Both girls smiled at her and Lilly relaxed a little when Allie spoke. “No, Lance really likes you. We know,” Allie said with confidence. “He didn’t really like Beth, so we ran her off.”
“Um, can I ask how?” Lilly asked timidly.
A huge grin filled Carrie’s face. “We put hot pepper juice in her make-up and she ran around the swimming pool crying at Lance’s birthday party,” Carrie stated proudly.
Sitting back in the chair, Lilly fought the desire to roll it back to get away from the ladybugs. ‘Killer Ladybugs’ Lilly said in her mind. “So, you think Lance really likes me?” Lilly asked, feeling her heart rate speeding up.
“We know he does,” Allie said with a smile. “He acts different with you.”
Leaning over, Lilly hugged both girls tight. “Thank you so much for that,” Lilly sighed.
When Lilly let them go, Allie stepped back and then Carrie did, and that made Lilly nervous again as she glanced around for weapons the ladybugs could use on her, namely a hammer. “Momma told me and Carrie we could be Lance’s girlfriends together but one day, Lance would have to get a bigger girlfriend to smooch on,” Allie explained as she and Carrie made disgusting faces.
“If you won’t be mean to us, you can be Lance’s big girlfriend,” Carrie offered.
“Ladybugs, Lance doesn’t want me for a girlfriend. I’m old and too skinny,” Lilly told them, convinced she was right. “But I’ll never be mean to my ladybugs. Like Lance, I love you two so much,” Lilly said smiling.
Carrie and Allie lunged, wrapping their arms around Lilly. “Yes, he does,” Allie said, squeezing Lilly’s neck tight.
“He thinks you’re the prettiest girl in the world,” Carrie added.
“No, that goes to you and Allie,” Lilly giggled.
They let Lilly go and held hands. “You promise?” Allie asked, grinning and Lilly nodded, trying not to cry out in joy. “Lance will kiss you tonight,” Allie declared, letting Carrie’s hand go.
“Huh?” Lilly gasped in shock as Carrie kissed her on the cheek and took off.
“I got to go help,” Carrie called out, running up the stairs.
Looking at Allie with trepidation, “What is Carrie going to tell Lance?” Lilly asked, almost panting in panic.
“Nothing, weirdo,” Allie giggled, climbing in the other chair. “You don’t talk to Lance when he’s working on something. You don’t bother him when he’s studying or reading either. Only when he’s taking a break or when Lance is teaching, then you can bother him.”
“Oh,” Lilly said, filing that away. “What if he’s working on plans like drawing?”
“That’s studying,” Allie answered, looking at the monitors. “You have to wait till he stops writing, then talk to him. If he groans, you have to use sad eyes when he looks at you.”
Staring at the side of Allie’s innocent-looking face, Lilly shook her head as she barely mumbled, “Holy shit, these two have learned Lance inside and out.”
For two hours, Lilly asked questions and Allie answered everything as she smiled. When Jennifer came down to take Allie’s place, Jennifer dropped in Allie’s chair as Lilly hugged Allie tight before she ran out. “Those girls have you wrapped now,” Jennifer chuckled.
When she heard the backdoor close, Lilly turned to Jennifer. “Who the hell was Beth?” Lilly snapped, making Jennifer jump in her chair.
“How the hell do you know about Beth?” Jennifer cried out.
Slapping the desk, “Jennifer!” Lilly cried out.
Scooting her chair back and not liking the glint in Lilly’s eyes, “She was a girl in our neighborhood,” Jennifer answered. Seeing Lilly look at her and wanting more, Jennifer took a deep breath. “Beth was a sophomore and tried for like a year to go out with Lance. She begged me to take her as a guest to Ian’s and Lance’s birthday party this year. I don’t know what happened, but when Beth came back from the bathroom she was screaming that her face was on fire and dove into the swimming pool,” Jennifer said, then a grin slowly appeared on her face.
“It was February and the pool’s heater wasn’t turned on,” Jennifer said, giving a snort. “I know the water was cold because I helped pull her out and she was still screaming that her face was on fire. Her face was red and swollen, I can tell you that.”
Flopping back in her chair, Lilly looked at Jennifer with wide eyes. “Fuck a duck, they learned from Lance and Ian,” Lilly mumbled.
“What?” Jennifer asked, not understanding.
