Sully Messed Up

by Stephanie Simpson McLellan

“So, like, we have our theme.” Rebecca Smith tossed her head, so her Kardashian mane hung on the coquettish tilt of her face. “It’s, like, brilliant, Tank. ‘Disguise.’ I love it.”

  “You two won’t even need to dress up.” Brittany Bell turned to Morsixx and Blossom. A slight, perky blonde with stylish short hair, her laugh was like one of those little Christmas bells.

  “So, let’s, like, make a list of decorations for the dance.” Rebecca picked up some chalk and handed it to Cindy Leonni. Cindy’s naturally curly shoulder-length brown hair looked considerably better on her than it did on Sully.

  “Disguise is a pretty broad term,” said Blossom. “Are we talking a spy theme? Halloween? Masquerade?”

  “Just, you know, like, dress up.” Rebecca turned to Mr. Green. “These questions are going to hold us back.”

  “I’m just saying that ‘disguise’ is a little vague,” said Blossom. “If, as I suspect, you’re thinking of those fancy sixteenth-century balls with the feathered masks and such, the term you’re looking for is ‘Masquerade.’”

  “I wasn’t looking for any term.” Rebecca’s dark eyes took on a nasty glint.

  “It’s okay, Rebecca,” said Cindy. “I like the sound of Masquerade.”

  “Yah,” said Brittany. “It sounds kind of like, you know, mysterious. And sophisticated. I can totally see you in one of those little mask things, Rebecca.”

  Rebecca traced a sexy curve over the arch of one eye and tossed her hair again.

  “Okay, so write that down, Cindy. Feathers and glitter. Maybe we should have some balloons and maybe some streamers, and—”

  While Brittany and Rebecca huddled around Cindy, who transcribed their ideas onto the board, Blossom doodled with some markers on a scrap piece of paper. Within minutes, she walked to the front and set her drawing on the ledge beside the girls. With intricate detail, she’d sketched an elaborate scene with elegant archways and clandestine eyes, peacock feathers, and gauzy, exotic tents.

  “Pretty cool,” said Morsixx.

  The three girls snatched up the drawing and gasped in unison.

  “This is, like, totally what I was talking about,” said Rebecca, her back to Blossom.

  “Were you, like, eavesdropping?” Brittany glanced over her shoulder. “This is still our idea.”

  “Of course,” said Blossom. She squeezed between Morsixx and Sully, a ghost of a smile in her eyes.

  “Doesn’t that bother you?” whispered Sully.

  “You have a real gift.” Morsixx touched her shoulder.

  “They’re not going to give you any credit,” Sully said.

  “Who says I want any?” said Blossom.

  “But they stole from you,” Sully insisted.

  “You weren’t too concerned about stealing credit for my essay.”

  Sully winced.

  “I pick my battles,” said Blossom. “I couldn’t care less about this stupid dance. I’m just trying to keep you out of trouble.”

  “Okay, so you three are responsible for decorating the gym next Thursday at lunch,” said Rebecca. “Make a list of what you need. You’ll have an hour and a half before the pep rally starts.”

  “And don’t you dare try to sabotage any of this with that disgusting sexist stuff you’ve been pulling.” Cindy pointed at Sully.

  “Who, me?” Sully’s eyes slipped up to his forehead.

  “Don’t play innocent,” said Rebecca.

  “I’m with you,” said Dodger. “That little display on the stairwell was really insulting.”

  “Just tell us when the next meeting is,” said Blossom.

  “Noon, Saturday,” said Brittany. “After football practice, so we can map out the pep rally and the crowning of the Queen.”

  Sully struggled to take a full breath.

  “It’s cool, Dude.” Morsixx’s voice was only loud enough for Sully to hear.

  “Oh, and Sally,” said Dodger, as the meeting broke up. “The guys and I are dying to know. What are you wearing to the Homecoming dance?”

  CHAPTER 43

  “Did you hear that?” Sully’s voice maintained a perfect high C as he pitched his bag into the locker and grabbed his books. “It’s happening at the Homecoming dance. In front of everyone. And with everyone wearing a mask . . . thanks for that one, Blossom . . . they’ve got the perfect cover.”

