Phew. Done. This was a bit trickier than the last two chapters mainly because it involved actual classes. Trying to juggle having it seem like a normal school environment without being incredibly boring and adding jokes at the same time is hard.
"What are you staring at?"
"Nothing," Donut muttered, averted his eyes. He didn't want to explain to his mother why he was glaring daggers at O'Malley. He's mine, cockbite.
"Uh huh." Sometimes Donut hated having a psychologist for a mum. She never took 'nothing' for an answer, even if she pretended to. "Where are your friends?"
"Well, Grif never comes early. And I can't see Simmons..."
"Is Simon your friend?" Donut was starting to get used to Caboose. Three months ago, he wouldn't go near him, especially if Church was near. Church and Caboose had once been typically bullies. The asshole and the muscle. Now, Caboose's broad and scary build was softened by his smile and voice.
"Oh for god's sake Caboose, my name is Simmons."
"Woah!" Donut yelled, nearly hitting Sheila as he stepped back. "Since when did you get so sneaky?"
Simmons shrugged. "What are Caboose and your mum doing here?"
"I'm here to help Caboose adjust to school, due to his Aphasia."
"Oh, right. He's even more retarded now."
Donut was surprised by the coldness in his voice. "What's up with you?" He shrugged again. Now Donut was paying attention, he did seem passive... unfocused? Like he wasn't really there.
The bell rang, signalling the beginning of school. "What do we have first period?"
Simmons had memorised his, Grif's and Donut's timetable by term 1. "P.E."
"Oh, great. Let's hope Grif comes later than usual." The two left, while Sheila led Caboose to the front office to receive his timetable.
The school's main P.E. instructor was a gruff man named Sarge. Well, that's what the teachers called him. Most the students knew him as 'the old lunatic who loves red and really hates Grif.' As if Grif didn't have enough of a reason not to like sport.
"Right. Yer know the drill. Pick a team, blue or red. If yah can't pick yerselves, I'll put you on the worst one."
"And then everyone will go to blue team," Omega muttered. Sigma grinned slightly.
"Which team this time?" Some students, like Church, Tucker, Simmons, Grif and Donut always picked the same team. Most didn't really care though, and stuck with their friends.
Omega scanned the students, paying attention to who had picked which team. "Blue. Tex looks mad."
"I think she looks more upset." Omega often mistook other emotions for rage.
"Is there a difference with Tex?"
"Fair enough," Sigma muttered, and the two made their way over to the blue team, happy to deal with Sarge rooting against them so long as they didn't have Tex trying to play whatever game they were assigned as violently as possible against them.
"Alright pansies. We're playin' dodgeball! Each team will get seven balls each. Catch the balls to bring the person of your choice back in. Make sure yer don't go over the middle line, and don' cheat! Especially you, Grif." Sigma could hear the protests from across the hall. Poor guy.
The game passed as it usually did; Sigma tried not to get out whilst chatting with her twin, Omega caught any balls that came near him and threw them half-heartedly. Church tried a few times to throw, then gave up when the attempts failed dismally. Tex probably got half of the reds out, glaring at them like they'd insulted her mother. Caboose somehow managed to make each ball he threw hit Church, and Sarge decided that counted, meaning Church was constantly out.
On the red team, Grif was trying and failing to avoid Sarge's line of sight while slacking off. Donut, who could throw even better than Tex, was currently 'facing off' with her, both of them determined to get the other out. Simmons, who usually stuck beside Sarge and offered encouragement to his team, was beside Grif, not even trying to look like he was doing anything.
"Simmons?"
"What, Grif?"
Oh great, he was grumpy. "Look, man. I'm really sorry."
Simmons shrugged. It seemed to be his default reaction to stuff now; shrug it off. "I was kinda making an effort to hide it from you. Not your fault I did a good job."
"Why'd you hide it from me, though? I'd have helped."
Simmons looked at Grif, game forgotten. "I didn't want you to worry. I like you because you're carefree."
"And I'm a lazy fatass, don't forget that."
Simmons gave a glimmer of a smile. He loved their banter. "Mhm, that too." Grif wrapped an arm around him, resting his head on Simmons' shoulder.
The moment was broken soon enough as Donut yelled out "Hell yeah! Three points ya dirty whore!" Grinning hugely as Tex stormed to the side.
Sarge, completely ignoring the profanity, congratulated Donut.
The game eventually ended with Sarge grudgingly admitting that Blue team had won; because of Grif's laziness, of course.
"How the hell did you not manage to hit a single person?" Tex muttered, laughing softly.
"At least I did better than Caboose. It was like he was trying to get me out!" Church looked behind him to glare at Caboose, who had adopted an innocent air.
"Tucker did it!"
"Oh fuck you!" Tucker growled. Sheila, who was lagging behind Caboose, almost objected before deciding it wasn't worth it.
"What's up with you?"
"Just pissed off by Caboose. Was the guy always this annoying?"
Church vaguely remembered being worried and wanting to protect Caboose less than an hour ago. Now he wanted to ditch class just so he didn't have to listen to the idiot call Tucker stupid or claim to be Church's best friend. Hell, he'd happily exchange schools at the moment.
"Move it." Church obeyed, blinking in confusion. Since when was Simmons so moody?
"What's up with you fags?"
Grif, as per usual, responded by giving him the finger behind his back. Simmons looked behind him, and Church wondered if the nerdy wimp was actually going to talk back, when Grif dragged him along, muttering in his ear.
Another surprise came in the form of Sheila, who stepped in front of him, glaring. He stared back. He didn't need this woman mothering him. Just do your job and stop Caboose from annoying us.
"I do not appreciate your rudeness."
