The Lonely Hearts Club

  "Josh Fuller."

  At the sound of Josh's name, Jen sank down on the lawn.

  "Who's Josh Fuller?" Diane asked as she patted Jen's knee.

  Jen ran her hands through her short blond hair. "He's the guy who broke my heart. We both coached basketball at park and rec this summer, and he ., ."

  "He jerked her around," Amy finished. "He flirted with her constantly, led her on, even took her out on a date -- and then he just stopped. He continued with the flirting, but there never was a second date. instead, he would parade a different bimbo around the park every week, then tell Jen how hot she was. He just --"

  "Enough," Jen said. "they get the point." She shook her head. "It's so stupid, but I hadn't really met a guy who I really clicked with before, and it all seemed to be there with him. It was too good to be true."

  I nodded, knowing exactly how Jen felt.

  I started to feel a surge of energy, "Come on, Jen, join us," I said. "We don't need them, do we?"

  Jen smiled. "We sure as hell don't."

  "Nice!" Diane nodded in approval. "We are up to five members. Kara? Morgan?"

  Both Kara and Morgan had spent the last few minutes in silence.

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  "Um, I have a date to Homecoming .,." Kara said, looking down at her uneaten lunch. "Ah . .."

  "that's okay ..," Diane offered.

  'And, ah." Morgan was clearly uncomfortable, "I'm sorry guys, I just need to . . ,"

  "No worries, seriously," I assured them. "I understand it's a lot. When you're ready, we'll be here."

  Knowing the guys at our school, I didn't think it would take that long for them to decide to join us.

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  chapter Fourteen

  THANK GOD TODD, CHESNEY sucked at Spanish.

  He'd been trying to hit on me and ask me to Homecoming all week, but since his Spanish was so bad, I just looked at him, confused, and pretended that I didn't know what he was talking about. And since Todd, was so bad in class, he believed me.

  Just before the bell rang on Thursday morning, I started my usual routine of grabbing my books and running out of class.

  "Whoa, hold up, Margarita," Todd, grabbed my arm before I got a chance to dash into the hallway.

  "Huh?" I tried to sound surprised.

  "I need to talk with you." Todd, followed me into the hallway. "So I was thinking . . ."

  Oh, this was going to be bad.

  "... that you and I should, ya know, go to Homecoming together,"

  He stopped in the middle of the hallway and looked at me. Although he was a few inches taller than me and was who-knew-how-many-pounds bigger, he looked a little timid. it almost made me feel bad enough to say yes. Almost

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  "Oh, wow, Todd,, wow." I tried to sound surprised, "I actually have plans for Homecoming already."

  "Who are you going with?" A hard edge seeped into his voice. "Bauer?"

  "Ryan? No, why would you -- never mind." that threw me off

  "Every chick in this school is watting around for Bauer to ask her to Homecoming. He better ask someone ASAP." He folded his arms, looking impatient.

  "Uh-huh. Well, see, I'm not going with a guy. I'm going with some friends, that's all,"

  "Why would you want to do that?" He looked confused. "You know what, Penny -- if you don't want to go with me you should just say so,"

  "No, it's not that, I really am --"

  "Whatever." Todd, walked away.

  Well, that went well.

  Despite Todd's reaction, for the first time since I'd been in high school, I was looking forward to Homecoming. Anytime I got asked who I was going with, I'd tell the truth, not caring if people thought it was weird that a bunch of girls were going together.

  "Hey there, stranger -- have you forgotten where your locker is?" Ryan said to me after class.

  "Yeah, well, I just. . ."

  "It's okay. I understand."

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  I had no idea what he was supposed to be understanding. I'd been avoiding my locker so I wouldn't have to deal with Todd,.

  I got back to fishing my books out of my locker, but Ryan wasn't going anywhere. "So, Todd, told me what happened."

  I turned around and leaned my back against my locker. "How much does he hate me?"

  Ryan moved so his head was leaning next to mine. "It's not that bad. I told him that you really are going with a bunch of girls. Sorry"

  "Why should you be sorry?"

