honorstudent97: It's totally okay - I understand exactly what you mean. I'm a big Pinocchio fan, I guess. I've loved that movie for ages. Okay, so I'm weird, but I'm the opposite of you. I think that Randall is attractive, but not so much Sulley. :P MLP isn't really my thing, but we've all got our favorites. :)
a fan: Yeah, I got Mike and the disco ball thing from the trailer. xD That's a good thought about Doom. He's not mute exactly, but he's definitely what you'd call the dark, sinister type. He only talks when he absolutely has to. I would've walked away from the party as well. I'm not a fan of a lot of loud noise and all that. I don't blame Randall for punching Sulley either! Thanks for reading!
Remy: Hi again! It's okay about not reviewing, I completely understand. I hope that you had a nice time with your relatives though! Aw, I hope that this story doesn't make you cry, but I'm glad that you're feeling emotional over it. Randall's mother is spiraling into the depths of schizophrenia by the looks of things and a certain someone might follow in her path later in life. I'm glad that you're excited for the SulleyxRandall progression! Those two are certainly becoming better friends, that's for sure. Doom is pretty creepy, I agree. He hasn't done anything too bad yet, but he's just got this creepy vibe to him, doesn't he? Also, no need to apologize because I love long reviews! Thank you so much for catching up on this!
Mysterious: Thanks so much for all of the recommendations! I'm definitely going to have to try watching some anime and let you know what I think of it. I like depressing anime, I think. Is there like a romance genre of anime as well? I'm kind of a sucker for romance. Maybe you could also let me know what the popular genres of anime are? Sorry for all of the questions. I'm sort of a novice when it comes to anime. Thanks so much for liking the chapter! :D
James95: I'm glad that you thought that the chapter was funny! I don't know why, but I can see Randall punching Sulley clearly in my mind for some reason. I was disappointed that the disco ball scene wasn't actually in the movie. That would've been fun to see! Same thoughts here on Randall. He's going to overwork himself pretty soon, isn't he? =/ Thanks so much for reading this!
jade4563: I know, right? I love the disco ball scene! I love Javier's expression during it. He gets like this wicked smile on his face, but anyway, I love the ROR guys too much. *coughs* It definitely was quite the punch. Mike makes Randall drink some crazy punch later in this story. :P Hope you like this chapter!
Mickfang27: Yep, more bonding time for Sulley and Randall! That's always good, right? :) Thanks for mentioning that to me about the Friday mess up thing. I'll have to fix that when I get a chance. Sometimes I write too fast and the dates get all screwy in my head. I understand paranoia! I'm very jumpy and I jump at every little sound. Thank you so much for saying that you think that I could become an author someday! That would be a dream come true for me. *hugs* I don't mind personal questions at all. You can ask me anything. I just turned eighteen. Same thoughts here on Chet; he really does need to find a new love interest! His addiction to Johnny is almost unhealthy, don't you think? Thanks so much for the comment!
Anna Sparkles: Aw, thanks so much for saying that I'm a great author! That means so much to me! *hugs you* I bet that punch did hurt! Sneaking up on Randall is never a good idea. I'll definitely try to see if I can watch The Conjuring sometime. It sounds really good for a horror movie. Are you a fan of horror? I'm glad that you had fun although that sounds a little scary about the no seatbelts thing! Was it scary at all or am I just a wimp? :P Thanks so much for reading this!
