that. But, ah, it looks like you've got some thinking to do. So call me tonight if you want and I'll see you in school tomorrow." Logan stood watching me for a moment before shouldering his bag and walking off down the street. He was such a gentleman about it… it almost made me feel worse.
It was obvious that at some point my friends had started really watching us, because once Logan made it to the end of the driveway, they came pouring out of Claudia's front door. Seeing their concern, made me sniffle louder. "Everything's fine," I flashed a watery smile. "Well, not fine fine, we broke up, but you know me... with the tears..." I punctuated that with a nose blow into a tissue that Jessi had ran and gotten me.
My eyes once again searched their faces. Dawn reached her arm around me and announced to the group that we were headed home. A chorus of goodbyes and a few more honks of my nose later, we were halfway down the street and Dawn asked me what was wrong.
I blinked. "Considering that I just told Logan I'm a big gaymo, and he knows I've got a crush on Kristy..." I shrugged, feeling helpless, watching my stepsister's face.
Her jaw dropped, and she stared at me for a moment, shocked, before her eyes started to twinkle and her features dissolved into a smirk. "I thought so."
----
Dawn debated once again what her step-sister would want her to do. Keeping one hand on the phone, she leaned into the hallway to hear the still insistent sniffles coming from across the hall. Dawn was pretty sure she couldn't do this on her own. She picked up the phone and dialed the official phone number of the BSC. After two rings, Claudia answered.
"Hi, Claud. Can we have an emergency meeting at your house in like, half an hour?" Dawn kept an eye trained on Mary Anne's door.
"Oh! Sure, what's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong really, but there's a bit of a situation. I'll explain with everyone there. Thanks Claud."
"See ya,"
As soon as they hung up, Dawn quickly called Stacey, Mallory, Jessi and Abby (it turned out that Abby couldn't get out of prior commitments) and so the emergency meeting was set.
Dawn got to Claudia's house early and had to wait in the living room while Claudia finished her math homework. Then the two of them sat awkwardly in Claudia's room for about five minutes before anyone else arrived.
Once everyone (minus Mary Anne, Kristy, Logan and Abby) was gathered in the familiar room, Dawn stood and smoothed her pale blonde hair. She cleared her throat. "I've called this emergency meeting in light of a recent situation which has presented itself."
"Logan and Mary Anne?" asked Mallory, pulling her curly red hair back with a green scrunchee.
"Yes," Dawn replied, "but Kristy is involved too."
Stacey rolled her eyes. "What did she do this time?" She adjusted the bow on her black flats.
Dawn bit her lip and smiled a little. "You guys. Mary Anne told me that she and Logan broke up because... well, basically, because she's a lesbian."
"Oh my lord! And she likes Kristy!" shouted Claudia, who else?
"It makes a lot of sense to me, really, but Mary Anne is scared. Terrified is more like it. And we don't know how Kristy feels," Dawn said.
"We could at least try to put them into situations where they'd be together-" Jessi began.
"Yeah, since Kristy moved, they haven't had as much time, you know... one on one..." Mallory finished, giggling when she realized what she might be implying.
Claudia had gathered the calendar and BSC notebook when Mary Anne left so abruptly. "You!" she pointed excitedly at Mallory, who in turn looked quite panicked.
Stacey's eyes lit with understanding. "Not you, Mallory, your family. Are Kristy or Mary Anne sitting for the Pikes any time real soon? We can substitute in so they end up working together."
"You could help too, Mal," suggested Jessi, hugging her best friend's shoulders in order to ease the shock of being pointed at by Claudia Kishi.
"Yes!" Dawn, who had been pouring over the calendar, crowed successfully. "This weekend Mary Anne and Stacey are watching the Pikes."
"Make that a 'were'" grinned Stacey. "I think my hair is due for a perm." Stacey's wink was accompanied by a chorus of laughter. Dawn erased 'Stacey' and wrote in 'Kristy' next to Mary Anne's name.
------
I couldn't honestly tell you if anything exciting happened that week or not. I guess I had been lying to myself, really hiding that part of myself away, because a part of me was just as shocked as Kristy was going to be. Yes, I was going to tell her. She is my best friend. I tell her everything. No matter what. And this was going to be no exception.
I was looking forward to my babysitting job on Saturday at the Pikes. They usually keep me so busy that I don't have the time to think about anything. That's all I've been doing lately is think. Do I tell Kristy? Yes. There can't be any questioning that. How will she react? Shout "Finally!" and embrace me? Turn away so I can't see her confusion? Or lash out at me in pain and anger? And what, then, do I do?