Tucker started laughing, Tex snickered. Church just gave her a blank look. "I'm not trying to get your appreciation." The three walked off, Caboose following closely behind.
Donut watched with mild curiosity as Grif lead Simmons into the classroom, the latter still fuming. "What happened?"
"Fucking asshole," Simmons muttered, glowering.
"Ah, Church. Not like you to get so annoyed by him."
Grif momentarily wondered whether he should explain to Donut why Simmons was in such a bad mood. Best not to; he decided. Donut didn't have much to offer in the way of support, and would probably offer to bake cake, or something equally delicious yet useless.
It was something to be said about Grif's focus on helping Simmons that he rejected the thought of food with ease.
Flowers, their music teacher, walked in. Conversations dimmed as students found their chairs and prepared for boredom. "Okay, everyone!" Flowers began in his usual cheery voice. "Vic and I have decided to give you all an assignment, to see how musical you all are." No one bothered to suppress their groans. "Oh come on, it'll be fun! In pairs I want you all to compose, sing and perform your own song! I don't mind what type, so long as it's about you." More groans, which Flowers happily ignored.
Donut looked glumly at Simmons and Grif. He could tell they were about to ditch them. Unfortunately Doc wasn't in this class, so he couldn't choose him. Donut let his mind wander, resigning himself to being paired with whoever was left.
"No, fuck no. I am so not working with you." Church ignored Caboose's pouting.
"But Chuuurch!"
"No."
"Caboose, perhaps you could pair with Tucker?" Sheila offered. She was sitting beside Caboose, as far away from the other three as she could. Donut was right to call these people jerks.
The two stared at eachother. "I do not want to work with an idiot."
"Funnily enough, I was about to say the same," Tucker growled. The moron was really starting to get to him.
"Is there a problem?" Flowers had noticed the argument.
"Yeah," Church growled. "Caboose won't leave us the hell alone!"
Flowers frowned at Church's harsh tone. "Now, now, no need to be mean. Caboose, how about you pair with Tex?"
"Fuck that," Church muttered. "I'm with Tex."
Flowers must have been in a bad mood that day. He felt a slight surge of anger at his student's words, enough to bring him to a decision. "No, you are not. Tex and Caboose will work together. Tucker, you can work with..." He looked around, noting a trio who hadn't seem to have decided yet whom to work with. "...Grif. And Church, you can work with Andy."
Church glared at his 'pair'. Andy was known around the school as an utter jerk. As per usual, he was alone in the back of the class, calling insults at Omega, who was nearby. Church didn't want to be there when Omega snapped; he wasn't the nicest of guys when angry.
His first words when he got within hearing of Andy was "Shut the fuck up or you'll regret it."
"Church! What're you doing here?"
God, just his voice was annoying. "I have to work with you."
"Why?" A chuckle, sure sign he was about to insult Church. "Your girlfriend not want ya anymore?"
"Shut up," was his only reply.
"Seriously?" Grif glared at Tucker, who held his hands up as a sign of surrender.
"I'm as happy as you are."
"Ugh, fine. But mention my sister, and you're going home with a few less teeth."
"Deal." In all honesty, Tucker wasn't completely averse to working with Grif. The guy probably wouldn't do anything, meaning he could make whatever song he wanted. Besides, the two were pretty similar. The only reasons they weren't friends were called Kaikaina and Church.
Beside them, Simmons looked dully at Donut. "So, uh, what do you want to have the song about?"
Simmons shrugged, turning his gaze to the desk. "I don't care, you pick."
"Oh, ok." Silence resumed.
"Any ideas?"
York bit at his pen, a habit he had when thinking. "Come on Carolina... Have fun Carolina..."
North smirked, amused as ever by his friend's hopeless crush. "You realise this song will probably be presented to the whole class, right?"
"It'd be a cool way to tell her." York grinned.
"Fine. But you're writing the lyrics."
"Done," muttered York, who was already working out a chorus.
"Just go ask her."
Wash's head shot up from his hands, blushing as he tried to pretend he hadn't been staring at C.T. "What?"
Sigma rolled her eyes. "Ask her to work with you. What have you got to lose?"
"She could say no."
Sigma rolled her eyes. "Or you could moon over her for the rest of your life. Go." The last word was accompanied with a slight push. Sighing, Wash stood, taking a few steps before looking back. Sigma was standing by his desk, arms crossed in a definite 'I'm not going until you ask her' pose.
Wash growled, wondering if she was this annoying to her brothers. Annoyed or not, he did as she said, walking over to where South, C.T. and Carolina were talking.
"Come on South. You really want to work with her?"
C.T. glared at Carolina. "I am here, you know."
"Yeah, can you change that, please?" South buried her head in her hands, trying to ignore the squabbling between the two.
"Uh, Hi." All three looked up at Wash, who suddenly felt incredibly nervous. It didn't help that the two girls he didn't have a crush on were part of the gang that had nearly killed him...
That isn't helping with your courage Wash. They won't try anything now Maine's left them.
"Hey, um, Connie?" C.T.'s expression gave a flash of anger at the mention of her nickname.
"What?"
"Uh... Do you... um, want to work with me?"South scoffed, while Carolina seemed unsure of who to glare at.
C.T. turned her head towards Carolina for a second, before shrugging. "Sure. Anything to get away from this bitch."
To Shadic1978, I'm so sorry I couldn't add any actual Yorkalina. I have so much plot for every single character that it's hard to get to certain characters in 2k words. I will try, though.
I always got the impression that C.T. and Carolina really dislike eachother from the series. Did anyone else?
Also, Wash is fun to write. Almost as fun as Sarge.