One more "filler" chapter, sorry. I'm working on my 'story boards' as fast as I can.
Enjoy.
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Outside the bathroom, in front of what seemed to be the entire school. I kept my hand on Sheldon's shoulder, smiling awkwardly at my sister, who had surely seen Ryan and his friends come out of the bathroom a moment before.
Fortunately, with no show to witness. The rest of the collective of gossiping students, disappointed for not having seen whatever happened inside the bathroom, lost any interest almost immediately, quickly walking away a few seconds later. A couple even had the nerve to thank me with bright smiles, as if I were giving the school something to talk about on purpose.
Teddy, her friends, even Mandela and Kat, who appeared from the crowd, approached us.
Before anyone could say anything. "Excellent start to the year" Kat said with a wide smile.
Ignoring Kat. Teddy, who still seemed completely incredulous. "You did that to Dale?" she asked.
Dale, that must be idiot #2's name.
Smiling carefreely. "No, he tripped on his own" I replied, earning amused snorts from Kat, Mandela and Baja.
Visibly worried, checking our surroundings in an instant. "It's not funny, you're going to get in trouble with the teachers for fighting again" Teddy scolded me with a frown, making Kat and Mandela snort again.
Unable to contain herself, still mocking. "Yeah right!" Mandela exclaimed sarcastically, "PJ Duncan getting in trouble with the teachers" she added with exaggerated and obviously fake concern.
"Your brother could burn the whole school down and the Principal would probably erect a statue in his honor" Kat added to the joke.
Embarrassed by the way Kat and Mandela were portraying me in front of Teddy and her friends. "That's not true" I complained immediately, noticing how Sheldon, who was still beside me, looked at me with concern.
I'm not going to burn the school down!
"Yeah right!" this time Kat exclaimed.
Before I could keep defending myself, from the same hallway that led to our lockers, Georgie, followed by David, came running up to us.
"What happened?" Georgie asked looking at his brother.
At the same time. "What did I miss?" David asked eagerly.
Sighing, I shook my head disappointed.
The day continued completely normally, unfortunately, fully proving what Kat and Mandela had said about me. Aside from a meaningful look from Mrs. Ingram in first period upon seeing Sheldon still drying off, I didn't hear anything else about the morning incident, at least not from the teachers.
When lunchtime arrived, in the cafeteria. My friends and I sat at our usual table, and while we listened to David talk about his summer vacation, Teddy, Bianca and Baja approached.
"Hey" I greeted my sister and her friends, receiving only smiles from Bianca and Baja in response.
Teddy completely ignored me. "You were right" she said to Kat and Mandela.
Smiling at my sister. "I usually am" Mandela declared arrogantly.
Shaking her head amused. "About what?" Kat asked, playfully bumping Mandela with her shoulder.
Pointing at me, with disbelief on her face. "They love him" Teddy exclaimed with a frown, "every single one of them" she added, emphasizing each word.
It seemed, judging by how little she cared about drawing attention in the cafeteria, that the school day had made Teddy completely forget the nervousness she had in the morning.
Amused, crossing her arms. Kat leaned a bit, resting on the table. "Did they recognize your last name?" she asked.
Nodding. "Every time they took attendance it was like God had personally left a gift in the classroom when they read my name" Teddy said incredulously, "what did you do?" she asked, finally acknowledging I was there.
Shrugging carefreely. "I'm just that great" I replied with exaggerated arrogance.
Scoffing, Teddy rolled her eyes exasperated.
"Oh please, it's because you're a goody two-shoes" Kat said mockingly.
Denying offended. "I'm just respectful and do the classwork" I replied this time with the truth.
Though, my 'help' with Sheldon in class might also influence it a bit, but I wasn't going to say it openly.
Interrupting my thought. "And you make Sheldon not the only one who answers in class" Georgie commented, drawing my attention to the other side of the table.
Seeing Georgie smiling stupidly, I immediately noticed that both he and David, who shared the same expression, were staring in the direction of my sister and her friends. Surprised, and obviously annoyed, I kicked both of their shins in sync under the table.
Losing the stupid smiles from their faces. "Ah" they complained at the same time.
I knew, from all the time we had been neighbors, that Georgie had quickly gotten over his 'crush' on my sister, with David unfortunately I didn't have the same certainty, fortunately that didn't stop me from reminding him where the line he couldn't cross was, which also included Bianca and Baja.
Narrowing my eyes, I glared threateningly at my two friends who, obviously getting the message, swallowed nervously.
Not long after, Teddy and her friends said goodbye, walking away from the table toward the section of the cafeteria filled with new high school students.
Watching my sister walk away between the tables, I couldn't help but notice how, in the distance, at her 'private' table, Regina, for the first time in a long time, at least that I noticed, was paying attention to our table, Gretchen and Karen, like I had a second ago, were watching my sister walk away while chatting among themselves.
Locking eyes with Regina, she smiled 'sweetly' causing an unpleasant shiver to run down my spine, so avoiding showing any reaction, I returned my attention to the people at my table, continuing the conversation we had before my sister and her friends arrived.
Lunch continued normally, and with a couple of minutes before it ended, I said goodbye to my friends at my table to go to the library. I wanted to check on Sheldon and take the opportunity to say hi to Tam.
On my way out of the cafeteria I noticed that, aside from all the looks I was already used to following me, in the tables filled with freshmen the same cycle of looking at me, pointing at me in a poor attempt to do it discreetly and whispering was repeating among the younger students.
