What's up with grumps? she's acting like I dumped her or something…We were standing in line right behind her because of not wearing the darn tie! A whole class is over and the next one's started. It's been like ten minutes, and everyone's just chilling, but she's acting like we’re invisible. I mean, come on! We were practically pals!

"Is it because she saw me rocking a helmet and him a suit?"

"Get out!" the teacher barked, and the whole class cracked up. 

Dang it! Why did I say that out loud? mumbling an apology I look away. This totally blows. What's Eva gonna think now? She probably figures I'm a total weirdo, or even worse. Lord, give me another shot at this life, please!

And what is grumps thinking right now? Leon slides his notebook over to me, 'Relax, she probably thinks I'm a spicy french fry.'

I shoot him a look that says, "Seriously?" and accidentally stomp on his foot. I've already been yelled at, and currently, he's cracking the lamest jokes as I sit awkwardly. He pinches my arm and I let out a little yelp, and to cover it up, bro quickly dropped his notebook.

"Who did that? Speak up," the physics teacher demands. No way I'm owning up to that, you creepy, chubby dude. "No need to act, we all know it was you, Xion," he announces with a sly grin.

What the apples and bananas?

"Huh? No " I stand up "It was him," pointing at him I threw the dude in hot water.

"Lies. I saw you, Mr. Xion, and come to think of it, your assignment...," he takes a deep breath. 

Oh yeah, you've never seen such a masterpiece before, my bro's got my back! Haha!

Wearing his glasses he scans my file from start to end. I puff out my chest as he behind to speak "Um... how do I put this... I can't find the right words... You butchered it! Mr. Xion, did you write this with your foot or with your eyes closed? I was just skimming through the assignments, and when I got to yours, it was a nightmare. Write it out ten times and hand it in first thing tomorrow! Did you expect me to decipher those massacred letters?" and on and on he went. 

I lift my head off the ground, fix my collar, and slowly, very slowly, I turn my head. Seeing his face might just give me a heart attack. He's sitting there all peaceful and unfazed, reading his textbook and highlighting away. Not even reading, clearly in satisfactory delight. I know it because he's highlighting every single word, and I can see that smirk on his lips. Again? Are you backstabbing dude? I didn't get trust issues from any girl but from bro. 

thanks, geezer for fixating everyone’s attention on me, Eva’s too. truly.

I know what move he pulled. Put his name on the well-written file and mine on the crap one! May you use shaving cream instead of hair conditioner you sneaky little rattlesnake.

When the teacher finally got quiet, I looked at him with big eyes. abashed face. I, Xion the Great II, had one hell of a comeback.

“Yes sir, you're right about my handwriting, and I'm sorry it was a nightmare. I was actually having a severe headache when I wrote it,” I explain 

“You had to write with your hand not your head, that’s no excuse for the handwriting” he snaps.

This gas bag’s nuts. I said I was having a SEVERE HEADACHE! 

“Indeed, but the driver just drove the car recklessly and it messed up my assignment... But I had to do it,” I bite my lip to keep from smiling. 

Bro is probably dying inside right now. He's dying several times today though!

“Are you saying you wrote it on your way somewhere?” he asks, arching his thin eyebrows and putting down my file on the dice.

“Yes, hospital” the two words leave my mouth. Extra. I think I went too sketchy with it. Considering how ancient he is he would know that’s an excuse. 

“See class, that’s how one should be,” he says, now changing his tone drastically. “That’s how responsible I want everyone to be. Good work son, you may sit down.”

he’s smiling and looking at me. Does he know how big of a liar I am? I am getting my ass whooped really bad in hell. I peek at Rattlesnake, and he’s snickering and sucking chocolate. This dude’s probably getting boiled in water a dozen times there in hell.

As soon as the bell for break rings and everyone’s attention diverts, bro flashes to the door. Hurriedly, I get off my chair too. Galloping right behind him in the corridor. His pitchy screams pierce through the corridor windows as I catch up to him. This dude’s going to pay today. in a hurry to go to the cafeteria Students flood in the hall.

Crap. At this rate, I’ll lose his jackass.

“LEOON!” I howl, and everyone stops in their tracks momentarily. And all of a sudden, my senses kick in and I become very aware of my surroundings, and voices become audible:

“Oh, it’s him.”

“It’s them.”

“Hey, Leon.”

“hey, wait-”

The bustling crowd has almost strangled me out of breath. I am completely stranded, there are phones and students everywhere. I thought he leaked our digits already. Guess the girls really are possessive and kept the number to themselves.

“Haha, there you go. Now excuse us, side please, ladies, lemme fetch him,” a hand appears out of nowhere, and long fingers grab my collar and drag me away. 

“Thank you, see ya around,” Leon smiles, and I am finally out of the mess. Panting, I stride fast out of there. 

"Yo, why are they so hyped and running like that?"

"Dunno," I groan, "I'm clueless. And why's grumpy paws—"

"They got fried chicken on the menu today!" hopping he shrieks once we cut the hall.

 Hauling we head to the cafeteria, gasping for air.

"Sorry, we're out," the lady apologizes.

"What do you mean? Haha, don't tell me that," I mutter "Am I cursed or something? I'm starving, haven't eaten in ages. The last time was with family and all my cousins devoured it! Please don't say that," I end up whining.

"Ok, ok. Just don't start crying... come back in half an hour," she says.

"Alright, you're too sweet miss," Leon beams.

