rated a mild *

 

What’s Up With Trixie?

by Amber

 

Trixie Belden ran past her two older brothers, her ponytail flying, towards Manor House. Her best friend, Honey Wheeler, had called and asked for a Bob-White meeting at her house. Trixie was curious to find out why Honey wanted to meet at her house instead of the clubhouse. She also wondered why Honey said not to Dan and Diana. Oh, well. Guess I’ll find out when I get there, she thought as the Manor House finally came into view. I swear the path gets longer every time I come up here. Trixie waited impatiently for Brian and Mart to catch up.

When they finally did, Trixie rang the doorbell. “Good afternoon, Honey and Jim are on the veranda waiting. I’m about to serve them some cokes, could I get any for you?” Celia asked respectfully.

“Yes, please,” was the unanimous reply as the Beldens hurried out to the veranda.

They saw Honey and Jim right away.

“Honey!” Trixie shrieked. “What’s going on?”

“Gosh, calm down, Trixie, before you have palpitations! I’m sure our esteemed hostess will elucidate what she wants when she acquires a second of silence in which to talk.”

“Oh, stuff it, Mart!” Trixie retorted. Although he was only eleven months older than she was, he tried to act like a protective, much-older brother, when he wasn’t showing off his vocabulary.

Brian, Jim, and Honey tried to hide their amusement as Trixie glared at Mart. Honey finally cleared her throat to bring everyone’s attention to the matter at hand. She shook back her long hair. “I thought we could give Diana and Dan a special surprise joint birthday party. I think Di and Dan have benefited the most from belonging to our group, so we should show them how much we appreciate them.” Trixie personally thought Honey had benefited the most, but knew Honey would never think of herself above her friends.

“Honey, that’s really sweet! Does everyone agree?” Trixie asked looking around at the group. There were nods from all the guys. “Okay then. How about the Saturday before Brian and Jim leave?” A shadow passed over her face at the thought of the older two leaving them all behind again. “That gives us two weeks to get ready. Can we do this without Di and Dan figuring it out or without hurting their feelings, thinking we’re ignoring them?” Trixie was trying hard to become more thoughtful and considerate. There were agreements all around. “Okay then. That’s great. Now, I’ve got to get home to help Moms with, um, something.”

Trixie turned towards the door, and, before anyone could ask what she was talking about, since they all knew Moms wasn’t even at home, she was heading down the path to Crabapple Farm.

Once at home and in her room, Trixie stared out the window, playing with the ID bracelet Jim gave her on the plane back from Happy Valley Farm. She wasn’t actually wearing it. She hadn’t worn it in three months. She was trying not to cry when she decided that staring had no point when she could try to fix what was bothering her. The next moment found her at her desk looking for a piece of paper. She had decided to make a list of things she could try to let Jim know she really liked him. Unfortunately, she never quite mastered the art of flirting, so that was out. She wasn’t sure what she could do, and she felt too embarrassed to ask Honey or Diana. Oh, well. She’d figure something out, although she still had a blank sheet of paper in front of her. At least she had no evidence for Mart to find and tease her with.

Two weeks later

Today was the day of Diana and Dan’s party. She still hadn’t made any headway toward making Jim express his feelings for her, although she was convinced he had them.

She walked slowly to the Manor house. She was early because she promised to help Honey set up for the party. As they were decorating, they started talking.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Honey asked Trixie almost shyly.

“Of course, Honey,” replied Trixie.

Honey blushed slightly under Trixie’s gaze. “Brian asked me to go to Wimpy’s with him after the party,” she confided.

An uncertain, yet envious look passed over Trixie’s face. “What do you think will happen?”

“Well, I hope Brian will want to admit that he wants to be more than friends. I know I do,” Honey replied. “I know that doesn’t really mean much to you since you and Jim have been ‘special friends’ for almost two years.”

“Special friends? Jim hasn’t so much as tugged on my curls or looked at me fondly in at least six months!” Trixie spat out. She immediately felt contrite. “I’m sorry, Honey. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m not angry at you, just frustrated with your brother. I promise I’ll be happy for you if your date works out the way you want it to,” she looked hopefully at Honey.

Honey gave Trixie a big hug. “I’m sorry you’re having problems with Jim. Why don’t you talk to him after the party?”

