((((.-)) Zel |||^.^||| Xelloss |{{^.^}}| Lina ||{.^}|| Gourry ((^.^)) Amelia
Seyruun High
Jinx
Chapter 3
Good things come to those that wait, even Fridays, in most cases. However, not
everyone was a happy camper in the advanced composition class, and so, those
folks would just have to wait a little longer for those good things.
Glowing with anticipation of ruining the day for most of the students, the teacher
rustled a hand-full of papers and stood waiting for them to settle down and
listen. "I enjoyed your reports and
poems so much that I knew I had to find a way to share them with you. So, I had
them copied with the names covered. Everyone will read someone else's poem.
Let's begin with...Zelgadiss..." the teacher said, holding out a paper.
Zel sighed and looked over the poem, sighed again and began to read:
Shafts of golden light
Beam down on me through forest trees
They warm my heart
I'm happy as a child of Nature
But as others ravage our Mother
They do so to me as well
My golden heart is tarnished with sorrow
But I sparkle still with hope
That together we can save our Mother
And be happy together as Her children
Zel sat down and buried his face in his arms on his desk, "I feel
so...dirty....... sniff ," he mumbled so that only Lina
could hear. Lina held in a laugh and snorted instead.
"Thank you. Next, come get this, Lina," demanded the teacher, moving
things along.
Lina shook her head and grabbed the next poem. "Umm, well here goes:
I hate that girl
She's always right
I'll never forgive her for what she did that night
She's not so great
I'm twice as good
She's not so cute
I can't see what the guys see in her
She's much too short and kind of flat
I hate that girl
She'll wish she never hurt me that night.
Lina looked at the teacher, then at Martina,
finally she shrugged her shoulders and sat down. "There's one angry little
girl," Lina whispered to Zel.
"What did you do to her,
anyway?" he whispered back.
"Nothing.
I don't get it!" Lina answered.
"Maybe it wasn't about you," he offered.
"Yeah, right..."
They had missed the next poem. The teacher called the next reader,
"Xelloss, please?"
Xelloss hopped to the teacher's desk, glanced over the poem, and then over the
sound of a few snickers, he began:
Anger flashes
Fireball!
Something inside me ignites
Tears sting my eyes
Tears evaporate from the heat
The heat of the fire inside
Pain and sorrow
Hurt and sadness
Burnt to blackness
From my fireball.
Xelloss finished his dramatic reading, arm movements
included, grinned at Lina and returned to his desk. The class cheered or
laughed. Zel gave Lina a thumbs up. Lina blushed and
hid her face in her arms.
Martina was next. She stood, hand on hip then began:
I 'm lost in a sea of… chaos
You don't know me or want to
I reach out
You don't turn away but you want to
I smile, but I hurt inside
You have others to entertain you
I am just the clown
Floating through a realm of destruction all around me
The pain of knowing how little you care
Feeds my darkening spirit
How much longer can I continue this way, just watching
Waiting for my chance?
She stumbled through some of the phrasing and her voice was a little shaky
toward the end, then she sat down.
Zel looked at Lina, who shook her head. He looked around,
saw Xelloss, but he was just staring straight ahead.
Zel whispered to Lina, "There's another scary kid..."
Another kid read a poem and sat down. The teacher called on "Filia, your
turn please."
Filia cleared her throat, and began:
Nothingness
Void
Darkness beyond twilight
Darkness beyond deepest night
No pain
No fear
No sorrow
Nothing
Nothing echoing through eternity
My dark heart
"That's really depressing!" snorted Filia handing the paper back to
the teacher.
"Good job, Zel. You grossed out Filia!" whispered Lina.
"Like that's hard..." he murmured.
The rest of the poems were read uneventfully, and the bell ended the torture
with its merciful buzz.
"Why do teachers think we wanna hear our crap read out loud? Not to
mention OTHER PEOPLE'S inner feelings splayed out raw for everyone to see and
criticize?!" Zel growled.
"Yeah, that would be about the biggest insult someone could construct for
you, isn't it, Zel? It's almost like actually discussing feelings with your
fellow humans!" Lina poked him in the ribs.
