I Told Him One Lie (An AfterDeath story)

Part 15: Back to School

"Dad you ready?"
I snapped out of it and looked down at Goth.
"Uh ya kid let's go"
He ran away before I finshed that sentence and I didn't know what to do. Geno just tugged my sleeve.
"Coming?"
"Uh...yep let's go..."
We walked into the building and it was full of other family's and children, I knew there would be but I didn't know how scared I would be. I felt my empty soul begin to beat fast as sweat dripped down my face. I was reasonably nervous, petrified, horrified, and all of those feelings at once as I felt myself stop once again. Not moving, not feeling, not doing anything, a slow whine began to cover up the large amount of talking and noise. Then a felt a hand grip into mine and grip it tightly.
"It's ok Reaper"
The whine slowly began to fade, Geno had grabbed my hand and was leaning on me smiling warmly. This wasn't like him but I knew that he was only trying to calm me down.
"You're ok"
"I'm...ok..."
I gripped his hand and pulled him a little closer. Then I looked at Goth and PJ looking around the hall full of childrens drawings and other creatures. We walked over to the two and I asked.
"Hey buddy you know where we're going?"
"O-Oh um..."
He thought and couldn't remember where we were going. But it wasn't like I was expecting him to, he was just a kid after all.
"Mrs.Azmith Gothy"
Geno chuckled, Goth's eyes lit up as he nodded vigorously.
"Ya, ya! Over there!"
He screamed as he grabbed PJ's hand and ran into a room, luckily the right one. Me and Geno just smiled as he leaned his head on my shoulder.
"Can you believe that he's going to school?"
"Honestly no"
"Haha ya...I know..."
Geno seemed sad, but happy at the same time.
"You gonna miss him?"
"What?.. No I'll be fine, and I'll like having our alone time..."
I knew he was lying, and he realised that and sighed.
"I'm sorry...I'm just gonna miss my baby... He's going to school...and I'm just..."
"Gonna miss him?"
"Ya..."
He was still sad and I understood why. I was gonna miss him to, I just enjoyed having him around. But I shouldn't bring that up now it'll just make him feel worse I think.
"How about we just get this over with, so we can keep him a little longer. Ok?"
"Hehe...ok"
That didn't sound very enthusiastic, or much of anything... We still went into the class room. I saw Goth and PJ playing with some of the toys in the room. The teacher walked up to us and shook Geno's hand, I guess the two had already talked and I was just out of the loop.
"Hello again Mr.Geno"
"Hi and you already know that you don't have to call me that."
"Oh well then I guess I won't then if you don't want me to."
She let go of Geno's hand and looked over at me and smiled.
"This must be your husband"
We both blushed and I just chuckled
"Well I- We really aren't um..."
"Oh, O-Oh! I'm sorry I-I didn't mean to assume."
"It's ok we get it..."
I reassured, noticing that she was now reaching out to shake my hand.
"Well anyways I'm Mary Azmith sorry this had to start off so awkwardly."
I was once again nervous but again Geno gripped my other hand and nodded. So I slowly put my free hand out and we shook hands.
"Don't worry about it Ma'am"
"What's with the gloves?"
"Oh there nothing, just got them on"
Good one Reaper, really I couldn't think of anything better than that? Luckily the lady just chuckled sensing my antisocial personality from a mile away.
"But it is really nice to see you two in person"
She turned towards Goth
"And Goth, along with- Hm? Who's this?"
"Oh er thats-"
"I'm PaperJam- b-but most guys just call me PJ."
I had atleast tryed, PJ just introducing himself.
"Aw well hello PJ it's very nice to meet you"
"Ya that's just PJ, he wanted to come with Goth so we let him."
Geno explained, the teacher nodded and smiled.
"It's fine, how old is he?"
"He's four"
"Oh so he'll be here next year?"
"Probably but we aren't his parents and they tend to worry..."
I told her but she seemed confused? I would think that she would understand that parents worry, so why was she-
"P-Pardon me if I'm sounding one sided... But with the magic and all is there really any need to worry?.. I-I only say that because of everything-"
"Other humans told you?"
