Chapter Text
Home Ec. The one elective class everyone picked when they got everything they wanted but still needed to pick one more for extra credit. I am one of these "everyone". Sure, maybe the idea of learning how to properly operate the kitchen is quite reasonable, especially if I plan to become independent as soon as possible, but still… If there were more classes dedicated to painting, I would have taken that instead. But alas, here I am, standing in this classroom filled with pretty much everything you'd expect from a Home Ec class. Few sinks, tables, and several stoves seem to be electric for some reason… Randy would've hated this place. As expected, not a lot of students take this class. I've heard that even photography has more students attending it than this class.
Of course one of the attendees is, as expected, Damien. I never understood why he decided to pick this class in particular. He even managed to drag me with him. Now, here I stand, with a net around my head, and an apron covering my entire body… damn, this getup is ridiculous. Damien, being his usual self, sported the same outfit as me with a gleeful, mindless smile.
"Hm? Liv? What is it? You're staring." - Damien noticed.
"Nothing really, just surprised that you managed to find an interest in this class. I mean, it's just cooking and stuff."
"Yeah, but, you know, easy credit and all. Plus, I want to be able to cook my own food."
"Are you just trying to impress Liz?"
"Liv, we talked about this, you should stop thinking so cynical about everyone all the time. Actually, about that…" - Damien turned to me, and a somewhat angry look appeared on his face. - "Liv, that was very irresponsible of you, what you did back in the cafeteria."
"What?"
"Listen, I know you and Mia are not particularly on good terms, and you have some reason that you hate Ben, but what you said back then was just uncalled for."
"Damien, Mia is–"
"I know what she has done, I was there. And I know that her apology was as fake as they come, it's just that…" - Damien relaxed and gave out a big sigh. - "Listen, I just want you to be a bit less, how would one say..?"
"... Bitchy?"
"I would never call you something like that, Liv… I guess what I wanted to say is "stubborn"? "Hostile"? Something along those lines." - he sounded genuinely sad and confused like he was saying something he didn't want to say. - "It's just that this strange aggression that you spew every now and then which concerns me. Do I make any sense?"
"Honestly, I don't get it. Sure, I am maybe quiet and uninterested in many things, but "aggression"? What do you mean?"
"A few years ago you were a lot more talkative, happy, you used to smile a lot more often, but as of recently… I am worried. You started to become more and more angry with everyone around you, and while I don't know the reason, it became worse."
"In what way?"
"I am scared that one day you will see me and my family in the same negative light you see the world around you. I am scared that one-day painting and all that stuff will become more important to you than your own life."
"Damien, this isn't going to happen."
"But…"
"Listen, sure, I maybe was a lot more down as of late, and sure I maybe was more absorbed into what I find interesting, but… I am not going to suddenly forget about all the times we had together. I promise I won't turn on you."
"... Yeah, you're right. I am sorry. It's just that I am a bit frustrated with the fact that you always look so distant."
"Sorry about that."
"Eh, don't apologize. Just talk to me if you need help."
"Sure." - I reply with a smile. - "Damn, where is that teacher, it's been five minutes already."
"Mr. Konjiru is probably at Scailer's throat for not improving the cafeteria again. You know how passionate he is about cooking. He'd probably dismantle those vending machines if you give him a chance."
"Oh yeah, for some reason he hates those. Probably something to do with "terrible diet" or something."
Damien went silent for a bit, thinking of something, and then–
"Speaking of passion, what do you think of Inky?"
"Inky? Oh, you mean Inco… Not much really, he's just some annoying, overly optimistic dude."
"Ah, come on, you like the guy!"
"... And what do you mean by that?"
"I mean, you spoke to him a lot!"
"Damien, I only exchanged, like, 5 or so words with him."
"And that is much more than you said to anyone that isn't a family. Come on, Liv, admit it, Inky is a good guy."
"Good guy or not… He feels kinda off, I can't put my finger on it though."
"So you also noticed? Hmmm…" - Damien, in an attempt to understand something, flares up all of his five brain cells at the same time, thinking harder than ever. - "Yeah, he appears to be too happy, is he not?"
"Yeah, or maybe it's just how humans are. Remember who they evolved from."
"... Liv, you should spend less time on those forums."
"No promises are made."
