((((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss |{{^.^}}| Lina ||{.^}|| Gourry ((^.^)) Amelia
Seyruun High
Jinx
Chapter 2
Lina was not a morning person, and the first day back at school her first class
was 8:00 AM, Advanced
Composition. An
important class. A WAKE UP AND A PAY ATTENTION kind of class.
This morning the teacher was on a roll…"Since this is the ADVANCED class,
I expect you are all able write. To assess your individual ability levels I would
like two writing samples, due tomorrow," said the teacher.
Groans
"This sucks," murmured Lina to Zel nearby.
"The first… a one page report on any one thing you did last summer,"
the teacher continued ignoring the numerous moans and cross comments.
"One page!
I can summarize my summer with a single WORD," began Zel gloomily.
"The second sample shall be a poem, about feelings," continued the
teacher. "At least ten
lines."
"I'll just repeat that one word over ten times. That has feelings," whispered Zel to Lina.
"Zelgadiss, do you have something to share with the rest of the
class?" asked the teacher. She did
not have to consult her seating chart to know his name. He was quite memorable.
Zel hated the attention drawn to him. He simply shook his head and scooted
lower in his seat.
The teacher nodded and scanned the room for hands. "Yes, Filia, you have a question?"
"Can the report be longer?"
"No. One page maximum. Anyone
else? Yes, Xelloss?"
"Hand-written or typed?"
"I prefer typed. Hand-written must be very neat. Yes,
Martina?"
"How many pages?"
sigh
"ONE page report. TEN line poem. Any other questions? Yes, Xelloss?"
"Pen or pencil?"
sigh
"Pen, black or blue ink."
"Can I use purple?" he asked, innocently.
a few class snickers
sigh
"Anyone else?" asked the
teacher patiently and tactfully passing over any further inane questions.
"You may have the rest of the period to do your work. There are
dictionaries and thesauruses on the shelf in back."
"So what are you writing about, Lina?" asked Martina chewing on her
pencil.
"I'm not. I'm working on, as in thinking
about, my poem," she answered. "I have no coherent thoughts but plenty of emotions.
"What are you thinking about, seriously, Zel?" asked Lina.
"Drowning myself. My summer vacation… I slipped
off a rock at the pond in the park, hit my head, and landed facedown in the
water. Is that a page yet?"
Lina made a face at her sarcastic friend and turned to Filia on her other side,
"Hey Filia, what'cha going to write about?"
"I can't decide. We were so busy at the colony last summer. The entire
clan moved to a new settlement. I was honored to lead the procession," she
began.
"Ah, wow, Filia. You just write about that," said Lina shaking her
head a little bit.
She turned around. Xelloss was seated directly behind Zel. He was smiling, eyes
closed and humming a tune. Now there was
a kid she'd rarely seen around.
"So, Xelloss, aren't you going to get
started?" she asked.
"No. I'll type it up on the computer tonight. Do you think she has a fax?" he asked,
eyes still closed.
"I don't know. Why don't you ask?" answered Lina slyly.
"Why not?" he giggled, and hopped over to the teacher.
When Lina reached her locker, Amelia was already there bouncing with
enthusiasm, "Oh, Miss Lina! Would you help me stick up these posters?
Thank you! Oh, Mr. Zelgadiss! Here's some posters for
you too! One in each hallway and the cafeteria and the computer lab and
library..."
"Yeah, sure, Amelia, I get it, like everywhere," Lina murmured.
"What are they for?"
"I'm getting a head start. I'm running for student council freshman
president! Miss Sylphiel already nominated me and Miss Filia seconded it. I met
them both in chorus."
"Chorus? That was only second period. When did
you find the time?" asked Lina surprised at Amelia's determination.
"Well, I KNEW somebody would, if I told them I was interested. So I
printed up the posters over the weekend. I've helped with my father's campaigns
and have lots of experience!" answered Amelia energetically.
"I bet. Well, don't want to be
late. See ya later!" and Lina left.
