Learning Control

Chapter 4: Trash Man at Lunch

"You can sit with me and my friends at lunch," Janus offered Remus as they walked to the cafeteria.

"Oh, who are your friends?" Remus asked.

"Their names are Patton, Logan, and Virgil. Hopefully they have the same lunch as us."

"Hey I met two of them already! Patton and Logan, they seemed kinda cool but they also seem like they're goody two shoes."

Janus snorted. "Yup, that's them. Goody two shoes Pat and Lo. They're over here." He led Remus over to a table in the back.

Remus saw Roman already talking to Logan and Patton. "Guess my brother already found them."

"Janus, Remus," Patton called when he saw them, waving them over. Remus sat down next to Roman and Janus sat next to him. "I see you two have already met."

"Yup, Janus this is my brother, Roman," Remus introduced.

"Nice to meet you," Roman offered.

"I'm sure you won't be feeling that way for long," Janus replied.

"That's so cool that you two are already friends," Patton squealed.

"Well Remus was the one that came to me. I didn't have much of a choice."

"Okay, now we're just missing one more." Patton looked around the cafeteria.

"Ah yes, our dear emo," Janus mused.

"I see him, Virgil!" Patton was bouncing on his feet.

Roman looked over his shoulder to see a kid walking over to them. He wore a purple jacket over a black t-shirt with a skull. His jeans were black and he wore combat boots. His black hair was dyed purple at the tips and there was black eyeshadow under his eyes. Janus was right to call him an emo.

"Patton, Logan," he greeted then turned to Janus with a small glare, "snake."

"It was one time! Get over it!" Janus complained.

"Oh, what'd you do?" Remus asked.

"I put a snake in his bed."

"Awesome!"

"Virgil, meet Roman and Remus," Patton introduced. "They're new here."

"You've only been back for a few days and you're already making new friends," Virgil replied.

"What can I say, I'm just that lovable."

"I'm happy to be friends," Roman said. "You guys seem great, though I am afraid of what Remus and Janus will do."

"You should always be afraid of me," Remus said.

"I already have been planning lists of pranks and chaos to pull," Janus added.

"Absolutely not," Logan interjected. "This year will not be filled with anymore of your shenanigans. It stops now."

"Patton your boyfriend's adorable-"

"We're not boyfriends!" both Logan and Patton shouted bright red.

"Ow," Virgil said loudly, rubbing his ear since he was sitting next to Logan.

"Sorry," Patton apologized.

"Are you guys gay in anyway?" Roman asked, slightly excited.

"Yup, we're one big rainbow!" Patton smiled wide.

"Yes, we found our people! Do you guys have any boyfriends?"

"Nope, we're all single," Janus answered. "I might be gay, but no boy can tame me."

"Haha! I know that feeling!" Remus agreed. Many have tried but none can get to me."

"People have tried?" Roman asked. "I find that hard to believe."

"You don't know me, you don't know what I do."

"I do, especially since you get detention like every other week. It's a surprise you never got expelled!"

"I don't get into fights or do drugs, as far as everyone else knows. That's the only way to get in deep trouble, not planting a stink bomb in a classroom."

"Or sneaking in that rat, or hacking into the teacher's computer to make it play Cotton Eye Joe over and over again, or a million other things."

"Well you sound fun," Logan commented.

"Ooh I have a teacher for you to prank," Janus offered.

"I said no!"

"Please don't," Roman added.

"Oh come on, we won't get caught," Janus said. "I just need a little help-"

"No, you will do nothing," Logan pressed.

"I second that," Roman said.

"Guess Janus found a partner in crime," Patton commented.

"Maybe I have," Janus agreed, "maybe not, we'll see."

"No more of this, in fact why don't you just hand over your phone that I know you snuck in." Logan held his hand out for it.

"What? Me! Dear sir, you've got the wrong culprit!"

"You do it every year, Janus! You're going to get us in danger!"

"Please, who is actually looking for this school?"

"Right, like criminals wouldn't love to stop the next generations of supers before they even get the chance to graduate. I mean, just take a look at-"

Logan was interrupted by Virgil clearing his throat loudly. He looked over to see Virgil giving him a glare.

"My apologies," Logan said. "I merely just meant that a phone isn't worth the trouble it may cause."

"It's fine, Janus has been bringing his phone here for a few years now and nothing's happened yet," Patton reassured.

"I really hope I won't be the one to say I told you so."

"And you won't. Let's change the subject, who's excited for homecoming?"

"There's going to be a homecoming?" Roman asked, already forgetting about the awkward exchange between them.

"They have one every year!"

"It's in a few months from now," Janus said. "And it's the same every year."

"But it's still the school's first dance! It's always exciting! Dressing up, eating food, partying with friends! Who's planning on going?"

"Someone's gotta keep you company, right Logan? Virgil?"

"I'm not going," Virgil told him.

"Aw, you never come," Patton pouted. "Just this once, please?"

"Sorry Pat, you know there's nothing that will get me to go. I hate crowds, loud noises, and parties."

"Fine..."

"Cheer up, Patton, Janus and I will go," Logan reminded him.

"You can count my brother and I in too!" Roman said.

"How expensive are the tickets?" Remus asked.

"They're free! You just need your school ID and you'll get those when you get your school photo. And don't forget to dress sharp, it's not a party if you're not dressed your best!"

"Ooh, I already have an idea of what to wear!" Roman said excitedly.

"I'll out dress you as always," Remus challenged.

"You'll probably wear a garbage bag."

"And yet I'll still look better than you."

"I'm sure you'll both look like trash," Janus told them.

Roman made an offended squawk while Remus awed.

"That's so nice of you, Janny," he said. "I'll be the best looking trash there!"