  “I’m afraid you’re right,” said Blossom. “Well, we’ll just have to make the Masquerade theme work for us, too. If they don’t know who you are, they can’t harm you, right? And you’ll believe me when I tell you I’m excellent at this kind of thing.”

  “Cool,” said Morsixx. “We can make this work.”

  “No,” said Sully. “I’m not going to be there. I’m forced to be on the committee, but they can’t make me go to the dance.”

  “True,” said Blossom, “but you remember that we’re the decorating team. We have to be there for that. You’re going to be pretty exposed that day, like it or not.”

  “Yah, thanks for that, too,” said Sully. Then, “Forget I said that. I know you’re just trying to help.”

  “Good for you,” said Blossom. “Keep exercising those human bones.”

  “Wait a minute,” said Sully. “You can’t even be there.”

  “Why not?” said Blossom.

  “Your play,” said Sully. “You said the play you’re acting in was that day.”

  “What play?” Morsixx gave her that silly grin again. “I’ve been hanging out with an actress?”

  “Oh,” said Blossom. “That got canceled. We didn’t sell enough tickets.”

  “How many more do you need to sell?” said Morsixx. “We’ll come watch. I could probably get my mom to go, and I have lots of family who—”

  “No, no, that’s sweet,” said Blossom. “It’s not just tickets, actually. The lead actor got really sick. I just heard last night. He’s going to be okay. We’re just going to put it on in January, instead.”

  “Cool,” said Morsixx. “What’s the play?”

  “Oh, it’s just Shakespeare. You know, one of the comedies.”

  “That was a comedy?” said Sully. “The part I saw didn’t look so funny.”

  None of this rang true to Sully. Was there even really a play in the first place?

  But if there was no real play, what had Blossom been up to yesterday, Sully wondered. He’d have to think about this more when he had more time.

  “You’re being a little too literal,” said Blossom. “There are many layers to both the comedies and tragedies. It’s not like a sitcom or anything.”

  “Shakespeare’s cool,” said Morsixx. “Macbeth’s witches showed up in some lyrics I’m working on.”

  “Lyrics, Morsixx?” said Sully. “So, you’re a rock star now?”

  “There’s quite a bit you probably don’t know about Morsixx,” said Blossom. “Anyway, the thing is that we will be there on Saturday. Remember, know thine enemy. The more we know about the setup for the whole Homecoming event, the better.”

  CHAPTER 44

  Sully derived unexpected comfort in knowing when the attack would occur. It was like cocooning in the eye of a storm. The hurricane was coming, but it wasn’t coming yet. Still, it was concerning when Blossom failed to show up on Thursday, one week before the dance.

  It was such a nice day, Sully and Morsixx decided to walk home rather than take the bus.

  “Wait a sec.” Morsixx dodged left onto True Street toward Mr. C.’s.

  From Perdu, Sully saw him reach for one of the figurines that dangled in mid-air off the rail.

  “What are you doing?” said Sully.

  “Like Blossom said. The old Dude’s kind of a poet or an artist. Just helping out.”

  He placed the Sleeping Beauty figurine back with the others, and then pulled his phone from his pocket.r />
  “Blossom,” he said, reading. “She just got up.”

  “She’s lucky not to have a nagging mother on her back,” said Sully.

  “Wow, Dude.”

  “I’m an idiot,” said Sully. “That was stupid.”

  “No argument there.”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “Not till now you didn’t.”

  “Anyway, is she sick or something?”

  “Yah. She says she was up most of the night.”

  “Okay,” said Sully. “I know how this is going to sound, but she’s not too sick, is she? She’ll be there Saturday, right?”

  “You’re right about how it sounds, Dude, but at least you know when you’re being a jerk. I guess that counts for progress.”

  “It’s just that this whole plan—”

  “She said she’ll be there tomorrow, Dude. Chill.”

