My dorm has a lot more to say about my troublemaking. Or at least Johnny does. "Out of all of us, I did not expect Addi to get kicked out first."
"It's just a strike."
"Two more and you're out," Ebony warns.
Thomas doesn't back me as I hope, just presses his lips together and hangs his head. With a sigh, I head into the bathroom to get ready for the day.
Is Thomas upset with me? Are they upset with me? Because they shouldn't be. The only person who should be upset is me. I'm the one that didn't follow the rules and I'm the one that paid for it. If I'm kicked out, it shouldn't make a difference to them. These are my mistakes. I'll handle them myself.
Now, we are provided with a matching set of cargo pants and jackets, made to look like children dressed by their mothers. I suppose I can forgive it since 2002 has at least given me a dark green set. But that pride is soon lost when I exit the bathroom to find Johnny in green too. "Twins!" he grins. "Except I am in the more exceptional asparagus green."
I cannot help but roll my eyes. Anyone with a functional brain knows that forest green is way cooler than puke green.
My attention slips to the deep red and blue suits of my other roommates. "What are we waiting for?"
"You," replies Ebony, grabbing my arm to help her old bones up. She's dressed in the colour of the ocean. She slings her pack onto her shoulder and swaggers out of the room.
Johnny zips past me too. "I hope they have pancakes!"
"They won't," I call after him. My sole purpose is to destroy Johnny.
I turn and it's like Thomas is reading my mind, handing me my misshapen pack. "I also hope there are pancakes," he grins. I nod quickly and speed out the door before I can spoil the situation.
***
Upon entering the theatre, I am inundated by a sea of forest green. Fortunately, I find Dee among the indistinguishable crowd. "Why is everyone dressed the same?"
She shrugs. "Lyra and Laurence were in blue."
"Ingerzfay?"
Dee starts to scan the theatre. She points to a bumbling fool. He's here too? And he's dressed in dark green? Copycat.
"You know, his name is Pig Latin for Fingerz."
"What a name," she laughs. And that's coming from someone named Dementor.
Addi, WHAT?
Ah, so you don't know everything, Siri. Well, allow me to introduce you to my good friend and almost twin, Dementor "Dee" Fernando.
Adelaide Sh'adow Amnesia Jane Sandler, her name is not Dementor.
Dee is short for DEEmentor, just as Siri is short for Stupid Idiot Robot Intelligence.
Okay, a) that's rude, and b) no it is not. Are you stupid?
Well, she's not your friend, is she?
Fine. Call her by her full name and see what happens.
I turn to Dee and smile. "Hey what's Dee short for?"
"Deez Nuts."
Told ya.
The theatre door thuds. At the lectern, Campbell is swaying to double time. As usual, he is adjusting his spectacles with a nervous hand. "It is... lovely to see you all this morning in your uniforms. Makes us feel more like a company, eh?"