I don't even know what I want, let alone what she wants. I needed to stop thinking and just do something. If there was downtime today, I was sure that Stacey would be more than happy to talk about the latest boy band or what new product she'd used to style her hair.
...Of course, I would need to be actually working with Stacey for that to occur. As I approached my babysitting job, I almost turned around and went back home. What was Kristin Amanda Thomas doing shooting baskets with the Pike triplets?
I ground my teeth.
Vanessa, Claire and Margo bounded enthusiastically out of the front door as if on cue. "Hi Mary Anne! Hi Kristy!" Margo waved and jumped in excitement.
"Hey guys," Kristy caught the basketball and stepped closer to the girls. Closer to me. She pushed back the loose strands of her hair. She had been sweating a little. Not that I noticed. Or liked it.
"Kristy and our friend Mary Anne," Vanessa deliberately cleared her throat while I wiped my suddenly damp hands on my jeans. "We are glad you could come and sit for our clan."
I smiled, and for a moment forgot my ire with Kristy. We turned to each other and burst into applause. "That was brilliant, Vanessa," Kristy declared. Vanessa is a budding poetess who expresses herself as much as possible in rhyme.
"And you are very welcome," I added softly.
Vanessa beamed proudly.
I heard a door open and close and looked up, surprised, to see-
"Mallory?" Byron asked.
"It's Mallory-silly-billy-goo-goo!" replied Claire with a grin. Claire is going through a "phase" where she likes to add "silly-billy-goo-goo" to people's names. At least, Mrs. Pike says it's a phase. I'm not so sure.
I was quite puzzled, so Kristy quickly explained to me that Mrs. Pike and Nicky had been in a rush to get to the doctor so they left as soon as Kristy had arrived. Mallory stayed too, because according to the Pike family rules two sitters were required for the whole bunch.
"But," I glanced in confusion from Kristy to Mallory, "now we have one too many baby-sitters. I... I can just go home- it's too far for you, Kristy," her eyes dropped and she looked to Mallory desperately "and it just doesn't make sen-"
"I've got a monster project due Monday, Mary Anne. I really need to be here, and well, I need to be baby-sat!" Mallory shrugged and smiled innocently, adjusting her glasses when they slid a fraction of an inch down her nose.
Kristy was smiling now as well. It was a tentative smile, one that echoed my own feelings of relief, excitement, and yes, quite a lot of anxiety. The part of me that controlled the steadiness of my voice and fingers, that part was pretty freaked out. That was the best (if only) escape plan I had available to me at the moment. What was I going to do if something bad happened? What if Kristy did something like-?
"Okay then. Mom said dinner by 6:30 and the boys have a movie to watch once they get ready for bed. I'll be in my room if you need me." As Mallory returned inside, the yard became a flurry of activity. I didn't have time to consider the 'what if's.
"Let's finish this game then get cleaned up for bed!" Adam suggested., taking the ball from Kristy and tossing it to Jordan.
"I know! I've been waiting forever for 'Super Masters' Return' to come out on video," agreed Jordon, flinging the basketball into motion.
Kristy stared at them with an amused grin on her face.
"Uh oh," Vanessa paled. "I think that I too, have got homework to do!" she dashed behind Mallory, her hands clasped to her mouth in worry. Even when distressed, she rhymed.
Margo put her hands in her pockets and looked Kristy, Claire and I. "I don't have any homework. Do you, Claire?"
Claire pondered this a moment. She put a finger to her lower lip. "Nopey nope nopers."
I couldn't help giggling.
"I wish I had homework," Margo mused.
Kristy balked. "But... why?"
"It makes you grown up, right? Cause you hafta be in school to have homework, and you hafta be grown up to be in school...?"
"But-" Kristy stopped. She made a face. No, not a bad face. We at the BSC call it her 'idea face'. She smiled a little and it reached her eyes. I wasn't sure what she was planning, but I was beginning to think that I might like it.
"What, Kristy?" Margo tapped Kristy's stomach in the same way that I had seen her imitate the Pillsbury Doughboy before.
Kristy's smile gleamed. "Tonight, Margo and Claire, Mary Anne and I are going to be your teachers and you can have all the homework you want."
Margo jumped up, clapping. "Homework? Hurray!"
