Hollis shoved a slightly damp, crumpled piece of paper into Ollie’s hand. To Ollie’s great surprise, he found himself holding the drawing he had thrown out after dinner.
“You know I threw this out for a reason, right?”
“I want in,” said Hollis. His tone suggested he wasn’t asking at all.
“Listen, Hollis. I can’t let you in to wrestle now. I’ve got a lot to—”
But Hollis cut him off. “No, ya dingus. Not into your room.” Hollis pointed to the drawing. “I want in on your master plan to save Slamdown Town. So let me have it.”
Ollie’s brain threatened to burst. He could barely comprehend what was happening.
“Master plan? Hollis, I got nothing. Okay? Besides this”—Ollie waved at the drawing—“which isn’t even good.”
“Um, yeah it is,” countered Hollis. “‘Save Slamdown Town.’ That’s what it says. I noticed it in the trash wedged in between some meat loaf.”
“I was wondering what that was,” said Ollie as he sniffed the drawing.
“You think I just pick random pieces of paper out of the trash for fun?” Hollis shook his head. “And if I can notice a slightly crumpled piece of paper in a trash can, then other people would definitely notice it hanging up somewhere. So what else besides the poster do you have going on?”
“Like I told you before, nothing,” admitted Ollie. Confusion and disbelief spread over Hollis’s face. Without asking for permission, he pushed forward into Ollie’s room.
“Hey, I didn’t say you could come in here,” whined Ollie.
But Hollis rounded on him. “Do you think I want to be in here? Because trust me, the answer is no. If anyone found out, I’d be done for. But Slamdown Town is at risk. So I don’t care about all that, and I don’t care if you don’t want to work with me. Get used to it, because this is happening.”
The fact that Hollis was in his room insisting—no, requiring—that Ollie work with him after spending the last few years doing everything in his power to keep Ollie away was so outrageous that he began to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” demanded Hollis as Ollie bent over laughing.
Ollie, confident his laughing fit had passed, looked up at his older brother.
“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t actually have a plan before you’re gonna believe me?” asked Ollie.
“But you always have a plan. That’s your thing,” Hollis pointed out. “You may only be a sixth grader, but you know . . .” Hollis rubbed his arm with nervous energy, his eyes fixed on the ceiling. “I remember you coming up with some cool ideas. With our tag team and all that. Back then, of course. You’re totally not cool now.”
Ollie opened his mouth. But no words came out. Hollis had, completely unprompted, paid him a compliment. Sort of.
“I mean, now I always come up with plans with Tamiko,” admitted Ollie. “But she won’t even talk to me at the moment. And I’ve been trying, but I can’t come up with a way to save Slamdown Town on my own. Outside of making some sort of poster, I’m kind of lost on what to do.”
“The loudmouth won’t talk? That’s a first,” muttered Hollis. “Well, you better get her talking again. There is way too much at stake to have some sort of toddler tantrum between you two mess everything up.” Hollis took a menacing step closer. “Because if you don’t, I will give you a noogie every hour of every day until you do. We are saving Slamdown Town. All of us.”
“Why?” Ollie found the question spilling out of his mouth before he could stop it. “Why all of us? This is because you like Big Chew, right?”
Hollis rolled his eyes. “You really can be a sad sack sometimes. My seat is right next to yours, remember? The original one, not some sixth-grader knockoff. I watched all those matches, too, same as you. And did you forget that I’m the web developer and moderator of the Officially Unofficial Slamdown Town Fan Club? Face it. Slamdown Town doesn’t just belong to you. It belongs to all of us.”
Hearing his brother’s reminiscence about the arena reminded Ollie of when hanging out with Hollis had been the only thing he ever wanted to do. And there was no place they’d rather have hung out than Slamdown Town.
His brother may have morphed into an eighth-grade jerkface, but Hollis really seemed to care about the arena and all the memories contained there.
