Okay...sorry, but this is my last chapter in the Fan Fic. I think it needs to end now before things get either too unrealistic or too every other chapter is a big fight. Thanks so much for reading my first Fan Fic. Maybe sometime in the far future I'll write a sequel, but probably not - I'm working on a new Fic right now. Thanks again.
For the past 13 chapters, I haven't owned Rugrats or All Grown Up...chapter 14 is no different.
Chapter 14
Finally
Tommy, PT, made his way through the stares and glares to the stage. He watched with wide eyes as Mr. Hent placed a gold medal around his neck and handed him a check for $100. No doubt Tommy was thinking about what to say in his words of acceptance. "Tommy Pickles, everyone, is our PT. Excellent job, Mr. Pickles. Please, say a few words to the audience, who clearly loved your film," Mr. Hent backed away, leaving Tommy alone against a sea of impatient faces who were ready to call it a night after several heinous videos.
"Um, wow, uh, thanks. I worked really hard on my film. I just wanted it to be good, I didn't really want to win or anything. But the medal is pretty cool, I guess," Tommy watched as the impatient faces gradually became skeptical. Great, just great. I sound like an idiot. I'm so much better off not talking. Tommy turned to leave when he thought of something else, something substantial, to say. "Remember in the film Friendless, it won honorable mention? Anyway, in the film they said 'People change, sometimes it takes awhile, but it's worth the wait.' Well, um, it's true, and everyone should know that. Thank you," Tommy returned to his seat as Mr. Hent was concluding the contest. Why did I say that? It wasn't even about my film...but it was about Kimi's.
Why did he say that? It wasn't even about his film... Kimi was daydreaming when people bumped into her from all directions. The thing just ended and I'm in space, smooth move. She looked for Dil, but she assumed he'd sped off to talk to Tommy.
Dil tore through the auditorium and rammed open the doors. Where is he? Stupid, jerk, song-stealer! Dil spotted his brother near the parking lot. "Tommy!" Dil pushed through the swarm of lost people while yelling the winner's name. "What the hell was that?"
"Can't I just get through one day...?" Tommy muttered to himself before addressing Dil, "What're you talking about?"
"That was a nice song in your film. What were you doing in my room?!" Tommy was impressed; Dil had gone from completely calm to a raving maniac in a matter of milliseconds, not to mention the group of onlookers his voice had attracted.
"Um, well, I was looking for you, but you weren't there. So I looked around for a minute and saw the notebook. It's not a big deal, oh yeah, you're really good too."
"Do you hear yourself when you talk? I don't want people hearing my stuff, it's embarrassing. Why do you think I keep everything in a notebook? Why do you think I never play for my friends? Do you even think at all?"
"Chill, there's nothing wrong with putting yourself out there, you're good. Look, I'm sorry I took your notebook. Better?"
"Better...bogus, it's funny. I never noticed how similar they sounded," Dil walked away as Angelica was approaching.
"You freak. You can't do stuff like this. It's, like, not what we do," Angelica was clearly offended by Tommy's rebellious ways.
"It's just a contest. I knew you guys would hate it, so I didn't say anything. You know how much I used to love filming."
"You're right, I do know...doesn't mean I care! T, you can't do both, you can't be both, it's, like, one or the other. So pick."
"Whatever," Now it was Tommy who left the conversation, but he knew another one was about to begin as he collided with Kimi.
"Ugh, sor-hi," Kimi took a step back; her discomfort quickly became apparent.
All the things Tommy wanted to say were blurring in his mind, "Uh, ah, yeah, sorry. I, uh, wasn't looking."
Kimi raised her eyebrows, "It's a common walking blunder."
Does she always have to do that eyebrow thing? "Your film was really cool."
"Thanks...yours was too, but if it wasn't, you probably wouldn't have won, congratulations, by the way."
"Kimi, I, ugh, never mind. I gotta go," Tommy was praying Kimi would stop him, but he knew she wouldn't.
"Tommy, wait. Finish your sentence...then leave."
"Okay...sorry," Tommy waited for Kimi to respond, but she said nothing, only stared, "Well...?"
"I'm deciding whether or not I believe you."
"I take it you're still ticked at me."
"Wow, someone's been studying. I always knew that school of ours was a keeper."
"I don't get this! A second ago it was all good! If you're mad at me, fine, I'll deal with it, if you're not, great! But just make up your mind, please," Tommy paused, trying to read Kimi's expression, her face said nothing, "And I really am sorry."
"Why'd you enter the contest in the first place?"
"What?"
"I'm sorry, I'm speaking English, what are you speaking? I asked why you entered. You're a jock now. Jocks and films are like, ice cream and onions, or Angelica and ethical values. You know your friends are gonna kill you for this later."
