Outcasts

21: New Kid

Chapter 21 ***FAVOURITE NUMBER #2***

Sollux and I never really talked about what happened with Mituna. It wasn't the fact that we possibly crossed a boundary or anything. To me, it actually felt as if it wasn't anything I should know about. Sollux was clearly bothered by what happened and was somber the rest of the week. When school began again on Monday the next week, he seemed like his normal asshole self, which was a giant relief.

As for everyone else, they didn't seem to notice. They just figured we went out to have some fun, play hooky from school during the middle of school. To some, we had balls. To me, I was gladly taken away from an awkward subject matter. 

The weekend had passed and my mother and sister finally forgave me for staying out late the other night. Now it was another gruesome Monday and the start of the week. It was boring and hell and I wish I was back under my sheets at home for the billionth time this year. 

"Nepeta?" Mrs. Steinbeck called out during Math. The office TA that walked in only a few seconds before had handed her a bright blue slip of paper and was already beginning to leave. Easily abandoning the warm up for this morning, I walked up to the old woman with a nervous smile. It isn't exactly everyone's favourite thing to get a blue slip so early in the morning. That means going to a counselor and usually, at this messed up school, that wasn't a good thing.

Skaia High's counselors were the worst. They've messed up schedules, never picked up bullying, and focused on our grades rather than our health. If we had a D in a class, they called us in and put us through tutoring instead of trying to find out if we're having a bad time at home and that's why we were failing that certain class. 

But this was weird. If I remember correctly, all my grades are at least at a B-, nothing less. And I've done nothing bad enough to catch their attention. So, as I walked along the open halls to the Counselor's Corner, I began wondering why I was going in the first place.

Opening the metal door, I heard the bell ring as the top brushed past the jingle bells that were still decorated in sparkles and painted mistletoe from when they bought it in December. They looked much more colorful than in the black and white photo in the school newspaper. 

One of the counselors were already standing at the front desk, shuffling through papers while mumbling under their breath. Sitting in one of the torn up, plush seats by the bay window, a dark skinned boy was nervously tapping his heel against the linoleum and messing with his black leather vest. The guy at the front desk is either ignoring him or... well, what else would he do?

"Excuse me?" I asked, stepping up to the Shuffler. The Shuffler glanced up, raising a bushy brow and waited for me to continue speaking. Looking down at the blue slip in my hands, I said, "I got a slip in first today, saying I needed to see someone..." I trailed off as I showed them the slip with little information.

The Shuffler grunted and nodded towards the boy sitting behind me. "You're here for him then. Show him around to his classes, find him something to do, and you're done," they explained gruffly, before turning back to their shuffling. That was a little unsettling, but I shrugged, recycled the slip, and cautiously went to the boy from earlier.

"Hi. I'm Nepeta and I'm supposed to show you around?" I said. I was a little unsure on what I was supposed to do. Wasn't someone from the student council supposed to do this? Or someone with straight A's and a scholarship in everything? Maybe they have a special hat that has everyone's name in it and they pick it, letting the odds be ever in their favor.

"H-Hi. I'm Tavros," he said. It was like someone put a reed in his throat and he forever sounded groggy. It was a little weird, but I'm sure mine isn't that much better. "I-I'm, um, new, I guess..."

He stood up, standing a few centimeters taller than myself, and gave a shaky smile, presenting me with his hand to shake. I smiled back, shaking his hand. Once we let go, he grabbed a black and orange backpack and slung it over his shoulder and took out a wrinkled sheet of paper.

"I guess we should get you to first, huh?"

************

Showing Tavros around was easier than I thought it would be. We had more classes in common than I had with others. We didn't have first period together, nor third and fourth, but now I had someone to at least talk to in sixth instead of mulling over the lost relationships that hung around in that classroom.

At lunch, I introduced the shy boy to the rest of the group. Gamzee and Vriska seemed to hit it off with the kid much faster than the rest of the group. Lunch with Tavros didn't really change too much. He was a quiet fellow that only spoke up when something interested him and he seemed to always be looking down at his lap. When he did open up, he told us that he had an older brother that was planning on going to this same school next week. Their mother and father had recently divorced and they were staying with their father, who worked in the local jazz musician hangout as a double bassist and a back up singer. It was here that he got a little flustered as he accidentally shouted that his dad should have made lead since his voice was almost like Barry White's. 

Personally, this kid was adorable. He was like the ball of fluff that you find in a house that recently had kittens and they made these small little "um" noises that were just so adorable. That's what Tavros reminds me of. A tiny puff ball kitten that makes "um" noises.

When the day had ended, I waited with Tavros at the front of the school, sitting on the steps in the cold. My mom said that she would be picking me up today so we could take Meulin to her art fair (she got into the finals over the weekend, we were very excited). Apparently, Tavros was going to the same thing, though his brother was more into the singing variety rather than the painting. 

"So you're brother sings?" I asked, picking at a few blades of frost covered grass I pulled before sitting besides the kid. Tavros nods. "What will he be singing?"

"This song called 'Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone' by Bill Withers. It's a good song," he said, twiddling his thumbs in his lap. "He's really good, almost as good as dad. You should go listen... If, that is, your sister isn't being judged with her art or anything..."

I smiled. "I love that song. I'll be sure to find out where he'll be singing so I can here it. It shouldn't mess with Meulin's schedule, considering they'll be everywhere in the art gallery."

Tavros smiled as well, looking a little more confident then he did this morning. "I wish her luck, then."

We talked a bit more before my mom's car pulled up, Meulin waving from the passenger seat. She looked about as excited as ever, considering she got the day off to rest before the big event. Lucky cat. 

"I'll see you at the far, then," I waved to the dark skinned boy. 

"See you later, Nepeta."

I updated! Yay! LOVE ME!

I was in a little bit of a rut with this chapter, but I figured I needed to bring in little Tavvy before I get to chapter 30... If I get to 30 that is. I sometimes wonder how far I'll take a book before I stop. I kinda wish this would be my longest book. It's already at the point of my first finished book on fanfiction.net. 

DON'T BE AFRAID TO COMMENT~! I love seeing your thoughts on this story. Sometimes it's quite interesting and I feel loved when I find people that enjoy my writing! :33

~cows4ever~