Jay grabbed his arms and Zach went to punch him but he pulled away, using the book to block the punch then slap him across the face, turning and hitting Jay on the head with the book hard. "Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit..." The students sang as he kicked Zach in the balls, dropping his book, then turning to punch Jay, everything slowing down then stopping.

"Why when you see boys fight does it look so terrible yet... feel so right? I shouldn't watch this crap, it's not who I am. But with this kid... Daaaaaamn." Dewott walked over to them. "Hey, Mr. No-name kid. So who might you be? And could you fight for me? And hey, could you face the crowd. Could you be seen with me and still act proud. Hey, could you hold my hand." Dewott noticed his other hand was open and she entwined their fingers together.

"And could you carry me through no man's land." She let go and grabbed her arm. "It's fine if you don't agree. But I would fight for you, if you would fight for me." Dewott looked up at him as she backed up, everyone starting to move in slow motion. "Let them drive us underground. I don't care how far. You can set my broken bones and I know CPR." Dewott hugged herself as he punched Jay, still in slow motion but picking up speed.

"Well, whoa, you can punch real good. You've lasted longer than I thought you would." Dewott watched as Zach's punch missed him by an inch then he grabbed his head. "So hey, Mr. No-name kid. If some night your free." He banged his forehead against Zach's then went to do it again.
"Wanna fight for me?" "Holy shit..." He did it again. "If you're still alive." "Holy shit..." And again. "I would fight for you." "Holy shit, holy shit." This time he let him go and Zach fell. "If you would fight for me." "Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit..."

He fixed his hair and glanced over at Dewott, winking, causing her to blush. The students quickly cleared out as Jay and Zach got up. "Holy crap... holy crap that sucks!" Zach whined as Jay held him up. "That guy fights better than the real Bo Diddley." "Wait a minute have you seen Enter the Dragon? He fights with his shirt off and is pretty ripped for an oriental dude." Jay said, causing Zach to hit him. "F*g!" "Shut up!" Jay shoved him. "JAY'S GETTING CHINESE TONIGHT!" Zach yelled. "SHUT UP!" Jay yelled, tackling him.

*timeskip brought to you by Ram and Kurt's gayness*

"God Dewott, you were drooling over the new kid. You were totally throwing your panties at him." Chris chuckled. Willow and Amelia did a weird little laugh. "And judging by your house, you can't afford replacement panties." Chris smirked as Dewott blushed. Amelia and Willow laughed again. They walked inside and Dewott's mom got up. "Come on I don't even know his name." Dewott muttered as Chris hit a croquet ball at her parents. "Mr. and Mrs. Ura look out!"

Dewott's mom picked up the ball and handed it back to Chris. "Here you go. Care for some pate?" Chris looked at it. "That's not pate, it's liver wurst." "Haha... I'm aware of that, Chris. It's a family joke..." Dewott's mom said, glancing over at her dad. "Oh. Funny." Chris said dully. "Damn it! Can someone tell me why I'm reading this spy crap?" Dewott's dad exclaimed, putting his book down.

"Oh, because you're an idiot, dad." Dewott said, walking over to him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Oh yeah. That's it." Dewott's dad laughed. "So any big plans tonight?" Dewott's mom asked. "Um, actually, there's this big homecoming party at Jay Smithson's house. I'm catching a ride with Chris." Dewott said. "Speaking of which..." Chris dropped the croquet ball in the liver and walked off. "Oh, ok. Listen, great pate, mom, but I gotta motor if we're going to make it on time." Dewott said, going over to her mom.

"Ok! Just don't let these popular kids change you. What for, you have other friends. You have Violet." Dewott's mom said. "Maybe I want more in life then liver wurst, mom." Dewott said before leaving with them. "Those kids seem nice." Dewott's dad said, earning a look from his wife.

Dewott walked into the 7/Eleven just as the car horn sounded. "DEWOTT, DON'T FORGET THE CORN NUTS! IT'S NOT A PARTY WITHOUT CORN NUTS!" Chris yelled out the car window. "BQ or plain?" Dewott called. "BQ!" Chris yelled. Dewott looked and found some, grabbing them. "Greetings and salutations." A voice said. Dewott looked up to see the boy in the trench coat holding a slushy. "Do you want a slushy with that?"

