Bittersweet Candy Bowl

23. A New Leaf, original chapter posted 9/14/06

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Transcript

[Caption: Lunchtime]
*Sue and Tess sit at a lunch table.*

*Tess notices as Lucy walks past the table, carrying a lunch tray.*

Tess: Lucy! Behind you!

Tess: Still learning the layout?
*Lucy sits down at the table and looks away from Tess, annoyed.*
Lucy: No, I just don’t care where I sit.

*Mike gleefully approaches the table where Paulo, Tess, Sue, Daisy, Lucy and David are sitting.*
Mike: ♥ HI, GUYS!! ♥
*Paulo glares at Mike.*

Paulo: Alright, dork! Why are you so goddamn happy?!
Mike: Hee hee!
*David pops in with a blank expression.*
David: Did you get LAID?

Mike: I just feel like every little burden in my life has been lifted! I’m completely free!

*Mike lifts his arms in the air, with a carefree smile.*
Mike: No more stress for me! Life is good!
*Paulo scowls at Mike.*
Paulo: You are such a goddamn fruitcake.

*Mike leans forward and rests his head on his hands, looking lovestruck.*
Mike: Man.. I was all out of shape before.. but now I realize.. simply asking was the solution! Fancy that!

*Paulo looks at Mike, confused.*
Paulo: Asking? Asking who?
*Mike makes a “telephone” gesture with his hand.*
Mike: Sandy, of course! I called her last night!

[Mike begins to recall the night before.]
Mike (narrating): Yesterday, I was almost ready to accept that yes, she was my girlfriend.. but would she really feel the same way? Was I jumping to conclusions?
*Mike lays in bed, frowning.*

Mike (narrating): I resolved to write to her, finally asking her the question..
*Mike sits up, making a determined fist.*
Mike: Hmph..

Mike (narrating): But I started to feel guilty again.. What if she said no? She’s got enough stress in her life..
*Mike frowns, shuffling through a pile of papers, a pen in his hand.*
Mike (narrating): I got stuck rereading her old letters.

*Mike’s eyes widen as he examines a letter.*
Mike (narrating): And then, I found it.. at the bottom of a letter she wrote two years ago: her new cell phone number. I called it once or twice before and it went to voicemail. Then I forgot about it..

Mike (narrating): Until yesterday. It seemed crazy.. But what if I tried to call, one more time?
*Mike reaches toward his phone.*

Mike (narrating): I waited.. ring after ring.. I was sure I’d just hear a message from the phone company. But then..

Sandy: Hello?
*Mike, eyes wide, holds the phone to his face.*

*Mike blushes and stares at the phone.*
Mike: …

Author commentary

Veronica: He’s so happy, awww!

I do genuinely feel bad for Lucy. I feel like over time a lot of the characters started to fit into archetypes, and Lucy’s archetype slowly became “tsundere.” She wasn’t always this way! But her progression honestly makes sense.. Mike’s actions are making her crankier and crankier and more standoffish, for good reason honestly.

Imagine having a boy treat you like how Mike did in “Off to the Movies” and then find out he has a quasi-girlfriend! I wouldn’t be feeling too friendly, myself!