Just Friends
Lessee...this story takes place when Gosalyn and Honker are seniors in high school...so what, almost 10 years after the show's time span? yeah, that sounds about right.
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"Bye, Dad! Bye LP!" Gosalyn called as she grabbed her backpack and headed for the door. "See you after schoo--"
"Wait!!" her father cried urgently after her. "I haven't taken your picture yet!"
"Oh..." Gosalyn moaned, fishing her car keys out of her pocket. "Dad! Why do we have to do this every year?"
"Because..." Drake smiled sadly. "You're just growing up so fast..." His beak quivered as he ushered her back in front of the door. "I just can't believe you're a senior in high school! Oh!" he sobbed. "Where has the time gone?"
"Into taking these stupid pictures, probably!" Gosalyn grumbled, slinging her bag over one shoulder and leaning against the door. Launchpad, standing behind Drake, laughed behind his hand.
"Okay," Drake said, ignoring them and aiming the camera at her. "Smile, dear!"
Sighing, she did, and again and again and again as Drake took about 20 extra photographs. Finally, he sighed, "Okay, that rolls finished..."
"Bye Dad! See you after school!" Gosalyn said again, quickly this time, before he had a chance to reload. "Bye, LP!" she added, darting out the door. Launchpad waved and Drake frowned, but called after her, "Okay, Sweetheart! Have a good day!"
"Phew!" she sighed when she had shut the door behind her. "And I thought training as Quiverwing Quack was tough! Yeesh!"
She jumped into her car, a beat up old '68 volkswagon beetle that she'd gotten for her birthday (although she'd paid for half of it) and honked the horn. Soon, Honker Muddlefoot appeared in his doorway and waved. He seemed to be having the same kind of parent troubles that she was.
When he finally got to the car she laughed at him. "Honk, you've ah...got a little lipstick on your cheek there this morning...'sthere somethin' you're not tellin' me?"
"No," he sighed. "It's my mom. She wouldn't let me get outta there!"
"Yeah, I know. Dad too," Gosalyn nodded, starting the car.
"Well, at least your dad probably wasn't sobbing!" Honker frowned, wiping off his cheek with his hand.
Gosalyn looked at him with a raised eyebrow and he smiled. "Or...was he?"
They laughed and drove to St. Canard High School.
Inside herself, Gosalyn was almost sad. This would be their last year of driving to school together. They were seniors! After this, they might...they might never see each other again.
"So whaddya have first hour?" Honker asked as she parked.
"Study hall," she grinned, remembering immediately the perks of being a senior. "How 'bout you?"
"Advanced Physics," he said and Gosalyn grimaced. Well, perks for some people...
Honker laughed as she made a face. She looked pretty this morning in her new school clothes with her hair done that way. Even when she was making faces.
They got out and entered the old building together, enthusiastically greeting old friends as they did. Soon they had seperated to go to their lockers, but Gosalyn was in the habit of hanging out in the cafeteria before the first bell rang, and all of her friends did the same, so she saw him again there.
When she stepped through the cafeteria door, she was immediately greeted by Amy, a tall slender duck whom Gosalyn considered to be one of her very best friends. "Hey, Gos!" Amy called.
"Amy! Hi!" Gosalyn called back, walking over and sitting down beside her. With Amy were a few other friends as well. "Hey gang!" Gosalyn smiled. "Can you believe we're back at the grind already?"
"Yeah, but for the last time," Amy said, smiling, although her tone was sad.
"YES!" one of the boys in the group yelled. "SENIORS RULE!!"
Gosalyn and Amy rolled their eyes.
Amy watched as Honker entered the room and sat with some other boys at another table. "Hey, Gos..." she said, low. "Honker's lookin' pretty good this year!"
"Huh?" Gosalyn asked, smiling at Amy's tone.
"Oh, I know you don't see him that way 'cause he's your best friend and all," Amy shrugged. "But I'd say that those extra hours at the gym are paying off!"
She grinned wickedly and Gosalyn laughed. Amy then turned to talk to someone else and Gosalyn looked at Honker. Hm. Maybe Amy had a point...he had grown an awful lot since grade school, and he'd filled out considerably. He played soccer, and while he still wore glasses and had the mind of a genius brainiac science nerd-type, he had the body of an athlete. There was no denying that. She might even go so far as to say he was cute, if he weren't her best friend.
