A/N: Chapter two is here. Hope you like it. And see if you can find some reference to another show I'm a fan of heheh.
Disclaimer: I don't own PoM, or that one character reference to another show.
Oh and sorry for the surnames. I couldn't help it.
Chapter 2: Birthday Present
Mason could still hear the bombarding laughter in the hallway. He hated it, he hated every single laughter that ignored his scream for help. It was no surprise that he and his brother could hold grudges, but what surprised everyone in the family was the fact that Mason could hold bitter grudges longer than his brother. Phil has always been cheery and friendly, although with a bit of hygiene issue on the side. But Mason, he was the quiet one. True, Phil had hold more bitter grudges than him, but every single grudges Mason had could last more than a month. And now he had a full jock group of eight graders to hate on for the whole year. So far this middle school thing had a bad sign with bright neon all over it.
"Let me out!"
As if being stuffed in some random person's locker wasn't enough, the first period bell rang furiously, clearing the hallway from anyone that could help.
"I say, this might as well be the appropriate reason for Mum to sign me up for homeschooling." Well, that's the good thing. Elementary school, he could handle it. Sixth grade back in Ottawa wasn't so bad. But moving out of Canada and enrolling in a public school? No go.
His redden fists were raised up again for one last try. The air was getting thick and it was getting too hot for his liking.
"HELP!" He kept banging and banging the metal door as loud as he could.
He took a glance at his watch. It has been half an hour. He just hoped Phil was already in class.
"Somebody help!"
With the little energy he had left, he let his fist slam into the door once again before his body finally came to rest against it. Maybe he could stay here until the last period. He had enough gummy bears and a bottle of water to last a whole day. He also had his favorite poem collection book to entertain him for the next few hours. He could ma-
There was a sound of the locker's combination turning. Unfortunately the desperation had made the sound alien to the boy that he didn't react on time. The door burst open just before Mason realized that he was in a dangerous position, and he landed almost head first on the hallway floor with a comical grunt.
"Ugh … Thank God I'm out," he muttered while rubbing his sore neck.
"And me."
The female voice startled him into sitting up. He couldn't see anything at first, for the sudden presence of light surprised his dark blue eyes. He stumbled upon trying to stand up, but then a pair of hands prevented him from falling again, and that was when he could see his rescuer clearly. Her two short braids were a shade of brown, she was dressed in a pale yellow shirt, knee-length white skirt with green fabric belt and purple leggings.
What Phil would say if he knew that a girl saved his brother….
"Oh, yes, well… My apologies, Miss."
"It's Leeves," she held out her hand to him. "Lulu Leeves. Try not to make a pun out of it or I'll kick you in the butt."
The boy gulped. "Duly noted. I'm Mason Pane." They shook hands. Mason tried not to think about how awkward it is that the locker he was stuffed in was actually hers or how his first friend here turned out to be a girl.
Wait, what was he thinking? They weren't friends.
"So what were you doing in my locker?"
Bam. No use to ignore the fact now, Mason.
She gave him a weird look, then he realized that she wanted to put her backpack in her locker. Mason slid to the left, and let her access to her locker.
"Some eight graders stuffed me in there."
"Was it the A-List gang?" she said, pulling out a couple textbooks out and then slamming the door shut.
"I don't know. I just got here, and I've been stuck in there for half an hour."
She winced lightly before motioning for him to follow her. "Wow. It's so cramped in there." Mason did as told. "How painful was it?"
The boy scowled. "Don't do that."
"Sorry, it was lame, I know." She shot him a small grin and a friendly offer, "Let's not make puns to each other's name, how's that?"
Mason thought about it for a moment – not that he needed to, it was just his reflex to think over stuffs before acting – then he said, "I'd like that."
"You'd like what, young man?"
The two kids cringed upon hearing the third voice and stopped dead in their tracks.
Lulu was the first to turn around. She was looking rather calm, though it was clear that she was anything but. "Mr. Lancer! Good morning! How's life treating you?"
"Good, Miss Leeves. But shouldn't you answer the question instead?" The bald man's formal face was gone faster than the wind, and he was definitely not calm either. "You're late to my class. Where were you, young lady?"
Lulu blurted out, "Arggh I had to clean up the mess in karate room. I'm being a responsible leader!"
"A responsible leader would've cleaned it yesterday, when you had run straight home from school instead."
"But a new episode of Immortals was airing! I can't miss it. I'm a diehard fan!" Mr. Lancer weren't amused by her fangirl outburst, and yet the girl smiled sheepishly anyway. "Well, it's better than nothing, right, Mr. Lancer?"
Mr. Lancer crossed his arms and with a stern look, he said, "De-ten-tion. Both of you." Mason looked pretty stressed already, but Lulu still hasn't shown any distress. "And your mother is looking for you, Miss Leeves."
Lulu groaned and buried her face in her palms, and she whispered, "It sucks having your mom as the principal. Don't let anyone make you think otherwise," to Mason before she halfheartedly walked towards the principal's office. Lancer though, had heard her, and he said, "It sure is, Miss Leeves. It sure is."
After Lulu was gone out of sight and Mason being the only focus of Mr. Lancer, Mason gulped nervously. Mr. Lancer was about to say something when suddenly a lady janitor appeared behind Mason, dragging a similar looking boy behind her who were struggling with red cheeks.
"Oh, and what did this one do, Alice?"
Alice, the red headed woman in janitor outfit grunted, "I found him snooping around in the girls' bathroom, Mr. Lancer."
Phil's face got even redder. "What? No! I wasn't snooping around! I read the sign wrong, Miss, honest!"
But neither Alice nor Lancer would hear it. Alice dropped the boy next to his brother harshly. Phil gave Mason a look that said, "You too, huh?" and Mason nodded in annoyance.
"So, detention, Mr. Lancer?" said Alice with a smug grin.
"Detention."
"Detention," the two boys repeated in a sigh of depression, before being herded to class by Mr. Lancer.
Seventh grade should be fun.
A/N: Thanks for reading!
