Funny it is, annoying it was

Wyatt was looking at Matthew. The Alligator pupils were sharp because of the light flashing at them. Wyatt gulped because it was kinda scary but the way Matthew was looking in the distance was so sad. He knew he had to talk but what words can he possibly be saying. He was never good at talking emotions. He himself never shared much than necessary. But he knew he had to try something, seeing Matthew like this made him somehow feel bad the same. He reached out with his hand on Matthew's shoulder. Wyatt rubbed on the shirt's fabric while thinking for a second and exhaling a bit anxious about his choice of words.

Wyatt: "what...are you hurt?"

Wyatt mentally facepalmed himself because that was the stupidest thing he could ask. It was obvious Matthew was hurt. Wyatt was getting nervous, his ears fell flat before he talked again.

Wyatt: "I-I mean you seem hurt but huh I huh what happ-"

Matthew turned his head to look at Wyatt, that combined to the sudden rise of wind on his face made him stop in his stuttering. Matthew looked at him deep in the eyes with a faint smile and then back again forward.

Matthew: "I went to practice...things were going smoothly until my captain got out of the pool because he had to deal with something first. The others then started mumbling something but I wasn't paying much attention to that."

Matthew stopped, his hands that were brought together were a bit shaking. Wyatt quickly said "you don't have to...you don't have to tell me..."

Matthew: "It's alright...I got of the water because I heard my phone ring. It was actually a text from my captain, he said he was already too far from the pool and he forgot his glasses. He asked if I could bring them to him in the Gymnasium...I went for the bag he left and saw his glasses, I took them and placed a towel on my shoulder. I walked towards the gymnasium and entered but it was empty, he was not there. I frowned a bit confused...(*sigh*)"

Matthew's hand reached for his jaw a bit rubbing it where there was the faint blood trail. He proceeded while Wyatt's face was more than down.

Matthew: "I was in deep thoughts and didn't got the time to react fast enough. I saw from the corner of right eye something heading my way at high speed. It was a metal bat. I was quick enough to dodge a potential blow on the back of my head but got hit in the jaw. I fell and saw one of my teammates that didn't come for practice today. He looked at me in disgust. I was still dealing with the pain I didn't clearly understood the situation. More people came from behind him. He was saying stuff about me...it was huh speciest, I just shrugged it off, then he said something about his girlfriend leaving him and me apparently pulling her into me."

Those words echoed in Wyatt's mind as he widened his eyes in shock. Some punk randomly assaulted Matthew, over what, a girl?! To Wyatt, this was nonsense. But he kept listening.

Matthew: "That's bullshit I said to him as I got up. He was clearly pissed and he started swinging his bat, the others were ready to pounce on me....(*closing his eyes*)I...don't...I despise violence, honestly I don't care if they are some weirdos speciest or think I did whatever they said...but they showed me a picture of my mother's car. I just..."

Wyatt could see Matthew's body tense in slight annoyance. He was not angry, just frustrated. Wyatt pat him and said

Wyatt: "it's okay...those are jerks. Wait was your captain there as well?"

Matthew: "no, just that one teammate and his friends i guess, they were about 4 of them. When I saw that picture...when I saw him smirking as he threatened to hurt my family over a girl I don't even know about...it was so dumb...then he cursed her that's when I lost a bit of control..."

Wyatt: "you ...you fought?"

Matthew remained silent, Wyatt looked closely at his knuckles were slightly bruised. He must have hit pretty hard on those guys. Wyatt didn't want him to feel bad so he put his hand of top his.

Wyatt: "They got what they deserved...you should report that to your captain and probably the school. Incidents like this are not tolerated"

Matthew looked at Wyatt and for a moment his sad demeanor had lifted a bit.

Wyatt then chuckled and got up and mimicked a boxer.

Wyatt: "bet you were like woosh woosh and then bam bam in their jerks head. Speciesm, really in 2023? That's really dumb. You know what I think, they don't deserve to be in this school. They don't deserve to breathe the same air as someone as awesome as you"

Wyatt realized what he said and flustered as Matthew chuckled and smiled. He got up and took a boxer stance. He smirked and taunted Wyatt.

Matthew: "I was more like (*punching the air with finesse and technique*)"

Wyatt looked at that and couldn't help but jolt as his tail wagged behind him. Matthew was showcasing his punch moves.

Wyatt: "you are a boxer? Just how many crazy things can you do?"

Matthew laughed and straightened up before looking at his hurt hands.

Matthew: "I am not a boxer, I just had to learn fighting...things were often going rough with speciest especially where I come from"

Wyatt: "Speciesm is an old disgusting and execrable thing. You aren't from Eastpave?"

Matthew: "Iowa"

Matthew scratched his neck nervously.

Wyatt: "Iowa? That's a bit north from here."