Claire began to do a one-footed hopping dance around her sister while singing "Teacher, baby-sitter, Kristy, Mary Anne, Silly, Billy, Goo, Goo, Home, Work, Hurray!" Then the two collapsed onto the lawn in a fit of giggles.
I covered my own laughter with my hand and caught Kristy's eyes.

"Stacey will be sorry she missed this," I lamented, half-seriously, watching Kristy from the corner of my eye.
She was smiling back at me. "Well, you know Stace. The perm will be worth it."
-----
"All I told Kristy was that I had to cancel and that the job sitting with Mary Anne at the Pikes was hers. She thought about it a minute, then took the job. It was all very normal," said Stacey, who was sitting near the open window so the bad smell of her fresh perm wouldn't fill Claudia's room.
It was yet another 'emergency' BSC meeting, but their numbers were continuing to dwindle. Jessi was sprawled on the floor stretching, Dawn was perched pristinely on Claudia's bed (which Miss Kishi herself was underneath rummaging for some black licorice) and Mallory was joining them via speakerphone.
She was next to speak. "But you know what wasn't normal? Kristy showed up at my house like 45 minutes early saying that she was in the neighborhood or something."
There was a muffled response from under the bed.
"What Claud?" Dawn asked.
Claudia's head poked out. "She's lost it," she announced. You see, Kristy's never just 'in the neighborhood' anymore. She has no reason to be, aside from BSC meetings and baby-sitting jobs.
"My brothers and sisters are being perfect. I hope you guys have some serious baked goods ready at the next meeting. They've already made sure that I know that they know I owe them," Mallory paused, then spoke away from the phone. "Yes, Vanessa. I seriously am working. Anyways. Its down to Margo and Claire and dinner and I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve- though I don't know if I'll need them."
"Really…" wondered Stacey and rolled her eyes.
"Seriously, have you guys noticed the looks they give each other?" Mallory whispered.
Claudia took a huge bite of licorice (she finally found it in her pillowcase). "Uh huh," she nodded.
"You know, I did when I first met them. I actually wondered at first, you know before I learned how, uh, backwards Stoneybrooke is. I guess I got used to it though. It became, like... normal," Stacey shrugged.
"Exactly. It feels like so long since I've even thought about it. Turns out that weird feeling of obsessive jealousy I was getting from Kristy when Mary Anne and I first became friends-"
"And when you two moved in to the same house," Claudia interrupted.
"Oh lord," sighed Dawn. "Kristy Thomas is in love with my step-sister. I knew this day would come!" And Dawn collapsed dramatically back onto the bed.
-----
Kristy, Margo, Claire and I were in the Pike's kitchen taking an inventory of the contents of their refrigerator and pantry.
"We could make spaghetti... sauce separate?" With so many of them, the likelihood that all of the Pike children would be happy with the same thing was slim, so they were allowed to choose for themselves- within reason. I looked to Margo for approval.
"That sounds okay... but Vanessa gets sick from spaghetti and I think I do too." Margo crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.
Kristy and I laughed. "Okay," Kristy said. "I think I know what your homework is, student Margo."
Margo adjusted her posture to stand tall. "What? What?"
"Your assignment is to find a dinner that you and Vanessa will eat and tell Mary Anne or I what it is. And then..."
Kristy winked at me and I grinned. She was playing up the suspense and poor Margo was dancing from foot to foot in anticipation (Claire wasn't doing much better).
"Then you get to prepare it all by yourself. At dinner we'll grade your work." Kristy smiled, satisfied with the reaction she got when Margo's eyes grew large and she dashed upstairs to her sister but not before giving Kristy a quick salute and a "Yes sir!"
I had to sit down I was laughing so hard. It didn't help that Claire thought that it was part of the game.
"Sir! Sir, I want my homework, too. But Mommy doesn't let me cook. So, I can't have cooking homework." Claire pouted.
Uh oh. I could tell that this was headed very quickly into a major mood at the least. "I have homework for you that is much more important than any more cooking you could do tonight."
The pout vanished. "Really?"
I nodded. "Listen closely. How do you know where to sit at dinner?"
"Um," she bit her lip in thought, "I don't, I guess. I just sit anywhere."
"Well, how about tonight you make placemats for every seat with someone's name on it." Claire looked a little confused, so I took her hand and led her over to the Pike's huge dining room table. "Okay, Claire. Who should sit here?"
She stared blankly for a moment. "Um, Mallory?"
"Perfect! So, you take a blank piece of paper and write Mallory's name on it. Then decorate it and color it pretty and put it on the table here," I showed her with my hand, "in front of her chair. And then make one for this person!" I moved my hand over a space.
