MCSKSG Ten point one

[theguindo]

Part one of chapter 10. 3340 words.

NaNo total: 51,306 words. :D)-\

This story is nowhere near done. =|



Tuesday, the thirteenth of March. There were only, what, eighteen days left until my birthday? Eighteen days until I met my father for the first time. I didn't know how to feel about that. He was...he wasn't a lie, but he wasn't the whole truth, either. Would he tell me the truth when I met him? What would he be like? Thinking about it made me anxious, nervous, maybe even a little scared.

But I had eighteen days left to worry about it, so I don't know why it was this morning, Tuesday the thirteenth, that I woke up worrying about it, touched by a crippling anxiety that made it hard to force myself out of bed for the day.

It was last night, I think. Mom overreacted. It made me think about my dad, what would he have said? Would he have cared? I don't know. Eighteen days. So close, but so far. I just needed to stop letting myself think about it.

Mom wasn't home when I left for school. The note on the fridge said, "Out with the boys, I'll be home before you." "The boys" were the people who worked for her, and it was something of a misnomer because they weren't really all boys. As long as she didn't bring any of them home, I didn't really care. (And I didn't really care even then, but it was annoying.)

That car was parked across the street again as I left. I waved and I could see Detective Jones (Jonesy, I kind of liked Jonesy better) lower his binoculars to glare at me, shaking his fist. He really wasn't very good at this "trailing" thing at all. The point is not being noticed.

Miss K wasn't at school today; we had a sub instead, which struck me as really strange. She wasn't absent very often. I'd probably hear something about it from Mom when I got home anyway.

At lunch I gave Chris the autographed photo that Lydia had passed on to me last night.

He seemed pretty awed by it. "How'd you--you're kidding! How'd you get this? This is amazing!"

"I'm friends with her." Sort of. A bit of a stretch. "She told me to give it to you."

"Dude, I...dude!" He looked from the picture, to me, back to the picture, back to me. "Dude!"

I shrugged. I could always throw out that I knew where her room was too, but that might turn him into a stalker.

"Oh man I still can't believe you know Lydia Steele. Does she like, does she talk about her band or anything? Her new album?"

"She says her drummer's solid gold but he wants to quit and he sucks as a linebacker."

"Linebacker? Wait, he wants to quit? He can't quit! He's awesome!"

"He's on VRU's football team."

"Whoa, man. Crazy. That's crazy."

"She says she wants to get her next album out before her birthday."

"Really? August? We'll get it by August?" He was doing the starry eyes. It was kind of creepy.

"You know her birthday?"

"Uh..."

"...Yeah. Anyway. That's what she said." Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he already was a stalker.

"Dude, Guid, if those boots seriously get you down with the famous people, I really gotta get me some."

"Gotta get you some what?" Esperanza appeared behind Chris, looking intrigued. I glanced up to see if Lacy had snuck up on us too, but she was conspicuously absent.

"Some badass boots." I noticed that he lowered the picture frame to his lap so she wouldn't see it.

"Everyone needs a pair." She took her usual seat beside Chris and looked over at me with a bright smile. "Hi Guido, what's up!" The way she said it was that pointed loud-ish way that you address people when you're singling them out.

"I, uh, I'm...fine..." I think I sounded a little confused.

"How's your day, huh?"

"It's...okay, uh, I guess?" Why was she saying it like that?

She frowned, setting her cheek against her hand with her elbow propped on the table. "You really don't talk much, do you?"

"S-sorry?" You have to ask the right questions. Those are not them.

"You're making him nervous. He's skittish, he'll run at the first sign of trouble." I glared at Chris, who knew full well why I was so nervous around Esperanza. "G is an elusive creature," he leaned over the table, like he was examining me; I leaned back instinctively, "quiet and timid, often labelled the coward of the high school wor--Ow! Dude!" I'd kicked him again. "Not cool dude!"

"Uh." Esperanza slid away from Chris, eyebrows raised. "Pretty violent, for a coward."

...Great, now Esperanza thought I was violent. "I'm not. Really." Chris just brings it out in me. Where did he get off calling me a coward? Did he forget about that whole saving Lacy's life from a serial killer thing? It wasn't that long ago!