  A smile spread across his face. "Well, I think he may start hitting on you again once Homecoming is over."

  "Oh."

  "Anyways, you should be the one apologizing to me."

  "For what?"

  Ryan opened his backpack and started putting things into his locker. He was pretending not to hear me.

  "Hey." I kicked his leg gently. "What did I do? I mean, I can't imagine what it could be, since I'm such a Goody two-shoes and all. . .."

  "It would've been nice to warn Chesney that you were off the market."

  "Oh, nice, 'off the market.' I know Todd, sees me as a piece of meat, but I expect a little more from you," I teased.

  "I just can't believe I have to find out everything about you from Diane."

  "What exactly did Diane tell you?"

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  He looked confused. "That you guys are going to Homecoming together. is there something else?"

  I shook my head. "No, nothing else. that's it."

  Friday night I headed with Morgan to Tyson's concert. I'd never felt so out of place. I surveyed the room and all I saw were piercing, black eyeliner, and dirty hair. Everybody had a look on their face like they'd rather be somewhere else.

  Well, I might've had one thing in common with them.

  Morgan grabbed my arm. "I think we should go to the front, not too close, but close enough."

  We maneuvered our way toward the front of the auto mechanic shop that was doubling as the concert venue. I didn't think we'd have a problem with Tyson seeing Morgan; there were only thirty other people there. Morgan reached in her purse and applied another coat of red lipstick.

  there was movement toward the front as the band took the stage: Pete Vaughn sat behind the drum set and started twirling his sticks; Brian Silverman and Trent Riley stepped on stage with their respective instruments, guitar and bass; and Tyson came storming out with his guitar. Immediately, the band launched into the Clash's "London Calling." I was surprised at how Tyson, so shy in class, dominated the stage. He moved with the music, worked the crowd, and held himself like a seasoned pro. And the music wasn't half bad. the song ended and everybody started to cheer.

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  "All right.'" Tyson grabbed the microphone. "Enough with the covers. We got a new song we re gonna play for you tonight. So give it up.'"

  those were the most words I had ever heard him speak.

  "Oh, I can't watt to hear their new stuff-- Tyson writes all of the songs." Morgan looked on like a lovesick puppy.

  Tyson started playing a few power chords. His long hair was in his eyes as he bobbed his head back and forth. the rest of the band came in and I found myself now moving to the music. there was something intense about the beat. I looked around and saw everybody moving their heads to the bass.

  As he sang his lyrics into the microphone, I was surprised at his voice -- so clear, powerful, and, in a way, beautiful. the lyrics were a lot deeper than I would've guessed.

  Tyson closed his eyes and reached out his hand to the crowd. "You are the shadow that haunts me, the vision of who I want to be"

  Despite the fact that Tyson was a guy, I started to wonder if I'd had him wrong. Not the part about him being the scum of the earth because he was male. But besides his being a boy, I'd always been so quick to dismiss Tyson all these years. Had I allowed the way he looked and his timid behavior to overshadow what was becoming increasingly obvious?

  Tyson Bellamy wasn't a punk wannabe -- he was a musical prodigy.

  After the band finished its last
song, Morgan turned to me and said, "A promise is a promise -- we can leave."

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  We started to exit, but there was a cluster of people in front of us. I decided to maneuver over to the side of the stage to get to the exit, then tripped over an amp cord.

  "Are you okay?" A hand grabbed me to steady my balance,

  I looked up. "Yeah. thanks, Tyson. Great show."

  "thanks, Penny," he said with a bit of a smile. "I was a little nervous when I saw you were here."

  Really?

  "Really?"

  "Yeah." I could see him blushing behind his hair. "I mean, you're named after a song from the greatest rock band of all time."

  "Oh." I laughed. "Um, you know Morgan, right?" I motioned to Morgan, who was trying to hide behind me. So much for me not being the wing girl.

  "Yeah, hi," Tyson said and looked down at the floor.

  "Hi," Morgan replied, also looking down.