Geno said grimly, the sudden change surprising me. She nodded feeling horrible about what she had said and believed. I just sighed.
I get it most humans think we are unbreakable beasts but really? They're kids and their worried parents, like really? But I still tried to understand or atleast make it sound like I did.
"We get it...but PJ doesn't actually have any..."
I didn't want to just come out and say he had no magic, mostly because I knew it would make him uncomfortable.
"You know..."
"I didn't know that was possible..."
"Even if it wasn't all monster kids can barely use magic at this age. He's just different in other ways to..."
Geno grumbled, I realized he was starting to become annoyed. So me being me decided to intervene.
"B-But, but it's very rare so he is probably the only one you're gonna see...ever. And besides that's not the point."
"Y-Yes it isn't"
The teacher said realived that I had saved her from a bad situation. Geno was still grumpy but tryed not to show it. Then it went quiet so I just kept talking.
"Anyways-"
"So we're going to go check some of his other classes. But it was very, very nice to meet you."
Geno smiled innocently enough even though I could sense the strong erge to rip this woman apart. I just laughed nervously and the teacher said it was ok and that she hoped she sees us again as we leave.
The kids were still laughing, and running around the halls happily. But Geno. Was. Fuming. Clearly upset and it was reasonable to an extent.
"Honey you need to relax, you actually look like you're about to explode."
"Reaper I have a right to be angry..."
"Still she didn't-"
"What know better? Anyone could atleast sympathy with worried parents. No matter what they are or who they are."
"I know that isn't what is really pissing you off."
"Don't say it like it isn't!"
People looked over confused, while the few other monsters didn't even bat an eye at Geno's out burst. His opinion was odvisely shared by most monsters which really didn't surprise me. Still I knew there would be few to no monster teachers right now. Maybe there would be when Goth got older...
But still I didn't have time to let my mind wonder around. I gripped onto Geno's hand and pulled him close enough so his head was resting on my shoulder once again.
"I get it and you're right. There's alot to be mad about but we can't be...'activist' because we have to be parents."
I couldn't think of the right word and even if we weren't being parents I know we wouldn't be doing that either. But that was enough to snap him out of it.
"...You're right, you're right it's just... It bothers me and you know how things can get to my head-"
"I know so just breath, and let's get through the rest of this."
I saw Geno think, shrug, then just randomly and sarcastically blurt out.
"I mean we don't have to, we can always just take the boys for some pizza."
I chuckled
"Really? Then what would we tell Ink and Error."
"That they had a good time and the teachers are 'saints'."
Again we both laughed but I insisted that we stay just a bit longer. Geno didn't want to but agreed, knowing how much Goth wanted to do this. So we continued through the school, Geno grumbling all the way. The last class we went to was gym, well a kinda class. It had kids around throwing those weird foam balls, and I think some basketballs. PJ and Goth went ahead and started playing again. While me and Geno went to go get some paper work for stuff Goth's gonna need, along with other things.
"When will he need post it notes?"
Geno sounded annoyed.
"I don't know I'm not the teacher"
"Mhm I know"
He continued to read the list complaining the whole time. But just as he finished and we were just about to go-
"WWAAHHHHH"
"Ow! H-Hey!"
My son yelled. We turned around quick enough to see a small group of boys run out of the gym laughing, and Goth helping PJ stand up. They both had tears in there eye, PJ having a little bruise on his lip and Goth having one on his head. Quickly we both ran over to the crying boys. We both tryed to calm them down and eventually they did, so I decided to ask what happened.
"It's ok, it's ok just tell us what happened?"
"Some boys chucked a basketball at PJ,t-then when I told them to stop they threw one at me..."
"Those god damn kids I sw-"
"Don't swear daddy..."
Goth odvisely felt bad about what had happened, and when he asked Geno stopped. Then he continued talking now just trying to make him feel better.
"Ok I won't... But you're ok it's only a little bump..."