“And don’t get any ideas. Once we save the arena, everything goes right back to normal,” clarified Hollis. “Now, say you’re gonna help me or I’ll sit on you until you do.”
That was not a threat that Ollie could take lightly. He reviewed his options.
Hollis had the raw strength that he didn’t. Strength he used to get results, one way or another. His strength made people listen to him. And when Hollis put his fists to something, people generally gave him what he wanted.
Tamiko was the loudest best friend ever. At least, he hoped she still was. She’d never willingly work with Hollis. Hopefully, if he hadn’t totally messed up, she’d still be willing to work with Ollie. With her help—and her loud mouth—getting the word out would be easy peasy.
And Ollie was pretty good at doodling drawings of wrestlers. Pretty much everyone told him so. With a few sketches posted to the right places, enough people might realize what was at stake. Maybe, just maybe, a drawing or two could help save Slamdown Town.
This plan, however crazy, was the only plan he had, and also the one option that did not immediately include his brother sitting on top of him. After all, he was a sixth grader. There was only so much he could do. But he resolved to try.
“I’m in,” answered Ollie.
“Good. Stay there,” ordered Hollis.
Ollie stood rooted to the spot, fearful that Hollis might sit on him anyway if he didn’t obey. “Where are you going?”
“To get your homework,” said Hollis as he marched out of the room in a hurry.
Ollie waited and marveled at what had just occurred. A day ago, he and Hollis had been enemies. Now, as Hollis barged back into the room clutching supplies for a new poster, Ollie realized that, somehow, Slamdown Town had brought him and his brother back together.
At least for a temporary alliance.
This was what the pigeon felt like after his brother said, “Coo! Coo!” thought Ollie.
CHAPTER 37
The next day after school, Ollie found himself standing in front of Tamiko’s house. There was tons of work left to do considering his match with Werewrestler was only four days away. But he had, finally, worked up the courage to talk to his best friend.
That and the looming threat of a lifetime supply of Hollis noogies had spurred him into action.
He had given Tamiko her space, something that his mom and several online articles had told him was necessary sometimes after a fight. So he waited. Besides, he needed to take care of a few tasks before being able to offer a proper apology.
But the entire school day had gone by without her saying a word to him, and he felt completely alone without his best friend.
While having Tamiko around would certainly help the efforts to save Slamdown Town, Ollie found he didn’t care so much about that. He didn’t even care so much that Tamiko’s advice always helped him calm down leading up to his matches as Big Chew. With all the work to be done in order to keep the arena from closing, it seemed almost mind-boggling that Big Chew still had to face Werewrestler for the belt.
Despite all that, Ollie found that he really just missed joking with Tamiko on the bus ride to school each morning. Or stuffing their faces with too many snacks during lunch. Or complaining about homework while walking the poodles.
Or watching wrestling matches together.
He wanted his friend—no, his best friend—back. He needed her friendship in his life, because he knew that it would outlast Slamdown Town, whether it closed in a few days or several years down the line. Now all he needed to do was say that to her, and hope that she would listen.
He took a deep breath. Then another. And then he rang the doorbell
.
Tamiko opened the door.
“Hey,” he said.
“What’s up?” she asked.
He just stood there. And so did she. He’d stand there as long as it took.
But that didn’t mean it wasn’t awkward.
“Do you want, like, a soda or something?” she asked.
“Yeah,” he answered. He guessed the Tanakas were off their health kick.
He followed her to the kitchen. She opened the fridge and pulled out the last orange soda. She gave it to him. Orange soda was his favorite. So he felt that was a good sign. Then she grabbed a grape one for herself and moved to the table.
They sat and drank their sodas in silence.
A quiet Tamiko was a rare thing. A quiet Tamiko who also wasn’t playing a game on her phone was a sight he had never witnessed before. He wondered what she could be thinking about. But sitting here drinking sodas wouldn’t answer that question.
So Ollie cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry,” he began.
She said nothing.
“I get if you’re still angry with me and stuff. But I wanted to let you know that I’ve felt like a total butthead because of what I did,” he admitted.
