Episode 43 – Kindness with a Little Madness
It was a few days before finals week was arriving for all students of El Monte. Matt was watching the news at home before he had left for school. He watched as the flames were piling up on a building nearby the hills and this had gotten him depressed. “Ah… fire powers are only used for destruction. Just look at that.”
He put on his shoes, warmed himself up with his fire powers so that the cold morning became an unimportant problem to him. He took a step out and noticed that it was misty and sprinkling. Matt’s stomach began to feel a bit weary. Matt coughed and he opened up his umbrella, “Oh gee, I have to go through this day with rain?”
His mother appeared by the doorway, “Matthew, don’t forget your umbrella- Oh! That’s good. You’re already using it. Be careful at school, okay?”
Matt said out loud without turning back, “Alright. See you later, mom!”
He hurriedly jumped into the car and he began to use his fire powers so that his hands would stay warm.
~~~
At school, many people were hiding under canopies everywhere, hoping to stay dry but eventually there would be not enough room to loiter around. Matt ran quickly into the hallway and he tried to close his umbrella but many people were nearby, thrashing against him. Matt rolled his eyes, saying ‘sorry’ but with a frustrated tone. Matt crashed into a few students, telling them, “My bad. Oh, I’m so sorry. Ouch, sorry!” Eventually, he reached the stairs and he was finally able to lock his umbrella but someone crashed into him once he finished. The umbrella fell to the ground and Matt became angry. “Ugh, I was just about finished too. You should watch where you’re- Oh!”
Matt turned around to see someone very familiar. The student said to him, “Hey Matt.”
Matt scratched his head as he suddenly began to chuckle, “Eheh… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to talk like that, Huy.”
The student, Huy, picked up the umbrella and kindly gave it to Matt, “Yeah, sorry about that. Sometimes you just get the urge to run down the stairs really quick so I didn’t have enough time to see you cross by. Well, I gotta get to class now. See you next time!”
Huy began to walk away before Matt could even say goodbye. Matt crossed his arms, “Hm, I wonder what he’s doing now lately… I haven’t seen him much since middle school.”
~~~
During lunch, ShirleyC was talking to Yessenia while getting food in the lunch line. Shirley giggled, “Hehe, are you going to badminton practice today, Yessenia?”
“Maybe. Why?”
“I don’t want to condition by myself. I’m trying to avoid someone right now, that’s why.”
Yessenia placed a few croutons on her plate, “Oh really?” Her hand slipped and some croutons fell, followed by her ID card which was under the plate. “Oh darn it, this is annoying.” She crouched down to get her ID and Shirley looked across from her up ahead.
Shirley pointed with extreme loudness, “HEY YOU! That’s the last of the watermelon! Give that to me!!”
The student she was talking to was Huy who was the same guy Matt crashed into that same morning. Huy turned around and said with a smirky expression, “Ha-ha. You snooze you lose!”
Shirley placed her hands on her hips, “Excuse me?! I want that watermelon! Give me it!”
Yessenia stood up, “Please, I don’t want to be in the middle of this. You, just give that watermelon to Shirley so she can stop complaining.”
Huy and Shirley said at the same time, “Who’s side are you on?!?!”
Yessenia twitched from the loudness as she rolled her eyes. She began to walk away, leaving the two with their little dispute. Shirley said with an attitude, “Is this some way to treat a lady?”
“Lady? You’re a freakin’ freshman!”
Shirley stomped her foot, “Argh, you too! I’ve seen you everywhere. Even if you are pretty tall, I could tell you were a freshman a mile away.”
“I don’t care. This watermelon is mine.” He began to sway his head after every ‘ha’ when he said, “Ha-ha-ha!~”
Shirley began to tackle him down, “I want watermelon!”
Yessenia was at the doorway before the sitting area, “Oh goody, I get to have a good show while eating. Shirley is a bit crazy over watermelon right now. She must be on her p-…”
Danny interrupted her from behind, “Hey, what’s going on?”
