Dr. Bloor's eyes flickered wearily to the fireplace. He watched the flames dance and crackle as he thought of the words he wanted to express. Manfred sat in one of the two armchairs in front of his desk. He had his gaze lowered. He looked sour.
"Manfred, how can I put my thoughts into words..." Dr. Bloor mumbled, keeping his eyes glued to the fire. "You have reached an age where you need to take bigger responsibilities. And in many years to come, when I am, er, not capable of keeping order to this school..." He sighed, suddenly miserable at the thought of losing his youth. "You will have to step up. And when you are unable to keep this school in order, your son or daughter will take over."
Manfred looked up sharply, sensing where the conversation may lead.
"In order to do so, you must find yourself a wife." Dr. Bloor continued, clearing his throat. "As you know, it is tradition for the father of the son to choose the woman worthy of you. So then begins the tradition to host a ball-"
"And what if I have a woman in mind?" Manfred retorted.
Dr. Bloor smirked. "You? Already have a woman who shares your affections? Don't be absurd."
Manfred growled, but made no further intent of talking.
"Now don't worry. My father chose your mother and so did his father and so on." Dr. Bloor continued. "And look how far we have gone. We have power, and you must continue this."
Manfred glared at Dr. Bloor, and Dr. Bloor did too. The two relentlessly battled silently with piercing looks until Dr. Bloor uncomfortably backed down, darting his eyes towards the door and Manfred sat back with satisfaction. "I think you should go and think about this." Dr. Bloor muttered. "Perhaps some sense may leak into your hea- What was that?"
Manfred turned towards the door and held his breath. Dr. Bloor quietly made his way to the door and flung it open, revealing...
Nothing.
He threw glances down the corridor and when he found no one lurking around, he closed the door, not necessarily content.
Charlie and Fidelio fled down the hall as fast as they could and breathed slowly, trying not to make loud noises.
"Manfred can't have a girlfriend. Who would like that guy?" Charlie whispered gleefully, excited at what he just heard.
Fidelio grinned. "Who knows. He may have hypnotized the poor girl."
"I thought he lost that power."
"Did he? I can't keep up with your news Charlie, you know that. I mean, I'd be surprised if you say that...uh...Dr. Saltweather was endowed." Fidelio chuckled.
Charlie stared at Fidelio. "He is."
"What?"
"Shh, come on. Dr. Bloor might come out of his office to look around." Charlie whispered softly, peering around the corner.
The two boys walked hastily back to bed. Charlie couldn't help but wonder if Manfred really did have a girlfriend, but he quickly dismissed it and laughed at the thought. He could have sworn he heard Fidelio's shaky laugh as he fell to sleep.
"He has a what?"
"I know right? We didn't believe it either. In fact...I still don't." said Charlie thoughtfully.
Gabriel shook his head in disbelief but he smiled. "Imagine...I don't know whether to be surprised or sorry."
"Sorry? Why is that?"
"For the girl I mean."
"That's what I said!" Fidelio exclaimed.
Gabriel, Charlie, and Fidelio were walking down a crowded hallway towards their next class, history. People around them glared at them for talking but they knew Manfred and Dr. Bloor weren't around so they had an urge to talk.
It was a cloudy morning and the iciness of the outside world crept into the school much to everyone's dismay. It was brittle in the halls, and never had the faculty seen such eagerness to enter the classroom. Unlike the halls, the classrooms were warm and welcoming despite the intimidating letters on the chalkboard and the hugeness of the textbooks.
"Did you just say what I thought you just said?" a voice said incredulously from behind.
"Tancred!" Charlie exclaimed, turning around to acknowledge the storm bringer.
Tancred grinned at Charlie's welcome. His spiky blonde hair crackled and he grinned, pleased. "The one and only. Now did I hear right? Manfred has a girlfriend?"
Charlie nodded vigorously.
Tancred smirked. "Huh, who knew he could pick up chicks. Wait, what kind of girl? It all depends on the girl."
"Does it look like I know?"
"Charlie, you always look like you don't know."
"What is that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing."
Charlie huffed. Again with the 'nothings'. First Fidelio and now Tancred. He started to wonder when the 'nothings' would disappear.
"I'll talk about this later. I have to go to class. Manfred might show up and it's cold in here and there's not much I can do about it..." Tancred added, hurrying forward and through a sea of bobbing heads.
Fidelio glanced around and he whispered, "He may be right..."
Gabriel and Charlie turned around to see Dr. Bloor standing at the end of the hall, looming over the cowering students.
Later that day, as Charlie and his friends huddled together to keep warm from the bleak breeze that bit at their cheeks. They listened to Tancred curse Dr. Bloor for making them go outside at such a temperature. When he was done ranting, Charlie decided to bring up the subject of Manfred and his 'girlfriend'.
