Okay, so here we go onto the next chapter, but before we do I just want to add something. I have received some reviews asking me to get Tancred and Elle together. O-o I think I've made it somewhat obvious that those two are bound to get together sometime soon, so please don't review that anymore. I mean, I love reviews and I think it's fantastic that people so badly want those two to be together {warms my soul actually} but I'm not fond of seeing the same thing over and over, if you know what I mean. Ahem. Well, I suppose I should move on now. Here we go!
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Elle blinked. It was too silent; even with her hands covering her ears she should still hear the faint buzzing noise of students talking. The girl moved her fingers away from her eardrums cautiously, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, she blinked again, then looked up and around her.
Olivia snickered quietly in the background, watching as her friend's face slowly lit up, a pale tinge of blush that transformed into a wonderfully vibrant tomato red as she saw all the faces giving her amused, confused, or just awkward stares. She coughed a few times, out of nervousness, then gave a slightly strangled sound, like a groan almost. Rubbing the back of her head, a shy smile flinted across her lips as she gave a shaky laugh.
"Ahahah...err…nothing to see here, just running by yelling. You know. Well err…" She gave a pleading glance to Olivia who sighed and nodded, giving in.
"Right!" The actress announced, straightening as she walked over to stand by her friend. "Nothing of your concern so just turn around and keep eating now." She added an edge to her words and offered a slight glare, making people grumble but otherwise return to their food.
"I'd thank you but this is slightly your fault." Elle whispered after breathing a sigh of relief.
The other girl scoffed, crossing her arms and throwing back her hair. "Jeez, I should've just let them keep staring." She grinned though. "Well, I'll just-"
"It's not everyday girls run into the cafeteria screaming 'bout feelings. What's this about?" A familiar voice asked teasingly from behind the girls.
Both whipped around to face the speaker. Elle blushed heavily as his electric blue eyes twinkled with laughter that he attempted to hide. "H-hey Tanc." She said, cursing herself silently for stuttering.
He laughed, but then threw a hand over hit mouth to stop it. After a few seconds, he lowered it, but the grin was still on his face. "Hey. Gonna answer my question?"
Olivia grinned slyly, winking at her friend. "Ah, that's for the lady to say. I for one am headed to my own cafeteria."
"Wait, Liv don't-" Elle huffed as her friend ran out with a dramatic flourish of her cape. "Ugh…I hate that stupid-"
"I wouldn't say that you know. Charlie'd have a fit." Tancred spoke, waving a silver spoon at her.
"Oh, shut up. Charlie's not here." She grumbled, taking a seat next to him.
"Hey," He raised an eyebrow and poked her ribs with the spoon. "What's got you in such a bad mood?"
She blushed again, which he eyed strangely. Why's she blushing so much? "N-nothing. What's got you in such a great one? I distinctly remember you as more of a grumpy morning person. And where's Sandie?" She yawned, putting her head on top of her crossed arms.
"What? Pshh…I'm not in a good mood. See?" He put on an obviously fake frown, which was completely ruined by the shine in his eye. "Grr…I'm mad."
She rolled her eyes. "Okay, Mr. Angry. But seriously, where's everyone's favorite summoner?"
Tancred faked a hurt look, gasping. "I thought I was your favorite?" He sniffed, looking to the other side. "I see how it is now."
"Err, you aren't a summoner. Not the kind I mean anyways." Elle grabbed his chin and pulled him towards her, placing a hand on his forehead. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't have a fever or anything right?"
He tried not to blush as he noticed their position, their noses but a few inches away from touching. It didn't work too well. "Yeah, I'm fine. Chipper as a…something really chipper. Why?"
Her brow furrowed, but she looked away, noticing how close they were. "You're just a little overly-happy. And a tad more cheeky too." She grinned back at him- just as cheekily as he was. "There's nothing wrong with that though."
He laughed awkwardly, trying to avoid her eyes. "Well, actually-"
The bell rang, making them both jump, startled. "Get to you're classes now brats!" Came an angry shout from Mrs. Weedon. She walked around the serving counter and began shooing kids away. "Come on, get! Get outta here!"
"Dammit, I didn't eat yet." Elle mumbled harshly, rubbing her growling stomach. "Not the best morning ever."
The blonde stood and offered her a hand. Yanking her up, he just said, "Let's go," and nearly skipped the way out, holding her hand still.
It would be an understatement to say that it was strange to see the pair together: A tall, blonde boy, smiling brightly, dragging a confused brunette girl down the hallway, both blushing and holding hands.