"Well, at least promise me you'd give Inky a chance. He does seem like a genuinely good person… besides, I believe it's tough for someone like him to make friends."
With that, I can agree. Inco appears to be very approachable and willing to converse with pretty much anyone, and yet he was sitting with me and Damien at the cafeteria. I wonder if he has any friends at all… Bah, why I am thinking about this, this is not my business.
"No promises are made."
"... Is that so? Hmmm." - Damien looked genuinely upset by that reply, but I did not care. All I care about is getting through today so that I can continue on the painting for the contest.
Suddenly, with a loud noise, the door to the class was slammed open, like it was kicked in. From outside the door, I could see someone's leg peeking in. It was suspended in the air, parallel to the floor. And then, with a loud stomp, that leg went down. Someone entered the class.
It was a human, probably the only human teacher (Solly doesn't count) in the whole school. He was tall, like extremely tall, and he also looked strong. He was wearing a heavily modified black chef's coat with red and yellow flames printed on the sleeves. His long hair was all hidden beneath his chef's hat. On his face, there was a confident smirk, as he assessed the class around him. Then, he made an uppercut movement and suspended his fist above him… here it goes.
"COOKING IS LOVE! COOKING IS POWER! COOKING IS SERENITY!!!"
He screamed at the top of his lungs, few students even joined him, such as Damien. I did not do the "cheer". I have some pride to maintain. The teacher continued.
"Welcome to the first Home Economics class of the year! For those new here, my name is Mr. Konjiru and I will be your master in the arts of cooking… and some other stuff, but mostly cooking! I will guide you through the path of culinary crafts, turning you from people who burn eggs into masters who can cook a full five-course meal in less than an hour!"
Damn, I almost have forgotten how loud and enthusiastic this guy is. In terms of sheer energy, this guy can rival Solly. And just like with Solly, it's better to not end up on his shit list.
"Since today is the first lesson of the year, I will not damnd much from you. I will let you learn at your own pace, but do not slack! After a month I will demand your full attention and dedication! And just so you know, even if this class is an elective, failing it will affect your overall academic performance, so I implore you, to try to keep up. Anyway, for today's lesson, how about we get our hands clean and start with the most important meal of the day? That's right, today's lesson is breakfast meals! Now, I know most of you start your day off with a bowl of cereal, but PLEA-HE-HE-S, end that habit as soon as possible. Most cereals are very bad for your health and are often too high in sugar and too low in calories! So today I will teach you how to cook a proper breakfast that is both tasty and nutritious. No, since most of you cannot consume meat or vegetables, I have handcrafted recipes for both herbivores and carnivores! I will pass them down to you all now!"
With these words, Mr. Konjiru walked to every student and passed down to them small cards, containing what I assume to be today's assignment. Finally, he approached me and Damien. Giving us a single look, he shuffled through his cards and then gave one to me and one to Damien. I look at the card… The hell is "Tornado Style Omelet?" I mean, there is a picture but it looks… weird. The name is apt though, it does look swirly.
"Since it is your last year, and some of you already know the basics, I decided to add some spice to your lessons! Besides cooking, you know, edible meals, I want to teach you another important aspect of culinary arts. Presentation of the meal! Just like with any art, you may put all your soul into the meal you make, use only the best ingredients at hand, and put everything you've learned into it… but if it does not look appetizing, no matter how good the food is, people will not enjoy eating it! And remember the main thing about cooking, besides keeping a healthy diet, of course, is to allow others to enjoy what you make. There is no greater joy for the cook than seeing those who eat your meal do it with a smile on their face. Especially if the one who enjoys your meal is someone close to you!"
… In a way, it's kinda like art, huh? You can make it look as good looking as possible, but if there is no soul in it it will taste foul. And on the opposite, even if you put your entire soul into it, and it looks bad… For a moment the painting hanging near the principal's office flashes through my mind.
"Hey, Liv? Are you alright?" - Damien asked me.
"I am fine, Damien, just lost myself in a thought."
"I see… Well, anyhow, let's start, it seems that we have the same recipe! How about we join forces?"
"Anything to get a good grade I guess."