badberry123: Oh my god, I felt that exact same way about the disco ball scene! I really wanted to see it in the movie! It's really a shame that the writers didn't try and somehow fit it into the movie. Honestly, I felt like the movie lacked a partying theme. I would've liked some more party/celebrations scenes, you know? Doom is quiet, but then again, he may not have long to live in this story too. *hints* Hehe, it is funny imagining Sulley talking to Randall facedown in the dirt. That would be adorable with Randall and Sulley crashing into each other and looking into one another's eyes. I did that in another one of my stories with Reggie and Javier (ROR freak over here!). Hm, Year 10? Do you live in England by any chance? I'm not really sure how the school system works there. I'm glad that we agree about Fungus and Randall! I like pairings where one member is really devoted and dedicated and the other one is extremely dominant (probably a reason why I love JohnnyxChet so much). Haha, that's kind of what happens in this story! Sulley does break up with Randall and at this point and you can just tell what Funk is thinking about it. Yup, I love ROR pairings...I'm a nut. xD Thanks! The different colored contacts are pretty neat. :) I actually don't see purple at all. The colors don't affect your vision. Speaking of Johnny, this is kind of random, but my Johnny plush got stuck in one of my blankets and I was putting it into the washer when Johnny randomly introduced himself to me and I just about had a heart attack because I had no clue that he was stuck in the blanket and I thought that I was alone in the house. :P Same thoughts here on the opposites attract thing. It works for Randall and Sulley, but not for Mike and Randall. I do see Mike using Randall. I mean, he certainly used him a lot in quizzing him, but he never gave anything back to Randall. It doesn't seem too far-fetched that Mike might have used Randall for other things too if you know what I mean. Exactly about Don and Sheri! Lol, this is kind of random, but you know that scene where Chet is all, "Johnny, you're my hero!" at the end of the movie? I kept thinking that he was going to be all, "Johnny, I love you!" xD But anyway, I love the idea of twins in your story! I like incorporating kids into my stories although there won't be any in this story. I hope that you type yours up though! Thank you so much for reviewing! :)
Chapter XXXVII
I feel conflicted as I reach down and place both webbed hands on the turquoise monster's furry shoulder. Gritting my teeth together, I gather up all of my strength and use it to roll the shaggy beast from his stomach onto his back. I rarely apologize for things and I'm not gonna apologize to Sullivan now since it was his own fault for getting pummeled in the face. He shouldn't have been stalking me - okay, well, he wasn't stalking me, but that's not the point - without calling out a greeting to me in advance. What kind of monster creeps up behind another monster and scares him half to death?
The monster who stalks the other is what you call a good scarer, Randy. That's exactly what Sullivan is, an unwelcome voice sounds in the back of my head. The second monster, the one who gets scared to death, is what you call extremely paranoid.
I sigh grimly to myself as I realize that the voice in the back of my head is right. Sullivan didn't mean to creep up on me and the only reason I smacked him is because I'm paranoid. I feel just the smallest twinge of guilt. I hope that Sullivan isn't hurt too badly. The stinging pain in my wrist has died down to a distant throbbing, so I don't think that it's broken. I must have hit Sullivan pretty hard to make the massive hairy monster fall over though. Then again, he probably wasn't expecting to be attacked either, so maybe my pummel wasn't as hard as I thought it was after all and he fell over from shock instead.
After having managed to roll Sullivan onto his back, I point out, "I would've expected a tough guy like you to be a little more steady on your feet, Sullivan."
"Yeah, me too," Sullivan replies ruefully, looking up at me from where he's now lying on his back in the middle of the lush green lawn with me bending over him, my wry expression mirroring his. A half-smile quirks Sullivan's lips and the stars are reflected in his gleaming azure gaze as he says, "Then again, you are a pretty tough fighter yourself, Randall. You caught me completely off guard. I had no idea that you knew I was coming to walk next to you. You may not have brute strength, but you have speed and agility on your side. You'll make a great scarer someday."
"Eh, we'll see. You're still the better of the two of us for now," I point out, immediately feeling that jealous streak sizzling through me before I realize that there's nothing for me to be jealous of right now. My wrist might ache for the rest of the night, but Sullivan is gonna be the one who ends up with a huge egg-shaped lump on his head from where my first collided with his skull. Remembering Dean Hardscrabble's "fighting results in expulsion" rule, I suddenly panic. Trying to keep cool despite the fact that my next question is an important one, I tilt my head to the side at Sullivan and ask, "So are you gonna try and expel me for picking a fight with you or not?"
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Sullivan replies, looking completely confused at my question. Something inside of me reminds me that I'm being paranoid again and that's why I felt the urge to ask that question. Sullivan goes on, "I was the one who scared you. It was my fault, not yours."
