Mmm~ I had to re-write this because my computer crashed! Sorry... it took a while. Oh~ thank you for waiting!
Chapter 6: Study Group
"This is it!"
Creole smiled with clean white teeth, pushing into the library. In the far corner, three heads sat up in attention to our presence. Linda, Matt, and another of Linda's friends from the look of it. This was the study group she'd formulated? If I am not misled, Matt does well off on his own concerning grades. Linda does fair enough. The other I'm sure does not need help either. Which leads me to wonder, why would they agree to come if they can pass on their own?
Who am I to talk though?
"I'm sure they are all very capable… I know everyone here has high ranked scores." If I expressed their ability out loud- perhaps Creole did not know... Maybe she would find my being there unnecessary. Maybe I'd be allowed my freedom.
"Non, non, non. We're already here! Let's have some fun!"
I think I knew things would turn out this way. Creole acted as a host, sitting me down next to an abnormally quiet Linda. Not that I minded her silence. It was a welcomed anomaly in fact.
"Anyone want some thinking snacks? I kidnapped some jellybeans."
A colorful bag was placed at the middle of the table as Creole sat herself down in the free chair between Matt and I.
Matt leaned forward, eyeing the bag in a curious fashion. He picked up a corner, looking at the label.
He set it back down. "You know, Dan and Fargo were having a fight over jellybeans today. Dan's bag was missing and he blamed Fargo for stealing it."
"Oh, yeah?"
It was more of a response for the sake of a response and not actual curiosity. Creole leaned across the table, pulling the bag over and viciously tearing the plastic apart. Tens of the bean-shaped candies spilled out without anything to support them. Individually picking out any black ones, Creole popped them into her mouth and leaned back in her seat. No one joined her. Myself, because I don't believe that snacking is an efficient way to help in studying. The others had their own personal reasons, I'm led to believe.
The other girl, whose name I knew not, leaned over, whispering into Linda's ear.
Linda was quick to shake her head. "No! She'd never do that!"
Creole faced them with wide eyes. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
"N-n-nothing," Linda replied, rather unconvincingly.
A green jellybean wobbled across the tabletop and stopped, teetering on the edge for a moment, then fell to my lap. I looked back at the darker skinned individual. Then at the group around me. Nothing at all would have convince me that this was any sort of group. It was more likely a random assortment of people forced to sit together.
"We are here for a reason?" I reminded.
"Yes!" Creole swiped the candy bag off the table, stashing it somewhere unseen. "We're studying for the next test coming up!"
Matt, who had returned to the table, dropped down five volumes of history. "Take your pick."
Before anyone made a move, Creole had got up and passed everything out on her own. Might as well take this time to my advantage. Flipping to the contents page, I read everything that would be that order of introduction. History is a vast topic, so I find it is easier if I first have a decent base to build on. Review what I already know. Predict what will be covered. This is where the beginnings of my web of thought are. Having to make transparent connections and lace them up tight so I will never forget. It is the only thing that is really dependable when it comes to thought for me. My logical connections all tied together and connected throughout my consciousness. If one ever ruptured or was cut without preparation… well, I can only conclude everything would unravel.
This "study group" was a lot less interactive then I had first believed. Not a word was exchanged after the books were laid down and everyone was quiet and focused. Well, almost. Linda had been reading the same page for the past ten minutes, looking red in the face. The other girl was turning pages much too fast to absorb anything. Matt had taken his game out and Creole was eating more jellybeans. The whole point of a study group seemed forgotten now. Oh well.
The page I was on mentioned the man, "Ts'ai Lun". Nothing too specific. He apparently invented paper. But that isn't enough. I'd have to go back into that history and make more connections.
Without making contact with anyone, I stood up to search for any particular book that might help. I drifted around towards the back where I knew the older, larger volumes were kept. The age was definitely conceivable by the senses. Thick dust coat on most everything and the sent of must lingering in the air. Children rarely ventured back here.
"What'cha doing?"
Matt had followed me, finally speaking up.
"I want a more in depth idea of a Ts'ai Lun. I can't use such a meager sentence that mentions the invention of paper and moves on. I can't do anything with that."
I rubbed away the dust on a title, putting it back when I saw it wouldn't be any use. Matt had raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you concerned about something so small? It's not that important."
I continued to search, not able to face him directly. "I need to make a connection. That one fact isn't enough. It will disappear…"
Matt leaned back against a bookshelf. "Whatever you say. Can't say I understand, but that gives me even less of a reason to interfere."
It was only quiet for a moment before the boy started up again.
"So, anything else going on?"
"I do things one at a time," I replied. "Right now all that is going on is my trying to find the correct book."
"Sorry, sorry. I see."
Another brief pause before he continued.
"Looks like it's going to snow. I bet-"
"Matt. What are you doing here?" I asked, looking him in the eye.
Matt raised both eyebrows this time. "Am I bothering you that much?"
"No. I mean, what are you doing in a study group? You don't care about studying…"
His head tilted as if thinking. I know he didn't need to… I guess it was for effect.
"Creole asked me to. Nothing much."
"That is it? Is it because you like her?"
Matt's face scrunched up. "What do you mean? Sure I do. I mean, I don't hang out with people I don't like. Well, I do... but only when I have to."
It made sense. "What does it mean when you say you like someone then?"
He frowned. I must have asked a strange question. "Never mind-"
"Depends on who you're asking."
"I was asking you."
Matt crossed his arms across his chest. "Why do you want to know anyway?"
"If you don't want to answer, then don't."
I began to look for good titles again. It was just a simple curiosity, that's all. I don't know why I was wasting my time asking such things…I just wanted to know.