After that, the class proceeded as expected. We washed our hands and followed instructions given to us by the teacher. Mr. Konjiru passed our table several times and looked pleased with our progress. It means we didn't mess up anything… yet. After preparing the mixture and pouring it on the pan's surface, all I now had to do for the crust after which I needed to use two chopsticks to kinda twist the top of an omelet. Should be easy. Thankfully we're tasked to only cook the omelet, but it says on the card that it usually goes on top of something, like rice or a meat dish. For now, I have a few minutes to think.
… For some reason, I start to think about that guy again, Inco… What is his deal anyway? Why is he so dead set on studying the art of all things? I mean, the guy could do anything and yet he decides to do one thing he can't. Even with him explaining everything to me, he still sounds… I don't know, delusional? That is my best bet. Agh, this is not my business and yet for some reason, I can't just stop thinking about it.
"Liv? Your omelet is burning."
I heard Damien's voice by my side which returned me back to reality and looked down at my pan! Indeed, the omelet was steaming hard and I could smell the burning eggs. FUCK FUCK FUCK! Quick, maybe I still can save it-
Suddenly, something flies across the room and hits me right on my forehead. The hollow bonk echoes throughout the classroom.
"OUCH!"- I say, as I rub my forehead.
"No, you foolish girl, that dish can no longer be saved! You ruined it!" - the teacher said and made his way to my table. After inspecting the ruined omelet he sighs. - "And it was going so well too… How would you explain yourself?"
"I, uh… Just…"
"Young lady! Cooking comes from the heart! If you ruin something like this, it means your heart is tainted by other thoughts and doubts! You allowed yourself to get distracted at a time when you need to be dead set on a singular goal! HESITATION RUINS EVERY MEAL!" - he did not sound angry, more like he was more concerned about me. He then sighs. - "It's a good thing that it was only an omelet. Because you can always start over. If it was something else, sometimes one burned meal is enough to ruin one's appetite for good!" - he said with vigor as if he was dispersing some ancient wisdom… Why does every teacher in this school try to give some cryptic life advice? - "Anyway, you still have some time left until the end of the class. If you concentrate well enough and work fast, you will be able to finish your task. Anyway, I won't waste any more of your time. Come on, chop chop! Back to your task!"
Mr. Konjiru then left our desk and went over to another student who, somehow, managed to burn vegetables? How the… Well, I have no room to judge considering how much I've messed up myself… Ugh, fucking…
"Need any help, Liv?"
"Nah, I got it."
And just like that I returned to my assignment. "One mistake is enough to ruin something completely" huh? I already knew that… and yet somehow these "words of wisdom" make me feel dread for some reason. Ugh, concentrate, Liv. You have shit to do.
***
The rest of the class went on without a hitch. After almost ruining another meal, I finally managed to finish the assigned task… It was not difficult, the only hard part was not accidentally breaking the omelet apart during the final step. Kinjiru gave me a thumbs up… and forced me to eat the omelet that I'd burnt on my first attempt. Something about "If you pour salt into the cup of tea instead of sugar, a good chief would own up to his mistakes and drink that tea up still!" according to the teacher. Thank god I am not a picky eater.
And now, that the home ec is done with, it's time for the most "fascinating" and "fun" subject of them all! History… The most sanitized, safe, and borderline pandering version of it. Where humans and dinos are friends, where there are clear good guys and bad guys, and where you can't make a single joke at the expense of others without looking like a massive racist. I'd rather read about history on one of the forums I visit in my free time.
Walking into the classroom, I am greeted with the familiar surroundings. The atmosphere here could only be described as "boring". Being here already puts you to sleep. And that is without mentioning our teacher… who is absent at the moment, wow, two times in a row. I quickly take my preferred place. Not too close to the front and not too far in the back. Perfect for not standing out.
After the bell finally rings, several minutes have passed without the teacher appearing in the classroom. If she does not appear within the next 15 minutes, I am skipping the class… To my disappointment, around the 6-minute mark, our history teacher entered the classroom, being accompanied by Solly who acted as if he was her bodyguard. Her name was Ms. Prockling. A raptor woman, probably in her mid to late twenties, thanked Solly for accompanying her to the classroom. The coach then gave her some sort of salute and left. Ms. Prockling approached her desk and looked over the class, trying to see if someone was missing. Damn, does she even have any other clothes besides that purple office dress? I swear to Raptor-Jesus, she is always wearing it.