"No, he's not, really. I'm just a jerk." At least we could agree on that. "So uh, where's Lacy today?"

"She's got a dentist appointment. Left last period."

Chris gave an exaggerated shudder. "Ugh, dentists."

She just shrugged. "So, I thought I'd come hang out with you boys again today."

"Not Orion Black?" Yeah, that didn't sound bitter at all, self. Good job.

"Orion Black is cool and all, but his friends are a bunch of dicks. You guys are kind of dorky, but at least you're fun to hang out with."

"Hey, I resent that!" Chris got to it before I could. "Guido may be a dork, but I am most definitely not." Or not.

"Some friend you are! See if I ever say anything nice about you to Lydia Steele ever again!"

He stared at me like I'd just told him his dog died. "Aw man come on, I'm just joshin'!"

"Lydia Steele?" Esperanza was staring at me with some degree of surprise. ...She had really green eyes. Bright emerald green. Her pink hair contrasted and made them stand out really well. It was gorgeous. "You know Lydia Steele? The lead singer of Steele Blue?" ...Oh, right, of course. Because every conversation had to come down to this.

"Uh." Was I the only person with any sort of taste in music around here? "Yeah. We're friends."

"Whoa. For real? That's crazy. I can't believe I know somebody who knows somebody famous."

"She's not that fa--your dad is the Black Swan!"

"That's different!"

"How is that different!"

"Cuz nobody knows my dad is famous!"

"The Black Swan is the most widely recognized sports figure in the world! Lydia Steele is the lead singer of an indie band in Prontera!"

"Yeah but that's not his name. People don't stop him on the street and go, 'Mister Swan you're so great I love you!' Not unless he's dressed that way. Otherwise he's just Mister LaRae, Professional Ninja. Lydia Steele, indie or not, is Lydia Steele, whatever she's dressed as."

Yeah. That much was true. You couldn't hide that obnoxiousness behind clever clothes. "I guess."

"Can you get me the Black Swan's autograph?" Chris was doing the starry eyes again, at Esperanza this time.

"No." She said it in a perfect, soul-crushing deadpan.

Chris almost looked like he wanted to cry.

"I'll give you my autograph," she offered instead, with a perfect white smile.

He sank to the table, arms folded over it. "It's not the same."

I'd take it. (But you can't say something like that.) "You'll regret that when she wins," is what I said instead.

"Yeah!" She slammed her fist down on the table, grinning. "I will win!"

"My money's on your dad, babe, sorry." Chris sounded really unimpresed.

"She will win." I had to back her up on principle. She was Esperanza.

"You're only saying that because--"

"Because I believe in her!" He looked up at me. It was that flat, deadpan kind of look. That nonverbal, "What." You can't just announce that, Chris. You don't say your friend likes a girl when she's sitting right there.

Esperanza laughed. "Okay. Cheesy, but sweet. Thanks for the support, Guido." She set her hands on the table and pushed herself to her feet. "I gotta go trade out my books, see you in class."

I watched her walk off. She said I was sweet. That's way better than saying I'm pretty. That was a start, that was something. Guys could be sweet, girls liked guys who were sweet. ...I guess they liked guys who were pretty too, so maybe that was also a plus?

"Try not to look so lovestruck, dude. It creeps me out."

Oh. Right. Chris. "Uh."

"You are cheesy. 'I believe in her!'" It was a very poor immitation of me. "She's not gonna win, you know it, I know it, I bet she even knows it. Black Swan is breaking that record this year and that's all there is to it."

I sighed. "I know." Chances that she'd actually win were really astronomical. But I mean, if her dad was the Black Swan and he'd trained her, maybe she couldn't beat him but she could probably at least make second.

"Tell Lydia thanks next time you see her."

"Sure." End of discussion, I guess. I wasn't really complaining.

* * *

I'm not really sure why, but I decided to see Lydia after school instead of heading home. I had to take the bus to Valkyrie Realms University; it's a little to far to walk unless I wanted to go Seductionist mode and travel by rooftop, which seemed pretty dangerous in broad daylight with the detective on my trail.

