I opened my eyes and stirred from my sleep. I looked to my left to see my alarm clock blaring the morning bugle and I slammed my hand on it. I forgot why I woke up at 6:00, August 4th. Then it struck me like a truck falling from the sky. My eyes shot open and I jumped out of bed in nothing but my underwear and T-shirt.
"FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!" I panicked
I ran to the closet and pulled out my Army uniform from the RMA aisle of my closet. I slipped into my old school uniform as I thought about how a public school would feel since I've never been outside of the school for more than 4 weeks. 'Will they have drill every week? Will they make us drill with rifles? What color guard will there be? Is it all female like the media says?' I zipped up my blouse and grabbed my beret, model M-1 Garand rifle, phone, and my backpack. I run out the front door where the sun-cracked a red color in the sky. I looked at my phone as I see it's only 6:08.
"Damn I was going for 5 minutes," I said to myself
I slipped the cellular device into my pocket and looked around. By now the students at my old school would be ready to go and have already eaten something. I decided to not wake up at my normal time and give myself time to sleep in. I pat my thigh with my free hand not holding my rifle and make noises with my mouth.
"Pshoo pshoo patshoo." I said as I looked at the near-empty streets for what seemed like hours
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and check the time again.
"Damn it's only 6:13," I said
Suddenly a light came into my field of view I turned to my left and saw the street lamp flicker. I pay no mind to it and I look down at my rifle. I snap to attention that my drill instructor taught me and began to flip the rifle in the air with the tricks he taught me.
I slammed my rifle on the ground and shouted "This is my rifle! There are many like it but this one is mine! Without me my rifle is useless! Without my rifle, I am useless!"
Suddenly I shut my mouth at the realization that I might have woken up the entire neighborhood. I look to my left and right to see no one there and no lights flipped on in the house. I looked back at my house and thought. 'Where the hell is Parker.' I knew that he hated RMA and didn't like the early wake-ups but I quite enjoyed them. I was one of the first up next to my superior officers. I knew they were going to the Naval Academy or West Point then serve in the Military and I wanted to join them. I remembered how my parents begged me not to enlist. My mother said 'She couldn't bear with the realization that her baby boy was shot by the devil.' I told them that I wouldn't join to comfort them. I knew that they loved me very much. But won't let them stand in my way of fighting for what I believe in and for what had to be done.
20 minutes later
I was doing push-ups on the lawn as I counted "40… 41… 42...43…"
30 minutes later
I lay on the ground as I doodled in my notebook some guns as I sighed and I looked at the street light that was still on.
1 hour and 45 minutes later
I looked at the ground as I cocked my rifle for the 1,000,000th time while I sat on the soft grass. I saw the foam bullet fly out and land in the grass. I picked it up and loaded it back in and I aimed it at the street lamp. It was now 8:48 and I was looking at the Louds through their dining room window and saw how they ate what I could tell was a feast of items. I sighed and looked at their driveway and saw the car Lori bought over the summer. Apparently, she was going to Fairway University today and wanted a fresh ride.
I can tell she was going to do well from the scholarships she got from her golfing tournaments. That reminded me of the time my father gave up a full-ride scholarship to help my mom while she was pregnant with Parker. Gave up a full ride to Harvard to help my 20-year-old mom pass through. I kept on thinking that we were mistakes but they always say that we were the best gifts God gave them. I sighed and I looked at the foam bullet locked and loaded into the chamber. I closed my eyes and I waited for any noise to hit my ears besides the Loud's excessive chatter. I looked up and saw Lori stumble with her luggage when she shoved through her car window. I looked at the Louds as they gathered outside and say their goodbyes to Lori. There was a wave of tears and goodbyes that hit the stage as they hugged their eldest sibling.
I heard Lori's car begin to start as she backed out of the driveway. She drove off and I paid no mind to it until I heard.
"Don't go! Don't gohohohoooooo!"
I looked up to see Lynn Sr. being dragged along with Lori's car until his hands finally gave way. He was left in the middle of the street and crying like a little bitch as he pounded the ground like a toddler not getting what he wanted. I sighed and got up from my comfy grass couch and walked over to him with my rifle still in hand. I grabbed the back of his collar and yanked him to his feet.
He looked at me and he said "Thanks. I'm just r...really going to miss my baby girl!"
He broke down into tears again and ran back to the family home.
"Emmet?" Rita said, "How long have you been out here?"
"I've been out here forrrr…." I pulled my phone from my pocket and saw the time "About 3 hours."
"Why so long?" Leni asked
"Waiting for the school bus," I replied
They gave me a look of shock as I just stood there with a blank expression.
"You must be so…" Lynn was about to say something until she looked into my right hand which held my rifle
"What's with the gun?" Lana asked
"And what's with the clothes?" Lola questioned
I paused "... what do you mean. It's my uniform. And the rifle is for drill after school"
They looked at each other and then they burst out into laughter.
"Ahahahah!" Luan giggled "I never knew you could joke like that."
I stood there as she opened her eyes and saw that I was dead fucking serious. All their laughter died down into a pocket of awkwardness. They looked at me and I stared right back at them. They suddenly realized that I wasn't joking.
"Dude," Luna began "You're not in military school anymore, chill out. Pick something comfortable to wear."
"Yeah," Lincoln continued "It's my first day of middle school but you don't see me in an army guy's uniform."
"Leni! We need a makeover!" Lola said and she took my hand and began pulling me into the house
"YAY," Leni cheered as she looked at me and walked around me, and bit her finger as a shade of red grew across her face.