"Gosalyn!" Amy's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Hm?" she asked mindlessly, turning to look at her friend.
"Look!" Amy was pointing and staring at the door, and as Gosalyn's gaze followed her own, she felt her jaw drop.
The room became suddenly quite still, as everyone in it turned and looked at the person in it's doorway.
Honker's eyes grew wide, as did those of every male in the room.
Before them stood a new student, a new female student, with long wavy black hair and big blue eyes. She wore jeans, rather tight jeans, and a tank top that just barely exposed her midriff. Her feathers were white and shiny as satin, and her figure was like something out of a magazine. A bad magazine...
The girl's blue eyes looked nervously around the room as she toyed with a stray hair in her fingers. Suddenly they landed at Honker and she smiled at him before looking away again.
Honker gulped.
"Who...is that?" Amy asked in a whisper. "And what is she wearing?!"
Gosalyn could only shake her head in response.
"She's coming over here!" one of the others screamed in a whisper.
Indeed, all eyes watched as she swayed over to their table.
"Um...hi..." she said in a low voice. "My name's Crystal Evian...do...do you mind if I join you?"
Everyone at the table stared at her blankly.
Finally, Gosalyn came to her senses and smiled politely. "Sure!" she said, being no more than her usual friendly self. She scooted over so Crystal could sit beside her. "Have a seat, Crystal," she said. "I'm Gosalyn Mallard."
"Thanks," Crystal said gratefully. "Pleased to meet you. And call me Cris. Everyone else does."
As Cris sat next to her, Gosalyn looked beyond her and noticed all the boys in the room staring at them. She scowled at them discouragingly, but it did little good.
"Whoa..." Danny was saying to Rob not far from where Honker sat. "I think I'm in love..."
"Dream on, Loser!" Rob snapped. "She is so not your type!" He grinned stupidly. "She's mine..."
"Wonder what she's got first hour?" another poor fellow mused.
"Hope she's in my gym class," murmered another.
Honker continued to stare, unable to stop, and finally said to his friend Chuck, "I hope it's not Advanced Physics..." Chuck stared at him in disbelief and Honker explained, "I don't think I could take it."
"So, Cris," Gosalyn was saying. "Where're ya from?"
"Duckberg," Cris answered. "But originally from out of state."
"I've been to Duckberg!" an over-eager boy at the table exclaimed.
"We've all been to Duckberg, stupid!" Gosalyn rolled her eyes.
Cris laughed.
"What do you have first hour, Cris?" Amy asked. "Me 'n Gos have study hall."
"Oh no," Cris grimaced. "I get to start the day out fun with...Advanced Physics!" She groaned and most of the table groaned with her.
Gosalyn exclaimed, "Well, hey! I know just the duck that can show you the place." She leaned back so she could see around Cris and yelled, "Hey, Honker!"
Honker looked at her and pointed to himself questioningly.
"You know any other Honkers sitting over there?" she rolled her eyes. "C'mere!"
Honker came and stood next to the table. Gosalyn said, "Crystal, this is Honker Muddlefoot. Honker, Crystal Evian, but call her Cris--everyone else does."
Cris laughed and smiled at Honker. He blushed despite himself and said, "Hi."
"Cris's got Advanced Physics with ya first hour," Gosalyn said, "and since the bell's gonna ring, I told her you could show her where to go."
"Um, yeah, okay," Honker shrugged.
Just then, and quite on cue, the bell rang and everyone stood up to leave.
"Great," said Gosalyn. "See you guys later! Let's go, Amy!"
They left and Honker and Cris looked at each other awkwardly. They made unitentional eye contact, then laughed nervously, and Honker said, "Uh...it's this way."
"Okay," she said, gathering up her stuff and following him. "Thanks for showing me," she added as they left.
"Oh," Honker shrugged again. "No problem."
***
"Phew!" Cris sighed to Honker as they poured out of the science room with the rest of the class 48 minutes later. "This is gonna be harder then I thought."
"Aw, don't let ol' 'Butcher Baker' get to you," Honker said, using Gosalyn's nickname for her least favorite teacher. "He's not as tough as he wants to appear."
Cris laughed, but said, "I hope not. I don't always catch on to things as quickly as I need to get along well in these harder classes."
"Well," Honker shrugged. "I can help you if you need it," he offered shyly.