  “Hey.” Sully pointed at the fence where the Sleeping Beauty figurine had toppled over again. “Maybe you better stick to lyrics.”

  CHAPTER 45

  Black spiky flowers, almost indistinguishable from the thorny vines, climbed out of the simple black dress that billowed like wings around Blossom on Friday morning.

  “You two are starting to look alike,” said Sully. “What’s that supposed to be?”

  He reached a finger out to touch a raised area on her left cheek, the only area with color. Blossom had shaded it to form the center of an elaborate, deep red flower, the petals of which wound around the back of her neck like tentacles.

  “Like it?” She pulled her face away. “Don’t touch. That one took work.”

  “Is that like wax or putty or something?”

  “Family secret,” said Blossom. “Anyway, I’ve been thinking about your disguise. What do you think about cutting your hair?”

  Sully hugged the sides of his head and pushed his curtain of curls in front of his face.

  “As in, short?”

  “I haven’t seen your face in two years, Dude. That could be interesting.”

  “Look who’s talking,” said Sully.

  “Yes, as in short,” said Blossom. “I’m good, but it’s hard to miss all that hair, no matter how I dress you up.”

  “I don’t know,” said Sully.

  “It’s called hiding in plain sight,” said Blossom. “You’ve got a few days to think about it, but the thing would be to cut it after the decorating, but before the dance.”

  At home that night, Sully stood in front of the mirror and pulled his hair away from his face.

  No way, he thought. Even if his face wasn’t as messed up as it was, his nose was too big, his eyes too small, and his ears stuck out a mile.

  But the idea kept him awake. Expose himself to prevent being exposed. It was ridiculous. And it made a terrifying kind of sense.

  CHAPTER 46

  Sully, Blossom, and Morsixx huddled on the bleachers against the October wind. As the scrimmage ended, Rebecca corralled them to the first row, directing them with her pom poms as if they, too, were part of the cheerleading squad.

  “The band will enter there.” She pointed down the field.

  Tank bumped Sully as he stepped up the bleachers to sit directly behind him. Assaulted by a waft of Tank’s sweat, Sully’s nose hid under his hairline and his ears cowered forward, so he only heard every third or fourth word.

  “We were counting on a full moon to light our way to the dance after the game,” said Cindy, “but the weather’s not going to cooperate.”

  “So, we’re going to put up a huge paper lantern at the end of the field that we’ll switch on the moment the Queen is crowned.” Brittany smiled at Rebecca. “Dodger and Ox are going to take care of that for us.”

  Against his will, Sully’s ears snuck to the back of his neck, seduced by a gruff whisper behind him.

  “Are you getting this, Sally?”

  Sully nudged Blossom, who sat between him and Morsixx, but she was explaining to Cindy that the cycle of the moon wasn’t really considered weather.

  “A full moon, Sally. Strung up over the end post. It’ll be the best yet.”

  It was abundantly clear to Sully that the full moon Tank was talking about would not be made of paper.

  “Or should it be at the other end?” Tank leaned back and spoke these words out loud. “Which do you think would be visible to more people, Sally? You should have some say in this.”

  “I don’t—”

  “Which would give the best exposure,” Tank interrupted, “ . . . be the most memorable?”

  “What are you asking him for?” said Rebecca. “We’re using this end post because it’s closest to the gym.”

  “Works for me,” said Tank. “Dodger, got it covered?”

  “You know I do,” said Dodger.

  CHAPTER 47

  “I’m going to vote for you, Bella.”

  Winston bounced on the balls of his feet. He waved a piece of paper and grinned as Sully, Morsixx, and Blossom made for the locker.

  “Hi, Winston.”

  “What’s the matter, Bella. Aren’t you happy? Why aren’t you happy?”

  Sully’s sleepless weekend had followed him to school. It pressed on his shoulders and weighed down his legs. His eyes peered out of deep wells in the middle of his face, and the corners of his mouth tugged at his nostrils, which, in turn, pulled at his scalp.

  “Just a little tired, Winston.”

