KNOCKOUT

VI: SIDEWINDER

A BLOW FROM THE SIDE 

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AELIUS IS STARTING TO THINK FARIS IS somehow conning his way into staying in the hospital. As he makes his way to his suspiciously healthy friend's room, it's so filled with flowers and balloons and get-well baskets that Aelius can barely see aforementioned suspiciously healthy friend.

"How's my two favorite people?" Faris greets Aurelia and Aelius sunnily, sipping green tea, laying in bed.

"How's the leg?" Aelius narrows his eyes, sitting on Faris's bed.

Faris winces, as if he just remembered he was suppose to be faking a leg injury. "Oww, yeah it still hurts—but it's getting better."

"Uh huh." Aelius crosses his arms. "You were suppose to be released from the hospital two weeks ago."

Faris laughs nervously. "Damn those doctors! Always getting stuff wrong! Anyways, Aurelia, what's up? How's school? Meet any cute girls?"

Aurelia shrugs. "A few."

Aelius whips his head around. "Wait you didn't tell me anything about that—really? Who?"

Aurelia sniffs. "I'm not telling you guys."

"Wha—? But I tell you everything!" Aelius pouts.

"No."

"Wait I want to know!" Faris exclaims.

"No."

"But I'm a sick man, I—"

"Fake," Aelius coughs.

Faris glares at him. "Okay did you like pull that one out of your ass or something because that's so untrue, like I think you're smoking some shit."

"Uh huh." Aelius turns back to his sister. "Wait—do I know her?"

Aurelia shrugs. "Maybe."

"Why won't you just tell us?!" Faris wails dramatically.

"Why are you two so nosy? God, mind your own business," Aurelia says, crossing her arms.

Faris pouts. "Fine! Whatever, what about you, Aelius? Anything going on?"

"We have a crew meet on Saturday," Aelius says. "First of the season."

Faris nods sagely. "Nice, nice. Wish I could come, but you know." He gestures to himself. "I'm an injured man."

Aelius pinches the bridge of his nose. "You are shameless."

\ \ \

"What in tarnation is this?" Kashkari groans, slumping further down in his chair. "I actually can't do this anymore. I'm dying. Hello? Zenon? Are you listening to me?" He reaches over and pulls one earbud out of Zenon's ear (by the way, if anyone else tried to do that, they would've found themselves missing a limb, but since it's Kashkari, Zenon lets it slide). "I said, I'm dying."

Zenon rolls her eyes. "Join the club. We're all dying here. Also, give me my earbud back."

Since it was the week before report cards went out, every single teacher was trying to cram in as many grades as humanely possible. As testimony to this, half the junior population is currently cooped up in the school's library, buried in a mountain of study material so deep, the light of day is only a figment of their imagination.

(Although, only half of the half are actually studying—the rest have their heads tucked into their arms, intent on using this time to take a nice nap.)