Yessenia pointed with a passive facial expression, “Over there. Look.”
Shirley and Huy were focused on each other now. Once Huy placed the cup of sliced watermelon onto the counter, he began to yell at her, “You’re over exaggerating just for some stupid watermelons!”
Shirley squealed, “Oooh they’re not just watermelons!!”
Others behind them became frustrated, so they decided to cut through by walking around them. Eventually, Matt arrived, watching them yell at each other. He went around Shirley and Huy since talking to them would not be the best timing. He looked at the cup of watermelon and he said to himself, “Ooh, I didn’t know they served this.” Matt took it and walked away.
Shirley finally took sight of the watermelon again and she saw Matt, “Hey you! Matt!! Damn you, get back here!”
Huy turned around to see Matt walking happily with the watermelon. Matt took sight of Shirley and he began to panic, “H-Huh? Me? What is it?”
Shirley tried to run to catch him but Huy blocked her, “N-No, you’re too feisty! You stay where you are!”
Matt caught up to Yessenia and he pointed at Shirley, “What’s up with her?”
Yessenia shrugged and said bluntly, “Eh, beats me. Let’s eat already. I am tired of just standing here.” The two of them along with Danny went ahead and sat down first.
~~~
As minutes passed by, Matt, Yessenia and Danny could see Shirley and Huy walking out of the doorway from the food area. Other than the visible bruises that Huy had on his arms and face, he looked almost as if nothing happened. Shirley, however, her hair was everywhere but she was not bruised. She was the one who seemed to take initiative.
Yessenia and Matt shared the cup of watermelon since Yessenia seemed more interested in it than Matt did. Shirley watched them both take the last bite of their own watermelon piece. “Hmph…”
Huy said quietly to himself but about Shirley, “Peh, it was all your fault.”
Shirley screamed again, “Tell that to my face, jerk!!”
Santi finally arrived at the lunch tables but he stopped and stared at all of them, “Whoa. I think I came at a bad time.” He decided to sit down on the opposite end of where Shirley and Huy were sitting. “What happened there?”
Matt gave him a quick little lie, “Eh, nothing much, really.” He took out his umbrella, “You’re pretty late. What were you doing for that long?”
“Ah, um… I just had to do something. Anyway, are we all leaving already?”
Matt placed his backpack behind him, “Yeah, we are.”
Santi stopped him, “Wait, I wanted to say something to you all first.”
Matt was about to stand up but he stopped. He sat back down, eager to hear the news, “What is it?”
Santi said to the group, “I might switch to second period lunch next semester.”
The whole group seemed surprised. Shirley screamed, “What did you say?!”
Yessenia closed her eyes and said sadly, “Aw, are you going to leave me with a bunch of idiots?”
Santi sighed, “I know. I am sorry, you guys. It is just that since I am taking Tech. Core. with Matt and Danny, we should all be moving to Computer Concepts next semester. The thing is that I already took Computer Concepts over the summer so I do not need to take it again. The only solution is if my counselor puts me into Men’s Choir for fourth period which leads me to second period lunch.”
Matt yelped, “Oh, right!!” He slammed his palms onto the table, “Then that means Danny and I are going to second period lunch too then. Computer Concepts is in the building where second period lunch is labeled as.”
Danny interrupted him, “Actually, I’m going to another class. Like Santi, I took Computer Concepts. I might go to drafting or something else. Who knows? I’m still most likely going to second period lunch with you two because the only classes available for fourth period are usually in the buildings where second period lunch is labeled.”
Huy did not know Santi and Danny, but he spoke up about Matt, “Are you really going to second period lunch? I have to sit alone with… these people.” He looked at Shirley, specifically.
Shirley gave him an attitude, “What?~”
Matt turned to Santi, “That’s right. Aren’t there way more people in second period lunch that we know of?”
Santi chuckled and said, “Haha, of course. You will have a faster pace at making friends.”
“I don’t need anymore friends. I’m doing well in school.”
Santi shook his head, “Doing well in school has nothing to do with your social life. You need to get out there more.”