  “Like when you can’t sleep the night before your birthday, right, Bella? I get it. You must be so excited.”

  “I’ve about had it.” Blossom ripped a piece of paper off Sully’s locker. She’d flattened last week’s prominent red flower and redrawn the petals so they snaked around her eyes. The spiky black flowers, crushed under sinister thorns, wilted on her cheeks. “This is too much.”

  “Don’t worry, Dude.” Morsixx yanked another piece of paper from a neighboring locker. “We’ll have them all down before first bell.”

  “Have what down?” Sully yawned and then squeezed his eyes shut. He blinked a few times to clear his vision.

  “They’re just trying to psych you out. Don’t worry.”

  “It’s more than that,” said Blossom. She crumpled the paper into a ball and then snatched another off an adjacent locker. “This is a ploy to ensure you attend the pep rally where they’ll crown the Queen. And it’s not going to work.”

  Sully rubbed his eyes and registered for the first time that the same flyer hung from every other locker. In the middle was a photo of his own face under the caption: Our Next Homecoming Queen?

  “You don’t want to be the Queen?” Winston cocked his head. He looked from Sully to the flyer in his hand, and back again.

  “Do you remember what we said about someone trying to play a trick?” Blossom took Winston’s hand. “Morsixx, you work with Sully here. Winston and I will cover the west wing.”

  “Who’s Sully?” Winston looked over his shoulder as Blossom steered him through the atrium.

  Despite their efforts, residual flyers and digital reproductions chased Sully throughout the day.

  “I knew we shouldn’t have let you on the committee.” Rebecca collared Sully between Sex Ed and English. “You’re making a mockery of this, and I won’t stand for it.”

  “Rebecca is going to be Homecoming Queen,” said Brittany, who walked up beside them. “Make no mistake about it.”

  “If you and your creepy little friends try pulling something with the decorations on Thursday, we won’t be responsible for what happens to you.” Cindy stepped on Sully’s foot with her nose inches from his ear.

  “Well,” said Rebecca. “Speak. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “We demand to know what’s going on,” said Brittany.

  “You will answer to us in the end, so you might as
well talk now,” said Cindy.

  The trio circled like Macbeth’s witches. Sully eyes bounced between them, and his mouth worked hard around his tongue to form a response.

  “Even you can’t be stupid enough to think Sully had anything to do with this.” Blossom swept into the circle. She grabbed Rebecca’s hand from where it gripped Sully’s shirt and held it between them. The wilted flowers on her face crushed together.

  “Come on, girls.” Rebecca yanked her hand away. “We’re just wasting our time. The little witch is right. He’s too pathetic to have thought this up.”

  “Bold move, guyPad.” Whoever said this punched Sully’s shoulder as he and Blossom moved through the crowd on the way to English.

  “You’d make one ugly Queen, tk,” said someone else.

  “Is your dress going to be made of little white wings?” someone else called.

  “Ignore them.” Blossom steered them to a less populated area.

  “Easy for you to say.” Sully grabbed her right shoulder for emphasis.

  Blossom winced and pulled away. She held her arm where Sully had grabbed her.

  “Blossom, I’m sorry. The stress is getting to me.”

  “Don’t touch me.” Her eyes flashed with anger. The line of her mouth was taut and unforgiving, and her free hand balled in a fist before her.

  “I said I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

  She spread her fingers to clasp her forehead as she tipped her head forward.

  “I don’t know how many times you and Morsixx have to help me before I—”

  “Oh, listen to me.” She raised her head. “That was silly.”

  Her eyes scoured Sully’s own for several seconds as she clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

  “Are you okay?” Sully asked.

  “Yes, of course,” she said, smiling. “I just bruised my arm on a door frame this morning. You know me, always rushing from one place to another. But enough about me. You’re right, Sully, it’s not easy to ignore what’s happening to you, but what choice do you have? Have you thought more about your hair?”

  “Yah, I have,” said Sully. “Look, I know you and Morsixx are only on this committee to help me, but we’re making this too complicated. I’m just not going to show up on Thursday.”