"Hey, you were as embarrassed and bored as I was!"
"Actually, I was mostly creeped out. I really
have to agree with you, some of that stuff shouldn't have been said out loud...
'kind of flat' my ass!! The nerve of that girl...whatever her name
is..."
Lunch couldn't have come soon enough. It was as if all of their teachers had
gathered together and brainstormed new ways to torture them. Lina figured that
if she thought of going into a military-inquisitor kind of job, she'd have
learned all of the horrifying techniques needed to pry a confession out of
grizzled war-criminals there at school. She told Zel so, and he quite agreed.
It was actually a terrifying thought, Lina in mirrored sunglasses and a black
suit, flashing those fangs of hers: "We have WAYS of making you
talk..." he shuddered and tried to get the image out of his mind. Lina was
pretty scary just in reality; he didn't have to imagine anything worse.
Almost as one, the gathered Lina's People plunked themselves down around the
table, and tore into lunch. This time, Zel had treated himself to a bagel and a
Snapple, though no one else's lunches had changed. Sylphiel pulled out a
cellophane-wrapped loaf of banana bread to share (whether sharing was her
intention or Lina's decision, it had the same end result).
Amelia was bursting with campaign news. "You all must attend the assembly
after lunch! There will be speeches and a pep rally, right Miss Filia? And
elections will be next Friday. So everyone plan to VOTE!"
"You are aware we can only vote for our class president, not you?"
asked Zel with the sensitivity of a meat axe.
"Of course! That doesn't matter. What matters is
that you vote to ensure you get the representation you deserve!"
Gourry turned to Sylphiel. "So, what time are you coming over
tonight?" he asked.
Zel choked. He couldn't believe it. What the hell was Gourry doing? He looked
rapidly from Gourry to Lina. Lina must have heard, but she wasn't reacting.
"At 6:00, like we planned,
Gourry dear," Sylphiel batted her eye-lashes.
"Oh yeah! Should I pay you now or afterwards,
and, uh, what's your rate?"
Zel's eyes must have looked like saucers. Lina still didn't react.
"$3.50 an hour, plus an extra $2 for each additional child past
three," she told him, matter-of-factly.
"Wow, you must make a lot of money from baby-sitting. Maybe you should raise
yer rates and go back to it, Zel," Gourry looked
over at the relieved boy. "Then you wouldn't have to work for your Grandpa
at the University like you hate."
Zel crumpled. Baby-sitting.
Sylphiel was going to baby-sit for
Gourry's myriad siblings that evening. Everything was okay...
Filia suddenly turned to Sylphiel, "What time are we supposed to get
dressed for the pep squad?"
"Oh, that's right we should be going now! Here, Gourry,
would you like to finish my fruit salad?"
Val loped into the cafeteria, scoping out the tables.
Seeing that the spot across from Lina was free, he slid in beside Zel. Before
Sylphiel could argue, Val had scooped up the remaining banana bread and started
eating it.
"I'll bake you another one, Gourry. Let's go, okay girls!" Sylphiel
said softly. Amelia, Sylphiel, and Filia swept out like yesterday's fashion.
"Whoa, was it something I didn't say?" Val asked with a smirk.
Filia flipped her hair flirtatiously and smiled, shouting, "See you all at
the pep rally?"
Val watched her leave, and then focused his attention on Lina. "So I made
it. Did I miss much?"
Zel smirked. "Just in time for the assembly...classes are over for the
day. Your timing couldn't be better."
Val looked over at Zel. "Who asked you, freak? I was talking to Lina. Now bug out."
"I wouldn't call anyone a freak,
Val-ly boy, with that many holes in your face,"
Zel sneered bravely. Val was three or
four inches taller, fifty pounds heavier, and a whole hell of a lot tougher
looking. "At least I didn't do this to myself!"
"What did you say?" Val
smoldered. His large hands were balled into fists, and he rose to his feet to
tower over Zelgadiss.