I yanked my hand out of her grip and I stepped back as I fixed the cuff of my blouse.
"What?" Lynn questioned, "Do you really want to go to school looking like a G.I. June?"
"Ok first, it's G.I. Joe, If you're gonna insult me, do it properly," I said "And secondly no I don't think I need a make-over so you can go back inside and get ready for school."
Leni frowned and her nose began to sniffle as she shuffled back inside.
"Aw come on Mendez," Luan begged "Can you do it for me at least."
She grabbed my arm and hugged it against her torso. I looked down at her and I sighed.
"Pleeeeease," she begged
"No…" I said
Suddenly she grabbed my JROTC patch and yanked it off the velcro and took off inside. I looked at her and I dashed back in after her.
"HEY GIVE THAT BACK!" I shouted as I ran up the stairs
"You'll have to catch me first," she said as she shook her ass and the patch.
I gritted my teeth, thinking of how I will kill a bitch today and I turned left into a room painted blue with two beds, one pink and one with no sheets. I cornered her as she stood in the middle of the room.
"Oh, well." She smirked, "You got me."
She extended her arm with the patch and I was about to step forward but I hesitated. I remembered what my drill instructor said when he was out in Vietnam. He was one of the most clever bastards I knew.
'If your attack is doing too well,' I thought 'Then you're most likely walking into…'
I turned around to see Lola close the door behind her as she went inside.
"An ambush," I said to myself
Suddenly I felt Luan grab me and sit me down on the unsheeted bed and began to unzip my blouse. I grabbed her hand stopping her from doing it and yanked it away. But she raised her other hand and tried to finish the job. I dropped my rifle and it fell to the floor with a loud clang and grasped her other hand and yanked it off. We were now wrestling while Lola and Leni were deciding whether I should wear a green shirt with brown stripes or a black shirt with Godzilla on the front. I looked at Luan and she was less than a foot from my face and I could feel her breath on my face. I have no idea if she has been following my workout schedule but she seems to be x3 as strong then she was before. I felt her knee graze my crotch which made me yelp. I looked back at Leni which decided on a Green shirt with an outline of a shark and my eyes went wide.
"NOOOooooooooooo!" I panicked as Lola unzipped my blouse and Leni undid my cuffs on my hands.
10 minutes later
I step out of the room with blue jeans and a lime-green T-shirt and a haircut that made me feel like a senator. I felt disgusted with myself. I remember how they said they confiscated my clothes and Luan took them and put them in a zip-lock bag and walked away. But I doubt she's going to give that back. They at least had the human decency to let me change in the closet. I looked at my rifle and it was now painted pink with glitter all over it when Lola gave it a makeover before she went to school on the bus. I walked over to the bathroom of the Louds and threw it in the trash. I exited the bathroom and saw Luan whistling at my new look while Luna stopped shredding to look at my hair.
"You're just going to stand there and stare like a deer in headlights," I scolded them "or will you let me leave."
They moved out of the way and I swung my bag on my shoulder. But I heard the bus beginning to come as the high school bus passed by and stopped in front of their house. I looked at my shoes that they gave me which they took my boots away and replaced them with green and black sneakers. Suddenly all of the older Loud sisters entered the bus. Leni took the second row and placed her bag next to her while Luna sat next to a blonde girl that had a stripe of blue die in her hair. Luan sat with a girl wearing black cargo pants, black boots, a blue T-shirt, and heavy black makeup. My only thought was that it was a goth. The only seat open was the bench in the very back. I strut my way over there trying to look as confident as possible and take my seat. I place my backpack on my lap and look out the window.
"I feel dirty," I said to myself
I sat there for about 15 minutes but we turned into a neighborhood for multiple other students. I thought this was going to be the last spot due to the fact that there wasn't much room left. I looked at the bus stop but my view was blocked by several students chattering. I could only make out a tuft of brown hair and a voice I heard before but couldn't put my finger on it.
"Good morning," He greeted the bus driver
I looked up and my eyes widened. When the boy looked at me he did the same thing. He narrowed his eyes at me as I did and he began to approach. He stopped when he was not even 2 steps away from me.
"I thought you learned your lesson the first time I kicked your ass," I said
"Well the thing about losing is that you learn from your mistakes," Benny said "Now scooch."
I grumbled as I scooched as I was humane enough not to kick the shit out of him since the auditions for the play. But I did glare at him every chance I got. The noise died down since the other student could feel the tension and that one word would set hell loose.
10 minutes later
The bus made a complete stop at the school grounds in one piece and I and Benny ANGRILY got off of it. Benny flipped me off and I happily returned the favor and did it with both hands. I looked down at my pocket and fished out a piece of paper that he'd my new class schedule. I looked down at it and looked at the first box.
"Math with Mr… Sc-s…. Schedmic?" I questioned "Room 305."
I looked up at the building and saw the 3 floors and I began to walk as I turned to the left to head up the stairs.
"HEY MENDY!" Leni said as she ran up
"Yeah?" I asked
"I need help," She said "I can't find room 305."
"Where did you look?" I asked
"I checked this hallway, the bathroom, and even the small room with the sweepy things." She said
I look to my left and see a sign that said 'Rooms 30-39, 3rd floor. Rooms 20-29, 2nd floor. Rooms 10-19, 1st floor.'
"Looks like we have the same class," I replied, "Just follow me."
I climbed the stairs as Leni followed suit and walked with me. We passed the first flight and were on the second floor where Leni put on a face of worry. I looked forward and paid no mind to it as I was about to go on the next flight of stairs.
