(Outdated) The King of Elements (part 2)

Chapter 41

The final bell finally toned, and soon after the hallways were flooded with students eager to leave school grounds. Thanksgiving break was two weeks away, and it was evident that the students, as well as the faculty, was ready for the break to begin. The halls were adorned with orange, brown, and yellow tapestries and ribbons, pictures of cartoonish turkeys, pilgrims, Native Americans, and dried leaves were taped on every window. The teachers even began to give less and less homework as the beginning of break grew closer. Dre, however, had other things in mind.

"This is going to be worse than humiliating." He sighed as he walked among the wave of students, fighting to get to his locker. It wasn't like he needed to get anything from it. He just needed some time to think about what he was going to do. What does couples do on dates? From what he'd seen in the movies, most couples couldn't seem to run out of things to talk about. Then again, the movies sometimes jump through their conversations. That, and this wasn't a movie.

And they weren't a couple.

"Yo, Dre," he somehow managed to hear Megumi's voice above the other students' rambling. Dre looked around for her, though he soon remembered that it would be pointless, considering that she was probably the shortest student in the school. Well, second only to Keiko.

He did manage to find both Michael and Kimmy towering over the rest of the crowd. They both stood in the proximity of his locker; Michael was reading his book, as per usual, while Kimmy was looking down at her toes, her face reddening.

Well, it's now or never.

He swallowed hard before he sidestepped the crowd to his group. "What are you guys doing here?" Dre asked.

"We're here to remind you of something," Megumi said. Dre had no idea that neither she nor Keiko was waiting for him along with Michael and Kimmy. "We've got training in the arena on Thursday."

"You don't sound too happy about it," Keiko stated due to Megumi's irritated tone.

"Of course, she is," Michael said as he and the rest of the group began walking through the crowded foyer. "Do you remember how ecstatic she was about being able to fight in the tournament?"

"Shut up," Megumi sighed. She turned around to look at Dre and Kimmy, who were both too nervous to look up at each other. She gave a mischievous smile before she asked, "So, are you two ready for your date?"

"Dude, it's not a date," Dre mumbled under his breath, continuing to look at the ground.

"If it's not a date, then what would you call it?" Michael asked as he shoved open the exit door. A gust of warm air rushed past the group, in contrast to the cool, almost frigid air of the morning.

"A celebratory get together."

"Right. A date."

Dre scowled as he raised his head. "I don't remember asking your definition of a celebratory get together. Sheesh, am I going to get any kind of back up on this? Kimmy?"

Kim finally raised her head. Her face was a deep crimson red, and she appeared to be sweating bullets. "I've never been on a real date before," she said.

Dre's jaw slacked as they walked onto the parking lot. "Kimmy. Not you too."

The group laughed, except for Dre and Kimmy, as they made it to Megumi's car.

"Pretty soon you guys are going to have to admit that this is a date." Megumi gave a grin before opening the door. As she sat down in the driver's seat, she cranked on her car and looked directly at Dre and Kim. "Have fun on your date," she called over the loud music before closing the door and speeding out of the lot.