"Jordan!" Claire jumped and pumped her tiny fist into the air.
"Exactly" I laughed. "Go on and get started."
Claire dashed out of the room and I turned to look at Kristy for the first time since the exchange with Claire began. She was watching us- me. I blinked a few times at the expression on her face. She looked so tender, so comforted and mildly amused; I was almost positive that I had been gazing at her and Margo just the same way a moment ago.
And now we were alone.
I wished very suddenly that I hadn't sent Claire away. Maybe her homework should have been to protect me. Not from Kristy or anything like that. No, from myself. From my own feelings.
-----
Vanessa answered the quiet knock on her bedroom door with a rhyme. "Who is out there? Come in if you dare."
"It's Margo," the guest announced herself as the door swung open.
"What's up, Go-go?" Mallory asked from where she lay on her bed.
"Don't call me that," Margo ungraciously stuck out her tongue. "Kristy gave me a homework to do. What do you want for dinner, Vanessa?"
"Um," said Vanessa.
"Homework?" asked Mallory.
"Yuh huh," Margo gave Mallory a look that implied that Mallory was not picking up on some vital, but obvious information.
"Peanut butter and jelly sandwich?"
"Okay, bye." And with that, Margo was gone.
"Do you think that was a bit weird? Homework?" Mallory turned her head to her younger sister.
"As long as I don't have to make my own sandwich it's fine with me." Vanessa once again became engrossed in her project.
Mallory had just put on her headphones and closed her eyes when she felt an odd tugging on her t-shirt. Her eyes flew open and she ripped off the headphones before registering who was standing next to her. "Claire?"
"I can't remember where the paper is and Mary Anne and Kristy don't know either."
"Let me guess. Homework?"
When Claire nodded, Mallory sighed. Those two were clever and she was hesitant to interrupt their solitude to provide Claire with supplies, but Mallory knew that her sister would never let it rest until this was taken care of (plus, she had to admit, she was dying to know what was going on down there!).
-----
She was watching me. I gathered the box of pasta and pan, adjusted the heat on the stove, filled the pan with water... She just kept watching. I didn't dare look at her; I had no idea what sort of expression I would find on her face. But I could feel her eyes on me.
"Mary Anne?"
"Hmm?" I looked over- right into her eyes. My heart thudded. She was the same old Kristy. My best friend. I almost couldn't believe I had kept this from her for so long. "It... wasn't fair to him, Kristy," my voice started out soft and low. "I love him, yes, of course I do. But I'm... in love with... someone... else."
I dared to lift my eyes to hers once more. Kristy looked at me strangely. It was like she wasn't sure if I were real for a moment. Then I guess she decided that I was because- God, oh, God- her hands were in my hair and her hips were pressed against mine and her mouth was so close I could feel our breaths mingling.
"Mary Anne?" she asked. Her voice was pleading, weak. She needed me to give her permission.
My heart was pounding so hard I could feel it in my fingertips. Too much emotion was packed into this moment and I knew if I spoke I might cry.
So I moved my arms up around her neck and pulled her closer, sealing the few centimeters remaining between our lips.
It felt like every part of me died and came to life all at once.
I moaned low (I couldn't help it!) and opened my mouth- startled but pleased, yes, oh so pleased, when our tongues met.
"Oh, God," Kristy moaned and I clutched to her for all I was worth as I felt my knees go out beneath me.
Kristy hummed in pleasure while re-securing her hold on me and backing me up slowly towards the wall while continuing our amazing first kiss.
There was a thought at the back of my mind that I pushed away until the last second. I abruptly broke off the kiss, remembering suddenly that my back had been to the very hot stove. Kristy looked confused and a little sad at the separation. She was so precious, I barely had time to gesture wildly and gasp "Stove!" before flinging myself irresistibly back into her arms.
-----
"I think Mom must have moved the paper since the last time we used it, Claire," Mallory tried to keep her littlest sister calm. "But I think there are a few more places we can check..."
"Sometimes I color in the kitchen?" Claire suggested, unwittingly directing them to the exact location where Mallory most did (and did not) want to go.
"Follow me, then." She pushed open the door to the kitchen... and turned right back around, letting it swing shut behind her. She had a huge grin on her face. "We'll check the kitchen later. Let's try the basement first."
-----
This is a job. I am working. I kept having to remind myself.
