Author's Note: Sorry, I know that the last couple of chapters have been BLAH. As in, nothing really happened. Unfortunately, nothing really happens here either. BUT I HAVE A REASON FOR THAT! Please, be patient. All this is going to lead up to something. I just needed a way to introduce . . . stuff. You'll find out. Enjoy!

(13) MagLev Returns

"Art is not to be taught in academies. It is what one looks at, not what one listens to, that makes the artist. The real schools should be the streets." —Oscar Wilde

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Putting it mildly, the weekend had passed by rather unpleasantly for Jack.

And then came Monday, which was not much better.

The teen had not been up to going to school, for he was still feeling miserable. Of course, he had no choice in the matter and had to force himself to get up. As he readied himself, he reflected a bit on the past weekend.

Overall, it had been an absolute horror. However, it had cheered him up slightly when he had deposited his meager wages into his mother's palms. She had refused at first, but he insisted and she eventually accepted the small coins that he had managed to earn. Despite her earlier refusals, it was clear that he had made her happy.

"But this can't go on," he thought, depressed, as he headed out for school. "The pay that I got was crap. In all honesty, I doubt that my part-time job will do me any better since I can work no more than two days of the week. Shit, what am I going to do?" He contemplated this for a moment. "Hmm . . . Maybe the guys can give me some ideas."

So, during first period, he invited them all to chat with him, taking care not to catch Ms. Levington's attention this time.

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Lil John says: sup, jak? (What's up, Jack?)

Freddie says: aint the fraze 'wuttup, doc'? (Isn't the phrase, 'What's up, doc'?)

Lil John says: w/e (Whatever.)

Freddie says: NOT w/e (Not whatever.)

Freddie says: u hafta get it ryte! (You have to get it right!)

Lil John says: w/e (Whatever.)

Leeeee says: iph u guyz r dun arguing lyke pregnant ladyz, I du believ jak has sumfin 2sei (If you guys are done arguing like pregnant ladies, I do believe that Jack has something to say.)

Lil John says: dat was meen! (That was mean!)

Freddie says: ya, u fukn pussi (Yeah, you fucking pussy.)

Leeeee says: shut it

Lil John: ne way..jak, da spotlyte ish urs (Anyway . . . Jack, the spotlight is yours.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: fin'ly! (Finally!)

Jack-in-the-Box says: k, u guyz kno I was tryn to luk 4 a job, ryte? (Okay, you guys know that I was trying to look for a job, right?)

Leeeee says: ya (Yeah.)

Lil John says: ya (Yeah.)

Freddie says: ya (Yeah.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: n u kno dat mr.b offrd me 1, ryte? (And you know that Mr. B offered me one, right?)

Leeeee says: ya (Yeah.)

Lil John says: no

Freddie says: no

Jack-in-the-Box says: sigh

Jack-in-the-Box says: nau u do (Now you do.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: ne weh, dis wkend I talkd2 him bout details n w/e (Anyway, this weekend I talked to him about details and whatever.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: n I also did a hole bunch ov randm jobz 4 pplz (And I also did a whole bunch of random jobs for people.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: n..wel..da $$ was crap (And . . . well . . . the pay was crap!)

Lil John says: huh?

Jack-in-the-Box says: (ignore) nau i fig if I wrk w/ mr.b on wkends n do odd jobs evry nau n den (wn/e I hab tyme) den I'll b ok ((Ignore) Now I figure that if I work for Mr. B on weekends and do odd jobs every now and then (whenever I have time), then I'll be okay).

Jack-in-the-Box says: but I unno (But I don't know.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: wut u guyz tink? (What do you guys think?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: got ne ideas? (Got any ideas?)

Leeeee says: go bak 2ur old job..w/ ur old rep (Go back to your old job . . . with your old reputation.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: .. (. . .)

Jack-in-the-Box says: (rollz eyes) ((Rolls eyes))

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In addition to actually physically rolling his eyes, Jack kicked Lee under the desk.

