"Hi, Denny," Lucia sighed.

Denny smiled and sat with her. "Why the long face, Luci?"

"Monica refuses to speak to me. Plus, I wrote Potato Guy three weeks ago. He still hasn't gotten back to me."

"Really? Think he's busy?"

"He's never too busy to write to me."

"I guess...and things are still sour with Monica, huh?"

"Sadly," Lucia sighed. "She still doesn't believe me. I know what I heard, Denny. Plus, when I confronted Kyle, he admitted to it. He told me that Monica wouldn't believe me."

"I believe you, Lucia. In the end, though, you'll work it out. I know you will," Denny smiled reassuringly.

Lucia embraced him tightly. "Thanks, Denny."

Denny smiled more and rubbed her back. "If he is bad, then she'll find out."

"I hope you're right," Lucia sighed. "Do you want to go do something?"

"Sure. Let's go blading."

"Alright," Lucia smiled. "I'll drive."

Denny nodded and they left.

Lucia drove to the park and easily found a space in the parking lot. "I haven't gone blading in ages," she chuckled.

"Yeah. It's great exercise."

"I used to do it with my mom all the time when I was young," Lucia smiled sadly.

"Yeah? I mean, if you want to do something else then that's fine."

"No, no, it's okay. I want to," Lucia nodded. "Let's go. And uh, feel free to laugh at me if I fall."

"Same here."

"Thanks," Lucia chuckled.

They went over to a hut and rented a couple pairs of roller blades before sitting down on a nearby bench.

Lucia laughed slightly, lacing up her roller blades and slowly standing up. "I feel like I'm gonna fall over."

Denny grasped her forearms."I got you."

"Thanks," Lucia smiled.

"Of course." Denny stood steadily on his skates.

Lucia cautiously let go and pushed off with her right foot. "Okay, help," she chuckled.

Denny smiled and took her hand, skating beside her.

"Should we try going down a trail?"

"Sure. But I'll hold onto you."

"Okay," Lucia nodded, skating off as Denny held her hand.

Denny smiled and they kept skating together down a trail through the park.

"It's really peaceful out here," Lucia noted.

"It is. It's nice."

"Yeah," Lucia smiled. "Oh, be careful. The path looks a little bumpy up ahead."

Denny nodded and ignored it.

"So...you think Kyle will tell Monica about the other girl?"

"I doubt it. It'd be stupid."

"Yeah," Lucia sighed. "Let's talk about something else. Do you have any plans next this weekend?"

"No. Just work."

"I was thinking maybe we could go to The Hole Shebang and do a round of mini golf."

"Yeah. I'd really like that."

"Me too," Lucia smiled.

"I always get at least one hole in one."

Lucia scoffed. "I believe that's what we call wishful thinking."

"What? No, I d-" Denny's roller blades caught a small dip in the path and he stumbled over, falling down and getting scraped up pretty badly.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright?!" Lucia frowned, carefully kneeling down beside him.

Denny nodded, his cheek bleeding.

"Oh, god," Lucia sighed. "Do you think you can stand up?"

Denny nodded again and Lucia took off his skates before helping him up.

"Are you hurt badly?" Lucia frowned.

"No...just scraped," Denny said slowly, still in a bit of shock.

"Okay, good," Lucia nodded, wrapping an arm around him. "How about we go back to your place and clean those scrapes?"

"Okay. Thanks, Lucia," Denny smiled.

"I'm just glad you're okay," Lucia sighed. "You scared me."

"Did I? Sorry."

"It's okay, Honey. It doesn't matter as long as you're alright."

Denny nodded and they returned their skates.

Lucia carefully helped him into the car before getting in herself and driving off. "Are you sure you're okay? You didn't hit your head or anything, did you?"

"No. I'm okay," Denny assured.

"Alright, good," Lucia sighed. "We really need to keep you away from anything that could get you hurt."

"Yeah...I suppose."

Lucia pulled into a parking space and helped Denny out of the car before they made their way to his apartment. "I'm going to tend to your scrapes. Have a seat."

Denny sat down and leaned his head back. He had a wicked headache.

Lucia grabbed a towel and some rubbing alcohol before sitting down next to him. "This might sting a little, okay?"

"Oh, I am so used to it by now." Denny let his hand drop in apathy.

"Well, you are accident prone," Lucia chuckled, beginning to clean the scrape on his arm.

Denny chuckled. "Very much so."

"This isn't hurting too much, is it?"

"Nope."

"Good," Lucia nodded, looking up at him. "How did you manage to scrape your cheek?"

"Hm?"

"You scraped your cheek," Lucia sighed. "We're gonna be here for a while."

"Why? What difference does it make?"

"I just mean that you've got a lot of scrapes and it'll take me a while to clean and bandage them."

"Fine. But my face is alright. And they are just on the surface. Just put Band-Aids over them."

"Okay," Lucia nodded. "Gosh, you have to promise me you're going to try to be more careful."

"I cannot help it."

"I know," Lucia sighed, kissing his forehead.