Keeping my face expressionless, I pretended not to notice how the gossip about me was spreading in real time. At the same time, while studying the new faces, already as a habit thanks to House, I paused for a second on a face among the sea of new teenagers.
Like a deer in headlights, Luke Palmero saw me smile at him.
Raising my face in greeting. "Hey Luke" I said from afar.
As if it were a magic spell, all the attention I was receiving from the students suddenly shifted to the teenager, who timidly raised his hand back and replied. "Hey" not loud enough for me to hear, but enough for his friends beside him to look at him even more surprised.
After his poor greeting back, Luke immediately avoided any eye contact, instantly engaging in a conversation with his tablemates. I had no doubt, from the way the others were asking him questions, that they were about me.
Amused at Luke's embarrassment, I left the cafeteria remembering the day his mother was discharged from the hospital, probably the same reason why the boy couldn't face me.
Upon entering the library, I sighed heavily when I came face to face with Miss Hutchins, the librarian.
"PJ!" she said excitedly from her desk.
Hoping my feelings didn't show on my face. "Miss Hutchins" I said with a stiff smile, "good summer vacation?" I added with no real intention of stopping to chat, moving forward discreetly.
Raising her eyebrows with a completely depressed smile. "Well..." the woman murmured, getting lost in her thoughts for a moment, "let's forget that, how was your vacation?" she asked back, returning to her normal smile, a smile that made me quite nervous, "and I told you it's Sheryl" she added before I could answer.
"Yeah" I murmured uncomfortably, "my vacation was... good" I replied while still slowly walking backward, "I have to..." I said pointing behind me with exaggerated pity.
Smiling with disappointment. "Oh yeah don't worry, do your thing" Miss Hutchins said.
Nodding, I turned on my heels and continued quickly.
Embarrassed by the way the conversation I didn't want to have had ended, but not at all regretful, I reached the end of the library where, as always, Tam and Sheldon shared a table and, for the second time, this time in record time, there was a third person, a girl.
With somewhat messy makeup, and her blonde hair styled in a disordered way, surely intentional, the teenager was the first to notice me. "PJ Duncan" she said meaningfully with a strong Texan accent and an almost predatory smile, while chewing gum.
For the second time since I had entered the library, smiling stiffly. "Hey... you" I replied uncomfortably.
I had no idea who she was.
Lifting his gaze from a blank sheet where he was writing something. "Oh PJ" Sheldon said happily.
Trying to ignore the girl's fixed stare beside him. "Hey Sheldon, everything good?" I asked with interest.
Seriously. "Let me check" my little friend replied, performing a series of checks on his body, from breathing deeply, to pressing his abdomen at different points, surely recalling some medical exam he had at some point in his life.
While Sheldon did that I noticed how Tam, who was sitting on Sheldon's other side, facing the girl, was completely lost staring at the, if we're being honest, attractive girl in front of him, at no point did he seem to notice my presence.
With satisfaction, Sheldon nodded. "Everything seems to be in order, no adverse effects yet" he declared relieved.
"Great" I said, still glancing at the girl who kept her eyes on me, "sorry, I don't know who you are" I added embarrassed, hoping that somehow it would stop the way she was looking at me.
Before anyone else could say anything. Surprised. "Oh, please excuse my rudeness" Sheldon said immediately, "this is Veronica Duncan, I don't know if there's any relation" he added tilting his head at me.
Raising my eyebrows. "Maybe we're cousins," I joked and immediately regretted it, because the girl's predatory smile deepened.
"Perhaps", Sheldon said thoughtfully, "well, she asked me to tutor her."
Keeping the smile on her face the entire time. "I need help with trigonometry" Veronica said after blowing a bubble with her gum.
Nodding surprised. "Great" I murmured.
"She's going to pay me two dollars for every one of our tutoring lessons" Sheldon said excitedly, "and speaking of that, here is the schedule and the topics we're going to cover with two classes per week" he added, handing the sheet he had been working on to the girl.
Taking the sheet carefully. "Thank you" Veronica said, standing up a moment later.
Nodding repeatedly, I noticed how Veronica walked with long and slow steps away from the table, in my direction, never losing eye contact with me while keeping her smile. "See you later, cousin" she whispered jokingly as she pass beside me.
Ignoring the uncomfortable shiver on my back. "Right" I said, scoffing.
I was almost completely sure there was no relation whatsoever, and without intending to sound arrogant, that she was trying to flirt with me.
A few seconds after Veronica left. Coming out of his trance. "Oh PJ, my friend, when did you arrive?" Tam asked surprised.
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Veronica Duncan is a character the show didn't take advantage of, and to be honest, I highly doubt I'll do anything different.
Aside from a couple of secondary things I have planned for the character, her arc in Young Sheldon is not extremely important, so she will remain a tertiary character who may or may not appear in future chapters.
I'm sorry if you expected something "different", but as you know at this point in the story PJ has a girlfriend.
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Author Thoughts:
As always, I'm not American, not a doctor, not a fighter, not Magnus Carlsen, not Michael Phelps, not Arsene Lupin, not McLovin, not Elliot, not Capone, not Tiger Woods and not Sam Fisher.
Another chapter has passed, so new thanks are in order. I would like to especially thank:
11332223
Victor_Venegas
RandomPasserby96
I think that's all. As always, if you find any errors, please let me know, and I'll correct them immediately.
Thank you for reading! :D
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