Saturday night, at the prom after-party
"So how's your night been, anyway?" Bobby folded his arms as he leaned against the wall, standing next to Matt but away from the others who were having their own conversations. He didn't want to talk about his own night. Burning Lisa's dress, then the fight with Alex. Gah. But at least she had finished the kiss after they left...
"It's been awesome!!" Matt beamed at his friend, full of happy enthusiasm. "Like, seriously Bobby, that was the best prom I've ever been to!"
"It's the only prom you've ever been to." Bobby smirked. "You two really looked good together, though."
"Ya! Did you see him? Nova looked soooo handsome." Matt nodded. "Most handsomest guy there, by far!"
"I can't believe he left with Stormy though."
Matt shrugged and smiled. "She is his girlfriend, ya? And like, I don't mind. Besides, he said he'd back in a little while anyway."
Bobby shook his head, skeptical, but didn't say anything.
Down the Rabbit Hole
Moderator: Student Council
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Very late Sunday night
"Come on, Ty, hurry up!" Matt looked up and down the dark hallway again, ears straining hard listening for anyone who might be coming. He wasn't completely enthused with the dare Thorny had given him, but a dare's a dare and he had to follow through with it. At least he had Ty's help. "I thought you said you could pick locks?"
"I'm getting there, hold on!" Ty continued picking at the lock with something, Matt didn't know what and didn't really care as long as it got the door to open so they could finish this up and be done with it.
"You've been getting there for at least five min--" Matt cut himself off. He'd heard something, he thought. Faintly, but... Yes, footsteps. He tilted his head, his ears moving some to pick up the sounds better. Whoever it was, would be coming in from their left and fairly soon. He whispered urgently, "We have to go, Ty. Now."
"But I'm almost--"
"No, someone's coming!"
"Shit!"
"This way, quick!"
The two boys scrambled off into the darkness.
"Come on, Ty, hurry up!" Matt looked up and down the dark hallway again, ears straining hard listening for anyone who might be coming. He wasn't completely enthused with the dare Thorny had given him, but a dare's a dare and he had to follow through with it. At least he had Ty's help. "I thought you said you could pick locks?"
"I'm getting there, hold on!" Ty continued picking at the lock with something, Matt didn't know what and didn't really care as long as it got the door to open so they could finish this up and be done with it.
"You've been getting there for at least five min--" Matt cut himself off. He'd heard something, he thought. Faintly, but... Yes, footsteps. He tilted his head, his ears moving some to pick up the sounds better. Whoever it was, would be coming in from their left and fairly soon. He whispered urgently, "We have to go, Ty. Now."
"But I'm almost--"
"No, someone's coming!"
"Shit!"
"This way, quick!"
The two boys scrambled off into the darkness.
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Monday afternoon
"Hey Niiiiiigel?" Matt sat down on his bed and made a please-help-me-I'm-pathetic kinda face across the room at his roommate.
"What is it Matt?" Nigel looked up from his history text, slightly irritated at the interruption. He really liked reading about World War II.
"Weelll...." Matt hesitated. "I kinda sorta need your help. With something that's kinda sorta... the sorta thing you can maybe help with?"
Nigel raised an eyebrow. "What kind of sort of thing?"
"I need a key to the janitor's closet. And like, maybe keys to some of the classrooms? Can you do that? How much would it cost? And how soon could you get them?" Matt leaned forward, looking at Nigel like he might very well be the solution to all of life's problems.
"What do you need those for?" Nigel was surprised. Matt wasn't the kind of kid who usually asked for stuff like that.
"Well... It's kinda a secret?" He shrugged a bit. "I need to do something there, ya?"
"I can get you the key for the janitor's closet, probably take a couple days, cost you $10. But to the classrooms? Are you sure you want to go breaking into the classrooms?"
"Well, I guess I don't have to, they're not part of the-- ya, nevermind! The janitor's closet should be good enough." Matt nodded in agreement with himself.
"Cash up front, rabbit. I'll have it for you probably by Wednesday."
Matt hopped off his bed, dug out a ten dollar bill, and handed it over to Nigel. "Sounds good, Nigel! Thanks! You're the best!"
"Yeah..." Nigel shook his head and went back to reading.
