Madeline had practically dived out of the black Mercedes as it slammed to a stop in the Starbucks parking lot, all but kissing the sweet, sweet ground in relief.
"Kesesese, are you alright? Was my awesomeness too much for you to handle?" Gilbert boasted, his grin rivaling that of the Cheshire Cat as he guided the quivering Canadian to the Starbucks' entrance; he was internally celebrating the arm she had allowed him to place across her shoulders. However, Madeline barely noticed the fit arm draped casually behind her, too focused on slowing her heart rate.
Never. Never again. She thought, shuddering as she glanced at the still beaming Prussian with wide indigo eyes. This boy is a maniac!
Needless to say, the albino had practically rammed two cars in the short three minutes it took to drive to Starbucks, blaring some obnoxious German techno as they raced down the street, the Canadian's frightened squeaks all but drowned out by the boy's unnerving laughter ("G-g-gilbert, slow down, p-please!" "Kesesese, brakes are for unawesome people, Birdie!").
"So, what did you want to drink?" the albino asked, fishing out a tattered wallet from his back pocket as the duo stepped into line. Madeline didn't even have to peruse the menu before she answered, "U-um, I think I'm going to get the Maple Nut Cappuccino. What about you?" Suddenly, a deep accented voice interrupted Gilbert's response.
"Мадлен?"
Madeline glanced up, her face splitting into a gorgeous smile that would've caused Gilbert to blush had it not been aimed at a rather scary Russian standing childishly behind the counter.
"Oh, Ivan!" the Canuck chirped, grabbing the stranger's hands with unadulterated affection much to the nearby Prussian's annoyance. "I didn't know you worked here!"
The man smiled, his violet eyes almost as bright as Madeline's.
"Ah, Da. My sister, Katyusha, works here, too. She helped me get the job, though I doubt the owner could have said no to me," the Russian responded darkly, casting Gilbert an icy stare. "So, is this your boyfriend?"
At this, the Canadian flushed a deep red, shaking her head vigorously, unaware that the albino beside her seemed to visibly deflate at the adamant response.
"N-n-no! Not at all! Gilbert's just my partner for a history project! Nothing more!"
Ouch, harsh Birdie. Gilbert thought, wincing as he withered a bit more.
"Oh, I see. Well, what can I get for you, Comrade?" Ivan directed towards the feeling-less-than-awesome Prussian who simply glared back at the Russian still holding his Birdie's hands. His arm around Madeline's shoulders tightened.
"A Vente Latte and Maple Nut Cappuccino, Comrade." the albino replied through gritted teeth, as the Canuck in his grasp seemed to redden considerably.
"O-oh, Gilbert, you don't have to buy my drink, really!" she squeaked as Ivan punched in the orders.
"Ah, not to worry, Madeline. The drinks are on the house!" the Russian soothed, passing them their caffeine as Gilbert, who'd been rifling through his wallet for a ten, glared fucking atomic bombs at the man who was so obviously hitting on his...his...
His what?
Birdie was not his girlfriend.
Was she even his friend? Or were they just "partners" as she had said earlier?
"Fuck." Gilbert spat under his breath, realizing that he had no claims on the girl yet, and she was still fair game to any coffee-making Communist who wanted to buy her drinks.
Damn.
As Madeline grabbed her drink with a dozen thanks and rushed off to find a table, Gilbert leaned in to the Hulk-sized Russian, who simply smiled back childishly.
"This isn't over." he stated, before turning to follow the blonde towards a table.
-break-
Lovina scowled as she made ready to enter the lunchroom the next day, her good mood from last period (she had gotten an A on her history test! A freaking miracle, I tell you!) evaporating. Yet again, she was late, and as she burst through the double doors a dozen pairs of eyes glanced up at her. She ignored their amused expressions to instead trudge towards her usual seat in the back besides Maddie. However, she noticed the blonde wasn't alone. Beside her sat an exuberant Spaniard, who seemed to be chatting up a nearly one-sided storm as he scooped what looked like paella into his mouth.
"And then once when I was younger, Francis tried to kiss Alice Kirkland at the playground. She got so angry she started chanting some weird voodoo stuff and promised he would never have the girl he truly wanted. It was so scary!"