"Okay," she smiled as they pushed through the hall. "I might take you up on that someday, Honker."
He grinned and thought he felt himself blushing again, so he quickly looked away, hoping she wouldn't notice.
***
The first week of school flew by, and on Friday afternoon Gosalyn was standing by the flagpole waiting for Honker. She always gave him a ride home, since they were neighbors, and before she'd gotten the beetle they had always walked together. Amy approached her, smiling as always, and said, "Hey, Gos! Can I get a ride home?"
"Sure," Gosalyn said, shifting her bag from one shoulder to the other. "I'm just waiting for Honker."
"Oh," said Amy, turning to look back at the building. "I saw him...there he is!" She pointed to the east door at Honker as he exited the school. Gosalyn cupped her hands over her beak to yell at him but stopped.
"Who's that with him?" Amy asked, squinting in the afternoon sun.
"Looks like..." Gosalyn murmered, but didn't have to finish, for Honker had spotted them and was heading their way.
"Hey, Gos! Amy!" he said, smiling.
"Hey, Honker," Amy said, and, seeing who was with him added, "Hey, Cris!"
"Hey," Cris replied, standing just behind Honker.
"Gos, uh, is it okay if Cris bums a ride home?" Honker asked. "I told her you wouldn't mind, she doesn't live far."
"It's...it's no big deal," Cris said quickly, trying to read Gosalyn's blank face. "I mean, I can walk, really."
Gosalyn was wondering how Honker knew where Cris lived, but she shook her head and smiled, "No, no, of course it's okay! I mean, there will be the regular five dollar fee, but sure, it's fine!"
She laughed and Cris smiled thankfully.
In the car, Cris sat in the passenger seat while Amy and Honker sat in back, and all the way to her house she and Honker talked about Physics.
"All those laws we have to know," she groaned. "I'm never gonna get it!"
"Sure you will," Honker said. "It's just a bit of mind over matter, that's all."
Cris laughed. "That's almost a pun!" she exclaimed.
Gosalyn rolled her eyes and drove silently. She and Amy were (for once) at a loss of words when it came to that kind of junk, so as a result they just sat. Gosalyn thought to herself, 'Honker sure seems talkative around Cris. And excited too. He must really like her.'
"Amy," Cris said, seeing their silence and wanting to include them. "Did you take Advanced Physics?"
"Well, no," Amy shook her head. "I was gonna, but then I took Chem. II instead."
"Oh," Cris said. "What about you, Gosalyn?"
Honker suddenly stifled a laugh into a cough and Gosalyn glared at him in the rearview mirror.
"Oh, ah, not me!" she said as dramatically and confidently as she could. "I...I hate that science stuff...I'm no good at it. It's ah...not my thing."
"More of an English duck, huh?" Cris asked, as if she understood perfectly.
Gosalyn frowned and glanced away. "Yeah, well...something like that..." she fibbed.
"Oh, here's my house!" Cris exclaimed so suddenly that Gosalyn slammed on the brakes and the car skidded to a halt.
"Whoops," Gosalyn grinned. "Sorry."
"That's okay," Cris laughed, gathering her stuff. She opened the door and said sincerely, "Thanks alot for the ride, Gosalyn. I really do appreciate it."
"Forget about it," Gosalyn shrugged, smiling.
"Well," Cris smiled. "I'll see you guys Monday. Honk, I might call you about that assignment..."
Gosalyn's eyes opened wide and she looked sharply at Honker.
"Whatever, if you need to," he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Bye!" Cris called, getting out and shutting the door.
"Bye!" Amy and Honker said together.
"Bye..." Gosalyn said quietly, her brow furrowed and lost in thought. 'Did she just call him Honk?' she asked herself. 'I think she did! Boy, she's got some nerve! She's only been her a crummy week, and already she's callin' my best bud by my nickname for him!...wait a sec, Gosalyn...why do you care? Cris's nice! What're you talking--er, thinking about?'
"Gosalyn?" Honker asked.
"Hm?" she asked, snapping back to reality.
Amy and Honker smiled at each other. "You, uh...gonna drive the car anyplace?"
Gosalyn blinked and the two started laughing. "Yes!!" Gosalyn said quickly. "I was just waiting for one of you losers back there to call shotgun!"
"Shotgun!!" Amy yelled, hurrying to the passenger seat.