'Ow!'

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Jack-in-the-Box says: no, stupyd (No, stupid.)

Leeeee says: y not? (Why not?)

Freddie says: cuz he's got ralf, lee (Because he's got Ralph, Lee.)

Leeeee says: oic (Oh, I see.)

Lil John says: how cud u 4get sumfin lyke dat? (How could you forget something like that?)

Lil John says: itz only shovd in2 our faces 24/7 (It's only shoved into our faces 24/7.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: wtf is dat supposed 2meen? (What the fuck is that supposed to mean?)

Lil John says: sry, jak, dint meen it da way dat it came out (Sorry, Jack, I didn't mean it the way that it came out.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: w/e (Whatever.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: duz ne1 NOT hav a stupyd idea? (Does anyone not have a stupid idea?)

Freddie says: get 2nd job (Get a second job.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: wut? (What?)

Freddie says: think bout it (Think about it.)

Freddie says: reg pay n benefits n stuff fr: mr.b AND ur otha wrk 2 (Regular pay and benefits and stuff from Mr. B and your other work, too.)

Freddie+, it'll b 2 min wage $chkz, not da 1gud $chk n da crap coinz dat ur pparently gettn nau (Plus, it'll be two minimum wage paychecks, not the one good paycheck and the crap coins that you're apparently getting now.)

Leeeee says: ya, reely sounds lyke ur bein taken advtge ov, man (Yeah, it really sounds like you're being taken advantage of, man.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: but do i hav da tyme 4 2jobz? (But do I have the time for two jobs?)

Lil John says: da pt ov a "p-t" job is 2 wrk "p-t" (The point of a "part-time" job is to work "part-time".)

Jack-in-the-Box says: ya, i kno. i aint an id't (Yeah, I know. I'm not an idiot.)

Lil John says: u ken do it (You can do it.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: but

Jack-in-the-Box says: well

Jack-in-the-Box says: I reely nd a p-t job, but I unno iph I can comm't myslf 2 2 of em, least not in da wei I shud (I really need a part-time job, but I don't know if I can commit myself to two of them, at least not in the way that I should.)

Freddie says: den u got a prob, bro (Then you've got a problem, bro.)

Lil John says: amen 2 dat (Amen to that.)

Freddie says: wel, gues I cant really help u out den. dat was da onee sug'n I gotted (Well, I guess that I can't really help you out then. That was the only suggestion that I had.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: k, thx ne wei, frd (Okay, thanks anyway, Fred.)

Freddie says: np (No problem.)

Freddie has left the conversation.

Lil John says: mehbe u ken sing on da streets (Then maybe you can sing on the streets.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: dat's an idea (That's an idea.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: not

Lil John says: but ur GUD singin! (But you're good at singing.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: n i sed dat I nd'd GUD $$ (And I said that I needed good money.)

Lil John says: sry, mate, im flush outta ideas den (Sorry, mate, I'm flush out of ideas then.)

Lil John says: unless u wrk a lil bit mor oftn BC (Unless you work a little bit more often at Brown Cow.)

Lil John has left the conversation.

Jack-in-the-Box says: u'v bin quiet, lee (You've been quiet, Lee.)

Leeeee says: r u gonna tell em? (Are you going to tell them?)

Leeeee says: bout u n ralf? (About you and Ralph?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: ic no reason2 (I see no reason to.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: wut wud it mattr? (What would it matter?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: itz only temp, afta all (It's only temporary, after all.)

Leeeee says: hopefully, 4 ur sake (Hopefully, for your sake.)

Leeeee says: but wut iph itz not? (But what if it's not?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: den I'll fig it out den (Then I'll figure it out then.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: 4 nau, I'll jus w8 (For now, I'll just wait.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: I'll kp my wrd bout not telln him.. (I'll keep my word about not telling him . . .)

Jack-in-the-Box says: 4 nau (For now.)

