It is now a little after 4:30. Tim is downstairs, making sure the kids have their belongings. The doorbell chimes, as the phone rings. Tim answers the door while Becky makes a move for the phone. A bundled-up Victoria and Eileen are at the doorstep, shivering. Tim allows them to come inside then notices something outside that causes his jaw to drop and his eyes to widen.
"Great googly moogly! That's a blizzard."
He invites the confrontational kids inside while Becky talks to her mom over the phone, in the kitchen. The other kids watch Tim, Victoria and Eileen in silence.
". yeah, it's okay. You didn't make the snow come."
"Oh, Becky. We'll be back soon as the weather clears up. Can you give the phone to Tobey? His mom wants to talk to him."
"Sure. Love you."
"Love you too."
Tobey suddenly appears in the doorway, raising his eyebrow. Becky hands the phone to him and he takes it without a word.
"Hey, Mom." He says casually without hint of accent.
"Tobey, honey, I'm afraid we're snowed in at the off"
"Yeah, there's a blizzard here, too."
"Huh?" Becky asks, off-conversation.
Tobey rolls his eyes at Becky. "If only Wordgirl could help it."
"Tobey, you know what I've said."
"Yeah, I know. Besides, Wordgirl can't deal with that. It's too cold for her. I don't want her to get sick."
Becky is very surprised at his comment.
"I'll see you when I can. Love you."
"Love you too." He hangs up the phone then turns to Becky. "Looks like all of us are staying. All eight of us."
"Eight? There's only six. Seven, including Dad."
"Nine, including him. You know who showed up when our moms called?"
"Um, no."
"Victoria and Eileen. They're part of the party now. unless you want me to lock them outside."
A part of Becky is strongly considering this. ". We'll see."
She smirks to him and he returns the expression. They walk back to the living room to find Tim is gone and the others are in the fort. Becky and Tobey crawl to the center space, where Victoria is laying down the rules for a new game. Now unbundled, Victoria is wearing a gray top and gray pants. Eileen is wearing a red top and blue pants.
"So, if you're it, spin the bottle. Who ever it lands on, you have to ask them a personal question. If they refuse or lie and someone calls them out on it, they gotta do a dare. Any questions?"
Silence. Victoria nods with a fake smile. She spins the bottle and it lands on Violet.
"Since this is the first one, I'll give you an easy one. Have you ever wet the bed?"
"I. uh." She looks around at the fourteen eyes then glances back to the floor. "Yes, butitwasalongtimeago."
"Sure it was. Your turn to spin."
Violet's face is very red. She spins and it lands on Tobey. He raises an eyebrow, wondering what is going on through her mind.
"Who was your first crush?"
"Oh. do I have to."
"Yes!" Victoria answers. "Tell us who you liked before Wordgirl!"
"Ilikedheaslip." He mutters under his breath.
"Who?" Violet asks, face slowly regaining color.
"Violetilikedher." He mutters again.
"Who?"
"You, okay? Violet Heaslip."
His face is burning. The girls' (minus Bea) jaws drop. They are indeed surprised. Scoops lowers his eyes a bit but the other two just shrug. Tobey spins the bottle. It lands on Becky.
"One being a miniscule baked potato and ten being five of my robots stacked on top of each other, how much do you like me?"
"I, uh, do I have to answer?"
"No." He answers with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You can do the dare."
"Fine I'll-"
"Accept the dare and there's no turning back." Victoria interjects.
Having a feeling he'll want her to eat something disgusting or go outside in a swimsuit for several seconds, she swallows a lump in her throat and agrees to the dare.
"I dare you. to kiss me."
The crowd of kids look up in surprise.
". on the lips. for a whole minute."
Becky's eyes widen. She stares back at him as if she hadn't quite heard him. Victoria snags a pocket watch from Eileen and flips it to start recording. Everyone is staring at the two in disbelief. Becky leans close to Tobey nervously. He suddenly presses his lips against hers and their eyes close. At the one minute mark, the watch beeps and the kissing kids blush. Tobey shoves away from Becky with a strange, if somewhat disappointed, look on his face.
"What's with you? I did your dare."
"You bit me." He answers, moving his tongue around in his mouth.
A dark blush covers Becky's face and she slides into one of the sleeping bags. Tobey crosses his arms and sulks across from her, muttering something like last time I try to see how a girl likes me. Becky's arm reaches out and spins the bottle after a while of uncomfortable silence. It lands on Eugene.
"I don't wanna do a truth. Can you just give me a dare?"
Becky points to Tobey, remaining under the covers. Victoria announces Tobey will be Becky's surrogate dare-giver. Tobey's eyes sparkle impishly.
"I take it you're familiar with the nursery rhyme 'Mary Mary'?"
"Yes. why?"
"I want you to call Miss Davis up on Victoria's cell phone and recite it to her. You gotta replace her name for Mary, classroom for garden, and love note mail for cockle shells. On speaker."
"You are one strange person, Tobey." Bea comments.
Tobey pickpockets Victoria and hands Eugene the phone on the ready. Before Eugene can complain about not knowing the number, Tobey hands it to him, on a sheet of wadded-up paper. Eugene bites his lip then does as he is told.
"Hello?" She answers after the third ring. "Who is this?"
"Miss Davis, Miss Davis, quite contrary, how does your. classroom grow?" He almost sings in a completely phony high-pitched voice. "With silver belles, love note mail, and pretty maids all in a row."
He lets out a long breath as he ends the call. The kids burst out laughing and Becky is with them again. When he spins the bottle, it lands on Scoops. He sticks unsharpened pencils up his nose and recites the Pledge of Allegiance. He spins and it lands on Tobey, but he blows it back and it lands on Eileen. She trades clothes with Eugene. She spins, and it lands on Bea. Instead of answering a question pertaining to Aisha, she kisses Violet for three seconds. Lastly, Victoria gets to answer a truth. She got her first kiss (on the lips) by accident from a girl named Percy when she was six and both had braces that locked when she tripped on the playground. The kids feel a little awkward as they crawl out of the blanket fort. Violet smiles, looking over at the little machine in front of them.
Not my best, I know. This is now a slumber party with two extra kids and a blizzard outside. What will happen next?