Although it was clear that Matthew seemed pretty back to normal, Wyatt felt like it was no time to pry on to why he moved to Eastpave. Besides, his friend was a bit joyful now so it's all that mattered. He looked at the alligator playing punches in the air with some pretty good feet play. For a moment, Matthew felt familiar, actually he was reminding him of someone, his late brother. His gaze on Matthew softened and the latter noticed and stopped before saying.

Matthew: "What? Too childish?"

Wyatt: "No no, you just remind me of my brother."

Matthew hands lowered a bit and his expression changed to concern. From what he understood earlier, there is an issue with that part of Wyatt. He walked up to him and scratched the back of his neck nervously still looking down at him.

Matthew: "What...what was he like?"

Wyatt looked a bit shocked at the question then looked at the bench and noticed their snacks before smiling.

Wyatt: "so huh we should eat this and get back in"

Matthew understood he made a mistake asking and agreed in his mind to change the subject. Wyatt had his reasons not to tell him, it was a sensitive spot. Just like how he noticed Wyatt avoiding to ask him why he moved to Eastpave.

Matthew: "I-I am sorry, I didn't mean..."

Wyatt: "It's fine...maybe some other day..."

Wyatt gave him a gentle smile and he couldn't help but feel a bit bad about what he might have make him feel. So he tried something else.

Matthew: "how about we eat snacks and then we fight?"

Wyatt gulped. Matthew laughed and said while getting back to the bench.

Matthew: "just kidding, I wouldn't fight with you...(*chuckling*) would be an easy one"

Wyatt just frowned them laughed.

Wyatt: "Hey, I can beat your ass up anytime, keep that in mind"

Matthew munched on his cookies while talking.

Matthew: "yeah...sure"

They chuckled as they ate underneath the sky where stars started to appear in the magnificent lucent hues left by the setting sun. A mix of purple, pink and slight orange, some clouds but not enough to block the view. They didn't say a word as they rest their back on the bench looking at the stars. Matthew glanced at Wyatt and felt happy to have such a caring friend. He thought about why he even asked about his brother because it was really inappropriate. That combined to the the thought of his mother being potentially targeted by God knows who sent by those punks didn't help ease his mind. But just for these brief minutes, he allowed himself not to think of it, looking at the reflection of the stars in Wyatt's eyes. He looked at the sky again, sighing slightly as he still worried about his family.

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Lauren was clearly enjoying her time debating with the leopard.

Lauren: "no but like honestly speaking, there's nothing I despise as much as those fake people claiming to be for equal rights when they are still under paying their employees. People be getting so much money they can never spend it all in a lifetime and yet their employees and people in the world are still suffering. And then you will see those same rich people saying they are good because they are philanthropist"

Yanis listened and nodded.

Yanis: "very much agree, but from my own understanding. I think those people are somehow bound to a certain image and like that even if they aren't good people, they have to present as such for the way people will look at them. Despite cruel realities such as people that work for them being payed scraps, they manage their way out by appear as philanthropist. It's like a twisted game where you show what you are not to keep your fame and money...hypocrisy like most of the people in this world. In a way even you and I can be hypocrites"

Lauren looked at him and was like "ain't no way"

Lauren: " I agree that people can lie because they want to keep themselves safe or something but at one point Bro just pay the check well and make your lies the truth especially since you can, like bitch"

Yanis laughed and they kept talking some more as they eat while on the other side of the room. Nancy was talking with Jales about some fancy cooking ideas they want to bring to life for the festival. They quickly matched in minds in minutes and now were already talking as if they knew each other for ages. Next to the table, Lili was texting Akira.

Akira: "ain't no way I play again"

Lili: "stop being such a cry baby over dramatic. It'll be fun like last time(*skull emoji*)"

Akira: "Last time I got naked in front of thousands of people. Talk about a shame"

Lili: "that was not the first time (*skull emoji*)"

Akira: "That's exactly why I hate you"

Lili: "awww you love me too much, same."

Akira: "why me?!(*crying emoji ×3*)"

Lili: "huh one, because your body is known to everyone LMAO so it's an easy call just in case last time incident happens again. And two because you are great at acting"

Akira: "(*Typing*)...I will regret this decision...but for this we need 5 other people, all the people from last time graduated last year"

Lili looked up her phone and looked at all the newbies then smirked devilishly.

Lili: "Don't you worry about that. Just be sure to wear boxers this time (*skull emoji*)"

Akira: "OMG you are so annoying (*rolling eyes emoji*)"

Lili: "byeee(*heart emoji*)"

With that she pocketed her phone and sipped on an ice tea while looking through the window, it was getting dark outside, they would soon have to leave. She was thinking about her plan while giggling which caught the vampire bat attention as he glanced from the corner of his eye at her.