Ardent Cure: Lennox and Mielo

 

Chapter 6 -

 

1

                The weekend passed without much excitement, as usual. Allan had invited the German to a sleepover, but his father feared the worst with Mielo’s ‘condition’ and refused to let his son go. So the boy was stuck at home, cleaning, cooking, and attempting to keep his father satisfied at all times, though none of that was working. He found himself missing school dearly, missing Lennox even. He enjoyed their long lunch conversation on Kafka, and they ventured into even more books and other authors they both liked. It seemed in the world of literature, the student and teacher had a lot more in common than both had expected.

The fifteen year old blonde was overjoyed when Monday came along, he even turned up at school an hour early. He didn’t forget to make his fathers’ breakfast, despite the difficulties his broken arm gave him. He only hoped his old man wouldn’t miss the note that said his meal was left on a plate in the microwave.

Mielo looked up at the bright blue sky, feeling happy for once. He genuinely felt like nothing could go wrong for him today. He sighed and looked forward again, wondering what he and Allan would do during lunch today. Maybe he’d even sign up for soccer, finally?

The youth looked both ways as he found the end of a sidewalk and the beginning of the street, he knew that if the locals along his route paid attention to Mielo’s routine, they wouldn’t recognize him. What was it about a simple change of mood that changed the way a person looked so drastically?

Maybe it was because he was starting to feel less scared of Lennox, the crazy man that cared a little too much. He still didn’t know what his deal was, but ... Mielo was beginning to admit to himself, it wasn’t that bad. The guy was probably just trying to be a friend, though it was a bit of an unorthodox situation. He liked having serious conversations instead of watching the guy act like a buffoon in a cage of fire.

                Class rolled by with almost no attention being drawn towards the exchange student, much to his pleasure. He couldn’t avoid Lennox keeping him after class again though, but he didn’t mind as long as they had another literature based conversation. Before this happened, however, Mielo found himself being presented with a quaint looking paper bag swollen with its contents.

                “Vhat ist das?” The blond asked, cocking an eyebrow at the package in front of him.

                “A hand prepared lunch!” Lennox declared proudly, seeming like a military general of old with the way he stood and placed his hands upon his own hips.

                “Did your Mutter make zis for you?” Mielo scoffed, not sure what to make of this.

                “No,” Lennox frowned, making an only partially serious expression, “I made it.” He pushed it a bit closer to Mielo to drive the message home, “an intellectual needs brain food.”

                “If I vanted ein lunch I vould haf made it meinself,” Mielo snarked, sticking his nose up to the teacher. “Danke, but … I don’t need it.” Besides, Allan would get him lunch ….

                “Well, you certainly seemed to appreciate that sub I got you last week,” Lennox shrugged his shoulders mockingly, “despite the presence of verbal gratitude. Also, note that I don’t care nor do I approve of your decision not to make lunch. I will not have you relying on a creature of lesser depth for sustenance. Here, eat with me!”

                “Ugh, stop insulting Allan, zer is nussing vong vis him!” Mielo defended, then took a seat after Lennox made no indication of consideration for what the boy just said. “He has ze sird highest grade in your class, und he--” the kid stopped, realizing that no matter what he said, it would all be for naught. He stopped his futile whining and sat down, knowing that the only way to deal with Lennox was to listen to him. “Fine, I vill eat it-- but it better taste gut.”

                “Milo … let me tell you,” the teacher began his conversational tone, “if I was a family man, my offspring would not be picky because of how exceptional my cooking is for a novice chef!”

                “You flatter yourself, Herr.” Mielo raised his eyebrows in a very unimpressed look.

                “Anyway, I shan’t keep you for too long today,” the teacher admitted for the first time, “I’m rather busy. If anyone asks … just tell them you finally got a cook to go with your maid, I can’t have the world knowing I’m a kitchen nerd, now can we?”

                “Nein, ve certainly cannot afford zat,” the boy sighed, sounding slightly more amused than he did before. He took out a sandwich from the bag, the bread fluffy with freshness, and the insides filled with greens, cheese, and some kind of sauce that the exchange student didn’t recognize. It smelled amazing though, and he wanted to wait until Lennox wasn’t looking so he could take a bite. Unfortunately, Lennox refused to take his eyes off him, and Mielo took a rather small, pathetic, but cautious bite. It tasted even better than he thought, but he didn’t want to gobble it up like a messy pig, so he swallowed and gave the maker of the sandwich a nod of approval.

                Lennox smiled genuinely, seeming content that he’d made a worthy meal, but spoiled the nice moment all too easily.