"Couldn't stay away I guess. I just wanted to be behind the camera one more time, it was fun too. I miss filming everything. It was, uh, my way of leaving it behind," Kimi rolled her eyes at his statement, "Look, Kimi. I'm really sorry about what I said and what-"
Kimi cut Tommy off mid-sentence. "Tommy, you don't get it. You can't just say you're sorry and be done with it. I trusted you, Lillian and I got in a huge fight because of you, so you're gonna have to do a lot better than 'I'm sorry,'" Kimi spoke her last words in a mocking tone, imitating Tommy, "I...whatever, I liked you, and I thought you liked me-"
"I did! I still do."
"Let me finish. You lied to me. You acted like such a jerk and so many other things, but you're scared. You have to be just like the other jocks, right? 'I'm leaving filming behind', shut up already! I know that's not what you want. You should've seen your face during the contest, you were so happy it was, well, sickening almost. You did this in spite of your little jocks; they'd never be okay with it. That's how it is with them. You can't have other friends, or like other things besides sports, and I thought you were passed that, but you're in the center of it all. Just decide who you are already."
"You're right. Only, you kept saying I am scared, when really I was scared. I didn't want to lose my status, or all the breaks, or whatever, but I don't care. I did something so different from the rest of my 'friends.' I entered the contest, I won, and I went up there and showed everyone...me. These past couple months have been so screwed up and everything, but if anything I've learned being a jock has it downsides, and not being one has is upsides. Yeah, I'll still be a jock on Monday, but I don't have to be the stereotypical version. I'm sorry I hurt you and whatever else I did, but I'm not gonna do it anymore, I swear I won't."
Kimi eyes glowed, "I swear you won't either."
"I guess that means you believe me."
"So it would seem," Kimi slid the book bag she'd been carrying off her shoulder. Aside from loose papers, pencils, and other random junk she didn't care about, there was one thing she valued greatly, and it was finally time to let it be known. Kimi pulled a hat out of her bag and smooshed it over her hair. "Aerosmith...good band, good band." Tommy smiled upon remembering how Kimi came to own the hat.
"Kimi! Hey, we've been looking for you," Lillian, Chuckie, and Susie joined Kimi and Tommy in the parking lot, "What's up?"
"Nothing, you?" Kimi eyed Lillian and nodded towards Tommy, meaning "acknowledge him."
Lillian sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Hey Tommy. Wow, you won," Lillian's fake enthusiasm was fooling no one.
"What're your plans for the money?" Chuckie tried to save Lillian from having to speak again.
He had no idea how to answer that, although it was a good question to ask. Tommy was sure the expected answer would be something material. He looked at each person standing in front of him, until he came to Lillian. "I'm giving it to Lillian."
"What?" Lillian choked on air, causing herself to gag uncontrollably.
"Yeah, I heard what those idiots did with the money you raised, they bought the official slut uniforms, anyway, it's not as much, but you can save some cats," Tommy held the check out to Lillian. This was a scene he would have never pictured.
"Are you serious?" Tommy shook the check still in his possession, "Thanks." Lillian took the money and smiled, not at Tommy. She was thinking about all the cats she could save, no, she definitely wasn't smiling at Tommy...
"Aww, Tommy. You're so nice now," Susie spoke for the first time, "I have work early tomorrow. See you guys at school. Bye," Susie found her car and left, leaving four people, soon to be three.
"I have to find Dil. I'll be back," Tommy went off in search of his brother, leaving Kimi, Lillian, and Chuckie to discuss what he should say when he finds him.
Tommy spotted Dil sitting alone on the concrete steps leading to the school's back entrance. "Hey," Dil glanced upwards, but didn't bother answering. "I owe you an apology, actually I owed about five years worth of apologies."
"What's your point?"
"No time like the present, right?"
"Whatever," Dil wasn't even replying in full sentences; Tommy knew he was really upset.
"I've treated you really atrociously."
Tommy's vocabulary caused Dil to look up. "You know what atrocious means?"
"Yeah, I looked it up."
"Why?"
"'Cause you told me I couldn't, or wouldn't use big words, so I proved to you I can."
"Again, why? It's not like you listen to anything I say anyway."
"Dil, I do listen to you."
"No, you hear me, but you don't listen."
"How do you come up with this stuff?"
"You see, there's these things called books! And you can look at the words inside and learn stuff! It's pretty crazy actually."
"You think I'm a jerk don't you?"
"No shit Sherlock."
"Woah, I'm not a jerk. I've been acting like one, but I'm not really one."
"Acting, being, there's no difference."
"Then what's the difference between hearing and listening?" Dil wavered while Tommy continued speaking, "I finally beat you at your own game. But seriously, I didn't want to be different from my friends, but I am, and I wanna be now, okay?"
"Sure, but I don't really care. You can't just say something, what does that do? It doesn't make up for all the stupid stuff you did, to me specifically."