"Hey Niiiiiigel?" Matt sat down on his bed and made a please-help-me-I'm-pathetic kinda face across the room at his roommate.
"What is it Matt?" Nigel looked up from his history text, slightly irritated at the interruption. He really liked reading about World War II.
"Weelll...." Matt hesitated. "I kinda sorta need your help. With something that's kinda sorta... the sorta thing you can maybe help with?"
Nigel raised an eyebrow. "What kind of sort of thing?"
"I need a key to the janitor's closet. And like, maybe keys to some of the classrooms? Can you do that? How much would it cost? And how soon could you get them?" Matt leaned forward, looking at Nigel like he might very well be the solution to all of life's problems.
"What do you need those for?" Nigel was surprised. Matt wasn't the kind of kid who usually asked for stuff like that.
"Well... It's kinda a secret?" He shrugged a bit. "I need to do something there, ya?"
"I can get you the key for the janitor's closet, probably take a couple days, cost you $10. But to the classrooms? Are you sure you want to go breaking into the classrooms?"
"Well, I guess I don't have to, they're not part of the-- ya, nevermind! The janitor's closet should be good enough." Matt nodded in agreement with himself.
"Cash up front, rabbit. I'll have it for you probably by Wednesday."
Matt hopped off his bed, dug out a ten dollar bill, and handed it over to Nigel. "Sounds good, Nigel! Thanks! You're the best!"
"Yeah..." Nigel shook his head and went back to reading.
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Very late Monday night
Matt sat on a cliff, watching the waves crashing against the rocks of the surrounding islands. The sun was already coming up, the sky was starting to lighten in the distance. He had no idea how long he'd been there, but it'd been a while. He'd told Nova goodnight when they parted ways, but he hadn't really felt like sleeping so he just crept off to somewhere nearby, to be alone.
At first, he'd sat and fumed but he couldn't stay angry for very long, especially at Nova, so fuming soon faded away and left him only with a sense of pain and loss. So he'd cried for a while, which he'd almost done once or twice during their conversation but had managed to keep at bay.
And then, once he'd put forth as many tears as he could come up with, he had sat and thought. Why had tonight happened?
He should have told Nova more exactly how he felt sooner, is why. Nova knew he had a crush, but as had become very apparent, he didn't know how strong of a crush. Maybe he should have let Nova into his mind to open him up psychically, because then Nova would have found out more directly? The thought crossed his mind, with a feeling of bitter regret. What if he had? Then what? Nova might've been scared off and it could have gone even worse than it actually had. Or it could've gone better, it could've been that seeing that might've turned the tables in Matt's favor. But in what way? It was stupid to even think of it in terms of Nova picking Stormy over Matt. Yet that's exactly what he was thinking.
It wasn't fair. Any of it. Nova shouldn't have told him he was interested in dating him, eventually, when he was over Stasis and was ready for another serious relationship. Though really, it was only honest of him to do so. The problem was more so with himself, Matt reasoned, in that he read too much into it, got his hopes too high. He really hadn't been fair to Nova. It wasn't Nova's fault, so much so, as it was his own.
Matt sighed and dragged himself to his feet before stretching. He needed to get back to campus, before he ended up late for classes. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture over tardiness today.
Matt sat on a cliff, watching the waves crashing against the rocks of the surrounding islands. The sun was already coming up, the sky was starting to lighten in the distance. He had no idea how long he'd been there, but it'd been a while. He'd told Nova goodnight when they parted ways, but he hadn't really felt like sleeping so he just crept off to somewhere nearby, to be alone.
At first, he'd sat and fumed but he couldn't stay angry for very long, especially at Nova, so fuming soon faded away and left him only with a sense of pain and loss. So he'd cried for a while, which he'd almost done once or twice during their conversation but had managed to keep at bay.
And then, once he'd put forth as many tears as he could come up with, he had sat and thought. Why had tonight happened?
He should have told Nova more exactly how he felt sooner, is why. Nova knew he had a crush, but as had become very apparent, he didn't know how strong of a crush. Maybe he should have let Nova into his mind to open him up psychically, because then Nova would have found out more directly? The thought crossed his mind, with a feeling of bitter regret. What if he had? Then what? Nova might've been scared off and it could have gone even worse than it actually had. Or it could've gone better, it could've been that seeing that might've turned the tables in Matt's favor. But in what way? It was stupid to even think of it in terms of Nova picking Stormy over Matt. Yet that's exactly what he was thinking.