"You don't intimidate me, Val-ly boy, especially
if you can't take what you dish out!" Zel stood up as well, looking fierce
and fearless.
But before the two boys were allowed to turn the cafeteria into a battlefield,
Lina blew. Leaping onto the table, fire burning in her eyes, Lina roared. "You idiots! What the hell is wrong with you!" She whacked them both, so hard that they were
shocked into sitting back down. "You're not caged animals!" she
growled, looking for all the world like a wild beast
herself.
Then, she sat down, too. She went back to her meal silently, looking up
mistrustfully at the two boys every once in a while. But they were both
completely subdued. Lina had that effect on people. She was about as scary and
controlling as they came, when she wanted to be.
Xelloss chose this time to come in. He settled silently into Amelia's vacated
seat and proceeded to make sugar-tea.
"Ah, shit, do I have ta put up with that fag
too?" Val moaned.
"V-AL!" started Lina.
Xelloss simply smiled and said coolly, "I have a date tonight, Val-ly. What are your plans?"
Zel choked on his drink a DATE? . Lina looked dubious but said
nothing, not wanting to stoke the fires.
Gourry woke up, "Where are you going?"
Xelloss looked at Gourry as if for the first time, "A new foreign
restaurant called ZoaImelgustar. I hear the portions
are quite large."
"So...Xelly-boy, who's the lucky guy?"
Val taunted.
"ME! And as you can see I'm a girl.
So back off buster!" screamed Martina, slamming down her lunch tray beside
Xelloss.
Xelloss winced. Val shut up, even he was afraid of Mad
Martina.
"Hear that Lina?" Gourry looked to her with a new light in his eyes.
"Maybe we could go there!"
Lina nearly choked on the food she'd gone back to. Had he meant that to sound
the way it had? Did he just ask her out? Her heart beat so loudly it put her
off her appetite a bit. But only a bit. She decided to
hide her confusion and horror in food.
"Uhh...maybe," she said before stuffing
herself with multiple leftover rolls.
"I mean, if it serves large portions, it can't be bad, and we both like
trying new foods, and maybe Zel would want Amelia and Val to come! I mean,
unless you want to go to your sister's restaurant after the fencing match
instead," Gourry said cautiously.
Lina stared at Gourry vacantly. This was the most he'd said at one time in
days, and not a bit of it made sense. Then it sunk in. Of course! Gourry and
Zel's fencing match that evening! That's why Sylphiel was baby- sitting, and
all that. It ended around seven, and then they'd go out to dinner, as usual. Ahh...it all made sense. Lina turned toward the happy
couple, "Fine with me, but maybe Xelloss and Martina don't want..."
"The more the merrier, isn't that right Martina?" sputtered Xelloss
almost too quickly.
Martina started to say something nasty to Lina about 'three's a crowd', but
then considered... A perfect chance to show off!
Aloud she purred, "Whatever YOU want, Xell-dear."
Xelloss' smile faltered a moment, then he added, "Then it's settled, we'll
all meet for dinner at 7:45? I'll
take care of reservations...how many now?"
Lina thought a moment, then said, "The six of us plus Amelia and Filia,
I'm sure. Make it eight, that's enough."
"Make it 7:46, why don't
you..." Zel muttered, his stomach churning from the very idea of such a
disaster. A huge audience. Dinner with Xelloss, Val,
and Martina, not to mention Filia and Amelia! Even Gourry was a bit hard to
stomach for large portions of time, and he was even one of his opponents! This
was not going to be fun. Maybe he could fake his death at the match and get out
of it...
"What's wrong with you, Zel? Tired or depressed?"
Lina asked, with no sympathy. He was slumped over the table, his forehead
resting on the remains of his bagel.
"You gonna eat that bagel-" Gourry began.
"-Or just use it as a pillow?" Lina interrupted Gourry.
"Maybe someone will take pity on me and spear me with a sword
first..." moaned Zel.
"If I have to listen to any more sarcasm out of ANYONE I personally will
do the skewering, and I don't DO clean kills. Got it!"
Lina hissed looking around and catching everyone's eyes. "Good. It's
settled. Let's go and cheer on the others!"
