Brief
Commentary:
Bitch bashing! Hooray! Everyone, dance, sing, laugh! Drink alcoholic beverages! Celebrate! Ohhh, I've been wanting to do this for SO long. Myu hu hu hu hu... Paninya so kicks ass in this one (iz in ur skool, plottinz against ur bitches), plus we have Eddo's happy reappearance! (Okay, probably not happy...sadistic and violent is more like it). Killed me (literally) to write though; I slipped in the rain and fell on my ass TWICE, and flung my left hand out to support me - it feels like it's been ruptured, although I've been assured it isn't. They're all lying to me...if my hand falls off as a result, they're so gonna get it.
Reasons
Not For Your Ears
Chapter Seven
"Those bitches!" Paninya shrieked, standing up abruptly, one hand clenched into a fist, the other still remaining flat on her desk. Several people turned to glance curiously at the dark-skinned girl's sudden behavior, but generally the class as a whole was used to it and ignored the outburst. The girls who had committed the crime either smirked at Paninya's reference to them, or scowled - they were rather pathetically obvious as criminals. "They don't have any right to do that; where everyone, even teachers, for God's sake, can see it! Oh, they are so dead when I get through with 'em. Come on, Winry, after school, let's give 'em what's comin' to 'em!"
Winry observed in silent amusement as her comrade fumed, her face turning a lovely red out of anger. She had moved her chair over to the side of Paninya's desk to speak with her, the dark-skinned girl responding as violently as usual to the 'Bitch News,' as Paninya often called it.
"Sorry, I can't. Baa-chan wants me home early today," she told her, pretending to be disappointed. Generally Winry attempted to avoid 'giving 'em what was comin' to 'em.' In all honesty, she wouldn't be any good at that sort of thing anyway.
"Whaaaaat?! Ask her if you can't stay later!" Paninya glared at her desk, lower-lip pouted uncutely. Her friend shook her head.
"Sorry," she repeated.
"Ugh, that's just ridiculous!"
"I know, I know. What are you going to do to them this time?"
Paninya earned a devilish look.
"I was thinking along the lines of using the tape I have of Sussie running around screaming at that one party I told you about for blackmail, then just have it up on the school broadcast room for public view anyway."
Winry's eyes widened.
"What? You're joking!"
"Nah, I'm not," she smirked, hands now resting on her hips in a victory pose.
"Wow, Paninya...just, wow," she stared at her friend in sudden admiration. "...Thanks a lot, really."
"No problem - that's what friends in 'Pay Back on the Bitches Club' do!" Paninya winked at her, suddenly reverting on of her arms to an outstretched position, giving the blonde-haired girl a thumbs-up. Winry couldn't help but roll her eyes.
"All right, Pan, thanks," she grinned. "Oh, and did I mention I have homework off this evening?"
"Must've been lucky," Paninya switched from an identical grin to another pout, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Mustang-sensei is just nice, that's all."
"Nah, you were lucky. At least today's mild - you're going to need a coat again soon, seeing as you can't get yours now."
"Ugh, dammit, I totally forgot," Winry face palmed, her eyes narrowed in irritation. "...Dammit."
The two glanced up as Mustang-sensei entered the room, his obvious embarrassment and anger evident on his face as his gaze swept over the room, flickering for a moment as he identified each culprit responsible for defacing Winry's locker. They quickly hushed their voices, Winry scooting her chair as subtly as she could back to her desk, hoping to escape his notice. Thankfully, Mustang-sensei wasn't paying attention to her, although she didn't miss the chill in the room that had ensued when he had finished his wordless interrogation of all his students. Swallowing, the blonde-haired girl glanced anxiously at Paninya, who was of little help, for she had resorted to the "dull and clueless" pose. She was slouched in her seat, eyes vacant, body still, and mouth open slightly so that a few of her enviously white teeth were viewable; his gaze utterly missed her. Paninya was practiced, and was excellent at being unnoticeable.
"It has come to my attention," Mustang-sensei finally spoke. "that there have been certain trouble-makers in this class. And not the obvious, I might add. The behavior I have seen appalls me, and I hope that by the time I am through with them, this will not continue to happen."
He might just do the payback for you, Pan, Winry thought to herself, lips narrowing into a small smirk.
"I will pull these people aside once class has ended - everyone else will continue to the locker rooms to change into their gym uniforms," he finished his brief announcement, then walked up to the chalk board to begin the lesson. Winry swallowed the bile in her throat, mind racing nervously. What if her gym uniform had been ruined, too? Would they go that for? Of course they would. Had they? She had no idea. Biting her lip, Winry forced herself to calm and concentrated on the lesson, observing dimly that whatever Mustang-sensei was saying was going right through her head. She would have to borrow Paninya's notes later, if she had bothered to take any. They were easier to read, certainly, than Alphonse's cursive; Winry hated resorting to Alphonse anyway. It was embarrassing, and it bothered her how many notes he actually took, in comparison to hers or Paninya's. She would at least have an excuse this time to borrow them...