He had. So he decided to go about fixing everything he had messed up.
“My dad told me you talked to him,” she said finally.
“Yeah,” he said, relieved she was talking now. “I told him that you had covered for me and that I would work to give him the money for a new pair. Then he started getting really excited about the new pants having even more glitter than the last pair.”
“But how?” she asked. “We got fired. Remember? Plus, you wrestle for free.”
“Actually, I spoke to Mrs. Ramirez, too. It took a lot of begging. And a lot of poodle bath time,” revealed Ollie, holding up his still-pruney hands.
“I was wondering why you smelled like wet dog,” she acknowledged.
“But she agreed to let us both come back,” he said. “So I can pay your dad back once I earn enough. And I’m gonna use all my money. You don’t have to use any of yours. Plus, I spoke to Mr. Fitzgerald, and he is letting us do extra credit. So that way, we can make up the failing grade. But I’ll do the bulk of the work.”
The words spilled out of his mouth. Tamiko blinked rapidly as she absorbed it all.
“You did all that? For me?” she asked.
“Yeah. When I said sorry this time, I wanted you to know I meant it,” he said.
He had taken his mom’s advice to heart. This time, he was sorry.
She took a few moments to think about that. Ollie thought, hoped, she looked a lot happier than when he first came in.
“Good. Glad to hear you stopped being a massive jerkface,” she teased Ollie.
“Me, too,” admitted Ollie with a big smile.
He liked that they were back to having a normal conversation again.
“So yeah, listen. I really am sorry,” he repeated.
She nodded. “I know. Me, too.”
“You? What for? I was the jerk,” he said.
“Nah. I mean, yeah, you kinda were, but I know how important all this is to you. And I was sort of jealous I guess.”
“Jealous?” That surprised him.
“No, not of the gum. Of Big Chew,” said Tamiko. “You got to spend all this time with the wrestlers. And that meant you couldn’t spend time with me. So, I don’t know . . .”
She looked down at the table.
“I guess I wished I was as awesome as Big Chew was, and then you’d want to hang out with me again.”
He shook his head. “What are you talking about? There’s no one as awesome as you.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Of course.” He was surprised she didn’t know. “You’re the coolest, most awesomest friend ever.”
She laughed. “Yeah. I guess I am.”
“We good?” he asked.
“We’re good,” she answered.
“So,” he began in a nervous tone. “I find myself without a manager. Know anyone who might be interested in working with a wannabe champion who promises to not be a jerk anymore?”
“I can make a few calls,” joked Tamiko. “Speaking of which, I’ll have to reach out to Linton. You would not believe how many voicemails he’s left.”
They spent the next few hours hanging out like they always did. Tamiko kicked his butt in video games. Then she and Ollie enjoyed triple-mega-chunk peanut-butter-and-chocolate ice cream. With extra sprinkles, of course.
This was how things were supposed to be. He and Tamiko, hanging out and having a great time. Ollie couldn’t stop smiling.
For one afternoon, they could just be kids, and friends, before saving the arena.
Ding, dong!
The doorbell echoed down the hallway. Ollie, caught up in having fun with his best friend, had forgotten to tell Tamiko about the arrival of what would surely be a very unwelcome guest.
“Oh, maybe that’s a package for me,” said Tamiko with excitement. She ran off down the hall toward the front door. She apparently had ordered a new gaming headset and was eagerly awaiting its arrival. Ollie knew she would be disappointed.
Ollie sprinted after her. “No, wait. Tamiko.”
By the time Ollie rounded the corner, Tamiko already had her hand on the doorknob.
“That’s not a package,” said Ollie. “It’s—”
Tamiko yanked the door open and found herself staring face-to-face with—
“Hollis?!” shrieked Tamiko at the top of her lungs.
“What did I say about yelling?” said Mrs. Tanaka from upstairs. “Inside voices, please.”
