A cleric, a bard, a wizard, a rogue, and a barbarian. Sounds like a well-rounded party for a campaign to me.

Delilah and Daniel are sitting to my right and getting along better than I expected. He's gotten some pretty hefty laughs from her. It seems like what Lucy has said about him being a comedian is true.

Lucy finds us at my locker and I'm expecting Delilah to say something or shoot a dirty look, but she's too invested with Daniel. Lucy takes a seat to my left and she leans her head back into the lockers.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Redemption is tiring," she says, slowly turning her head towards me, "You have no idea how hard it is to convince people your friend is being framed for a crime they didn't commit."

"You'd be surprised."

"How are you though? Making it through classes okay?"

"Delilah's helping a lot. Though I feel bad for her."

"She knew what she was signing up for. If she says she can handle it, I'd trust her. She's a tough cookie."

"Yeah. She is. But she doesn't deserve the fallout. None of you do. You shouldn't have to be working out here to try to clear my name."

"Sure. We don't deserve it. But we want to be in it. You know why? Because we want to be here for you Judy."

"Why though? What makes me so special?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that you think everyone else is so special."

"Hey, Judas!" Daniel says. I turn towards him and he's done talking with Delilah "Lucy told me the talent show might be coming back this year. I was hoping you could help me with some of my material for my act."

"Oh well—I'm flattered," I laugh, "But I don't really have a sense of humor."

"That's fine! I just have some questions about God. I'm gonna write some jokes about him."

"Oh. Hm."

"And I could really use your input. God talked all the time in the Old Testament right?"

"Oh yeah, all the time. He'd right stuff on rocks and appear in burning bushes."

"That sounds wild. You know, I don't really believe in God, but because of that I really hope there isn't a God."

I laugh.

"Because that's a bad thing to be incorrect about," he starts, "Imagine I die right now and I'm like 'Awww fuck. Awww your kidding me with the beard too and—fuck—Yep. No. I'm going to Hell. I get it'."

I'm giggling when he continues with, "Being wrong the other way isn't so bad. If you believe in God and you're wrong it just gives you comfort in your worthless life. And then at the end, you're just let down immensely. 'Seriously there's nothing?' 'Yep, get in the coffin. You're trash now.'."

"When did you decide you wanted to be a comedian?" I ask.

"I kinda just always liked making people laugh. Making them feel better about things that you normally wouldn't laugh at."

"Well Daniel, I'd be glad to help you with your material. Unfortunately, I don't have a phone at the moment, we're just gonna have to schedule a date."

"I'd like that."

Squid then rounds the corner.

"Squid! Hey!" I say.

"I am so sorry," Squid says to me. All of us are looking at them.

"Why?" I ask.

"Everyone knows about your mom now. I didn't mean to tell them it just slipped out."

"It's okay. If anything it might've helped."

Then a student I've never seen before comes up from behind Squid and takes a stance in front of us.

"Hey, who am I?" He asks. He then makes his hand into the shape of a gun, puts it up to his head, and pretends to shoot himself in the head, "I'm Jesus Freak's Mom!"

Daniel shoots up from the ground and charges at the student.

"What the fuck did you just say to Judas?" Daniel says towering over the student. I realize then the student is a freshman and he completely regrets his decision with the way he's cowering under Daniel's mass. I stand up and squeeze myself in between them.

"Hey, hey, hey, no need to cause a scene," I say, even though people are already pointing their phones at us "Daniel. Back off. I got this."

Daniel gives the kid a death stare and takes a few steps back.

"Walk with me," I tell the freshman and he does.

When we're a few paces away, the freshman asks me: "Why did you save me?"

"What's your name?" I ask.

"What?"

"What's your name? Mines Judas. What's yours?"

"Matthew."

"That's a powerful name. What was your question again?"

"Why did—"

"Why did I save you—yes. Well, Matthew, would you have preferred if I didn't?"

"Fuck no! That guy would've beat my ass!"

"And there's your answer."

"You saved me because he was going to beat my ass?"

"I saved you because I know what it's like to be beaten up for saying or doing something others would find offensive."

I stop walking and he stops beside me. I turn towards him.

"Have you ever been in a fight where you can't fight back?" I ask, "It isn't fun. And I couldn't bear to watch that happen again."

"Why didn't you fight back? In the fight?"

"I believe in an age where no blood will be spilled. An age of peace. Prosperity. And I believe that age is coming soon. But just because others act like that age isn't upon us doesn't give me the excuse to do the same."

His eyes look to the bottom right corner. I pat him on the shoulder and tell him: "If you ever want to talk. About anything. Come find me. I'd love to discuss anything with you, Matthew."

I wink at him and make my way back to my friends.