"Looks like we have some late arrivals, but let's go down to business." - yup, that's Ms. Prockling… not even an introduction. I mean, I get it, she probably introduced herself yesterday and almost all the students here are from the last year, but still, was kinda rude.
She then turned on the room's projector, which was displaying the presentation which screamed low effort. I wonder if there is a person in this whole class who is a nerd enough to be even interested in these boring ass lectures about saurians and whatever. Besides, it's Ms Prockling who is the teacher… she can turn even the most interesting parts of history into a boring slop.
"If you can turn your books to page thirty-six, we'll begin with the first chapter detailing the earliest interactions between Saurians and Hominids."
Well, here comes the snooze cruise.
…
As expected, this class is ass. Compared to the teachings of Mr. Iadakan, or hell, even Mr. Konjiru and Coach Solly, Ms. Prockling appears to be absolutely disinterested in her own subject. Monotanily and, sometimes (if we're lucky), with forced enthusiasm she was reading our subject book word for word. Occasionally, she would stop herself to provide some context to some information from the book, which was just as uninteresting as the rest of her lecture. Hell, she doesn't even mention cool parts about the first discovery of the new world like how that one guy tried to have intercourse with a seal or something… it's just a boring, sanitized version of history. Ugh…
I guess now that there is nothing to mess up, I can think about my situation. First of all, the submissions for the contest are closing in a few weeks and I am still nowhere close to being done with the painting. I still don't even know what to draw. I know that if I put my all into it, I can be done with it in less than a week, but still, I don't want to disappoint Mr. Iadakan… Damn, I should've made one during summer break! Even that blind human already has something to submit… to be outdone by some skinny nobody…
And then there is my circle of friends. Damien is still being his usual overbearing self. I know he means well, but sometimes it just feels like too much. I don't know how to interact with him. It used to be so much easier, but now it feels like whenever I talk to him… I dunno, it feels like I'm wasting his time.
I don't even want to think about Ben and Mia. Both of them can rot in a ditch for all I care. One of them makes my life a living hell. And the other is a spinless bastard whose only contribution to my life was fucking it up.
Liz… I don't know what to think about her. I mean, she is important to Damien, she just isn't important to me. Whenever we're alone together there is always that feeling of… awkwardness. I mean, I probably should try to be more friendly with her for Damien's sake, but… I dunno…
And then there is this new guy, Inco. I don't know why he sticks out so much in my mind. Probably because he is the first human I ever interacted with on such a personal level. Maybe it's because he attends ARTS classes despite his condition. Maybe it's his overly happy and optimistic attitude that feels almost fake. I shouldn't get invested in his personal affairs, but… What if there is a deeper reason why he is here? Maybe…
Suddenly, something felt off. It was quiet… real quiet. I looked at Ms Prockling, hoping to god it had nothing to do with me. And what I saw was an annoyed raptor woman staring somewhere behind me. My curiosity takes over and I turn to see where she is looking. And what I see are surprises. Behind me, at the very back of the classroom, behind the desk of the last row… there was Inco. He was quietly staring at the desk before him.
Wait, was he always here? Did I not notice him when he came in? For being the only human in the whole school, he can keep a surprisingly low profile. Now… what did he do to catch Ms. Prockling's attention? As far as I can tell, everything was fine.
Until I noticed something funny. He was slouching. His hands were on his book but they weren't, and also wasn't taking any notes… His head was slowly bopping, his expression was neutral… wait a second…
THAT DICKHEAD WAS SLEEPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLASS? The dumbass probably thought that since he is wearing sunglasses nobody would notice if he would take a nap. Probably also the reason why he picked the last row! But even a blind person could notice that there was something off about him… that was a terrible remark, Liv, what the hell?
Ms. Prockling approached Inco's desk… And then slapped a stack of papers against its surface. Inco immediately jolted, as if he was struck by lighting.
"W-WHAT!" - he screamed out… yup, he totally gave himself away.
"Mr. Nito, I understand that history isn't the most exciting subject, but you can't just fall asleep during the class! Could you at least pretend to be paying attention?"
"S-sorry, Ms. Prockling, I just… um…" - Inco tried to come up with an excuse or explanation, but the way he was acting made it clear that he had nothing to say. - "I-I make sure it won't happen again!"
