#// just a long ramble of a what if my firend brought up hwkqbs got me thinking OK

[tvbles]

What if: Dennis got Christine instead? A half assed ramble.

For starters: Based off both Novel/Film. It’s still doomed. I don’t know how to lay it easy, it’s still gonna end in tragedy. There isn’t going to be a true happy ending for them if you swapped roles.

> NOTE: This would make him a unreliable narrator because part one is his pov, so the audience would be reading from the mind of someone who is slowing obsessing over Christine. Thinking buying Christine is a good idea, a great one even! Arnie’s thoughts come through part 2 of the novel and him recalling stuff with Dennis. Leigh’s too.

Anyhow, Dennis and Arnie would have different upbringings, with Dennis already being a popular jock and fitting some criteria. However would start being distant and distracted a lot (he isn’t a gearhead like Arnie as well, so Christine’s repairs would be delayed longer too unless Christmas did the work herself into repairing to help him).

I see Dennis turning into a stuck up, over confident ass. He would still have some relationship with Leigh as well, managing to actually pull her in the beginning or envious attraction (Maybe Arnie actually still has that relationship with Leigh and it gets Dennis jealous that his friend actually scored with the prettiest girl in school “but she would never be isn’t Christine”).

I don’t know how football would play out for him, it seems like he was the better team player than the rest. So - perhaps he becomes over confident and more aggressive during the game - leading him to a suspension from football or he starts ditching it to be with Christine. Over all still going with the “I’ll never play football again” storyline.

His relationship with Arnie is also different. I imagine that it’s the same dynamics like before, but with slight changes of character. Arnie knows that Dennis couldn’t repair a car like he can, for the one taking autoshop III and a gearhead by heart. Though Arnie already had his suspensions, especially being interested in a new car that is totaled when Dennis was literally driving a nice, blue charger (1968 Dodge). He never seen Dennis so interested, so compelled to have something like that before. It concerned Arnie, “I can fix her up” was unheard of coming from Dennis’s mouth. He tried to convince him not to buy the car, it wasn’t worth it, but Dennis wouldn’t budge. Strange - it’s so strange. Dennis calling the car “her” “she” “Christine”, he was never the type. To call for a car, another.. Arnie doesn’t have a good feeling about it at all - hell, it scared him shitless when Dennis offered to drive her going to his place.

“No, I’ll drive her Arnie. Just drive my charger for me.”

“Dennis, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’ll drive he- it instead.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, it’s fine Dennis. I won’t do anything, it’s just taking her up to your place. No harm.”

“Thanks Arnie, you’re the best.”

When Arnie drove Christine to Dennis’s house, it wasn’t the most pleasant ride a 1958 hunk of junk could be. He was nervous driving it, and had - or tried to block out the whispers that swirled through the whole ride. “Come on big boy, let’s cruise.” “Let’s see where the night takes us.” “Atta boy.” It was overwhelming. He felt so much relief when he got out of that car. His suspicions rose about Christine and tried to take about such with Dennis - but he wasn’t having it. Telling Arnie that he was just making excuses why he shouldn’t have bought it and stuff.

“Ridiculous excuses Arnie, I thought you were better than that! Don’t kid.”

Arnie wasn’t kidding, but Dennis didn’t even listen. The next few months would be rough, for the both of them. Then next year rolls around and so does Dennis. There goes Dennis.

Star football player turned arrogant, over confident, possessive - that wasn’t Dennis that Arnie knew. If he would’ve known that Dennis would end up like this? He would’ve suggested going to long way than the cut pass back home. If he knew that he wouldn’t seen Dennis again, Arnie would’ve never stepped into work that day.

If only he knew, if only.

Dennis never aged a day over 17 when Graduation hit. When Summer hit. The dogs days are over. Done and gone. “If only you know what summer meant to me. I would’ve never wanted it to end with you.”