The Monochrome Army (title subject to change)

Part One, Chapter Three

       When they entered Addi waved spastically at her and motioned for Starr to sit next to him. Starr looked over her shoulder at Madison and gave him a rare (albeit unnecessarily amused) beam and wiggled her fingers at him.
        "Hi!" Starr chirped at Addi.
        "What's up?"
        "Madison is either annoyed or entertained by my sesquipedalian driveling."
        "English, please?" Addi listed his head.
        Starr collapsed in her chair. "Exactly."
        "Other than that he seems pretty cool?" Addi asked hopefully.
        "I-well..." Starr hesitated a little.
        "What?" Addi sat forward in his chair and blew his hair out of his eyes.
         Madison shot Starr a wink and she felt her lips tuen up against her will.
         "That! He makes me smile. Like, genuine smile." Starr opened her sketchbook. "He is distractingly charming." She scowled at her artwork. "Stupid Canadians."
        Addi raised an eyebrow. "Interesting development."
        The bell rang loudly, sounding tinny and rattling around in Starr's head. Ms. Parkington stood at the front of the room, adjusting her lapels.
         "So we have a foreign student this year," she said, as if Canada were some exotic country. She motioned to Madison and he stood, pushing his dark hair away from his forehead.
          "Yeah. Um, so. I'm Madison." His hand fluttered to his chest. "I moved here from Canada eight weeks ago. Well... In. Canada we didn't do this whole 'give a presentation' thing, so. Any questions?" Madison's eyes fluttered, humored.
        Everyone laughed, except Starr, who hid a slight grin behind her fingers. A kid in the front raised his hand, and Madison pointed to him.
       "Is it socially acceptable to call you Maddy?" the kiss asked in total sincerity.
        Madison's permanent smile tilted. "If you would like to be brutally murdered while your family watches, then yes."
         Starr raised her hand timidly.
        "Yes, Starr?" Madison nodded at her.
        "Do you speak French?"
        "Oui, mon cherie. But just a little." He flashed his customary grin at her. "Yes, Addison?"
         Addi scowled at him and said, "Which province?"
         "Saskatchewan."
         "That will do, Mr. Deiai," which she pronounced Day-aye.
         Madison corrected her without missing a beat. "It is pronounced Dye-ee." He sat down and leaned back so the front legs of his chair were hovering above the ground. "Like Dei from Ave Maria and dying put together," he said matter-of-factly.
         Ms. Parkington looked a little miffed, but before she could say anything, the bell rang.