Paper Crowns [On Hold]

[5] Master and Apprentice

"I can't believe I lost this bet. Justin is seriously getting his ass kicked once he gets back," Liz grumbles bitterly, sliding a crumpled twenty dollar bill towards me. I'm still getting used to the bland green of the bill. Back home, our bills were color-coded; it made hasty payments easier.

"I took my chances with the dark horse, I didn't think I'd actually win... I wonder how much coffee I can get with this..." I trail off, content at the thought of endless coffee.

"Yeah, and Mr. Sunshine let me down. Who would've thought Justin would cause trouble first? This is what I get for betting against Ethan."

Initially, I was a little nervous about the class situation. Thankfully, I have both Liz and Justin with me in Calculus. Unexpectedly, I share a physics class with both Justin and Ethan. Now that's an interesting one.

This new setting has really opened my eyes. I suppose as hard as I tried to remind myself these past two weeks of both Liz and Justin's respective group of friends, it just completely slipped my mind. In this changed dynamic, it's clear as ice how different Justin's people and Liz's people are.

It doesn't faze those two, though, so there's no real reason it should affect me.

"Why isn't he back yet?" Liz mutters under her breath, lazily drawing circles on her worksheet in an attempt to mimic actual work. Elizabeth Otuim,  master illusionist.

Her remark pulls both our attentions to the back of the room. Everyone else is either working on the assignment or sleeping. Not Justin. He's towards the back of our stale classroom, speaking with Mr. Philips in rushed whispers. His shoulders are hunched and he's moving his arms around in speech. 

Despite our proximity, we can't hear a word. Even when their discussion begins to heat up we have no idea what's going on. 

Finally, Justin irately shakes his head and stalks away, visibly fuming. He doesn't return to his spot at our table, he simply leaves out the door.

*****/\/\*****

"I normally don't push for details," I state as I pull out my unused physics notebook.

"Sorry about that, I normally don't need to be pushed," Justin replies sheepishly, a little embarrassed. In the three hours since his confrontation with our meek Calculus teacher, he seems to have calmed down. He's not as irritated anymore.

"I have this necklace type of thing, it's a family heirloom and it means the world to me... especially after certain incidents."

I keep my eyes on him, giving him my undivided attention. It doesn't matter that the 'certain incidents' rings in my head. What matters right now is Justin.

He pauses for a moment, his mossy eyes glazing over. His eyes are warm, inviting. Their own brand of alluring.

I glance at his hands. The knuckles of his right hand are a throbbing red, the muscles screaming against the bone. Whatever he punched, he did so with enough restraint to avoid getting cuts. Doesn't mean it didn't hurt. Looking at them, I feel helpless.

Finally, he nods and continues, attention fixed on the ballpoint pen he's twirling between his fingers.

"Well, back in March a girl saw the necklace and wanted me to pull it out and show her. Then a whole bunch of people gathered around it, wanting to see. Philips blamed me for trying to start a riot and confiscated it. I've been trying to get it back ever since. Now, half a year later, he tells me he has no idea where it is and it must have accidently been thrown away."

His gaze briefly flickers to me, lingering, then back on his pen. I wait.

"The thing is, I saw it. Right in Principal Oliver's tiny file drawer when I was helping her, just two days ago."