“Never mind,” Lilly said, sitting up. “Anything else?”
“Yeah, Allie and Carrie gave Beth hell. I don’t know what they told Ms. Sandy, but Ms. Sandy called Beth’s mother and Beth never came back on our street, even to visit me,” Jennifer said. “Then, they had Lance beat up Beth’s brother who’s a freshman with me. They told Lance he pushed them down while they were riding their bikes and Lance beat the shit out of Eugene. I asked Eugene and he said he never pushed them down to make Allie and Carrie wreck their bikes. I don’t think the girls would wreck their own bikes and get scraped up like they were, so I took Lance’s side. A week later, I busted Beth’s mouth open after cheerleading practice.”
Feeling lightheaded, Lilly laid her head on the desk. “They are the female versions of Ian and Lance,” Lilly panted.
“Who?” Jennifer cried out.
Jumping up, “So they can come after me?!” Lilly screamed with wild eyes of panic.
“Nobody but the parents are coming to this cabin,” Jennifer said slowly.
Hearing the backdoor open, Lilly looked at the screens to see Allie and Carrie running in and heading to the bunker. Dropping in her chair, Lilly spun it to the door and tried to calm down. When the girls reached the door, Lilly held her arms open and the ladybugs jumped into her arms. “They have you wrapped now,” Jennifer repeated, standing up.
Giving each a kiss on the cheek, Lilly let them go and stood up, following Jennifer out of the bunker. When they were in the kitchen, “Lilly, nobody else from the neighborhood will show up here. Who are you worried about? Did the ladybugs tell you about Mr. Oliver?” Jennifer asked.
Shaking her head, “No, who?” Lilly asked, heading to the fridge and pulling out stuff for lunch.
“Who did the ladybugs tell you about from the neighborhood that has you scared?” Jennifer asked, helping with lunch.
Pouring stuff in bowls, Lilly just shook her head. “Nobody,” she answered, but Jennifer didn’t believe her.
When the food was done, the boys came inside and Lance called the ladybugs up. Lilly fought to remain calm but couldn’t help but smile as Allie and Carrie hugged Lance when he pulled out their chairs for them. As Lance moved to his chair, Allie cried out, “Lance!”
Lance stopped and turned to Allie. “Lilly is our friend; can’t you pull her chair out?” Allie asked and both girls put on pouty faces.
“I’m sorry, of course,” Lance smiled at them and moved over to pull out Lilly’s chair and the ladybugs beamed at him as Lilly sat down.
Ian jumped up and pulled Jennifer’s chair out as she carried over a tray of food and set it on the table. When Jennifer sat down, Ian leaned to her ear, “Sorry, but I didn’t want the ladybugs to whine to Lance to force me to pull your chair out. I’m not in the mood to go outside and wrestle with him today,” Ian whispered.
Reaching up as she sat down, Jennifer pulled Ian down and kissed him. “No smooches at the table,” Carrie sang out, and she and Allie giggled.
Letting Ian go, Jennifer turned to Carrie. “I can if I want to,” Jennifer declared and Lilly fought to reach over and force Jennifer not to tempt the ladybugs.
When lunch was done, Jennifer and Lilly headed to the shop with the boys. The hybrid UTV they used had broken down and Ian and Lance had torn it apart. As Ian had predicted, the buggy just couldn’t handle all the heavy loads they were hauling back. When you pressed the accelerator, the buggy took forever to pick up speed and Ian said it was the transmission.
Walking
in the shop, Lilly looked at the disassembled buggy, sitting in hundreds of parts all laid out neatly over the floor. “What do you want us to do?” Jennifer asked, pulling on her gloves.
“Lilly can help Lance make new gears for the transmission. You and I are cranking up the furnace,” Ian said, moving over to a metal box that was four-foot-tall, three-foot-wide, and deep.
“I thought you and Lance had to build one,” Jennifer said as Ian pulled over a five-gallon bucket of change.
“A bigger one,” Ian corrected, pulling the bucket over to another box that had a huge funnel pointing up and a small spout at the bottom. “We are building a 500kg induction furnace, since we are going to upgrade our electrical output again. Doug bought this 25kg one and the 5kg on the table so we could practice. The 25kg is largest induction furnace he could find. We used it at his house a few times then he said he’d sold it, but only moved it here.”
Rolling her eyes, “What did you and Lance try to use it for?” Jennifer sighed.
