Hot and Cold

High School Part II

Madeline finished scribbing down the last note that she had finished writing, then quickly started to put her textbook and notebook in her bag, then stood up quietly from her chair. She let out a quiet, miserable sigh and began to head down the hall towards the detention room; this was the last block of the day, and it was History. They were studying North American history, and she couldn't help but interrput the teacher when he was speaking on Canada. He had gotten a few of the dates very, very off, and  technically she didn't even interrupt. She patiently waited until he was done, and raised her hand to speak, but he just scowled, obviously just been mde out to look like a fool from the shy little freak in his class, and had told her detention after school. Francis probably wouldn't mind when he had gotten the whole story from her, but it still bothered her to no end. She stared at the detention door for a few seconds before biting her bottom lip and opening it to walk in. Her pale, violet gaze flickered over the handful of other students in there; Alfred, of course, a bone-white haired boy with strange red eyes -- does he wear contacts and dye his hair, I wonder? Maybe I'll ask him later.. --, the strange spiky-haired boy who had helped her with her books earlier - she made a mental note to thank him later, and then there was Ivan. Ivan? What could he have done? Madeline spotted an empty seat next to him and slipped into it, trying to ignore the awed looks the others gave her. The teachers' pet, in detention? What had she gotten in for, getting an answer wrong? Gilbert thought to himself with a chortle, but grinned a little as he looked her over. Alfred shrugged and continued with his doodle, figuring he would just ask her later. The boy from earlier didn't give her a second look, just went back to reading. Ivan gave her a sympathetic smile. "What did you do?" She whispered, taking out her notebook to study what she'd written notes over today. He made a face. "Alfred did something and tried to blame it on me.. but the teacher just sent us both here. Gilbert, the white haired boy, got into a fight with someone.. I can't remember who. And Abel said something about 'an assignment being too pointless to spend his time over'." He whispered back with a slight chuckle. "Oh.. well I'm glad you're here then, Vanya," Madeline looked back to her book with a faint smile, idly reading about the different parts and structures of a cell. Ivan turned his attention back to his notebook as well -- he was sketching a page full of sunflowers --, with a big smile and a slight blush he attempted to hide by sinking his face lower into the scarf wrapped around his neck. He loved it when Madeline called him by his name he was called in Russia, it made him feel a little bit of home every time she did. The strange looking boy with the white hair - Gilbert, she reminded herself, looked over to her and threw a piece of paper her way that bounced off of the face of her desk and onto the floor next to her. Madeline looked up, giving him a puzzled expression, but he just grinned and raised an eyebrow. Ivan didn't seem to notice. She leaned to the side and picked up the crumpled up slip of paper, smoothing it out on her desk indiscreetly, and began to read it.
'Hey, schön! Can I get your number, 'cause I lost mein!
-- The Awesome Gil (aka ORESAMA!)'
Madeline flushed, quickly stuffing the slip of paper into her bag. Ivan turned his head, giving her a curious look to what she had just stowed away. The boy with the scar above his striking green eyes had also noticed the movement of the note over to Madeline and have a swift glance in her direction. From Gilbert? The stupid German..That was either a bully note, or a flirt note. He grumbled to himself, giving the albino German a sharp look, and returned to his reading. Madeline sheepishly went back to studying her writing, not looking up again until the detention class was out.

The Canadian was now on her way home from detention, looking slightly miserable again. What if  Francis didn't believe her? She sighed inwardy with her gaze trained on the sidewlak in front of her. "Maddi, wait up!" A familiar voice called, and she turned her head to see Ivan jogging towards her from the school building. He came to a stop once he was next to her, not even out of breath, and smiling. "Vanya?" Madeline looked over with a questioning look, but his smile quickly made her smile as well. "Da!~ I wanted to know if you wanted to come over. I need a bit of help with my Algebra, and you have good marks on it. Could you help me?" He asked, laughing a little bit at the end. Honestly, he was nearly failing the class, and really needed the help. "Oui, I'd be happy to. I'll just need to run by my house first, and tell Francis where I'll be." Madeline replied jubilantly, happy from the compliment on her marks. "Hehe, great! I'll be at my house then, you know where to find me. See you later!" The Russian took off at a run again, relieved to have the extra help from her. Madeline continued her walk home, enjoying the crisp breeze that carried a few orange leaves across her path. She always had loved Autumn.

"What?? Detention?!" Francis' distressed cry could be heard from the living room. "Papa, it.. it was stupid, really.. I waited until the teacher was done speaking, and simply suggested that the dates were way off.. we were studying Canada." Madeline's hushed whisper came in reply, soft gaze trained steadily on the floor again. Francis' look softened a bit when she mentioned that the whole debate was about.. well, her. She should know the exact dates in the history class for that because she was the 'soul' of Canada. "It's alright, I understand.. you aren't in trouble, but try to stay out of detention again, oui?" He said, reaching over to pull Madeline in by her shoulder and give her a hug. "Merci.." She replied, voice muffled by his shoulder. "Also.. I'm supposed to go to Vanya's pretty soon, he said he needs help with his Algebra," Madeline said as she pulled back from the embrace. She felt relieved that Francis wasn't angry with her. "Ah.. oui, you'd better hurry along then. If you end up staying for dinner," He paused to give a suggestive wink, then continued. "Just give me a call so I know that you're fine, okay?" Francis spoke in his typical fatherly-tone, but a bit more freely than he usually did. "Thanks, papa." Madeline smiled, standing up on her toes to brush a soft kiss against his cheek, then headed for the door again to go to Ivan's.