"Oh joy..." began Zel catching himself just in time. Lina still gave
him a look that petrified him.
"Hey, wait a minute, I don't wanna see some
stupid preppies blather on about how great they are!" Val protested
vehemently.
"Yeah," Gourry said, already falling in step behind Lina, "but
what about the cheerleaders? Do you really wanna miss th-"
Lina gave both of the suddenly enthusiastic boys a withering glance, but let
them be. If it motivated Val, she could allow it.
The gym was dark and crowded, like a zoo at nightfall. Lina and her troupe filed
in between mindlessly cheering multitudes, and found an area of unoccupied
bleachers that they could cram themselves into. It was a tight squeeze, Lina
wedged between Gourry and Val, Zel, Xelloss and Martina at their feet.
Martina knew all the cheers, she had tried out every
year, but was seriously uncoordinated. But that didn't keep her from trying her
hardest to follow along. Xelloss had to duck her flailing arms and enthusiastic
jumping. Zel would have murdered her but didn't want to call any more attention
to himself than he had to. He hoped Lina would do it
for him.
But Lina had her own problems. Val had sidled up to her even closer than he was
actually forced to, and was whispering something in her ear. She had to
constantly push him away without pushing him into the people on his other side
or snagging her hand on any of his assorted chains and spikes. Gourry appeared
to be asleep. Zel thought he would throw up. Then the assembly began.
Martina realized she had to be on the floor shortly, and pushed her way past
the chaotic mass of squirming, squealing people to get to the chairs by the
stage where the other candidates waited. That was a relief.
But it was short-lived, as the assistant principal walked up to the spotlighted
podium and began to yell into the microphone for silence, although his words
could barely be distinguished under feedback and cheering noise. There seemed
to be some trouble with the sound-system.
So the cheerleaders did what they did best. They led the crowd in some
jolly-good cheering. It was somewhere in the 'Stand-up, Sit-down, FIGHT! FIGHT!
FIGHT!' part that the seating arrangement became confused. Lina and Zel had
stood up, but when it came to sitting down, they found they had lost their
seats.
"That's all right, you can share mine!" Val grinned. Grasping her by
the waist, he plunked her down onto his lap. "Better, right? And you can
see now, too. I'm such a gen-tle-man."
Lina blushed. I hope my hair gets caught on his eyebrow-ring and rips
it off
Meanwhile, Zel was just hopelessly blocking the view. He was stranded. No way he could sit in some stranger's lap, and the alternative was
Xelloss', 'nuff said.
"Siddown freak, you're blocking the view!"
Val yelled at him, rousing Gourry from his stupor.
Gourry saw Lina on Val's lap and became inspired. Zel suddenly found himself
soaring sickeningly backwards and up, onto something relatively soft. He was
eye-to-eye with Lina, who looked like he felt.
"Now you can see, and Val can see too, right?" Gourry asked from the
space immediately above Zel's head. Zel could see Val too, and after one look
from his yellow eyes, he new what had happened. Lina watched with morbid
fascination as Zel began to hyperventilate then pass out. He wasn't conscious
to hear Gourry say, "Whoa, Lina! What happened to Zel?"
Or Val say, "Maybe he got his wish and died."
And he was blissfully unaware of being unceremoniously lifted over the crowd
and carried off by Gourry and Xelloss.
"Why do I get the feet?" Xelloss whined as they made their way to the
nurse's office.
When Zel came to, he was surrounded by Lina & Co. No air even then.
"What happened to me?" he moaned. He had a headache, and he'd taken
all his stress with him into dreamland.
"You hyperventilated and passed out," Lina informed him with a bored
air, chin in hands.
"I told you, you shouldn't skip breakfast or lunch!" Amelia cried, as
if it had been a matter of life and death.
Zel ignored her. His embarrassment came rushing back to him in a wave of
nausea, and he almost passed out again.
Filia had already taken the bus home to the Cephied settlement, but had
promised to return for the fencing match and dinner party.
Lina turned her attention to Xelloss and didn't see Gourry and Val leave,
(skate) boards in hand.
