Bittersweet Candy Bowl

35. Under Pressure, original chapter posted 3/17/07

Page 1 of 10

Transcript

*David looks starry-eyed, smiling and raising his fists in excitement.*
David: So my birthday TOTALLY kicked ass.

*Lucy leans her elbows on the table, unimpressed.*
Lucy: Keep telling that story and a teacher might overhear you talking about your game of H-O-O--
*David scowls, balling up a threatening fist.*
David: “Hoo”?! I’m no owl!!

David: So anyway.. I skipped school and..
*Lucy closes her eyes and tunes David out.*
Lucy: I shouldn’t have said anything.
*Yashy looks very interested.*
Yashy: Shh! He’s getting to the good part!

*Mike is sitting across the table looking slightly irritated. Abbey, eyes shut, sits next to him looking pensive.*
Mike: That makes the THIRD time she’s asked to hear his story today..
Lucy: What did you say, Mike? You’re mumbling.

*Yashy slams a fist on the table.*
Yashy: Dammit, Flea! That’s no way to be talking about Mom’s private parts!!
*Lucy raises an eyebrow, her face suddenly flushed.*

Lucy: OBJECTION!!
*Lucy, blushing intensely, jumps up and smacks Mike across the face. Abbey winces.*
Mike: Aughh!!

*Mike stands up, rubbing the side of his face, indignant.*
Mike: Why on earth would you believe YASHY?!
*Lucy leans towards him, pointing a finger.*
Lucy: Why would I assume she’s lying?

*Mike narrows his eyes.*
Mike: You can start with the fact I’m not a polygamis--
*Lucy falters, gritting her teeth and blushing.*

*Lucy and Mike fight off-panel. Yashy looks confused.*
Lucy: SHUT UP!!
Yashy: ?
Mike: Owww!! Lucy, why the hell--
Lucy: I told you not to--

*Lucy, gritting her teeth, huddles close to an irritated-looking Mike as she whispers to him behind her hand.*
Mike: I swear, Yashy’s gonna be the death of you.
Lucy: Or you, if you don’t shut up about her..

*Yashy comes up behind Lucy, glaring suspiciously.*
Yashy: Just what are you two talking about?
*Lucy panics.*
Lucy: Airplanes!
*Mike looks away nervously.*
Mike: Racecars!

*Lucy slaps a hand to her head, wincing.*
Lucy: Airplane-powered racecars!
*Mike smiles sheepishly.*
Mike: With 10,000 horsepower!
*Yashy scratches her head, skeptical.*

*Lucy stands up, raising a finger as the bell rings.*
Lucy: HEY, CLASS IS STARTING, LET’S GO!!
*Yashy watches her with an unamused expression as Mike collapses to the tabletop and holds his head in his hands.*
Mike: Not so loud..

*Lucy holds Yashy in her arms and starts walking away.*
Yashy: Can you take me on one of those plane-cars, Mom?
*Yashy, big-eyed and smiling, cuddles close to Lucy, who closes her eyes, irked.*
Lucy: Maybe.
*Mike watches them walk away out of the corner of his eye.*

*The group from the table disperses into the crowd. Paulo and Abbey walk off to class. Sue meets one of the Three Weird Girls and happily walks with her.*

*Amaya jealously pouts at the girl, raising a fist in anger. The girl looks confused. A tired-looking Abbey grumbles to himself. Augustus is a shadowy figure in the distance.*
Abbey: Nngh..
Girl 1: ?

*Augustus writes in his notebook.*
Augustus: …

*Augustus looks pensive.*

Author commentary

Veronica: I’m glad David had such a memorable birthday that he’s still talking about it!

I love how springy Mike and Lucy are being when it comes to keeping Sandy’s existence away from Yashy. Even though this chapter is kinda serious, I like that there’s a lot of bounciness in expressions and reactions.