"She completely insulted Mr. R", Albert complained into his phone, scoffing. "And I couldn't say anything since I was struck with fear."
He sighed and looked around the closet. "On the bright side, Halloween is on Friday but I've got nothing to wear. I've always wanted to go with someone- as a costume partner- but I don't have anyone to go with. I guess there's perks to having friends, too."
He stopped recording and turned his phone off, still waiting for Mr. Jenkins. Where has he been? It's been a week.
The door opened and Race came inside, his hair disheveled and his chest rising and falling. "Delanceys."
"I figured", Albert nodded, looking at his eye. "Your eye is swollen shut."
"Thanks, genius", Race muttered, sarcastically, sitting down in front of the redhead.
"Hey, I'm just reporting the news", Albert raised his hands in mock surrender. Race chuckled and rolled his eyes- well, eye.
"This must be how Blink feels", Race mumbled, touching his right eye. He winced.
"Who?"
"My friend. Eyepatch."
"I can guarantee what you're feeling right now can not compare to what he feels everyday."
"Questo fa male", Race winced, trying to think of someway to heal his pain.
"Perché continui a dichiarare l'ovvio?" Race looked at Albert in surprise.
"You speak Italian?"
"You did it again", Albert pointed out. "And I know a little bit. I stopped learning when I was 11."
"You sounded pretty fluent to me."
"My dad used to teach me", Albert clarified, looking away from his eyes. "It was nice."
Race nodded, staring at him. "No lunch?"
"Wasn't hungry."
"You should eat."
"I just forget sometimes", Albert admits, shrugging. He was hugging his knees in thought. "I don't know why."
Race hummed. "Yeah."
"What are you going to be for Halloween?"
"Don't know yet", the blonde shrugged. "This kid, Jake, is supposed to be throwing this epic party in Jersey. My friends and I are gonna crash. It's supposed to be cool. Wanna go? Be the plus one's plus one?"
"I don't have a costume" Albert shook his head. "Parties aren't really my scene anyway."
"Then what are you dressing up for?"
"Trick or treating", Albert said obviously. "If I'm still going to be considered a minor, then I should be allowed to do minor things."
"Preach", Race laughed, bringing his own knees close to his chest. "I'm a kid, but I have to act like an adult. It's stupid."
Albert chuckled and nodded. The bell rang, both boys looking at the door. Race stood and dusted off his pants, giving Albert a hand. "I better get to class."
"Go to the nurse", Albert said at the same time. Race quirked his brow, tilting his head to the side. "I promise, Ms. Teohwee is really nice."
Race nodded, opening the door. "I'll...think about it."
Albert shrugged, watching Race leave.
———————
"Why don't you tell us when these things happen?!"
"Uh, you guys can kind of tell when someone punches my face in", Race gestured to his face, wincing as Davey put ice on his eye. "Non mi prenderei un pugno!"
"You would punch yourself", Jack responds, throwing his arms up as he paced. "And my point still stands!"
"It's not even that bad!" Race held the ice pack on his face, kind of happy to not use frozen peas. "Oscar just got one punch on me. You should see him!"
"I did", Davey sighed, checking Race's arms for any bruises or scratches. "He looks perfectly fine."
"That's fair."
"Racetrack, I just want you to tell us when you get hurt", Jack sighs, sitting down in front of him. "We all hate it when you do. You know we can fight the assholes together."
"The Delanceys", Davey corrected, crossing his arms.
"Same difference."
"Thank you, but I can handle this", Race smiles softly. "Plus, now I've got an epic costume."
"What?"
"A pirate."
Jack squinted his eyes in confusion. "You know Blink is already going as a pirate, right?"
"Fine, I'll be a sexy pirate", Race shrugged, taking the ice pack off of his face. "My costume will be very attractive. Boys will fall for me on the spot!"
Jack chuckled before his grin faded, a cloud of confusion covering his face. "...Boys?"
Race's own grin fell as he realized what he said. This was it. Either take it or say it was a mistake. "Um...yeah, boys."
Jack smiled, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Welcome to the community, Racetrack Higgins."
Race laughed, looking up from his seat on the bleachers. Jack's football practice had ended, and Race was starting to get tired of the cold fall air. "Thank God football season is almost over."
"Yeah", Jack chuckled, stretching as he looked over the field. "Then we have to go through Blink and Mush during basketball season."
"Yeah, Spot, too", Race nodded. "He told me he's gonna try out this year."
"Really?" Jack's brows raised. "I didn't see him as the type of guy."
"Yeah, I've learned to never expect anything from Spot Conlon."
"I guess that's good advice."
They sat in silence, trying to feel the sun's rays as best as the clouds would allow them. The cold settled in nicely, but it didn't make anyone without a jacket comfortable. At least it's not winter.
"What are you gonna do about your dad?"
"Don't know. Try to ignore him until I turn eighteen."
"What are you gonna do then?"
"Live with Blink for a while, if he lets me", Race sighed, looking a Jack. "I've been looking for jobs."
Jack nodded, glancing at his best friend. "You know you can stay with us, right?"
Race smiled, chuckling. "Yeah, I know."
"Just reminding you."
"Thanks."
——————
Albert sat at the table as Fred and Mrs. Diop argued, the older woman seeming to undoubtedly win. Fred wasn't even really trying.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, trying to do his math homework. L'algebra II è matematica dello stesso Lucifero.
"Mom-"
"Non! Je n'aurai pas cette conversation! Faites ce que je dis!"
Albert sighed and grabbed his school work, walking out of the kitchen and to Elmer's room. He heard giggling and knocked softly, waiting for Elmer to open the door.
"I have to go now", he says, a goofy grin on his face. "I love you, too. Bye."
"Who was that?" Albert moved in, sitting on the floor. Elmer followed him with a lovesick sigh.
"Spot", he said, seeming to blush at the name. "He asked me to the Halloween party. We're doing a costume together."
"What are you going as?"
Elmer shrugged, looking at Albert's work. "Algebra?"
"We can't all be ridiculously smart like Elmer Kasprzak", Albert chuckled, looking at his paper. Elmer punched his shoulder.
"You're plenty smart."
"Just from the way you said that sentence, I can tell you have supreme intelligence."
They laughed together, stopping when they heard loud shouting.
"Ils n'ont pas leur place ici!"
"De quoi parlez-vous?!"
Elmer groaned, throwing his head back. "They're still going at it?"
Albert nodded, looking at his math problems. "Part of the reason I came up here."
"What's the other part?"
"I suck ass at math."
Elmer laughed and shrugged, leaning forward and reading the problems.