"Hey, hold up. I wasn't scared," I point on in a hard voice, sending the monster lying before me a steely look before I realize that I should just be grateful that he's not about to turn me in to the Dean. Quickly changing the subject, I ask, "Are you gonna be able to get up on your own or do you want my help? Oh, and um, thanks for not reporting me to the Dean."
"Randall, you have to realize that not everyone here wants to get rid of you. Alright, so maybe Mike does, but that's just Mike for you. The little slime ball can be really stubborn sometimes," Sullivan says and I realize that he's calling Mike a slime ball as an affectionate term at this point. Great. Going on, Sullivan says, "Nobody else hates you here. I certainly don't want you to leave. Who would I have to help challenge me on the scare floor if you weren't around?" Sullivan lets the question hang in the air while he attempts to prop himself up onto his elbow and winces slightly before nodding, "Yeah, I can get to my feet. I'll probably just be a little achy in the morning. Falling over isn't something I do very often."
"Yeah, well, I wouldn't say that anyone ever intentionally tries to fall over," I point out, rolling my eyes as I lean back from where I'm still kneeling on the soft grass
Grunting slightly, Sullivan pushes himself up into a sitting position and then gets to his feet without too much trouble. His tall, dark shadow immediately falls over me, hiding me away from the moonlight. I glance up in surprise at the sudden darkness and find Sullivan leaning over me, offering me a hand as he says, "Here, I'll help you up."
I hesitate momentarily, wondering if accepting his hand is a sign of weakness. I decide not since it was Sullivan lying face down in the dirt moments earlier, not me. Taking the extended hand covered with sleek turquoise fur and ending in sharp, curved ebony claws, I allow Sullivan to help me up, pointing out, "You fall down and then you're the one to help me. We don't make a lot of sense, you know?"
My words hold a double meaning. I think that the double meaning would have slipped right on by someone like Fungus or Wazowski, but from the solemn expression on Sullivan's face, I think that he understands what I mean. It is true about us not making a lot of sense. I still haven't figured out how I'm supposed to feel toward Sullivan. He's my rival and you'd think that I should hate him for that, but I don't. There's a certain intrigue about my opponent that keeps my curiosity piqued. Sullivan and I are opposites, something that should make us the least likely set of friends. Hm, the term "friends" sounds too friendly. How about we change that to acquaintances? Yeah, that sounds better.
I wait impatiently for Sullivan to speak next, my emerald eyes boring into his light blue ones, which have taken on a sort of violet tone in the starlight. Finally, Sullivan answers my question and all the questions held within that question as he points out a-matter-of-factly, "I don't care."
Slightly surprised by Sullivan's answer, all I can do is nod slightly. An almost awkward moment falls because the two of us, one that I'm convinced needs to end as soon as possible. Clearing my throat, I say, "Do you want to keep walking then or what? I'd say that we still have a good ten minutes left before curfew. I, uh, didn't hit you too hard, did you?"
"Nope, don't worry about that. I'm a tough guy just like you said. You just kind of caught me off guard earlier, that's all," Sullivan says before setting off at a steady pace toward a large cluster of green-leafed trees about fifty meters ahead of us, adding, "I'd say that we probably have time to walk to those trees and then back to the school."
"Whatever you say. I'll trust your judgement of time over mine any old day," I say since I'm the type to forget to set my alarm clock and accidentally go to class late unless I pay careful attention to the bright neon digits on the clock.
Sullivan notices me cradling my wrist as we set off on our moonlight stroll and asks in concern, "Hey, are you alright? Did you hurt your wrist?"
"Nah, it's fine," I reply immediately, quickly dripping my wrist and flinching as I do so. Realizing that my body language just betrayed my words, I carefully rephrase my sentence add, "I'm a tough guy too, remember? You said so yourself."
"Yeah, but even tough guys get hurt sometimes, especially when stupid blue louts creep up on them," Sullivan says, smiling slightly and causing me to blush for some reason. Grateful for the darkness of the night, I turn my gaze to the ground. Sensing my discomfort, Sullivan changes the subject and asks, "So how are your classes going?"