                             ………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Nothing. Just killed the little bloodsucker," I sighed, pretending to clean my hands. I just wanted to smack him.

"You should've let him chow down through my shirt. Aw, man! You wrecked my homework," he complained, sounding just as ticked off as me.  I glanced at his notebook and had to admit, I did a number on it. Across his neat handwriting ran a chaotic doodle, thanks to me, truly.

Forced to make it right, I plopped down on the lower steps and started rewriting it all because he's got some unidentified psychological hang-ups. he has declared he can't focus on reading if there are any clippings or messed-up letters in his notebook. Sometimes, I regret him being my bro.

"Is my hair looking okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah, yeah, chill. You look great," I remark not turning to look at him. 

"Okay, I trust ya," he replies, still staring at his reflection in the window’s mirror.

"Are you happy now? Why did you have to invite her over last night? See? Now she can't handle the fact that I'm this good-looking, and she's turning into a simp. It's probably what's messing with her head."

"Pipe down, twig! What if someone hears us? Get your act together," I tried to hiss.

"Why are you panicking? YOU LIKE HER!"

"Oh come on, bro, you'd do anything to make me give up on Eva, "sighing I grip his bicep. Bro holds an unnamed grudge against her. 

"So you do like her," he pretended to whisper in my ear, even though his voice was still loud as ever.

 “Now who are you talking about?” my eye twitches.

“My bijou” Tilting his neck he smiles “Who else”

I blink at him

“Oh come on. It ain’t like I call anybody else my bijou–” he retorts. Gulping the urge to hit him I grumble"Eva. Eva. Eva! And you go changing your bijou’s more than you change your socks!" 

a weight settles on my back and I glance at bro. He's frozen, staring at me. It dawns on both of us that the hallway is empty. The break has been long over!

"bug," we both mutter under our breath simultaneously. A hand slaps our shoulders, nails digging into me. Only me for sure.

"Skipping?"

"Never," we both utter at once.

"Explain your presence here."

"Well, we didn't notice that the break was over," I say.

"Could you tell us the time, teacher?" Leon inquires standing up on the stair step.

She checks her phone.

"Oh, man! " I moan.

"Sh*t," the dude mutters under his breath. "Oh no, we're so late. We were doing our homework and just forgot everything else!" he shows her the dense proof.

A moment later, she walks with us to our class and makes sure we go inside. If it was anyone else but her, I might have felt good, like a celebrity. Before we could take a step into the class, a tiny guy, Nick, rushes past us, moving faster than the speed of light. Poor dude's got a bladder issue that seriously needs fixing. Who needs to use the bathroom that often? 

Bald head, glasses, round and plump. Oh no... any other creature but not geography’s!

"Lol, he was at his limits," Leon whispers before I sneak into the class, almost cracking up laughing.

Quietly, we pull out our chairs. We're about to sit down when the teacher blares like a messed-up horn. I freeze, and bro stops whatever he's doing.

"Damn, I thought he didn't notice," I mutter.

"Our entrance was discreet," he replies.

“Why are you two twelve minutes late?" the teacher asks.

Sighing, I try to think of an excuse I haven't used before.

 The teacher gives me the stare-down and adds, "Reason should be solid."

"Was in the bathroom!" Leon blurts out without a care in the world. The teacher just nods, and my ex-bro slouches in his seat.

"Were you in the bathroom too?" he asks me.

"Sure did, sir," I add an embarrassed smile, hoping to slide by. Someone gotta tell this amn that twelve minutes is nothing. You spend at least the first fifteen minutes hacking and blowing your nose! 

"Lie," he blares “Do you need to go just after an hour? You went in the break” 

I stare at him, totally grossed out and embarrassed. Why's he telling everyone my bathroom schedule? 

"Creep," I mutter.

"What? Talking back?" he snaps.

"Nah, didn't say a thing," I shoot back. Snooping egg head. Peeking into the student bathrooms, huh? Leon snickers and the bald man eyes me, figuring out what to do.

"Anyways, you're up. Come to the board-" he hollers. Nick who is walking back to his seat halts petrified. 

"Huh? Why? Leon was late-" I protest.

"No, no. Don't argue," he insists. I feel like shoving a pencil up his nostrils. Lucky for him, I don't let my wild thoughts win these days.

Leon's yelp echoes as I stomp his foot on my way to the front.

Sighing, I stand up, and the teacher says, "We need someone to draw the map. You’ll be doing that, Xion. How's that sound?"

I, quite literally hope my wild thoughts don't win today.

Nobody answers, but they're all amused. I run my hand through my hair, grab the marker, and start drawing. My map's gonna look like a nightmare demon. Why am I even asked to draw out of all other things?

With all the passion and confidence, I let my hand do its thing. First, he asks me to draw and then from memory. taking a step back when I am done I stare at my masterpiece as the others silently adore it. 

I purse my lips. The map looks like someone's getting choked by a mouse. 

"I'm not a good artist," I admit, not feeling embarrassed. Me being good at everything might have misguided them but one can’t be good at everything. I glance at the back. Ear pieces plugged in, drawing in her sketchbook. Why doesn't anyone call her out? "But she sure is-" I start to say, then shut my trap. I messed up big time. Every eye in the room lands on her. 

Unaware, she continues her work, until Rois nudges her and whispers. Slowly, she lifts her head and scowls at me. I'm a toast! I'm doomed, in the back, bro's munching my Pringles. Seriously? I stashed them in the last zip of my bag! Did he sniff out their location?