Shit hits the fan

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The door swung open and about five different things happened in a matter of seconds. First Johnny hear a scream of shock and turned to find Meena. In an instant Johnny was panicked, relieved it wasn't Meena's grandfather, then right back to being panicked because it was Meena! She had caught him red handed snooping through her room. Second, Johnny tried to apologize and explain. Emphasis on tried as Johnny had barely opened his mouth before Meena had apparently realized it was just him. Swiftly and with a little too much force, Meena clasped her hand over Johnny's mouth and shoved him into the closet behind him. She managed to get the door closed just as her mother charged into her room.

After being stuffed into the closet, Johnny was just kind of stunned. Unsure why whatever just happened had happened, he was left to listen to the elephants.

"What happened?! Are you hurt?!" Meena's mom was near frantic as the grandparents clamored close behind.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! I just… fell!" Meena reassured.

"You fell?" Her mother sounded unsure.

"Yeah, I… just tripped." Meena lied. The conversation carried on with Meena trying to convince her family that she was alright while Johnny tried to process everything that had just happened. He had been caught. Meena has walked in on him literally snooping through her things, been scared by him, and now was… lying for him? She could have let her family find him, made sure he suffer consequences for his shady behavior. And instead, Meena had hid Johnny and was lying to her family about it. Johnny was immensely grateful of course, but also very confused. Why was Meena helping him?

Meena family finally left and after a couple minutes of quiet, the closet door clicked open. Again, Johnny tried to speak. "I can explai-"

Again he was cut off by a hand over his mouth. When Johnny looked up, he was faced with a near furious looking Meena. "What were thinking?!" She hissed as quietly as possible. "Why would you try to sneak into a house full of elephants?! We have some of the most sensitive hearing on the planet!" Meena huffed and looked around, spotting her now open window. She nodded towards it. "Go back out the way you came and I'll meet you outside." Johnny just nodded dumbly and hurried to follow her orders.

Few minutes later Johnny had climbed out through the window and just stood in her backyard, waiting for the inevitable. His mind was scattered trying to figure out what he was going to tell Meena. What story or excuse he could possibly spin? Before Johnny could think if anything, Meena exited out her back door. Still looking annoyed, she motioned Johnny to follow her and led him though her gate and back to the side walk. Johnny sped after her to keep up with Meena as she walked quickly down the street. A couple houses away from her own, she slowed to a stop. She then turned to face Johnny "What on earth was that all about?" Finally letting herself speak at a normal volume, she sound more confused than angry.

In that moment, Johnny didn't even try to lie. He spilled everything. His tired, emotionally distraught brain just gave up, and he listened as the words just flooded out of his mouth. He rapidly explained that he found the bracelet in the garage and thought it would be a nice fidget bracelet and it turns out the bracelet wasn't his to give in the first place and it was apparently stolen goods and he didn't know how to ask to for it back and that he forgot it was Valentine's Day and that he was really, really sorry! Johnny managed to get that all out in one breath before needing to stop. He huffed in a much needed breath before hesitantly chancing a look in Meena's direction.

The elephant's hand was covering her eyes and her hunched in shoulders trembled a little. Johnny heard a few strangled sound choke out from her that made his heart break. "Meena, I'm so sorry! Please don't cry-" He tried to comfort her, before Meena snorted a laugh out.

"Pfft! Oh my god!" Meena voice shock as she cracked up. "You… you were too awkward to ask for it b-back, *wheeze* so you broke into my house?!" She was clutching her stomach and doubled over while trying to recover from her laughing fit. "Oh my- that's crazy! What were you thinking?" Her voice still rung with laughter and a smile early split her face.

Johnny was kind of at a lose. "Uh, honestly, there wasn't much thinkin' involved. Mostly just panicking."

Meena mostly recovered as she stood more upright again. "Yeah, I'll bet! Sorry I don't mean to laugh so much, but…" Meena shook her head a little and was clearly trying not to laugh more. "That sounds so much like the kind of situation I'd get myself into. And for once, I'm not the one who messes up and got caught up in stupidly awkward situation. It feels kinda nice for a change." Meena smiles cheerily to a scramble brained Johnny.

"So… you're not mad?" Johnny asked, feeling a weird mix of confused and relief.

"No. Honestly if I picture myself in you situation, I can't promise I wouldn't have done the same thing." Meena sheepishly admitted, still smiling away.

"But… but I forgot it was Valentine's! I screwed up givin' you a gift on a normal day! And the bleedin' thing was stolen property." Johnny heard his disbelieving voice press the issue, even as his brain screamed at him to shut up.

"I forget stuff all the time. I didn't remember it was Valentine's Day either until Eddie mentioned it." Meena casually shrugged off while Johnny made a mentally note to smack Eddie the next chance he got. "And you obviously didn't know it was stolen when you gave it to me. So I know you didn't steal it." Meena's tone was soft and understanding as her hand went to her wrist. It was then Johnny looked and saw the Meena unhook the bracelet that still on her wrist. They had started meandering down the sidewalk again, as Meena handed the bracelet back over to Johnny. "Is the bracelet why your dad's in prison?"

"Naw, he got locked up for a bank job." Johnny sighed as he took the bracelet. Then it dawned on him he'd never told anyone about his father. "Wait, how'd ya know about that?" How many times could Johnny be shocked in a day? At this point, he felt like he had whiplash.