Denny smiled.

"I love you, kid," Lucia said softly. "I don't want you to end up dead."

"I doubt I will die."

Lucia placed a large Band-Aid over the scrape on his arm and began to clean the one on his face, making him wince slightly.

"Are you alright?" Lucia frowned.

"Yeah. Just stings a little...a lot, actually."

"I'm sorry, Hon. I'll try to go quick."

Denny nodded. "Just watch my eyes, please."

"Alright," Lucia nodded. "Just close them, for a second, kay?"

Denny closed his eyes.

"Almost done," Lucia sighed. "You know, it never ceases to amaze how you get hurt so often yet you're always fine."

"Yeah. My body is used to all of this."

"I'm sorry...You can open your eyes now."

Denny opened his eyes and smiled.

Lucia gently placed a Band-Aid over the wound. "There. Now I just have to clean the ones on your legs."

Denny sighed. "It's taking forever," he whined.

"I know, Hon, but if you sit still, I'll give you a cookie," Lucia chuckled.

Denny smiled brightly. "Sticker too?"

"And a sticker," Lucia laughed, cleaning a wound on his leg.

Denny was very childish sometimes, but it helped lighten a lot of tense situations and Lucia loved spending time with him.

After Lucia finished cleaning Denny's scrapes, she handed him a big chocolate chip cookie. "I'll grab the stickers from my purse."

Denny laughed. "You don't have to, Luci."

"You deserve it," Lucia smiled, kissing his forehead. "You've been a good patient."

Denny smiled like the child he was inside and waited patiently.

Lucia went over to the counter and pulled a pad of donut stickers out of her purse. "Here you are."

Denny put one his face.

"Oh, dear," Lucia chuckled.

"I'm rebellious!" Denny exclaimed, chuckling slightly.

"You sure are," Lucia smiled softly. "Wanna find something to watch on Netflix?"

"Sure. I have butterscotch ice cream. You want some?"

"Sure," Lucia chuckled. "Oh, you've got blood on your shirt. Here, let me help you take it off."

"I'm in my house, Luci. I can go change."

"Then go do it," Lucia laughed. "I'll turn on the TV and scoop the ice cream. Leave the shirt on the bathroom counter and I'll get the blood out."

"Lucia, I'm a grown man," Denny chuckled before going to his room change. He came out a minute later with a shirt in each hand.

"Denny," Lucia stammered, "you...you have abs...Do you work out?"

Denny smirked. "Yes."

"You are so gonna kill yourself," Lucia sighed.

"What? Why?"

"Because you're accident prone," Lucia chuckled.

"But don't I look good?"

Lucia blushed slightly. "Yeah."

Denny chuckled and threw the dirty shirt in the bathroom hamper before going back out to the kitchen, pulling the clean t-shirt on.

"Ready to watch Pirates of the Caribbean?" Lucia grinned.

Denny flopped down next to her and took one of the ice cream bowls. "Yep."

"You know what we need?"

"Peeps?" Denny smiled.

"Peanut butterscotch milkshakes," Lucia nodded, handing him her bowl.

"I'm on it." Denny went into the kitchen.

"Extra peanut butter in mine!"

"Okay!"

—————

"Hey," Lucia sighed, setting her keys on the table. "Are you still not talking to me?"

Monica sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It speaks!" Lucia declared triumphantly, sitting down beside her. "Whatcha sorry about?"

"I should have believed you. I over heard him today."

"You did?"

"Mhm" Monica said sadly.

Lucia embraced her friend tightly. "I'm sorry."

"I told him to get out and to never talk to me again." Monica began to cry.

Lucia rubbed her back gently. "Shh. It's alright."

"Can you forgive me?"

"Of course," Lucia said softly. "Are you okay?"

"It hurts."

"I know, kid," Lucia sighed, hugging her tightly. "I know."

Monica cried.

"Shh. It's going to be okay," Lucia whispered. "Don't worry."

Monica held tightly to her friend's shirt, crying into her shoulder.

"Do you want me to order a pizza?" Lucia asked softly. "Do you need to wallow?"

"I do need to wallow," Monica nodded as her friend handed her a tissue.

"Listen, I'm going to call the boss and tell him that we won't be going into work tomorrow, okay?"

"Really?"

"Really," Lucia nodded. "We're just going to stay here all day and do nothing and watch sad movies and eat a bunch of food."

Monica smiled slightly and hugged her friend. "This is why you're my best friend."

"I love you, Mon," Lucia smiled.

"I love you too, Luci."

—————

Lucia sat on the couch and began to write:

Dear Potato Guy,

So, I didn't hear back from you after my last letter. Maybe your response got lost in the mail?

Anyway, Monica found out that Kyle was a jerk. On one hand, I'm glad she knows, but on the other hand, I feel bad for her. She took it really hard.

I went blading with Denny today. He fell and scraped himself up pretty badly. I had to take care of him after. Oh, guess what? He has abs! Like, who knew, am I right? Haha.

Well, I hope all's well. Send my love to Mom.

Lydia