"HEY!" I heard a voice shout
"Oh no," Leni whimpered
I looked to the top of the staircase and saw 3 teens, about Jr's or Seniors. One girl with a punk haircut and leather jacket and jeans with chains on them. And 2 boys with nose piercings and black mascara.
"Mendy maybe we should leave," she said as she grabbed my hand.
I looked back and mouthed 'I'll take care of it.'
"What," I said with a huff
"This is our staircase kid," The senior girl said as she slid her finger on the staircase rail.
All the other students surrounded them and mouthed me to run away but I didn't back down. I looked at them and I began to ascend the staircase. Both boys blocked me in my path and I looked at both of them and they began to shove me around. I stayed locked in my place as I didn't move.
"Scram you, little baby, and take your retarded girlfriend with you," One of the boys said
"Wahh wahhh wahhh." The other one imitated a cry
The girl got right in front of me and looked at my shirt which I expected her to do nothing about but she reached into my right pocket and pulled out a cup of some orange juice. She popped the top and was putting it on her lips. She glared at me as she did. The bottle was inches away from her mouth and she was modeling her lips to the shape of the opening. She was not even a centimeter away until she suddenly snapped her arm at me and she spilled it all over my and Leni's shirt/dress.
"Ooopss!" She said sarcastically
I looked down at my shirt and it didn't phase me. I slipped my arm through the shirt and pulled it over my head and twisted it and squeezed the juice out. They looked at me shirtless as I saw the liquid pouring on the floor.
"Wow, you would waste perfectly good orange jui- AHHHHHHH" He shouted in agony as I whipped his balls with the twirled shirt. His knees bent like a foldable chair and he fell down the stairs and landed next to Leni.
"JOHN!" The other boy said, "You motherfuc-"
His sentence was cut short with another whip to the balls and he collapsed and joined his friend at the bottom of the stairs. I slipped into my damp shirt while the crowd gasped at what had happened. I looked down and saw that they were holding their manhood with bloody noses. I looked back up to see the girl with a shocked expression and I continued to ascend up the stairs as she began to give a look of worry. She began to back up but soon her back hit the crowd and I walked right up to her. She was 5 inches taller than me but I certainly intimidated her.
"If I ever see you again near me or Leni," I began in a low intimidating voice as I grabbed her collar and yanked her towards me as I pointed at Leni "This foot." I raise up my right foot "Is going up your ass. You got that?"
She nodded fiercely
"Good." I yanked her to the side as she fell on the floor
I continued walking up the stairs as I left the crowd in shock and disbelief. Leni followed suit and we walked up the stairs to the 3rd floor. I looked back at Leni who had tears in her eyes as she looked at her ruined dress. I looked forward and sighed. We reached the top floor and we began walking to the classroom.
"My dress is ruined." Leni said through her tears "Now people will make fun of me for being ugly and dumb."
I stopped and Leni bumped into me and I turned to face her. She looked at me and I looked around and saw a hand wash station. I walked over and took some paper towels and made my way back to Leni. I was about to clean her but then a student bumped into me and knocked it all down. I grunted at all the twisted napkins and picked them up and grabbed Leni's hand and dragged her to the only place where I can get privacy. The boy's restroom. We entered the restroom and I began to wipe Leni down and try to get rid of the mess the girl left on her.
"So what did you mean by that?" I asked
"By what?" Leni blushed as I stroked her stomach another time with the towel
"The 'people will make fun of me' thing," I replied
"Oh," She sighed "People… people don't like to work with me,"
"Why?" I asked
"Because I'm so stupid and always fail my classes." She replied
"Really?" I said as I used a new paper towel "What were your grades last year."
"My highest was a C-," she said sadly while red like a tomato "I'm mostly a D student, and people don't like to pair up with me."
"Hey don't say that," I said
"It's true and I can't do anything right. People tell me that I need to marry a candy dad or a Richman to survive," She said as she closed her eyes and hung her head low.
Leni was taller than me by about 1 and a half inches but I stood up and lifted Leni's head with my hand. She opened her eyes as I made eye contact with her.
"Leni, you are one of the most talented people I know," I said
"How?" She said with a mix of a sad and confused look
"You manage to get me in this outfit in less than 5 minutes and put on the most beautiful dresses that YOU made. Sure you ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. But she was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb In the shape of an "L" on her forehead. Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming. Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running. Didn't make sense not to live for fun. Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb. So much to do, so much to see. So what's wrong with taking the back streets? You'll never know if you don't go. You'll never shine if you don't glow." I said, "So just do your best and find your strengths so you can work on your weaknesses."
"Really!" She perked up but suddenly she hung her head low again "But you said you hated it."
"No Leni, I don't hate it," I began "Turns out that this is pretty comfortable, Sure it might be soggy and out of uniform but this is great. I love it!"
She shot up with excitement and she hugged me with a force I didn't see coming. I was going to get into my fighting stance out of pure reaction but she was faster.
"THANK YOU MENDY!" She squealed
"Your welcome," I muffled inter her shoulder.
She let me go and looked at me.
"But do I still have to marry a candy pop-pop?" Leni said
I looked at her "No, you don't have to marry a sugar daddy or candy dad, or candy pop-pop to survive,"
"Really!" she said looking down at me
"Yup," I said "You can marry whoever you want"
She blushed as she crossed her legs in a way to make it looks like she had to take a piss.
"Is something wrong?" I asked
"I-I-I don't know?" She said
"How do you feel then?" I asked
"I feel… hot and… itchy." She said
"A...and?" I asked
"Chest feels tight," she said
"Is...is…" I put my fist to my mouth "is your bra too tight?"