“I was planning to, but I’m nervous about what to say...sshhh! Someone’s coming,” Trixie hissed.

They went back to decorating as Brian, Jim, and Mart came into the room. “Excuse me, feminine association members, they’re supposed to be here in exactly one half hour,” Mart reported. “Accelerate your efforts if you will!”

“If you’d help instead of trying to supervise, we might be ready in time,” Trixie shot back.

“She’s got a point there, guys,” said Brian. “Jim and I will hang the streamers.”

“Why did you volunteer me to hang the streamers? I was going to set up the snack tables,” Jim said.

Trixie darted over to Honey. “See?” she whispered. “He doesn’t even want to work on the same room as I am.”

Honey smiled comfortingly. “He probably wants to impress you by doing the heavy work”

Trixie looked at Honey hopefully. “Do you really think so?”

“Hey, feminine contingent. What are you murmuring about? Di and Dan disembark before we’re ready if you two don’t hurry up.”

“Just girl talk,” Honey answered Mart with a smile.

Trixie wanted to know something. “Doesn’t disembark have something to do with ships?”

“Relax, dear sibling. It simply means ‘arrive,’” Mart told her.

Celia and another maid, Marjorie, arrived at the door with all the party food. “Diana and Dan have been spotted,” Celia announced formally. Then she giggled. “I just love surprise parties!” she added as she and Marjorie left.

About five minutes later, Di and Dan were shown into the room. “Surprise! Happy anniversary!”

Diana and Dan stopped dead in their tracks. Diana started stammering, “But…but…it’s not…it isn’t…is it?” Dan was just looking around at everyone’s faces, shocked.

Trixie giggled. “No, Di, it’s not really. But we wanted to celebrate before Brian and Jim left for school.” She was happy that they had been able to keep the secret.

Dan finally seemed able to talk. “Thanks, you guys. You really surprised us. We didn’t have ‘anniversary’ parties in the Cowhands, you know,” he concluded with a grin.

Everyone laughed with Dan about the idea of a New York street gang celebrating with a party. A street fight, maybe. Honey put on some music as everyone got plates and started to eat. When everyone had finhed, they played Truth, Clue, and even had a silly-dancing contest. The Bob-Whites were too busy laughing at each other to declare a winner.

The party started to wind down a few hours later as they went they’re separate ways for dinner. Honey and Brian left together for Wimpy’s. Mart walked Diana home, and then headed to Crabapple Farm. Dan mounted Spartan and went back to Mr. Maypenny’s. Jim went to find a garbage bag to start cleaning up. Trixie hung back so she could talk privately with Jim when he returned.

Jim looked surprised when he got back and found Trixie still there. “You didn’t have to stay to help.”

“I know, Jim, but I wanted to talk to you.”

She thought Jim looked nervous as he answered her. “Okay, Trix. What’s on your mind?”

“Well,” she fidgeted. Just spit it out, she commanded herself. “I’m really going to miss you when you leave,” she confessed.

Jim tensed, but his voice denied any unease. “I’m going to miss all my friends when I leave,” he said carefully.

“Is there anyone you’re going to miss in particular?” she asked, afraid of the answer.

“I--I don’t know, Trix. What are you trying to say?”

Just do it, Trix, she told herself. She told Jim to sit down for minute. She paced in front of him for a minute to get her courage.

“Trixie, what is wrong?” Jim asked after about three minutes. Okay, I’m ready, she thought to herself. She put her hand on Jim’s shoulder as he started to get up. She leaned forward and quickly brushed her lips across his. She blushed and looked at him.

Jim ran his hand through his hair. He sighed heavily. Trixie had a frightened look on her face at that. He sighed again. “I thought it wouldn’t come to this. I hoped it wouldn’t anyway. Trixie… can you please look at me instead of the floor?”

 She looked up at him with a small smile as he decided it was his turn to pace. “It’s not that I don’t like you--because I do,” he added in a rush. “I just don’t think it’s fair for me to tie you down when I won’t be here.” He looked at her pleadingly.

“What do you mean ‘tie me down’?” she asked with tears in her eyes. She couldn’t believe he was breaking up with her before they even got together.

“I won’t always be able to come back when you have a dance to go to, and I don’t want you to have to stay home just because we’re together. Also, your parents won’t let you come to my school when I want to attend a basketball game with my girlfriend, you know.”