"No thanks. But if you're kind enough, I'll let you buy me a big gulp." Dewott said, putting the packages down to pay for them along with some red licorice. "It's like going to Mickey D's and ordering a salad. Slushy is the signature dish of the house. Did you say cherry or lime?" He asked, turning to the machine. "I said big gulp." Dewott crossed her arms and he turned to her.

"I'm Dewott, by the way. Are you ever going to tell me your name?" Dewott let her arms drop. "I'll end the suspense. Puppetmaster. Puppet for short." Puppet extended his hand to her and she shook it. "Puppet... That thing you pulled in the halls was pretty extreme." Dewott said, letting go. "Well the extreme always seems to make a fine first impression." Puppet chuckled. Dewott giggled. "So what's a Baudelaire quoting badass like you doing in Sherwood, Ohio?"

"My dad's work. He owns a de-construction company." Puppet said. "De-construction?" Dewott questioned. "The old man seems to like tearing things down. You've seen the commercials; "My names Big Buck and if it's in your way, I'll make your day!"." Puppet rolled his eyes. Dewott laughed. "And then he pushes the plunger and the screen blows up." Dewott laughed more before calming down. "That's your dad?"
"In all of his semi-psychotic glory." Puppet said. "Yeah well everyone's got something they don't like." Dewott said just as the car horn sounded. "DEEEEEEEEWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTT!" Chris screamed out the window. "For example, I don't really like my friends." Dewott sighed.

"I don't really like your friends either." Puppet said, smiling slightly. "First an epic party and then here." "Ooh, 7/Eleven." Dewott giggled and paid for the snacks. "Hey, I love this place." Puppet smiled. "No offense but why?" Dewott asked, biting a stuck of licorice.

"I've been through 10 high schools. It starts to get blurry. No point planting roots 'cause you're gone in a hurry. My dad keeps 2 suitcases packed in the den, so it's only a matter of when." Puppet looked down at her and moved to the counter. "I don't learn the names, don't bother with faces. All I can trust is that concrete oasis. Seems ev'ry time I'm about to despair, there's a 7/Eleven right there." Puppet smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Each store is the same, from Las Vegas to Boston. Linoleum isles that I love to get lost in." Puppet let go and turned to face her, spreading his arms. "I pray at my alter of slush; yeah, I live for that sweet frozen rush..." Puppet drank from his slushy and quickly put a hand to his head, putting the drink down. "Freeze your brain... Suck on that straw, get lost in the pain. Happiness comes, when everything numbs. Who needs cocaine? Freeze your brain. Freeze your brain. Care for a hit?"

Puppet held the drink out to her. Dewott shook her head. "Does your mommy know you eat all that crap?" She asked, biting her licorice stick again. "Not anymore. When mom was alive, we lived halfway normal. Now it's just me and my dad, we're less formal. I learned to cook pasta, I learned to pay rent; learned the world doesn't owe you a cent."

Puppet looked at Dewott, whom had a mix of surprise and sympathy on her face. "You're planning your future, Dewott Ura. Will go to some college and marry a lawyer." Puppet got down on one knee and grabbed her hands. "But the sky's gonna hurt when it falls. So you better start building some walls..." He got up and let go of her hands.

"Freeze your brain. Swim in the ice, get lost in the pain. Shut your eyes tight, 'till you vanish from sight. Let nothing remain- Freeze your brain. Shatter your skull, fight pain with more pain. Forget who you are, unburden your load. Forget in six weeks, you'll be back on the road." Puppet grabbed her shoulders, startling her. "When the voice in your head, says you're better off dead, don't open a vein-." Puppet let go slowly and looked in her eyes.

"Just freeze your brain. Freeze your brain. Go on and freeze your brain." Puppet held out his slushy to her. "Try it." Dewott smiled softly and took the slushy, drinking it. "Yeah, I don't really see why- OH, SON OF A BITCH!" Dewott clutched her head with her free hand. "Dewott!" Chris exclaimed. "Oh god, I gotta go!" Dewott handed back the slushy. "So I see." Puppet said softly. "Corn. Nuts." Chris crossed his arms.

"Oh yeah, they're right here. I'm sorry." Dewott grabbed them. "Say goodbye to red Don here and let's motor!" Chris said, emphasizing motor. He turned and headed out. "Sorry." Dewott muttered before following him.

Word count: 1633