"N-no," she said
"Then where do you feel it?" I asked
"Like inside me," She stated
"A… muscle contraction?"
"No"
"Your heart?"
"Yeah!" she exclaimed
"So your heart feels tight, you feel hot and itchy?" I said
"Yeah!"
I leaned on the wall and thought it over and I couldn't put it together. I was confused and I was going into the deepest parts of my mind. 'Is she sick?... No no no no… She just seems jumpy and the flu does the opposite… is she having a heart attack?... No no no… She should have been dead and I would have been doing CPR… wait… is she… in love?... Nah, no one wants to go out with a complete fucktard like me, everyone knows love is a fucking joke…' I was generally confused until I realised that I was wiping her breast while I was talking to her and she was moaning as I did it. I snapped my hand to my side and my face grew red.
"Well, we'll figure it out during lunch," I said as I exited the restroom
"Ok!" She said as she skipped to the classroom
2 hours and 45 minutes later
I waited in line for lunch as I grabbed my tray. They were serving sloppy joes which weren't that bad from what I heard. I took a step forward as the line moved forward. I looked at the person in front of me and behind. I saw nobody I knew and I looked at the back of the person in front of me's head.
"Next!" the lady shouted
I stepped up and she dropped a meat sandwich and some fries with milk that expires tomorrow on my tray. I walk to an empty table and I look across the line to see Leni approaching me with Luan, Luna, and the girls I saw sitting next to them on the bus.
"Hi, dude," Luna said as she sat down next to the girl with a blue strip in blonde hair
"Hi Mendy," Leni said as she sat next to me and hugged me
I showed no reaction to her and opened my carton of milk. Luan sat next to me and the goth girl sat on the other side of her.
"So this is the guy you were talking about?" the goth said
"Yup," Luan replied
She looked at me and I looked at her back.
"He doesn't look hard to get though?" she said
"What?" I asked
"Maggie, this is Emmet. Emmet, Maggie." She said
I extended my hand as she did and we shook.
"Nice to meet you"
"Back at'cha."
"And Sam," Luna said
The blonde girl extended her hand and I let go of Maggie's to shake Sam's.
We shook hands and let go after about 4 seconds and I continued to eat in silence.
"So what school did you go to before?" Sam asked
I was about to open my mouth until Leni and Luan blabbered out "He went to a military school."
"Really?!" Sam yelled "Did you like shoot guns!? Do archery?! Or play in a band?! Or kill anyone?!"
"I would like to know about the last one," Maggie said in anticipation
"Ok, 1, yeah we did. There was a gun rage that was optional to go to. 2, Yes archery was an activity on the weekends. 3, no, I didn't. And 4, NEVER ask a man from the military if he killed anyone if you don't wanna be with them." I said
They were both hanging frowns from the questions that I answered and they were going to ask me until Luna cut in.
"Hey, Luv," Lina said
Sam turned to face her and say "What?"
"Do you know what happened to those kids on the stairwell," She asked
"No clue," said Sam
"Beats me," Luan said
"Your guess is as good as mine," Maggie said
"I know!" Leni perked up and I choked on my food from the remark
"You do? What happened?" Sam said
"Oh Mendy kicked their butt's" Leni was about to say
"Really? How? They're like the meanest kids in town!" Maggie said
"I whipped the boys in the balls and threatened the girl" I lied
"He did!" Leni said
"Wow!" Luna said, "dude, that's a bit harsh don't ya think?"
"Look… I don't care who you are, if you piss me off, I'll punch you in the face." I said
"Yeah… but what will people think?" Leni said
"What?" I looked up at her "This isn't a high school musical. If you want shit done then you have to do it yourself."
Sam and Maggie gasped. I looked up and I saw them with shocked faces.
"Dude, you just dropped the S-bomb," Sam said
"So?" I said "I don't give a fuck if this shitty ass world can't take care of its pussy fucking residents. Fuck that shit, fuck that shit. This isn't shitty fucking elementary, grow some fucking ovaries."
Sam, Maggie, Luan, Luna, and Leni looked at me in shock but the cafeteria drowned out the noise.
"Of course use it when I can. Not all the time," I said "Like when I'm with family, then I don't do it unless I'm with my uncle Tony. I don't cuss when my parents or siblings are around, of course."
"Yeah, but what did you mean by shitty ass world?" Maggie asked
"This world ain't great," I began "It's cruel actually."
"Really? How?" Sam asked
"I mean… just look outside." I said as I looked out the cafeteria window "Poverty, pollution, war, corporate greed, neglect, Belle Delphine, Paul brothers, Simps, every Simpsons season after 2005, 9/11, WW2, WW1, Vietnam, front-facing Family Guy characters, Soviet Union, the Dark ages, Disease, etc."
I looked back inside and saw them staring at me but Maggie cracked a smile.
"Wow," Maggie said, "I never knew a boy like you could go so deep into the problems in this world."
"Yeah, it's quite surprising how many bad things this world can hold," I said
"Yes!" Maggie squealed in excitement as she ran to me and hugged me "Don't you hate it how you do the things people want you to do even though you'll die?"
"I mean yeah, but no one can tell us what happens after death. That's why you gotta pack as much as you can in every day that you can because if there is an afterlife, you don't want your memories to be full of time wasted." I said
A shade of red came over Maggie's face and she smiled and walked over to me and whispered into my ear "After school, West side of the building."