"I know..."
"You sure it wasn't just an accident?"
"Ya..."
"Ok how-"
"Because they yelled at us then threw a ball at PJ..."
"What did they say to you?"
"Um..."
"You can tell us"
I reassured him but he still didn't say anything. PJ quietly said
"They just yelled 'hey you'... We turned and they said 'catch freaks' and they threw the ball..."
That was probably in the back of are minds the whole time but hearing thst just made it real. Really? There just kids?.. Regardless if there kids or not it shouldn't have happened. But that's when I saw tears run down Goth's face. We stopped walking and Geno hugged him and asked
"Hey, hey what's wrong? Does your bruise hurt?"
"I-Is it my fault?.."
"What no? It's neither of your guys faults you know that right?"
Neither of them said anything PJ only nodded slowly and hesitantly, Goth didn't do anything. Geno was about to continue but I spoke first.
"How about we go and get some pizza? I know it'll make you feel better."
Goth thought about it and looked over at PJ who was smiling and nodding his head vigorously.
"Ok let's go get some pizza"
"Yay! Pizza!"
Goth sounded happier and PJ was just as excited. So we went and got some pizza and the boys were happy again. But I could feel Geno silently cursing me about just pushing the problem to the side, or atleast I think he was. His death stare was all I saw throughout dinner.
Anyways we soon finished up and left to bring PJ home knowing that we would have to explain what happened. And we just knocked on the door and Ink opened it PJ and Goth immediately running inside.
"Oh are you two both staying?"
Ink chuckled watching the boys run through the house. But Geno shook his head.
"No we aren't gonna dump another kid on you out of blue."
"Ok I thought so"
"Ya...but there is something we need to tell you..."
I heard the anxiousness in Geno's voice. We both knew that this would just freak out Ink, and make him worry more about PJ. Still we had to tell him...so we did...
He tried not to show how worried he was yet again but failed.
"It wasn't that bad we just thought you should know..."
I tryed to ressure for what felt like the hundredth time that day. Ink nodded.
"I know...but do you think that it could get worse? IMeanHeWon'tBeAbleToProtectHimself, AndWhatIfHeGetsHurt-"
"Ink calm down we don't know what you're saying, and you're just stressing yourself out more."
Geno's tone was serious yet some what soothing. Ink felt him self start to calm down taking a few deep breaths.
"Ok...ok, you know how I worry about him though..."
"We know but it was just some kids and a basketball nothing to be concerned about."
"Yet..."
Ink didn't care what I had to say and was still paranoid.
"I'll talk to Error and tell him what happened... Thank you two for telling me."
"Ya don't mention it- Goth! It's time to go!"
Goth ran out at the sound of Geno's voice.
"We'll leave you to it then, and please don't worry so much."
"Thank you Geno, and I'll try."
The two hug and I picked up the tired Goth.
"Ready to go buddy?"
I asked, him just nodding a little while resting his head on my shoulder.
"I'll take that as a yes"
"Ready to go?"
Geno asked and I responded
"Ya, and I know he definitely is"
"Surely looks like it"
He turns towards Ink one last time before leaving.
"See ya later Ink"
"Bye guys"
After that Geno turned back and we left. By the time we got home Goth had fallen asleep. So I went to his room, tucked him into bed, and kissed his forehead goodnight before leaving his room going into mine and Geno's.
"Hey Reaper..."
Geno's grim tone alarmed me so I quickly finished changing and sat next to him.
"Ya?"
"Do you think that...are son will keep getting picked on and bullied like that?.."
I didn't want to lie to him but I also didn't want to make him feel worse...I decided not to lie to him, I knew it would've only made him get upset.
"Probably...but he's a tuff kid he'll be ok..."
"What if it gets worse?"
Now he was starting to sound like Ink... But it wasn't like they were wrong. Could it...get worse, if so than how much worse?..
"It won't"
Geno looked at me worried and scepiticaly. I just pulled him close to me, giving him a little kiss on the head. Then lieing to him and myself...
"It won't..."
...