Shadows and Popularity

Chapter 29: Party

Chapter 29: Party

Zack had a headache.

Once the sun set and everyone had their good ‘ol time, the musicians suddenly brought the speakers up to eleven and rocked and rolled the quad to a party. Even the glee students chimed in with their pop songs and the dancers got down on the dance floor. The teachers, who he sent to an impromptu seminar, were outraged to find what the students have set up in their absence. Unfortunately, because he knew that he would be too much of a stick in the mud if he stopped the party then and there, and since it was a Friday anyway, Zack gave the teachers their own wine and dine party at the Admin Office. Most were reluctant at first, but he managed to persuade them when he hinted that the dining would be charged to the school.

Once the teachers were appeased, he set to try and keep as much chaotic order as possible. He had a hard time with that one, since both of his present siblings, Michelle and Cardor, were already getting the knack of being partying animals. Michelle being the socialite crowd pleaser prep that she was, and Cardor getting really in to a little ping pong contest a few jocks set up near the drinks station.

In the end, he had to count on the last person he ever thought he’d ask help for. He called him, and waited in annoyance for their fourth born to pick up.

“Yeah?” Said a slurred voice on the other line. He had obviously been asleep.

“Michelle and Cardor are… busy. Get your butt of your couch and come to school. The quad specifically.”

He could hear his grin through the line. “The magic word?”

He made sure his glare was strong enough to pass the phone lines, and the chuckle was the only answer he needed.

“All right, all right, big bro. I’m getting up, I’m getting up. But no promises that I’ll be as good as Mich or Cardy when it comes to your job, ‘kay?”

“I’ll be expecting you in ten.”

Zack ended the call and marched toward two jocks sizing each other up as one girl seemed to be enjoying their attention to her.

Raphe arrived an hour later.

Zack was arguing with a few of the school’s hipsters for putting fake mustaches on the cups and their faces to the dislike of a few of the other students. They kept arguing back at him and didn’t seem to be inclined to back down anytime soon. That was when Raphe intervened, as nonchalant and diplomatic as ever, he managed to make the two parties compromise by letting the hipsters hand out the mustaches to students who are willing to wear them. It turned out that quite a few students were interested to wear them, though some only used them for play and laughs, they wore them nonetheless.

That was when the homecoming looked back to glare at his little brother. Unfortunately, his intimidation never worked on any of his siblings.

“Good evening.” Raphe greeted, combing his fingers through his spiky blonde hair. “So where’s Mich and Cardy?”

Zack never removed his glare from him, but nonetheless pointed his thumb at the nearby Ping-Pong table where his redheaded brother and sister were having a passionate table tennis competition. The students crowded around them were cheering for their bets to win and do their best.

Raphe whistled. “Must be tough being you.”

Zack ignored his grin. “Keep your fellow underclassmen in check. No roughhousing or too much making out.” He started walking away from him and toward the fountain where they were playing volleyball.

Raphe followed him. “What about the stars of the show?”

The homecoming king stopped, before looking around. He stopped when his head reached one of the school’s cafeteria buildings. Raphe looked at the same direction just in time to see two figures enter the unlocked door. The freshman looked at the back of his older brother’s head with a confused look in his face.

Zack looked back at him, but the amusement in his eyes never reached his lips.

“You go to your fellow underclassmen now.”

Raphe’s shoulders dropped, a brow raised, before he shrugged and turned his back on his older brother. They parted ways then, and he strode toward his fellow underclassmen, who were arguing about someone stealing the keys to the school’s cafeteria building.