Amelia turned her starry blue eyes to Zelgadiss, and though she lost a little
of her shine, she still seemed to want him to do something for her. Zel looked
down at the stack of glossy posters in his hands. 'Vote Amelia,' they read,
'For Justice!" with a full-color picture of her face. Some had variations
like 'It's the right thing to do!', but they were all equally cheery and
gung-ho. He felt a little sick.
"I...have to go too, Amelia, sorry," he handed her posters back and
hurried away so that he didn't have to see her reaction. He was not out of
range to hear Martina's reaction.
"You have posters, ALREADY?
Nobody told me we could do that
yet!" Martina, screamed, tearing at her sleeve.
"As soon as you have been nominated and seconded, the campaigning can
begin! I've read all the rules. There's an assembly next week. If you want you
can make your first speech to the student body." Amelia said glowing with
accomplishment.
"I see...then…I'll do it! Lina's never
been president. I'll be the sophomore president, and show her!" Martina sniffed and stalked off.
The bell had rung. Some time ago. Zel sped into the advanced science room,
taking the only available seat, up front, next to Xelloss.
"You are late already and it's only the first day. I'm disappointed in
you, what's your name?" asked the teacher.
"Zel. I'm sorry too. My locker wouldn't open. I
had to get the custodian and now the lock's
busted." And I have to carry all my crap around so I look more geeky than ever until I can find a new locker next to some
creep who make my life even worse than it already is. The last stream-of-consciousness was muttered
in a voice so low only Xelloss seated nearby could hear it.
He leaned toward Zel, who looked miserable, and said cheerily, "You can
share my locker. I never use it."
"Oh joy," was all Zel could utter. "This day just keeps getting
better all the time."
This teacher was on a roll, too.
"The first line of business will be selecting lab partners. I will
assign you and your partner a lab equipment unit, which contains your lab kit
and list. You will examine all your equipment in your kits and check them off
on the list. If anything is missing or broken, notify me at once. I will sign
and collect all of your lists. When this is done, you are to put your units
away under the table where you found them. Each unit is numbered. Each table is
numbered. Be sure the numbers match. Are there any questions?" This was
delivered in a monotone by their pasty-faced, be-speckled teacher, who remained
seated on a tall stool and fiddled with his white lab coat lapel.
The overhead fluorescent lights hummed.
One flickered in back, threatening to blink out any minute. The class was speechless.
"Do we get to choose our own lab partners?" asked Xelloss, smiling at
Zel, who squirmed in his chair and looked paler than usual.
"Yes, if there are any problems, see me immediately. Any other
questions?" droned the teacher.
"Ah. what's a unit?" asked an invisible
nobody.
"If there are no questions, then you may find a partner and get
started," finished the teacher.
Zel had collapsed on his desk. He had given up. "Why fight it? I'm lost.
Lina will forget I'm here and I'll be left to..."
"Gods, Zel, are you all right? Don't you want to get this unit stuff done
and go to lunch, partner?" Lina
was used to his moods and ignored them mostly.
"Lina?" Zel brightened measurably, "Oh
yeah, SURE."
He had practically examined, cleaned, and checked-off the entire kit before
most of the students had even secured their 'units'. That's why Lina always
picked him for a partner. He was precise, exacting, and efficient. She wasn't.
This gave her plenty of time to walk around and chat and lend a hand where one
might really be needed. She ended up at Xelloss' table. He hadn't checked his
unit. Instead, he was attempting to balance as many beakers and flasks on top
of each other as possible.
"Oh, hello, Lina!" he smiled, "Just one more...that's it! What
do you think?"
"Nice, Xelloss… so where'd your partner go?" she asked.
"I never have one. Ah, there's the bell. Now the trick is getting them
down, without breaking any…"
CRASH! "Ooops! Well, that's too bad. My record's
broken." He looked heartbroken, and then laughed.
Lunchtime had arrived at last and everyone had gravitated around one table,
Lina's people. Lina lived with her older sister, who worked at a restaurant.
