Chapter Four
Dinner with Friends
John only got lost twice… or maybe three times was more realistic. It wasn't his fault the hall went in circles!
That girl Rose was right! It was like the university wanted him to be lost!
He recalled Rose's face as he jogged through the halls, and he wondered if he'd see her again. She was kind, even if she looked untouchable, and she had kept her word, waiting until he came out of Vastra's office earlier that day. She walked him to the boy dorms and then waved goodbye when she couldn't go any farther.
Bye, John.
Yeah…Thanks. See ya.
John was thoroughly out of breath by the time he reached the open doors of the cafeteria. It looked just like every other cafeteria, except that a large fireplace roared in one end of the room, and the other half was a bit like a walk-in freezer. He found out later that this was to accommodate children who required a certain temperature in order to function. Blinking in confusion, John entered the room hesitantly. Glancing around, he attempted the locate Rory among the crowds of unusual children. He found a girl with foldable batwings, a boy with green skin and spikes on the top of his head like a cactus, but no Rory.
Then he heard his name. "JOHN!" a voice called.
And then another, "Hey, John! Over here!"
It was Rory and Rose. They sat at a table toward the center of the room, where the temperature was less drastic. Rose waved him over and with a blush, John's sneakers scooted across the floor toward the full table.
Rory smiled at him. He sat next to a red haired girl who eyed him curiously. Quickly, Rory pulled up a chair for him. "John, there you are."
"I got lost." He answered sheepishly.
Rose laughed, "Even with the map?"
"Yeah… it wasn't cooperating."
The red-head next to Rory laughed, it was a tinkling bell that was pleasant to listen to. "We all get lost at first. I think it's Vastra's personal joke to make the maps all wrong."
"Seriously?" John was incredulous.
Rose nodded, "I'm not sure, but every time I use a map, I get hopelessly turned around." She sat across the circular table, leaning against the wood. Still wearing her gloves, she picked at her hamburger. "Oh, there's food over there." She said, noticing him eyeing her food. She pointed at an assembly line across the room and John nodded.
Getting up, he crossed the room, tossing a 'thanks' over his shoulder. Quickly, John grabbed a hamburger and a can of soda.
He sat back down at the table and inspected the other occupants. There was the red-haired Scott next to Rory, Rose, Rory, and a mischievous boy with black, slicked up hair and a dangerous smile.
Rory glanced at John, who was devouring his hamburger like he'd never had one before. "So John," he coughed, "Let me introduce you." He pointed at each table occupant as he said their name and they waved at him. "That's Martha." He pointed at the dark skinned girl, "This is Amy." He spoke about the girl next to him, "You know me and Rose." He pointed at another red head. She look slightly older and fuller than Amy, with a streak of sass, "This is Donna, and that idiot over there is 'Captain' Jack." Rory waved his hands vaguely, "Everyone? This is John Smith."
Jack flashed John a smile. "Hey."
Amy groaned, her long hair falling into a puddle around her, "Good grief, Jack, give it up for once!"
Frowning, John glanced in confusion at Amy and back at Jack. What'd he miss?
Rory leaned in and whispered into John's ear as Amy and Jack fell into a heated argument. "Jack is cool and all… but he's about as straight as an S, ya know?"
Realization dawned on John. He gulped, understanding Jacks suggestive glance. "Oh."
John was saved from trying to come up with a better reply, for at that moment, someone tapped on a microphone at the front of the room.
Saved by the bell… or a lizard woman from the dawn of time. Whatever.
"Excuse me?" Principle Vastra spoke, her voice loud in the room. When no one responded, she tried again, "EXCUSE ME! QUIET!"
Immediately the room hushed.
Vastra smiled, and John could see her white teeth from across the room. "Thank you. Now. I have some announcements to make." She surveyed her students, "Firstly, I can say that everyone is doing exceptionally well so far this year."
Everyone cheered.
Vastra nodded, waiting for the room to quiet again, "However," she extended the word. "We need to be better than good if the enemy attacks- We need to be perfect. So." Vastra paused, "Everyone will begin extra physical training tomorrow morning."
There was a disgruntled moan from the crowd.
"Some of you may be able to recite the dictionary forwards and backwards- but that will do you no good if you don't know how to defend yourself during an attack." Vastra nodded and sat back down.
You could always throw the dictionary… John thought rebelliously, but he kept quiet. What enemy?
"What-" he began, but Rory hushed him.
"There's someone out there," Rory whispered, as the room slowly grew loud once more. "They're targeting people like us, recruiting them, or if they refuse…"
"What then?"
Rory shrugged, "They just disappear- like they never existed."
Shivering, John leaned back in his chair, "That's horrible."
Rose glanced at John and nodded, "Now that I think about it- that's probably the reason Vastra pulled you in the middle of the school year. The enemy is growing stronger. They're getting to students with large signatures before Vastra can."
