*Do you guys like my quotes at the beginning of the chapters?*

*I'm trying something new for this chapter so bear with me. Tell me if you liked what I did. I appreciate all of the great feedback.*

*Thank you to my sister lem7bubbles for my title idea.*

Chapter Four: The Odd Ones Out

"Books, like friends, should be few and well chosen. Like friends, too, we should return to them again and again for, like true friends, they will never fail us - never cease to instruct - never cloy." -Charles Caleb Colton

The Anubis kids all sat at the table eating. It was more silent than normal, yet it wasn't completely silent. The couples had immersed themselves together: Eddie and Patricia, Joy and Jerome, and Alfie and Willow all sat whispering among themselves. Fabian and KT were feeling a bit awkward at first, just sitting there as everybody else sat and talked, but soon enough they were whispering about the Knowledgeable One together.

Fabian & KT's conversation:

"Do you think it's one of the Sibuna's?" KT asked Fabian.

"I don't know, but it sounded like all three of them are meant to be close to the other. I would imagine that it's a greater chance that they would be part of Sibuna that anything else," Fabian responded. It took all he had not to say what he was thinking. He was the one who had always dealt with the smarts of the group, shouldn't he therefore be the Knowledgeable One. He had remained loyal to Nina who was supposed to be the leader of the group. He wanted to be the Knowledgeable One in order to prove himself to Nina, yet he didn't want that responsibility.

"Fabian," KT asked, "what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Fabian said, brushing his thoughts off to the side.

A smile went across KT's face. "You think that you're the Knowledgeable One, don't you?" she asked. She had figured him out.

"KT…" he paused trying to find the right words, "I just think that out of all of us, I make the most sense."

"That's true," KT said not countering his thoughts, which was strange. "But," (Fabian jumped on that bridge to soon); "it might not necessarily mean having the knowledge now. It's not that I don't see your point; I'm just saying that we have so little information right now, we shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"You're probably right. Don't tell the others I told you," Fabian said. He was afraid that the others would wrong of him for wanting to be the Knowledgeable One.

"I won't, but I think they already know that you think it's you. I mean you definitely like the knowledge more than the others. They also know that you want to prove yourself to Nina since you got sucked into the whole 'Team Evil' thing last term." Fabian blushed at this a little, he still had problems forgiving himself for betraying his friends. "I haven't met Nina yet, but from what you guys have said, I'm sure she thinks of you so highly it's enough to go to the moon and back. All you had to do was surrender yourself to your emotions for one moment, and they would have you. It could have happened to anyone." KT put a reassuring hand on his arm and smiled at him. He gave a weak smile in return and they went back to eating in the awkward couples silence.

Jerome & Joy's Conversation:

Most of Joy and Jerome's conversation consist of lovey, dovey talk, etc. But, when they do come out of their little world, they see Fabian and KT intently concentrating on their conversation.

"What do you think those two are talking about?" Jerome asked Joy.

"Probably something consisting of trouble and skipping class…" Joy said with a voice showing her lack of interest in whatever Sibuna was cooking up for this term. Whatever it was, Joy wanted to be as far away from it as possible. With the whole thing about her ancestors and then two days over life completely erased from everyone at school, she had very little concern as to what was going on. With that she pulled herself from her thoughts and went back to her previous discussion with Jerome: their next date.

Willow & Alfie's Converation:

"So wait, you mixed what together in the blender?" Willow asked Aflie, her voice filled with a curiosity to know what gross stuff Alfie had managed to do over their short break.

"Pancakes and spinach and of course maple syrup," Alfie said as if it were your everyday breakfast combo that you get when going through the drive-through.

"How did it taste?"

"For a boy who doesn't like vegetables, it wasn't half bad. It's the after taste that gets you though…" Alfie responded.

Let's move on before things get ugly…

Patricia & Eddie's Conversation:

"How was America, Weasel? Same as ever… people riding on the wrong side of the road, ignorant of the world, and loud."

"No, the people were riding on the right side of the street, were self-aware, and passionate. You've gotta look at the positives, Yacker," Eddie said with conviction as he changed all of the negative British stereotypes of Americans into something more positive. With that Patricia rolled her eyes and went back to eating.

"There's just one thing that I don't understand that…" Patricia said in a far off voice.

"What's that babe?" Patricia gave him the look of "did you really just call me that" but she continued anyway.

"With the Chosen One and you, there were clues as to what was going on, yet this is the first we've even heard of this. Isn't that strange?"

"Is that seriously what's been on your mind all night Yacker? Yeah I guess it's strange, but this is different. It sound like the Knowledgeable One is more of a reference, for guidance, not necessarily for protection like the others. I'm not saying that he/she is not important, it's just that it doesn't seem like a life or death thing if they aren't there," Eddie responded to try to calm an uptight Patricia.

"You're probably right…" After a few moments of silence she asked, "Who do you think it is?"

They looked at each other at the same time and said, "Fabian," then smiled and laughed.

For once, things were uncomplicated.