Tolys shoved another book into the shelf, being careful that its fraying bindings didn't snap. He sighed and reached for the next one in the cart, only for his hand to be met with air. He smiled demurely, pleasantly surprised at how productive he was being.
Already finished. Perhaps taking a break right now wouldn't be so bad of an idea.
Tolys hadn't been given such a privilege in quite some time. His schedule was almost always busy, and his submissive nature made it even easier for people to pile up even more work and responsibility on him. It was a lot to handle for just one person, which was precisely why there was another person standing by the next shelf over, twisting a lock of blonde hair between his fingers.
"Honestly, I don't even get why you spend 4th period in this place," Feliks said flippantly. His remark was followed by an exaggerated yawn. "It's such a drag."
Tolys rolled his eyes. "We've been over this. Even if it's a 'drag,' I like this place because it's quiet," he insisted. Being constantly surrounded by people wasn't rare in a populated school like World Academy, especially when Tolys was acquainted with people with stronger personalities like Ivan or Alfred. The library was like his escape from reality, a place where he could just think. It certainly wasn't just a free period, though. His actual reason for being in the library was to work as an assistant and re-shelve books, a task that could get more than just a little bit mundane if done for hours on end.
Feliks shrugged. "Whatever you say, Liet. But, yanno, this is probably why you're not the best at socializing." He examined his nails (painted bright pink, of course,) for a short moment. "Oh! Speaking of socializing..." A smirk slid onto Felik's face, and Tolys fought the urge to groan out loud.
Tolys knew exactly where the conversation was headed, and he really didn't like it.
"Ugh! C'mon, I know you said you weren't gonna go, but you just have to!" Feliks pleaded. He didn't even have to say what he was talking about, Tolys already could tell.
"Feliks, I said I wasn't going to go because I'm not going to go. How many times do I have to tell you?" Tolys rubbed his temples and cast an annoyed glance at his best friend. "Besides, it's not like I've got a date or anything."
Feliks rejected the statement with a wave of his hand. "That's, like, gotta be the worse excuse I've ever heard from you. I don't have a date either, remember?"
"Yeah, but... but..." Tolys racked his brain for any other argument he could put up, anything that was solid enough to get Feliks to stop pestering him about Homecoming. Unfortunately, he came up dry. "You're popular, and stuff..."
Feliks grinned in a Cheshire cat-like manner. "And you're my best friend, which obviously makes you popular by association." He slung his arm around Tolys' shoulder to make his point and used the close proximity to whispered something into the brunette's ear.
"And that also means if you don't go, I'll look dumb, too. See, it goes both ways!"
"Yeah, kind of like you," Tolys responded without thinking.
Feliks stared at his friend for a few seconds before bursting out into a fit of giggles.
"Damn! That was hilarious!" Feliks exclaimed between laughs. "With that kind of sass, I'm sure you're totally gonna find somebody to go to Homecoming with."
A burst of warmth ignited in Tolys' chest. Somehow, in that very moment, all his doubts vaporized.
Maybe he's right.
"I guess... I really don't know yet, Feliks."
Mischief sparkled in Feliks' eyes. "I bet that you're gonna know really soon."
Tolys furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his chest. "As if I have an insanely attractice person standing in front of the door, waiting to ask me out," he said sarcastically. "Like I've been telling you, it's not going to happen."
Feliks flicked a piece of hair from the front of his face. "We'll have to see about that."
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"Mr. Jones, I cannot even begin to express how irresponsable I think you're being."
Alfred flashed his conductor a toothy grin. "Well, you can at least try!"
Mr. Edelstein frowned and huffed, somehow making the action seem dignified. "I'm afraid I cannot. Need I remind you of our concert on Friday?"
Alfred groaned and put on a pleading look. "C'mon, dude! You know Homecoming's the same day! I have to do this!"
Mr. Edelstein raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Why, exactly, should I consider that a valid reason for skipping out on practice?"
There seemed to be a dead-end to Alfred's thoughts. He wasn't exactly the brightest when it came to persuasion, or anything at all, really. But right now, he needed to try. And trying required putting in an effort, which was difficult to muster up when his brain was a jumbled mess of nerves and anxiety.
"Because I—I really need to talk to somebody!"
Now, Mr. Edelstein caught on. "Somebody? Somebody important, I pressume?"
"Yeah, exactly!"
"Foolish teenagers and their young love." The conductor adjusted his glasses and sighed. He reached over to tear a slip from the notepad sitting on the desk. scribbling a few sentences on and then practically shoving it towards Alfred. "There. You have 10 minutes. No more than that."