John shook his head in confusion, "Large signatures?"
"There are machines that can detect kids with anomalies like us." Amy said, "The stronger, stranger, your ability, the more likely you will appear on the machine."
John nodded slowly. That made sense.
"Halfway through the semester…" Jack mused, "You must have a pretty large signature for Vastra to pick you up now." He leaned back in his chair, curious. His question was obvious but unspoken.
What makes you so special?
Snorting, John put his hamburger down. "I doubt it. I don't have any impossible… anomalies."
Amy laughed like he was hilarious. "Oh good one, John." Her smile faded when she saw he was serious. "Wait." She frowned, "You're joking, right?"
Biting his lip, John shrugged, "No…" he paused, debating whether to say anything else. "I mean, I'm slightly psychotic but I doubt that counts as an ability."
Rory laughed, "Shoot. We're all slightly psychotic in one way or another."
"Well… I say slightly." John cringed inwardly, waiting for the students to give him a suspicious glance.
They didn't.
"Psychosis…" Amy murmured, head in her hands. Her eyes held no malice. "What is that exactly?"
John mulled the question over in his mind, wondering how to best explain it. He shrugged, "I see and hear stuff that isn't real."
Rory nodded, "I thought that was schizophrenia…"
"Ah…" John ran a hand through his hair, "It is. Psychosis is a general term for a bunch of mental… issues."
Rose was silent for several seconds, but now she spoke, "You'd be surprised how many kids thought they were schizophrenic before coming here. Turns out they just have an anomaly."
John sighed to himself. Right. With my luck, I'm one of the few who actually are crazy...
Amy and Jack nodded, "I thought I was delusional for years!" Amy smiled gently. "Turns out my 'visions' were just me peeking into other peoples' forgotten memories."
Intrigued, John leaned forward, "You see memories?" he wanted to get the spotlight off of himself.
"Only ones the person can't remember themselves." Amy answered flippantly, throwing her head over her shoulder and leaning against Rory. "It was very confusing to my aunt when I spouted off information from when she was a little kid…"
John blinked, wondering absently whether Rory and Amy were... together… "That's so cool!" he laughed. Could she see some of his memories? Preferably any from before arriving at Sara Jane's front door? He'd have to ask her sometime…
Flattered by his complement, Amy grinned, "It's not really, but thanks anyway."
Rory scoffed, "Yeah right! You are totally cool!"
Rolling her eyes, Amy punched Rory's arm, "Oh shut up, Roranicus."
John noted the inside joke and filed it away. He'd figure out what she meant later.
Dinner was almost over, and most of the students had cleared out. With a yawn, Jack stood up, "I have like, twelve pages of math homework to do, so I'm gonna go."
Rose snorted, "Like you ever do homework!"
Jack ignored her and winked at John, then he winked at Amy, "See ya, John. Hope you figure yourself out.." And with that, Jack vaulted over a chair and jogged off.
They watched him go for a moment before Rose stood up and grabbed her book bag from the back of her chair. "I should probably go too." She smiled at John, which against his will, made his cheeks heat up.
'How unusual, to not know what he is… Of course, he could be lying.'
John blinked, shaking away the voice. Really. This was getting ridiculous. Slightly psychotic… That's an understatement…
"Alright." He answered, watching Rose walk away, her black jean bag bouncing lightly against her hip with every step.
Dang she's something...
Rose turned around the corner and the room seemed to dim just slightly.
"You know she's got a boyfriend, right?" Amy blurted, a mischievous smile in the curve of her lip. "His name's Mickey. Never met him, but Rose says he's some sort of mechanic from the outside."
John started, swiveling around just slightly too fast. "Really? That's cool..." He tried to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
Apparently he was unsuccessful, because Rory gave him a sympathetic glance, "Don't sweat it, John. Everyone looks at Rose at one point or another."
"I wasn't looking at her!"
Snorting, Amy stood up and deposited her tray in a waste basket, "I could see your eyes, John." she took two fingers and pointed at her eyes and then at John's. "Right at her."
John huffed indignantly, "But I wasn't looking at her like that."
Rory laughed, "Whatever, dude." he stood up and John followed suit. "I'm gonna study in the gardens tonight." he said, pulling a red backpack onto his shoulder, "You can come with me if you like." he threw his food into the waste basket, and yawned. "We can look over your schedule- make sure you know where to go and stuff.."
John nodded, smiling. "Sounds great."
Amy meanwhile, pulled her hair into a ponytail and heaved out a breath of exhaustion. "Physical training was impossible today. I think I'll leave you guys to it."
Nodding, Rory locked eyes with her. "See you tomorrow, Amy."
"Yeah." She yawned and wrapped Rory in a warm hug before walking off. "It was nice meeting you, John!"
"You too!" John called back.
And then it was just John and Rory, alone in the dining hall.
"Well then…" Rory murmured, "Shall we?"