"Yeesh," Gosalyn rolled her eyes and they drove away, but when the others weren't looking she nervously bit her bill, though she wasn't quite sure why.
After they dropped Amy off, Honker moved up to shotgun, but the conversation dropped to almost nothing. Gosalyn was thinking about Crystal, and Honker realized with some dismay that he and Gosalyn had nothing to talk about! She was only in two of his classes this year, and they couldn't get much talking done in gym or 20th Century Literature.
"So, Honk," Gosalyn said carefully when they were almost home. "It's been a week. What do you think of Crystal?"
"Oh," Honker shrugged. "I...I like her. She's really smart, even though she never admits it, and she's funny too."
"Yeah..." Gosalyn said with a strange tone in her voice. "She's...she's nice alright..."
"We're ah, we're lab partners in Baker's class," Honker said. "So I'm getting to know her pretty well."
"Oh?" Gosalyn asked, raising a brow. "You didn't tell me you were lab partners."
"I didn't think of it 'till now," he shrugged.
"Oh," Gosalyn nodded. Then she smiled. "Just like us last year in Chemisty, remember?"
"Yeah," Honker laughed. "Except Cris doesn't blow anything up!"
He chuckled and Gosalyn's smile faded as she looked at him. She hadn't meant to blow up those test tubes, jeesh! And it wasn't like she didn't pay for them! "Well, I..." she stammered defensively. "It's not like I ever claimed to be a science whiz like you two!" she excaimed finally.
"I know, I know," he grinned. "I was just kidding. It's just that Cris is..." Honker sighed and looked out the window. "Cris is just somethin' else..."
Gosalyn's face fell as she stared at him. Was he thinking what she thought he was thinking?
"Gosalyn!!" Honker yelled suddenly, and she slammed on the brake, stopping just in time at a red stoplight.
Honker stared at her and she sniffed, "Just makin' sure you were payin' attention."
"Yeah..." he muttered, exhaling. "Right."
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***
When she got home, Gosalyn tossed her bag down carelessly and trudged upstairs past her father.
"Gosalyn?" he asked, but she didn't answer.
She entered her room and shut the door, leaning against it with a sigh. "What is with me?" she asked herself. "I must be losin' it..."
Gosalyn kicked off her shoes and flopped down on the bed. She hadn't been laying there long when her father Drake Mallard knocked cautiously on her door.
"Yeah?" she asked without moving.
"Honey?" he asked, opening the door slowly. "Honey, what's wrong?" He came into the room and stood beside the bed. "Did you have a bad day today? A bad test or something?"
"No, Dad," she sighed. "Nothing like that. It's...it's nothing. Well, it's something, but I don't know what, and it's stupid! And, and I don't wanna talk about it." Gosalyn turned her head so that she was looking away from him.
"Are you sure, Gos?" he asked. "You know you'll feel better if you talk about it."
She sighed again. She did want to talk about it, but not to her father. He'd never understand! He was edgy enough about her and boys, and she didn't want him to think that she liked Honker. He'd never let her see him again!
"I'm sure, Dad," she lied, trying to smile. "I'm okay...just a little tired is all."
Drake was obviously unsatisfied, but he relented. He had learned not to push his daughter's emotions too far. "Okay, Gos, if you say so," he said, leaning over and giving her a kiss on the forehead. He turned then, to leave, and added, "I'll be downstairs if you change your mind."
" 'Kay," she smiled at him. He left and shut the door and the smile vanished.
"This is so stupid!" she groaned to herself, rolilng over. "Why the heck are you feeling like this? It's just Honker! You don't even like him! You're just friends! He's your best friend for crying out loud!"
The more she thought about it, the angrier at herself she became, and soon Gosalyn decided that a little stress-relieving activity was in order. She got up and changed into some workout clothes then headed downstairs.
Her father was sitting on the couch watching TV when she entered the room. "Hey," he said, smiling at her. "Feeling better?"
"Sorta," she shrugged. "Listen, Dad, I'm goin' up to the tower to relieve some stress on the punching bag, okay?"
"Well, all right," Drake said warily. "But be careful this time, Gosalyn! The last time you went up there to 'relieve some stress', I had to buy a new punching bag!"
She grinned and sat in one of the blue chairs. "I'll see you later," she said.
"Okay," he said. "Tell LP supper's at six."
"Right," she said, and with a whir she was gone.