With a tired sigh, Ms. Prockling returns to the front of the class and resumes the lesson almost as if nothing happened.
…
Damn, this class is asinine. I barely keep myself awake, only being able to keep myself focused by occasionally, between taking notes, drawing some doodles on a small piece of paper. Nothing too complicated. I was doing it just to keep myself awake.
Then suddenly, something else was happening in the classroom. I looked around and saw… ah, but of course. During times of trouble, people find a way to bond with each other in the most esoteric ways… and right now that way is passing down notes. Or rather THE note. While the teacher was distracted by something, one person would pass down the note to another person near them, who proceeds to write or draw something on the note, and then pass it down to another person. A classic, albeit dumb way to waste time during boring classes. But hey, it was fun.
Notes then proceed to be passed down from one hand to another, until something unpredictable happens. Before the note reached me, one of my classmates by accident threw the note on Inco's table, trying to get rid of it when Ms. Prockling suddenly looked their way. Well, here goes our fun… and I wasn't even able to draw anything in it.
However, it seems Inco has noticed that something has landed on his table. He immediately began to inspect it. His fingers ran across the surface of the paper and at first, he seemed to be confused… until a smile appeared on his face… wait, he wouldn't?
He took the pen and began scribbling something in the note. What? Why? I mean, I saw how he draws! He will just ruin it! I can see that I am not the only one to share this disappointment, as I saw some of the other classmates giving disapproving looks in Inco's direction.
Inco, on the other hand, oblivious to his surroundings, continues to doodle away. His hand movements were awkward. He used both of his hands to draw… whatever it was he was drawing. With one hand he placed his index finger right before the tip of a pen and with the other he was holding the pen. It looked like he was leading the pen with his free hand, probably trying to make sure that he wouldn't draw over other's doodles. It takes agonizing three minutes before he finally puts the pen away and runs his finger over the piece of paper one more time… and then he nods in approval, before passing the note down to the person near him, who accepts it with confusion in their eyes.
Then everything was normal again. The note slowly went around the class, before it finally reached me. I looked into it to assess the work of my peers. It was about as much as one could expect from a bunch of high school teenagers. Some people tried to draw their tags, some letters in unique styles, weird geometric shapes, some simple doodles, and… ah, wouldn't be a high school without anyone drawing a penis.
However, among them, there was a single doodle that was sticking out like a sore thumb. Right there, in the middle of the paper, barely avoiding other doodles was a… a something? It was hard to say what it was. It looked like a weirdly shaped creature. Or at least I think it is? Where to begin?
First of all, whatever it was, it had a small head and a very long snout. One of its beady eyes was inside the head, while the other was outside. There was some weird growth coming out of the creature's head… are these supposed to be ears? And why are they floppy? But of course, what was drawing the most attention was the creature's nose. It was incredibly long. Like, it was so long it took two-thirds of the entire doodle. The nose ended with a big blob at the end. Above the nose, there were some letters… They were badly written and almost unreadable, but I believe they were saying… "LONG BOI".
After a solid minute of trying to figure out what was this weird creature, I finally came to the realization. It was a dog! Or at least something resembling a dog. Hell, it looks worse than those dogs in the medieval paintings! Only one person could have drawn such an abomination. I turned around to see Inco, who barely was keeping himself awake… but at the same time looked like he was waiting for something. A dumb smile was present on his face… is he STILL happy about this doodle? Maybe he just enjoys being a part of the class or something.
Anyway, time to put a bit of myself into this note! But before I could even draw something…
Ms. Prockling suddenly appeared before me and snatched the note straight from my hands. She takes a moment to glance over the paper. I swear, a few times I could see her cracking a smile, but as soon as she was done, she returned to her usual stoic visage.
"So this is how you view me, Ms. Halford." - huh? What? I haven't even drawn anything! I mean, I was planning to draw Ms. Prockling, but-
Before I could continue that train of thought, Ms Prockling was showing the paper to the rest of the crowd. I can sense people trying to avoid her accusatory gaze… I can sense a few angry looks being shot in my direction. God fucking damn it! How is it my fault?
"I know that most of you were a part of this as well. Look, I am not asking much. Just do your assignments during the class, that's the least you can do."