Trixie started to see red. “You mean you want to be able to date, don’t you? Now that you’re a college guy and I’m just a high-school kid, you don’t want to be with me. I guess the last six months of you ignoring me was just put some distance between us,” she shouted at him. She turned and ran from the room, intent on getting away from there as fast as possible.

“Trixie,” he called. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

She turned around long enough to say, “Go have your fun. Don’t worry about me.” She smiled wickedly. “I intend to have my fun, too.”

Jim sighed sadly. I didn’t mean for her to take it like that. I’ll give her the night to calm down, then I’ll talk to her in the morning before I leave.

The next morning

The Beldens were in the driveway preparing to say goodbye to Brian. He and Jim were following each other to college since they both wanted to have their own cars.

As Trixie was hugging Brian, Jim pulled up in his car with Honey. They both got out. Jim walked over to Trixie. “Can I talk to you please?” he asked.

“No, you said everything you needed to say yesterday evening,” she answered with a pleasant smile on her face. “I’ll be okay, hope you will be too.” She gave him a hug goodbye while shaking inside. She blew a kiss to Brian and called out that she loved him. Then she turned to go inside.

Honey gave Brian a hug and kissed him on the cheek. “Don’t forget me,” she teased.

“Not possible,” he promised. “I love you,” he whispered.

“Love you too,” she whispered back.

“Go keep my sister company,” he suggested, since he didn’t want her to see him leave.

“Okay,” she agreed, since she didn’t want to watch him leave.

 

Up in Trixie’s room

“Trixie, tell me what’s the matter. I’ve hardly ever seen you cry.” Honey said, more concerned than she had been before.

Trixie related hers and Jim’s conversation from the evening before. Honey’s eyes widened as she was told what Jim said. She leaned over and hugged Trixie soothingly. “I’m sorry my dumb duck of a brother hurt your feelings.”

“I’m okay,” Trixie stated emphatically. “Tell me what happened between you and Brian last night,” she added with an impish grin.

Honey giggled and proceeded to talk about Brian even telling he actually kissed her on the lips. An hour later, when Honey left to go home, Trixie sighed with relief. Now she understood how tired acting really was. She was tired of acting happy and upbeat when all she felt like doing was curling up into a ball and crying herself to sleep. She was happy that she had to wait only one more week for school to start. Now, she knew she was depressed if she couldn’t wait for math to begin, but anything to take her mind off Jim.

She managed to be too busy to see Honey, Di, or Dan for the rest of the week. She only saw Mart, but even then, she didn’t really talk to him, because she was busy ignoring all his questions. It was the longest week she had ever lived through.

On Monday morning when her alarm went off, she almost jumped for joy. Finally, something else to think about, she told herself. She was happy for math for the first time she could remember. At lunchtime, when the Bob-Whites normally ate at the same table, Trixie was laughing and talking to some people no one could remember her ever knowing. Honey and Di wondered aloud what was going on. Dan and Mart knew something wasn’t right, but didn’t know exactly what.

Trixie, on the other hand, looked like she was having a blast. She missed her friends, but didn’t want to answer any questions or see the pitying looks they’d give her. She couldn’t understand why she’d never really talked to Anna Grace, Damon, Alex, Cole, or Jessamyn before. All she really knew about them was that they were in Mart and Dan’s class, didn’t seem to be as nice as her friends were, and were rebellious. It didn’t take Trixie long to see that Anna Grace and Cole were together. It was a bit harder to know Jessa and Alex were dating, but after awhile, it became obvious. Damon was a bit like Dan, she thought. Kind of on the outside, but still there. That thought had just occurred to Trixie when Kymberleigh showed up. For the first time since she could remember, Trixie was the loner.

Back at the Bob-White table, Honey was telling Di, Mart, and Dan what Jim had said to Trixie. Honey and Di were insulted on Trixie’s behalf. Mart wanted to go “teach Jim a lesson.” Dan was more concerned about Trixie. He’d seen girls get really messed up if something they were counting on didn’t happen. He wasn’t sure exactly what happened, but he knew Trixie put her heart on the line and felt it stomped on. Trixie had gone after Jim with the same determinedness that she used to solve a mystery. Trixie was unaware her friends were talking about her. She felt someone watching her, and glanced around to see who it was. She saw Dan looking at her. In the next second, he was grabbing his tray and sitting next to her. Trixie rolled her eyes when Dan winked at her. She said goodbye to her new friends, returned her tray, and left the cafeteria.