It wasn't fair. Any of it. Nova shouldn't have told him he was interested in dating him, eventually, when he was over Stasis and was ready for another serious relationship. Though really, it was only honest of him to do so. The problem was more so with himself, Matt reasoned, in that he read too much into it, got his hopes too high. He really hadn't been fair to Nova. It wasn't Nova's fault, so much so, as it was his own.
Matt sighed and dragged himself to his feet before stretching. He needed to get back to campus, before he ended up late for classes. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture over tardiness today.
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Tuesday afternoon
"What were you thinking?" Gemini glowered at him. "Look at the photo and tell me, what were you thinking?"
Matt looked at the photo. Smack dab in the middle, there he was with Nova. There Nova was kissing him on the cheek.
"I was thinking hey, Nova's kissing my cheek?" Matt gave a half-hearted attempt at a grin with a small shrug.
"Don't get smart with me, Mr. Lamport." Gemini's voice raised, managing to be loud and angry without quite becoming a yell. "This isn't funny."
"It was just a friendly kiss! I don't see what the big deal is."
"You were two boys, at prom together, as dates. And then you kissed in the prom group photo. This is a Catholic school, in case you forgot, Mr. Lamport. Catholics do not approve of boys dating boys, and certainly do not approve of them kissing, in public, at school functions. Do you understand me?"
"But we're not dating! And I'm not even Catholic!"
"It looks like you're dating in that photo, and the school is Catholic whether you are or not. That photo was supposed to go in the Flier. It can't. The school can't go around publishing photos of that kind of stuff, it'll look like they're encouraging it. "
"But... I..." Matt seemed at a loss for words. His ears were drooping pathetically.
"You made a very serious mistake, and it's left us with a group photo we can't even publish."
Matt sighed, looking quite suitably chagrined. "I'm sorry."
"Good. Next time, think before you act." Gemini gestured at the door dismissively. "Now get back to class."
"What were you thinking?" Gemini glowered at him. "Look at the photo and tell me, what were you thinking?"
Matt looked at the photo. Smack dab in the middle, there he was with Nova. There Nova was kissing him on the cheek.
"I was thinking hey, Nova's kissing my cheek?" Matt gave a half-hearted attempt at a grin with a small shrug.
"Don't get smart with me, Mr. Lamport." Gemini's voice raised, managing to be loud and angry without quite becoming a yell. "This isn't funny."
"It was just a friendly kiss! I don't see what the big deal is."
"You were two boys, at prom together, as dates. And then you kissed in the prom group photo. This is a Catholic school, in case you forgot, Mr. Lamport. Catholics do not approve of boys dating boys, and certainly do not approve of them kissing, in public, at school functions. Do you understand me?"
"But we're not dating! And I'm not even Catholic!"
"It looks like you're dating in that photo, and the school is Catholic whether you are or not. That photo was supposed to go in the Flier. It can't. The school can't go around publishing photos of that kind of stuff, it'll look like they're encouraging it. "
"But... I..." Matt seemed at a loss for words. His ears were drooping pathetically.
"You made a very serious mistake, and it's left us with a group photo we can't even publish."
Matt sighed, looking quite suitably chagrined. "I'm sorry."
"Good. Next time, think before you act." Gemini gestured at the door dismissively. "Now get back to class."
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Late Wednesday night
It worked like a charm. Matt slipped the key Nigel had supplied him with into the lock, and the door opened right up for them. No fuss, no muss. Nigel was a life saver.
"Come on, let's get this done with." Matt whispered to Ty, as they crept into the dark room.
The room was small, but full. Matt's keen eyes were able to pick out many of the objects in the room. What was the exact words from the dare? He tried to remember Thorny's words. "Steal Scruffy's cleaning supplies and scatter them about the school", right? He didn't say how many of the supplies to steal, but he should probably take enough that it'll be noticed. He grabbed a couple things, then handed them over to Ty.
"Here, take these, I'll just be another sec."
"What're you handing me?"
"A big bottle of bleach! And two wet floor signs."