"Tancred, why aren't you talking with Sander?"
He stiffened, not expecting the question. I can't tell her the real answer. Laughing nervously, he looked at her. "Whadaya mean?" He asked, still happy despite the small dent the sudden interrogation created.
I think you're scaring the poor girl. A voice said in the back of his head.
He grinned at it. I can't help it, sorry.
George snorted. If you don't get a date because of this, it's your fault, not mine. Don't go around moping and blaming me. I'd tell you to quit being so happy, but I doubt you'd listen.
Elle raised her eyebrows at him, stopping before the sculpting classroom. She tapped her foot impatiently, crossed her arms, and looked at him. "You know what I mean. Normally you two would be happily chattin' about like those annoying birds and joking around right now, but he pretty much glared at you when we passed him. Does this have anything to do with your freakishly- no offence- happy mood?"
He sighed, making an effort just to meet her waiting eyes. He cringed inwardly at the glint of steel in them. "I don't know what you're going on about," he lied.
"Don't bluff. You two are best friends. No one would glare for nothing. Especially Sander." She looked down, breaking their contact. "If it's my fault-"
"No!" He shouted, then lowered his voice from a strange look from her. "I mean, err, no. It doesn't have anything to do with you." Well, sorta. It's not your fault anyway. "I just, was acting kind of stupid and well…" He looked away ashamed. "I didn't really apologize yet."
Her eye's widened. "This is about something stupid? It better not be as stupid as I hope it isn't or I'd… Come on." She dragged him into the classroom, and made a beeline for the seats next to the African boy. The said boy twitched as Elle plopped down onto the seat, making Tancred stumble before catching the seat next to her. An awkward silence was settled. "Ahem." She muttered after a minute, jabbing her blonde friend in the ribs.
He winced and looked at Lysander, who sat straight as a board, staring intently at the front of the classroom, though no one was teaching yet. After another jab from Elle, which he successfully blocked, he let out an awkward "Hello."
Lysander made no move of acknowledging him. Inwardly, Tancred shushed George's many complaints about upsetting the other boy. Then he took a deep breath, opening his mouth. "I think I'm gonna do it at break. No promises, but I think I might." He mumbled, just loud enough for the two people to hear him.
Lysander broke out in a giant grin. "Finally came around did you? Well, better late than never." He laughed and clapped his friend on the back, who sighed in relief.
The girl between them looked at the boys with confusion etched onto her features. "Wait, what? I thought you were-"
"Okay class!" Mr. Nickels bellowed, sweeping into the classroom. Instantly, every pair of eyes latched themselves onto the flamboyant teacher, except Elle's, who hesitated for a moment, looking between the boys, then looked at the man. "Today we're working on…"
"Hey, Elle, could you go ahead of us for a sec?" Lysander asked, still grinning at his best friend mischievously.
The girl, though a little suspicious, nodded. "Yeah, course!" She smiled, jogging to the tree, where two nervous boys, two chatting girls, a grinning violinist, and dazed Billy sat.
"Well, she sure cheered up once you came around." Tancred said, his eyes lingering on her retreating figure for a moment before looking at his friend. "I guess that's a good thing."
Lysander waved it off with a shrug of his shoulders and a nonchalant wave of his hands. "Probably worried that something was up between us. Anyways," He jutted his chin to where Elle sat, teasing a blushing Olivia with Fidelio. Emma giggled next to them. "How're you gonna ask Elle?"
"Weeeeeell," Tancred trailed off.
"You don't have a plan? You can't be serious." The African looked at him incredulously.
The other boy shook his head. "No, well actually I do. But now it sounds really stupid."
"How so? Then again anything you plan might be stupid."
Tancred sent him a half-hearted glare. "I take offence to that."
Lysander winked, chuckling. "I am aware of that."
He rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I was just gonna, you know ask her to come with me for a sec, and then just ask her if she'd fancy going to the ball with me." He kicked a stray rock. "It's not very…"
"Spectacular?" The pale boy nodded. "Well, it doesn't necessarily have to be right? I mean, Elle would find it okay."
Tancred shrugged. "I guess. But hey," He smirked as he noticed a tinge of pink on the conversing Gabriel and Emma's faces. "I have a better plan."
"Ols! Emmers!" Elle called, trying to land a jump in her wilder friend's lap. She landed on her bum though, as Olivia turned quickly so she wouldn't be able to make it. She winced, rubbing her now-sore behind. "Oww…That's mean Liv." She pouted.
