Monday, March 8, 2010

Cool With A "K" PART 19 - CHAPTER 8

At lunch the next day, Mouse broke the silence, "You know, you guys shouldn't be mad at me."
"Why not?" Chris said, picking through his salad, "You're kind of a jerk."
"Well, I know that," Mouse said casually, "I just don't see why you're picking now to be mad. Why have you never gotten mad before?"
"Hmm... I wonder," Chris said, "Maybe you just went over the line this time. Maybe you ran out of be-a-jerk-to-everyone credits."
Mouse thought about this, "I still don't get it."
"You're mean to everyone," Chris said to her, looking at his nails, "Your favorite thing to do is make my life miserable and you have been doing so since I was seven years old. You always complain, you're ungrateful-"
"Haven't we already been through this?" Mouse interrupted.
Chris shrugged, "Yeah, but none of it seemed to get through to you the first few times."
Mouse laughed hollowly, "Come on, guys! Don't I have any good qualities?"
There was an awkward silence as we thought hard about Mouse's question, causing Mouse to sigh, "You know what? I think you guys are being ungrateful as my friends! I think I'm just too much for you."
"You sound like Leo." I said flatly, patting Leo's shoulder, "No offence, Buddy."
"None taken...." Leo said flatly.
Mouse threw her arms up questioningly, "Oh, so it's bad to be like me now? Well, thanks!" 
"It's not like you've ever done anything for us." Chris said, pursing his lips in annoyance, "If we stink so bad, no pun intended toward your personal aroma, then why are you so eager to be our friends?"
Mouse looked offended and sniffed her clothes, grimacing involuntarily. Chris continued, "Maybe you need us just as much as we need you."
He leaned toward her, a serious, cross look on his face. "Not at all."
Mouse scowled at Chris and stood up. Chris's cell phone rang and he blushed happily. 
"It's Geoffry." He announced, answering it.
"He's sitting three tables away, Chris." I said, irritated.
"Hello? Hi, Sweetie!" Chris chattered into the cell phone as Mouse slowly picked up her lunch tray. Leo, Alice, and I stared anxiously at the contents of the tray; An open carton of chocolate milk, creamed corn, mashed potatoes and something that could've been meat loaf, spaghetti, chocolate pudding, or some other mysterious substance.
Chris, being sucked into his conversation with Geoffry, took no notice to our scared warning faces or the full lunch tray Mouse was holding over his head.
The lunchroom quieted down as the noticed us and Chris stopped talking to Geoffry. He looked around cautiously and said, "Why is everyone so quiet?"
At that moment, Mouse dropped the bomb. She tipped the lunch tray upside-down and poured the contents all over Chris. Am I a bad sister for not stopping her? I'd say not because I was too curious to really think, but Chris might think otherwise.
Chris's hair, clothes, and face were completely covered in the grime that we're supposed to eat at this cheap school. His mouth hung open in shock and horror. 
Most of the lunchroom watched as Chris wiped the greenish-reddish-yellowish-brownish muck off his face. Then, they all burst out laughing.
Chris sat miserable and angry in his seat as everyone laughed at him. I felt so bad for not saying anything. Surprisingly, Leo did a pretty good job not laughing. Alice and I exchanged a look and eyed Chris nervously.
Mouse stood behind Chris, a smug grin on her face. "See, Chris? I'm not useless."
She gestured around the lunchroom full of laughing high schoolers, "I can make a whole lunchroom of people laugh at the same time. That's pretty impressive, you have to admit."
I expected Chris to start bawling right there, but he didn't say anything. He just sat in place, scowling at the table.
Mouse started laughing along with the rest of the lunchroom and Chris clenched his slop-covered fists. He bared his teeth angrily at the table. The poor boy, he's just.... So helpless.
Or not.
With absolutely no warning, Chris jumped out of his seat and attacked Mouse! He knocked her onto the lunchroom floor and hit her hard.... Repeatedly.
"Chris! Stop!" I yelled, but I doubt he could here me over the excited cries of the other students, cheering on one side or the other.
I started to go toward them, but someone grabbed my wrist; Leo. 
"Leo, let go!" I cried, "I need to Chris!"
Leo shook his head, looking me in the eyes, "Ange, you would get hurt. Mouse could hurt you bad."
"Well, she could kill Chris." I hissed, "I can put up a better fight than him!"
Leo swallowed and stared into my eyes. He looked so serious that I almost thought I should believe him, but that wasn't the best choice I could make.
Right as I Shook free of Leo's grip, the gym teacher burst through the lunchroom doors and yelled, "Break it up!"
He jogged over to Mouse and Chris and tore them apart. Mouse clawed at Chris, looking furious; They both did. Mouse may be strong, but she's really short. You see, Mouse is short and powerful, while Chris is short and helpless. However, I'll admit that they tore each other up quite a bit.
"You two! The office, stat!" The gym teacher boomed, practically dragging Chris and Mouse to the office.
"Chris...." I whispered, my voice barely cracking. Chris has never gone to the office before. He has hit Mouse once before, but not hard enough to hurt her. This was different; This time, Chris had actually started a fight, which was completely against his nature.
The lunchroom doors closed behind them and the room fell silent. I turned around to see Alice, crouched behind me on the floor, whimpering quietly. 
I bent down and tapped her shoulder gently. She looked up and I saw that her cheeks were streaked with tears.
"You okay?" I said softly. She nodded and I helped her up.
I thought it was for the better, but the slightest bit sick that the students in the lunchroom casually went back to their conversations as if nothing had happened.
Alice and I sat down by Leo and I said, "I can't believe Chris did that. What if he gets in trouble? It might kill him. Mouse might have really hurt him too-"
"Ange," Leo said, giving me a sincere look, "Worrying is Alice's job."
Alice fought back a grin and Leo said, "Plus, I'm sure he'll be fine. The kid isn't completely helpless."
Alice and I cleared our throats in disagreement. We were all quiet for a second before Alice and Leo said at the same time, "Poor Chris."
I laughed nervously and I couldn't finish my lunch.




I hoped Chris would be okay.

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