Turning to Jennifer and Lilly, Ian put his hands on his hips. “We don’t ‘try’ anything,” he said sarcastically.
Looking over her shoulder, Jennifer saw Lance at the CNC. “Lilly, Lance has started working,” Jennifer said and Lilly spun around and took off to join him. “Ian,” Jennifer said, rolling her head back and looking up impatiently, waiting for Ian to continue.
“We melted some metal and cast some boners and put them on Mr. Oliver’s garden gnomes,” Ian grinned. “Ms. Oliver came out the next day and saw all the little gnomes with ten-inch boners planted around her yard and passed out.”
“Never knew why she passed out,” Jennifer mumbled, remembering the emergency HOA meeting that had been called last summer. “Okay, so what are we doing?”
Grabbing a big scooper, Ian scooped up some change and dumped it in the funnel pointing up and Jennifer moved over and looked down at the change, and saw it was sitting on rows of gears with long angled teeth. “You can’t stand over it, Jen,” Ian said, pulling her back and handing her safety glasses.
When she put the glasses on, Ian flipped a switch and the funnel machine turned on and Jennifer saw tiny pieces of metal falling out the bottom chute. “You’re shredding change?” she asked, holding a gloved hand out to catch a handful of tiny bits of metal reminding her of confetti.
“Yeah, it’s the best source of zinc we can get our hands on fast,” Ian explained, dumping more coins in. “The induction furnace can be set at very specific temperatures. That way, we can set it at each element’s melting point to recover it.”
Taking the scooper from Ian, “I’m not even going to ask why we need zinc,” Jennifer said, dumping coins in.
Ian laughed, pulling a thick extension cord off to the induction furnace and then moved behind Jennifer. “Lance is afraid to kiss Lilly,” he said in a low voice and Jennifer almost dropped the scoop in the shredder.
“Lance has never been afraid of anything. Neither of you have,” Jennifer gasped and Ian held up his hand for her to lower her voice.
“Beg to differ,” Ian chuckled.
Scooping up more coins, Jennifer dumped them in. “Then she can teach him,” Jennifer said, watching the chute spit out the chopped-up coin bits.
“Jen, Lance knows Lilly has kissed other guys and he doesn’t want her to see him as a kid. He does have a man card, after all,” Ian said proudly.
Turning around, “You didn’t act like this,” Jennifer told him.
Scoffing, “Please,” Ian grinned. “I know the only person you really kissed was Steve. That’s why his car broke the day before the Fall Formal dance. Your dad had to take you and Steve, and I knew you two weren’t going to be kissing with your dad in the front seat. Jed would’ve beaten you and shot Steve.”
A shadow crossed over Jennifer’s face and Ian realized he’d said something he shouldn’t have. “Oh, but you could go with that hussy, Tabitha?” Jennifer snarled. “You could’ve asked me, I would’ve said yes.”
Holding up his hands, “That’s on me and I’m sorry,” Ian said quickly. “In my defense, you are a goddess and I didn’t think you would.”
Feeling numb, Jennifer dropped the scoop. “I’m a goddess?” she mumbled.
“Duh,” Ian droned.
Bending down and picking up the scoop again, “Okay, you’re forgiven,” Jennifer said cheerfully. Filling the scoop with coins, she dumped it in the shredder. “Can I ask how you found out about Steve?”
“Jen, you do realize Lance is my best friend, right,” Ian laughed and Jennifer just looked at him. “Every time you two have talked, Lance tells me everything.”
“Everything?”
Stopping mid laugh, “Yeah,” Ian grunted with a serious face. “I know you think Toby Crawford’s butt looks good.”
Giving a snort, Jennifer turned away refilling the scooper. “That was something I wanted him to tell you,” Jennifer admitted, dumping in the coins. “I always saw Lance as a friend. That’s why I could talk to him on the phone all the time and at church. I wanted you for a boyfriend, but the only time I could get you to talk to me was when Lance was around.”
“Sorry. You intimidated me,” Ian grinned. “Lance does see you as a good friend. That’s why he went out in the yard with you.”
Refilling the scoop, “So, you wouldn’t go out in the yard with me?” Jennifer asked, dumping in the coins.
“Yeah,” Ian sighed. “But I won’t fight with you like Lance did, sorry. He fought you like he does me. I would pull punches, trying not to hurt you and just try to hold you down. Lance was trying to submit you with a wrestling move like he does me.”
