Wear - Chapter 11

During the next two weeks, the student body of Harrison University has calmed down as everyone thought about their futures. Everyone was caught up in what they want to do and how to do it, just as Refus had intended. Causing the students to focus on something that is within the students best interest kept students from lashing out in irrational behavior. However, as time grew, some still worried more about other things. When people worry about something that’s already within reach, but fear to reach out, it brings them new fears. Even if their fear is in itself irrational, or something that one shouldn’t worry about. For instance, the closer to the festival they got, the more Wyatt and Emma began to worry. Wyatt kept worrying if whether he’ll somehow ask Emma all the wrong questions, in fear that she may not like him as much as he hopes. As to where Emma began to fear if Wyatt was even still interested enough to bring her to the festival, as the two grew more and more nervous. However, Wyatt left the dorm early in the night and came back with a simple solution to a problem that neither of them were aware that the other was going through. When Wyatt came back on Sunday night of September 15th, he presented passes for the two of them for the festival. “I’ve been saving up for it” Wyatt says. “The festivals are always kind of expensive, which is why I was never able to go before”.

Emma was filled with relief, but at the same time guilt for thinking of a scenario that she honestly should’ve known wouldn’t have come to pass. Emma tried containing her excitement, as she says “We get to go then!? I’m so excited! Thanks for remembering!”.

Wyatt laughs softly and says “I wanted to go so much too, and I wouldn’t leave you behind like that”.

“It really means a lot to me though” Emma says as the two of them prepare to go to sleep for school. “I’m so glad I get to go with you”.

“Ha ha, well, let’s get some sleep for now” Wyatt says. “I know it’ll probably be a little hard to sleep with the excitement, but the festival doesn’t open until Wednesday”.

“Alright, I’ll try” Emma says as she lays down. After a few minutes of silence, Emma asks “Hey, Wyatt?”.

“What’s up?” Wyatt asks.

“Thanks” Emma says. “I mean it”.

Wyatt laughs and says “No problem”.

As the two try to sleep, Emma grasps onto a dress that she’s hiding under her blanket. She’s been working on making a dress to wear to the festival, but wanted to make it a surprise. Even though it’s never been a tradition for the festival, she thought she would try to make the best impression she could, before she tried finding the right words to say to Wyatt. Now the two slept, filled with relief and excitement. Both had feared something irrational, only to find a simple solution. Sometimes, our biggest fears have the smallest answers. Often times, in more ways than one.

The very next day, Monday of September 16th, Emma and Wyatt go to class together like usual. The classroom was also lit up with excitement, as many of the other students were also impatient for the opening of The Autumn Festival. “You guys are going to the festival too, right?” Jessica asks. “I mean, I’m probably not going to be able to go on the first day, but I’ll probably go on like… Monday of next week. I don’t have enough money to go yet, and I don’t get paid until next weekend”.

“Yeah, we’re going on the first day though” Wyatt says. “I already got us passes for the festival”.

“Really?” Aeris asks, sounding impressed, as she sits down next to them. “It’s open for a week, right?”.

“A week and a half” Jackson says. “It closes after Saturday of the next week”.

“Alright, settle down a little” Refus says as he enters the classroom. “I know the festival is this week, and everyone is at least a little excited. So for this week, we won’t be having much to do”. The class nearly begins to cheer until Refus says “I’m kidding… I wish I could do that for you guys, but you know we have work to do. I will, however, be willing to help anyone through whatever they need. That way, you won’t have to be left with a lot of homework. You’ve all been working hard for these past couple weeks, so go out and have fun when the festival opens. That is, after school is over”.

“We can have help with anything?” A student asks.

“Anything” Refus says.

“Can you do my homework for me?” The student asks.

“Okay, anything that doesn’t include me doing the work for you” Refus clarifies. The class groans, then Refus says “Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on all of you this week. It shouldn’t be hard to keep up on lessons this week”.

After the first class ended, Refus walked past Jeff in the hallway. “They’re ready for you” Refus says, “but I feel that I should warn you. They’re a little excited”.

“As long as there’s no extra work for me to handle” Jeff says unenthusiastically, “then it should be fine”. When Jeff entered the class, the students were talking to each other, but none of them seemed aggressive or disappointed. They all seemed content and excited. Jeff was impressed, as usually it’d be hard for teachers to handle their students during this time of year. Even more so for a laibah teacher.

