"Would you two knock it off!?" Linda snapped at Mello and Near.
Mello had just finished harassing Near and flopped down on the couch beside Matt. Near gazed blankly at Mello from his nearby corner. Linda, who had walked in on the scene, looked ready to kill... or at least maim.
Matt glanced up at Linda's voice then went back to his game.
"I'm sick of your constant bickering. Mello, you act like a catty bitch, constantly bullying Near. And Near, you NEVER stand up for yourself. You even egg him on!" Linda continued. "If the two of you think you are SO smart, why haven't you figured it out yet?"
"Figured what out, Linda?" Near asked, completely unphased by her outburst.
Mello irately stared at Linda, his chocolate bar half way in his mouth.
"You're the top three here, right?" she asked.
Near and Mello nodded. Matt wasn't entirely tuned in to the conversation.
"Near and Mello, you study hard to earn your places. But what do you think would happen if Matt, number three, were to ever take his nose out of his games and crack a book? You're only first and second because Matt can't be bothered!" Linda said, looking from Mello's dumbfounded expression to Near's flatter-than-normal stare. Both boys eyed Matt who finally noticed he was the center of attention.
"What?!" Matt asked
"Oh, nothing, Matt. These two 'geniuses' just got their egos knocked down a peg or two," Linda smirked as she walked away, leaving Matt to figure out what just happened..