Reaching over, Jennifer patted Ian’s face with her gloved hand. “Ahh, that’s so sweet,” she smiled, then refilled the scoop. “So how do we get Lance to kiss Lilly? From what you’re telling me, he won’t kiss her if she tries to kiss him.”
“Yep,” Ian nodded, opening the induction furnace and taking out a ceramic bucket. “Lance told me when we were taking the hybrid apart that he would run to the bathroom, man card be damned.”
“Whoa,” Jennifer mumbled in shock, pausing before she dumped more coins in the shredder. “How do we fix that?” she asked, dumping the scoop.
“Um, can you kiss Lance and show him how we kiss?” Ian asked and Jennifer dropped the scoop again. “Jennifer, I know you see Lance as a friend like I do. If there was another girl here I would ask them, but you and I are the only ones that can show him and the chances of me kissing Lance don’t exist.”
“You wouldn’t be jealous?” Jennifer asked and Ian shook his head.
“No,” Ian replied with a chuckle. “He’s my buddy and your friend. You did show us your hooters,” he grinned.
Picking the scoop back up, “Okay, I’m not mad that you wouldn’t be jealous, but I see Lance like a brother. It would be like you kissing Allie,” Jennifer confessed.
“Eww,” Ian groaned, shaking his entire body violently. “That’s gross.”
“Exactly,” Jennifer nodded, dumping in more coins.
“Well, to be honest, Lance said the same thing about you when I asked him,” Ian admitted and Jennifer whipped her head around to stare at Ian. “Yeah, I asked him to try kissing you if I could get you to.”
“What did he say?” Jennifer asked.
“We would go to the backyard,” Ian sighed. “He said he would rather kiss Dino because you are his friend. I tried to offer, but he knew what I was going to say and picked up a wrench and told me if I asked, he was hitting me with the wrench and taking my man card away.”
Nodding as she refilled the scoop. “I’m impressed you would even offer to kiss Lance,” Jennifer said, grinning and Ian shivered.
“I wouldn’t really, I just wanted him to see that I want him to try with Lilly,” Ian explained, moving another bucket of coins over.
Turning around and crossing her arms, “If I agree, just how do you propose we do this?” Jennifer asked.
“Um, if he doesn’t try, we take
his ass in the backyard and beat his ass down until you kiss him,” Ian answered with a grin.
Laughing, Jennifer bent over and scooped up more coins. “You are willing to beat Lance down, so I can show him how to kiss?”
“Jennifer, he would fight back hard, so it would take both of us,” Ian said with a straight face. “Both of us could take him without hurting him too bad.”
Dumping in the coins, “Ian, if I do this, you owe me big time,” Jennifer told him with a shiver just thinking about kissing Lance. “To be honest, I can see where Lance would rather kiss Dino because I would kiss Dino if he just tried to kiss Lilly.”
“Won’t work, I offered to kiss Dino if he tried,” Ian said and Jennifer chuckled. “Have to admit, that almost made Lance give in.”
Not saying anything, Jennifer continued filling the shredder until the first bucket was empty and started on the second one. Halfway through it, she looked up at Ian. “If I puke when I kiss him, I’m punching you in the face,” Jennifer said with a sigh. “If he kicks both of our asses, I’m going to be a grade A bitch for weeks on end.”
Leaping over, Ian hugged her tight. “Thank you,” Ian said, squeezing her tight. “Lance really likes Lilly and I think they will be good together.”
Pushing Ian back, “Ian, did Lance ever do something like this, so you would finally talk to me?” Jennifer asked.
“Yeah,” Ian said with a long sigh. “He put me in an arm bar and told me if I ever asked him to talk to you for me, he would cut my nuts off.”
Chuckling, Jennifer bent over filling the scoop. “Then I can do this for my buddy,” she said. “When do you want to try?”
Hugging Jennifer from behind, “Now,” Ian said.
“Ian, Lilly is in here,” Jennifer said, pushing his arms off and turning around.
“I’m going to take her outside, so we can make some changes to the buggy I built,” Ian said proudly. Then, Ian became serious. “If he won’t, I’m telling Lilly to go inside so you and I can pull Lance in the backyard and kick his ass.”
Forsaken World (Book 3): Rite of Passage Page 23