The regional transit system is, of course, run by Kafra (with you wherever you go!), so when I stepped onto the bus and saw the lady in the lace headband that they all have to wear no matter which uniform they're in, I was a little wary. But she just gave me a pleasant smile and a good afternoon which I echoed with a likewise mumble. There was no glance at my boots or any knowing sorts of looks, so I guess she wasn't monster corps. I was still wary though, and I sat at the back of the bus so I'd have plenty of time to react if she did suddenly go ballistic on me.

I spent the ride working on my reading for English, in between glances up at the driver. I was pretty thankful when we finally hit the VRU stop and I got off.

The driver just flashed me another pleasant smile and gave a, "Have a nice day!" which I answered with a faintly mumbled, "You too." That had gone pretty well, at least. No bus driver turning into a hideous Kafra monster. A plus, all things considered.

Why the hell was I here though? I guess I just didn't feel like going home. Talking to Mom again after last night seemed like it would be entirely too much awkward for me, and I'd had enough Chris for the day, and Rayu was, well, Rayu. ...I really don't have a lot of friends, do I? Wow, that's depressing.

Finding the dorms was pretty easy. It was a little annoying how their stairs were really out of the way, though. I hesitated in front of room 4C once I reached it. What if she wasn't there? What if she was? It was just Lydia, I didn't need to be nervous about this.

The knock was answered by a girl who was decidedly not Lydia. She was much taller for one, and she had really short, brown hair, and a hell of a rack. Which, uh, Lydia doesn't. Honest truth.

"Who are you?" She looked down at me like I was an ant. It was pretty intimidating. This girl looked like she could probably kick my ass no problem, I won't lie.

"Uh...Guido?" I'd talked to her on the phone before, sort of? Even if the conversation there was about the same as the one here.

She looked over her shoulder to call out, "Lydia, for you," and then moved out of the doorway.

Lydia came over, dressed in khaki cargo shorts and a pink turtleneck with her hair in the usual pigtails. She smiled when she saw me. "Hey kitten! Didn't expect to see you come by so soon! What's up?"

"...Nothing, really."

"Just came to hang out?"

"Yeah." I guess. It was a new low for me. (I was kind of glad I managed to keep those quiet mean thoughts unspoken today.)

"Surprising! Hey, I should introduce you to somebody while you're here."

"Somebody?" Like the roommate who looked like she could snap me in half if she was having a bad day?

"Yeah, you'll know him when you see him. Hang on, lemme grab something."

Him? "Wait." She stopped, coming back to the doorway. "Can I use your phone?"

"What? Uh, sure. Come on in." She waved me inside and then vacated the doorway again.

I took a hesitant step into her room, looking around. The intimidating roommate was sitting on one of the two beds, reading a book, and there were two desks, two standing wardrobes, and a lot of miscellaneous clutter filling the rest of the room. The walls were covered in posters, which was kind of weird because half of them were for bands and the other half was of boys. This was a girl's room. I was in a girl's room. Whoa.

"Right there." Lydia pointed to one of the desks, at the phone on top of it. "Dial nine first."

I walked over, dialed my home number, and leaned back against the desk while I waited for Mom to pick up. It was habit. I had to call my Mom and let her know where I was if I wasn't home after school or at Rayu's on Wednesday or Friday.

Lydia was digging through a pile of stuff on her bed. There was an Anacondaq poster hanging over it, which was weird because I actually really like Anacondaq and I didn't really like Steele Blue, so having a band taste in common with their lead singer was just kind of surreal.

"Hello," that wasn't Mom, "Barcardi residence, Para speaking."

"What are you doing there?"

"Uh. Alicia! For you!"

That didn't answer my question. Mom came almost immediately. "Hello?"

"What's she doing there?"

"Guido. Don't. Please. Where are you?"

"A friend's."

"Christian's?"

"No, a different one."

"Which?"

"Lydia."

"Mm." I was expecting her to ask for a number to call me at if she needed me, but it was just that. Just the mm.

"...I'll probably be a while."

I could hear her sigh. "Fine. I'll see you when you get home then. Love you."