"Mhm, sure. And trying to jump me wasn't going to hurt at all." Olivia stated, sarcasm laced heavily through her voice.
"Of course not! You're a very soft cushion you know, and I'm afraid my bum isn't the skinniest thing around. So I got a few layers of fatty-ness to protect me." She winked. "I wouldn't feel a thing."
"Not you dummy." The actress had to suppress a smile though. "Sooo….going to the ball with storm boy yet?" She wiggled her eyebrows.
Fidelio, being the ever great observer he was, perked up at this sentence. He crawled over to their triangle, where he squeezed between Emma and Olivia. Propping his elbows onto his knees as to support his head, he grinned. "What is this I hear? Elle's headed with Tanc?"
The girl (A/N: I think you know which one) flushed. "No, he hasn't asked me yet."
"Yet?" Olivia mused curiously. "So you do want him to ask?"
"Wait what? No!"
"Hmm…Not very convincing are you?" The musician nodded, then turned to the blunette. "You know, I think we should push the him to make the first move." He looked at Emma. "Do you think so?"
"Nope." Emma said, a secretive little grin played onto her delicate features. The others eyed her surprised. "I think he'll come around really soon."
"Emmy!" Elle squeaked. "What the hell?"
Olivia chuckled, pinching her friend's cheeks like she were a baby. "Awwww…our wittle Ewwl-lee is all growing up. She's gonna get herself a wittle boyprien. How cute!"
Smacking her hands away, Elle snapped, blushing heavily. "Don't act like you don't see Charlie oggoling you right now."
"Please, you're talking nonsense." She looked to her side pouting, not yet registering the faint pinkness dusted over her cheeks.
"Liv," Fidelio exclaimed, using a mock surprised innocent voice. "Didn't you know? Char-"
"-coal is black? Well, usually it is!" Olivia cut in.
"What the…?" The two teasers looked at each other.
"Hey, where'd Emmy go?" Elle asked, looking around her. "Oh mah gosh! Fidelio shrank her!" She looked at him with awe and confusion.
"What?" His eye twitched as Olivia burst out in a fit of giggles. "I did not. I don't even have the power to shrink people, and been if I did it would've been you rather than Emma."
"What?!" The former girl shouted, glaring at him. "Why I oughtta-"
"Look!" Olivia whisper yelled, pointing to the tree.
"What is it? Where? Lemme- oooh." Elle sighed dramatically. "Aww."
Fidelio nodded. "You know I think that Gabe has the hots for Emma." The girls simultaneously hit his head. He winced, grabbing it. "Ow! What was that for?"
"That makes it sound too weird for those two." They both sniffed, then returned to the blushing pair, who chatted away happily.
"You're not serious are you?"
Tancred frowned, looking at his friend. "Well, course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well," the boy frowned a bit. "How are you gonna get those two to do that with you? It's a bit…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know." The blonde waved it off. "I don't know if they'll agree with me, but if they do, I won't have a hard time getting them to do it. Well, maybe Gabriel, but that's all."
Lysander sat to ponder it. "Well, I suppose it could work." He gave in a little. "But you realize that you will be detention for even longer right?"
Tancred shrugged. "I don't think any of us will care if they say yes. And plus, it'll only be one or two, maybe three. I'd say it's worth it." He cracked a grin as he say Fidelio clutched his head, complaining to the two girls who hit him. His smile grew as he noticed that Elle (A/N: -and Fidelio and Olivia, but do you really think he was looking at them?) was 'spying' on Gabriel and Emma. "Definitely worth it. You're going to help me out right?"
Sighing, Lysander propped himself up on his elbows. "You really are head over heals aren't you?"
Nodding, Tancred agreed. Though you couldn't say it was against his will.
"As you all know, the spring ball-" he cringed as he said the words "-is coming up soon." Manfred took a deep breath as he saw everyone in the room nod. "Good. Now, you should also be aware that you, as special children of the Red King, are all expected to attend the party."
There was a pause in the room, like everything stopped moving for a few seconds, before it turned to an outrage. Shouts could be heard from everywhere, and papers were sent flying into the air as people jumped up to express themselves.
"What?"
"Who the he-"
"This is friggen-"
"I don't want-"
"SILENCE!" Manfred yelled over the crowd. Everyone who stood, which could rightfully be accused as only the 'good side' and Joshua, sat grudgingly and glowered into the older man's skull. He tried not to look uncomfortable. "Now, you will do as I have instructed, or you will receive detentions or in some cases-" he sent a specific glare to Torsson and Newburt "-perhaps suspension."