She sighed when Dan followed her. She wanted more time before she had to talk to her friends. She turned a corner and saw the perfect way to avoid him. She ducked into the girls’ bathroom.

Dan sighed when he saw where Trixie went. He turned dejectedly to go back to his friends.

 

“Well, I tried,” he announced.

“How did she manage to elude you?” asked Mart.

“She went into the bathroom,” Dan sheepishly admitted.

“I thought you were supposed to follow her until she talked to you,” Honey reprimanded with a grin.

“The day I go into a girls’ bathroom, please have Uncle Bill shoot me.” Dan grinned back.

“Oh, Dan,” Diana commented, with wide innocent eyes. “I’m sure that between the Wheelers and my family, we can afford to have you committed. It would be just like giving money to charity. I’d much rather have you crazy than not at all. Come to think of it, you wouldn’t really be a charity since you technically work for Mr. Wheeler.”

Honey laughed and agreed with Di.

Dan laughed with them. “If I ever go into the girls’ restroom, I will be too far gone for any psychiatrist to help.”

At that statement, Honey, Di, and Dan cracked up.

In the bathroom, Trixie was splashing cold water on her face. She didn’t understand why Dan was trying to follow her. She didn’t understand why Honey, Di, and Mart were looking at her like they were concerned. Why can’t they understand that I don’t want to talk about it? Why can’t they understand that I just want to have fun for a change? She remembered every time they told her not to concern herself with other people, that she didn’t have to solve the world’s problems. Now they were concerned that she just wanted to worry about herself for a change! That just proved to Trixie that they weren’t happy with her either way. And if they weren’t happy with her, why did they call themselves her friends?

She was drying her face when Kymber, Anna Grace, and Jessa walked in. She looked up and smiled at them. She didn’t see Honey and Diana right behind them.

“Hey, Trix. Hope you’re not getting any ideas about stealing our guys,” Jessa teased.

Trixie laughed. “Nah. You can keep them. I don’t want a boyfriend right now.”

Anna Grace looked confused. “Who said anything about boyfriends? That implies commitment. She just said our guys.”

“What are y- Ohhh…” Trixie’s eyes widened. Did that mean they…? Whatever, she thought. Not her business.

“Anyway, Trix,” Kymber started. “We’re having a back-to-school party Friday night.” She smirked. “Want to come? My parents will be out of town.”

“Sure. Thanks for inviting me,” Trixie replied.

Honey and Di listened discreetly to the exchange. They looked at each other, then left to tell Dan and Mart about the party.

Dan met Trixie after school at the bus. “Sit with me,” he commanded.

Trixie rolled her eyes at him, but followed him down the aisle to the back seat. “Where are the others?”

“They’re taking the car.”

Trixie was wondering why Dan wasn’t riding with them. She knew why she was riding the bus.

“I heard about the party, Trix. You usually need a date for that kind, you know. So I was wondering…”

“What, Dan?”

“I was wondering if I could go with you.”

“Why would you want to?”

“I haven’t had much fun in awhile. I want to have fun. And if I’m with you, then I’ll be having fun with a friend.” His eyes looked pleadingly into hers. He was sure she didn’t know what she was getting herself into with those new friends or that party, but he did. The guys in that group were the ones he had talked to when he first arrived in Sleepyside. He had heard on good authority that they had only gotten worse since then.

“You won’t try to get me to talk, will you?” He shook his head. “Okay,” she relented. “You can come with me if you want to.”

“Thanks, Trix,” he said softly.

When Friday morning came around, Dan told Trixie he had arranged for Honey to cover for her by saying Trixie was spending the night at Manor House. Trixie smiled her thanks. “I think we’re going to have fun,” she whispered.

After dinner, Trixie walked up the path to the Manor House. As soon as she was out of sight, she turned towards the clubhouse. She had the clothes she was going to wear to the party in her overnight bag, and she had told Dan to pick her up there.

Dan showed up about five minutes after Trixie was finished getting ready. His eyes widened when he saw her. She was wearing tight flared jeans, a long-sleeved, black midriff top, and black, clunky high-heel loafers. Not only that, she was wearing make-up. Dan thought she looked pretty with her hair grown out and flying wild instead of pulled back in its usual ponytail, but she just didn’t look like Trixie.

