Toby Part Four: Uh-Oh Romeo

 

            “Toby’s got a girlfriend!  Toby’s got a girlfriend!” Pete sneered.

        “I do not!” snapped Toby.

        “Then why do you hang out with her all the time?”

        “Luna’s just my friend, that’s all.”

        “Sure,” said Pete sarcastically.  “I’ll bet you bring her flowers and stuff when no one’s looking.  I’ll bet you two hang out in the boiler room kissing all day.  I’ll bet-”

        Toby had been holding his temper in until now, but this last jab was too much for him to take.  “That’s IT!” he snapped, jumping at Pete.  In seconds, the two were having an all-out brawl.  It was hardly a fair fight.  Even though Toby was in the midst of a growth spurt and had recently been gaining size and muscle almost daily, he was still no match for his older half-brother. And while Pete’s thick fur blunted Toby’s attacks, Toby’s thinner coat left him vulnerable to every painful blow.  Fortunately, the fight only lasted a few seconds.

        “STOP!” shouted a voice that froze both of them in their tracks.  They turned and saw Rex, the police chief’s dog and Nome’s best tracker.  “Break it up.”

Toby and Pete pulled apart.  “He jumped me,” accused Pete.

“You were the one-“

“Boys, I don’t care who started it, I just want it finished.  Now both of you, get out of here.”

Pete growled at Toby.  “You’re darn lucky we were in front of your old man’s place, you little-“

“Pete, enough.”

Pete snorted.  “Ah, this squirt ain’t worth my time anyway.”  And he stalked away.

Toby started to leave but Rex stopped him.  “Son, what have I told you about fighting?” he asked.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Toby said.  “It’s just…aagh, Pete won’t leave me alone.  For the last six weeks, he’s been teasing me about Luna.  He says we’re in love and yucky stuff like that.”

“Well, that’s no excuse to get in a fight.  Besides, who cares what he says?  You know the truth, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”  Toby started to leave.  “I gotta get going or I’ll be late.”

“Late for what?”

“Luna’s waiting.”

Rex shook his head as Toby took off.  “Kids,” he muttered.

 

 

 

 

 “What kept you?” asked Luna.  “It’s not polite to keep a girl waiting.”

 

“Oh, I got in a fight with Pete.”

 

“Again?” asked Luna incredulously.  “Toby, that’s your third fight this week, and it’s only Monday.  What was it about?”

 

“Oh, nothing,” said Toby.

 

Luna shook her head.  “Honestly, why do boys have to get into fights all the time?” she asked.  “Why can’t you have the sense to talk things over like us girls?”

 

“Ah, girls aren’t as tough as guys,” said Toby playfully.  “Everybody knows that.”

 

“Oh, is that so?” asked Luna.  Her ears were perked, sensing a challenge.

 

“Yes it is so,” answered Toby.

 

 

 

“Well I guess maybe boys get more exercise lugging around those big, fat heads,” Luna retorted.

 

 

 

Toby spun around to face her, a grin spread across his face.  “You think you’re so tough?” he asked.  “C’mon, bring it on.”

 

 

 

Luna tackled him, and in moments the two were rolling in the dust, whacking, nipping, and pouncing like mad.  After several minutes Toby succeeded in pinning Luna on her back.  “See?” he asked.

 

 

 

Luna smiled, then jerked her head forward and kissed him right on the nose.  Toby reeled back.  “Blaaauuuggghhh!!!” he yelled.  In a flash Luna jumped up and had him pinned to the ground.

 

 

 

“Told ya,” she said with a grin.

 

 

 

“Foul!” Toby protested.  “Foul!  No fair kissing!”

 

 

 

“Who said there was a rule against that?” asked Luna, letting him up.

 

 

 

“The guy it was used on,” answered Toby.  He wiped his paw across his nose.  “Yuck!” he said again.  “Seriously, kissing a guy on the nose?  That’s low.”

 

 

 

Luna smiled and stared at his muzzle.  “I could aim, oh, about half an inch lower next time,” she teased.

 

 

 

            “You’d better not.”  It wasn’t just his disgust that Luna had kissed him that bothered Toby.  It was mostly that nagging little question, ‘Nobody saw that, right?’  All the same he had to admit that there was something about Luna’s smile…

            He shook it off.  ‘Don’t go there, Toby,’ he told himself.  ‘Nothing but trouble.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the rest of the morning, and even after they went their separate ways at lunchtime, Luna kept thinking about that kiss.  She realized with a mix of pleasure and nausea that she had wanted to do that for a long time.  ‘What the heck is happening to me?’ she wondered.

 

 

 

During a chat with Phoebe and Haley, she happened to bring up the subject.  Naturally, Phoebe promptly blew it out of proportion.  “You kissed Toby?!”

 

 

 

“It was just a distraction, that’s all,” Luna defended herself.  “There wasn’t really anything behind it.”

 

 

 

“Yeah, right,” said Haley.  “Come on, Luna, you can level with us.”

 

 

 

“Yeah,” added Phoebe.  “You don’t have to cover it up.”

 

 

 

“I’m not trying to cover anything up!” insisted Luna.  “What are you trying to say?”

 

 

 

“Don’t sweat it, sis,” Haley said calmly.  “You and Toby would make a great couple.”

 

 

 

“Yeah,” agreed Phoebe.  “He’s a real cutie.  A lot better than some guys like that jerk Pete.”  Pete and Phoebe had broken up after going steady for exactly one day.  It was a typical relationship for both of them in terms of lifespan.

 

 

 

Luna’s face started to flush.  “I am not in love with Toby!”  Then she softened.  “But, if I were, what would you suggest I should do about it?”

 

 

 

“Just tell him straight out,” said Haley.

 

 

 

Luna’s ears shot up in alarm.  “Are you crazy?  I couldn’t do that.”

 

 

 

“Sure you can.  Just tell him you like him and that you’d like to go out sometime.”

 

 

 

Phoebe shook her head.  “No way,” she argued.  “It’s way more fun to just drop a few hints here and there.”

 

 

 

“What kind of hints?” asked Luna, curious.

 

 

 

“Oh, like when you see a basket of puppies you should get kind of excited, you know?”

 

 

 

“What for?”

 

 

 

“So he’ll know that you’re interested in puppies.”

 

 

 

“Boy, that sounded subtle,” commented Haley dryly.

 

 

 

Luna made a face.  “I’m not sure that’s quite the kind of message I want to give him,” she said.

 

 

 

Phoebe tilted her head in confusion.  “Well do you like him, or don’t you?”

 

 

 

Luna rolled her eyes.  “As a friend, absolutely.  As a boyfriend, maybe.  But definitely not that much.”

 

 

 

Phoebe shook her head as if she couldn’t figure Luna out.  “Anyway,” she said, “Just little hints like that, you know?”

 

 

 

Luna considered.  “Well, I always go over to look at puppies, whether he’s with me or not.”

 

 

 

“Hmm, okay,” said Phoebe thoughtfully.  “Then try laughing whenever he says something.  And act really wistful whenever another couple walks by.”

 

 

 

Luna groaned.  “That’s your advice?  He’ll think I’m crazy.”

 

 

 

“You got a better idea?” asked Phoebe.

 

 

 

Luna shrugged.  “Well, I guess if I get desperate enough I could try it.  For

1 2 3 4 5 6

Next page