The look on Tamiko’s face was one of sheer horror at finding her least favorite person outside her very own house. For his part, Hollis looked like he was trying to hide under his sports jacket.
Hollis opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Tamiko shut the door right in his face. She spun on her heel to face Ollie.
“Explain why the sweaty menace is currently standing on my front porch.”
“Hollis and I are working together to save Slamdown Town,” answered Ollie.
It took the better part of a minute for Tamiko to stop rolling on the floor with laughter. When she realized that Ollie wasn’t joking at all, her mouth hung open in shock.
“You. And Hollis. Working together?” She shook her head. “I don’t buy it.”
“And I don’t blame you. But it’s real,” he confirmed. “Trust me. I’m as confused by it as you are. But he really, really loves Slamdown Town. So much so that he’s willing to work with us to save it.”
“Us?” hissed Tamiko. “I’m not working with him.”
“Hey!” shouted Hollis from the other side of the door. “Are you two done with your little reunion? Kiss and make up yet?”
Tamiko opened the door. “When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it. Which will be in . . .” Tamiko looked at the clock on her phone. “Never minutes.” And she shut the door in Hollis’s face again.
“Look, I know this is crazy,” started Ollie.
“It is. It really is crazy,” confirmed Tamiko.
“But the fact that Hollis wants to actually help for once instead of dishing out wet willies shows that he’s committed, at least for as long as the arena is under threat of closing.”
Tamiko still look unconvinced. But after a moment’s consideration, she opened the door again.
She pointed a finger straight at Hollis’s face. “State your business here, eighth grader.”
“Really?” He sighed and looked over at Ollie.
Ollie shrugged. “It’s her house. Her rules.”
“I’m here for Slamdown Town. After me, you two are easily some of the biggest wrestling fans I know. What else do I have to say?”
Tamiko scoffed at that. “As if. We totally blow you out of the water.”
Hollis’s nose flared, but he held his retort in check.
“If you want to save the arena as mu
ch as I do,” he said through clenched teeth, “then we need to work together. Just until Saturday, and then you can go back to . . .” Again, Hollis swallowed the insult on the tip of his tongue. “. . . whatever you want after that.”
“Wow. That looked painful,” chided Tamiko. She sighed a long sigh. “But not as painful as me agreeing to work with you only until Saturday.”
Ollie, who had been on pins and needles the whole time, let out a cheer. “Awesome. With the three of us working together, there’s no way Slamdown Town will close.”
They made their way into the living room. Ollie sat down on the couch, keeping the peace between Tamiko, who was seated to his right, and Hollis, who standing to his left.
“Don’t touch or breathe on anything,” warned Tamiko, staring daggers at Hollis.
In an effort to turn the conversation toward the real objective of saving Slamdown Town, Ollie pulled out the stained drawing he’d been working on and showed it to Tamiko. “It’s not finished yet. I could really use your help with how to improve it.”
“It’s pretty good, though,” approved Tamiko. “Me likey where this is heading.”
Hollis nudged Ollie in the shoulder. “See? I told you.”
“So I figured we could all discuss how to get started,” proposed Ollie, rubbing his shoulder. “Linton was very clear. A butt in every seat or the arena will close.”
Tamiko’s face split into a proud smile. “Actually, I’ve already been mentioning it to my fans on my Griddle Royale streams.” Griddle Royale was the newest gaming obsession of Tamiko’s, and of the world for that matter. It was a free-for-all game in which one hundred players fought to the death on a giant griddle filled with oversize pancake, bacon, egg, and sausage environments. Since she first learned how to play, Tamiko had placed first in almost every game. And since the game was so popular, her dozen subscribers had turned into two hundred.
Hollis snorted. “Can’t believe people actually voluntarily choose to have their earbuds exploded by you.”
“I know, right? It’s awesome,” said Tamiko.
“On my end, I’ve already started talking to my friends—” started Hollis before Tamiko interrupted him.
“Eww, eighth graders!” she shrieked.
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