24 March 2010
4:30pm

"Fig, your brothers like crying or something,"

"Shut your face, Kari."  Figaro didn't even look up at Kari Strong[1], an ex girlfriend from when he was young and stupid and a girl who seemed to enjoy spreading bad tidings. 

"I'm serious, Sellaphix.  He's up in the boys' loo blubbering.  It's embarassing."

She walked away then and Figaro heaved a big sigh before shouting to her back.  "Stay out of the boys bathroom, ya grossie."

But he believed her.  Frank was a senstivie kid.  He probably lost his homework or read a story about a dead dog.  But it could be something about some older student picking on him and that's what big brothers were for.  So he gathered up his stuff and began making his way up to the sixth floor.

Things were quiet as he entered the bathroom, his footsteps echoy in the empty tiled chamber.  And then he heard sniffles.  There were a few stalls for number two, but no feet to be seen underneath. 

"Frank, it's Fig.  Which one are you in?"

A moment late a pair of sneakers dropped to the floor and a door's lock turned.  A bloodshot eye and tearstained cheek were visible in the crack of a barely opened door.

"What."

"You pooping?" Figaro asked deadpan.

"Ugh! NO!"  and Frank slammed the door and locked it again.

"Oi, come on.  I'm takin' the piss.  Why are you crying?"  Figaro insisted, realizing he should probably stop being a git.

"I'm not crying," came the muffled reply.

Figaro sighed.  "But if you were crying, hypothetically, why might that be?"

There was a rustling from within the stall and Frank passed a slip of paper under the door.

Sentence of Detention
Date/Time: 24 May, 7pm
Professor: Storm
Infraction: Disrupting class by growing very long arms and legs.

Figaro couldn't stop himself from laughing! Not only at Frank having his first detention, but at how! 

"Stop laughing! My life is over!" Frank sobbed through the door as he gave the door a kick.

Frank was still chuckling as he shook his head.  He place his hand over his heart and choked back a gulp of pride.  "My little Francis, following in his brother's footsteps.  Carrying on the family tradition.  I'm so proud."

"Shut up! I'm not like you! I'm not a...delinquent!"


to be continued..

1.	Fourth Year NPC

Figaro scoffed, "A delinquent? Alright."  He'd probably earned that title and more, but at least he didn't smoke cigarettes like all the other delinquents he knew. 

"They're going to tell mum," Frank said shakily.

"No they're not.  They only tell mum for the big things.  Trust me.  This is just Storm putting the fear of Storm in you.  He thinks it's  funny to make first years cry."

"I'm not crying!" 

Figaro sighed.  Why his brother was so worried about crying in front of him was beyond him - they'd both seen each other cry loads of times. 

"Look, will you come out?  Or shall I bring down your trunk so you can live here forever? Might be hard to get your homework done without a proper desk but..."

From inside the stall Frank contemplated his next move.  Figaro could be such a git sometimes and more than once he'd teased him mercilessly for no good reason.  But he was being okay right now.  He was sat down on the closed toilet lid, head hanging.  He would have to come out some time, but he didn't want anyone to know he'd been crying.  Or bothered at all for that matter.  He could bet that that stupid Linus Hughes wasn't crying over a detention.

But Linus Hughes was also a delinquent.

Figaro rapped on the door.  "Did you fall in?"

"I'm coming!"  He unrolled some toilet paper and blew his nose, then wiped his face off.  He undid the latch and stepped out trying to look brave.

Figaro cocked his head.  "Want a hug?"

"Shut up."

"You should wash your face."

"Shut up."  But he did.  He drug his bag across the floor as he walked, and leaned over the sink.  The cool water felt good, but he knew his eyes were puffy and his cheeks were red.

"Maybe I can convince Professor Storm that it wasn't my fault.  Linus gave me candy, he-"

Figaro cut him off.  "No.  Don't.  Don't even try.  Just do the time, little man.  Take it like a Sellaphix."  Fig clapped him on the back lightly.

"But -"

"No. Really.  Just make it worse."

Frank sighed, resigning his fate.

"Let's get some food," he said after a moment.

Spoken like a true Sellaphix.