“Nah, it’s okay. Anyways, I guess the three of us are heading to second period lunch in two weeks once second semester starts.” Matt suddenly thought about Jen. “(Jen… is in Computer Concepts right now. If Tech. Core. is moving to their class, then doesn’t that mean they have to move to our class? Jen might be going back to first period lunch and I’ll never be able to see her during lunch again for the rest of the year? Why?!)”
Danny poked Matt’s shoulder, “Matt? Why do you look worried?”
Matt snapped out of it as he said with a smile, “Wha- Oh, it’s nothing, haha…”
~~~
The bell rang and it was raining again. Everyone seemed to rush everywhere since there were puddles at various areas. Matt carefully opened his umbrella and he began walking down the single aisle towards the large gym and through the trailers where his fourth period Tech. Core. class is. Before he could have a chance to arrive at the large gym, there was a very huge puddle that would take up about halfway before a person’s knee, possibly catching up to the knee. Many students decided it was best to take a few sandbags from the construction area to soak up the area, or to at least make a bridge out of it. Matt arrived at the area and he began to panic. “Water… water all over the place.” He gulped as he took a step forward.
Many students told him to hurry up but Matt did not want to tell him that his fire powers would come into effect. He tried to hurry, but the water seemed to flow everywhere. People became frustrated, so they cut through him, some of them accidentally pushing Matt. Matt eventually fell forward on his knees and his legs and hands were covered in the dirt water, possibly along with traces of mud. Matt began to panic. “Oh no… m-my hands… they’re…” Matt’s stomach began to hurt.
He tried to look up ahead. Some students slowed down to watch him. Matt looked a little wear and he could feel his fire powers going haywire within him. All the sudden, he felt a hand grab onto his right arm. Matt quickly looked up to see Huy. Huy helped Matt stand up and he guided Matt through the large puddle, making sure he does not touch the water. Matt noticed that Huy’s legs up to his knee were filled with dirt water. At the other side, Matt sat down and he coughed. “S-Sorry, Huy. You should get to class.” Matt wanted Huy to leave as soon as possible before Matt’s fire powers became visible and obvious.
Huy shook his head, “But you don’t look so well. Do you want me to take you to the nurse’s office?”
Matt coughed again and he said hopefully, “No, it’s okay. I can get to class myself. I feel… fine.”
Huy was about to grab Matt’s right arm again, “Here, come on. Let me help you-…”
“No…! I said stop…! I can do it myself.” Matt slowly got up and he was about to leave. Matt stopped and turned around to tell Huy, “Remember when we were closer in middle school?”
Huy nodded, “Yeah, well not that much but we became a little distant since the beginning of high school.”
“Yeah, well… All these years, I wondered why you’re mean to others, yet when you’re around me…”
“What? That’s nonsense. I’m nice to everyone. That Shirley girl just came up to me in a bad way. She needs to learn some manners.”
“Shirley is Shirley. Her attitude is what makes her funny though.” Matt kindly smiled.
Huy laughed, “Haha, I see. Well, I’m usually nice to people if they’re nice to me. Hey, hurry and get to class if you say you could. I won’t force you to go to the nurse’s office. Besides, I need to get to class too.”
Matt agreed, “Alright, thanks for your help then.”
“You’re welcome. See you later, Matt!”
Matt turned around and he began to walk, “Even if we became distant after so long, I hope that he’ll stay friendly for the next three years if I see him more often. But boy, stupid rain. Heh.”
~~~
---- Next chapter preview:Matt: On the next chapter, I... I didn't cheat!
Mariel: Is that so? Your eyes show that you're lying!
Matt: M-Me?!... Hey, is he using shadow powers to cheat?
Mariel: Don't try to turn the situation around. You cheated!
Matt: B-But, I clearly saw him cheat!
Mariel: Who?
AlexW: It's bad to assume things, Matt. Tsk, tsk.
Matt: Ugh, you guys...! Next time, A Cheated Misunderstanding - Part 1!
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