"Oh okay."
A few moments later, and Matt had his load of supplies as well. A bottle of Windex, as well as a mop and broom slung over his shoulder carefully. He snuck out of the closet and pulled the door almost shut quietly. Then led the way off into the darkness with Ty by his side.
Half an hour later, and those same things were distributed about the school. The bleach was sitting in front of the door to the library. The Windex was hooked onto the door to Sister Moltar's classroom. Wet floor signs blocked two of the girls' bathrooms, and the mop and broom were left splayed across the main hallway.
"What do you think? That good enough?" Ty whispered to Matt as they headed down the darkened hallways quietly.
"Shyeah, thanks for your help Ty! I couldn't have done it without ya." Matt grinned at him. "I think I'ma gonna do one more thing yet, but I can handle it myself, you can go ahead and turn in."
"You sure man? I don't mind helping."
"Ya, go ahead and sneak back in, it's a surprise for tomorrow, you'll like it!"
"Oookay..." Ty chuckled, then headed down the hall. "Don't get caught!"
"Never!"
Matt laughed quietly then made his way back to the janitor's closet. It was a bit daring, but it'd probably impress everybody a lot if he did it, so why not? He grabbed the big floor waxer machine and began dragging it out of the room. It was kinda noisy, but he figured he could still hear over moving it in case anyone snuck up on him. He drug it through the hallways, aiming to park it right in front of the headmaster's office.
"Freeze, rabbit."
Matt froze as the angry voice bellowed out behind him. He turned around slowly to find himself face to face with none other than... Scruffy.
It worked like a charm. Matt slipped the key Nigel had supplied him with into the lock, and the door opened right up for them. No fuss, no muss. Nigel was a life saver.
"Come on, let's get this done with." Matt whispered to Ty, as they crept into the dark room.
The room was small, but full. Matt's keen eyes were able to pick out many of the objects in the room. What was the exact words from the dare? He tried to remember Thorny's words. "Steal Scruffy's cleaning supplies and scatter them about the school", right? He didn't say how many of the supplies to steal, but he should probably take enough that it'll be noticed. He grabbed a couple things, then handed them over to Ty.
"Here, take these, I'll just be another sec."
"What're you handing me?"
"A big bottle of bleach! And two wet floor signs."
"Oh okay."
A few moments later, and Matt had his load of supplies as well. A bottle of Windex, as well as a mop and broom slung over his shoulder carefully. He snuck out of the closet and pulled the door almost shut quietly. Then led the way off into the darkness with Ty by his side.
Half an hour later, and those same things were distributed about the school. The bleach was sitting in front of the door to the library. The Windex was hooked onto the door to Sister Moltar's classroom. Wet floor signs blocked two of the girls' bathrooms, and the mop and broom were left splayed across the main hallway.
"What do you think? That good enough?" Ty whispered to Matt as they headed down the darkened hallways quietly.
"Shyeah, thanks for your help Ty! I couldn't have done it without ya." Matt grinned at him. "I think I'ma gonna do one more thing yet, but I can handle it myself, you can go ahead and turn in."
"You sure man? I don't mind helping."
"Ya, go ahead and sneak back in, it's a surprise for tomorrow, you'll like it!"
"Oookay..." Ty chuckled, then headed down the hall. "Don't get caught!"
"Never!"
Matt laughed quietly then made his way back to the janitor's closet. It was a bit daring, but it'd probably impress everybody a lot if he did it, so why not? He grabbed the big floor waxer machine and began dragging it out of the room. It was kinda noisy, but he figured he could still hear over moving it in case anyone snuck up on him. He drug it through the hallways, aiming to park it right in front of the headmaster's office.
"Freeze, rabbit."
Matt froze as the angry voice bellowed out behind him. He turned around slowly to find himself face to face with none other than... Scruffy.
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Thursday morning
Matt sat quietly in the chair. His shoulders were slumped, his ears wilted, his eyes looking down at the floor.
Sir Arthur Winston, for his part, looked across his desk impassively. "Mr. Lamport, can you please explain to me what you were doing at a quarter to four this morning when Mr. Scroffton apprehended you."