***
Gosalyn had been working at the bag for nearly an hour before she realized how exhausted she was. The activity had helped keep her mind off Honker, however, and she was less angry now. Weary but satisfied, she sighed and grabbed her towel, mopping her brow. She was surpirsed at how sweaty she was.
"Gross!" she grimaced. Just then, the Thunderquack flew in and landed, and the dome opened.
"Hi, Gosalyn!" Launchpad called as he cut the engine.
"Hey, LP," she called back, walking towards him and the plane. "What kind of a 2nd rate landing was that? You didn't even crash!" She smiled.
"Well, there's less room to crash in here," he shrugged.
"That's never stopped you before!" she giggled. "You must be improving, I think."
"Hm," he pondered. "Could be."
"Dad says to tell you supper's at six," Gosalyn told him, taking a sip from her water bottle. "Where ya been?"
"Oh, I've been workin' on that clanking noise in the engine, and wanted to make sure it was fixed," he explained.
"Is it?" she asked.
"Yup," he said proudly. "Can't keep my baby down for long!"
She chuckled and he asked, "What're you doin' up here?"
"Beating the crap outta the punching bag," she said bluntly. She rubbed her knuckles and frowned. "My hands hurt..."
Launchpad took her hands and looked at them. "They look a little swollen," he said with concern. Then he looked at her evenly. "Somethin' botherin' you?"
"Whaddya mean?" she asked, snatching her hands back. "Nothing's bothering me!"
"Okay'," he said, "Just seems like everytime somethin's not botherin' you, you come up here and beat on that bag, and this is the worst I've seen your knuckles since prom last year."
Gosalyn made a disgusted sound in her throat. "Let's not bring that up again," she growled.
"So what's the matter?" Launchpad asked.
"Nothing!" she exclaimed. "Nothing. I just..I dunno, I just felt like beating something up, okay?"
"Okay, okay," Launchpad held up his hands defensively. "As long as it's not me!"
She sighed, but smiled. "I'm sorry, LP," she said. "I just--I mean, there is something wrong, but I'm not sure why it's wrong...or why I'm upset at all! And it's just really driving me nuts..."
"Okay," he shrugged, putting his arm around her sweaty shoulder and walking with her to the chairs. "Well, lets' not worry about it now, huh? What say we go home and grab some chow? You must be hungry after that workout!"
"I am, but I already told you, supper's not 'till six!" she frowned.
"Not 'till then?" Launchpad stopped walking to look at her disdainfully. "Aw, man! That's another good hour!"
"Well, maybe we can sneak out for ice cream," she giggled, and he gave her a thumbs up as they spun back to the house.
***
As school continued, Gosalyn found herself more and more annoyed by Crystal's presence. All the boys fell over backwards for her whenever she was near. They were so sweet and considerate and macho and cool in front of er, and flirtatious and giddy to the point of nausea. But Cris seemed unimpressed with them all. To Gosalyn's dismay, and the boys' confusion, she was only interested in one duck: Honker.
She was constantly around him, flirting and acting sweet and funny, and Gosalyn knew that Honker couldn't resist her feminine charms for much longer, nor did he appear to be trying!
They did everything together. He walked her to class. They sat with each other at lunch. They even spurned Gosalyn's rides to walk home together sometimes, and Gosalyn was sure she had seen Honker carrying Crystal's books.
Honker never did anything with Gosalyn anymore.
Of course, Crystal was still just as nice and funny and friendly as she always had been, both to Gosalyn and to everyone else, and Gosalyn was torn. She liked Crystal, she really did! Yet she couldn't like her because she was stealing her best friend.
Gosalyn told herself over and over again that it didn't matter. Honker was just a friend! He always had been. Why was she so upset now?
One morning, she at with Amy in the cafeteria and watched as Honker and Crystal entered and waved, then sat a a decidedly distant table. Amy waved back but Gosalyn just scowled to herself.
"Look at them," she said disgustedly. "Blech! How much more are we gonna have to sit through?"
"Whaddya mean?" Amy asked, looking at her.
"I mean, those two are gross!" Gosalyn exclaimed, though not loud enough to be heard by the other tables. "I mean--they're, they're all over each other!"
"Oh, they are not!" Amy laughed. "They aren't even going out! And, well, I've never seen them kissing or, y'know, hanging on each other."