Suddenly, Lovina appeared beside the pair, hands on her hips as she stared down the peeping tom from yesterday.
"What the hell are you doing here, perverted bastard?" she seethed, sitting down across from Madeline, arms crossed tightly over her chest. The Spaniard seemed to light up instantly.
"Lovina, right? Hello, it's nice to meet you finally! Oh, you're even cuter up close~! My name is Antonio Carriedo, but you can call me whatever you want!" he beamed, extending one hand which the Italian eyed warily, her cheeks igniting as she was clearly thinking, What the fuck?
"I am really sorry about yesterday. I asked Feliciana to introduce me, but I guess I came in at the wrong time and-"
"Do you ever stop talking, bastard?" the auburnette growled, snatching a tomato from her lunch bag and biting into it angrily, more to hide her reddened face than anything.
Stupid peeping toms.
"And I'm not cute, you stalker!"
Madeline, sensing that Lovina had secretly approved of the boy's apology, began a conversation that she knew neither could resist.
"So...how about them tomatoes?"
And in an instant, Antonio had launched into a spiel about his tomato garden while Lovina snorted, claiming her's was probably ten times better. The Canadian, though perplexed by their abnormal adoration for the squishy fruit, grinned cutely. It had been so long since Lovina had made a friend outside of the band. People usually disliked her for her bitter personality and vulgar mouth, when in reality she could be quite gentle. Once, when both Feliciana and Alice had come down with the chicken pox, Lovina (who had already had her fair share of pox as a child and was, therefore, immune) rushed between houses nursing the two back to health ("F-for the band, of course! It's not like I care for you bitches or anything!"). Another time, Madeline's entire family, Alfred included, had forgotten her thirteenth birthday, so the Vargas sisters had hosted a surprise party at their grandfather's mansion; the Canadian still remembered the bouquet of pancakes they had given her, which had been placed in a vase full of maple syrup.
Suddenly, a familiar "Kesesese" was heard as Gilbert approached the table, Francis close behind.
"Oi, Antonio, what are you doing sitting with that?" the albino sneered, the entire lunchroom silencing to watch the scene before them unfold.
"Fuck off, albino," Lovina growled, staring into his red eyes for a moment before glancing away.
"What was that?" said albino questioned in response, picking up Antonio's half-eaten paella with a nasty grimace on his face.
Oh no, Madeline thought, opening her mouth to protest. She was too late, however, as the dish slammed into the Italian's face, causing the entire room to silence before the students burst out in laughter. Antonio gawked in disbelief as the tiny junior, dripping in his lunch, squeezed her eyes tighter together before bolting from the room.
"Kesesese, did you see her face, Francis? Priceless!"
"Ohonhon! I think you did the poor girl a favor, Gil. The paella certainly looked better than those unflattering rags she wore!"
Suddenly, Madeline was standing, her cheeks red with blatant anger. Gilbert ceased his cackling, blinking once, before grinning.
"Birdie! Hey, I didn't see you there! Why don't you and Toni come eat with-?"
Slap!
The albino's head flew backwards as the Canadian began cursing at him in Quebecois French, her hand stinging from where she had smacked the damned Prussian across the face. The room was quiet once again as Madeline gathered her and Lovina's lunches, turning to glare one last time at the shell-shocked albino before she marched out of the room, Antonio, still stunned, following close behind.
Gilbert tentatively touched his burning cheek, red eyes wide as he realized what had just happened.
"Well, fuck."
-break-
Lovina had never cried so hard before, not even when some cheerleaders had ruined the tenth grade cell project she had spent sleepless days working on. Her cheeks were burning from embarrassment, and as she huddled in the bathroom stall wondering when Madeline would burst in (which she undoubtedly would sooner or later), Antonio's face flashed through her mind.
The first person outside of the band to be nice to her in three years and he had to watch his paella get shoved in her face.
Not like it mattered. The damn bastard was probably laughing with all of his other dumbass friends anyways.
She used more tissue paper to scrub off her face, not even jumping when the bathroom door opened and a string of French curses was heard.
"Stupid Gilbert, I'll do the project by myself that-gah!" Madeline muttered as she yanked open the stall Lovina was most likely hiding. Her ferocious indigo eyes softened at the sight of her friend, gorgeous despite the paella still clinging to her auburn hair, and she coaxed the Italian out.