The janitor interrupted by clearing his throat, and said,"Scruffy, sir." The old man stood off to the side, looking for all the world as if this was his office and not the headmaster's, looking as if he were the one in charge of the situation. And he still looked fairly angry, looming over the room like that. Since when did Scruffy loom, anyway?
The headmaster nodded at Scruffy with what seemed a touch of exasperation. "Thank you, Scruffy. Please explain, Mr. Lamport."
Matt shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "It was a dare."
After a pause, Sir Arthur frowned. "I had hoped for a bit more exposition than that, Mr. Lamport. Care to elaborate?"
"Well, um... someone dared me to go into the janitor's closet and borrow some of the cleaning supplies and put them around campus. Just a joke, ya?" Matt's voice was quiet and contrite.
"Let me assure you, breaking and entering is not a joke, Mr. Lamport." Sir Arthur leaned back in his chair, his eyes still fixed on Matt. "It is a very serious violation of our code of conduct."
"Yes, sir. I know. But... it was just the janitor's closet? No harm done, right?" Behind him, Matt heard Scruffy grumble a little at the phrase just the janitor. Matt chanced a glance up at the headmaster, but quickly dropped eye contact again.
"Scruffy keeps all manner of supplies and equipment in there. After all, they are kept under lock and key for a reason, Mr. Lamport. Students do not have the right to break into locked rooms simply because they feel they aren't causing harm."
"Yes, sir." Matt deflated even further.
"Your 'prank' was also unfair to Scruffy, who had to retrieve the items you left all over campus," Sir Arthur said, who clearly would have preferred to call him Mr. Scroffton. After a moment, he asked, "Did you think about that?"
"I guess not," Matt replied, shaking his head slightly. "I'm sorry, Scruffy."
Scruffy grunted, not sounding at all as though he felt like accepting any apologies right now.
"And of course, there's also the question of how you got in." Sir Arthur picked a key up from his desk, looking at it carefully. "Exactly where did you get this key, Mr. Lamport?"
"I uh..." Matt's mind raced. He couldn't tell the truth, or he'd get Nigel in trouble. Nigel shouldn't get in trouble over Matt's stupidity. But it'd be even worse to get caught in a lie at this point. "I won't tell you. I'm not ratting out my friends."
"So it was another student then." Sir Arthur glanced up at Scruffy, who nodded as if to say I told you so.
Matt flinched. He probably shouldn't have made that clear. "Yes, sir."
Sir Arthur sighed, tossed the key onto his desk. "While I admire your convictions, Mister Lamport, your loyalty to your accomplice does not mitigate the severity of what you have done." Matt nodded a little, and Sir Arthur continued, "Be sure to tell your friend not to acquire any more keys to locks on campus. I do not want to see this happen again."
"Yes, sir." Nigel wasn't going to like hearing that.
"Scruffy has requested that, as punishment, you should wax the floors throughout campus by hand."
Matt looked up at the headmaster, jaw dropping in shock. That'd take forever!
"I have decided that would be somewhat excessive. Nonetheless, it is a good idea. So, Friday afternoon, Scruffy will supervise you as you wax the floors in the hallways of both the girls and boys dorms."
Matt winced. It was an improvement, but it was still harsh. "Yes, sir."
"Use that time to reflect upon the consequences of your actions. This isn't the first time this week you've had to deal with such consequences. Try to impress upon yourself the value of thinking before acting, Mr. Lamport. I do not want to see you back in here for such juvenile antics again."
"Yes, sir."
"Scruffy, please see Mr. Lamport out. You can discuss the details of his punishment with him."
Scruffy nodded at the headmaster. "Be a pleasure, yessir."
Matt winced, but got up from his seat and headed for the door, with Scruffy looming behind him. As he opened the door to leave, he heard Scruffy lean closer to him. "Culpam poena premit comes," the old man said in a low, strong voice. Matt turned his head sharply to look into Scruffy's eyes. The janitor smiled, and added with a drawl, "rabbit."
((A huge thank you to Mimi for helping me with the portrayals of Sir Arthur and Scruffy!))
Matt sat quietly in the chair. His shoulders were slumped, his ears wilted, his eyes looking down at the floor.
Sir Arthur Winston, for his part, looked across his desk impassively. "Mr. Lamport, can you please explain to me what you were doing at a quarter to four this morning when Mr. Scroffton apprehended you."
