Second (History Plays, Book 1)

4: I have no war, and therefore sir, be gone

Gaveston

Teddy explains that dinner is at six every night, we usually have to wear our uniforms, but tonight is our last 'free dinner' for a bit. Weekends upperclassmen don't typically have to wear uniforms, but we do have to dress in a collared shirt, tie, etc.
"It's a pain, most people just wear their uniforms," he says, as he finishes neatening up his bed. Edward has vanished all afternoon leaving the two of us to get unpacked. I've mostly put my things away in the drawers and hung up my uniform for tomorrow on a convenient hook someone left on the wall. Ghosts of past students, helping me out this very first day. I almost smile.
I like Teddy, in spite of myself. He's a kind thing, and has been generally helpful with getting settled. Sadly, I will soon be murdered. I'm sure Edward is off arranging it right now. That sounds like hyperbole, but his family can do that I'm sure. Like, they're mob tied if not straight up mob, they can absolutely do that.
"We're intended to put up our things and make the beds when we're not in the room, but Coach Marlowe doesn't usually check that often, some of the other house parents are really strict, but so long as it doesn't look like a garbage dump he says he's not gonna care. But the nuns can and will come through so it's better off to be somewhat neat. Even they aren't too bad; it isn't military school, but," Teddy shrugs, and waves a hand, by way of finishing the sentence.
"Right," I nod. I realize I've been quiet. Teddy went into the bathroom and changed into a print t-shirt, and jeans, and slide sandals. The t-shirt is again a few sizes too big, but that looks intentional. I want to ask him about it or about why Izzy insisted I change, but in the end I choose not to. It's easier to stay quiet and he's ready enough to fill the air with idle instructions and chatter.
"Let's just go, Edward will find his way there," he says, "He's probably with Izzy, they haven't seen each other all summer I don't think—they're boyfriend girlfriend, don't know if we told you."
"She did," Edward hasn't said anything to me at all.
"Dinner isn't bad, Mr. Ambrose will make a speech, he's the house father of Dover, like the main one, over all of us, he lives on the first floor, he's our history teacher," so history is nothing like math just putting that out there. "Father Thomas is the second floor, he's our priest and I don't now if you're Catholic, I'm not, but he's actually really cool. Like he'll talk about normal stuff, and he actually gives good advice. If you hang out in the commons long enough you can find him and Coach Marlowe arguing about theology which is kind of funny to watch."
I don't think that sounds entertaining. I hate people fighting. Divorced parents will do that to a kid.
"Okay," is all I say. He leads me out of the room and locks it, and then we join throngs of boys filing out the doors onto the lawn. The evening sun throws shadows, long and careless, across the thick grass. Teddy makes sure the door locks behind us then is immediately accosted by a pair of girls. It takes me a solid moment to recognize Izzy, who is now in a black dress with heavy make up, her hair tied high on her head in a complicated bun.
The other girl is much less intimidating. She's my height about, with chin length brown hair, plump cheeks, and a ready smile. She's dressed more like us in jeans and what looks like a boy's polo shirt. Her hair is held out of her face in a rainbow of clips.
"Oo, did you lose Edward?" Teddy asks, as Izzy and the new girl strangle him.
"Never had him to begin with—hi again, this is Margret Clare, she's an Admiral with us so look forward to her whipping your butt tomorrow, this is Piers he's Teddy and Edward's new roommate," Izzy says, cheerfully, pointing at the girl for my benefit.
"Piers Gaveston," I'm reconsidering extending my hand but she takes it in a firm grasp, black nail polished nails and five fewer rings than Izzy, but none the less sparkling with wealth.
"Nice to meet you—I'm Edward's niece—long story, big family, we're basically more like cousins, call me Clare, everyone does," she says, smiling brightly.
"Seriously, you haven't seen Edward all afternoon?" Izzy asks Teddy.
"No, he came back really quickly then left."
"I don't think he's feeling well," Clare says, quickly.
"Oh, so you've seen him?" Izzy asks.
"Yeah—briefly—and he was definitely not feeling well," Clare says, looking at me, "Definitely, I wouldn't hold his current behavior against him, Gaveston, he is going through a really, really rough time right now."
"He is?" This is news to Izzy.
"He definitely was not feeling well," Clare reiterates, glancing at me again.
Their conversation shifts to escorting me to the dining hall and giving me random suggestions and directions, before we meet up with a group of boys, all Admirals apparently, including Mortimer who sneers at me wearing his shirt. In the nicest way possible, all of them act like it's my first day on the planet Earth. In the most condescending way possible, Mortimer acts like it's my first day in a trenches of Normandy. In the end, I get the gist of directions to the dining hall, and meal schedules. Meals are on a rotation, everyone has a different opinion about what is best, worst, and legitimately not that bad, which sparks a debate that lasts most of our walk. Everyone can agree that there is one meal that should definitely not be eaten, but they can't tell me what it is.
"Point is—" Izzy, hitting the others to make them stop arguing, "Point is, if you see something that looks inedible, like completely inedible, as opposed to possibly inedible, don't eat it. You'll be ill. Truth is, that's probably what happened to Edward."
"Edward's been here since the 7th grade, he definitely knows what the inedible stuff is; if he'd limp off his death bed he could tell us what it's called," Mortimer says. Yeah, they all have him dead and buried by now. Apparently he's not typically an asshole, which is good to know that he reserves that sort of behavior for me. I feel really special.
The dining hall is packed. We observe 'family style dining' which means we're all to sit down and then take turns passing dishes and serving ourselves. Dover house sits together so Teddy and I break off and join our house mates.
Yeah, so, apparently Edward feels just fine.