"Well, what do you call that?" Gosalyn insisted, gesturing madly at Honker and Amy. "Look at 'em!"
Amy looked. "Um, looks like they're doin' homework, there, Boss," she said. "I'd guess Advanced Physics."
Gosalyn frowned. "Yeah, right! Look how she...how she fawns over him!"
" 'Fawns?' " Amy raised an eyebrow and Gosalyn rolled her eyes at herself.
"Too much time spent with Dad," she muttered. Out loud she said, aggrivated, "Yes, fawns! Aren't you just sick of seeing them together? It just makes me nauseous anymore, and Honk's my best friend!"
Amy opened her beak to say one thing, then changed her mind and said instead, "Y'know Gos, I think you might just be a teeny bit jealous of Miss Evian over there."
Gosalyn exclaimed defensively, "What? Me? Jealous of her? Pah! Why on earth would I be jealous of her?"
"Because," Amy said honestly. "She's got Honker."
"So what??" Gosalyn exclaimed even louder. "Who cares? I don't like Honker! Well, in that way I mean...what do I care if he's got someone new?"
Amy looked at her, and Gosalyn's scowl fell into a frown. "Gos," Amy smiled. "It's okay to be jealous, even if you don't like Honker in that way. You and Honker have been best friends for an awfully long time! It's only natural for you to feel left out when he's got a new friend."
Gosalyn sighed and looked down, feeling stupid.
"I think I remember Honker feeling the same way when you and I became friends, " Amy continued. "Remember?"
"Yeah..." Gosalyn muttered. "But...but you and I weren't..I mean, we weren't in love with each other!"
Amy's eyes popped open and she said, "No, and I've always said it's for the best. You have a terrible temper."
"No, I mean," Goslayn sighed, ignoring Amy's joke. "I mean, I wasn't this bad to Honker. I still did things with him! He hasn't even talked to me all week! We never do anything anymore, and I...I..." She looked down again. "I miss him."
Amy's shoulders sagged and she looked sadly at her friend. Gosalyn muttered, "It's that raven hair, I know it. Guys just can't resist a girl with long black hair." She toyed with her own short red locks disdainfully and sighed.
Amy smiled weakly. "You do like him!" she said softly, and Gosalyn pu her head down miserably on the table with a 'thump' and replied weakly,
"I don't know."
After a short pause, Amy suggested, "Well...why don't you talk to him?"
Gosalyn looked at her askance.
"I mean it," Amy nodded. "Talk to him! Tell him how you feel, tell him you miss him! Honker's a nice guy, he'll understand. And he'll appreciate your honesty too, I think."
Gosalyn nodded slowly. "You're right, Amy...you always are. I'll talk to him after school today." She sighed again. "If he has time for me."
***
After school, Gosalyn waited by the flagpole as usual, and as usual, Honker came out with Cris not far behind.
"Hey, Gos," they both said when they saw her.
"Hey," she said. "Honker, I need to talk to you," she added quickly before she could chicken out.
Honker looked at her and said, "Well, okay. But can it wait?"
Gosalyn's shoulders sagged, but she refused to feel sad. Instead, she said somewhat annoyed, "What for?"
"Well, Cris and I are going uptown to pick out T-shirts for the academic team," he explained, smiling.
Gosalyn frowned, and Cris noticed. "Actually, we can do it some other time, Honker," she said slowly. "I mean, we've got 'till next week..."
"No, no," Gosalyn said quickly. "You two go ahead and get your shirts. It's...it's not important."
"Are you sure, Gos--" Cris began, but Gosalyn cut her off.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she said. "I got other stuff to do too, so I'd better go. See ya."
She hurried off before they could reply, and Honker shrugged. "I wonder what she wants to talk about," he said.
"I don't know," Cris murmered, looking worried.
"Oh well," he said. "I'm sure it's nothing. Gosalyn's not one to bottle her emotions."
"You don't think so?" Cris asked, surprised. "I think she does it all the time."
Honker looked surprised, but said, "Well, if it was important, I'm sure she woulda told me now." He looked at Cris and said, "Don't worry about it. You worry too much about other people's problems."
She smiled shyly, but was still concerned. 'I just hope I'm not causing them,' she thought.
Gosalyn drove home silently, refusing to let the tears fall.