“So,” he chirped with too much enthusiasm, “who do you like?”

“Huh?” Mielo choked, almost literally on his next bite of sandwich. He must have misheard the man, Lennox wasn’t the type to be interested in his students’ love interest.

“Oh, must I rephrase?” Lennox sighed dramatically, “who do you fancy? Who are you keen to? To whom are you attracted? I know there is somebody.” He cocked an eyebrow and smirked, not making any effort to hide how nosey he intended to be.

“Uh …,” Mielo could only blink at his teacher, then he placed his sandwich down slowly and looked at the direction of the door. “Maybe I should go...,” it was strange. A teacher should never be interested in something like that.

“Geze, Milo,” Lennox cast a crooked grin at the boy, “every girl I know doesn’t even have to be asked, they bring it up themselves.”

“Even if I told you, it vouldn’t matter. I simply do not vish to pursue it,” Mielo mumbled, embarrassed beyond belief. He owed Lennox, despite how much he tried so desperately not to get into that situation. It was just that … he never had a crush on anyone until now, and so he certainly never had a conversation about who he fancied before. “Like I said before, I lack die zeit, the time...,” he was looking down, ashamed, at his knees. He could barely believe that he and an English teacher were having such a tasteless, unbecoming conversation. Why did Lennox want to know-- why did he care? In books or movies, only people who cared this much were the ones that had some kind of fondness or affection for the person they so persistently displayed an interest in. Personal interest was what Mielo felt Lennox had in him … Oh god.

                “Nein-- I haf to go,” Mielo was losing his composure, and suddenly feeling sick. He didn’t feel disturbed, but he did feel incredibly nauseous, as though the gravity in his stomach turned off.

Lennox only rolled his eyes, “fine then, be gone!” He made a gesture to dismiss the boy and went back to his work.

2

                He’d let himself slip, it was a nearly unforgivable lapse in judgement, how could he let this happen? Lennox closed his door, locked it, pulled the blinds down on his windows so that he may ruminate in darkness for a few moments. He needed to stop caring so much, why should he be jealous? It wasn’t like Mielo’s interests were of any consequence to him so long as he won a chance at the boy’s intimacy in the end. Allan was no rival to him, he was just spoiled rich kid that did well in his class.

                Lennox was more angry at himself than he was jealous of Allan a moment before, and his body began to shift in his moment of discomposure. His green eyes burned brightly behind his grey contacts, claws sprouted from his fingertips, and he’d cut his tongue rather deeply on his extending canines.

                “Fuck--” he hissed as pain filled his mouth with that irony flavour. He clamped his mouth shut tightly, hoping that it wouldn’t be noticeable when he went out again. The man noticed that he was sweating, something that didn’t happen all that often anymore, and he unbuttoned the top of his shirt furiously, pulling out the ring that dangle from its chain to get some air. Lennox looked at it, asking with his eyes what he was supposed to do. The ring held the answers, didn’t it? No, he couldn’t consult it, not about this, it went against everything he knew and loved. Even he had lines in his life that were not to be crossed. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, felt that he was alright to go outside now, but checked in a mirror inside a closet just to check that he was fully concealed first.

                “A nice ass and a pretty face,” he mouthed to himself as he walked, “that’s it.” The man was smiling again as he reached the cafeteria, feeling secure in his mind again. There was a certain equilibrium that he’d achieved between all aspects of his psychology, he would survive as long as he kept it in check, this was only a small stumble it took. It happened sometimes.

                He decided to stand where he usually did if he had lunch duty, which he only had during sixth period this quarter, and blended right in as he spotted Mielo. The boy was sitting with Allan and a few of his friends, nothing out of the ordinary. They were talking amongst themselves, Lennox could hear them perfectly even through the layers of kiddish hubbub between them.

                “Do you want to come with us?” Allan asked cheerfully, “you’ll probably have Mr. Zuno next year if you take AP Bio, he’s super nice!”

                “Nien Danke,” Mielo sighed, “sank you for ze offer but … I just vant to sit here, I don’t feel very vell ….”

                “Aww, really? I can stay with you if you like--”

                “Nein! Just … I’m fine, I sink I just vant to relax some here. Don’t let me keep you.”

                “Alriiight, if that’s what you want.” Allan smiled, patted Mielo on the shoulder, and then beckoned to his friends to follow him. Mielo now sat alone and nibbled at his lunch, looking somewhat guilty.

                Lennox smiled, happy that the boy was content with the lunch given to him. He stood there and observed for a few more moment, and decided to leave, but stopped his departure at the last minute as he heard something he didn’t quite like.

