The next day, Matt walked into Personal Finances to see the class empty except for Gilbert and a Dachshund. Matt sat down at his seat beside Gilbert, and looked at him incredulously. "Hey, Gilbert? Where's Mr. Zwingli?" He asked. "Oh, getting the principal." Gilbert replied like it was nothing. "I'm guessing it's because of the wiener dog?" Matt asked. "His name's Frederick. He's my seeing eye dog." Gilbert acted as if all blind people had Dachshund seeing eye dogs. "It's a wiener dog." Matt couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"He has a harness, he's a seeing eye dog." Gilbert said in a fake-offended voice as he stroked Frederick's back. Matt was speechless. Mr. Zwingli walked in not long after, looking upset. "They said I have to let you keep the dog, since I can't prove he isn't actually a seeing eye dog. Roderich won't be pleased to know you brought your family dog to school, though." Mr. Zwingli huffed. Gilbert smirked. "I don't care what Specs thinks. Opa thought it was funny and let me do it." Gilbert just laughed, and class started.
After 1st period ended, Gilbert and Matt walked to 2nd. "'Scuse me, pardon me. Get out of the way, asshole." Gilbert announced as he pushed through the crowd of people in his way, dragging Matt behind him. Matt heard people whispering about the dog, and, Gilbert surely did too. They both ignored it, and went on to class. 2nd period went by fast, and Mr. Jones assigned a book report. Matt decided he was going to read Candide for that class too. (Sure, it was a Current Events class, but, Candide was current events at some point.)
After class, Gilbert was standing outside his classroom, but his dog was gone. "So where's Frederick?" Matt asked once he was in earshot of the albino. "Apparently he pissed on the floor. So they made my Opa come get him. Guess Frederick just wasn't ready for the guide dog life." Gilbert said, and Matt laughed. Gilbert grabbed Matt's arm, and pulled him through the hall. "So, I'm guessing I won't be able to trick you into skipping again?" Gilbert asked once Matt stopped in front of his class. "It's an AP class, I've gotta be there." Matt said, and hoped that Gilbert would accept that. "Well, you know where I'll be if you change your mind," Gilbert said, and walked towards the cafeteria, tapping his cane along the floor as he did so. Matt sighed, relieved that he could go to class today.
The class was taught by an eccentric Australian named Mr. Anderson. He called Matt out almost as soon as he walked into class. "You're the newbie, aren't you?" He asked. Matt looked around for a second before answering. "Uh, yes?" "Heard you spent third period in the cafeteria yesterday, instead of in my class." Mr. Anderson accused, and Matt panicked for a moment. How could he know that. "I can explain-" Matt stuttered out, but he was cut off by a laugh from Mr. Anderson. "Don't worry about it. Beilschmidt and I have a one-on-one class and he told me all about it. Don't skip my class in particular anymore and we'll be fine." Mr. Anderson chuckled, and Matt chuckled nervously back.
The class was pretty easy for Matt, and went by fast. When Matt left the class, he saw Gilbert standing outside the classroom. "Waiting on someone?" Matt asked and touched his arm. "You, actually. Walk with me." Gilbert took hold of Matt's arm, and they walked towards their next class. "So, I think someone I know has a crush on you," Gilbert said in a singsong voice. "Are we in middle school?" Matt asked mockingly. "If you're going to act like that, then I won't tell you who it is." Gilbert turned in Matt's general direction and stuck out his tongue. "Oh my god, you're like, 12. Who is it?" Matt asked, but Gilbert just laughed. "Sorry, promised them I wouldn't tell." Gilbert said, smirking, and went into his classroom. "He's a middle schooler." Matt said with a sigh.
In 5th period, Jan approached the science group with a large grin on his face. "So my parents and sister are headed to Ocean City for Friday and the weekend, and they're leaving their car for me. You know what that means," He said, twirling a ring of keys around his finger. A wicked grin grew on Gilbert's face to match Jan's. "You know what that means?" He asked, and Jan nodded. "Lovino, call Antonio. Right now." Gilbert commanded to the younger student.
"What? No. I know what you're planning. I won't be a part of it, you remember what happened last time." Lovino huffed, and Matt was confused. What were they talking about? "Oh, come on. We've grown up, we won't get caught again." Gilbert responded. "And I'm graduating, so this will be the last time we'll be able to do something like this." Jan chipped in. "Uh, what exactly are you guys doing?" Matt asked, concerned that his new friends were going to do something that could land them in jail.
"Not 'you guys,' Matt. You should be asking, 'What are we doing?' Because you're coming with us." Gilbert said, and Matt was flattered for a moment that he was being included in plans when he had barely just met the people he was starting to consider friends. But, then he remembered, from what he had heard, they were going to do something shady. "Oh, okay, uh, what exactly are we doing?" Matt rephrased his question. "Well, Jan's gonna drive us to Antonio's family's beach house in Virginia Beach, and we're gonna have a little end of summer party." Gilbert said with a smile.