Leeeee says: kk (Okay.)

Leeeee says: on anotha note, ru sho u dun wanna go bak to ur "old ways"? (On another note, are you sure that you don't want to go back to your "old ways"?)

Leeeee says: u made gr8 $$ bak den (You made great money back then.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: ya, fr: u! (Yeah, from you!)

Leeeee says: ouch! dat hit home (Ouch! That him home.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: itz tru tho (It's true, though.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: fr: betz (From bets.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: y dun u jus gimme da $$? (Why don't you just give me the money?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: lol (Laugh out loud.)

Leeeee says: .. (. . .)

Leeeee says: ..how much u nd? (. . . How much do you need?)

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Having just read that off of his computer monitor, Jack felt both cold and warm at the same time.

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Jack-in-the-Box says: .. (. . .)

Jack-in-the-Box says: reely? (Really?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: u aint jus shyttn me, r u (You ain't just shitting me, are you?)

Leeeee says: no, im ded ser's (No, I'm dead serious.)

Leeeee says: how much u nd? (How much do you need?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: .. (. . .)

Jack-in-the-Box says: er..thx, but no thx, lee (Er . . . Thanks, but no thanks, Lee.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: I g2 do dis on my own (I have to do this on my own.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: but I reely appr'te da gest (But I really appreciate the gesture.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: ur a gud gi 2 hab round (You're a good guy to have around.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: sumtimes (Sometimes.)

Leeeee says: blush

Leeeee says: wel, wut r u frenz 4? (Well, what are friends for?)

Jack-in-the-Box says: is dat a trick ques? (Is that a trick question?)

Leeeee says: shup, u pussy (Shut up, you pussy.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: biatch (Bitch.)

Leeeee says: slut

Jack-in-the-Box says: a-hole (Asshole.)

Leeeee says: fuckr(Fucker.)

Jack-in-the-Box says: losr (Loser.)

Leeeee says: skank

Jack-in-the-Box says: i kno u r but wut m I? (I know you are but what am I?)

Leeeee says: o, I tink dat's REELY mature, jak (Oh, I think that's really mature, Jack.)

Leeeee says: not

MagLev says: Do you want to know what I think it is?

MagLev says: Trouble.

Leeeee has left the conversation.

Jack-in-the-Box has left the conversation.

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"How does she do that?" Jack wondered, fighting the urge to slam his head down on the keyboard for having been caught . . . again! "Maybe she has a connection to all the computers or something that lets her do whatever. I swear, that has to be it! It makes sense, especially considering she is the teacher of a class of students that are bound to cause trouble."

Ms. Levington was looking at him right now. He knew that without even glancing up.

'If you two would be so kind as to join me for detention this afternoon,' she said with false sweetness, 'I would be much obliged.'

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Detention for Jack . . . again.

He didn't think that he even finished his numerous detentions with Lyori. However, the latter no longer persuaded the teen to return. Jack assumed it was because said teacher was probably fed up with his constant presence. Oh well.

Now, however, he had a detention with Levington. Jack vaguely wondered what his mother would think of that, considering she ever found out. It was not like Jack was stupid enough to tell her.

So, Jack and Lee spent their time after school as the jock straps for the football team. (Just kidding. I don't think that it's physically possible for humans to act as jock straps. Let me try again . . .)

So, Jack and Lee spent their time after school typing out reports for Ms. Levington. The two didn't really have an idea what the hell they were for, but they simply did as they were told. After all, the sooner that they finished, the sooner they would be able to leave. After spending so much time in the same room with "MagLev", they wished for nothing more.

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A couple of hours later, their wish came true.

'Man, that was brutal,' Lee said as the two of them walked down the corridor together.

'You said it, man,' Jack responded, stretching his arms. 'Then again, it could have been worse. We should be thankful.'

'What? Are you attempting sainthood or something?' Lee asked, cracking his back.