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***
That weekend, since the weather was still hot, Gosalyn decided to lay out in the back yard and tan. Her father hated it when she did this, ("You don't need to be laying out like a centerfold for all they boys in the neighborhood to gawk at," she could hear him saying.) but he wasn't home, she wanted to relax, and Launchpad didn't care.
She took out her towel and radio and set them on the patio table, then went back inside. She put a little sunscreen on the feathers around her beak and eyes and a little on her shoulders. Gosalyn never understood it, but those were the only places she ever burned.
Satisfied, she said to Launchpad, "I'll be out back if you need me, LP."
"Okay, Gos," he said from the living room couch where he was napping.
Gosalyn went outside and spread her towel on the lawn chair, then turned on the radio and lay down, trying to forget her troubles.
Meanwhile, Honker had just finished his last bit of homework and was downstairs in the kitchen getting a snack when he heard music coming from somewhere. Curious, he walked over to the window and looked out.
In the Mallard's back yeard he saw Gosalyn laying out in a reclining lawn chair, apparently tanning. She wore sunglasses, but he guessed that her eyes were closed, and she was laying perfectly still as she listened to the radio.
Honker could feel himself staring unconciously. Was that a new swimsuit? He'd never seen that before...he'd never seen Gosalyn in anything like that before! She wore a simple black bikini, with boy-cut bottoms and a spaghetti strap, or sting bikini style--whatever--tope. It was very flattering to her trim and shapely figure.
Shapely? Honker nearly exclaimed out loud. This was Gosalyn he was talking--er, thinking about here! She wasn't 'shapely'! Well, she was, but she couldn't be, they'd been too good of friends for her to be...shapely!
Yet there she was, innocently laying out in her back yard, and Honker couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Whatcha doin', Honk?" Tank asked loudly, coming up behind Honker and startling him.
Honker jumped. "Nothing!" he exclaimed. "Um...nothing!"
"What're ya lookin' at?" Tank demanded, straining to see past his brother.
"No one! er--nothing!" Honker exclaimed again, moving his body to block Tank's view. Tank shoved him aside and looked outside. When he saw Gosalyn, his beak twisted into a dirty smile.
"Why, you little beastie!" he laughed, and Honker groaned. Tank was nearly 22 now, still living at home, and had changed little. He'd gained some more weight, and his voice had gotten deeper, but that was about it. "Yer nothin' but a peepin' tom!" He guffawed, giving Honker a hard knock on the shoulder.
"Ow...I am not!" Honker insisted, rubbing his arm. "I was just...I just..I mean, I just now saw her, it's not like I've been staring at her or anything..."
"Sure, Honker, sure..." Tank laughed again.
Honker sighed and started to protest again, but Tank interrupted to say, "Not that I blame you, Bro. In fact, I'm proud of ya!" He slapped Honker on the back. "That whiny little Gosalyn grew up into a pretty fine duck, huh? Guess all those sports were, ah...good for her figure."
He laughed sinisterly, and Honker's eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. Not because what Tank said wasn't true, but rather because it was just so weird to hear Tank say anything positive about Gosalyn, even something as degrading as that.
"Actually, I've spent a little time at my window doin' some, ah, 'starlette-gazing' myself," he chuckled and Honker gasped. Tank continued, "Guess that stupid telescope of yours came in handy for somethin' after all, huh?"
He laughed even louder then, and Honker was so utterly disgusted and appalled that he felt his rage ball up within him. Before Tank even knew what was coming, Honker punched him as hard as he could in the stomach. Tank fell to the kitchen floor with a thunk and groaned as he lay there.
Honker looked down at him and said meanacingly, "If you ever so much as look at Gosalyn again, I will personally kick your tailfeathers to Southern Mexico."
He stormed away, leaving his brother to writhe a while longer in agony, and headed outside towards Gosalyn. He thought to himself, 'Yeesh, that was violent. Like, Negaduck sorta violent! I must really be in a bad mood,' as he jumped the hedge adjoing the two yards.
As he entered the Mallard's yard, he paused, stopped in his tracks by the sight of Gosalyn. She was up now, bending down over the water faucet, filling a container with water. As Honker watched, she took a small drink and then, grimacing a little, poured the rest of the water slowly down over her body.
Honker gulped.
"Brr..." she muttered and Honker, suddenly aware of where he was, coughed a little to get her attention.
She whirled around, half-expecting to see Tank, but exclaimed in shock, "Honker!" and snatched up her towel from the chair. She seemed almost flustered by his presence.