After the next couple classes, lunch break arrived. Jeff and Refus accidentally met up in the teacher’s lounge while on break at the same time. The two of them sat at different tables, to eat in peace. After a couple minutes, Quincy entered the room. “Still here?” Quincy asks as he looks at Refus. “I thought you’d have been fired before the festival”.

“I thought you would be a teacher, not a broken record” Refus says to Quincy.

“I still stand by what I said before” Quincy says. “A laibah teacher has never worked, it doesn’t work and will never work”.

“I didn’t realize working with children and other students forces you to act like one” Refus says. “Are you sure it’s not about time that YOU retired?”.

“Laugh all you want” Quincy adds, “we’ll see who has the last laugh”.

After Quincy leaves the room, Jeff starts snickering. He had been holding in laughter, and his snickering turned into a loud laugh. “You’re pretty funny!” Jeff says while laughing.

“I can only match stupidity with sarcasm…” Refus says.

“That’s pretty good though” Jeff says as he finally begins to calm down. “I’ve gotta use that some time”.

“Feel free to use it whenever” Refus says.

“Seriously” Jeff says, trying to hold in more laughter. “I didn’t know working with children made you act like one! Pfft- Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!! I swear, my opinion of you just continues to grow!”.

“Well…” Refus says, “thanks, I guess”.

Meanwhile, on the roof, The Rejects were gathered for lunch. “So what’s the big deal about The Autumn Festival anyways?” Jackson asks.

“It’s just something simple the city sets up” Jessica says. “It’s to celebrate passing from the summer solstice, to the autumn equinox. It’s not really a big deal, but everyone looks forward to an excuse to have at least a little bit of fun. The city also likes opportunities to keep people spending money, since it can help the progress in the city. What with building new structures and stuff like that. It helps people have fun, and helps circulate money”.

“Are you excited for it?” Aeris asks Jessica.

“Well…” Jessica says. “I think it’s fun to go. I just don’t have a whole lot of money”.

“I imagine most people that go to this school don’t have a lot of money” Jackson says.

“That’s fair” Jessica replies.

“So what do you guys plan on doing at the festival?” Aeris asks Emma and Wyatt. “As if we didn’t already know…”.

Emma and Wyatt both shrug as both of them say “I’ve never really been before”.

“Let me know how the festival is this year” Jessica says. “I wanna know if it’s worth buying a pass to go. Just call me or- oh wait… I totally don’t even have any of your phone numbers”.

“I don’t have a phone” Jackson says.

“Yeah, we couldn’t really afford to get one either” Aeris says. “So my parents never got me one”.

“Emma? Wyatt?” Jessica asks, but both Wyatt and Emma shake their heads as if to say ‘no’. “Really?” Jessica asks, “none of you guys have a phone? I mean, I didn’t get one until my last year of high school, but… I didn’t think there would be college students without a phone”.

“My family is way too poor for that” Wyatt says. “I’m the first in my family to actually go to college”.

“Oh right, I forgot” Jessica says, “it wouldn’t be likely for Aeris and Jackson to have one either, because laibah don’t usually get very good jobs. They’re not really allowed to work in most of the well paying jobs…”.

“Unfortunately, that is the case” Aeris says.

“Wait, laibah can shapeshift, right?” Jessica asks.

“Yeah, why?” Jackson asks.

“C-can I see it?” Jessica asks.

“No” Jackson replies firmly.

“I guess” Aeris says with a shrug.

“Oh come on, Aeris” Jackson says. “You don’t have to show her-“.

“I do what I want” Aeris says. Aeris grows two fox ears and a big tail, all of which covered in jet black fur.

“Whoaaaa” Jessica says as she stares at Aeris’s ear. “C-can I touch your ears?”.

“Don’t push it” Aeris says.

“Aww, come on!” Jessica complains.

“No” Aeris says as she looks away from Jessica. As Aeris looks away, Jessica starts slowly leaning in to try and touch Aeris’s ears anyways. “Moving on, we can’t really just show anyone our other forms, because if the wrong people see it, then- WILL YOU STOP TOUCHING MY EARS!?”.

“Sorry…” Jessica says as she pulls her hand away.