The janitor interrupted by clearing his throat, and said,"Scruffy, sir." The old man stood off to the side, looking for all the world as if this was his office and not the headmaster's, looking as if he were the one in charge of the situation. And he still looked fairly angry, looming over the room like that. Since when did Scruffy loom, anyway?
The headmaster nodded at Scruffy with what seemed a touch of exasperation. "Thank you, Scruffy. Please explain, Mr. Lamport."
Matt shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "It was a dare."
After a pause, Sir Arthur frowned. "I had hoped for a bit more exposition than that, Mr. Lamport. Care to elaborate?"
"Well, um... someone dared me to go into the janitor's closet and borrow some of the cleaning supplies and put them around campus. Just a joke, ya?" Matt's voice was quiet and contrite.
"Let me assure you, breaking and entering is not a joke, Mr. Lamport." Sir Arthur leaned back in his chair, his eyes still fixed on Matt. "It is a very serious violation of our code of conduct."
"Yes, sir. I know. But... it was just the janitor's closet? No harm done, right?" Behind him, Matt heard Scruffy grumble a little at the phrase just the janitor. Matt chanced a glance up at the headmaster, but quickly dropped eye contact again.
"Scruffy keeps all manner of supplies and equipment in there. After all, they are kept under lock and key for a reason, Mr. Lamport. Students do not have the right to break into locked rooms simply because they feel they aren't causing harm."
"Yes, sir." Matt deflated even further.
"Your 'prank' was also unfair to Scruffy, who had to retrieve the items you left all over campus," Sir Arthur said, who clearly would have preferred to call him Mr. Scroffton. After a moment, he asked, "Did you think about that?"
"I guess not," Matt replied, shaking his head slightly. "I'm sorry, Scruffy."
Scruffy grunted, not sounding at all as though he felt like accepting any apologies right now.
"And of course, there's also the question of how you got in." Sir Arthur picked a key up from his desk, looking at it carefully. "Exactly where did you get this key, Mr. Lamport?"
"I uh..." Matt's mind raced. He couldn't tell the truth, or he'd get Nigel in trouble. Nigel shouldn't get in trouble over Matt's stupidity. But it'd be even worse to get caught in a lie at this point. "I won't tell you. I'm not ratting out my friends."
"So it was another student then." Sir Arthur glanced up at Scruffy, who nodded as if to say I told you so.
Matt flinched. He probably shouldn't have made that clear. "Yes, sir."
Sir Arthur sighed, tossed the key onto his desk. "While I admire your convictions, Mister Lamport, your loyalty to your accomplice does not mitigate the severity of what you have done." Matt nodded a little, and Sir Arthur continued, "Be sure to tell your friend not to acquire any more keys to locks on campus. I do not want to see this happen again."
"Yes, sir." Nigel wasn't going to like hearing that.
"Scruffy has requested that, as punishment, you should wax the floors throughout campus by hand."
Matt looked up at the headmaster, jaw dropping in shock. That'd take forever!
"I have decided that would be somewhat excessive. Nonetheless, it is a good idea. So, Friday afternoon, Scruffy will supervise you as you wax the floors in the hallways of both the girls and boys dorms."
Matt winced. It was an improvement, but it was still harsh. "Yes, sir."
"Use that time to reflect upon the consequences of your actions. This isn't the first time this week you've had to deal with such consequences. Try to impress upon yourself the value of thinking before acting, Mr. Lamport. I do not want to see you back in here for such juvenile antics again."
"Yes, sir."
"Scruffy, please see Mr. Lamport out. You can discuss the details of his punishment with him."
Scruffy nodded at the headmaster. "Be a pleasure, yessir."
Matt winced, but got up from his seat and headed for the door, with Scruffy looming behind him. As he opened the door to leave, he heard Scruffy lean closer to him. "Culpam poena premit comes," the old man said in a low, strong voice. Matt turned his head sharply to look into Scruffy's eyes. The janitor smiled, and added with a drawl, "rabbit."
((A huge thank you to Mimi for helping me with the portrayals of Sir Arthur and Scruffy!))