She brought tons of leftovers home each evening, so Lina brought her lunch each
day. A very big lunch. Gourry bought his. He balanced
three lunch trays on one arm and a juggled a quart of milk, eating utensils,
straws and a glass in the other.
"Uh, Lina, can I sit there?" he asked indicating the chair next to
her.
"Are you going to try to steal any of my food?" she demanded
"No...umm this is getting heavy..."
"Sure, then. It's okay by me."
Gourry carefully pulled out the chair with one foot and slowly set down the
trays and milk. "Oh, here, I got you a straw."
"Thanks Gourry!" said Lina, stuffing food into her mouth.
Zel shook his head. He wondered if Lina even noticed how thoughtful that guy
was. Maybe Gourry didn't either. Zel was drinking from a bottle of coffee drink
called 'Frappacino'. Naturally he had left his money in
his locker, the one with the broken lock, so that by the time he'd gone back
and checked it, the money was gone, of course. He'd scraped together enough
change to get the drink. "Oh the day just keeps getting better and
better," he thought.
Amelia plunked down next to him, "Oh hi, Mr. Zelgadiss."
Zel choked on his Frappacino, "Just call me Zel,
okay?"
Amelia opened her brand-new white lunchbox. She placed a clean white cloth
napkin on the table in front of her. She set out numerous Tupperware containers,
a matched set of eating utensils, a thin silver Thermos, and a tiny bag of
jellybeans, tied with a pink bow. Zel watched her open those little containers
with a mixture of horror and fascination.
"Would you like some grapes?" she offered him, "You know you
should eat something. It's not healthy to skip meals, especially breakfast and
lunch!" she added.
"Was that Martina working the lunch line?" Filia asked Gourry.
He nodded.
"I thought I heard her grumbling as I walked in." Filia said, sitting
beside Amelia. "Nice lunchbox!"
Filia used only biodegradable, good-for-the-environment lunch bags and
wrappers. She was also a concerned vegan, and so everything in her lunch was a
soy-based, textured product, both indestructible and indigestible, from Lina's
point of view. Filia poured herself a cup of tea, herbal naturally, and
listened to the others.
Sylphiel had seated herself quietly beside Gourry, then
asked, "I baked these cookies myself. Would you like some?" She wiggled a cellophane bag temptingly in
his direction.
Gourry nodded, and happily took a couple out of the bag. He stuffed them in his
mouth and followed them down with a gulp of milk, "Those are really good.
You are a really good cook, Sylphiel! Thanks!" and he grabbed two more.
Lina, believing they were for her as well, grabbed a few too.
Sylphiel looked a little shocked, then said, "Lina, how can you eat so
much, and stay so slim?" without waiting for an answer, she continued,
"I have to be so careful about everything I eat. If I just look at a bowl
of ice cream, I might gain pounds."
Dieting and diet chat was uninteresting to Lina. "Sylphiel, you look fine.
Don't obsess, okay. Oh and the cookies are good, try one?"
Xelloss suddenly appeared out of nowhere and took the seat open beside Zel. He
sat smiling and sipping a cup of tea. Zel jumped when he noticed him,
"H-How long have you been sitting there?"
"Nnnot long," the strange boy drawled
lazily.
"So… no lunch, Xelloss?" Lina asked.
"Ah haaa, now, Lina, that's...a secret." He
grinned, opening one eye and pointing at her with a forefinger.
"Whatever..." she said and returned to snorting down her food.
Moments later, she looked up and asked, "Has anyone seen Val today?"
Sylphiel answered tremulously, "I-Isn't he...a trouble-maker? And his
father's some kind of a hoodlum!"
"It's his STEP-father anyway, and Val's not bad. He's just a little wild,
that's all, and his step-father takes advantage of him," Lina corrected.
She liked Val. Not LIKED liked him, but he was fun
and interesting to hang out with. Besides, who said she WASN'T a trouble- maker? "But his step-dad is bad
news."
Amelia jumped up. "Ah! An innocent heart, exploited by the forces of evil!
We must steer Mr. Val onto the righteous path with love and friendship-"
Lina sighed. "I don't think that's going to fly, Amelia. But I guess we
should at least lean on him a little to come to school more often!"
