Lunch started out good. Lovi and Toni were the first ones at the table when I got there.
"Hi, Lovi," I said happily. I hugged him and he pulled away . . . not that I expected anything different.
"Hey," he said, patting my shoulder awkwardly. "How was—"
"How was your summer, Feli?" Toni asked cheerfully. Lovi glared at him.
"It was good," I said. "You guys?"
"Eh," Lovi muttered. "We took up a couple extra jobs, so it was pretty exhausting."
"Oh, that's too bad . . ."
"But we're thinking about heading to IKEA soon to get a table," Toni said. "Then we'll have a place to eat and do homework at!"
"Yeah, but . . . why would you want to do homework?" Al asked, sitting next to us. "Hi, Lovino. Toni, why didn't you wait for me?"
"What?" Toni said. "You were the one who went ahead!"
"Did I? Oh well." he sighed. "Man, I thought trig would be easy . . ."
"Why the hell would you think that?" Lovi asked disbelievingly.
"Like . . . triangles, dude. Triangles, I can deal with. That shit, I cannot."
"You can't deal with anything," Artie muttered as he sat at the table.
"I can deal with being the greatest human ever, which is good, because that's what I am every day," Al said, sticking out his tongue. "Has anyone seen Mei?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Oh, right!" Al exclaimed suddenly as Herc and Kiku came to the table and sat with us. "Ms. B called Mei's name during second, but she wasn't there!"
"So she's absent," I said.
"Hi," Kiku said.
"Yeah, but why's she absent? What happened?"
"Hi, Kiku," Toni said cheerfully. "Hi, Herc."
Herc raised a hand in response, looking a bit sleepy.
"Look, she'll probably show up eventually, so quit moping," Lovi muttered.
"You can't just tell me to stop moping!"
"I can."
"Yo, what's the word?" Gil said, sliding into a seat with Ludwig. "Sup, losers?"
"You're the only loser here," Artie muttered.
"Hi again, handsome," Francis said, sitting next to Artie and kissing him. Artie grinned at him.
"Look who's talking, you two are huge losers," Gil said.
"Hi, Ludwig!" I said happily. We hugged each other tightly.
"Good to see you're well," Ludwig said, smiling. "How was your summer?"
"Oh, almost forgot!" I said. "I finally got my license!"
"'bout time," Gil said.
Lovi frowned. "Feliciano . . . be careful on the road, okay?"
"Yeah," I said. "I know."
"I'm here," Matt said quietly, sitting next to Gil, who immediately whipped to the side and kissed him full on the lips.
"Oh my god, will you two get a room?" Al groaned. "Preferably one that's not in my house."
"We . . . we live together," Matt pointed out. His face was a bit flushed now that Gil had drawn back.
"Yeah, doesn't mean I want you guys goin' at it while I'm in the next room."
"Hey, speaking of which—" Gil said, but Al raised a hand.
"No, stop right there, I do not need to hear this, it is way too early for this."
"It's . . . 11 AM," Kiku pointed out. I noticed that Herc had fallen asleep.
"It's always too early for this."
"Well," Gil said, folding his arms. "Guess you don't wanna hear about Mei, then."
"Wait, WHAT?!" Al yelled. "Did you kidnap my sweetheart?!"
"Mein Gott, do not yell!" Gil exclaimed. "I swear someone across the damn country heard that!"
"What about Mei?" Lovi asked. "Toni wouldn't tell me anything."
"Wait, what do you know about this?" Al demanded.
"I knew, too," Artie pointed out.
"Did everyone know but me?!"
"No, us four are the only ones, I think," Gil said.
"Mei's moved in with us," Ludwig said abruptly.
"WHAT?!" Al yelled.
"I told you not to yell, Alfie, gottverdammt—"
Everyone had questions: Why? What's going on? What about her dad?
"The thing with her dad is her business," Artie said. "Long story short, she can't live with him right now, and . . ." he gestured to the German brothers.
"We took her in," Gil said cheerfully. "She's gonna live with us for a while in the guest bedroom downstairs."
"Oh, thank the heavens she's okay," Al moaned dramatically. "My dear, sweet Mei, as lovely as a spring day—"
"Cut the poetry, you're terrible," Francis interrupted.
"Okay, but, like . . ." Al said. "Why did you and Toni know?"
"Again, that's private," Artie said. "You can ask her about it, but if she doesn't want to talk about it, so help me god Alfred you will leave her alone."
"Please," Toni added.
"Okay, fine," Al muttered. "When's she coming back?"
"Tomorrow," Ludwig said.
Al pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"Shut up," Gil muttered. "Please."
Kiku quietly brushed some hair out of Herc's sleeping face.
When Gil first found out that the family was taking in Mei for a while, the first thing he said was, "Awesome! I always thought a little sister would be cooler than a little brother." Ludwig proceeded to punch him.
Translations:
Mein Gott = My God
Gottverdammt = Goddammit