𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑

04. 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

The courtyard was basked in golden sunlight that filtered weakly through the clouds overhead. Classes had long since ended and a few underclassmen were tossing a frisbee back and forth on the lawn just a couple of meters away, chatting jovially amongst themselves.

You sat with your legs folded under you, textbook open in your lap on the sunny patch of grass that surrounded you. You thought it was smart to take advantage of such a nice day so late into the year. The weatherman on the radio that morning told you it wouldn't be long until snow, but light rain would pass over throughout the next few weeks.

A long shadow painted itself over your assortment of schoolwork and you frowned, thinking that the sun had hidden itself back in the sky. But then a throat cleared and you blinked up, putting a hand over your eyes to catch a glimpse of the figures standing before you. They were only silhouettes against the afternoon sun, but you easily identified them regardless.

"Hello boys," you greeted, leaning back and putting your arms out behind you to balance yourself.

Todd gulped and looked down at his shoes with a tight grip on his books in hand. His hair seemed to glow in a rich honey color from where he stood and you found yourself staring at him for a moment in wonder. "I-uh," he started, licking his lips and avoiding your eyes.

Neil chuckled and patted him firmly on the shoulder. "I told Mr. Anderson here that you would help him with his history assignment. Isn't that right?"

"Yeah.."

"Of course I can help," you beamed sitting up and flattening your skirt, gesturing for them to take a seat beside you in the grass. No longer outlined by the sun's glare, you noticed that Pitts, Meeks, and Charlie were all missing. "Where are the others?"

"Dalton's landed himself an afternoon detention," Knox grinned smugly, picking at his leather shoes and pulling up grass between his fingers. "And the future NASA directors are God knows where messing with that radio they've cooked up."

"Is that so?" You hummed, pulling Todd's workbook into your lap. The Welton professors were just now starting on the same unit that your class had gotten finished with a few weeks ago; the events leading up to the first world war. 

"What part is giving you trouble?" You asked, tilting the textbook back toward him. Your first instinct was to do it all yourself, but your father would have murdered you in cold blood if he caught you aiding in something that was considered 'poor student behavior.'

"All of it, really," Todd breathed through a shrug, wringing his hands in his lap.

Cameron, kneeling a little ways behind Neil, looked between the two of you with a dissatisfied squint. Your presence was an aspect of Welton he had yet to get used to. Especially if you kept reappearing in their lives, as you seemed to be doing lately. "I offered to help him, I really did."

"Cameron, you don't help," Neil chided, joining Knox in throwing handfuls of grass at the frustrated ginger. "You lecture."

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, running a hand through his short hair to clear away the green strands of debris. "I still offered."

A laugh slipped through your lips as you tapped your highlighter against the laminated pages of the book. You were going through and highlighting all of the keywords and phrases that you could bring yourself to remember. Stalemate, convoy, artillery. 

You chewed on your bottom lip in thought before looking back up at Todd who was watching curiously over your shoulder. "Do you know if your class is focusing on the political or physical aspects?"

"I-"

"Ms. Aufiery!" A stern voice barked, clapping like thunder through the calm atmosphere. You all whipped your heads around to see the headmaster himself marching through the lawn with a sneer.