CIVILITY
With the school closing soon, Charlie Brown, once he finished talking to Schroeder, went to leave to go back to his home.
"As Schroeder's got on the same page as us, now I'll…ah…Sorry". He'd suddenly bumped into someone while he was walking in the front foyer.
Linus didn't react much to the impact from his best friend, apparently distracted, but offered a greeting.
"Hey Charlie Brown"
"Linus" Charlie Brown realised who he'd bumped into, "Hello, good to see you".
He looked around, wondering what would happen. As he did, Linus gave a small smile.
"…We missed you at our table. I was losing the game" Charlie Brown continued.
"You'll go better next time" he reassured, "Go Fish is luck based"
"So would you like to walk to our street with me?" the older boy asked, the added, "Like old times"
"I'd say yes" Linus replied to Charlie Brown, "but I have an errand to do".
He knew he was sounding vague, and his best friend could see it too.
"You are doing well Linus, aren't you" Charlie Brown asked. Linus stepped towards the exit.
"I don't know if I've done well Charlie Brown. I…don't know anymore"
Lucy pulled the hood over her head as she weaved around the front of the school and downtown. It was easy enough, no one stopped her.
In fact, by the time she neared her destination, there was seemingly no one that she recognised around. Which suited her in this case, she thought to herself, going into a half-basketball court.
But from a distance, Linus, unnoticed, had been keeping a lookout on his sister since the end of the school day, where he'd seen her sneaking off.
Lucy took off her hood, put a hand up against the side of the building. And then, waited for what felt like ages, but wasn't more than a minute.
It was only then that two more people entered the court. She stood straight up and watched as Violet Gray and Thibault walked, both sneering at her.
They locked eyes with Lucy, the latter now uneasy due to the hostile look of the former two.
You'd be either brash or stupid to come here" Thalibut explained.
"Perhaps you just think you're brave" Violet added shoving her lightly on the shoulder.
"No" Lucy said, "I've come to talk with you".
"You want to discuss stuff, Lucy"
Violet sneered, and Lucy felt a second shove. "…You're finished. You're gone. Did you realise you can't go after anyone now, not since what happened, and not after.
"No, No, No" Lucy protested, "We can still recover….I'm not…".
"Hey. Please, calm down" Thalibut put a comforting hand on Lucy's shoulder, "I see this hasn't…"
Lucy jerked her shoulder away, "Calm down you say. Why are you trying to be civil?"
"It's the best thing I can do, be at least civil" he stated, then went on to say that they could go into the centre of town and declare that they can do as they please, and not care about anyone else's feelings or livelihood.
"And then" Thalibut had a sickening smile on his face, "we get swamped by proclaimed bully hunters".
Lucy sneered at his now apparent mockery, "you think that's what will happen…well you're not in mine and Violets friendship anyway"
"Wow"
"Wow what"
"Wow" Violet repeated, "I can't be much clearer. We aren't friends Lucy…"
Lucy gritted her teeth.
"…we had an arrangement where I was placed in a position of popularity"
From behind her, Thalibut shook his head.
"…and influenced/guided some of your behaviour".
"And?"
"And nowadays you…well….….", Violet then began to jeer, "….you have no further use".
"Alright. That's it" Lucy raised her hands.
"Woah woah"
Thalibut pushed her arm down, "let's solve this without you slugging anyone"
Lucy snorted, "while you'll do just that?. I've seen your behaviour at sports matches"
"Maybe I might do some slugging then. If the damage is already done"
"And maybe not"
Linus now entered the basketball court and stood across from the three of them, with his blanket gripped in his clenched hands.
"Great" Violet groaned to Lucy, "didn't check to see if anyone was behind you?".
Lucy was avoiding herself from facing her brother, "What…he's not with me"
"Get lost, Blockhead" Violet hissed at Linus, but Thalibut stopped her before she could do anything.
"He has strong backup, remember" he muttered quietly.
"What backup" she hissed "Search around. He's got none here".
"Well…not exactly"
Lucy said that slowly, and found herself moving till she was between her brother and the two of them.
There was a tense atmosphere felt. It was unclear what exactly was taking place.
"Oh" Violet grumbled "and given you're his sister…so now"
"The retribution will be very…unpleasant" Lucy confessed, "It's not worth it"
Violet looked curtly at them, and as Linus put his hands away peacefully, she turned and walked away, with Thilabut getting ready to leave as well.
Linus put a hand on Lucy's wrist, and shifted her away, going outside the courts.
"Watch yourself, Van Pelt" Thilabut slyly muttered after him, ensuring it was before they left earshot.
A/N: And thats the first three chapters. The next one, coming soon, will give some more developments.