"C'mon, let's get this cleaned up. Don't cry, it could have been a lot worse." the Canadian soothed, leading a sniveling junior to the bathroom sink, where she proceeded to wash out the girl's hair.
"I-I wasn't crying!" Lovina started, trying to gather some pieces of her pride as Madeline's soft hand sifted through her wet hair. "I just got paella in my eye."
Suddenly, a knock was heard from the door.
"Is she alright?" a deep, Spanish voice lilted, his voice laced with legitimate concern.
Lovina's eyes widened.
"What is that bastard doing here?" she asked, her head still pressed under the faucet. The Canadian smiled knowingly as she turned the water off, wringing out the auburn hair in her hands.
"He was worried about you. Poor guy looked like he was about to cry."
Lovina flushed a thousand shades of red.
-break-
"Oh, man, Francis what am I going to do?" Gilbert whined at the lunch table, head in his hands as the other table residents glanced at him in concern. Who was this imaginary Madeline Williams he kept talking about?
"I didn't know her and Vargas were best friends! Now Birdie probably hates me for all the shit I put her friend through!"
"Gilbert, mon ami," the blonde started, resting one hand on his friend's shoulder. "You must apologize. To Lovina. You may lose an eye, but if you really want a chance with my cousin you must throw away your pride."
The albino stopped his pity party for a moment to stare suspiciously up at Francis.
"Your cousin?" Gilbert echoed, confusion and then horror etched on his face.
"Hmm? I am surprised you did not guess. The only reason Madeline's hair is so gorgeous is because she is related to me. Ohonhon!"
The albino covered his face with his hands again.
"Oh God, I like a relative of Francis!" he bemoaned as the Frenchman clutched his heart in mock offense.
…
"Did I not mention that her older brother is Alfred Jones?"
Gilbert practically screamed in horror.
-break-
"Look Toni, I'm going to apologize to her right now!" Gilbert growled as the trio marched towards the band hall seventh period, the albino rubbing his arm where the Spaniard had socked him a good few times.
"Yeah, you better, mi amigo." the brunette muttered darkly as they approached the band room's door. Che Canta Te Passa was already preparing for their next number. Francis, who'd been boredly following the two, suddenly pushed his way forward, ocean blue eyes wide.
"Is that Alice Kirkland?" he almost exclaimed, wondering since when did Alice possess any musical ability; if it was anything like her cooking, the entire school was doomed!
"Hmm, yeah? Why do you ask, Francisco?"
The Frenchman's gaze darkened a bit and he stepped back from the door. "Why is that damned American there?" the blonde spat, his French accent thick as he watched Alfred get whacked upside the head by a blushing Brit for poking her eyebrows.
Gilbert sighed at his friend's jealousy.
"You see, Toni, while you were off in Spain, Francis and Alice sort of had a thing together. Basically, they fought all of the time."
"It was love! Aggressive love, yes, but love nonetheless!"the blonde defended but was waved off by an impatient German.
"Yeah, well, some love that was. She broke it off with him and they haven't talked since."
At Francis's pitiful frown, Antonio hugged his friend.
"Oh, lo siento, mi amigo!"
"Now here's the kicker. The reason she broke up with him was because a bunch of girls ganged up on her for stealing all of Francis's attention. Alice fought back like hell, she did; hell, I heard her screaming all the way from the detention room upstairs!"
-FLASHBACK-
"Let go of me, you sodding gits!" Alice screeched as one cheerleader yanked hard on her pigtail, the others reaching for her appendages so as to restrain her. She had been waiting for her half-brother, Scotty, to get out of detention so he could drive her home when the cheerleaders were suddenly released from after-school practice. Seeing the Briton roaming the halls talking to the imaginary faeries she always claimed existed, the preps had decided it would be a good time to put Francis Bonnefoy back on the market.
"Bloody hell, I said let go!" she yelped, raising one boot to kick a brunette square in the chest. A red-head punched her in the nose-good God, that bitch punched hard!-causing blood to gush out, staining her once white shirt.
"Jesus, I don't know why Francis likes her of all people! Look at those eyebrows! They're humongous!" one cheerleader teased as the Briton jerked back and forth in an attempt to escape. "They look just like her brother's!"