"Wait!" Elle said, standing and slamming her hands, palms down, on to the table. "What the he-" she stopped herself. "What's going on here? Why do we have to go?"
"Dr. Bloor has specifically requested-" he put a twist on the word "-that all of you brats go, so you can show some kind of respect for the school you got into." He didn't tell anyone the real reason, as the only people who had to know were himself and Endless.
"But that means we all gotta get dates." She continued, a twitch in her fingers that wasn't very hidden. "And it's a formal thingy."
Manfred smirked in his twisted way. "Well then I suppose you ought to find someone who'll actually tolerate you. And the formal thing shouldn't be too much of a problem."
"Why you little-"
"Bloor." One of the twins said. "What's the meaning of this?"
"We refuse to have to take boys to this party." They both sneered at the words, as if they burned.
'You two will go." He commanded, locking his cold black eyes on them. "And that is final."
A hand rose out. "Manfred, is it alright if I bring someone from the other school?" Lysander asked, referring to the school where normal kids went.
"I don't suppose it should be a problem." He answer.
"Hey! Wait-"
"Newburt, sit down, shut up, and do your work."
"Charlie! Gabriel!" Tancred ran over to the pair just before they entered their dorms. He skidded to a halt before them. "Got you, finally. " He grumbled as he panted against the wall.
"What are you talking about?" Charlie asked, looked at the older boy in confusion.
"Charlie, Gabe, do you guys have dates yet?" Lysander asked, calmly walking up the stairs that Tancred had emerged from.
Blushing slightly, Gabriel shook his head. "No, but I was planning-"
"On getting lucky with Emma, I know." Tancred interrupted, grinning as his words made the physic flushed even further. "And I don't suppose you're asking Livvy?" He directed his question at Charlie.
"What? I don't know what you're blabbing about." Charlie managed to sputter out, crossing his thin arms.
"Don't start lying now." The blonde clucked.
"Tancred shut up. You're not doing this right." Lysander butt in, playfully shoving him away. "Anyways, you guys obviously are going to, but you don't have any plans as to how you're going to ask the two ladies, am I right?"
They nodded. "But what does this have anything to do with anything?" Gabriel asked cautiously, having a guess at where this was going.
Tancred reached into his bag and pulled out a bunch of rather crumpled papers, which he attempted to straighten before handing them to the younger boys. "I think you can guess the rest. Although I must warn you, my genius will probably land us in detention."
Charlie stared at the words and the poorly drawn notes, then looked again at the picture of three boys on top of a rectangle thing, which he presumed was a table. "You're joking. I can't even play the trumpet good."
"You think you can learn them in time? As in tomorrow by dinner?"
Gabriel looked at Tancred, disbelieving. "You don't have to do this you know. I'm pretty sure Elle likes you already."
He rolled his eyes. "Have you read the lyrics yet? Sander told me so already."
"It's true." The summoner added. "And if you could, get-"
"Now what's all this about?" Fidelio asked, coming from behind them. "I wasn't invited."
Tancred grinned brightly, grabbing a few more papers from his backpack. "Well, speak of the devil. Fi-delio my buddy. I've got a project for you have got to help me out with…"
"Hey Liv?"
"Yes, Elle darlin'?" She answered.
"Do you think Tanc's gonna ask me out?"
She raised an eyebrow. "And here I thought you didn't want to talk about you're feelings?"
"Shut up." Elle said. "It's just that Manfred's making all the endowed go, and I don't really want to have to turn anyone down before he asks, or it'll be…awkward."
"Oh. So that's why Emma was a bit upset when she came in."
"Upset?" The brunette tilted her head. "How so?"
"Before you came in, she huffed, throwing her stuff around- and I mean that for reals- and then she just changed and plopped down to sleep."
Elle smirked. "Probably wondering when little old Gabe's gonna come around."
"Yeah." Olivia nodded, yawning.
"Hmm…we should go to sleep now shouldn't we?"
"Probably yeah."
"Right." Elle pulled on the gray pajama top she wore. "Well, night Ols. And Emmy if your conscious."
"Night." Came two replies.
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The end (of the chapter- not quite done with the story yet. I have a feeling it's going to be really long by the way, so those of you who don't like long stories, I'm sorry.) Betcha can't guess what Tancred's cooked up! Or actually, you might. It's a bit obvious to me… but I wrote it so I don't know about you guys.
…
Well, anyways. I forgot the disclaimer, so the usual. I no ownz, Nimmo rulez. Haha…I am so lame. XD
R&R!
~tubs.