Chapter 4: "We know weird."
"Will I ever not have math second period?" Jessie asked when they met up at the end of the day, even after soccer practice. "I mean pre-algebra in sixth grade, algebra I in seventh, II in eighth grade, geometry last year, and now this? Man, it's weird."
"Oh, and look at that," Nicole said, referring to their fourth period class. "Guess who's getting-." The announcement buzzer sounded. "This year."
"Oh, yeah. Mr. Reno," Ian said. "Y'know, this is the first time that I haven't had a steep majority of female teachers."
"I got an equal amount on each side. Mr. Yidderan must have a lot of school spirit, he's head of the English department, in charge of the newspaper, coach of the girls' soccer team, and he's the sophomore class sponsor," Jessie said. "And I heard some of the kids in theater saying they wished he would take over the drama department too, or at least the drama club."
"He does the video yearbook too, that includes the morning announcements, and I heard someone in there saying they still couldn't figure out why with three PhDs and two masters he's teaching high school," Nicole added.
"Three PhDs?" Ian repeated incredulously. "He must like kids a lot. With that kind of experience he should be handing out the PhDs."
"Hey," Jessie said more quietly, so as not to be heard by the shy guy kid who was nearby. "Any news on that shy guy kid in your other classes?"
"Yeah," Nicole said. "He's in video yearbook with me."
"Weight training with me too," Ian added.
"Weight training?" Nicole asked.
"Mm-hmm," Ian nodded his head. "Only shy guy too."
"I would assume so," Jessie said. "They're weak by nature."
"Yup, so it's also strange that he plays soccer as well," Ian extended.
"Soccer?" Nicole repeated. "Is he any good?"
"Oh yeah," Ian stressed.
"I don't want to sound judgmental or anything, but we know weird, and there's definitely something weird about this guy," Jessie assessed. "I mean, he's uncharacteristically physical for his race, and taller than most tall shy guys, plus he's at the same level as us intellectually even though we're, apparently, really advanced for around here." The other two nodded in agreement.
"Ahem." They quieted when they realized someone was standing right behind them. Turning, they saw the shy guy. All three went white. "As long as you're going to be talking about me," he said, and they bit their lips. "You should know my name, so I'm not 'that shy guy kid.'" He used his fingers to make quotation marks around his words. He waited a moment to see if they would respond. "My name's Mog-jeen."
Nicole and Ian cocked an eyebrow but Jessie grinned gleefully. "Dude, that's such an awesome name!" she exclaimed. It was Mog-jeen's turn to cock an eyebrow.
"Um, can I ask how it's spelled?" Nicole asked, breaking the awkwardness.
"M-O-G-J-Y-N," Mogjyn answered.
"It's even spelled cool!" Jessie cried out.
"Thanks," Mogjyn scoffed.
"Are you still miffed about us- well- talking about you?" Nicole asked.
"Just a little," Mogjyn answered sarcastically.
"Oh, you can't stay mad," Jessie pouted. "Friends shouldn't fight."
"Friends?"
"Heck, yeah! As long as we're practically the smartest kids in school, and we're gonna be in all the same classes and stuff-," Jessie answered
"And we're gonna be teammates," Ian added.
"We're gonna end up friends at some point so it might as well be sooner rather than later," Jessie finished. Mogjyn watched her cautiously for a moment.
"Oh, come on! It's not like we were talking bad about you," Nicole pleaded.
"'There's definitely something weird about this guy,'" Mogjyn quoted.
"Do you think your name is odd?" Jessie asked him.
"Well, kind of," he admitted.
"Odd being the same thing as weird?" she queried.
"Just because my name is weird doesn't mean-!"
"Just answer the question."
"Yeah, odd and weird are synonyms."
"And the fact that I thought your odd name was cool doesn't tell you anything?" Jessie posed. Mogjyn watched her for a moment more.
"Okay, so YOU'RE weird-," he said.
"Which means THEY'RE weird too- trust me, looks can be deceiving- so being weird is a GOOD thing in this group," Jessie concluded. Mogjyn watched her once more.
"All right, I'll bite," he said.
"You make it sound like you're signing over your soul," Nicole said.
"I might very well be," he muttered.
"Oh, come on," Ian said. "If you gotta friends, we're not the worst people in the world."
"You're about the only people in the world, though, aren't you?" Mogjyn asked.
"If you mean the only humans, you would be correct," Ian answered.
"Yeah," Mogjyn said. "You're the prince and princess aren't you?"
"Yup," Nicole replied sighing exasperated.
"Sorry, I'm sure that gets old," he apologized.
"S'all right," Nicole said, shaking her head.
"I guess that means you are?" Mogjyn verified.
"Mm-hmm."
"It just occurred to me that no matter who I listen to, you're always either 'the new prince and princess,' 'Mario and Luigi's sister,' or 'the human kids.' With all that, I don't know your actual names."
"I'm Ian."
"Nicole."
"Jessie." They took turns introducing their selves. Mogjyn froze for a moment.
"Well, it's good to meet you all," he said finally.
"Thanks," Jessie said.
"Hey, did you want to meet our sisters, the princesses in chief?" Ian offered.
"You seemed kind of impartial, but it would probably cheese off some of the right people," Nicole added, casting a glance over at a group of preppy girls, again, watching for a chance to move in on the royalty.
"Nah, that's okay," Mogjyn answered quickly, glancing between them all nervously.
"Are you sure?" Ian asked. "You don't even have to meet them. You can just hang out if you want."
"Naw, I'm sure," Mogjyn replied, still talking quickly. Then he added, "Even if it would just be to hang out or something, it would probably make them start bugging me and stuff, y'know?" They surveyed him curiously for a moment. "I don't really wanna be bugged..."
"You're already friends with royalty," Jessie reminded him with a smile, realizing it must be his shy guy nature at work. "They're probably going to bug you anyway."
"Well, I kind of gotta go anyway," Mogjyn said. "My- parents want me home soon." He started to rush off.
Jessie tried to follow him, "Well, wait a minute. I'll walk with you."
Mogjyn started away again, saying, "No, that's okay. Thanks anyway."
They stared after him for a moment. "Weird," Ian said, breaking the silence.
"He's like a book with a mind of its own," Nicole added. "He opens and shuts sporadically, HIM controlling when you read him."
"Yeah... and at the same time though..." Jessie said thoughtfully.
"What?" Ian asked, he and Nicole turning to face Jessie now.
"...There's something very familiar about him," Jessie said, narrow her eyes slightly in thought.