Meena's eyes went wide realizing what she'd said. She hide behind her ears and looked down shamefully. "I'm sorry, I just assumed the gorilla back stage was your dad. At our first show? You guys seemed close."

The gears in Johnny's head starting turning as they pieced together that Meena had seen his convict father when the older gorilla had broken out to see Johnny at the open air show. Johnny also remembered how at his father's trail, his lawyer said no one had come out to tell the cops where his father had gone after breaking out. "You knew he was there? I thought no one saw him!"

Meena smiled a little and pointed at her ears. "I heard him before I saw him. Sensitive hearing, remember?"

Johnny had taken all the confusing surprise his brain could take as it demanded answers. "How come you didn't tell anyone? Like the police? He was in that orange jumpsuit, so ya had to know he was a criminal!" Johnny's voice was almost distressed. He was grateful, of course, but why would Meena let a convict go unreported?

Meena shrugged. "I was distracted with my singing part. Besides, he wasn't bothering anyone and you seemed so happy to see him! So I gave him the benefit of the doubt."

"That's a lot of doubt!" Johnny almost laugh.

"Yeah, well… I owed you!" Meena sounded a little defensive at this point. When Johnny gave her a confused look she continued. "You saves me when the theater flooded, remember? Without you, I would have drowned or been crushed. So, yeah. Benefit of the doubt." Meena shrugged again, not meeting Johnny's gaze.

Johnny was silent for a moment as they walk. Finally, he spoke. "Thank you." His rubbed the back of his neck unsure what to say. "I… I gotta admit, I was always kinda scared how'd you react if ya found out about my dad. I thought you'd think I was scary." This seemed to catch Meena's attention, as she now looked over at him. This prompted him to continue. "I mean, we all kinda bent the law for the show and whatnot. But I was… am still worried about what others would think if they knew. Especially you and Rosita, since you two seem so… I dunno, nice and.."

"Goody-two-shoes?" Meena offered, with a smirk tugging at her lips.

"Heh, yeah, kinda." Johnny was relaxing into the conversation more. "But I'm kinda glad you know. And I'll get around to telling the others at some point too, just not yet. Mind not telling anyone about it?" Johnny saw Meena wince as he asked this. She gave him a bit of an look that made Johnny's stomach drop a little. "Uh oh, ya already told someone, didn't ya?"

"No, I didn't tell anyone, but, umm…" Meena shrugged nervously. "I'm pretty sure Rosita turned around and saw your dad too. …And maybe Ash and Gunter as well." She admitted in a mumbly voice.

Johnny rubbed his tempt with his thumb and forefinger and gave a humorless laugh. "Great! So, basically, everybody already knows my dad's in jail?"

"Well, I don't for sure if Mr. Moon or Eddie knows. But considering everything they did to keep the theater running, I doubt they'd care. And, I mean, everyone forgave Mike for literally bringing a gang in the theater." Meena chirped cheerily, giving Johnny a reassuring smile. "I don't think anyone would think any less of you. You're a good guy, Johnny."

The gorilla managed a half hearted smile back before glaring down at the bracelet in his hand. Everything he had been so worried about had turned out fine. He had been so sure that something; the stolen gift, the misleading intent, sneaking into her room, that fact his father was a convicted thief; would have led Meena to hate him or at least distrust him. But it hadn't. Meena forgave him and even sympathized with him, laughing at how ridiculous his situation had become. He hadn't been able to predict her reaction at all and realized he really didn't know the seemingly shy and meek elephant. But now he wanted to.

"Alroight, how can I make this to ya?" Johnny suddenly stopped walking and turned to fully face Meena. "I promise I'll getcha a better fidget bracelet, but I wanna make up for everything else too."

"You don't owe me anything." Meena smiled. Sensing that Johnny was going to insist, she continued. "But if it makes you feel better, I make you cover a shift the next time I need it."

Johnny smirked. "I would have done that anyway. Come on, there's gotta to be something better I can do!" An idea popped into his head. "What about that Wonder Wombat movie? Ya had said something 'bout wanted to see it, yeah?" Meena looked more interested now and gave a little nod. "Well, wot if I took ya? My treat!"

Meena's smile fell and she gave Johnny a skeptical look. The gorilla felt his nerves rising and his face go warm. That line had sounded a lot smoother in his head. As the air around them grew awkward, Johnny internally kicked himself for not quitting while he was ahead.

Thankfully, the moment passed and Meena gave a shy shrug. "If it would really make you feel better… I'm free on Saturday and that does sound kinda fun." Her voice was soft and shy again before she cocked an eyebrow at him and smirked. "But I'm still probably going to bug you the next time I need a shift covered."

Johnny gave her a relieved smile back. "Sounds like a plan."

The two teens bid each other good night and went their separate ways. Johnny collapsed into the driver's seat in relief. He could figure out how to deal with the stolen jewelry later. Right now, he just wanted to bask in the feeling of everything being more or less alright. No one had the cops called on them and him and Meena were still friends. And, hey, he even had plans to see her this Saturday now. The more he thought about it, the more he was looking forward to Saturday. Meena had surprised him multiple times in the best ways and even if they didn't really know each other yet, Johnny knew he wanted to know her.

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this story was a fun disaster to write! happy valetines day everyone!