"I know I can never say enough, do enough, whatever to fix things completely, but I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for calling you stuff, for making fun of you with my friends, for never listening to you, for near Halloween when someone threw a moldy pie at your locker, for that time when you were blamed for helping egg the school, for stealing your song, there's so many more things. I'm easily the worst brother ever."
"I didn't know you did all that stuff."
"Great, please don't be mad at me. I regret it now, a lot."
"Thanks for telling me."
"Are you being sarcastic?"
"Surprisingly, no. You were willing to tell me all that stuff, so I know you feel guilty now. You were hands down the worst brother for so long, but I dunno, maybe you're not, but maybe you are. All I've wanted for all these years is just to be your friend again. To talk to you, joke around and know you're kidding. I want you to help me with math homework, and maybe even play you some music. But how can I trust you to be sorry long term? What's gonna happen at school?"
"I'll still be a jock, but you're still my brother, you have been this whole time. I was, I dunno...confused about what the word brother means."
"I think I was too."
"Dil, I'm so sorry."
"I know, it's...okay."
"Really?"
"You entered this contest, you like Kimi, you're apologizing, you're not you. I like it," Dil stood up and looked at this person claiming to be his brother. His eyes looked sorry and happy at the same time. Tommy held out his hand for Dil to shake. He didn't like the gesture, it was too business-like, too robotic. So he hugged his big brother like a little brother's supposed to. And Dil could tell everything was going to be okay because Tommy hugged him back. Tommy and Dil returned to the parking lot and found their friends right where they were before.
"Everything okay?" It was Kimi who broke the silence.
"Of course, we're brothers," Dil glanced at Tommy.
"What he said...we're friends," Tommy slapped Dil on the back and noticed his eyes were shining.
"Excuse me," One of the judges the school hired approached the group and addressed Tommy.
"Yes?"
"Can you tell me who wrote the song used in your film? It was very good."
"Oh, that'd be my brother Dil here," Tommy pushed Dil towards the judge.
"I must say young man; you have a real talent for music. Are you signed on with anyone?"
"You mean, like, a recording contract, no, I just play for fun."
"It just so happens I own a studio geared towards young musicians, much like yourself. Kids come for the summer and improve their skills, create bands, that sort of thing. We've had several students sign on with companies and write albums. Four of them have gone platinum. Would you be interested in coming this summer?"
"Yes!"
"Splendid, here's my card. Ask your parents, and get back to me. Have a nice night."
"Same," Dil watched the judge leave. He couldn't believe what she'd just given him.
"That's awesome Dil!" The four people around him were just as amazed as he was.
"You do know this means you'll have to play for other people?" Tommy elbowed Dil in the side.
"Hey, I played for a whole audience tonight...," Dil shot Tommy a glare, but he was beaming at the same time.
"Great. Anyone know what time it is?" Kimi smiled at the brothers and was ecstatic when they both smiled back for the same reason.
"It's a quarter to eight," Chuckie checked his watch.
"Ice cream," Kimi and Lillian laughed at their identical thought. They raced towards Chuckie's car and waited for the boys to catch up, "Dil come on! We have to start planning for next year!" Lillian waved Dil over while Kimi continued to laugh in the background.
"We don't even know the theme," Dil had to chuckle, Lillian was so competitive, "Coming!" Dil ran to catch up with the girls who had wanted to win so badly, the girls who had given him a lunch table, and the girls who had become his friends in the process, leaving Chuckie and Tommy trailing behind.
"Hey Tommy, you're a pretty cool guy."
"You're not so bad yourself Mr. Finster. So that blue streak's not coming out?" Tommy pointed to the stripe Chuckie had painted in his hair when he trashed the gym.
"I haven't tried. I kinda like it; it's my little symbol of rebellion."
Tommy smiled at his oldest friend. "You and Lillian can be the highlight couple," Tommy was joking about the purple highlights Lillian had streaked her hair with about a year ago.
Chuckie shoved Tommy jokingly, "I'm glad we're friends...even if you are a Titan."
Tommy laughed. "It's my one flaw, now, ice cream!"
Chuckie grinned as unlocked his car door. "Some people never change."
Kimi, Tommy, Dil, Chuckie, and Lillian left the contest not caring who won, not caring who lost, and not caring who was supposed to do either. They were each different people than they were when they'd arrived. Kimi had an Aerosmith hat on her head, Tommy had a medal around his neck, Dil had a business card in his hand, Chuckie had a blue streak in his hair and plans to keep it for awhile, and Lillian had $100 in her pocket. They all knew things would never be truly the same as they were in their childhood. Come school the next day, Kimi would still be the theater geek, Tommy would still be the jock, Dil would still be the musician, Chuckie would still be the nerd with a criminal record, and Lillian would still be the activist. But for now, they could just enjoy being together, linked as one again, after all these years...finally.
What did you think? I really wanted to keep the ending as life-like as possible. It's not a happy ending, but it's not at all a sad ending either, I'm not really sure what I would call it, but as they say in filming, "That's a wrap."