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It was a bit of a trek, having to first return to the locker room and pick up his trousers, then walk all the way to the cafeteria. The morning's events left Ciel with a gnawing hunger he was keen to dispose of.

However he hadn't been expecting a call the moment he stepped into the room:

"Phantomhive! Ah, there he is- I knew we were missing a person."

Ciel blinked as a youthful, bespectacled man beckoned him to a table. As he approached, he noticed his class gathered around the booth messily, and there appeared to be another group as well. The other students of the school went about their lunches without so much as a second glance to the meeting.

"Very good, very good," said the energetic adult, tapping his fingers on the table, "I think we're ready to begin now."

The Phantomhive studied this man who held the attentions of over twenty-five teens. He barely looked over twenty himself, which may be the reason he was given this job. What fascinated the boy was that the bottom layer of their mentor's hair had been dyed an inky black, giving him an intriguing aura.

"The name's Ronald Knox, head of student activities," Ronald introduced himself with a winning grin, "And this is what I like to call a High School Hookup!"

No one said anything, and Ciel wondered if they were all sniggering inwardly. Anyone would at a ridiculous title like that.

"Alright, here's the deal: I reserved these four lunch tables especially for the ninth and twelfth grades." Ronald gestured thoroughly with his hands as he talked, "You see, these classes share a special bond, what with the seniors leaving home and the freshies tryin' to hold their own in a strange new world."

"I thought it'd be best to donate this lunch hour to our new High School Hookup system! Each Senior picks a Freshman to mentor over the course of the year." Mister Knox added as a side point, "Groups are allowed, but please keep it below five people."

With that, the outgoing blonde jumped to his feet and waved enthusiastically.

"Well, don't all just sit there, mingle! Converse! If there are any questions, I'm down at the administrative office."

Ciel waited until he was gone to shrug the idea off. He noted a few of his classmates were already timidly waylaying Seniors, but personally Ciel preferred to waylay a scone. He really was starving.

The only reason he stopped was because he spotted a familiar face. One of the twelfth graders, a short girl with her hair in two buns…he'd seen her before somewhere. He remembered those cat-like eyes.

"This is my friend, Ciel Phantomhive."

Lizzy came out of nowhere, towing along a charming Senior with a wavy half-pony hairstyle.

Ciel turned to meet the two of them, surprised.

"Ciel, this is my Hookup!" Lizzy laughed and tugged on her upperclassman's arm. The Phantomhive would have found the gesture painful, but this young woman blushed and smiled. She looked lonely.

"Good afternoon, Mister Phantomhive," She greeted pleasantly, "I'm Paula."

The ninth grader returned her gesture, genuinely pleased to have met someone with a sane mind and good manners.

"Nice to meet you," Ciel smiled.

Lizzy dragged Paula off to eat lunch, and so Ciel was left to wander about once more. It actually seemed like most of the students were enjoying the exchange. Honestly, once Ciel succeeded in snatching some food, he didn't find it altogether disagreeable either.

Until he felt three shadows behind him and a trio of mutterings fell on his ears:

"Rich kid."

"I heard he's related to the English teacher."

"The Headmistress, too."

When Ciel didn't turn around, the group of similar voices made another three comments:

"Faustus doesn't like him."

"Does Faustus like anyone?"

"He likes Annafellows' ass."

Finally, the little Phantomhive came about to face his upperclassmen. As he suspected, there were three of them. Each sported a mop of dark hair, a pair of brown eyes, and (possibly by coincidence) burgundy-colored sweatshirts. They looked close, related, probably.

"Can I help you?" Ciel asked slowly. He watched the trio with distrust.

"Want to be our Hookup?" Asked the light-toned boy in the middle.

"Sounds dirty." Remarked the left one in a soft voice.

"You look like a girl." Put in the last triplet, a tenor.

"Are you three cousins or something?" Ciel wondered. He couldn't help being curious, as vulgar as they were.

"We're triplets."

"Timber," Left.

"Thompson," Middle.

"And Canterbury." Right.

"Ah, I see," The Phatomhive replied grittily, "are you always this foul mouthed?"

They always seemed to speak in the same order, starting with Thompson and ending with Canterbury.

"Depends what you call foul."

"We just speak our mind."

"Better than hiding the truth like everyone else."

Ciel frowned, "Do you ever speak in full sentences?"

"A lot of questions, this one has."

"He's short, too."

"I still think he looks like a girl."

Ciel understood that this conversation was going nowhere (and these were most certainly not his destined Hookups) and turned to leave, but at that moment another boy made himself present:

"Oh, would you leave him alone!"

The triplets were startled and backed away as the newcomer approached. While only a little taller than Ciel, it was clear this student was powerful. His sea-green eyes were narrow with exasperation as he took a stance beside Ciel.

"Go find someone else to pick on." He ordered in his curiously wobbly voice.

"Ugh, it's the freak."

"Be nice, Timber, I hear he doesn't have any parents."

"Isn't he the kid who destroyed the greenhouse last year?"

The proclaimed 'freak' held his temper and simply repeated his command a second time, "I said off with you!"

The triplets withdrew, muttering amongst themselves.

"Sorry about them," the boy turned to Ciel and sighed, "They're unbelievably rude sometimes."

Ciel wanted to add 'all of the time', but he stayed quiet.

"Anyway, I'm Finnian."

Finnian stuck out a hand, which the ninth grader took in his own.

"Ciel Phantomhive. And, er, thanks for your help."

Finny, as he liked to be called, seemed to be a likeable fellow. He was a touch naïve and suffered from 'super strength' (whatever that was), but he was honest and Ciel didn't despise his company.

They sat together during the lunch period. The Phantomhive boy even considered becoming his Hookup, since the relationship was required and Finny at least showed some interest in him. As they talked, and ate, another twelfth grader sat himself down at the table.

"Hey," Ciel said, reaching out to make the stranger welcome.

The other male, a sullen looking kid with light hair and lime colored eyes, remained silent. Ciel noticed the charm necklace he wore, a thin leather band lined with metal snakes.

"Er, hello?"

Finny put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, "That's Snake. He doesn't talk."

"He doesn't talk?" The ninth grader reiterated, confused, "What do you mean? Why do you call him that?"

Finny shrugged, "No one knows his real name. Rumor is that his charm necklace controls him, and the little snake charms speak in his head."

"I can hear you," Snake said loudly.

Both students stared at him in bewilderment, but the light haired boy quickly added:

"says Emily."

"See?" Finnian whispered, "the snakes. Each one has a name."

Ciel cleared his throat and offered an open palm.

"Well, in any event, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

Snake watched his hand carefully, and after several moments he replied:

"No one has ever attempted to befriend me before. This is a most exciting development, says Wilde."

An interesting expression flickered over Snake's face as he extended a hand of his own. Ciel thought it might have been a smile.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Snake told him, "Says Oscar."

Finny watched on in awe. The Phantomhive returned to his lunch, but was soon forced to stop when he caught a glimpse of the cafeteria clock.

"I need to get going," He told his two new Senior friends, "I have Mister Faustus next, and I wouldn't dare be late twice."

"You were late on the first day?" Finny questioned, worried, "That's awful. Faustus is immensely strict."

"He's a monster, says Goethe."

Ciel grinned, glad to be of shared opinion.

"That's certainly true," he agreed, standing up and disentangling from the table's bench, "but I think all that messiness can be avoided if I arrive ten minutes early."

"Alright then," Finny smiled and waved, "nice meeting you, and thanks for being my Hookup!"

"Good luck, says Keats." Snake related.

When Ciel bounded from the room, he thought maybe ninth grade wouldn't be too miserable with wacky friends like those.

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