I blushed as she walked away and into the girls' restroom I looked at the rest of them and Sam and Luna generally held neutral faces. But Leni and Luan's faces were of pure shock and jealousy. 'Ah, shit they heard her.' I thought
"If that's how it's going to be then meet me at the Northside of the building!" Luan said as she walked to the trash can
"Well if it's going to be like that Building! Then meet me at the weast of the Mendy." She said as she walked off and slammed into a wall and didn't even walk through the doorway 2 feet away "Sorry wall."
"This isn't going to end well… is it…" I looked at Luna and Sam "They never had these problems at RMA."
They both shook their heads nope. I sighed as the bell rang. I got up and walked to throw my trash away and slide my tray into the return slot. I looked at my schedule and I went down to the box under lunch.
"Art with Mr. Achmed," I said as I got a shiver down my spine "It's a good thing to know that you're being taught by maybe a terrorist."
5 minutes later
I walk to the entrance of the classroom and with no shock, a man that looked like he was from the middle east was helping a girl draw a circle. He looked up at me and I raised my hand reactively like I had my rifle with me. He walked over to me and put out his hand.
"Hello, my name is, Mr. Achmed, welcome to art," He said in a heavy accent
I extended my hand wearily and grasped his as I looked into his eyes with unprovoked anger. I didn't know why I hated him, he gave no reason for me to. But I felt like he was going to stab my back whenever he could.
"What is your name?" He asked
"Uhhh… M-Mendez…" I said
"Well, Mendez," He said as he let go of my hand "Pick a seat and sit down."
I let go of his hand as he handed me a piece of paper. I looked at it as it was blank and looked around the room. There were open seats around the room as multiple students I didn't know. Suddenly I see a hand emerge from the crowd and wave wildly in the air. I look over to see that it was Maggie who was sitting alone with an empty stool beside her. She patted the empty seat and I swallowed the lump in my throat as I began to walk over to her as I pulled a number 2 mechanical pencil from my left pocket and I slipped my bag off of my bag. I placed it next to my seat and I sat next to Maggie.
"Hi Emmet," She said as she blushed "H-how are you."
"I…" I looked at Mr. Achmed and said "I-I'm fine."
"I sense that you are lying." She said as she crossed her arms
I looked at her in a panic "H-how."
"You're sweating like a person who was buried alive." She said as she pointed at her face
I looked at my phone and pulled up and slipped into the camera app and saw she was right. I was sweating like I ate a pepper. I looked up and took several deep breaths. I closed my eyes and went into my happy place. I opened my eyes to see Maggie on the other side of the table. I jumped as I didn't expect her to move that fast. She rested her head on her palms as she half lidded her eyes at my eyes. I panicked and slammed my paper in front of me and began to draw. I began with several small circles in a line. I looked up at Maggie who looked up at the same time as my hand was moving by itself. She smirked and she looked back at her paper. She put her head down and behind her was Mr. Achmed helping who was helping a girl draw. I burnt holes into the back of his head as hand continued to draw. I looked down to see an M1 Abrams perfectly drawn and shaded.
"Fuck," scilently said as I felt a tap on my shoulder.
I turned to see Mr. Achmed looked at me and smiled. I cracked a sheepish smile and looked at him.
"How's your art going?" he asked
"I-it's going good." I said
"Really? Can I see it?" He asked
"O-okay," I said as I handed the paper
He grasped the paper and looked at it. His eyes went wide and he lowered the paper and looked at me.
"This is beautiful," He said
I held my breath and nodded.
"Can I put this on the board?" He asked
"Mm… Mm-hm," I hummed through my closed lips
He walked away to the front board in the front of the classroom as I exhaled. I looked over to see Maggie looking at Mr. Achmed and got up from her seat and walked over to the board as he put the picture on it with a magnet. I heard her oooh at the image and took it off the magnet. She held it to her chest. She walked over to me and placed it in front of me.
"Can I have it?" Maggie asked
"S-sure," I said
She smiled and held it to her chest again. She looked at me and walked over to her side of the table. She grabbed her paper and slid it over to me.
"I'm not that good at drawing," She said
I looked down to see a tombstone with the name Emmet Mendez and another one that said Maggie Mendez. There was grass and a mediocre looking dead tree. I smiled at the attempt and looked at her. She looked at me as she slipped the picture of the tank in her bag. I waved at her to come over to me and she smiled as she walked over to me.
"This isn't bad at all," I said
"R-really!" Maggie said
"Yeah," I said "All you need to do is some shading here and there."
I took my pencil and shaded the tomb stone and the dead tree.
"And add some decorations," I said as I drew a lantern hanging from the tree and a gravedigger in the distance.
She smiled and oohed at the image. I grabbed it and handed it to her. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain on my finger and I hissed in pain. I looked down to see blood seeping through a little cut in my pointer finger. I looked on the paper and there was a drop of blood on the corner of the paper. She looked at the paper and I expected her to frown at the ruined paper. But I suddenly felt a shiver down my spine when I saw her smile.
"Oh," She said "Looks like you got a paper cut."
"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I said
"I have a band-aid if you need it," She said
"Y-yeah," I said, "I could need it please."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a little band-aid. She grabbed my hand and was about to unwrap but she smiled seductively. I gulped and I looked away as my face was turning red.
"Looks like I have to clean the wound first," Maggie said
I didn't know what she meant until I felt a wet sensation as well as a slimy mass wrapping my finger. I looked down to see Maggie sucking on my finger as her tongue licked my wound. I hissed in pain and she kept it in there for a while. I grew a face of a tomato and Maggie finally let go of my finger. She opened the band-aid and she wrapped it on my finger.
"There, all better," She said
RING RING RING
I looked up at the bell and realised that the class was over. I looked at Maggie who was slurring my body fluids in her mouth. I saw her swallow and she smiled.
