It wasn't uncommon for Belson to literally bump into people at school. His video game obsession was nonstop, leaving it to be no mystery why the boy was more satisfied with mashing the buttons of his trusty 3DS system than actually participating in school. On this particular day, Belson was in mid-boss battle as he sauntered through the maze of Abberdale lockers on his way to lunch. Just as he virtually commanded his avatar to deliver fatality to his enemy, Belson was jerked back to reality as he collided into a soft mass of fabric and flesh and staggered backward.
"Ugh! What's your prob-huh?"
Looking up from his game, Belson came face-to-face with the person obstructing him. At first he noticed the facial features: pinkened flesh, wide eyes, rounded snout, and pair of buck teeth with a significant gap in-between. Belson's mind was ready to declare the person to be Clarence until he noticed the person had long dirty blonde hair and wore a teal Antebellum-style, knee-length dress plus a extravagant matching sunhat.
"Oh, my! I beg your partner, handsome." The fem-Clarence apologized in a sweet yet almost overly rehearsed Southern accent.
"Pfft! And I thought you couldn't get any weirder." Belso rolled his eyes and quickly saved his spot in the game. "What's with the get-up, Clarence?"
The Southern belle blinked in confusion, cocking their head to the side as a puppy would. "Excuse me?"
"Look, Clarence. I'm not in the mood to deal with...whatever you're doing right now."
A moment of silence passed between them before the female stranger broke into fits of giggles. She fanned herself with a gloved hand as her laughter subsided. "Oh my, aren't you just the funniest fella I've met in a moment! I'm afraid I'm not your friend Clarence but simply Shannon."
Belson raised an eyebrow and cast a doubting look. "Shannon, huh? You don't look like a Shannon to me."
"Oh? What name, pray tell, better represents me in your eyes?"
"Clarence, duh."
"Oh ho, the jokes have returned," she said with an amused smile.
"BELSON! BELSON!" A familiar voice rang out from two feet ahead. Soon, Clarence stood centimeters in front of Belson with arms flailing and his enthusiastic smile plastered on his face. Belson took a few steps back in response.
"Oh my gosh, you missed the funniest thing ever! So Sumo and I were looking at the-the goldfish in Ms. Shoop's homeroom and we wanted to feed the fish, but the food was on this shelf real high. So Jeff got a stool and stood on it to get the food, but then I accidentally started wiggling the stool and then J-Jeff fell off and into the box where all the arts and crafts stuff is and now, ehehe, Jeff's having a fit because he got glitter glue on his butt."
"Hah, seriously?" As much as Belson was uninterested in Clarence's long-winded tale, the thought of uptight Jeff Randell having to spend the rest of class with glittering glutes humored Belson immensely. The small bouts of laughter from Shannon proved he wasn't the only one pleased by that predicament. Suddenly, Belson's eyes widened with realization. Frantically staring back and forth between Clarence and Shannon, Belson exclaimed, "Wait..THERE ARE TWO OF YOU?!"
Clarence and Shannon glanced at another and giggled in unison.
"It appears we're being confused as twins again, Clarence."
"Hehe, yup! Belson, you silly goose, Shannon and I are friends, not relatives."
Shannon nodded in agreement. "Though it seems we've been blessed with having similar beauty genetics, I'm afraid my family and Clarence's aren't connected in any which way."
"But don't be embarrassed about it, my ole pal Belson. Since Shannon just transferred here, a lot of people have been asking if we were related."
Belson couldn't believe it. How could two non-relatives look so alike? Even worse, why was he cursed to have another classmate in Aberdale resemble the most annoying kid he's ever known?
"Whoopsie, look at the time!" Clarence exclaimed while looking at a watch he drew on his arm during 2nd period. "Jeff's having me bring his lunch to the nurse's office so he doesn't have to show his new look to the other kids. Better skedaddle." Clarence waved cheerily to Belson and Shannon as he darted down the hallway.
"Aw, crud! I'm missing lunch, too!" Belson began to hustle toward his locker but was stopped short by Shannon, who gripped the back of his collar and yanked him still. "Gah! I could have just choked to death, you know!"
Shannon completely ignored Belson's irritation and asked, "Say, Belson, I'm rather new to this school. How about you be a gentleman and help lil ole me by showing me the ropes of Aberdale, hmm?" She grinned adorably and batted her eyelashes.
"Uck, can't you ask anyone else to do it? Like anyone but me?"
"Well, my dear Belson, I have tried asking others. Unfortunately, I'm a touch bit shy and get tongue-tied at the last minute. The thing is you proved yourself to be a funny and fine fella so I don't get the least bit jittery 'round you." She donned a pair of puppy-dog eyes before adding, "Pretty please with a Georgia peach on top?"
Belson gave a sigh of defeat as he felt his tummy gurgle hungrily for its daily dose of lunchtime. "Fine, whatever. I can point out some stuff to you for a few minutes during recess. Just let me enjoy lunch, okay?"
Shannon clapped her gloved hands together joyously. "Oh, bless you for this! You're like a knight in shining armor!"
"Yeah, whatever." Belson then continued toward his locker to retrieve his meal. As he resumed his game, he failed to notice the dreamy smile that plastered itself upon Shannon's blushing face.