"And, ah thanks for sending Martina home and not forcing her on me in
close quarters. Did you hear her platform? It was based on ME! Student body
president out to get even with LINA for ... some imagined pain I caused her!
What a...why are you going out with her anyway?"
"She said 'yes'." Xelloss snickered a little, "Actually, I
missed her speech, when I was carrying out Zelgadiss."
"But you heard mine, didn't you? I was very forceful and
substantial!" began Amelia breathlessly.
Lina ignored her and continued, "And Val owes both of you guys an apology.
Especially you, Xelloss. Whichever way you, or any of
us, swing is not deserving of name-calling, particularly by friends."
"It's all right, Lina, he's not the only one." Xelloss looked serious
for a moment, not meeting Lina's stare, then looked up wistfully, "So, I'm
officially one of your friends too?"
Lina gulped. "You'd think he never had a friend before..." she
thought.
"I don't have any friends here at school."
"Ah, gods..." she thought, and then aloud she said, "Yeah, sure,
but do me a favor and DO something about Martina, okay?"
Xelloss grinned.
"Speaking of Val...where did they get off
to?" Lina walked to the window. Below, Gourry and Val were showing off
moves on their skateboards, Sylphiel watching. "Ah, there they are! I'll
be back, but first I have a bone to pick with Val. Gourry too for that
matter."
In the meantime, Amelia had returned with a glass of orange juice.
"Please, Mr., er ah, Zelgadiss, the nurse insisted you drink something,
and this says 'freshly squeezed'."
"About 6 months ago by Cuban refugees, barefoot..." Zel began
sarcastically, but looking up at Amelia's big blue eyes, melted something in
his rock-hard heart, and so he added quickly, "Ahh,
thank you, Amelia. I'm sure it's fine." Then he drank it! He felt better
immediately and, so, stood up to watch the ' I LOVE LINA SHOW' outside.
"Guys, you should see this. Watch and learn. It could be you
someday," Zel chuckled.
Xelloss and Amelia stood next to Zel and together watched the pantomime enacted
below, as narrated by Zelgadiss.
"Lina smiles to catch them off-guard. They are thinking: 'everything's
okay again', but watch now. All right…Lina
approaches her first victim who is...Val, the creep. So… she's working up a
sweat now, face getting redder, fangs gleaming, if we could open the window,
I'm sure we could hear her from here. Now, watch her handwork...right fist up
and...oh he is good,
blocked it with both hands, see? That's his mistake, though, leaves himself
open to the...ooh, that has to
hurt...left jab to the stomach. Ahhh, poor Val doubled over onto the
ground...hit his head on his board too? Not so tough, eh? Heh, heh… Okay, one
down...Oh look, Gourry's on the run! Will he get away? Noooooo!
Lina's in the air....and....she has Gourry in a headlock...pounding away...oh,
it's not a pretty sight sports fans..."
Zelgadiss moved away from the window.
"I think Lina's on her way back. Sylphiel's comforting her
'Gourry-dear' and Val's sitting up, alive, damn it anyway..."
Lina was returning. "Xelloss! Why
are you rolling around giggling on the floor for, you… fruitcake? Amelia, are
you crying or laughing? Zel, what did you say to her, this time???"
screamed Lina as she reentered the nurse's office.
Zel sobered up instantly when he realized that he wasn't wearing his
all-concealing hooded-sweatshirt. He was frantically looking around for it,
when Amelia approached him tentatively. She was cradling his carefully folded
sweatshirt in her arms, "Are you looking for this? The nurse removed it to
cool you down...you can have it now."
Zel snatched it from her, murmuring a 'thank you'. He was so embarrassed. His
gray T-shirt revealed some of his scars. He dressed quickly, and zipped up.
Feeling secure again he said his 'good-byes' and started to leave.
"Odd," he thought, "it smells like...Amelia's perfume!" He
blushed at the recognition. It was, however, strangely comforting on his long
walk home.
**** (^.^ ) ****
End Seyruun High Jinx Chapter 3