#gingerguitar

Barb's easily embarrassed and her mind constantly races with "What if it was just a mistake?" or "What if they were overworked?" and "What if my complaint gets them fired?" and so on.

Jeff doesn't buy into that way of thinking, but...to spare her the anxiety, he's come up with another way to deal with it.

Jeff simply picks the offending food item off of Barb's food and puts it onto or into his food. Even when he doesn't like that food item either.

But Jeff? Dude, just throw it away?

Nope, Barb doesn't believe in wasting food when there's an issue of homelessness and poverty state and worldwide.

Jeff thinks it's bullshit, but he loves his gentlehearted girlfriend, so he's doing the thing.

But you know what?

Barb does it for him too ~ when the food item is something she doesn't find completely revolting, but he does. She can mostly contribute by swapping beverages with him if he thinks his drink is nasty. Barb likes all kinds of soft drinks.

Jeff held his leather jacket over Barb's head on the way to his car, and they got churros at the mini-mart.

Jeff shot a spitball into Carol's hair while on the way to Physical Ed.

Barb found a tiny note in her locker that said she looked cute in her shirt and matching nail polish. In very familiar handwriting, although sweetly anonymous.

There was a flower left on the desk she usually sits at in 2nd period. Of course, people teased her, but...it still made her smile.

"Am I having a bad day?" Barb thought to herself.

The gentle beat of Jeff's heart was trying to convince her otherwise. It was hard to complain as they sat cuddled in the back of his car, listening to the rain, and the radio. Quietly sharing a book as they studied, he absently traced the lines in her palm with his finger.

"Jeff?" she questions.

"Yeah?"

"I changed my mind. Maybe today wasn't too terrible."

Jeff never hears the end of it because his impatient self is taking all the time in the world to help her build it. When normally he wouldn't give a shit.

Eddie's worried their characters are going to hook up in the game and be extremely mushy about it.

But Barb's character ends up being a complete tank who's hyper-focused on her character arch and is oblivious to the affections of Jeff's character.

While Jeff's character is in relentless pursuit of her character.

To have more fun with this, Eddie has set up an NPC to crush on Barb's character. Some "cretin" (as Jeff calls them) from her character's past.

Barb, on the other hand, is on a kick about how guys are terrible. They're all bad and a waste of time. Or at least for a handful of minutes. Because now she's asking Nancy, "Should I call him? He's probably sorry, we're probably being silly. I should totally call him."

Nancy gladly passes her the phone, "No! you're supposed to stop me!"

But Nancy is done, it's been three days of anger venting turning into mushy "I wonder what he's doing now" turning into "God, I miss his smile," turning back to anger.

Jeff's Dad has called Eddie and the guys to come talk him into at least taking a shower. Eventually, Eddie bribes him with money and "I'll go with you to where Barb hangs out with Wheeler, but you aren't meeting her smelling like onions, coconut lip gloss, and stale Pringles.

"But the lip gloss smells like-"

"Barb" Eddie and the guys sigh in unison.

It works.

The moment Jeff and Barb spot each other, it's a magnetic pull. Before they know it, they're standing across from each other. Jeff's hands are shoved into his pockets as he rocks back and forth on his heels.

Barb is crushing her purse to her chest, biting her lip as she watches him.

The silence is loud.

Barb glances back at Nancy, who is trying to signal for her to talk.

Jeff has done the same to Eddie and the guys, with Gareth motioning his hands as if saying shoo as he mouths "Go on."

The regretful pair turn to each other with saddened expressions as they each speak at once, "I'm sorry"

A smile brightens across both their faces?

"Really?" barb asks.

"Yeah, I don't even remember why I was mad in the first place," Jeff speaks quickly.

"Me neither," says Barb, who glances at him hopefully, "So, Ice cream?"

Jeff holds out his arm, waiting for her to hook her arm around it, "On me, and a movie."

Barb takes hold of Jeff's arm, grinning from ear to ear, before looking back at Nancy excitedly.

Nancy released a relieved sigh, she'll get her life back for the evening.

"Never again?" Barb asked Jeff as they walked away.