Winry was wearing a prominent scowl on her face as she walked slowly home. Her gym uniform had been fine, but the lock had obviously been tampered with - if she knew anything by now, she would have to get the combination changed soon. She had had to resort to using Alphonse's notes after all - unsurprisingly, Paninya hadn't bothered to take any this time around. He had obviously been very upset over the news of her locker, although he was naive enough not to know that it had been his own fan club that had committed the crime, much to Winry's relief. Alphonse was a guy, after all, he didn't need to know.
Chewing her lip, the blonde-haired girl nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard a voice behind her.
"Boo."
Whirling around, Winry glared at the new-comer.
"Pan, don't scare me like that!"
"So you were scared!" Paninya laughed, stretching her arms behind her head.
"Who wouldn't be?" she grumbled, holding her notes tighter to her chest and whipping back around, refusing to face her. Paninya's voice took on a whiny note.
"Winryyyy, don't be like that! You know I was just kidding - anyway, I got the payback all planned out! You wanna hear it?"
Winry sighed, sub-consciously scratching her head as Paninya came up beside her..
"Just don't get in trouble."
"'Course I won't, who do you think I am?"
"..."
"Aw, shut up. Besides, the plan is really great; I sure as hell won't get caught," her friend assured her, punching her lightly in the arm.
She sighed again and nodded, not really listening as Paninya launched into her plan. Her thoughts were else where, else where being Edward Elric, who she still couldn't get out of her mind. His angry scowl, the hushed yet violent 'Shut up!', the feeling of his hand, tight and commanding, around her wrist, the puff of smoke released from his lips as he exhaled and pulled a cigarette out of his mouth...it was maddening.
"...so then when she tries to prove me wrong, I can say Vanika did it, and there won't be a word against me!"
Winry blinked out of her stupor, deciding it would be proper to nod here.
"Great, so you agree?"
"Just make sure it isn't against the law, what you're doing," she groaned.
"...if I would get fined for doing it, is that illegal?"
"...never mind."
"I'm serious, Winry!"
Another sigh.
"Just do what you want."
"Cool! Gotta run, Win, see you!" Paninya grinned and skipped off in the opposite direction; Winry noticed with a second groan how elongated her shadow had become - it was darkening outside already. Soon the sun would disappear completely under the horizon, and Winry would be left to wander the streets in the dark. Again. And God knows if she would see Edward...well, maybe it wouldn't be that bad, a traitorous part of her brain contemplated. Letting out a low growl, the blonde-haired girl twitched as she heard the soft scuffle of a sneaker against the concrete; so subtle it was hardly audible. There was another step, then another, then the sounds stopped altogether, in such a sudden matter that there was a quiet squeak.
"Very funny, Pan," Winry scowled. "Stop following me."
"You're calling me Pan now?" there was an amused tone in the deeper voice, in place of the high, playful one she had been expecting. She froze in recognition and slowly turned around.
There was Edward, standing a few feet away, another cigarette perched between his lips as he leaned against a glowing street lamp, hair just as dirty, ratty, and golden as before. His eyes were half-lidded, his body tense although his shoulders were slack in calm. Another blood stain had appeared on his wife-beater just above where his gut would be located - there was a new tear along with it. Nothing else had changed, however.
Interrupting the silence, he began again with,
"Do you walk alone at night often?"
"I-it isn't night, it's just dark!" Winry replied intelligently, stomping her foot for emphasis. He smirked at her and rolled his eyes.
"Still just as dangerous, isn't it?"
"S-shut up; I can defend myself!"
"Right," Edward glanced away, eyes narrowed, as if to hide his pointed disbelief in her statement. Removing the cigarette from his mouth, he casually blew into the chilly evening air, un-fazed by the cold as smoke curled into the light emitting from the street lamp.
Irritated, Winry decided against saying anything, although she refused to back down and stood, freezing, opposite him, a defiant glare on her face. Eventually he noticed this and mirrored it. They remained like that for several minutes, before Edward heaved a sigh and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Winry huffed and turned to go into the other, striding away quickly in hopes of disappearing down the block before he did. Lazily, he glanced back at her retreating form, a scrawled smile of sadistic amusement playing on his lips, before it disappeared and he muttered an inaudible,
"Shit."
All Winry knew was at that moment, a loud, much too loud, gun crack was heard, and a heavy, panting, bleeding body had pushed her to the ground and was braced on top of her. Terrified, she parted her lips and let out a shriek, but a strong hand was clamped over her mouth and some one whispered in her ear,
"Shut up and don't move, or you're dead."
And so you will be if you don't review! Kya ha ha, kidding. :) Dramatic ending, ne? I have a feeling that this will be followed up at an extremely random time - it's sudden and leaves a little hanging feeling, so it won't take long, but then again, this is the weekend, and I might be too lazy to do it any time soon. Who knows!