At this, Alice bit out a feral, "Leave Peter out of this!" before tugging harder at the girls restraining her.
The red-head who had punched her spoke up: "If you dump Francis, then we won't bother you or your brother, understand? The Bad Touch Trio is reserved for popular girls only; you must be this tall to ride." At this, she raised her hand a good two inches above Alice's mediocre height. So what, she was short!
Alice opened her mouth to cuss the girls out when suddenly a loud, "Chigi!" was heard. From behind the corner, Lovina Vargas, who had been watching the entire ordeal, building up the courage to intervene, lunged at the red head. She knocked the cheerleader to the floor, and as the girl attempted to rise the Italian gave one strong, painfully loud headbutt.
"I will sic the mafia on all of you bitches!" she threatened, standing to face the remaining cheerleaders. Before the Italian could act, however, Alice had used the temporary distraction to wriggle free of her holds and sock a brunette in the temple. Having been raised with three older brothers, the Briton was far from inexperienced as she threw one elbow backwards, jabbing another girl directly in the mouth.
Before the cheerleaders could recover, Alice had lunged forward, screaming, "Run!"
If there was one thing an Italian could do, it was run.
Grabbing Alice's wrist, Lovina dragged the Briton in a mad dash for the parking lot where a petite blonde was seated on the back of a crimson Vespa.
"Maple, Lovina what did you do this time?" a barely audible voice piped up as the duo reached the vehicle. Tossing Alice a helmet, the Italian hopped into the driver's seat. Madeline wrapped her hands around Lovina's waist as Alice hopped on behind the blonde and together the trio drove off, leaving the cheerleaders fuming by the front door.
That Lovina Vargas is going to pay. The red-head thought, planning to make the Italian's high school life a living hell.
-END FLASHBACK-
The story was cut short though as they heard a distinct British voice ring throughout the band room. Francis pushed forward again, eyes trained on the blonde clutching the mic with a dangerous look in her eyes. [A/N: Friday Night by Lily Allen by lovely readers. Look it up, inmediatamente!]
"Ooooooo, Ooooooo
Friday night, last orders at the pub
Get in the car and drive off towards the club
There's a massive crowd outside so we get into the queue
It's quarter past eleven now, we won't get in 'til quarter to
It's quarter to and we get to the front
Girl on a guest list dressed like a c***
She asked security to check inside my shoes
You can play this game with me, but you know you're gonna lose
Looked me up and down
I don't make a sound
There's a lesson that I want you to learn
And it's if you're gonna play with fire then you're gonna get burned
Don't try and test me 'cause you'll get a reaction
Another drink and I'm ready for action
I don't know who you think you are
But making people scared won't get you very far
In the club make our way to the bar
Good dancing love but you should have worn a bra
Guy on the mic and he's making too much noise
There's these girls in the corner wanting attention from the boys
I see these girls and they're shouting through the crowd
Don't understand why they're being really loud
Make their way over to me
And try to push me out the way
I push them back, she looks at me and says
"What you tryin' to say?"
Looked me up and down
I don't make a sound
There's a lesson that I want you to learn
And it's if you're gonna play with fire then you're gonna get burned
Don't try and test me 'cause you'll get a reaction
Another drink and I'm ready for action
I don't know who you think you are
But making people scared won't get you very far
Don't try and test me 'cause you'll get a reaction
Another drink and I'm ready for action
I don't know who you think you are
But making people scared won't get you very far."
Francis stared for awhile, and stared, and stared.
He knew there was a reason he loved that girl; her sass! Her personality in general was just so compatible with his (or so he thought)!
Suddenly, she turned from the mic and their eyes locked dead-on. Green clashed with blue.
She mouthed the word, "You," before the entire band followed her line of sight to see the three boys stacked practically one on top of the other trying to peer in. Lovina's face turned scarlet and she started cursing in Italian as Antonio waved happily at her. Madeline mumbled a quick, "Maple," while Alice was still in a staring contest with Francis, mouth agape.
Feliciana ve'ed happily.
"Yay, our first groupies!"
[A/N: so how do you guys like it so far? Oh and if anyone has good song ideas, don't be afraid to share! Reviews are loved!]