"Well, he did show up for band class today, Lina," Xelloss informed
her.
"How would you know? You're not
in band!" Zel asked, suspiciously.
"Well, that is… a secret!"
Xelloss ducked as Zelgadiss threw a punch at his face, and then he disappeared,
leaving the unhappy boy to steam alone and unrequited.
"Well, Val's really good at painting! He did my skateboard last night.
You've gotta see it!" Gourry said, excited.
"Really? How nice," Sylphiel cooed and
batted her eyelashes at Gourry, who didn't notice since his eyes were veered
towards Lina.
"It's so cool, with a big glowy sword and all.
Wanna see it? It's in my locker," he offered to Lina, as if he was
offering to show her the crown jewels.
Lina brushed him off as usual. "No, don't drag it out now, I'll see it
after school, your locker is right next to mine. Speaking of lockers, you don't
have your stuff, Zel. What did you finally do about that nasty pinch?" she
turned the conversation to poor Zelgadiss.
No, I'm not telling her that I'm using
that goofball's locker, I just can't.
Zelgadiss thought fast. "That...is a secret!" he quoted,
thinking he must have gone demented, and rushed out before he could damn
himself any further.
Xelloss returned to the table, noting Zel's absence with a raised eyebrow. He took his previous seat, set down a fresh
cup of tea, and sat smiling while dumping packets of sugar into the cup and stirring
it with his forefinger. Filia sniffed in disgust and turned to Amelia.
CRASH !
Martina slammed down her lunch tray hard enough to even wipe the smile off
Xelloss' face. She had claimed Zel's vacated seat with the ardor of a woman
scorned. "Naturally you're all about to leave. We working girls
have to take our breaks when we can. Lina I thought YOU were going to do
lunch-line duty this year or I wouldn't have lowered myself to do this
?"
"I said I was thinking about it.
Something better came up in peer counseling. Listen Gourry, I've changed my
mind about your board. I'll see it now," said Lina, standing and clearing
her trash.
"Ah, sure, Lina!" said Gourry, obediently following.
"Wait for me, Gourry!" cried Sylphiel, and then added, "I
couldn't, you know… finish this sandwich, would you like it?"
"Yeah, thanks!" he grinned melting her in his sunny disposition.
Filia continued to speak exclusively to Amelia. Martina chatted endlessly to
anyone she made eye contact with, or not. Xelloss sipped tea and eavesdropped
on both conversations. Martina was describing a wonderful new tea house with
traditional service, whatever that was. Filia's whispering his name to Amelia
alerted his attention.
"Just stay away from him, that's all I saying," Filia warned.
"But he seems nice and...he's a friend of Miss
Lina's," said Amelia supportively.
"Maybe, maybe not, he's up to no good. When I
find out what, I bet he'll get expelled.
Also, he's obviously
gay." Filia said this looking him squarely in the eye.
Xelloss dropped his trademark smile. "Just because I don't fawn on her
like every other guy does, doesn't give her the right to call me names. I don't have a girlfriend, but I don't have a
boyfriend either! That Zelgadiss
character doesn't date, but of course he's the poor scarred boy nobody likes. I
can't tell about the others. Well, we
can't let people get the wrong idea about me. I'll have to do something… Lina's
gone now. I wish she was still
here. She'd care. Okay, she probably wouldn't, but I'd like her
to. Oh, yeah…sure, just stand in that
line, Xel!
That air-head, Gourry dotes on her, that punk Val drools, even Zel
dreams, I'll bet. Well I can be her friend too...I must!"
"XELLOSS! Weren't you listening to me?" screamed Martina.
"Oww, yes, you like that new restaurant, it
seems. Would you like to go to dinner Friday night?" he asked smiling
again.
"With…you?"
Martina stammered. She was
astounded. What a catch! Xelloss seemed
polite, dressed well, so he apparently had some money and, best of all, he
wasn't hanging all over Lina. Aloud, she answered, "Oh, Xelloss, I'd love too."
