The Protagonist System

218 School Antics

I couldn't stay there at Paige's place overnight, because it was a school night. We only cuddled for a short time before the cold air from part of the wall and window missing made Paige shiver. I gave her a few kisses before I went to the hole and repaired the wall by changing it into a set of patio doors for her.

It made Paige laugh when she saw them, because she had told me the movers needed to do that at her last apartment to bring in the new couch, which had given me the idea. With another route to access the roof, I added a second set of stairs and built a very nice deck for her to relax on with reclining chairs, a table, and warming charms on everything.

I also added the ward protections I used for my properties around the warehouse, including notice-me-not, muggle repelling, and obscuring spells, that way no one would see her when she was out there on it. Paige was very appreciative of both things and we had a short romp on the couch I gave her, which she would move downstairs into the living area when the replacement couch arrived in a few days.

I kissed her goodbye, after a promise to meet up when we both had some free time, and I flew home. When I entered the house, I saw the piles of paperwork dealing with bills and dad's funeral on the table and felt bad, because my mother had waited for me to leave before she tackled things she shouldn't have done on her own. Again.

I went up the stairs and into the master bedroom and saw her almost hiding under the blanket on the bed. I waved my hand at the side of the room where the boxes of things my father owned, clearly marked for donation, and stored them. I went to the bed and pet the top of the blonde head I could see peeking out of the blanket.

“You don't have to keep facing things alone.” I whispered and she didn't open her eyes. “We're in this together, remember? I'm here to help you.”

“I'm your mother, Greg. I'm supposed to handle things like that.” My mom's muffled voice said. “You're the one that shouldn't be worrying about anything.”

I sighed and stored my cape outfit and equipped a set of comfy pyjamas. “Scoot over.”

The top of her head turned as she shook her head. “I'm a grown up and I can deal with...”

I moved her over with telekinesis and climbed into the bed behind her. I tossed the blanket over myself and spooned her from behind as I hugged her with one arm around her waist.

“I'm not in the mood for you to coddle me.” My mother admonished me, except there was no heat behind it.

“Hush.” I admonished her right back and kissed the top of her head. “Goodnight.”

My mom huffed and didn't move for a few seconds, then she hugged my arm like usual and sighed. She didn't say anything else and her breathing eventually evened out as she fell asleep. It took me a lot longer for sleep to claim me and I didn't fight the feeling. Sometimes, it was nice to hold someone for comfort and for no other reason.

I woke early in the early morning like I usually did and she hadn't moved or turned around or anything. I checked the time and let myself doze off until I had to get up for school. I was tempted to skip a shower, except I had done that last night and only cleaned myself with spells, and I wanted to feel refreshed the natural way.

When it was time, I carefully extracted myself from my mother's grip and kissed her cheek, tucked her back under the blanket, and went to the bathroom. I saw the wrecked door and chuckled, repaired it with magic, and had a nice shower. I repaired my own door after that and changed for school before going downstairs to make breakfast.

I went simple this time and had a bowl of cereal and toast, left a note for mom to call if she needed anything, and left the house. I had plenty of time before school and thought about riding the bus. The debate was short as I decided I didn't need to experience the smells on public transit and made myself invisible and apparated to near the school.

I made myself visible before walking into view of the school and a few of the guys and girls noticed me and waved or said hello. I nodded and waved back as I approached the front doors and thought about how I was going to handle this first meeting of post-break-up Amelia.

Go big or go small? I asked myself as I approached where the popular kids were gathered in the hallway near the lockers. I saw Dean and another guy was with Vicky's group and Dean was holding hands with Vicky, so they were back together. Big it is. “Hey, guys!” I said with a smile on my face and gave Amy a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Amy looked embarrassed and Vicky looked guilty.

“I have to skip you this time, Vicky. Dean claimed dibs on you again.” I said with a chuckle and patted him on the shoulder and stepped in front of the brunette that was the main hanger-on in Vicky's clique. “It's nice to see you again, Jessica.” I said as I hugged her and kissed her cheek.

Jessica had a shocked look on her face as I stepped back to face the next girl. “S-s-somebody pinch me.” She said and the girl beside her did. “Ow.”

I chuckled at her friend doing that every time she asked for it. “Hi, Clarice. I hope you had a nice weekend.” I said and hugged her.

