Sidekicks

Chapter 3: Cold Welcome

He said them anyway.

"And what's 12 times 11?"

"132." The class was beginning to quiet down as the numbers got higher.

"13 times 12?"

"156." Even fewer students.

"14 times 13?"

"182." Fuse answered. He froze when he realized nobody was answering the questions anymore.

"15 times 14?" The teacher was oblivious and kept asking questions.

"210." Fuse answered again. Why was nobody else saying the answers?

"24 times 23." The teacher jumped ahead on the graph, supposedly to prove there was a pattern taking place.

"552..." Fuse's voice grew softer and softer as more students turned odd looks at him. Was the point not to answer the questions?

"And let's try... 34 times 33."

"One thousand one hundred... twenty... two..." Fuse's voice was barely above a whisper and he stared at the desk in front of him. Why did the teacher keep asking if the point wasn't to answer the questions?

"Thank you..." The teacher scanned the students to look for the one who'd been answering her questions. It didn't take long for her to single out Fuse. "Thank you, Henry."

Fuse beamed at the sound of his new name but turned his head downwards, voice small. "Welcome."

The student next to Fuse scoffed and Fuse finally turned to face the kid. The student was no longer staring at Fuse but he had his arms crossed and his eyes were mid-roll.

"What?" The boy said when he noticed Fuse staring.

Fuse wanted to give the kid an electric volt to the face but he knew that would give him away instantly. He couldn't get chased out of the school before he got a chance to make any friends.

And before he found the Angler, of course.

When the woman behind the counter handed him his plate, Fuse couldn't help but stare.

"What's this?" He asked, examining the substance closer.

"It's meatloaf." The woman replied.

Fuse shook his head. "No, no. I've made meatloaf. This is some sort of soup thing, it's not meatloaf."

The woman shook her head, sounding apologetic. "That's meatloaf."

"Who made this?" Fuse demanded. The woman gestured vaguely between herself and another woman. Fuse scoffed. "Okay, move over, I'll show you how to do it."

Fuse started to climb over the counter which prompted both lunch ladies and multiple students to shout at him to get down and stop holding up the line.

"They're serving you garbage!" Fuse argued before he felt a hand grab his arm, gently tugging him off the counter.

"It's not that bad if you mix it with the rice." The kid smiled, staring up at Fuse.

Fuse wrinkled his nose, holding his plate away from him. "If you say so..."

"You new here? I've never seen you before."

Fuse nodded happily, sticking out a hand, holding his plate away in the other. "I'm Henry!"

The kid smiled, taking Fuse's hand and shaking. "I'm Kuma. Captain of the junior basketball team."