"I don't know, but speaking of girlfriends, did you hear about the dance?" Olivia said excitedly. Charlie shot her a look. Leave it to Olivia to change subjects so quickly.
"Wait, dance? Since when?" Fidelio said suddenly.
Olivia nodded. "However, it's not for students. It's a private one. It's this Saturday and I want to get detention so I can sneak in and have a look around."
"A private dance. Fido, do you think that's the one?" Charlie said.
"What do you mean?" Olivia asked.
Charlie took the time to explain what he and Fidelio did the other night. When he finished relating the story, Olivia said determinedly. "That settles it. I'm getting detention to go to the ball. I want to see who Manfred is stuck with."
"I want to too." said Charlie. "I never thought I would ever want detention..."
"You have, remember?" said Billy in a small voice.
"Eh? Oh, right. The other time there was a ball. With the headmasters and headmistresses." Charlie said, eyes brightening. He hoped that they could sneak in the way he had snuck out last time, riding a food cart. Good times...good times.
"I have nothing to do this weekend. I think I'll join in." said Tancred thoughtfully.
"Didn't you say your relatives were visiting?" asked Lysander.
"Yeah but if you have ever met Aunt Eloise you'll understand. It's for one day. What's one day more?" Tancred argued.
Emma looked at him for a second before she said softly, "I want to stay too."
Charlie stared at her. Emma blushed as everyone turned to look at her. "It's not everyday that one gets to see a majestic ball and everything." she said defensively.
Murmurs of agreement aroused form the group.
"So that does it. Liv, Tanc, Em, and I are staying." said Charlie.
"Not so fast." said Gabriel. "I want to go see it too."
"I want to too." added Lysander. "Better than going home to my sisters."
"I have to stay here anyway." said Billy. "I automatically get to stay here and no one has invited me over yet."
Charlie bowed his head with shame and so did everyone else. Billy noticed this and said, "Don't worry, I'm not offended. I understand. You all were just busy and forgot."
By the time the horn bellowed through the frost, Charlie realized that everyone was staying to witness the ball.
"This is going to be fun." Olivia sad, smiling mischievously.
"Just don't get expelled." warned Gabriel.
"Oh you know they can't kick their star actress out." Olivia said in a matter of fact voice. She grinned. And Charlie exchanged a nervous look with Emma.
It was Tuesday and already half of them had detention that Saturday by the time they went to bed. Tancred had stirred up a relentless storm during lunch, Emma (many people were surprised that she would get into detention so quickly) splattered a can's worth of paint all over the art room, Gabriel made a scene during their fifth class, and Olivia stole Manfred's teddy bear. No one believed her at first until she smiled slyly and pulled out a teddy bear from her bag. In front of Manfred.
Charlie admired her boldness for that.
The next day Charlie made sure he angered his great aunt, who is also the Matron, by refusing to get out of bed and dress in school uniform. He considered running a stream of words of what he thought of her but he held it, knowing that detention would not be the only thing given to him.
Later in the day everyone confirmed (except Billy, in which he had no need to get detention)that they all received detention.
"That's great. Now we have a few days to figure out a way to sneak in. Where is it being held again?" asked Fidelio.
"Where else? That ball room place...where they had it last time." said Charlie.
"Or the other three ball rooms." said Olivia.
"Wha?"
"Kidding."
"You better...anyway, are we getting in by food cart like how Billy and I escaped the last one?"
"We could but that's kinda boring. I prefer peeking around corners and dashing from here to there." said Olivia.
"I hate to admit it, and even though that's harder and riskier, that's how I'd like it too." said Lysander sheepishly. "It makes me feel so...reckless and it's exciting that way. It's fun."
"Yeah, and Sander is so confident in his ninja skills he can do it no problem, can't you Sander?" Tancred joked.
Lysander shrugged and everyone in the group grinned.
"Well I'm sticking to food cart transportation. Anyone else who wants to risk getting caught just for the fun of it can do what they want." said Charlie after the group quieted down from Tancred's remark.
One by one, Charlie counted who would go take a ride on the food carts and who would sneak around being 'ninja' with Olivia and Lysander. He expected Tancred to go and sneak around but Emma had chosen the safer and more easier way so Charlie assumed that Tancred was going with him just to be with her. He found it amusing yet sweet.
By the time the horn blew and they all retreated back to the warmth of the building eagerly, Charlie had Emma, Tancred, Billy, and Gabriel on his side while everyone else chose the 'ninja' way.
"Good luck. You lot are going to need it." said Charlie before they had to shut up and silently wander in the halls to their coat rooms.