Prequel | Gotham's Sweethearts

Part 12. What Makes You So Special

On Tuesday, the school only talked about the fact that before Halloween are a few days. In the gym, the girls laid out several rolls of paper directly on the floor and drew various posters on the theme of the holiday. There were a lot of pumpkins, black cats, silhouettes of witches and vampires with huge fangs. The cafeteria has replaced white napkins to orange, that's why Pat was extremely happy. Not that he cared much about napkins, he just really loved that color and everything connected with it. Later, Pat saw several school staff carried down the corridor a heavy old music player that worked on it's last legs. They almost dropped it when a few athletes ran in the direction of the cafeteria. Pat appreciated every manifestation of music, but after this rehearsal with these instruments the old player become nothing more than an exhibit in the Museum. Men dragged the device in an assembly hall of school where the party had to take place. Pat didn't even think about what will go in there. He only wanted to walk the streets with friends and beg for sweets, hoping that because of his low heights he would be mistaken for a child and they give him candy. But the prospect of being in the great hall with their classmates on Halloween scared him. Not everyone has the courage to come in a Mario costume, besides, without the company of a Princess.

All thoughts of Pat were on holiday. It seemed that the lessons go faster, lectures are not as boring and the teachers are more understanding. At the same time, Pat still heart ached, when along the corridor passed the Thug, but he either pretended not to notice the boy, either slightly touched his shoulder. Pete, Mike and Josh weren't in the school. Later Pat learned from another conversation that the team school of American football went to a small home competition, and Pat was sincerely hoping that his friends will win. His entire school specialized in sports and science, while a drummer named Andy attended school on the other side of town. To the surprise of Pat, he met Ed a couple of times on the lessons of history and mathematics. And Sam, it seems, has long ceased to be a schoolboy.

All day no one has ever asked Pat about that cut on your lip, no one pinched him in a small corner and didn't drop his tray of food, and Pat thought that the day was better than ever. He indulged himself in a fish dinner, took chocolate milk as a drink, and sat silently at his table in the corner of the hall by the window. He felt joyous and peaceful until Mr. Dawson came up to him and told him to go into the principal's office.

— I... what? — surprised Pat. A piece of fish fillet, strung on a fork, and hung near his mouth. Mr. Dawson was standing right beside him and he looked simultaneously menacing and frustrated. He hid his hands in his uniform pockets.

— You heard me — answered the guard, — The Director is waiting for you. You know the way, but I'll make sure you don't run away.

— I... — Pat confused and put the fork on the table, — I need to finish my dinner, I... haven't eaten anything since morning.

— You have five minutes — a security guard looked at electronic wrist watch, — I'll wait at the entrance.

Pat with some warmth noted that it was the same watch that Pat gave Dave for his birthday last year. Nevertheless, the remnants of food Pat ate with hard. He knew he was in trouble, but he didn't know what it was about. He could only carry a tray of dishes and go out into the corridor to find out his fate.

***

— Does the name Mrs. Kringle mean anything to you? — asked the Director when Pat walked into the office and sat down in a chair directly in front of him. Pat has been here too often lately, and it scared him. All that confidence that was in it when stood next to Pete or Mike, disappeared without a trace. He felt like an ordinary ragamuffin who had done something bad and had to pay for it. Pat averted his eyes and pretended that it was examining the expensive floor vase.