Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 10 : The Magic Slap

- How do you do that? asked Dustin.

- I just slap, shrugged Jane.

- You just slap!? You took off his small brain out of his head! He is unconscious in the middle of the cafeteria and you tell me you just slap!? I don't believe you, you have a secret!

- It's the Magic Slap, intervened Melissa. No one know how she do that.

- It's amazing!

- Yeah we got it! grumbled Mike.

This time the looks were on him, except Jane and Melissa who ignored him and preferred finishing their plates.

- Dude! You never stop!? said Lucas.

- Stop what!? Being smart enough to understand she is not a good person and doesn't deserve you to create a cult for her "Magic Slap"!?

- Fuck you!

- What!? You really think she is normal!? No offense.

- No biggie Big Lips, people like us don't have feelings, answered Jane with a sharp tone.

- Nothing surprising! replied angrily Mike, irritated by the nickname.

Jane rolled her eyes before standing and leaving the cafeteria, followed by Melissa.

- You're really defending her!? asked Mike.

- I'm not defending! I just think it was cool, it's different! answered Lucas.

- You just showed them you were on their side!

- And what if I was!? What are you gonna do!?

- God, they corrupted you!

- No they didn't! But maybe I'm just not smart enough to hate them! I'm too stupid to realize they are "monsters", right!? That's what you said!?

- You know I didn't mean it! You all agree with him!? told Mike.

The group all looked at each other, wanting to know what they were all thinking and not daring to answer.

- Max! Help me!

- What? frowned the redhead, surprised. Um, I actually think that the Magic Slap is pretty cool...

- What!? Not you!

- I'm sorry but look at him! (points her hand to the body behind her) He is still unconscious!

- And you think it's normal!?

- I think it's really cool! I would love to do that! But I'm not saying I like them, Jane still acted like a cunt yesterday!

- She apologized, intervened Bev.

- What!? When!? Because I don't remember her saying "I'm sorry" while she was there.

- She did, but with her...face. She had a pout, it was to apologize.

- And that's enough for you!? A pout!? continued Mike.

- I think for her it's already a lot.

- Why!? Because apologizing is a shame!?

- Because, I don't think in jail you apologize a lot! And I didn't apologize to you for slapping you, but you're still there! stated angrily Beverly.

- Yeah I wonder why!

- You can go, nobody ask you to stay!

- I wanna stay with my friends, even if they are traitors.

- Oh whoa Mike! Stop that now! You are embarrassing yourself! intervened Dustin.

- Fine! (stands) it's you who are embarrassing me! told Mike.

The black-haired boy took his tray and left the cafeteria.

- You're sure of you guys? frowned Will. I mean, Mike is our friends since years now and you all turn your back to him for two stupid girls!?

- Mike is never giving a chance to new people! You remember how he was with Max when she arrived!? answered Beverly.

- You mean, you're comparing Max with the prisoners!? You want them to be part of the group!?

- Why not! And just because you and Mike don't like them doesn't mean we can't talk to them! We are not yours!

- I know! But yelling and slapping him because he knows they are wrong is totally bullshit! I don't recognize you!

The young boy didn't wait their answers, preferring staying with himself, and left the cafeteria too. The group remained silent the end of the lunch, all thinking of their friend's words.

The bell rang, and the group separated. Dustin and Max had Computers together. Will was already there and the two friends tried to sit next to him, waiting for his reaction.

- Um...we are sorry if we upset you, we didn't want to, apologized Dustin.

- It's fine, but I don't want our group to break just because of garbage, answered Will with a sharp tone.

- It won't happen! We are too close to each other for this!

- Yeah, you're right.

Will smiled to them which relieved them. The class began, and the teacher gave them a work to do by pair. Max and Will worked together while Dustin was alone as there weren't enough persons in the class. After some minutes, the door opened and Jane appeared.

- Oh no, grumbled Will to himself.

The teacher explained to her what they were doing and told her to sit with Dustin. The boy greeted her with a big smile.

- Hey Jane!

- Hey, sighed the girl.

- Why are you late?

- I was...do something else.

- Oh, ok.

Dustin explained her what he had done before she arrived and what they were supposed to do. The three friends all noticed that Jane was looking a lot to Dustin's watch.

- I think she wants to steal your watch, murmured Will in his ear.

- No, don't worry, reassured Dustin.

- She spends her time looking at it!

- I know! But it's fine, really.

Will frowned, not understanding why his friend didn't want to see the truth! If he was fine with this girl stealing it was his problem! At least he tried to prevent him. The class ended and Dustin told his friends to go without him.

- Hey Jane! called the curly-haired boy, catching her up.

- Hey, frowned the girl.

- Um...I was wondering...do you know how time works?

- What you mean?

- Um...well, I'm not implying things but...do you know how to read time? I mean, on a watch or clock?

Jane stopped walking. She had a defensive step back with a frown mixed between anger and worry. Dustin upped his hands like to show he wasn't going to hurt her.

- It's fine, don't worry, if no one explained you before, you can't guess by yourself! I can show you if you want, proposed the boy with a smile.

- Why?

- Like that you won't be late anymore, well, not because of it. It won't be long.

- Um...(looks around) ok.

The boy invited the girl to sit on the stairs next to him. It took more time than he thought, he didn't know it was this hard to explain time to someone else! He was amused because Jane took note on a notebook, but it seemed like she didn't know how to hold a pen correctly. When he finished, he lent her his watch, to be sure she always had time with her.