Phoenix Drop 2: An Inky Situation

Chapter 8: Uncertain Events

Welp. This has been an interesting ride. February is close to ending, with March and Spring Break coming around the corner. Why am I talking like this, you might be thinking to yourselves? Well, for the past few days, or weeks, we've been trying to keep the guys unseen from our practically everyone we know. Our parents, any other friends, and everyone at school. We've had a pretty good run, to be honest with you. But, eventually, the smooth minecart started to go off the rails when the seventeenth of February came. This was the day someone finally found out. I'm not sure if I'd say 'found out', but, you'll figure that out yourself. We weren't expecting it at all, but this is how it happened:

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RING!!! The school bell rang as students flooded the halls, filled with laughter and chatter, like almost every day. Yesterday, schedules changed once again. I'm getting really tired of the shifting. But, thankfully, though, my lunch period now had my gals with me. Although I will miss talking with Rylan, Dotty, and Daniel, I kinda feel like this is a better group to be with for the moment. Not just to hang out, but to talk about certain topics. "Hey, guys." Katelyn says as she and Luka sit down next to Kawaii~Chan and I. "Hey, Katelyn. So, how's it been for you guys?" I ask the girls. "Well, for Kawaii~Chan, it's been easy. Kawaii~Chan has a lot of boxes that she uses for toys for them to sleep in." she says. "During my perspective, it's been sort of okay, but it's also given me a bit of a close call since they leave Ink trails." Luka says. "Same for me. Had some close calls myself while taking care of those guys. But, thankfully, I always have the excuse of broken pens since I fiddle with them a lot on the daily. Dad believes me every time." Katelyn says. 

"Lucky you, Katelyn. Unfortunately for me, I had to come up with several cover-ups for them," Luka says, crossing her arms. "Do you know how hard it is to make up as many ink-related mishaps as you can at the top of your head in the moment?" "Well, at least you weren't caught, right?" Katelyn says. "I mean, I guess." She responds back. That's when someone slammed their hands on the table loudly to make sure they were noticed by all four of us. "~Heyyy, Katelyn." says a voice who we were all too familiar with. "Uugh. What do you want, Travis?" Katelyn groans. "I just came by to see if the gorgeous Katelyn was busy, is that so much for a guy to ask?" he says, trying to be flirtatious like always. "It is, actually. And, besides, I am kinda in the middle of something at the moment; something that your little pea-brain couldn't begin to comprehend. So, why don't you come back another time? Like next month or next year.." Katelyn mutters. 

"Ouch. I have feeling's too, y'know?" Travis wines as he grips at his heart. "And, is that so? Busy with what, exactly?" "With things that I will not explain, especially to the likes of you. Now, buzz off!" Katelyn ordered. But those demands would never work. Or, at least they never did when directed at him. He was like the annoying neighbor's mutt who would never leave your porch or gaps in your fence, even when shouted at to go away. Not even the simple spray of water would be enough. Believe me when I say we've tried. "Well, if you were busy with school, then I'd totally understand, M'lady. Buuut, since it sounds like you won't answer me, you're hiding something from me, aren't you?" he suggests, shining his signature stupid smirk at us. "What did I just say, Travis? Read my lips when I tell this to you again: Buzz. Off!" Katelyn repeats in a more enraged manner. "Oh, I'd love to do more than read your lips, honey. But, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's up. I can do this all day, trust me!" he says, completely sure of himself, which was the worst kind of Travis to have. 

"Hey, Travis! Hurry up, man! Lunch is almost over!" says another voice. It was Dante. Here in Phoenix Drop, Travis and Dante were basically known as the 'Flirty-Boys'. But, every time would fail. No need to explain why that would be. "Alright, alright! Give me a sec!" he shouts back. "Fine. I'll be gone for now. But, I will find out what you're hiding from me; I'll find out your secret if my name isn't Travis 'the ladies man' Valkrum!" He then ran off while still trying to make eye contact with Katelyn, which ultimately led to him right into a nearby table as he let out a loud grunt after the collision. "Katelyn, what did we talk about?" Luka now says to her in a calm voice. "I know, I know. But.. he's just so... annoying!" Katelyn explains while still mad. "Don't let the volcano erupt, Katelyn, remember? Just put a cap on it and stop shaking it. Otherwise, the pipe's gonna burst" Luka says, using at least three different examples of produced anger. Katelyn breathed in, then breathed out; she calmed down. 