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Friday afternoon
Matt erased a few numbers from the page in front of him. Math homework. Not at all what he felt like doing, but he didn't really feel like doing anything else so might as well get it out of the way he figured. He started scribbling some new numbers down, puzzling his way through the assigned problems. When his phone started ringing a few moments later, it was almost a welcome distraction until he glanced at the caller ID and saw who was calling. With great trepidation, he set his pencil down and answered.
"Hello?"
"Matthew Ryan Lamport, what the hell were you thinking?"
Matt winced. "Hi Mom. Uh... what's up?"
"Don't what's up me. You know damn well what's up." His mother's voice thundered through the cell phone at him. "Are you trying to piss the school off so much they kick you out?"
Matt winced, pulling the phone further away from his ear. "No! Of course not!"
"Then explain to me. Explain why I got a phone call from the school informing me that, in addition to your usual detentions for tardiness, talking in class, and being generally a nuisance, you've now started to raise their ire by flaunting your new boyfriend and breaking into school property!"
"He's not my boyfriend!" Matt realized he said that much louder than intended, then glanced behind him. Sure enough Alexei and Nigel were both giving him looks. He covered the phone and said more quietly, "My mom's being silly, sorry." Matt jumped up and hurried out of the room and towards the courtyard, leaving his two roommates to continue whatever they'd been working on undisturbed.
"Silly?!" Great, now he'd pissed her off even more. "I am most certainly not being silly, young man! If he's not your boyfriend, then what on earth was he thinking kissing you in a group photo? You're at a CATHOLIC school!"
"He's an alien, he doesn't know any better! He's just a friend!"
"An alien? What the hell? You're dating an alien?!"
"I just got done telling you we're NOT dating! And he's a friendly alien! Geez, Mom, he's not a Rikti or nothing, he helps chase them out of town!"
"Regardless, that was incredibly stupid. You know better. But that's hardly even important, compared to your other stunt. Breaking and entering? I thought you were working to be a hero! What kind of hero breaks into their own school's property?"
"It was a dare!" Matt realized he was bordering on yelling, then decided he didn't care. "Nothing got broken or anything, and I already told Scruffy I'm sorry!"
"If someone dared you to jump off the top of a building, would you do it? I raised you better than this, Matthew!"
Matt decided it'd probably be pretty stupid to remind her that he could, in fact, jump safely from the tops of some buildings these days. "No I wouldn't do it! I'm not stupid, ya know! It was a harmless dare!"
"If it were harmless, I wouldn't have received a phone call from your headmaster about it. Think! Think before you do these things!"
"Yes, Mom." Matt fumed, but there wasn't much point in trying to reason with her.
"I called your father, we can't very well ground you or anything. So we're cutting off your allowance instead."
"What?!" Matt gaped at the phone in astonishment. "You can't do that!"
"Yes, I can, and yes, I am." His mother's voice cut through the phone. "Maybe you should consider getting a part time job and learning some responsibility. God knows you haven't been acting responsibly of late at all."
"Whatever!" He pulled the phone away from his head and flipped it shut, hanging up on her. That'd probably piss her off even worse, he was sure, but she'd get over it. Once she had a chance to talk to Dad and had time to calm down, at least.
He leaned against the side of the building and closed his eyes, putting his hand to his forehead. It really did seem like the whole world had suddenly turned and was out to get him.
Matt erased a few numbers from the page in front of him. Math homework. Not at all what he felt like doing, but he didn't really feel like doing anything else so might as well get it out of the way he figured. He started scribbling some new numbers down, puzzling his way through the assigned problems. When his phone started ringing a few moments later, it was almost a welcome distraction until he glanced at the caller ID and saw who was calling. With great trepidation, he set his pencil down and answered.
"Hello?"
"Matthew Ryan Lamport, what the hell were you thinking?"
Matt winced. "Hi Mom. Uh... what's up?"
"Don't what's up me. You know damn well what's up." His mother's voice thundered through the cell phone at him. "Are you trying to piss the school off so much they kick you out?"
Matt winced, pulling the phone further away from his ear. "No! Of course not!"
"Then explain to me. Explain why I got a phone call from the school informing me that, in addition to your usual detentions for tardiness, talking in class, and being generally a nuisance, you've now started to raise their ire by flaunting your new boyfriend and breaking into school property!"