I can hear whispers behind me. Some of them were accusing me of bringing trouble for the rest of the class. God damn it, I didn't even do anything wrong! I suppress an urge to look in the direction of the whispers. Hearing what others were saying, Ms. Prockling gave out a sigh of defeat.
"Look, since it's only the second day, I'll let it slide, but I am warning you now that I won't be so lenient next time. Otherwise, you'll end up like the last student who disrupted the class."
Please, whoever you are, don't be dumb enough, don't be dumb enough, don't be dumb enough…
"Pfft, what happened to him? Get a detention slip or something?"
Whoever you are, be your act fueled by bravery, pride, or sheer stupidity… you just signed yourself a death warrant.
I could see already some students cringing, some covering their heads. Some were confused, but even they felt like something bad was about to happen. Ms. Prockling sighed once more. Then she approached the window, opened up the blinds, and then the window itself. After that, she approached her desk, opened one of the drawers, and took out a small walkie-talkie.
"Solly. Yep. Another hippie. Seat H-4."
Then there was a sound of something heavy and fast cutting the air. At incredible speed, something flew through the window and into the class. Flying right between the people's heads that "something" lands directly into the face of the disruptor, knocking them clean off the table… That something was a red dodgeball, which absolutely obliterated the student. Everyone was either scared shitless or shocked… even Inco looked like he just saw the face of the Grim Reaper… Again, Olivia, bad remark!
"We… We're on the second floor…" - someone whispered in the class. I guess that someone was not aware of Solly's true power.
With a satisfied smile, Ms. Prockling thanks Solly over the radio and resumes the class. Although this event diverted everyone's attention away from me, I can't help but feel like my life is now in danger. Seeing my life flashing before my eyes I decided to dedicate the rest of the class's time to taking notes… Damn, who knew that fear could be such a good motivator.
…
Soon, the class was coming to an end. With the anticipation of relief, I was slowly getting ready to pack everything up and leave. As soon as the bell rang, I shoveled everything I had on the table into my backpack and darted towards the exit door… before exiting however, I noticed that Inco was still sitting behind his desk, silently waiting for something, staring into the distance. Hmmm… For some reason, I can't just bring myself to walk away. Besides, I do need to apologize to him for yesterday… and thank him for resolving the whole Mia situation. But why should I? I mean, it doesn't look like he is much concerned about that… I mean, what will change if I talk to him? Nothing really, everything will remain the same… But what if–
Before I could decide on anything I heard a ringing noise from Inco's direction. He took out something from his pocket… a phone. He answers the call.
"Hello, Dad. Yeah, everything's finished… Still in the class… No, everything is fine… Yeah, yeah, I know… I will meet you by the road."
His voice was surprisingly… tired. Actually, now that I look around, I notice that besides us there was no one in this classroom. Inco sighs, after which he lifts himself off the table. Taking a cane into his hands, he proceeds to feel his way out of the class…
He passed me by, not even noticing my presence. I hold my breath and make no noise. As he passes I notice something off about him. His face was sad. No, not sad… disappointed. I wonder why? Does it have anything to do with that note…
..?
I just realized something! Inco isn't like me. He isn't a guy who tries to hide away from people around him. He actually tries to be friendly and approachable for a reason! When he made that doodle, he probably was expecting someone to notice and talk about it with him after the class… but no one noticed it. Not a single person. I was probably the only person who saw that drawing and that's about it. Before I could react or decide anything… Inco was gone. Only the distant tapping of his cane can be heard in the hallway. Slowly being drawn out by many noises and whispers of the school. Damn it… why do I feel so guilty all of a sudden? God damn it!
… Hesitation ruins every meal, huh? I guess this is true for every other aspect of life…
With this weight on my heart, I go out of the class and then out of the school. After that, as usual, I meet up with Damien and we slowly return home together. I don't know why, but Damien was really quiet on the way back. Usually, he would yap about his day, but after glancing at me once, he just decided to stay quiet…
… I'd rather have him trying to talk me to death than allow me to slowly stew in my own thoughts. I guess tonight will be another unproductive night. Damn, Olivia, come on… Get your shit together, you have stuff to do.
The painting. Think of the painting! That always drives you away from negative thoughts.
And just like that, after fuming for some time, I managed to clear my head of all the doubts and just kinda… go on with my day. The canvas remained empty today, just as expected.