Rumble...rumble...

Rumble...rumble...

The lethargic Matt lowered his gaze towards his belly. There was some sort of piercing pain in his stomach, made worse by a feeling of fullness. He hunched over his back, and planted his face against the frigid, and hard wood of his desk. Overrun with multiple pages of paper.

  ”This really isn’t making me feel any better.” Matt muttered.

  “You alright there, M-Matt.”

Otto quietly stuttered. He slowly moved his gaze towards his colleague, low and cold.

  “I’m… fine.”

  “Really, you don’t look fine. You look as if you’re dead or something.”

  “...I just look like this when I don’t have anything to eat.”

  “Deal with it. Y-You can last until lunch.”

  “...”

Matt raised himself from the hardwood, just as the teacher stopped babbling on and on about sciency stuff. She had just finished writing a massive chart of numerous living beings and how they interconnected with each other on how they gathered energy.

But, she wasn’t that great of an artist. What the hell is that supposed to be, a beaR?

  “And this is how the food chain works. Producers gather up energy from a solar source and turn it into energy, then different types of consumers come in to eat the producers, and then some others will eat the other consumers. And then there's the apex consumer, or apex predator. Any questions? If not, then have a wonderful day further, and enjoy your lunch break. Class is dismissed for now!”

Ring!!!

Some groans of relief were released from some people. Matt though, he wasn’t really that dramatic of a person. He just went on in silent relief.

  “That lasted for two hours, sigh."

  “Matt, t-that was only for one.”

  “Relax, it’s just an exaggeration. A real accurate one. But, where is that Connor? He should be back by now.

  “...D-do you think he just up and left?”

  “Nope, Mr. Garcia would’ve dragged his fat ass back here. Unless…”

slide.

  ‘Oh great. This fluffball actually came in.’

Matt turned his head towards the entrance of the room. The sliding door was open and some students who were eager to leave just stood there. Some other person was standing in their way. A tall, lanky man with dark skin who wore a scarlet waistcoat, stepped into the room just before anyone had begun to leave for the cafeteria.

  "tsk...tsk... Excuse me! Just before you guys leave, can anyone explain why this kid was in the Gravity Storm simulator?"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The lanky man carried Connor on his right arm, squeezing him.

  "Lawrence? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in the faculty?"

  "I was, before I saw your student walking outside during school hours."

  “Umph! Mr. Larry! I ain’t doing what you think I wa—”

  “What the hell do you mean, Lee? The hell is that supposed to mean? You think I have time for your shit lies. You mean to say you standing there holding a molotov isn't what I think you're doing?"

  “But, but, but…

  “No buts.”

  “Lawrence, can you let Connor off your grip?” Ms. Lynde ordered. "He looks kind of beat up."

The lanky bull threw on a smirking mask. And heaved Connor’s flailing body towards the desk… calmly.

  “Oof. That hurt.”

  “Next time I see you there, I’m going to do it again only that time. I’m doing it in the office.”

  “Woah, woah do you need some help there?”

Matt held out his hand towards the fallen Connor, who was struggling to stand. Connor looked Matt in the eye, his friend’s face as stoic brick in the temple.

  “Sure… Ow, ow, ow… Damn that really hurts. Especially after that punch they threw earlier… gasp.”

Connor coughed horridly. He helped himself up, although he limped across the floor.

  “Porter!” Twintails called out. “You aren’t thinking of going to the clinic without the pass?

  “Well then throw the damn thing to me, I need to get my boy to the clinic you see.”

Twintails, who was loitering near the wall, seized the pass and tossed it towards Matt. The pass, though, missed by a few meters and slid off behind Matt. He helped Connor up and away they went.

***

  "Better luck next time!" a feminine voice taunted.

Coins, bombs, diamonds, and cherries all fell on the slot machine, swiftly turning into a blurred line. The nurse leant forward, focusing her sight on the lines.

Slowly, even though it was actually quite quick, the lines began to swirl into three lines and they cast a hypnotic spell on the nurse. Taking a sip of her newly brewed black coffee, she continued spending her coffers on the gambling website.

  "Better luck next time!" the feminine voice again taunted.

  "Dang it, another bust."

The nurse groaned. The nurse flattened her chair, and lay down while she was still technically seated. I don’t know, they don’t make these kinds of chairs here. The lights from above seared her tired eyes, not to mention the daylight.

  “Why is it so hard? To win. To win! It's rigged, definitely, rigged.”

Again, the nurse groaned.

Creak!

  “Hello, Diane. Nice to see you."

  "Hmm? What the hell are you doing here, Matt. Injured yourself on the stairs?"

  "No, no, no. I'm quite fine."

  "Well, why'd you come? Is it because of Connor, who's on your back?"

  "Yes. He got thrown to the desk. He also said he got punched by Mr. Garcia earlier."

  "Shit he's doing that again. Crud that vice-principal. He's really going to get it when the principal returns."

  "Matt, Matt. Can you make me lie down on a bed, but sideways? It's still wrecking my systems." Connor wheezed. He tugged on Matt's tie, getting his attention.

  "I really need some rest..."

Matt relented and placed him on a bed. It faced towards a window, with a... terrible view of the urban skyline.

  "Thanks, amigo."

  "Yep, anytime... Hey, Diane? Are you gambling again?"

  "Gambling? What the hell are you talking about, Matt."

Matt raised his finger towards the desktop, which was still flashing some lights and playing cheeky chiptunes.

  "What's that?"

  "That's just a slot machine."

  "So gambling, but anywho... I'm done here" Matt sighed, before leaving the clinic and back into the frigid hallways.