"Love you too." I realized right after I said it that it was a really sissy thing to say over the phone in front of two college girls. I hung up, looking from the Anacondaq poster to the Jamie Jonas poster hanging over the desk. Man, that girl is metal. I have some serious respect for her. (Another musical taste in common with Lydia, that was all wrong!)

"Your mom?"

"Uh, yeah." I turned to face Lydia. ...Come to think of it, it was kind of weird how Mom hadn't demanded that I be home for dinner, or asked me to call if I couldn't make it. Strange.

"You cool?"

"Yeah."

"Cool." She waved to her roommate. "See ya, Mel!" Her roommate just grunted in reply, and she walked out the door, waiting for me to follow.

"Where are we going?" I followed her down the hallway.

"Library."

"Why?"

"Dude you gotta meet works there."

Gotta meet? Before it was just should.

Wait. These were the elevators. "Uh..."

"What is it?"

"I, um."

"You what?"

"I don't. Do elevators."

She gave me a skeptical look. "You don't do elevators?"

"I have, uh, an issue? With them."

The doors opened and she stepped inside, standing right in front of the doors so they wouldn't close. "Just come on, the stairs are a bitch."

"That's okay, I like stairs, I'll take the stairs."

She snagged my sleeve, stopping me in the middle of walking away. "Just get in here, kitten. It's faster."

I wanted to resist, I really did, but somehow I found myself dragged into the elevator and the doors were closing and Lydia was hitting the button for the ground floor.

I fell back against a wall, staring at the numbers over the door. The fourth floor wasn't that high, right? We'd still survive if it fell. Right? But falling in an elevator is different from falling off a roof... The top would collapse and impale you on broken shards of jagged metal and that...that didn't sound very pleasant. I would like to stay free of jagged metal, thanks.

Three. This was really slow. I was going to die before the doors opened to let us out safely at the first floor.

"Whoa. Are you okay?"

"I just. I really, really don't like elevators, Lydia." I know I sounded really panicked. I wasn't trying to hide it. "The last time I was in one I was escaping a crazy serial killer and we got stuck between floors for hours and the fire department had to come pull us out and I spent the night at the police station."

Two.

"Wow. Chill, kitten. Just breathe. There's no serial killers here." She set a hand on my shoulder, but I'm not sure it was very comforting.

I couldn't just breathe, it wasn't that easy. What if we ran out of air? What then? There would be no breathing then!

One. The doors slid open. I rushed out, pausing in the lobby to take a deep breath of fresh air.

Lydia walked past me and paused in front of me, leaning down to look me in the face. "You okay?"

I nodded. Now that I was out of the elevator...

"Serial killer, huh? That Huan Jin Tai thing on the news a while ago?" I nodded again. "I didn't know that was you."

"Yeah. It's not, uh." I wrapped my arms around myself, glancing away. "It's not why I'm scared of elevators though."

"No?"

I shook my head. "No, it's just a phobia, I've always had it."

She straightened, setting her hands on her hips and quirking her mouth at me. "You're weird."

"I'm not weird!" It's a perfectly reasonable fear!

"Weird!" She turned around and started walking for the doors.

"It's not weird!"

"I've never met anybody with a fear of elevators before."

"Don't you have any phobias?" Everyone did! Everyone had at least one thing that really terrified them, more than anything else. Mom's was bread mold. Chris's was heights. Mine was elevators.

"Uh, spiders? But that one's pretty normal."

"There's nothing wrong with spiders."

"They're huge! And spindly, and they have all those legs, and those eyes, like eight of 'em? That's not cool! And they bite and they're poisonous and they can kill you!"

"You have a better chance of dying in an elevator related incident than dying from a spider bite."

"What? That's not true!"

"Look it up. Do you know how many people die of spider bites in a year, Lydia? Not even one person on average. You have a better chance of being in a shark attack. You have a better chance of dying in a plane crash or a car accident or falling off a ladder and cracking your head open. Spiders aren't dangerous, and the dangerous ones are rarely ever fatal."

She just stared at me.

"...What?"

"I think that's the most I've ever heard you say at one time."

I just stared back.

"Anyway, your phobia is silly. Here's the library."

I was going to protest again, because it isn't silly, it's well founded and I have a perfectly good reason to hate elevators, but instead I just stepped up to hold the library doors open for her.