The Sage and Shield

Chapter 11 (Done)

Jake and Rebina eventually came too. Mikey nudged Jake to commit to owning up to what happened.

"Fine, I messed up, sorry Rebina. I guess I'll try to pay more attention to these stupid teachers!"

"It's a start. Wait, Stella doesn't help you?"

"She's busy too and Leon needs the tablet to study. We sorta, wait you two don't need to know that."

"Well I gotta know what parts of the toilet to flush down," getting nudged by Faith giving him puppy dog eyes. "Fine, just chill. For one week, no fights or drama, got it?"

"Alright, deal."

Over the week, Mikey got curious on why the reaper's actions were different than before.

"Oh, Sorrow Seeds can enhance, create, or emulate spirits based on the user's anger. The stronger the emotion, the bigger they could transform the user, take control, or the host could have some control over them."

"Cool. And kinda scary. But cool."

"By the way, I wanted to ask," playing with her hair. She almost spit it out when a boy snatched the grimoire out of her hands.

"Oh, what's this?"

"Give it back!" They turned to see two dark skin boys with a low cut and shaved bobblehead that made Mikey suck his teeth.

"Demean, Dahmir. That doesn't belong to you."

"You owe us one for getting Jake down that back. Sides' Ms. Puckett took our ball."

"Cuz you accidentally hit someone again in the middle of class?"

"How would you know?"

Faith heard someone say, I'm gonna kill you Demean, from afar. "Did you?"

"Shush cutie," tossing her book to Dahmir. "Play catch!"

She asked them to stop, but they wouldn't. Mikey tried jumping up the wall, but he missed so he tackled Dahmir when his brother threw it at him. Demean was about to throw a ball at him.

"What's going on out here!"

Mr. Leonardo's voice distracted them long enough for Faith to snatch it back as he called the two to get to his office for questioning.

"This ain't over," Demean said, blowing a kiss at her while Dahmir followed her around.

"Imbecile."

"What's that mean?"

"You. It means someone high up."

"Oh thanks," Dahmir said.

Mikey took Faith inside, trying not to laugh as he warned her to stay away from them.

In class Ms. Puckett and Onest were struggling to get the video of Twelve Angry Jurors for them to watch as Spike snickered from Davis complaining.

"It's so easy. Watch Myle, Altair, and Davis fail since they'll whine and not finish."

"Excuse me?"

"Piss off, I'm not lazy unlike you, ya bum!"

"Yeah, why should we do this?"

"Spike," Ms. Puckett asked. "Please stop with the insults. You're not smarter than anyone else in this room!"

"That's bs!" He walked out. "I'm too good for these clowns. You suck as a teacher," slamming the door.

That just made everyone talk so much Ms. Onest made them all take notes.

At lunch, Kathy asked Ms. Onest to go upstairs for lunch to watch it while the others went to lunch, eventually heading outside, wondering what she wanted to do.

"Oh yeah, I was asking you earlier: wanna film a TikTok?"

"Uh why?"

"Well you saw my room," blushing. "I hope you didn't think I was weird or something?"

"Nah, you're fine. You like music, who am I to judge? Wanna login to mine?"

"You have one?"

"I share one with my sister," showing them at least one hundred-thousand followers"She talks about anything and any song that's new, we dance together."

"Wow? But you don't mind? Doesn't she get most of the money?"

He shook his head. "She gives me half of the money. In her words," using his hands like a mic:

"It's not child labor if you're getting fair and equal pay," with a wink he copied from her.

"Ha," dropping a sweat. "Your sister sure is a character."

"Sure. Though I'm not used to doing it with anyone outside of my family. Follow my lead," finding a song she was surprised to be into.

They cranked their hands across their sides, while shaking left to right, making windmill patterns , hopping left and right while bouncing on their leg.

They twirl their arms around as they made a 360° spin, stepping across from each other left and right, and stepping back while flicking their hands up and down.

They gave each other a brief smile as they crossed their hands across their belly before giving one final pose as the timer ended, watching the footage.

"Wow we were so in sync. No wonder you're so flexible when you fight."

"Thanks, you're pretty good too."

She looked away with a smile. "I always wanted to do it with a friend, but I wasn't that well liked," rubbing his arms, "back in Japan."

"Everyone hated you?"
"Well some liked me, and then they started keeping their distance, so they wouldn't be a target."

"Oh," apologizing as she took out her phone, offering to take a picture. He accepted, trying not to feel embarrassed as they awkwardly smiled together.

A loud crash startled them: turning back and following everyone running towards the gate to find Ms. Puckett screaming with a hole in the car.

The school aide approached them, demanding they all line up, immediately, asking them who aimed for her car.

"If we don't get an answer today, no outside for the rest of the school year."

Faith and Mikey looked around until the twins pointed at Spike with Jake and Altair also pointing at him.

"Let's go Spike."

"It wasn't me, they're lying!'

"Tell it to the principal, let's go!"

Mikey and Faith watched him plea for his innocence.

Upstairs, Ms. Puckett called the insurance company, Ms. Onest went down to talk to Spike and Ms. Almore asked if anyone could clear it up.

Faith tugged him.

"I don't think he's lying," resulting in people arguing.

"I have an idea," Kathy said. "We'll determine if he's guilty!"