The blonde trembled slightly and let out a soft sigh. “It sucked compared to this.”

I laughed and kissed her cheek before I let her go. I started to turn to the blonde next to her and she leapt on me and kissed me right on the lips as she hugged my neck.

“Hi, Greg!” She said and had a very happy look on her face.

“Hello, Brittany.” I said and chewed what was in my mouth. “Do you want your gum back?”

“Sure!” She said and kissed me again. “Thanks!”

Everyone in the hallway was staring at me now, as were Amy and Vicky.

“Greg! What are you doing to my friends?” Vicky asked, scandalized.

“I've known them for a week, so they're my friends, too.” I said with a smile and turned to the redheaded guy and opened my arms. “Hi, Dennis!”

“AHH!” Dennis fake screamed and dashed behind Chris, which made everyone laugh.

I laughed as well and held a fist out to Chris and he grinned as he tapped it with his own. Everyone appreciated a good harmless prank.

“What's so funny?” A female voice asked.

I turned to look and saw the girl I knew from gym class walking over to us. “Hey, Jensen.” I said and met her halfway to wrap my arms around her and hugged her.

Jensen pretty much melted into me and let out a sigh like Clarice did. “If this is a dream, I'll kill whoever tries to wake me up.”

Chuckles came from a few of the students around us.

“It's not a dream. I'm just greeting my friends after not seeing them for a couple days.” I said and kissed her on the cheek.

“Oh, god.” Jensen whispered and held onto me.

“People were laughing because he tried to do the same thing to Dennis.” Dean explained.

Jensen blinked her eyes at me for a moment and then smiled. “He screamed like a little girl, didn't he?”

“No, I didn't!” Dennis almost screeched and that earned a few more laughs.

I was sure he hit that high pitch on purpose and glanced over to see a small smile on his face. “Well, Brittany did kind of imply he was getting more than a quick cheek kiss.”

“It was totally worth it.” Brittany said and blew a little bubble with her gum and popped it. “He even gave me my gum back and it tastes even better than before.”

Jensen understood what that meant and blushed. “I thought... you and Panacea...”

“Naw, we're just friends and hung out for a bit.” I said and let her go, then I posed like a professional bodybuilder and flexed my pecs. “You can't expect her to settle for a single jock like me after all the other jocks she's dated.”

Someone sucked in a sharp breath and there were a couple gasps. I didn't have to turn around to know Amy was one of them and Vicky was another. Maybe Clarice as well, since she seemed to be the most in tune with Vicky's moods.

The bell rang and everyone scrambled to head to their lockers.

“Chelsea!” I said and Vicky's fourth friend stopped walking and looked over at me. “I didn't forget you, I just ran out of time.” I said and she smiled. “I'll give you a hug and kiss at lunch, okay?”

Chelsea blushed a little and then nodded before she went to her locker.

“What class do you have first?” Jensen asked me and grabbed my arm to stop me from leaving.

“World History.” I said and she smiled.

“Me, too. You can share my book.” Jensen said and took my hand and led me to the right classroom. She went to the back of the room and pushed two desks together in the corner. “You first.”

I held in my chuckle at her being so forceful and sat down on the chair by the wall. She sat in the chair right beside mine and didn't say anything as she took out her book and flipped to the right chapter. Her notes were next and she put them beside the book within my easy reach.

It didn't take long for the class to fill up and only a few of the girls glanced over at me. I heard a few whispers about what happened in the hallway and had to smile. How I handled it was already spreading and I was sure that everyone in the school would know by lunchtime.

The teacher entered the room just before the second bell and shut the door. “You can put your books away.” He said and went to the far side of the room and pulled out a cart with a television and video cassette recorder.

The soft cheers and quiet muttering about another easy class had everyone happy.

“Don't bother taking notes.” The teacher said and turned on the television, checked the settings, and started the tape. “The lights need to be off for this.” He said and walked over to the door and snapped off the three light switches there.

As soon as the news program started and gained everyone's attention, Jensen pushed me up against the wall and climbed onto my lap.

“If I'm your friend, I want you to prank me, too.” Jensen whispered and kissed me tenderly as she pulled up her shirt and exposed her bra.

I looked down at her breasts and back to her face. “I wasn't actually going to kiss Dennis.”

“It doesn't matter.” Jensen whispered and kissed me. “It's just an excuse for you to do me.”