"Um...hi," he said awkwardly.
"Hi..." she laughed nervously, wrapping the towel around her hips. "What...what're you doing here?"
"I--" he began, then realized that he had no idea what he was doing here. For some reason, the thought of another duck, especially Tank, looking at Gosalyn made him want to see her and be near her.
But he couldn't tell her that.
"I...um..." he stammered for a bit, then was hit by an inspiration, "You said you wanted to talk to me."
"Oh," she said slowly. "Yeah."
"Well, here I am!" he laughed awkwardly, lifting his arms up and then dropping them down to his side.
"Yeah..." she said again. "Well, okay, yeah...we can talk now...sure. Just, uh..." she looked around, then cleared off a patio chair. "Just have a seat. You want some soda or lemonade or somethin'?"
"Nah, thanks," he shook his head, sitting down.
"Okay," she said, shutting off the radio and sitting down across from him.
"So what's on your mind?" he asked, trying as hard as he could not to stare at her chest.
"Well, Honker," she began, wringing her hands nervously and looking everywhere but at him. "I wanted to tell you that...well.." she trailed off.
"Tell me what?" he asked, looking into her green eyes.
"Uncomfortable with the unexpected eye contact she looked quickly away and frowned. "Well," she said again. "I guess I'll say it quickly, 'cause that's the only way I know how."
He nodded for her to continue in such a grown-up way that he reminded her of her dad. Ack!
"Honk," she sighed. "I've just been a little depressed lately because you and Crystal have gotten so...close."
"I see," Honker said slowly, leaning back in his chair.
"I mean, it's great that you've become better friends and all," she said quickly, "and, and even if you're more than friends, well, that's..." she looked away for a split second. "That's great too!" she finished. "But I..." she stopped again and looked down miserably, fearful that she would cry.
"Yes?" he prompted.
"Well, Honk, you do so much with her anymore, that....that I never get to see you, and I--" Her beak quivered and she stood up quickly, and said quietly with her back to him, "I miss you is all."
Honker stared at her white shoulders and neck. How could he have missed this? Was he blind or just stupid? How could he have hurt his best friend so much and never even known it? Crystal was right...Gosalyn did bottle her emotions, and as he thought about it, Honker could recall several other instances when Gosalyn must not have revealed what she really felt. He knew Gosalyn hated to cry in front of people, even him...she only cried when something was incredibly important to her.
He stood up and wiped his palms on his shorts. "Gosalyn," he began. "I'm really sorry. I had no idea you felt this way."
She sniffed but stayed with her back to him.
"Crystal," he said slowly. "Well, Crystal is really something, and I'm not sure just how I feel about her right now. I mean, I don't know if I like her as more then friends, or if it's more than that. But, you know, it doesn't matter, 'cause no matter what, I feel the same way about you that I've always felt, and always will."
Gosalyn turned around.
"You're my best friend in the world, Gosalyn," he said. "I hope you never forget how special you are to me."
Gosalyn smiled, and Honker took a few steps towards her. "Do...do you hate me for being so selfish?" she asked, sounding like a little girl again.
"Of course not!" he laughed. "Duh!"
Gosalyn laughed and gave him a hug. He returned it, gladly, and both enjoyed the feel of the other in their arms.
***
Later that night as Gosalyn sat with her dad and Launchpad watching TV, she remembered Honker's face outside, and smiled as she recalled the trouble he's had focusing on her face. She wondered if she'd been wrong about his feelings for Cris. Maybe they really were just friends, and she had just overreacted. Maybe Honker didn't like Cris at all, or at least not any more than any other normal teen-age guy. 'Maybe I shouldn't give up,' she thought. 'Maybe he prefers red-heads after all.'
At home, Honker too, was pondering the day's happenings. If Gosalyn was so jealous of Crystal, did that mean she liked him? Was that possible? And what about Cris? She might like him, but did he like her? Or...was he as attracted to Gosalyn as he thought he was? And even though she said otherwise, it didn't seem like Gos was too happy about him and Cris being 'an item.' Maybe she did like him as more than friends.
He smiled and sighed. That wouldn't be so bad.
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~all characters copyright Disney and used w/o permission. This story is copyright Angela McDermott, 1998. Permission given to use it, as long as you don't alter it, don't make money from it, and please give me credit. :)