  "Um, so do you guys practice here?" I asked, trying to make things less awkward.

  Tyson nodded his head, "Yeah, at night." He didn't look up.

  "Uh-huh, well that's . . . interesting."

  Morgan nudged me.

  "Um, well, good talking to you . . ."

  Tyson nodded his head and peeked up for just an instant to smile.

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  "I'm going to die" Morgan screamed as we left the garage. "That was so embarrassing. Could he have shown any less interest in me?"

  "He's just shy!' I said, only half sure that was it.

  Morgan opened the doors to her car and we got in, "Penny, do you know how long I've had a crush on Tyson?"

  I shook my head.

  "Since freshman year. two years. And finally I decided that this year I would do something about it. He's a senior, so time is running out. But it's so obvious he doesn't care." Morgan put her head on the steering wheel. "I'm so embarrassed."

  "You've nothing to be embarrassed about. You don't need Tyson to --"

  I cut myself off I didn't want to have a reenactment of our lunch from earlier in the week,

  "I don't need to what?" Morgan looked at me expectedly.

  "You don't need him."

  Morgan nodded slowly. "You're right -- I don't. I've already wasted so much time on him." She sighed. "Hey, got room for one more in your club?"

  I smiled. "Of course. You free tomorrow night?"

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  chapter Fifteen

  "YOU GIRLS TRY TO BEHAVE yourselves tonight," Dad said as he put on his coat Saturday night. "Now, Penny Lane, were only going to be gone for a couple hours. No boys."

  I tried not to laugh. if only they knew.

  My parents were on their way to dinner, while Tracy and I were in the middle of getting all of the important provisions ready for our first official Lonely Hearts Club meeting -- potato chips, dip, soda, pizza, and a selection of cheesy comedy movies.

  "Don't worry, Dr. Bloom -- if Paul or Ringo stop by, we will be the perfect hostesses," Tracy loved the fact that my parents were so ... not normal.

  "thank you, Tracy," Mom replied. "We know you will" She kissed me on the cheek before she headed out.

  "Why do you encourage them?" I asked Tracy.

  "Because it drives you crazy," the doorbell rang -- to the tune of "Love Me Do," of course.

  "Let the festivities begin!" Tracy declared.

  I'd been looking forward to this meeting all week. Just us girls, hanging out. But, part of me hoped that maybe, just maybe, it would end up being something bigger than that.

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  Once Tracy, Diane, Jen, Amy, Morgan, and I settled into the basement, got comfortable in the sofas, and started munching on chips, Tracy stood up and passed out a piece of paper to each of us.

  I looked down and saw the Official Guidelines of Penny Lanes Lonely Hearts Club.

  "Hey" I protested. "this isn't just MY Club .. !'

  Tracy threw a chip at me, "Just read it, will you!"

  The Official Guidelines of Penny, Lanes Lonely, Hearts Club

  Heretofore are thy official rules for members of "Penny Lane's Lonely Hearts Club." All members must agree to such terms or thy membership shall be struck from thy record.

  1. All members agree to stop dating men (or, if referring to the male population at McKinley High, "little boys") for the rest of thy high school existence. Whether or not said members want to date after high school, they choose to proceed at their own risk. Failure to adhere to this, the most sacred rule, will result in the highest punishment allowed by law -- streaking through the halls at McKinley after lunch,

  2. Members will attend all couple events together as a group, including, but not limited to, Homecoming, Prom, parties, and other couply events, despite possibly being labeled as freaks and getting jealous looks from guys who wish we were their hot dates, but instead have to settle for some lame wannabe.

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  3. Saturday night is the official meeting night of Penny Lane's Lonely Hearts Club. Attendance is mandatory. Exceptions are for family emergencies and bad hair days only.

  4. Members must be supportive of their friends, despite bad choices in clothing, hair, and/or music.

  Violators of the rules are subject to membership disqualification, public humiliation, vicious rumors, and possible beheading.