"You taste great," She said
She walked out of the class and I looked at my finger.
"These people are fucking insane," I whispered to myself
6 minutes later
I walked to my next class on the second floor that was Biology with Mrs. Roberts. I looked up from the schedule and realised that I was about to collide with someone. I bumped into a girl. I heard her scream as she fell and I suddenly grasped her shoulders and fell on my knees reactively. I felt her head land on my knees and I stopped her fall.
"Are you ok!?" I asked as I realized who it was
"Y-yeah I am, thanks Mendy," Luan said
"Are you lost?" I asked
"N-no, I don't think so," Leni said "I have Mrs. Roberts."
"Well this is her class room," I said when I realized that she was still on my lap "Well, we should go inside."
"Y-yeah," She said as she got up
I got up off the floor and dusted myself up and looked at Luan who was waiting for me to get inside. I opened the door and I moved out of the way as Luan entered.
"Oooh, what a gentleman," She said as she laughed
"Don't get used to it," I said as I blushed
I sat down in the back of the class and Luan pulled up a seat next to me. She sat down and she looked at me. I looked at her and she just stared at me.
"Is… Is there anything you need?" I asked
"Oh, yeah," She said "What are we doing today?"
"I have no clue," I said
"Ok class!" Mrs Roberts said as she tapped on the table, "Welcome to school and for you second to last class of the day I want to give you all a warm welcome."
"Hi Mrs. Roberts" The class said
"Ok," Mrs. Roberts said, "Today we are giving you a refresher about Genetics and how offspring from sexuall creatures inherit their traits. You should have learned this when you were a freshman"
"Oh, god…" I said silently
"This is going to be a group project," She said "You have one person next to you, pick 3 traits you want to compare and calculate the probability of your metaphorical child having those traits. Am I clear?"
"Christal clear," I said
I looked at Luan who had the same look Maggie did in the art room.
"So… what will our baby look like?" She said
"Well let's find out," I said very uncomfortably "Let's do Hair color, Eye color, and gender."
"Ok," she said
"So I have brown eyes which are dominant genes which will be a big B and you have brown and blonde from your parents which will be recessive in this situation so it will be small b and y." I said "So when we do the calculations and merge the genes in this situation will be the combinations of Bb, Bb, By, and By."
"So it will have your hair," She said
"So for eye color, I have recessive green eyes while you have dominant brown eyes." I said "So when I do the calculations it will be 100% brown eyes."
"So it will have my eyes," She said
"And for gender it's always 50/50," I said "Well unless you're from Chernobyl."
Luan giggled as she got up from her seat and grabbed the bottom of her shirt. She began to lift it up and I looked away.
"Luan, what are you doing?!" I silently panicked
"We're making a baby," Luan said
"That wasn't part of the instructions," I said
"Oh come on," Luan said "We can be quiet,"
"Do you even know how a baby is made," I said
"Y….yeah," Luan said "...no,"
I pinched the bridge of my nose and said "Look a baby is made when-"
10 minutes of explaining how babies are made
"-and after that a baby comes out." I concluded
"Oh…" she said "Well can we try to do that,"
"What," I said "N-not now! Were sophomores, nowhere near the age of where babies are supposed to be made."
"Well… what about if we grow up," Luan said
"Look.." I said as I pinched the bridge of my nose "If you still have these feelings for me when we leave highschool… then…"
"Then?" She said
"Then... maybe we can get married and start a family… MAYBE," I said
"I'm so fucking happy!" She silently celebrated
"I can tell," I said
RING RING RING
"Well class is over," I said
"I know," She said "But just wait for 1 year… then I'll give you a personal lesson…"
She got up from her seat and slapped her ass and exited the classroom. I looked and put my head in my hands. I got up and headed to the last period which thankfully I didn't share with any of them.
5 minutes and one class period later
I exited the gym and I was sweating a bit but the rest of the class was dying from running 4 laps and are now dying from carrying their bags. I looked around and saw that the students of the school were bunching up in front of the school. Waiting to go home on the buses.
Bzzt bzzt
I fished my phone out of my pocket and looked at the locked screen.
'Don't forget about out meeting, love XOXO' - Mrs. Funny
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh shit," I said "I forgot…"
I looked to the west of the school and saw Leni leaning on a wall with a piece of paper in her hands as she read it and then held it to her chest. I looked to the East and saw Maggie with a piece of paper and she scribbled on it. I dashed behind a tree and I saw Luan walk by with an envelope in her hands. I closed my eyes as I put my back to the tree.
"Ah fuck, this isnt going to end well," I said "come on Mendez… think think think think…"
Suddenly I thought of a plan but it was risky as hell like operation overlord.
"This is going to end one of 2 ways," I said "I am either going to get them to agree with me or get ripped to shreds,"
I did a left face and marched out of my hiding spot. I walked over to Leni and she smiled at me.
"Oh hi Emmy!" Leni said "I'm so happy you chose me-"
Suddenly I grabbed her hand and pulled her with me. I turned the corner and I saw Luan and she turned to me and smiled but soon she made it disappear and frowned.
"Leni, what are you-" Luan was saying until I grabbed her hand and dragged her with me.
She was pulled and almost struck Leni but she managed to gain her balance. She glared at Leni as did Leni. They were silently arguing as I turned to the East side of the building. I saw Maggie who was scribbling on the paper that had my blood stain. She looked up at me and she smiled but soon it disappeared as she saw Leni and Luan. She was about to speak but I made Leni and Luan stand next to each other.