"What does it mean when I like someone? It means that I want to be around them. And when I'm around them, it's good. Those are my thoughts anyway."
Oh. So that's it? Someone you want to be around. Someone who makes you "feel" different. Well, I don't have any of that. I have a ways to go then- But what am I thinking about anyway? Why is it starting to sound like I want this? Feelings. Do I want them? I don't know.
Matt leaned back on a bookshelf, closing his eyes and I went to searching through titles once again.
"Well…you could make your connections by using the evolution of paper. First using different things like tree bark and hemp for materials…" he murmured quietly, almost to himself. "Then make another connection to Xuan paper made in Jing County, Anhui, which is probably the best-known paper from the time… It's mainly used in Chinese painting and calligraphy…"
I looked to Matt who had opened his eyes again, looking at me.
"And then you can connect calligraphy to whatever else…right?"
I straitened back up not needing a volume any longer. The ties were made.
"You know a lot."
Matt laughed, shaking his head. "Not really. I was forced to do some extensive writing as a punishment a while ago. That just happened to be the topic…"
Still. To readily hold the facts… I didn't expect that from him. Not that I knew him well enough before to create a valuable conjecture. This was something new. Not bad. Interesting. Very.
Well, there was no reason to be there anymore. My objective was resolved.
I looked over at Matt who was ever so keenly staring out the window. I followed his gaze, curious to see what he was seeing. There was a cluster of kids doing something I didn't really care about… I guess Matt did. He leaned forward with eyes widened.
"No…"
Matt stood upright, quickly walking then running out of the library. I looked back out the window, hoping to see what he saw. Nothing that interesting. Just a group of kids.
"Near?"
I turned to see Creole was standing their waiting.
"Near, what happened?"
"I don't know." It was something outside. Matt left because of something outside.
Creole stared after to where Matt had left. "Do you know where he was going?"
"Not really." Maybe outside.
Creole nodded. "Alright."
I followed her back to the study table with the idea that we were going to continue studying.
"Linda. Molly. Je suis désolé, Near and I have to leave you."
There was already her hand around mine before I could question it. I was lead out of the library, not to my accord, and pulled through the hallways. Cutting out the trip, she ended up dragging me to her room. Leaving me at the door, she went over to the closet and opened it up. A hooded sweatshirt was tossed at me as she was already putting one on herself.
"It'll be cold out there."
While pulling my arms into the long sleeves, my eyes were drawn to the only unordinary spot- the open closet. Inside were many…things. Things that didn't really belong. Candy for the most part. But also clothes, jewelry, a folding chair, books, a jump rope, magazines, games, matches. And that is only scratching the surface. Very organized and very odd.
Creole had shut the door and began walking me again.
"Is all that stuff yours?"
"Oubliez ça... Never mind. Let's hurry."
The cool air walking outside was the only thing nice about the situation. The same mesh of kids from earlier was still there. Chanting and hollering in a mess of noise I could not pick apart. Bodies condensed together looking like one, big, multi-colored mass made up of winterwear. The hand holding my sleeve guided me even further towards it, the noise growing.
Right at the outer part of the ring- a hand was on my shoulder. Matt stood there in his long sleeves too. He said something, but nothing came out. Or maybe something did and was only swept away under the cover of other loud voices. I could feel Creole move and she was speaking back. I do not understand how they did it. By now the noise had made itself like earmuffs for me, muffling the sounds and making them a whole one murmur. Matt looked over the crowd, something he could do being taller than me, then got that same look he had in the library. Only this time it ended with panic.
We both followed Matt as he quickly pushed through the group to where the center opened up around two boys. Oh yes, I did know them. There was Dive, bloodied and bruised, with Mello still on top and swinging his fists.
"God dammit! What the hell's your problem these days?"
That time I heard Matt's voice clear above the others as he grabbed Mello's wrists and wrenched him off the other boy's body. Half the group erupted in more noise and the others rushed forward like a rescue team, picking Dive up and trying to get him back to the haven of Wammy's walls. Mello still bucked in protest, trying to get free.
"Fuck you, Matt! Let me go!"
"You're going to get kicked out if you keep doing this!"
"I don't fucking care!" Mello got one arm free, his elbow then whacking Matt in the collarbone. He was phased a moment, but Matt still had control, pinning Mello facedown.
"Let's calm down, alright! What's your problem?"
Mello was suddenly filled with more energy, making Matt fight to keep him down.
Mello turned his head to the side and spat, "That's my problem!"
"What? Dive?"
"No! That question! I don't have a problem! Stop. Asking!"
Creole had shooed away the rest of the kids and it was only the four of us. That question. What question? His problem…was a question? Oh. Maybe it was something like annoyance. Was that it? Was he annoyed by it? So much that he had beat Dive over it? Maybe he asked it a lot. Maybe he was teasing him about it. Maybe. It still does not make sense to me either way. It's something that I do not understand.
Mello turned his head in out direction. His face was flushed with anger and eyes searching for a target. They stopped, staring directly at me. The next response was not one I was expecting. His body went limp, eyes grew dull, head turned away.
"Matt. You can let me go. I don't even care anymore."
He seemed sincere enough. Matt let him go.
I could hear him breathing as he stood up and looked at me again. From where I was, I couldn't tell about the color of his eyes. They seemed only the same color from a distance. I've always seen them from this distance. Only now that I know if I were nearer I could see more than just blue…do I care to move closer. But there was no opportunity. Mello silently walked past without a word.
Matt got off his knees and to his feet, watching as Mello went back into Wammys.
"Matt?" The question had been bothering me since it came up again. "What is his problem? I do not understand."
Matt didn't look at me when he answered, "I don't know."
More to come! I haven't dropped this story yet!
~Reviews are really appreciated~