Part 14 (1/2)

They all hoorayed the three cheers, cans high in the air.

Easley waved to them all. ”Gotta go. Have fun.” He went out the door as they cheered after him.

”Better and better!” Cher, formerly Marcy, cheered, holding her pop can high.

Elisha, sitting on the bench next to Cher, looked glumly at her can of pop and just shook her head.

”Now what's the matter?” Cher asked.

”Better and better. I get so sick of hearing that.”

”What's the matter with better and better?”

”You're not thinking, Marcy-I mean, Cher. If there's no truth, then how can we know we're getting better? Better than what? How can we know the difference?”

”It feels better.”

'Just like 'Cher' feels better than 'Marcy.' But can't you see? Both those names are a fantasy. This whole place, this whole thing is just one big lie.”

Cher thought about that only a moment, then asked, ”So who are you really?”

”Sally!” Alex called from his perch on the picnic table. ”Hey, Sally! ”

Elisha didn't realize he was calling her.

”Hey,” said Britney, ”the king's calling you.”

Elisha remembered her a.s.sumed name. ”Oh. What?”

Alex came striding over, pop can in hand, makes.h.i.+ft tiecrown around his head. ”What'd I tell you? I said we were going to even things up. Well, it's starting to look that way”

She looked up at him, unable to find anything about him that she liked. ”Congratulations.”

”Wanna go for a walk?”

”No, thank you.”

Britney was shocked. ”Sally, I don't believe you!”

Madonna threw in her two bits. ”If he was asking me ... whoa!”

”Better listen to 'em,” said Alex, reaching out his hand. ”Things are changing and I'm worth knowing.” He took her by her wrist and tugged her to her feet.

”No, please.”

He responded, only half jokingly, ”Hey, you don't say no to the king.”

With a quick and simple defensive move, Elisha broke his grip on her wrist.

There was a hush. The party stopped. No one moved.

”Whoooa... ,” came a murmur in the crowd.

Elisha stood her ground, looking Alex in the eye, hoping she had made herself clear.

He leaned forward, raised a hand, about to say something- ”Alex.” It was Warren, stepping forward. ”Come on. She's Jerry's girl-”

Alex planted one huge hand in Warren's chest and shoved him violently into the guys behind him. ”That's your opinion. But if you think we have two different viewpoints, then maybe you and me better get together and see if we can come up with a new one.”

”Cool,” said Ramon.

But Warren was looking past Alex. Everybody was. Alex looked over his shoulder.

It was Elijah, just inside the door. There was no question he'd heard what Alex said. Now everyone was staring at him, and Alex and everyone's eyes said ”Trouble.”

Alex was in a spot. Everyone was watching him, and he had a throne to defend. He turned to face Elijah directly. ”You heard what I said. How about it?”

Elijah looked to his sister for any cues. She was visibly upset and shook her head faintly to warn him.

Elijah stood there a moment, looking at the crowd and then at Alex, and then he couldn't help snickering. ”So this is how it works now, huh? You win a fight and suddenly you're dictating opinions and looking for more fights so you can dictate more opinions.” He said to the crowd, ”You see what's happened here? You throw truth out the window and the next thing you know, guys like him start pus.h.i.+ng their way in. And if he's the king, what does that make the rest of you?”

Alex started toward him. ”I'm gonna shut that mouth of yours.”

”Alex!” It was Warren.

Alex looked back. In that window of time, Warren went quickly to Elijah's side.

”I owe you one,” he told Elijah.

The sight of them side by side said everything.

Alex had to think about this one.

”Hey, guys, come on,” said Madonna, ”we're supposed to be having a party”

”What's wrong with a rumble?” said Ramon.

”Alex, you're the king,” said Britney. ”Don't spoil it. Let's just have fun.”

The murmur rippling through the crowd was beginning to lean heavily toward peace and partying.

Brett, his face still puffy, came alongside Alex. ”Save it. You're the king. Enjoy it.”

Alex listened, his eyes never leaving Elijah and Warren. Finally, relaxing just a little, he said, ”Okay” The whole crowd began breathing again. ”We've got a party going on here.” He s.h.i.+fted his weight forward and pointed in their faces. ”But your time's coming, so you be ready”

Elijah persuaded Warren, ”You've got a nice face. I've got a nice face. Let's just, you know, leave 'em that way. Come on.”