Later that day, after school was over, Emma and Wyatt walk back to the dorms together. Wyatt leaves with his backpack still on, and Emma only noticed it long after he left. “Oh, Wyatt didn’t leave his backpack at home… I guess he forgot or something” she says to herself. She then takes her dress out and begins working on it, occasionally putting it on to make sure it fits her.

While Emma sat at home alone, Wyatt ran to Savvy Threads before he came to work. “Oh, hello again, Wyatt” Matilda says politely.

“Heya, Matilda” Wyatt says. “I’ve got a favor to ask. You’ve known Emma for a while and know what kind of clothes she like, right?”.

“Umm…” Matilda responds, confused about where this was going.

“I was hoping you could help me pick out something to wear” Wyatt says. “We’re going to the festival together and I was hoping you could… maybe help?”.

“Oh my, you’re going on a date!?” Matilda asks, suddenly excited. “Why didn’t you open with that? You had me worried for a second”.

“… worried about what?” Wyatt asks.

“Never mind” Matilda says, “now if you’re looking for something presentable, you could always try something formal”.

“But is it something she likes to see?” Wyatt asks.

“Look, child” Matilda says. “I’m sure Emma would be happy just seeing you be yourself”.

“W-Wait, hold on” Wyatt says. “It’s not a date, w-we’re just-“.

“Going out together and hoping for the best?” Matilda interrupts. “Yes, sonny, that is a date”. Wyatt thinks to himself, as Matilda continues, “Just try to find something you’re comfortable with wearing. The last thing you’ll want is to be uncomfortable for a day you try to be comfortable with each other. If you feel good, you do good. If you do good, then good things happen”.

“Uh…” Wyatt says as he thinks for a second, “doesn’t that saying usually start with ‘If you look good, you feel good’?”.

“Don’t sweat the details, sonny” Matilda says.

“I’m sweating the details” Wyatt says, “I’m am most definitely sweating the details like crazy”.

Matilda sighs and says “What am I going to do with you two? Why don’t you try something formal? We have blazer jackets for 700 centi. Lots of people send old and used clothes to this store, so I’m sure you can find something in your budget”.

“Thanks, Matilda” Wyatt says. As Wyatt looks around the store, Matilda says to herself “These two kids are definitely something. They remind me of when I was young…”.

After a while, Wyatt picks out some clothes, pays Matilda for them, and then stuff them in his backpack as he runs off to work. When Wyatt arrives, Amelia was already there. “You’re late” she says, “by about ten minutes. What’s with the backpack? Late day at school?”.

“No” Wyatt says, “not really”. Wyatt then opens up his backpack and explains “I was picking out something to wear to the festival”.

“Oh, so you ARE going?” Amelia asks. “You’re going with that girl, right?”.

“Yeah” Wyatt says.

“That’s so sweet” Amelia says, “you even picked out something nice to wear for her”.

“Yeah, well” Wyatt says, “I’m still nervous”.

“Well, good luck then” Amelia says. “I mean, good luck when you actually go… you still have a job to do”.

“Right…” Wyatt says.

“Oh, right” Amelia says, “your request was brought up. The request for Wednesday off. Jim approved it, so you can take Wednesday off for your date. He told me to pass it on before he left, since he doesn’t work the night shift”.

“Oh, thanks, Amelia” Wyatt says.

“Wasn’t my decision” Amelia says, “it was Jim. He is the General Manager, after all. But I’ll take all the thanks I can get”.

The night passes slowly for Wyatt and Emma. Eventually, Wyatt gets off of work and comes home. When Wyatt arrives, Emma keeps her dress hidden. The next day of school and work go by much like the last one. Jessica wanted to see Jackson’s half fox form, because she was curious how he looked. Jackson, however, did not care how much she pleaded. “The answer is no” Jackson would say, “and it will always be no”. Before they knew it, Tuesday began to pass, and Wednesday was coming. The opening day of The Autumn Festival. Wyatt and Emma found it hard to go to sleep for school the next day, for they knew that after school, they would have to find out how to compose themselves for the festival. As long as it took them, they eventually found sleep. Emma had finished her dress, and Wyatt had his suit that he bought from Savvy Threads. Both of them were physically prepared, but not mentally prepared.