'Nah. But really, Lee, think about it. She could have made us clean up the locker rooms or organize the storage room or something. At least with typing, we just have to sit on our asses for a couple of hours.'

'Heehaw.'

'Very funny. I mean "bums", of course, stupid.'

'Who are you calling "stupid"?'

'I don't see any other stupid git around here, do you?'

'Not unless you're looking in a mirror,' Lee retorted.

'And looking over your shoulder.' Jack stuck out his tongue childishly.

Lee just laughed.

'Come on,' he said, flinging an arm around Jack's shoulders. 'Let's get the hell out of here. Being in school so late is starting to give me hives.'

'Right.'

The two teens quickened their pace slightly as they made for the nearest exit.

'AHH!'

A sudden scream of terror stopped them in their paths.

'What the hell was that?' Lee inquired.

'I don't know,' was Jack's reply. 'Do you think that we should go check it out?'

'Nah.'

'But what if it's important. What if someone is getting molested by a pervert or something?'

'I don't think so. Whatever it is has stopped now.'

Just then—

'WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!' cried out an obviously angry voice.

Confused now, Jack started running in the direction of the screams, his companion following closely at his heels. The scene they came across was definitely not one that they had expected.

JD, the student council Prime Minister, was standing rigidly and holding a metre stick in his hand. It didn't take a brilliant mind like Jack's (lol) to realize that he had been waving it around menacingly but a moment before.

Standing in front of the PM was Greg, the Deputy Prime Minister and, overall, a much nicer fellow than JD was, in Jack's opinion. In his hand, Greg held a frightening mask, which resembled something from a native tribe.

'Cool! What's that for?' Lee asked, eyeing the mask with interest.

'Yeah, isn't Halloween over?' Jack added.

'This, my friends, is a wall decoration for the next school function,' Greg explained.

'A tribal dance around a campfire?' Lee suggested.

'No. We thought about that, but having everyone in the entire school do that was too many people,' Greg said with a wink. 'We're going to have a masquerade ball. You know, where everyone where's neat costumes and masks and stuff, then reveal themselves at all at once.'

'It's another fundraiser for the student lounge,' JD said, albeit somewhat shakily.

'Okay, so that explains the mask,' Lee said. 'So what about the scream that we heard earlier.'

Jack snickered. He knew that Lee, like him, had already realized what the scream was; he just wanted to hear it out loud so as to embarrass the PM.

'Er . . . Well . . . about that . . .' JD stuttered uncomfortably.

Greg started laughing.

'Man, you should have seen his face!' he heartily said to Jack and Lee. 'It was like whoa!' And he imitated the PM's expression.

'Shut up, Greg,' JD hissed.

'That was priceless!'

'I said, "SHUT UP"!'

Of course, Greg was still laughing, but he at least had the decency to stop imitating the PM.

'When is the masque?' Jack asked interestedly.

'This Friday.'

'So soon?'

'Yeah,' JD said. 'We wanted to announce it to the school last week, but we had a little bit of trouble with some of the arrangements,' he finished, glaring at his deputy PM.

'It's not my fault,' Greg defended himself. 'How was I supposed to know that Don's grandfather would suddenly fall ill?' He turned to Jack and Lee. 'You see, Don had to go to his grandfather's house in Italy. Because of all the hassle, he forgot to call—'

'Yes, yes, whatever,' JD intervened. 'The little non-student council people don't have to know the details. The important thing right now is to give the dance enough publicity (in the short time that we have) to be successful.'

'What about girls?' Lee asked.

'What the hell are you talking about?'

'Girls! Not every student in this school is interested in guys, JD,' Lee said impatiently. 'You're going to have to get girls to come to our school if you want the dance to be successful.'

'Already taken care of, bro,' Greg said. 'I placed a call. It'll be the students from the all-girls school that usually attend our social functions.'

'All right then.'

'Gentlemen, I don't think that you have anything to worry about,' Jack said. 'This ball will definitely be a homerun hit! (Hehe, get it?)'