Alden and I sat in the back of the class, our gazes fixed on the chalkboard as Ms. Carol began taking attendance. Fifteen minutes after she’d typed our names into her phone and passed out another miserably-made packet, Craven, Fickle, and Link wandered into the classroom, the former leaving the other two in the dust. He sat down beside me, still scowling and muttering under his breath. He radiated anger, his mere presence sending a shiver down my spine. I was tempted to look over, though I didn’t want to poke the bear and risk him beating me up, too. Instead, I tilted my head toward Alden and refused to move a muscle. Any wrong move and he might rip my head off.
Link and Fickle sat down in front of me, the orange-haired hooligan wiping blood from his nose. Fickle adjusted the collar of her coat, picking up a pencil and grouchily scribbling on her paper.
“Everything okay?” Alden sat up straight, a polite smile on his face as he glanced between the three. He had some real courage to even address them. He probably knew they’d be unable to do anything to him. He was always invincible.
Link turned to look at him, blood still trickling from his nose as he smiled. “Everything’s a-okay! Just Craven givin’ me another beatin’, ya know how he does. I’m used to it by now.”
“You idiots ripped my shirt.” Craven’s voice, rough and pouty, spoke up from my left, causing me to jump in fear. Despite the anger in his voice, he seemed more childishly upset than truly enraged. He sounded just like his sister.
“I only did that cause you ruined my coat,” Fickle pouted back, their tones nearly identical as they refused to make eye contact. “You creased my collar, you mean oof.”
“You were acting improperly, and you refuse to listen to verbal discipline. I did what I had to do to make you listen.”
“You didn’t have to ruin my clothes! I only have one of these.”
“Make Fritz fix it for you. You know he loved making that outfit.”
“I’ve already had him fix it once before when I tore it sliding down the hill a few months ago. He said I can’t have it fixed more than once a year or else I have to pay.”
“You’ve got money,” he said, laying a hand on his chin. “Don’t talk like we’re poor.”
Before Fickle could argue, Alden spoke up again, “I think Fritz will repair it for you. As Link said, he loved making your outfit. It’s not every day he gets to make a leather coat, you know. You’re an awful special customer.”
Fickle’s eyes lit up, the sadness dying from her eyes. “Yeah, cause I’m the prettiest one!”
The blonde turned to Craven. “And he’ll fix yours, too. He’s got plenty of extra white fabric. I’m sure neither of you will have to spend any money getting them fixed, but if you do, I’ll pay for the repairs. I’ve got some extra money lying around that I haven’t any plans for.”
Craven lifted his head, eyes round in surprise. “What are you talking about? You’re not paying for our irresponsibility. Fickle shouldn’t have been so irksome; I should’ve been able to control my emotions. If Fritz wants money, then we’ll pay for it. Besides, weren’t you saving to get out of here someday?”
Though he held eye contact, Alden’s gaze pierced through Craven’s head and looked at something beyond him. His eyes sparkled as though seeing something that wasn’t there, some vision he’d painted in his head. Frothy pink waves crashed behind his pupil, illuminated by an invisible sun as they crashed against the sides of his irises.
“I was,” His voice was soft and distant, carried off by the breeze of the air conditioner, before he shook his head and snapped himself back to the present. “but my plans have changed. There’s something else that needs my full effort right now. I’ll save for later once it’s guaranteed to come. Now, why don’t we all think about what we’ll order for lunch? I think today’s hamburger day.”
Wait, they had hamburgers here?!
