Saint Joseph School

Hannigan started forward like a locomotive, dropping his own tray of food all over a couple of freshmen in the process. Through a mask of mashed potatoes, his eyes burned into Michael Corde.

Michael cringed, but did not run. Instead, he did the unthinkable: he closed his eyes and waited. He listened as the crowds gasped and mumbled, listened as Biff's heavy footfalls drew close. He waited for the blow to fall.

But it didn't come. Michael opened one eye tentatively. He looked straight into Biff's chest, his eyes level with a smear of white mush partially obscuring the SJS embroidery. Hannigan filled up his world, but the older boy wasn't beating him. Michael glanced up and saw Biff looking over and past him. The bully's face was conflicted and frustrated. And there was something else, somethign he couldn't quite read.

Michael started to turn, to see what Biff was staring at, but it was then that the older boy acted, putting two thick fingers into Michael's sternum. The pain lanced out across his chest, drawing his attention back to Biff, who bent down to stare at Michael face to potato-covered-face.

"You're fucking dead, fag," he growled quietly. Then he straightened, and a grin split his face. "Good one, Mike," laughed the older boy, loudly. "Too bad I don't like potatoes." Students around the cafeteria began to chuckle nervously. The change in Biff's demeanor was so striking that it caught Michael completely off-guard. If it hadn't been for the hissed threat, even Michael might have bought it.

Biff wiped a hand across his face and flicked the mashed potatoes to the floor. Some of them splattered Michael's shoes. Biff laughed again. "You still owe me one hell of a cheer this weekend at the game, Corde," Biff thundered, a smile still on his face. Biff looked around, a general marshalling his troops. Biff finished with a crescendo, "when we take it right into Knoxville's end zone!"

Several students actually cheered. Many others just clapped, or raised a thumb's up. And that was that. Biff turned away and walked towards the door, raising his arms. "Go Flyers!" he shouted, and the cry was echoed back by dozens.

Michael stood confused. The threat was there, sure, but he was still in one piece. He absently turned to see what Biff had been so distracted by. Probably Sister Moltar, or Conrads. Even Biff wouldn't hit another student in front of the staff.

But it was not a frumpy woman in black who stood there, or the easygoing smile of the counselor.

((Edit: oops. Or not. it would seem the future has unfolded differently as I was writing this piece. I am too slow. A food fight it is, I guess!))

Simon St James wrote:Just before Franky's post...

The decision crystalized. One of Biff's guys just went down, and Biff had the spaghetti, and was mid-throw. A sudden burst of energy flew through Simon, and he became a blur that suddenly appeared next to Annie.

"Hi, Annie! Why don't we go this way," he asked the green-skinned alien. "It's gong to be an interesting sight, and I think you need to watch from the door way. That way you see it all! Truly a marvel to behold!"

Gently, but with the same level of superspeed, Simon moved the two to the doorway of the lunchroom. Grabbing her chowder, he moved it around through the air, to capture it's sloshes, so that none was lost. Setting it back in her stack, Simon smiled.

"You look great today! Is it the chowder? I mean, does it have you in good spirits? Oh! And did you get the fondue pot?"

Annie looked up to see the friendly face of Simon, his glasses flashing in the lunchroom lighting. It was before she could get out her greeting that the boy gently, but quickly led her away from soon to be ensuing brawl.

"What? Oh, you want to show me something? OK! I, like, actually haven't had a chance to try lunch yet, but it smelled so yummy! Can.. can I have my lunch when you show me what we're going to see?"

Jason sat off to a side, not sure exactly where he fit in, but watching the debacle take its roots. Biff and company stalking Annie, who was precariously balancing her lunch. The flying potatoes, the swiftly departing Simon, and Mimi's look of concern before she went off looking for...something, and he hoped someone. Hmm...wonder if they'll fall for the trick again

Jason shrunk down a bit in his seat, and took aim at one of the doors leading to the kitchen area, gathered his concentration and opened his mouth slightly.

Sister Mary Moltar's voice rang from the kitchen "Children, just WHAT do you think you're doing! Food is for eating!"

He went back to his lunch, watching the kitchen, as he saw most of the students would, hoping the confusion gave people enough time to get away, or go get help.[/i]

Annie Dromida wrote:Annie looked up to see the friendly face of Simon, his glasses flashing in the lunchroom lighting. It was before she could get out her greeting that the boy gently, but quickly led her away from soon to be ensuing brawl.

"What? Oh, you want to show me something? OK! I, like, actually haven't had a chance to try lunch yet, but it smelled so yummy! Can.. can I have my lunch when you show me what we're going to see?"

Simon stopped and looked back to where they were. Realizing the course of things had unfolded a bit differently than he suspected was a bit embarassing, but, was also a bit of a relief.

"Biff and his friends intended on doin' somethin' to ya, Annie. Ah just moved ya out of the way, thinkin' more food would fly than that," he explained. "And, please. Go ahead and eat! Ah'll even hold yer books, while ya do. Ah just didn't want yer luch ruined."

Annie looked down at her still hot chowder, then back at Simon. The look on her face started as one of confusion as she looked back to see Biff retreating from Misericord and Francis. She then turned back to Simon again with an almost hurt look on her face.

"You...... lied? You didn't have something that I needed to see? Bu-but lying is wrong! Friends shouldn't lie to each other!"

Turning, Annie sadly carried her clam chowder outside and went back toward Quad 1.

Simon stood stunned, as Annie disappeared. He wished he had rushed Hannigan, now. At least then it would just be his body that hurt. Closing his eyes, Simon's wounded heart was easily read. Hanging his head, he walked to his locker, to get his books for the next class.

This was a disaster! How could he have done that? And then he let her get away, too, without explaining himself! Simon really sucked at this, it seemed. That was all there was to it. Paranormal girls were just too hard to try to have relationships with! But, it didn't change how he felt. He cared for Annie, and hurting her feelings like that was low. How could she ever forgive him?

(The hell with you! I WANNA KNOW WHAT BIFF SAW! argh!)