Seriously, I'm surprised she hasn't decided to be the school's therapist yet. She's questionable good at this stuff! "But speaking of which, we should be leaving." I say, remembering what Dante said. "Alright, fine. Let's go." Katelyn says, getting up along with Luka and Kawaii~Chan as they leave to their final classes of the day. As I made my way to my locker, Blaze and Daniel walked up to me as I was putting away my stuff inside. "Hey, Aphmau." Daniel says. "Hey, Daniel. Hey, Blaze." I say to them. "Hey, Aph. How's it goin'?" he responds back. "It's going good. Did your schedules change as well, by the way?" I ask them. "Yeah, but somehow Daniel here wasn't affected by this sudden change. Lucky him, right?" Blaze says, looking at Daniel. "Really? Where have you been then?" I then ask. "Oh, I was using the period to finish up on my math. It's been hurting my brain, so I wanted some extra help so I don't fail." He says, scratching the top of his head. 

"Aww, look at you taking care of yourself, Daniel," I laugh. "But, I'm still surprised that the schedule change didn't happen to you, Blaze!" "I know! I must be invincible!" He says with a smile while raising his 'gun show' in the air to present to all that could see him. But, as he turned around to start walking, he suddenly slipped and fell onto the floor. "Oh my God! Blaze, are you okay?!" I ask him as me and Daniel quickly help him up. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. My head hurts," Blaze mutters as he's picked back onto his feet. "Ho-How'd I slip, though?" We all then looked at the floor to see ink stains on the bottom of Blaze's sneakers. "Ink? Hold up. The floor was clean just a second ago" Blaze mentions. He was right. Last I remembered, this patch of floor was free of any liquids, let alone a puddle of ink. So, how did ink all of a sudden get- RING!!!!! The bell had rung once again. "Oh, shoot! Let's go, bud!" Blaze says, ignoring the rush in his head as he and Daniel runoff. "Bye, Aphmau!" Daniel shouts before leaving. 

"Bye, stay safe!" I quickly shout back towards Blaze. After I made it just in time before the second bell rang, class had begun. "Good afternoon, class," Miss Toriel began. "Today we will be continuing our lesson on Calculus." After about twenty minutes of Ms. Toriel going over what we learned yesterday on the board, the following period would also consist of me asking her for help and my brain feeling dumb like usual while other students looked as if they were breezing through these problems just like that. After the bell rang again, I ran up to the roof of the school where Mr. Arnold would be hosting today's period of Gym. To be honest, I loved that he chose to have it up here. The gentle breeze coming from the wind and the fresh air made Gym feel.. a lot more comfortable. "Alright, class. Today, we will be practicing how to play Badminton! You all should know the rules by now. Unless your elementary schools never bothered to teach you the ropes. If that's so, then your former old bags of meat and dust never had an outside life!" mocked Mr. Arnold.

"But, if you just don't know how to play in general, then your pathetic. Luckily, though, good ol'Luke here will be able to teach you how to swing your rackets step-by-step! Just grab a racket and one birdie, get into groups of four, and start practicing! Also, one more thing, if your birdie's just so happened to fly away due to the wind or just because you're bad at swinging, just grab another one. There's no point in getting attached to things with no soul. And besides, birdie's were made to fly in the first place, so let them go and be their own birdie." While everyone was already in groups, I was looking around to see if I could join any groups. It wasn't looking so good for me, though. I hate it when this happens. That one awkward moment when you're left alone to just stumble around and hope that a nice group of people would be free. That, or you're forcibly shoved into one, and it just feels weird when no one wanted you, and yet, here you are, uninvited into their perfect friend group. You can.. maybe understand that, can you? 

But then, my growing inner sadness was put to a halt when I heard Mr. Arnold speak again.  "Alright, it appears that we have a group who needs an extra teammate, who would like to join these guys?" he says as a group of three stood by his side. The group consisted of Tom, and two other students I haven't spoken to here. Since I was alone, I decided to join them. Had no other choice, to be honest. I told Mr. Arnold I would join them, and he nodded his head. As we went to another court, Tom and I were team one, and the other two, I think their names were Johnny and Stewart, were team two. I was pretty bad at Badminton, so, luckily, Tom was pretty much carrying me to victory since he was great at it, and the other two were decent. Thankfully, the period went by surprisingly quick. But, it didn't fully end until Tom slipped as he was putting the racket and birdie away. I helped him up and after I did, I saw ink on his shoe as well. Ink? Again? What is going on today?