They left moments later, together holding hands.
"See, Miss Filia, You were wrong about Mr. Xelloss. That's very unjust of
you. You hurt his feelings and you
should apologize to him!" cried Amelia.
"Hmm, okay maybe he's not gay,
just secretive and evil. I still say
he's up to something...only time will tell," sniffed Filia shaking her
beautiful long blond hair. "Come along, Amelia,
let's get some fresh air before class starts."
Xelloss' locker was actually in a prime location, right next to the computer
lab. Clandestinely, as if this was a secret operation, Zel worked at the
combination until the metal door swung open. It was roomy. Impossibly roomy. It
seemed like someone had knocked out the separation between two lockers just for
Xelloss. Zel was suspicious, but this day was too bad for him to worry about
just ONE detail. Besides, it would be hard to mess up his next class: computer
lab.
Zel slunk behind a computer terminal at the back of the room. Xelloss moved to
another one at the far side, near the windows. The rest of the class filled in
between, many uncomfortable with contacting technology. He logged on and chose
a chess game to warm up.
The teacher was outlining the course and passing out questionnaires entitled
'Getting in Touch with My Techno-Self". She spoke quietly to Xelloss and
then approached Zel with Xelloss in tow. Zel looked up.
"I received some new toys this summer. I'd like you boys to test them out,
write up brief reviews, and start some simple 'How To' manuals we can use in
the lab. Interested?" asked the teacher.
Zel nodded tentatively, waiting for the inevitable other shoe to drop. Xelloss
grinned.
"I have the newest I-movie tools for our computers and video camera. I'd
like you to make a video using all the features." The teacher smiled relishing the news.
Xelloss asked, "When do we get the camera?"
"I'll bring everything in tomorrow so you can install the software. Oh
yes, and Zel, there's a new top-of-the-line computer to go with it. Do you
think you'd be able to setup the hardware too?" she asked.
Zel brightened, "Yes! How soon? Tomorrow? Should
I come before school starts?"
"If you could, that would be wonderful. Now I've got to go back to the
rest of the class," she said and stepped away.
Xelloss returned to his terminal.
Zel contently contemplated the chess board. He'd have to
work with Xelloss, but he decided that he would not let that spoil his good
time with the hardware.
" I DID IT! I DID IT! COME SEE!" |||^.^||| appeared
on Zel's screen.
"DID WHAT? SCRATCH THAT-- I'M BUSY" (((.'-)) Zel shot back.
"PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE" |||^.^||| completely filled Zel's screen, quickly
followed by:
"BESIDES, YOU DON'T WANT TO MOVE YOUR KNIGHT YET, THE BISHOP'S MOVE IS
BETTER." |||^.^|||
Zel glared at Xelloss. He was right, but how did he know? The guy wasn't a mind
reader, was he? Zel's terminal was
hung now, so he marched over to Xelloss' grumbling, "Might as well get
this over with..."
Xelloss was beaming with pride. His screen showed a tiny figure bouncing up and
down surrounded by a fireworks display. The following words flashed on and off
at the top of the screen:
'CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU HAVE KILLED ALL THE GOLDEN DRAGONS WITH ONE STROKE!
YOU HAVE NOW PROGRESSED TO THE STATUS OF
BEASTMASTER!'
Zel was impressed. He had only just achieved the status of SUPREME SHAMAN. He
had no idea how Xelloss could have found a way, and said so, unable to mask the
amazement and rising admiration in his voice, "Can you give me a hint as
to how you did that?"
"Come over after school, and I'll do better! I'll show you all the tricks!" Xelloss offered.
"We can't do that over the Internet?" Zel asked hopefully.
The purple-haired kid shook his head slowly 'no'.
Zel sighed resignedly, "When?"
"Right after school. We can walk together. I
don't bite, really! That way you'll
know how to find my house," Xelloss said.
Zel shrugged in defeat, perfect end to the perfect day, yeah right.
**** ( ^^ ) ****
End Seyruun High Jinx Chapter 2