"Ok… we need to talk," I said
"Are you going to say who you are going to have as your partner," Maggie said "Aka me. I understand you."
"Like hell!" Luan said "He needs someone who can make him laugh."
"No," Leni said as she waved the paper in the air, " He needs someone who can love him forever and ever."
"Right?" they all said to me at the same time
I pinched the bridge of my nose and began "Look… I know we're all teenagers and the hormones are changing but we still have a lot of time ahead of us. I mean you are all great girls and any boy will be lucky to have you and it's flattering. But you have to understand that we have to remember that some other guy might come by and steal your hearts and you'll be stuck with me. We didn't even do anything special together. How can you even tell that I'm your soulmate."
"Y-yes we did!" Luan said "We kissed!"
"We exchanged bodily fluids." Maggie said
"You were touching my boobies." Leni said
"WHAT!?"
"Ok," I said, "1, That was an unexpected kiss from you, Luan. 2, I didn't expect you to suck on my finger cut, Maggie. 3, I was cleaning orange juice from your shirt, Leni."
They all stayed silent and they blushed very hard as they remembered what we did. I looked at them as they all held paper and looked back at them.
"What do you have there," I asked
"Oh this," Leni said "It's for you."
She blushed as she handed it to me and I looked at it. It was a letter and I read it in my head 'Hi Mendy, I know that you think that I'm dumb but I want to say something. I like you, like, really really like you. I know you think love is dumb but I can make you my little Mendy and I'll care for you and love you forever. I hope you understand.'
"D-do you like it?" Leni asked
I felt my heart warm up and I smiled and said "Yes it's very cute."
"W-what about me?!" Maggie said "Don't you want to see the dark masterpiece I made."
"Ok, let me see," I said as I extended my hand
She held out the picture and I grasped it. I stared down at the picture and I saw it was the same picture I helped her draw in art class. Except she added some things. She drew a perfect portrait of Maggie with her wrists cut in a bride's gown and me in a US army uniform with my arm blown off. I felt shivers down my spine but a smile grew on my face. She understood how I wanted to go out. I looked up at her and smiled.
"I love it," I said to Maggie
She blushed as she hid her redness in her hands. Suddenly Luan came up and handed me the envelope. I looked at it and flipped it open. What I found inside were photos of us at the pool, when we were at the play, a picture with me sleeping and a drawn on mustache and Luan in a selfie position holding a marker. But the next picture was with Luan asleep with a Hitler stash drawn on and me in the selfie position with a marker in hand and I snickered at the image. But when I flipped to the last image I suddenly felt a wave of shock. There was Luan in my army uniform and beret perfectly put on and tight around her body. She put up a peace sign while holding the phone. I didn't want to admit it but she looked… hot.
"W-wow," I said "Thank you guys, you don't know how much this means to me."
"Yeah, no problem." Luan said
"But I thought we had a problem," Leni question
"Yeah!" Maggie said "Who's going to be your beloved?"
"I have an idea!" Leni waved
"Ok, let's hear it," I said
"What if we shared," Leni said
.
.
.
"What..." I said
"Like what if we all shared you," Leni said "Then we can be like a big happy family and we all have babies."
"W-what?!" Luan panicked "He's one guy and I'm not ok with this."
"I am," Maggie said
Luan looked at Maggie in complete shock and she crossed her arms. Then she sighed and looked at me.
"I guess we can try it," Luan said, "B-but that's up to him."
They all looked at me in content eyes and I gupped.
"I… I need time to think," I said "You are all beautiful girls, but… how about this."
"Ok, what is it?" Maggie said
"When we grow older and in the future when we are old enough to make our own decisions." I said "If you girls all still have these feelings, maybe we can try an open ended relationship."
"...no" Leni said
"What?" I said
"I don't want to wait!" Leni pouted "I love you!"
"B-but," I said before Luan cut me off
"Yeah, why can't you just accept that," Luan said
"We want you now!" Maggie said
"We love you!" all 3 of them said
"No, wait-"
"Tell us why we can't love you!?"
"If I cou-"
"We love you, so please accept it,"
"Can I-"
"Let-"
"Just tell-"
"I'M NOT LETTING YOU DRAG ME FROM WHAT I HAVE TO DO!" I yelled
.
.
.
.
.
"W-what do you mean by that?" Luan asked
I sighed as I said "L-look… I… I have…"
"You have what?" Leni asked
"I have to go into the military…" I said "I-I havent been telling you all the truth…"
"W-what do you mean?" Maggie asked
Flashback (May 29th, 2010) 4 year old Emmet
I sat in my play house in my room playing Super Mario Bros on my Nintendo DS with a Spongebob carrying case and I was having the time of my life. I was fiddling with the little controller until I heard a knock on the door. My mom entered with Pajamas on and opened the door to my play house.
"Hey, buddy," She said " how are you?"
"Good, mommy," I said
"Do you like your new DS, I got you?" She asked
"Yeah it's so cool." I said "You're the bestest ever."
She smiled and patted me on the head.
"Mommy?"
"Yeah?"
"When is daddy coming back?"
I saw my mom hold her breath and suddenly the mood turned dark. I tilted my head to the side as I closed the DS.
"Your… Sweetheart, you know daddy hasn't been back for months… right?" She said
"Y-yeah," I replied
"W-well… daddy won't be back… h-hes… he's not coming back from Iraq," she said
"Why? Daddy's in the army. He can come back when he wants to." I said to her
"Emmet, listen… it hurts me to say this… b-but its just… daddy won't be back," She said
"O….ok," I said "But where is he?"
