The visit to the principal's office only took shorter than Lewis had expected. After his visit, he immediately went back to the cafeteria. He didn't see Matt, Sticky or Ronald anywhere. In fact, the cafeteria was almost empty, except for Hotdog Boy and the Mushroom by the corner. In the table where the four usually sat, the liger only saw Ronald staring at him (neither mad or happy). He approached the white clay teapot.
"Hey Ronald!"
The teapot turned to him. "Ahem. Clayton please."
"Yeah. Where's everyone? Are they baking already?"
"Yup. Hey wanna go play a game of hide and seek?"
'That came out of the blue' Lewis thought. "Sure, but-"
"Okay. Since you're new here, you be the seeker."
"Where-"
"Lets go outside."
"Did-"
"Its fine, lets just play."
"They-"
He was cut off by a glare from Ronald. Lewis shrugged. "Go?"
Then Ronald led the liger outside, hopping as he did so. The teapot had no limbs, so he had to hop from places all the time. He had a rubber pad underneath to protect him from shattering, or from being scratched by the asphalt. This, Lewis only saw when he was close enough to the teapot.
They went out to the schoolyard where everyone else was. Everyone was doing their usual thing, whether it was playing sports, gossiping, or eating their lunches/desserts outside. Ronald, and Lewis stopped by a tree. Its shade gave them shelter from the cool rays of the setting sun.
"So count up to one-hundred seconds, and then find me!"
"Ron-I meant Clay-"
"No peeking!"
The liger did as told. "1. 2. 3. 4. 5…"
Once he reached 100 seconds, the bell had rung. Before he could look around, the students once again went for the doors and dragged him along with them back to their classes.
Again, the bell had rung. This time, it marked the end of the school day. The first day for the liger in Elmore Junior High was over.
During class time, the four had not appeared. Strangely, their teacher or his other classmates didn't bother. But in the occasions when he did see on of them, they seemed to ignore him. Because of this, he now wondered about what has going to come his way next. Eventually, he started having other thoughts, and began to be left out.
It was strange, he thought. The liger felt as if he had only been used, and these so called "friends" had abandoned him now. Still, he believed in the possibility that they were up to something and they were still friends (maybe they were busy or something). He bade farewell to his locker, and whistled as he made his way through the hallway, and out of Elmore Junior High. The corridors were empty, and he was the last to exit the school since no one was left by the time he came out.
As he went out of the doors, he was surprised by the unexpected presence of many students before him. Almost everyone was there, and had gathered in front of him. Matt, Sticky, Ronald and Walter held a chocolate cake that had the liger's face on it created from cream. Everyone greeted him, and his heart leapt (first with bewilderment, then with joy).
Everyone there shouted. "Welcome to Elmore Junior High Lewis!"
He didn't know what to say. Right on the spot, he could have exploded from the joy and unexpectedness of this welcome. "Matt? Sticky? Walter? Ronald? Everyone!?"
Aside from the four, Tobias, Principal Brown, Mr. Small, Banana Joe, the Wattersons, Carmen, Penny, Teri, Juke, Idaho and other students (some from other classes, including from Lewis') were there. Walter stepped forward with the cake. "Yup. Believe it or not but the surprise was actually for…YOU!"
"So this...was for me all along!?"
"Yup." Matt said with delight.
"Doy duh." The teapot said in the friendliest manner he could, smiling. The five shook hands, and high-fived.
"We were actually supposed to surprise you when you came to school." Sticky said sheepishly, "But then you were late, and we kind of ate the last one…"
The liger also gave a shy smile. "Yeah, sorry about that. But why was I the 'errand boy' for my own surprise?"
The doormat chuckled. "We were just messing with you! Actually Gumball and Darwin were supposed to bring the ingredients, and help us out."
Amongst the crowd, the Wattersons just shrugged.
"Yeah. Then once we were making and baking it up, I had to keep you at bay from discovering the surprise." Explained the teapot.
"Oh…was it that random hide and seek game?"
"Yep."
The liger smiled at everyone. "Well, thanks everyone! But really since you all made it, you can all have some too!"
At this everyone cheered with delight.
"I love chocolate!" Banana Joe exclaimed, shaking himself excitedly.
"You sure? It won't be enough for everyone." Matt said.
"So? They deserve it!"
Principal Brown laughed merrily then grabbed the cake. He produced a cake slicer and raised it up in the air. "Who wants to eat some cake!?"
Everyone shouted. "Us!" Then suddenly, the joyful atmosphere suddenly disintegrated, and many smiles turned to gasps. Many students gaped at the clueless principal. Some of them lost the pupils in their eyes out fear.
"Whoops. You said 'cake'..." As Lewis said this, he took cover.
"What about it?" Asked the principal in confusion.
Mr. Small lost his sanity again, and the students screamed and ran for cover. "CAKE!"
The school counselor tackled the principal. Like a madman he slurped up and ate the cake to everyone's horror. The principal backed away until he joined up with the five.
Mr. Small devoured the mashed-up cake like a wolf. "OHMNOMHOMNOMEWHOMNOMYUM!1!11"
Chuckling nervously, Brown explained to the students. "Right, I should have told everyone sooner. Unfortunately he's gone a full two months without eating any confections. I guess he couldn't handle it anymore. Supposed to be part of his…rejuvenating diet"
The doormat turned, and looked at Lewis. He smiled apologetically. "Well, there goes your cake"
The liger just shrugged. "Meh. I can just buy us all a cake tomorrow, and this time I won't be late"
Here's the final chapter, now moving on to the next story! Once again, please post your reviews, and advice would be welcome too.