"He's not my boyfriend!" Matt realized he said that much louder than intended, then glanced behind him. Sure enough Alexei and Nigel were both giving him looks. He covered the phone and said more quietly, "My mom's being silly, sorry." Matt jumped up and hurried out of the room and towards the courtyard, leaving his two roommates to continue whatever they'd been working on undisturbed.
"Silly?!" Great, now he'd pissed her off even more. "I am most certainly not being silly, young man! If he's not your boyfriend, then what on earth was he thinking kissing you in a group photo? You're at a CATHOLIC school!"
"He's an alien, he doesn't know any better! He's just a friend!"
"An alien? What the hell? You're dating an alien?!"
"I just got done telling you we're NOT dating! And he's a friendly alien! Geez, Mom, he's not a Rikti or nothing, he helps chase them out of town!"
"Regardless, that was incredibly stupid. You know better. But that's hardly even important, compared to your other stunt. Breaking and entering? I thought you were working to be a hero! What kind of hero breaks into their own school's property?"
"It was a dare!" Matt realized he was bordering on yelling, then decided he didn't care. "Nothing got broken or anything, and I already told Scruffy I'm sorry!"
"If someone dared you to jump off the top of a building, would you do it? I raised you better than this, Matthew!"
Matt decided it'd probably be pretty stupid to remind her that he could, in fact, jump safely from the tops of some buildings these days. "No I wouldn't do it! I'm not stupid, ya know! It was a harmless dare!"
"If it were harmless, I wouldn't have received a phone call from your headmaster about it. Think! Think before you do these things!"
"Yes, Mom." Matt fumed, but there wasn't much point in trying to reason with her.
"I called your father, we can't very well ground you or anything. So we're cutting off your allowance instead."
"What?!" Matt gaped at the phone in astonishment. "You can't do that!"
"Yes, I can, and yes, I am." His mother's voice cut through the phone. "Maybe you should consider getting a part time job and learning some responsibility. God knows you haven't been acting responsibly of late at all."
"Whatever!" He pulled the phone away from his head and flipped it shut, hanging up on her. That'd probably piss her off even worse, he was sure, but she'd get over it. Once she had a chance to talk to Dad and had time to calm down, at least.
He leaned against the side of the building and closed his eyes, putting his hand to his forehead. It really did seem like the whole world had suddenly turned and was out to get him.
Re: Down the Rabbit Hole
Saturday Morning
Matt blinked groggily as the morning sun came in through the window, splashing across his face. A quick glance at the clock told him it was 11:08 AM. He sighed. Time to wake up.
He drug himself out of bed and trudged off down the hallway to the bathroom, feeling more than a little off. He hadn't been getting enough sleep this week, he realized. Maybe a nap later would help. In the bathroom, he hit the toilets quick, then wandered over to the sinks, not really paying any attention to much of anything given that he still wasn't really awake.
A spot of toothpaste went on his toothbrush, and he started to raise it to his mouth when he finally glanced up in the mirror.
A moment later, his toothbrush clattered to the floor, forgotten.
His ears were gone. Not gone, exactly, but they were human again. And his hair was blond, and shorter, just like it was back when he was a normal kid. His face was still covered with fur, though, a strange contrast against the blond hair.
All he could do was stare in shock.
((Matt's story continues in Mattamorphosis.))
Matt blinked groggily as the morning sun came in through the window, splashing across his face. A quick glance at the clock told him it was 11:08 AM. He sighed. Time to wake up.
He drug himself out of bed and trudged off down the hallway to the bathroom, feeling more than a little off. He hadn't been getting enough sleep this week, he realized. Maybe a nap later would help. In the bathroom, he hit the toilets quick, then wandered over to the sinks, not really paying any attention to much of anything given that he still wasn't really awake.
A spot of toothpaste went on his toothbrush, and he started to raise it to his mouth when he finally glanced up in the mirror.
A moment later, his toothbrush clattered to the floor, forgotten.
His ears were gone. Not gone, exactly, but they were human again. And his hair was blond, and shorter, just like it was back when he was a normal kid. His face was still covered with fur, though, a strange contrast against the blond hair.
All he could do was stare in shock.
((Matt's story continues in Mattamorphosis.))