"Decently, I guess. I'm set for arithmetic on Monday. My art skills are nonexistent though, my science experiments turn out to be disasters most of the time, history is a bore, and gym is hell," I reply accurately before realizing that it sounds like I'm complaining. Not wanting to sound like an all out pessimist, I add, "I like my scaring classes though. Kind of wish I was taking computers with Funk. That would be a lot more interesting and worthwhile than say gym for instance."
"I'm taking computers," Sullivan points out. "They're a lot of fun. I'd say that computer class is my second favorite behind my scaring classes. We haven't learned how to design our own programs or hack into other computers yet, but it's still fun. Maybe you can talk to the Dean and see if she'll swap out one of your current classes for computer class?"
"Eh, I dunno. I don't want to bother the Dean. She's the one who's gonna help me become the school's top scarer. Asking special favors from her would be a stupid thing to do," I say as Sullivan and I reach the patch of trees and turn around to set back toward the school. Even though Sullivan's suggestion is tempting, especially since getting rid of gym class and adding computer class to my schedule sounds particularly good, I'm gonna have to resist the idea. Keeping the headmistress on my good side is my top priority right now. Before another silence call fall between Sullivan and myself, I reciprocate the question and ask, "What about you?"
"My classes are good. I've got most of the same classes you have except for computer and music, which, before you ask, are admittedly more fun than history and science," Sullivan says genially before adding, "I'm not the most talented with numbers though, so arithmetic is hard for me. It's the same thing with science."
I don't know why, but for some reason, I've already opened my mouth and find myself saying, "You don't need to worry about that. Arithmetic and science aren't used in the scaring industry. Unless you wanna become a mathematics professor someday or a mad scientist, you don't have to worry about it."
Sullivan doesn't respond to me right away, so I look up to see what he's thinking. The expression on his face clearly shows that he's surprised that I have a more compassionate side to me. Guess he thought I was hard inside and out.
"What?" I ask him, feeling slightly uncomfortable under his electric blue stare as I admit a bit jokingly, "I'm not cold inside and out, you know."
"Nobody is. You're a really nice guy when you feel like being nice, you know that, Randall?" Sullivan asks with a genuine smile. I shrug and sort of brush off the comment, not exactly wanting to be known throughout the school as "Mr. Nice Guy". I want to be known as the school's best scarer, the title we all want to earn. Sullivan's smile dissolves after a few minutes and he points out, "I've, um, noticed that you've been looking kind of tired lately. Is everything going alright for you outside of your school life?"
I'm caught off guard by such a personal question. I still haven't shared the news about my mother with anyone yet. I must be feeling drunk despite the fact that I never placed a foot into the partying room because I find myself admitting, "If you really want to know, which I doubt you do, I'm worried about my mother."
"I wouldn't have asked you about what's troubling you if I didn't care," Sullivan says somberly. "What's going on with your mother?"
"It's hard to explain, but sometimes she...forgets things. Like she forgets to pay the bills, buy groceries, clean the house, and other basic things that the rest of us get without a second thought," I start out before admitting the worst part of the whole mess, adding, "And now she says she's seeing 'little red people'. They've supposedly been keeping her company while I've been gone. I don't know what to do to help her, Sullivan. I feel so useful when I'm stuck here at school because all I get with her is the timed five minute phone call on Friday. I feel like I should be back at home helping her half of the time, but going to university was something that she encouraged me to do." I pause for a moment before realizing that I'm rambling. I come to a halt and give Sullivan an apologetic look as we approach the towering building of the school, adding, "Sorry, I didn't mean to tell you all of that."
"Don't be sorry. Sometimes it helps to talk things over with someone," Sullivan says as we cross from the lawn onto the smooth cobblestones. He thinks for a moment before saying, "I'm honestly not sure what to do about the situation with your mother. Your heart is in the right place though, that's for sure. I trust your judgement on these things."
I sigh, wishing that the answer to my pressing questions was more black and white and less gray. I think for a moment and wonder if I'm reading into things too much as I wonder if Sullivan's last statement had a double meaning to it as well. Do "these things" refer to topics other than my mother? If so, what exactly does Sullivan trust my judgment on? Us?
Review please! :)