“Hope you’re dressed as well as I am,” she called opening the car door. She took in his black t-shirt, jeans, and black work boots. “You’ll do,” she said with a cheeky grin. Dan had no idea how excited Anna Grace, Jessa, and Kymber were than Dan Mangan were coming to their party. All four thought he was hot and wanted a chance with him. Trixie was glad he’d left his shoulder-length hair down. She knew that would impress her new friends.

“Where’s the party, Trix?”

“Kymber’s house. Here are the directions,” she gave him a piece of paper.

“Trix, what is this all about?”

“You said you wouldn’t make me talk,” she reminded him. “That’s the only reason I let you come to the party with me.” She was getting upset.

“Calm down. I was asking about the party.” He really wasn’t, but she didn’t need to know that.

When they got to Kymber’s, Jessa opened the door. She stared at Dan with her mouth hanging open. He smiled tightly and propelled Trixie inside. Trixie was more than happy to have seen Jessa’s shocked face. It meant Dan looked better than she noticed. Dan grabbed an unopened bottle of water. Before he could warn her, Trixie grabbed a cup of punch.

“Trixie, that’s probably spiked,” he hissed.

Trixie raised an eyebrow. “Point?” she asked, right before downing the whole cup and grimacing. She hadn’t known it would feel like it was burning her throat.

“I think you’re mom might notice if you come home drunk.”

She grinned wickedly at him. “I’m ‘staying at Manor House’, remember?”

After a few more cups of punch, she decided it was good. She grabbed Dan and started dancing with him. She was watching him dance when she chanced a look into his eyes. Why haven’t I ever noticed how hot he is? She wondered. The next thing she knew, she had her arms around his neck and was kissing him. Or trying to, since he wasn’t exactly kissing back. What’s wrong with me? she wondered. Why can’t a guy like me?

Dan pulled back and checked his watch. It was three a.m. He knew Trixie was drunk. He could taste whatever the punch was spiked with (he thought it was whiskey) strongly when she kissed him. He grabbed her hand and led her to the door. The other three couples cheered, obviously thinking they were leaving for privacy reasons.

Dan helped Trixie into the passenger seat, dodging a kiss in the process. They were quiet on the ride back to the clubhouse. Trixie looked around when Dan stopped the car. “I want to go home,” she said quietly.

“You can’t go home drunk. Your parents would have a fit,” Dan reminded her.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about them.”

“Come on, let’s go into the clubhouse,” Dan said.

Once they were inside, Dan made Trixie sit on the couch. He sat next to her. “Trixie, tell me what the hell’s going on with you?”

“Why didn’t you kiss me back, Dan?”

Dan sighed. “I wanted to, Trix. But you don’t like me, you like Jim. If you wanted to kiss me because of me and not because you feel rejected by Jim, and not because you’re drunk, I would kiss you back. But that’s not the case here. I would love to kiss you,” he finished quietly.

Trixie’s eyes welled up with tears. “Why doesn’t Jim like me? Am I so horrible?”

“No, Trix. Jim just did what he thought was best. He wants to make new friends, and wants you to be okay without him. He doesn’t want you to not have fun, or not go out, because he’s not here. But I know he’d be heart-broken if he came back and you weren’t available, or worse, too available.”

“Really?”

Dan saw the gleam in her eye. “No way. You’re not going to use me to make him jealous. But if you want to go out, as friends,” he stressed, “I’d be happy to hang out.”

Trixie leaned over and gave Dan a huge hug. “Thanks, Dan. I think you understand me better than Honey does.”

“You understand me better than anyone else, Trix. Now you’d better get a nap. I’ll wake you up when Honey gets here.”

Trixie panicked. “Honey’s coming here?”

“She’s helping me to help you not to get caught.”

“What am I supposed to say to her?”

“Nothing you don’t want to say. You know Honey won’t pry.”

“And you’ll stay with me?”

“Yes.”

That’s how Honey found them two hours later, sleeping next to each other on the couch. She smiled. Her best friend was back.

The End

Author’s Notes: I have given Dan a big part in my story to make up for the KK’s leaving him out so much. Any aspect you don’t recognize of the characters’ personality is probably part of my personality, lent to make the story work my way.

TBH Main