"No, we aren't! Because you all are going to fuck up and then Antonio is going to come crying to me, again." Lovino complained. "We won't get in trouble again! Call your boyfriend!" Gilbert commanded again. "Boyfriend?" Matt teased, and Lovino turned red. "He isn't my boyfriend!" Lovino said defensively. "You and I both remember last May at the party." Gilbert laughed, and Lovino got even redder. "You promised not to bring that up-" Lovino sputtered, which made Gilbert laugh even more. "We were playing Spin the Bottle, I was drunk, it wasn't my fault!" Lovino was blood red, and Matt was getting a bit of second hand embarrassment, so he decided to cut in to save his younger friend.
"So, Lovino made out with Antonio, but what else happened last year? He made it seem like you all got into some trouble." Matt asked. "We accidentally got a bit too drunk and trashed Antonio's parent's beach house. And he got in trouble. But we've learned from our mistakes, and it won't happen again. So call Antonio, god damn it!" Gilbert turned to Lovino at the end of his sentence to bark the order to him. "Do it yourself!" Lovino barked back, face still burning. "I can't see, and Jan doesn't like talking on the phone. And we can't just ask out brand new friend Matt to give him a ring. So it's gotta be you." Gilbert said, and Lovino sighed loudly.
"Fine. Fine, okay. I fucking hate you, okay, but I'll call him." Lovino complained, and pulled an iPhone out of his pocket, and hit a few numbers on it. "Hey, bastard. Your friends plan on using your beach house this weekend." He said, and waited a moment for a reply. "You're okay with it? Even after what happened last time?" Lovino said, getting visibly angrier. "You're going to let them do it? Wow, you're a bigger dumbass than I had previously thought." He rolled his eyes and huffed into the phone. "Yeah. Bye. Bastard." He hung up the phone and looked at the group accusingly. "I hate all of you. Except Matt. I haven't seen him drunk yet. Don't make me hate you too." He grumbled, and opted to ignore the group and take notes furiously for the rest of class.
After school was over, Francis came to pick up his sons. He asked the stereotypical question, "What did you boys do at school today?" and Alfred gushed about how football practice started soon, and how wonderful his AP Biology class was. When it came to Matt's turn to tell Francis, he just said "I think I was invited to spend the weekend with my friends in Virginia Beach." That caused Francis to light up and squeal. "Oh, my little boy has his first American friends!" The statement caused Alfred to fake an offended look, and scoff, but Francis and Matt ignored him. "So, I can go?" Matt asked hopefully. Francis laughed and pulled into their driveway. "Ask your Dad." Francis replied.
So Matt bounded into the house. "Hey, Dad, can I head out to Virginia Beach with my friends this weekend? Yes? Cool, thanks, gonna go pack!" Matt ran past Arthur and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Woah, there. Sit down and talk about it. What are you doing?" Arthur asked, and patted on the couch next to him. Matt sighed and sat down. He should have known that wouldn't work with Arthur. Francis, maybe, but not Arthur. "My friend's parents have a beach house in Virginia Beach. They're about to close it up for the season, but they want to get a last use out of it, so, they said my friend could invite people out to it for the weekend." Matt said, and he was a little worried about how easily he could lie. America was corrupting him.
"And who is this friend?" Arthur asked. "His name is Antonio." "And his last name is?" Arthur asked. Shit, Matt didn't know that. "I, uh. Don't actually know. My friend Gilbert is bringing me as a plus one." Matt said. "So, it's a party." Arthur accused. Matt's eyes went wide. "What? No! I don't party, Dad. We're just hanging out for the weekend." Matt said, and it was true. Matt was just going to hang out. He didn't want to get involved in any drinking or other illicit activities. "Who all will be there?" Arthur asked, and Matt was pretty sure he could answer that truthfully. "Well, my friend Gilbert. Maybe his brother, Ludwig. Alfred knows Ludwig, he's on the football team. Maybe Ludwig's friend, I think his name is Feliciano? Then, maybe Feliciano's brother Lovino. Then, Antonio and Jan."
"Do you know any of these people's last names?" Arthur asked, still accusingly. "Yes, Dad! I just don't know Antonio's. Gilbert and Ludwig Beilschmidt, Feliciano and Lovino Vargas, and Jan van der Heide." Matt said. Arthur thought for a moment, and then spoke. "And when will you be home?" "Sunday night." Matt replied. He wasn't sure, but he assumed that would be when. "Hm. I'll think about it." Arthur responded. "We're leaving tomorrow after school, you have to give me an answer now!" Matt complained. "I'll have an answer for you in the morning, Matt." Arthur said.
"Oh, come on, mon cher. Let our boy go out for the weekend." Francis said, coming into the living room. "Not now, Francis." Arthur replied. Matt gave his papa a hopeful look, and he chuckled and went to rest on the arm of the couch beside Arthur. "He's a good boy. He always has been. You should trust him." Francis said. "Yes, but-" Arthur tried, but Francis cut him off. "If you don't let him go, all his friends will come back on Monday talking about their weekend, and poor Matthew will be alienated. Then he'll grow to detest you. Do you want that, cher?" Francis asked, and Arthur sighed. "Fine, go pack." He said, and Matt grinned. "Thanks, Dad. Thanks, Papa." He hugged both his fathers and ran upstairs to pack, excited for the weekend ahead.