I cast several spells around us to block off everything. “If you're sure?”

Jensen didn't respond verbally and popped open her bra before she reached down to pull up her skirt and showed off her damp panties.

“Okay.” I said and pulled her panties aside and slipped a finger inside of her very tight opening and didn't feel any resistance, so I added another finger and flicked her good spot several times. “Friends with benefits?”

“Oh god, yes!” Jensen exclaimed and came right away, her body shaking slightly, then she kissed me passionately.

Going along with Lady Photon's and Brandish's plan to play things off as normal behaviour, apparently had some benefits that none of us expected. I wasn't going to complain about it, not with Jensen doing her best to suck my balls dry.

*

Dean sat with a disgruntled Vicky at lunch and he had to keep hiding his shock at how Greg had handled meeting Amy this morning. Both girls had been just as shocked as he was at how Greg played off Amy rejecting him as her normal behavior and he called her out for dating so many jocks.

Now the guy was at Vicky's backup table for the popular girls and half of her friends were sitting there instead of sitting with her and his friends, a mix of sports players and Wards. The other girl named Jensen was also there, as were a couple of other girls he didn't personally know.

“I can't believe him.” Vicky complained and poked her food with her fork.

“I can.” Brittany said and munched on a french fry. “He's a great kisser.”

Vicky rolled her eyes. “That's not what I meant.”

“Eh.” Brittany said and ate another fry. “They'll join us again when they get bored.”

A round of laughter came from that table and Amy grumbled about how noisy they were.

Dean could feel her emotions and he was confused about them. She kept flipping between jealousy and relief, as if she both wanted his attention and didn't want it, which didn't make any sense. They broke up and Greg seemed okay with that, so Dean's plans to talk to him about Amy were useless.

“I just remembered something.” Clarice said. “If you're that upset with him, are you going to give his t-shirts back to him?”

Amy started to shake her head no and realized she didn't really have a good reason to keep it, except that it had Greg's dried sweat on it and she liked wearing it.

“I can't. Mom saw it and took it from me.” Vicky responded. “It was really comfortable, too.”

“You should tell him he's not getting them back.” Dean said before he could stop himself.

Vicky narrowed her eyes at him. “Why don't you tell him for me?”

Dean could feel her irritation and sighed. “Fine.” He said and stood, gave her a smile, and walked over to the table where Greg and his friends were sitting.

“He's got some balls on him for such a nice guy.” Brittany said and ate another fry. “Is that why you keep getting back with him, Vicky?”

Vicky didn't respond and looked a little embarrassed. She was not going to tell anyone how disappointed she had felt the night before when she had sex with Dean. He had been completely spent after two shots, no matter how much she had massaged and sucked on his balls.

Everyone at the table continued to eat their food and Dean came back to the table after a couple of minutes and sat down.

“What did he say?” Dennis asked.

“He said to not worry about it and he would talk to Vicky's mom after school.” Dean answered. “I'm just glad he wasn't angry about it or anything else.”

That let those in the know about his emotion sensing powers that Greg wasn't pretending that everything was okay. Vicky sighed sadly at hearing that and Amy frowned. They both knew that talk wasn't going to go well for them because they had his clothes and didn't tell Carol about it. If she threw out the one she took from Vicky, there was no way for them to replace it.

The bell rang and brought the lunch period to an end. Dean tried to keep his powers reined in as all of the students scrambled out of the cafeteria to head to their lockers and then to class. He had a lot of practice with it, so he stayed beside Vicky and let her emotions flow over him.

When Greg walked by them with that Jensen girl under his arm, Dean would have been a blind idiot to not see or feel the spike of anger from Vicky and the mix of feelings from Amy. He held in his sigh at the situation he could do nothing about and didn't mention that all they had to do was talk to Greg about what happened and they wouldn't be reacting like they are.

Dean walked both of them to class and kissed Vicky when she puckered her lips at him and he went to his own class. Now that he wasn't around Vicky, he easily heard the rumors that were flying around the school about Amy, Greg, and what being his friend could open you up to.

By the time Dean reached his own class, he was surprised to learn there were a lot of girls that wouldn't mind being Greg's friend and getting to know him. He would have to report that development to his boss in the Wards and he was sure Miss Militia was not going to like it, after feeling her feelings about Atlas.