Part 88
The whole school noticed when an explosion rang through the White Tiger. Now this wasn't something unheard of since the Everetts moved in. All windows were thrown open and smoke came blowing out in thick black puffs. Most of the boys in the Tiger hurriedly left their rooms to get fresh air. But what had everyone worried or made them stare was one missing factor. When things like this happened the Everetts would come out, coughing and laughing, and tackling each other to the ground happily. Today they didn't. So when there was no sign of them the dorm prefect groaned. He knew he'd have to go fetch the two and find out what trouble they'd caused now. By now all the other dorm boys were gathered on the grass outside of the Tiger. Wes had made his way through the crowd so that he reached the prefect.
"I can fetch them for you", he offered when he saw the look on the older boy's face. The older boy sighed in relief and nodded. Wes pulled took an offered towel and headed for the Tiger. Robert Barton and Alexander Dumas followed after him, both taking "masks" of their own.
The inside of the Tiger was so filled with smoke that all three boys felt as if they were walking around in a fog. They couldn't see their hands in front of them even. The smoke didn't seem to poisonous though, more like smoke from a smoke machine so they didn't need to crawl. But orienting inside of the Tiger was another thing. First of all they realized they had no idea which floors the seniors stayed in the Tiger. Wes had totally forgotten where they stayed. They had to go back towards the exit to find the sign telling them where to go. Then there was the question of finding the right room… if that was even the place the twins were at. But before they headed there Rob declared that it would be quicker if they just took a floor each. Alexander nodded and said he'd take the bottom floor, Rob the first floor and Wes the second floor. They headed for their destinations.
Wes was looking around on the top floor when he heard raised voices, angry voices. This was strange because he could never recall a time where the Everetts fought. He hurried towards the room he thought the sounds came from and peaked around the doorway. Brett was by the window, trying to get the smoke out and Eric stood in a corner looking smug.
"How the hell could you?!" Brett yelled furiously. "You know how hard I worked on that?!"
"Not my fault you left it by my experiment", Eric answered with a shrug.
"It was the only copy of it you jerk!" Brett yelled and Wes noticed a scorched paper lying on the ground. "You know what it meant to me!"
Eric just shrugged. Brett growled and took what stood closest to him and flung it at Eric's head. It was a photograph but Eric ducked just in time or he'd gotten an ugly mark on his face. And a second scar to set the two of them apart. Wes gaped in shock as the two jumped at each other and started to fight. Wes jumped into the fray and managed to get them apart… by throwing Brett onto the bed and getting Eric onto the floor. Then Wes sat on Eric's chest and kept Brett away with his feet. It was to this circus that Alexander and Rob arrived a little later. They both stared at the spectacle.
"A little help", Wes asked. "Or are you just gonna stand there?!"
Rob ran over and hauled Brett away from Wes and Eric and Eric managed to push Wes off of him. But Alexander grabbed him. The twins tried to get at each other.
"Alex get Eric out", Wes ordered and Alexander nodded and did as told. Brett flailed with his arms, clawing in the air and trying to get to Eric… to beat him up or kill him. Wes didn't know which and he didn't want to take the chance. Wes left the room to open all windows so that the smoke would clear faster, hopefully, while Rob held Brett at bay.
"How long has this been going on", Wes asked the other Warblers when they were all gathered in the Warbler Hall. Well… except from the twins that were serving detention with Carmichael. Wes had mainly aimed his question at Oliver Webber and Fred Connors, the only White Tigers other than the Everetts.
"The pranks?" Oliver asked. "Or the fight?"
"What's the difference", Howard asked confused.
"The Everetts have pranked each other since day one at Dalton", Oliver explained. "All in good fun. But the fight… started last month and that made their pranks turn mean."
"Do you know why they started fighting?" Wes asked.
"No", Fred answered. "They went to their room after classes and everything was well. The next thing we know we wake up to the whole dorm shaking and the war was on."
The Warblers looked at each other. This was unheard of. Sure the twins had been fighting before every once in a while, but after a prank or two everything was fine. But this was a scenario that was unheard of. Now the only problem was… how to solve it? All eyes turned to Wes. He was leaning against the council table with his arms crossed and his thinking face on. He was looking out the window as he thought of what to do.
"Wes are you with us?" Isaac asked gently and Wes looked at the Warblers in the room. When did he become the one with all the answers? For crying out loud he was just a sophomore and only had a few years experience with fights between friends, boyfriends or brothers. He had no idea what to do. If they left the Everetts alone they'd kill each other or destroy their relationship beyond repair. But he also knew something else, something the Everetts had told the Warblers after joining.
"So you two are never separated", Justine asked Eric and Brett Everett.
"Never", Brett said. "If we are the other one is miserable until we're together again."
"We can be parted while being in the same room but not for long distances", Eric said and smiled. "Like I can't be in the gym if Brett is in the dorms… he's too far away."
"But what happens if one of you get sick?" Mitch asked and tried to ignore that Isaac was sitting really close to him.
"We don't", the twins said at the same time.
"Well not only one of us get sick", Eric clarified. "We always get sick at the same time."
"Twin-thing", Brett said happily. "We are very much alike but also individuals. For example… Eric plays bongos and loves basketball and lacrosse."
"Brett plays guitar and likes reading, drawing and poetry", Eric said happily.
Wes suddenly stopped his train of thought. Could it really be that easy? Could it really be the reason for the fighting? He nodded and looked at the other boys.
"We have no idea what happened but I have my suspicions", he explained. "But it will take some detective work from all of us. We don't know what caused the fight and we need to figure that out before we can do anything else. But we can't let the two of them stay together."
"But that might make them sick", Rob pointed out. "The Everetts can't handle being separated."
"But we can't let them ruin the Tiger or kill each other either!" Oliver objected. The Warblers started arguing and Wes sighed and banged with the gavel.
"Guys I will have order", he said and gave them all a warning glare. Everyone shut up at once and gave him their undivided attention. Wes blushed a little and cleared his throat.
"Look", he said. "The Everetts only get sick when they are in different buildings. But if we keep them in the Tiger…" He noticed some about to object. "In different rooms", he added hurriedly. "Then most of the um… pranks can be avoided."
"Most?!" Oliver and Fred asked in horror. Wes sighed.
"Fine", he said. "Eric stays with me and David-"
"What?!" David cut in but Wes ignored it.
"-and Brett can stay with Isaac."
"Why this um organization", Isaac asked. Wes groaned.
"Because Eric likes sports, same sports like Mitchell likes", Wes only used last names when he was annoyed and David had interrupted him. "And Brett likes poetry, you two have something to talk about."
"I see", Isaac said and nodded. "Let's do it."
Oh yes this would be a fun time.
TBC Sorry for the delay but with my new job I don't have time to write as much as I like
Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:
Zozo - I will try not to do something like that again
Flmen007 - Bastian you mean? Well it's a Justine way.