I was probably not supposed to be sitting on the Pike's kitchen counter. I was really not supposed to be making out with my best friend, hair mussed, my legs hooked around her waist. I was definitely not supposed to be doing these things while getting paid to chaperone (not to mention, cook dinner for) seven kids, one of whom is a friend and, well, co-worker of mine.

I didn't even hear the door. It must have been the sound of all those rules I was breaking so deliciously at the moment.
Or maybe, just maybe I was a bit distracted by that thing Kristy was doing with her teeth and tongue to my earlobe. A completely wonderful thing which suddenly stopped. I keened for a moment before she pressed a finger to my lips.
"Mallory," she said, her voice low. Kristy bit her lip, and I had to bite mine as well to keep from kissing her. "It's only a few more hours?" she suggested rather pathetically.
I sighed. "Kristy, it's been years."
"Believe me, Mary Anne. I know."
-----
Vanessa ate Margo's rather deformed attempt at a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without any complaint. She even gave it two thumbs up when asked to give a grade. Everyone praised Claire's placemats between bites of noodles and sauce. She beamed and was extra careful to tell me that she cleaned up her paper and crayons as well.
The boys were already clean and in their pajamas for dinner, so once the table was cleared, they bounded into the den to watch their video. Vanessa and Margo watched too, though they both claimed not to like it.
I volunteered to give Claire a bath, which she joyously accepted.
The house was quiet, peaceful even. If my mind hadn't still been buzzing from the feel of Kristy Thomas's kisses, I might have sensed that there were other forces at work.
Claire was big enough to handle most of her bath except for the hair washing part, so while she sang to herself and played with the bubbles, my mind wandered. Kristy was downstairs washing dishes. Probably trying to get peeks at the movie too, if I knew her, I thought with a small laugh.
"What's so funny, Mary Anne-silly-billy-goo-goo?" Claire asked. "I'm ready to get out."
"Not yet, you're not, Miss Claire. That hair of yours needs washing." I poured some shampoo into my palm.
"Nononononono! It's not dirty!" She squealed and dodged my hand.
I had to think fast. This could get messy. "But Claire! This is... um, important! It's... like, another homework assignment!"
She looked at me dubiously. "Really?"
"Yeah!" I could tell she didn't totally believe me, but she held still long enough for me to make her head sudsy, and from there it was just a rinse and she was done. "That wasn't so bad," I cooed, rubbing her down with a towel. "Now, go get your undies and pajamas and meet me back here. I'll braid your hair as a special treat so it will be wavy tomorrow."
Luckily, she took the bait. "Yippie!" She dashed down the hall, barely remaining decent with the towel clutched around her.
I stepped into the hallway as well when I heard muffled voices coming from Mallory's room. I knocked on her door and poked my head in.
"They were so cute-" she was saying. "Oh! Mary Anne!" Mallory blushed and covered up the receiver. "Do you need something?"
I shook my head. "I guess you finished your project, then?" I smirked. I couldn't help enforcing my babysitter role. It seemed that I had caught Mallory red-handed!
Her eyes darted and she muttered "You could say that," then into the receiver she said, "I'd better go. See you Monday." She hung up the phone.
I gave her a look. "You should probably get working," I said, with a shrug of empathy.
Mallory grinned sheepishly.
-----
Mrs. Pike and Nicky got home before the movie ended. Claire was already tucked in bed and the house was quiet.
At the sound of the front door cracking open, Margo whispered "Mama," excitedly, and I jumped out of Kristy's lap where we had sat in the dark shadows of the back of the room.
Kristy called home to let them know that she was done babysitting, but had to wait fifteen minutes or so before Sam, her older brother, would arrive in the Junk Bucket (a fond nickname their family has for their old car) to pick her up. I, on the other hand, was free to walk home.
But I didn't feel like I could just leave. Not after such an amazing, groundbreaking night. So, the two of us walked to the street corner and sat down on the curb. I was glad it hadn't rained recently because I could tuck my feet neatly into the gutter. Kristy sprawled into the street.
"So," she said, and turned to face me, smiling.
"So," I smiled back. "We kissed." I was still amazed by the fact.
Kristy's smile grew. "We sure did." She touched my nose with her finger in a gesture that might seem childish, but made me want to melt inside.
She leaned in towards me and my pulse quickened in anticipation. My hands found hers and our fingers tightened.
Then, the sudden sound of a car horn next to me nearly sent me out of my skin- and did cause me to jump at least a few inches in the air.
