Like the Chunk from Goonies?

The word on the street is that you might go solo.
--TP

Lizzy burst into another fit of giggles; he has a thing about that? It was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard.

“A little touchy, huh?” she asked. Chunk sighed deeply and said nothing, while Molloy was looking up at her with a restrained smile, as if he too was about to burst out laughing at any moment.

This Chunk character in fact looked nothing at all like the Goonies Chunk, which was what she found so funny about it. He was thin, almost sickly thin, with worn, tired eyes and a few days of stubble growing over his pale face like sandpaper. A wave of red hair sat upon his square head.

“It’s cool,” Chunk said. He was hanging his head and staring down at the floor. Every once in a while his eyes pulsated as if he was trying to get them to focus.

“Look, Dark, chill out,” Molloy said. Molloy seemed on edge as well. He was bopping nervously in time to the music that was playing in the restaurant and fidgeting with his fingers.

“Why don’t you sit down Lizzy,” Molloy said at last.

“Oh, I’m with my friends. They’re ordering right now.” She pointed in the direction of the counter. Both Chunk and Molloy looked over.

“Tell them to come over here too,” Chunk said with a nod. He was staring over at Cindy like a salivating wolf. But only Molloy noticed this. Molloy knew Dark well enough. He could tell Dark was sizing up Cindy’s long, rail-thin body and undressing her in his head. He knew that Dark could almost smell the sweet shampoo in Cindy’s long, soft, curly brown hair. No matter that some big dorky doofus had his arm around her waist.

“Alright,” Lizzy said, pulling two more chairs over to the table. After a minute, Cindy and Chad walked up to Lizzy and smiled at Molloy and Dark.

“Chad, Cindy, this is Molloy and Chunk Dark,” Lizzy said. The four of them waved at each other and smiled some more.

“Chunk?” Cindy asked. “Like the Goonies Chunk?”

“Oh Jesus,” Molloy said.

“Right,” Dark said with another sigh. His spirit seemed broken.

“Sit down guys,” Lizzy said, trying to ease the air. They sat down. “Chunk and Molloy were at the ball last night. Chunk was the DJ actually. Hey, you were spinning some pretty clever stuff,” she said to Chunk, trying to cheer him up.

“Thanks,” Chunk answered.

“Well, how was it?” Cindy cut in. “Did you guys have a good time?”

“Yeah, it’s always cool when you can get dressed to the nines and let it all hang out,” Molloy said, taking a sip of his coffee. Cindy nodded and smiled excitedly. She was totally engaged and Molloy could tell she wanted more. He played it for all it was worth.

“We had free drinks all night,” Molloy continued. “Chunk was the musical entertainment and I was the plus-one, the you-and-a-guest. Man, I must have downed about ten mezcals before getting loopy. Danced until 4 when they kicked us out. We haven’t even been to sleep yet. After the ball we went—“

“Wait, what do you mean ‘getting loopy?’” Cindy interrupted. She was wild-eyed with curiosity.

“Well, you know,” Molloy said with a cunning smile. “We had a bit of the rolls. The disco biscuits. The British dancing pills.” Cindy was about falling off her chair in excitement. Molloy could tell Chunk was restless and on edge, looking for an in with Cindy. Molloy loved doing this to Chunk. It was his favorite game. Chunk looked totally tortured and Molloy was on a roll. Chad had no idea what was going on and just smiled and nodded.

“I had a whole set planned out for the night,” Dark suddenly burst into the conversation like a cannon. “Early on I won the crowd over with the booty shaking hip-hop,” he said confidently. “After that I had ‘em. I could do anything I wanted. So when the ecstasy kicked in I stared spinning the psychedelia. You should have seen those lame-ass yuppie fucks dancing like fiends to that whacked-out trance.”

Cindy was completely into him. She tossed her hair flirtatiously and made intense eye contact. “Wow, can you get more ecstasy?” she said, leaning in toward him. Molloy knew it was over for himself, but he was happy watching Dark work.

“Of course,” Dark said. “Any time you want. Anything you want. We’ve got it all.”

Damn, nice, Molloy thought.

Lizzy was unimpressed. She saw right through the act and thought it was foolish. Boys are so foolish and transparent, she thought. But she knew Cindy loved the attention.

Lizzy’s number for her food was called and she ambled over to the counter. Chad rose too to help her. They walked up together and began grabbing plates and drinks. Lizzy glanced back at the table and saw Cindy and Chunk talking intensely. She saw that look in Cindy’s eyes and knew what it meant.

When Chad and Lizzy were back at the table, Cindy was teasing Chunk about his name. This was a sure-fire sign. Anytime Cindy started teasing, Lizzy knew it was serious.

“I have to go to the bathroom,” Lizzy said finally. She raised her eyebrows at Cindy, which was their little sign meaning, “come with me NOW.”

They walked together to the bathroom. Lizzy stopped in the hallway when they were out of sight of their friends back at the table.

“Cindy, what are you doing?” Lizzy asked. Cindy gave her a guilty smile and an indifferent shrug.

“Oh, Chad has no idea,” Cindy said, which was true.

“Yeah, well, this is crazy,” Lizzy responded. “As if your little thing with Michael isn’t enough. Now you’re gonna go and get on this raver e-tard? Come on Cindy. You know better than this.” For the first time, Cindy seemed upset and frazzled.

“Look, listen,” she started. “I think I’m gonna break it off with Chad. Fly solo for a little while. If he found out about this thing with Michael, Chad would be really hurt. And not to mention if Michael’s girlfriend found out. Everyone would be hurt and it’s just a bad situation.”

“Ok, well, you can do whatever you want with that, but just chill out with this Chunk guy today, alright?” Cindy gave Lizzy an understanding smile and nodded OK.

When they got back from the bathroom, Cindy walked right up to Chad, got right between him and the table, and out of nowhere straddled his lap, sat down and gave him a long, long French kiss. She ran her finger over his nose, gave him a final peck on the cheek and moved back into her own chair.

Lizzy was shocked but she held it in, showing no emotion.