Chapter 4: Thursday

Light caught up with L in the main foyer before school started. "Hey. I missed you yesterday, how's Watari?"

L turned to him, sucking on an oversized lollipop. "I thank you for your concern, Light-kun. Watari has come out of his coma and is gradually recovering. He is due to be released from the hospital tomorrow. The doctors agree with him that it would be easier for him to recover at home." L licked his lollipop.

"That's great, L. I'm glad he's ok." Light comfortingly patted L's back, but stopped mid-pat at the sight of the school principle.

The principle of Vems was a skittish, somewhat bug-like, and afraid of his own students. Yet somehow he knew ever child's name. Light always wondered how the principle got his position in the first place.

So anyway, principle Sidoh always appeared in the foyer before school started. He attempted to interact with his students in order to build self-confidence. Yet which ever student he dared to converse with first always sent him scurrying to his office. Poor principle Sidoh was the ridicule of all the doors of the stalls in the girl's bathroom. Light knew this because his little sister Sayu, who was in the sixth grade, always making the talk of the dinner table gossip.

Sayu was the gossip queen of the sixth grade. She stalked the girl's bathroom stalls like a panther scouting for prey. She was always the first to know who was dating who, and who was sexting who the other night. Not only that, but she had already convinced 90% of the sixth grade to pay her for gossip. Believe it or not, but she made quite a bit of money doing this.

Today principle Sidoh made the mistake of attempting to talk with Sayu. Before he could even open his sucker-like mouth, Sayu said, "You're tie doesn't match your outfit."

Clacking his long claws together, Sidoh chocked on his words. His nervousness continued to increase as Sayu kept glaring at him.

In his calamity Sidoh cried out and fell to the floor, his weight collapsing out from underneath him. He was crying heartbreakingly now. "I'm so sorry Miss Yagami! I try my best, I really do! Please forgive my insolence!"

Sayu merely turned her head, giving a "Hmph!" She was about to join a group of giggling girls when Light intervened.

"Sayu, it is out of the question to treat your principle like that, what were you thinking?"

"But big brother," Sayu whined, "His tie really didn't go with the rest of his, -er, clothes!"

"Sayu," Light said sternly, "This is middle school, not fashion school. Now get to homeroom."

As the siblings had talked the cramped lake of students had turned into a flowing river, pouring out into different hallways. Sayu dashed away from Light to catch up with her friends.

At this Light sighed. Sometimes it seemed so hard to control his sister like he used to. Oh well, Light thought, he guessed it was just part of growing up for the both of them.

Light turned back to L, whose lollipop was now significantly smaller, and the two walked to homeroom in silence.

The rest of the school day was boring. Light spent the more dull of his classes, (like science) fantasizing about Mello's rehearsal. Surprisingly enough, Light anticipated it greatly. He had even downloaded the soundtrack on his iPod. Truth be told, Light only did this so he could memorize the score, and then bash Mello if he even made the slightest mistake.

At lunch, Light publicly mentioned he was going to see the rehearsal. "Oh, Mello, by the way, I'm going to see your play after school today."

Mello glared, and then smiled cruelly. "Ok, Yagami. Just don't get too comfy sitting next to L the whole time." Mello flipped his blond hair, blatantly smirking.

Light turned to face L, who was sitting next to him at the table. "Oh, L, I didn't know you went to Mello's rehearsals."

L nodded, bighting his thumbnail. "Yes, I've been going since the beginning. They're quite… Entertaining. But Light-kun, don't you have student council today?"

Light faltered. He had completely forgotten about it. "Oh, erm, yeah… But it's not a very important meeting, I'm sure no one would mind if I skipped it."

L nodded slowly, turning back to his strawberry cheesecake.

Light left lunch early to go tell the other eighth grade rep. that he had urgent family matters to deal with, and could not come to the meeting.

The school day finished, Light was at his locker packing his backpack and listening to No Place Like London. He sang it to himself, much to Ryuk's disturbance.

"There's a hole in the world like a great black pit and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit and it goes by the name of London. On top of the hole sit a privileged few making mock of the vermin and the lower zoo turning beauty into filth and greed I too have sailed the world and seen its wonders, for the cruelty of men is as wondrous as Peru. But there's no place like London!"

"Hyuk, hyuk. Sometimes I worry about you, Light."

Light furrowed his eyebrows at Ryuk, even cocking his head slightly.

Ryuk just laughed, popping the core of an apple in his mouth.

Light closed his locker, waving goodbye to Ryuk. As he walked to the auditorium, he met up with L.

"So is this play any good?" Light asked, falling into step with L.

"Yes, the play is very well done. Like I said at lunch, Light-kun, it is also very entertaining."

Light nodded, pushing open the heavy double doors of the auditorium. Light looked around, taking the scene in. He only went in there for chorus performances, and then it was jam-packed. Now it was nearly empty. Light spotted Matt sitting the middle of the rows of comfy arm chairs, and a couple other kids Light didn't know.

L made directly for Matt, and Light followed close behind. Sitting down, Light was about to greet Matt when he noticed there was something different about the stripe clad boy. For a minute he couldn't place it, but then he noticed Matt's eyes.

Light leaned forward to see past L and better at Matt.

"M-Matt, where are your goggles?!" Light stuttered in surprise. This earned a laugh from L, and Matt took his eyes from the stage to face Light. Light stared more, noticing for the first time in his life that Matt had shining green eyes that shown through the darkness.

"Oh, well I can't see well in this lighting when they're on, and Mel says it's distracting."

Light huffed, crossing his legs and focusing his gaze on the stage. Of course the first reason was completely obvious, and the second had to do with Mello. Light should have guessed.

Mello's performance of Epiphany was surprisingly convincing. He was acting joyfully mad and singing with great splendor. In A Little Priest, he showed the right type of chemistry with Misora, and she as well played her part perfectly. All in all, Light approved of it.

After the rehearsal, Light went up to Mello to compliment his performance.

"Well Mello, I must say, that was actually sort of brilliant."

Beckoning for Matt to come stand by him, Mello said dashingly, "I thank you for your honesty, Yagami. To be quite frank, I did not expect you to come and say it up front like that. Normally you're sly and self-centered when it comes to this type of situation." Contradictory to his words, Mello recited it as if he had practiced many times in front of a mirror.