  I loved it. Granted, it was a little melodramatic in places (typical Tracy), but, all in all, it worked,

  Jen looked at the list and let out a sigh. "Ever since you told me about the Club, I've been thinking about all the drama that has happened in my life because of boys. I mean, I recently found out that last year three of the guys on the boys' basketball team had a bet on who could deflower me. How stupid is that?" Jen rolled her eyes,

  "Yeah, unfortunately Jon Cart took that privilege away from me last year," Amy shook her head. "if only I could get those forty-five seconds of my life back,"

  "WHAT?!" Tracy practically screamed.

  Amy covered her mouth. "Yeah, hate to break it to you, but losing it isn't that much fun."

  Tracy looked disappointed. "Not that I'll ever get to know." She wrapped her arms around herself and pretended to sulk, "Stupid Club."

  "Yeah, and in the continuing tradition of guys being total

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  jerks to me for no reason, literally the second after it was over, he completely lost interest in me."

  "Typical!' Jen agreed.

  "Everything you see in the movies and on television is such crap. I did not see fireworks, and there was no sweeping symphony playing in my head." Amy glanced over at Diane. 'Although I'm sure with you and Ryan, there was probably candlelight and rose petals."

  Diane blushed. "Um, not exactly."

  I wasn't really sure I wanted to hear this.

  "Please tell me there were at least silk sheets?" Amy said.

  Diane said something, but her voice was so low it wasn't really audible.

  "Um, maybe we should change the subject?" I suggested.

  Diane looked around at all of us and smiled. "It's okay. it's just that. . . I'm a virgin,"

  "YOU'RE A WHAT?" Tracy screamed and jumped off the couch. Diane just shrugged her shoulders.

  No, Way.

  She and Ryan were together for so long, they were practically married. Well, maybe those jokes about married people not having sex were true.

  "Seriously!" Tracy screamed.

  Diane nodded. "Seriously,"

  "Wow."

  After an awkward pause, Diane got up and walked over to Tracy. "thank you, Tracy," she said with a mischievous

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  twinkle in her eye. "thank you for thinking all this time that I was a huge slut."

  Tracy shrugged her shoulders. "Hey, judging my friends is what I'm here for."

  "Penny, can we please put some music on so we can drown her out?" Diane smiled at me.

  "Yeah, like any speaker could do that," Tracy countered.

  I couldn't have agreed with Diane more. I already knew the perfect
song to blast.

  What else?

  "Come together."

  "You really don't have to worry about cleaning up," I said to Diane after everybody else had left. I washed out a few soda cans that needed to be recycled.

  "Well, I wanted to ask you something."

  I sat down at the kitchen table next to her.

  She shifted uncomfortably. "Do you think it's weird?"

  "the Club?"

  "No, no. that Ryan and I never .. ."

  "Um, well, I guess I just assumed ... .

  She looked down at the floor. "Yeah, I know. it's just, . . can I tell you something?"

  I nodded.

  "I've never told anybody this before, but we tried to once. Last New Year's we were going to -- we had it all planned

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  out. My parents were staying the night in the city so we went back to my room after Todd's party and we did have candles and he did buy me roses.. ." Diane laughed. "I guess we were so predictable." Her smile slowly vanished, and she sat still for a while.

  I nodded sympathetically thoughts of my embarrassing, disastrous evening with Nate started to flood back to me.

  "I remember that I was so sure of Ryan, that we would be together forever. Everything was so romantic, so perfect, and then . . I freaked out. We aren't talking a few nerves -- I completely lost it. We didn't even get that far -- most of our clothes were still on -- but I just started crying. Ryan immediately sat up and turned the lights on. He looked so concerned, which made me feel worse.

  "I still don't understand what happened. I guess I panicked. We spent that night just lying together, him holding me as I cried. After that night, things were different between us. I think Ryan was worried that he'd done something wrong, so he never tried going that far again. We were both so embarrassed that neither one of us ever talked about it. We hardly did anything the last couple months we dated. that's why it's been so easy for us to stay friends, because that's what we ended up being, in the end . . . just friends."