It was Sam in the Junk Bucket, headlights on us. Kristy held up one finger, telling him to wait a minute, then leaned forward to kiss me. With Sam watching! I'm not sure who was more shocked, Sam or I!
Anyways, I'm sure the Junk Bucket was full of stimulating conversation on that drive home. Me, I walked home in a daze. I'm pretty sure that both Dawn and my dad at least asked me how my job went, and I'm not sure how I answered them, but I know the answer was good.
-----
Kristy was tapping her watch but no one was paying any attention. She cleared her throat. "You guys," she said, still calm. The clock hit 6:32. She looked at Mary Anne for help, but she just smiled and shrugged. It seemed that the other babysitters would never stop talking.
Struck by yet another one of the brilliant ideas with which she was plagued, Kristy put her fingers to her mouth and whistled shrilly.
"Hey!" cried Stacey.
"Ow," moaned Claudia.
"Kristy!" complained Abby.
Well, at least things were quiet now.
"Finally! I call this meeting of the Babysitters Club to order." Everyone began to settle. "Anyone have any business?"
"Well, yes," said Mallory. "Dawn, Jessi; did you bring baked goods?"
"Mine's in Claudia's freezer," Jessi replied.
"Wait. What's this about?" Kristy demanded. Those in on the scheme exchanged looks.
"Uh," began Mallory, "my, ah, sister's class is having a bake sale and I promised we'd help."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I... forgot... I guess," Mallory shrugged. She supposed she really should have come up with a better excuse.
Mary Anne pouted. "You forgot me, too. Too bad. I always love to make a batch of muffins for a good cause. What does this sale support?"
Dawn coughed.
Abby giggled.
"I don't remember the name of the organization, but I think you would support it," said Mallory.
"Oh, definitely," added Claudia.
Everyone except for Kristy and Mary Anne burst out laughing.
Mary Anne shrugged. "I don't get it," she said. Kristy shook her head.
Then the phone started ringing and the meeting regained normalcy for half an hour. But when the clock struck 7, Kristy grabbed Mary Anne's hand and pulled her out the door saying "I need to talk to you."
As soon as Claudia's bedroom door was shut behind them, Dawn let out an exaggerated sigh. "Puh-lease tell me that one of you is having me sleepover at your house on Friday," she begged.
"Huh? Why?" asked Claudia, tossing Skittles up in the air and catching them in her mouth.
"Because Kristy is staying over at my house on Friday."
Claudia, Stacey and Mallory 'ooh'ed in understanding, but Jessi and Abby still looked confused.
"What's the big deal with tha- ohhh..." Abby realized the potential for a sleepover between Kristy and Mary Anne as she was speaking. "You can stay at my house if you want."
There was another round of giggles.
"Seriously, though, Dawn. You promised Oatmeal Raisin... It's time to pay up." Mallory gathered her things.
Dawn smiled sneakily and pulled a plate of the cookies out of her back pack (which Mallory had not noticed behind her). "Don't worry, I made your cookies. But I should have been exempt cause I'm gonna be paying for this for the rest of my life," she said and rolled her eyes.
-----
"Dawn usually isn't so..." I couldn't seem to find the right word.
"Hyper? Over-sugared? Giggly?" Kristy offered with a gentle poke to my side for each word.
I grinned and leaned my head on Kristy's shoulder. We were sitting backed up against the Kishi's oak (facing the street, mind you, we didn't exactly want the whole BSC watching us.)
"Mary Anne?" Kristy asked. I loved when we could be like this, just close. Quiet.
"Mmm?"
"Do you want to go to Spring Fling with me? Like, as my date?"
I lifted my head quickly, saw the beautifully wondering smile on Kristy's face and could not hold myself back.
"Oh, Kristy!" I moved one leg over her so I straddled her lap. I kissed her firmly on the lips. "I'd love to."
We kissed a few more times; sweet, lingering kisses, and when we finally parted, we were surprised into jumping apart by a burst of applause.
Kristy was turning red and I'm pretty sure I was scarlet. All of our friends had seen us. It was all pretty embarrassing.
"At least they're smiling," Kristy mumbled into my ear, which caused me to grin as well.
I certainly didn't mind such wholehearted welcome to this news.
"They're probably just excited cause I'm on top," I whispered back, and feeling daring from the audience, I licked the side of Kristy's face.
At which point she reached a whole new shade of red and the howls of appreciative laughter from the BSC, I'm sure, could be heard all over the neighborhood.
The End

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