Starla's Mom's Car
Friday. July 2, 1982
Afternoon
Tabby turned to Starla. "Uh... so... uh," She stammered again lowering her eyes. "I... really need to talk to you... alone. Maybe I can get a ride with you?"
“Of course you can,” Starla replied. “You know I’m always here for you.” She gave Tabby a smile, and then glanced at Shelley. There were a couple of things she would have liked to talk to Shelley about, but it could wait; now was not the time.
After Shelley had climbed into Gary’s van and the two of them had left, Starla led Tabby to her mom’s car, which she’d borrowed since her mom didn’t need it that day. Thoughts of the car brought up the memory of the red Plymouth Volaré that Trevor and Matt had brought to Speedy’s to show her on Tuesday. Trevor had said his dad might sell it to her, and had suggested she take it for a test drive, but with all that had happened to them since Tuesday night, it had slipped her mind until now. And with all that had happened, Starla wasn’t sure the offer was still on the table, but that was something to be worked out later. Right now Tabby wanted to talk to her.
Starla unlocked the passenger door for Tabby, who was still holding those envelopes and pieces of paper she’d had since she had arrived back at Speedy’s with Shelley and Gary. Once she and Tabby were both in the car and buckled up, Starla started the car, pulled out of the parking spot, and began the trip to Tabby’s house. “Okay, it’s just you and me now. So what’s on your mind?”
*tag Tabby*
Friday. July 2, 1982
Afternoon
Tabby turned to Starla. "Uh... so... uh," She stammered again lowering her eyes. "I... really need to talk to you... alone. Maybe I can get a ride with you?"
“Of course you can,” Starla replied. “You know I’m always here for you.” She gave Tabby a smile, and then glanced at Shelley. There were a couple of things she would have liked to talk to Shelley about, but it could wait; now was not the time.
After Shelley had climbed into Gary’s van and the two of them had left, Starla led Tabby to her mom’s car, which she’d borrowed since her mom didn’t need it that day. Thoughts of the car brought up the memory of the red Plymouth Volaré that Trevor and Matt had brought to Speedy’s to show her on Tuesday. Trevor had said his dad might sell it to her, and had suggested she take it for a test drive, but with all that had happened to them since Tuesday night, it had slipped her mind until now. And with all that had happened, Starla wasn’t sure the offer was still on the table, but that was something to be worked out later. Right now Tabby wanted to talk to her.
Starla unlocked the passenger door for Tabby, who was still holding those envelopes and pieces of paper she’d had since she had arrived back at Speedy’s with Shelley and Gary. Once she and Tabby were both in the car and buckled up, Starla started the car, pulled out of the parking spot, and began the trip to Tabby’s house. “Okay, it’s just you and me now. So what’s on your mind?”
*tag Tabby*
Tabby took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As usual, she fidgeted with her hair and bit her lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. Most of what was on her mind was obvious. Was there a point in re-hashing what she'd already shared in the Kmart parking lot? Now things were worse. To add to all the other shit that had happened in the past few days including the fact she'd been kidnapped, she now had to deal with the episode at Speedy's. Her eye was totally swollen shut and no amount of make up was going to cover up the fact that she had a black eye. It looked like she'd be going full rock star tomorrow night by wearing sunglasses.
The problem was now two-fold. There was the issue with Coach North and Marie in addition to having to try to explain things to her father, who was nothing even remotely close to resembling reasonable or understanding.
"Where do I begin," Tabby finally said after a long moment silence. "So, remember all the stuff I told you the other night? Well if I wasn't totally fucked before, I pretty well am now. Today was the cherry on top of Tabby's deluxe shit sundae. Whether or not Coach North kicks me off the team and regardless of what happens with Marie, I'm done. Pretty sure I don't need to actually resign. My dad will take care of that for me. In fact, I am more than positive after everything that has happened this week, I won't be here by the time school starts in the fall. If by some miracle I am, there is no way in hell I'm going to stay on the cheer squad."
*Optional tag Starla*
"But, we have more pressing problems," Tabby continued after another pause. "The show and the band. All I want to do at this point is make sure I get to play on Saturday night. I'm pretty positive that will be the last time I ever get to do it and I want to end things on a high note... at least for me. You guys will find someone else. I know you will. There are tons of talented guitarists at Teal Cove High. Hell, maybe you could even look at Reiner. The thing is, there will still be a band after this. There is as long as all 3 of you decide to continue it. I want you to keep going."
Tabby turned to look at Starla directly. She stared at her long and hard for a moment.
"But enough about the future or what happens after this show or this weekend," Tabby pressed, forcing herself to keep going. "Our more immediate issues are, what do we tell the guys? They don't know about what happened a little while ago. Not unless someone who knows all of us called them to tell them. We need to think about how we're going to explain all of this... the part about the fight anyway, to Trevor or Matt. I can't tell them about my dad or how any of this past week is going to go down when he gets back from his trip."
Tabby had no intention, at least for now, of sharing the abuse at home with Trevor and Matt. She stopped playing with her hair and forced herself to grip the paper and envelops she was holding with the other so they were both firmly clasping them.
"Aren't your parents still out of town," Tabby asked. "Do you think I can spend the night? We can run by my house, hopefully my mom is gone and I can grab a few things and leave her a note. If we're going to pull this off, I think it is best I don't go home tonight. I mean, you know, big show tomorrow. The town is counting on us, lots of rehearsing to do..."
*tag Starla*
The problem was now two-fold. There was the issue with Coach North and Marie in addition to having to try to explain things to her father, who was nothing even remotely close to resembling reasonable or understanding.
"Where do I begin," Tabby finally said after a long moment silence. "So, remember all the stuff I told you the other night? Well if I wasn't totally fucked before, I pretty well am now. Today was the cherry on top of Tabby's deluxe shit sundae. Whether or not Coach North kicks me off the team and regardless of what happens with Marie, I'm done. Pretty sure I don't need to actually resign. My dad will take care of that for me. In fact, I am more than positive after everything that has happened this week, I won't be here by the time school starts in the fall. If by some miracle I am, there is no way in hell I'm going to stay on the cheer squad."
*Optional tag Starla*
"But, we have more pressing problems," Tabby continued after another pause. "The show and the band. All I want to do at this point is make sure I get to play on Saturday night. I'm pretty positive that will be the last time I ever get to do it and I want to end things on a high note... at least for me. You guys will find someone else. I know you will. There are tons of talented guitarists at Teal Cove High. Hell, maybe you could even look at Reiner. The thing is, there will still be a band after this. There is as long as all 3 of you decide to continue it. I want you to keep going."
Tabby turned to look at Starla directly. She stared at her long and hard for a moment.
"But enough about the future or what happens after this show or this weekend," Tabby pressed, forcing herself to keep going. "Our more immediate issues are, what do we tell the guys? They don't know about what happened a little while ago. Not unless someone who knows all of us called them to tell them. We need to think about how we're going to explain all of this... the part about the fight anyway, to Trevor or Matt. I can't tell them about my dad or how any of this past week is going to go down when he gets back from his trip."
Tabby had no intention, at least for now, of sharing the abuse at home with Trevor and Matt. She stopped playing with her hair and forced herself to grip the paper and envelops she was holding with the other so they were both firmly clasping them.
"Aren't your parents still out of town," Tabby asked. "Do you think I can spend the night? We can run by my house, hopefully my mom is gone and I can grab a few things and leave her a note. If we're going to pull this off, I think it is best I don't go home tonight. I mean, you know, big show tomorrow. The town is counting on us, lots of rehearsing to do..."
*tag Starla*
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