Matthew sighed. Second period was, of course, physical education.

He hurried into the boys locker room and entered the bathroom stall and slammed it shut (while not reacting to the sound of plastic hitting metal). Picking through his red bag, Matthew found his gym clothes. A couple of minutes of failing pretty fantastically passed, but he managed to put on his clothes.

He felt around in his bag for Kumajiro, took his bear out, and then shoved his backpack into a locker and flipped his lock on it.

After very gracefully explaining to his thick-headed teacher his hearing disorder, (Matthew wasn't sure why the P.E. Teacher didn't get the message, but didn't question it.) he entered the gymnasium and hid behind the bleachers, knowing the only people who would be inside on a day like today would be people playing a basketball game; And that, for Matthew, would be pleasantly silent. He was a little sad that he couldn't cling to his "hero" of a brother (who was playing football or something), but he did have Kuma, so he gently laid his head on Kuma's fluffy, cloth one.

He was surprised to find another person behind the wooden seating. It was a platinum haired girl who was looking skittishly at him, silently pleading for him not to tell her location.

Matthew laughed quietly and smiled as reassuringly as someone as awkward as him could manage. "Don't worry, I'm hid...ing here too. Playing sports.. Doesn't go so well when you're unable to hear most of the di-rec-tions..." He muttered the last bit quieter than he normally spoke, if that was even possible, but the girl still heard it.

"Oh, you're the boy who can't hear well, huh? I'm Katuysha Braginsky . You can call me Kat, though."

Matthew made a mental note that she had already known about him. Pangaea spread news quickly, huh?

"So.. why are you here... Kat..? If you don't mind me asking..." Katyusha looked at him for a second, obviously debating whether or not to tell him why, and spoke with false humor. "Aha, well... you see, my... 'tracks of land' make it kind of hard to run..."

It took Matthew's mind a moment to understand what she was referring to. And then his face turned a million shades of fuchsia and his lavender eyes unintentionally stared at said "land." After realizing what his traitor eyes were doing, he snapped them away and tried to focus on the basketball game that was, unsurprisingly, still too loud to be heard on Matthew's extremely insensitive ears.

And then the teacher saved him from The Most Awkward Moment Ever by telling everyone to get their lunches.

After quickly using his natural social invisibility, he escaped the bleachers without the teacher or Katyusha noticing.

Walking with his brother, Matthew got through the lunch line and sat without too much trouble. Alfred was currently shoving the disgusting looking lunch into his esophagus and Matthew slid his tray over to him so it wouldn't go to waste, even if it was just dumped into the human trashcan.

Listening to the confusing murmur that spread through the lunchroom, Matthew didn't notice Alfred trying to get his attention. He did notice, however, when Alfred silently smacked him against the face.

A choked scream came out of his mouth, and Alfred stopped it by clamping a hand over his mouth. "Mattie. Bro. Calm down. I'm sorry."

Matthew shot him a half-hearted glare and removed the hand from his mouth, even though he didn't intend to focus on speaking at the moment, with all the quiet noise that gave him a headache in the room.

"Anyway, I need to tell ya a lesson about this school." Alfred pointed to the right while speaking with amazing annunciation so Matthew could understand the 'lesson'. It was still muffled and quiet, though. Matthew allowed his anger at his brother to lighten a bit so he could focus on Alfred.

"See that guy over there?"

Matthew's eye followed the direction Alfred pointed to look at two guys; One brunette, who looked like he would cry, and the other was a platinum blonde who had a creepy childish smile.

"That's Commie Bastard. Or more well known as Ivan Braginsky. He's an asshole, and I don't want you anywhere near him, okay, Mattie? He always seems to find the flaws in people."

Matthew ignored the fact that Alfred had called his deafness a flaw.

Mostly because two things made Matthew feel dread.

One, the guy that was obviously the school bully had the same surname as Katuysha.

Two, the same guy was staring straight at him, and while he did, his smile widened considerably.

Causing a shock of fear climb up Matthew's spine.

Alfred didn't notice, because he had already gone back to his (and now Matthew's) food.

So Matthew did the logical thing.

He grabbed Kumajitsu and ran into the bathroom to avoid "Commie Bastard" and his brother.

Matthew's invisibility served him well in his time in the bathroom.

Coming out only when the third period bell rung, he ran to get his stuff and change, and managed to change into his clothes in record time.

The only person who didn't fall for Matthew's Houdini was Alfred, who waited for him outside the locker room, and almost tackled him when he came out.

Alfred wasted no time in dragging him to third period, and he spoke to Matthew along the way, but Matthew was too distracted by the surprisingly loud wind in his ears and his rushing river of thoughts to comprehend his brothers words.

He wouldn't've anyway, too complicated.

Authors Note: I hope you notice how weirdly Matthew talks.

It's because people with hearing loss often have hard times comprehending, saying, and occasionally writing words. I probably should've mentioned that in the first chapter. That's why it says Mattie doesn't understand stuff a lot. But I should also say that he's not dumb, either; Just not huge on the whole vocal scene.

Also, huge note on lunch scene.

It's stated that people with hearing loss have a VERY hard time hearing people when there are other noises to distract them. I assume that's like, loud static in the background of quiet speech. Which I would have a hard time hearing, too.

Still, gimmie ideas, I needses. I can only go for so long with my ideas.

Buh BYE!~