Alfred smiled gratefully and accepted the note. "Awesome! Thanks a million, Rod!"
Mr. Edelstein narrowed his eyebrows at the American. "Firstly, my name is Roderich, not Rod. Second, who gave you permission to address me so casually?"
Alfred bit the inside of his mouth. Nobody had actually given him that permission, it was just in his nature to ignore formalities. Most teachers didn't care too much, although the same couldn't be said about Mr. Edelstein. "Haha... right..."
"Hey, Rod," said a raspy voice from behind. Alfred caught a flash of white in the corner of his vision.
He turned around fully and easily identified the person as Gilbert.
Mr. Edelstein's facial expression distorted with disdain. "Mr. Beilschmidt. What do you require, this time?" he asked, his voice seething with passive-aggressiveness. The Austrian and so-called Prussian had never been the best of friends. Alfred was quiet curious as to what brought Gilbert there in the first place, as well.
Gilbert's arrogance diminished ever-so-slightly, his cocky smirk replaced with a hard line. "The—the awesome details of this dicussion will remain confidential! So," he tapped Alfred on the shoulder. "D'you mind?"
Alfred shook his head and quickly left the room, not intending to intrude. He had something he needed to do, something that he had been procrastinating on for days, perhaps even weeks. Eavesdropping on Gilbert and Mr. Edelstein's conversation didn't even make it on his list of priorities at that moment.
His hurried footsteps echoed through the empty hallway. Alfred didn't have all the time in the world. He wasn't even sure 10 minutes would suffice.
Oh, well. I just gotta make do with what I've got.
He exited the Fine Arts wing and took a sharp right. The North Wing of World Academy was located right near the entrance, consisting of the Front Office, Staff Lounges, and of course, the Library.
Alfred soon found himself standing in front of a pair of unfamiliar doors. It was embarrassing to admit that he had never actually visited the library more than once during his time at W Academy, playing in perfectly with the highschool jock stereotype. The first visit was with Arthur, who had dragged him along for a much-needed study session.
Nevertheless, there he was. Alfred knew that Tolys worked as a library assistant during 4th period, and was glad that the information gave him a little advantage. Now, it was just a matter of how soon he would be able to toughen up enough to walk in.
It's either now or never.
Alfred flung the door open and took what hoped looked like an unflappable step forward. Once he was inside, he immediately scanned the room in search of a certain brown-haired, green-eyed boy.
"Hello? Is anyone in there?" he called out loudly. The librarian looked away from her computer and raised a finger to her lips, glaring at Alfred menacingly.
"Oh, right. Quiet," Alfred muttered.
A burst of girly laughter coming from behind the Fiction section pierced through his eardrums, followed by an annoyed groan. A student with chin-length blonde hair and a miniskirt revealed himself.
"Oh my god, Liet! I didn't know you had psychic powers!" Feliks cried.
So he is here.
"I don't, Feliks. What are you even talking abou—" Tolys froze, midstep. "Alfred?"
"That's me! Nice seeing ya here, Tolys!" Alfred said in greeting, as if it was completely unplanned.
"O—Oh, hello," Tolys responded with a shaky smile. "So, uh, is there anything I can help you with?"
"Mhmm! I've got a super important question for you, dude!"
Without Tolys noticing, Feliks slowly retreating behind the bookshelves, intending to watch the entire situation unfold from afar.
"Alright, go ahead." Tolys straightened his spine and fought his nervous habits.
Alfred felt his heart beat grow louder and louder until it was the only thing he could really hear. He prayed that his high-strung disposition wasn't that obvious to Tolys.
Either now or never.
And I choose now.
A figurative clock ticked inside Alfred's mind. 10 minutes, he reminded himself. I have to make these 10 minutes worth my while.
"Will you go to Homecoming with me?"
The world spilled out of his mouth quickly and suddenly. However, time seemed to slow down enough for Alfred to see the pupils set within Tolys' bright green eyes widen ever so slightly.
Before Tolys could even provide an answer, a click of a camera followed by another muffled giggle could be heard.
"I totally called it," Feliks claimed.
Kiku nodded, still not leaving his hiding place. "Anyone could have."
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Gilbert removed a pair of somewhat-crinkled papers from his beat-up leather messenger bag. He slammed them onto the table with more force than what was really necessary.
Mr. Edelstein eyed them curiously, with his inquisitiveness quickly shifting to suspicion. "Mein Gott? What exactly are you trying to say, Beilschmidt?"
Gilbert pursed his lips, biting back a sour, sarcastic, reply. The image of Elizaveta came to mind. He drew in a sharp breath.
"I'm saying that I need your help."