"He… He's… He's in a better place." She said as she hugged me
I hugged her back and I heard her begin to sob. I looked at her and broke the hug.
"Mommy?" I asked "Are you ok?"
"Y-yeah," she wiped the tears away, "I'm fine. S-say… h-how about we get some Mcdonald's."
"O-ok…" I said
End of Flashback
"But now that I'm older I realised what happened." I said "Then my mom met my step dad and my step brother and after 3 years my sister was born."
I looked back at them and they were all crying saft tears and breathing heavily.
"And I'll be damned if the person that killed my dad gets away," I said "I'll hunt him down until it kills me."
I heard footsteps and I saw Maggie walk to me with tears in her eyes. She stopped not even a foot from me and collapsed into a hug. I heard her sobbing into my shoulder and I patted her head. Suddenly Luan and Leni hugged me too and I held my ground as they all sobbed on me. They let go and looked at me.
"I'm so sorry," Leni said "I-I had no idea."
"Hey," I walked up to her and placed me hands on her head and whipped away a tear. "It's not your fault."
Leni, Luan and Maggie squeezed even harder and I felt the tears begin to flow. I stood there for a while until Leni looked at me.
"W-what are you going to do after that…" Leni said "After you find who killed your dad?"
"W-well I…" I paused "I… I don't… I don't know… I guess after that…. Sigh… I have no purpose… I guess after that I'll just take my own life."
They let go and looked at me in complete shock.
"Emmet… it doesn't have to be like this…" Luan said
"Really?" I said "What other purpose do I serve. I'm just made to fight and die. There's nothing special about me."
Suddenly I felt an intense pain strike my cheek as Maggie slapped me. I look up to see Maggie looking at me with tears in her eyes.
"Just listen," Maggie said "I'll give you a purpose."
Suddenly she grabbed my shirt and pulled me to her. I felt our lips connect as she slipped her tongue through. She broke the kiss then suddenly Luan grabbed me and did the same. She broke it again and Leni hugged me tight and kissed me as well.
"Emmet," Luan said, "You have a lot of talent. You're an excellent marksman, artist, gamer, engineer, pilot, actor, and hell, you made 3 girls fall in love with you within a span of a month. You have a lot to live for. Maybe you can start your own family with the 3 of us."
"B-b-but what about you guys," I panicked "Won't you 3 get jealous of each other. Like what if I had a kid with you. Wouldn't Leni and Maggie be jealous that I chose you."
"I'd be mad at you for a little bit," Maggie said "But I'll be fine… well… if I have one too."
"I won't be upset because I know you love me just as much and want to have one with me too," Leni cheered
"See, Emmet," Luan said "Were all ok with it."
"B-but what will all of our parents think," I listed of reasons," What will society think, would we even live together, what if I join the military, what will our childr-"
"Shhhhhh" Leni cut me off "I think you're getting too far ahead. We're teenagers, let's enjoy being teenagers. The time will come in the future."
"Yeah," Maggie said, "and if you still want to join the military and if we all become stay at home wifes then we would each take turns with a job."
"Yeah I'm ok with that," Luan agreed
"Me too," Leni said
"B-buh buh-buh-buh" I sputtered with my mind racing "...I think it's time for us to go home"
I turned to the front of the school and began to march to the bus. I stepped onto the bus as the crowd began to come into ear distance. I marched to the back and sat down. I closed my eyes but suddenly I felt a mass sit on my lap. I opened my eyes to see Maggie sitting on my lap while Leni and Luan were on either side of me. They closed their eyes as they began to sleep on the bus. I was going to reach for my phone until Leni held my hand as did Luan with my other one. I looked at them and smiled at how peaceful they looked.
'Ah fuck it, we get there when we get there.' I thought as I closed my eyes
15 minutes later
I felt a finger poke me and I cracked my eyes and saw Luan with her finger pointed at me trying to wake me up.
"Come on sleepy head," Luan said
"Time to get up," Leni added
I looked out the window and saw that we were pulling up onto our block and I stretched my arms. I looked down at my lap but realised Maggie wasn't there.
"Hey, where's Maggie?" I said
"Oh she got off 2 stops ago," Luan said "She didn't want to wake you so she let you sleep."
"Oh, I'll tell her thanks tomorrow." I said
I got up and swung my bag over my shoulder and got off the bus. I fished out my phone and looked at the time... 4:02. No homework, No drill, no work, well I guess its time for my daily Doom eternal gaming session. I look to see Leni, Luna, and Luan getting off the bus as the doors closed and the rumbles and bus drives away.
"Hey, thanks for everything," I said
"It's no problem Mendy," Leni said
"Yeah,"Luan said "I guess we drove our hearts into yours."
I laughed at the pun and I suddenly heard the front door of the Loud's house swing open. Lincoln rushed out the front door and was jumping up and down. He stopped in front of me with an excited expression put on
"Hey Mendez!" Lincoln said "You won't believe what happened!"
"Hey, buddy!" I said as I dabbed him up "What happened."
"I've been doing good all year and bought myself an Xbox series X!" Lincoln said "And it comes with Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Warzone."
"Oh ho ho ho," I chuckled "Ready to get beat!"
"Over my dead body!" Lincoln said
"I'll beat you onto the Lobby!" I said
Lincoln turned and dashed into the house as Luna was pushed inside. I was about to do the same but I looked at Luan and Leni. They smiled at me and I smiled at them back. I ran up to both of them and pecked them both on the lips. They blushed and I turned the other way.
"Lincoln! I'm going to kick your butt!" I shouted before running to my house