                “Hey German kid!” It was the gruff voice of a junior that Lennox knew. Thankfully, he’d never had the clown in any of his classes, but it didn’t spare him the displeasure of knowing him. He was an idiot, didn’t study or work a day in his life, and he was passing all of his classes by cheating, Lennox was fairly certain of this due to his tendency of hearing things. His name was Matt Loprimo, and he was never good news.

                “Ja?” Mielo looked up distantly. He had been in deep thought before he was called out, it seemed.

                It wasn’t just Matt, however, it was his entire posse, and they surrounded the boy as if they had been waiting for him for weeks to be left alone. Their leader was tall, dark hairs, and had distinctive Italian traits, he bent down to get a better look at the blond.

                “So, are all Nazi’s as fruity as you?” He taunted, getting a laugh out of his friends.

                Mielo snickered, “some, more or less,” the boy responded, finally taking a look at the group. “But zey vould haf killed you, fucking jew.”

                “I fucking told you!” One of Matt’s friends shoved another, and then shoved Mielo harshly in the shoulder.

                “You shouldn’t be here, you shouldn’t exist, you know what Americans do to Nazis?” Matt grunted darkly, yanking at the collar of Mielo’s shirt.

                Lennox motioned to intervene, regardless of who he favoured, he never justified this sort of conduct. He’d only taken two steps towards the unraveling incident when Allan came into his view.

                “Hey, HEY!” the student jumped between the exchange kid and the group of bullies, his back facing Mielo. “Uncool, guys,” he huffed, lowering his brows at them. He seemed to be ready to take things outside if the assholes persisted.

                “Well fuck you too! Fucking fag.” Matt gave Allan a sharp nudge, but Lennox had reached them by now.

                “Matt Loprimo,” he crossed his arms and stared down at the entire group, “do I need to call security on you?”

                “No sir,” the kid snapped, not giving a care for the authority that challenged him, “this Nazi kid is going to kill--”

“Don’t, I heard everything.” Lennox retaliated, stern wrathful discipline spread over his face. Despite his previous outburst in 214, he still felt pangs of the green fire in his heart. He couldn’t be the hero, not today, Allan stole that privilege from him, but the man could still only be angry at himself. He let Mielo go today when he should have kept him like he usually did.

“Normally I’d leave you off with a warning for a first offence, but the school’s policies have tightened since last year,” he explained in reference to an outbreak of  bullying that occurred county wide in the 2008/2009 school year, “I’m making a report of this, you all will follow me to the dean and she will decide what to do with you.”

“But--” Loprimo protested along with his friends.

“I’ll write you up for insubordination too if I hear one more word!” His face was sinister, and he quieted the group. He indeed heard not even a stubborn syllable out of the group as he lead them away. His eyes met Mielo’s and Allan’s for a very brief moment as he lead the kids away.

3

                Both Mielo and Allan watched as Lennox lead the group away. Allan turned to Mielo and smiled with relief imprinted on his visage.

“Are you okay?” he asked Mielo, who in turn nodded once, then sat down to pay more attention to his sandwich that his stomach beckoned for. “Are you sure? Good thing Lennox was there to take care of that.”

“Ja,” Mielo felt another wave of nausea form in his gut. Lennox did care too much, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t like it, though he would never be able to admit it to himself. The boy gulped his sandwich loudly before he took the last bite.  

                “So, you made your own lunch today?” Allan asked as he flicked the paper bag.

Mielo contemplated telling the boy the truth, but he didn’t want to make the one friend he really enjoyed hanging around to be creeped out. He nodded his head and took the bag, almost protectively, and looked to see what else was in there. A red apple, some chopped vegetables ... some slices of expensive cheese. This was more than anything his own father ever did for him.... Mielo could feel his face grow warm and his hands become balmy, and he looked away from Allan shamefully. Maybe Lennox just felt bad for the boy and truly cared—maybe there wasn’t some weird sick intention behind all this. How could Mielo jump to such horrible conclusions about such a good guy? He was an English teacher, not some crazed pedophile.

“Hey, Mimi,” Allen cooed as he pulled the young German close to him. Mielo looked up at Allan’s brown eyes guiltily, causing the taller boy to chuckle. “Awe man, those bullies really did get to ya, didn’t they? I knew you were just a little softy under that tough-guy act I saw.”

Suddenly, it was Allan that seemed to be the annoying one. He even felt a twitch of irate tension pinch him when the kid called him Mimi.

“Don’t vorry, I’m fine, I svear,” Mielo looked back down at his lunchbag and was about to take the apple out of it when Allan grabbed it and pulled it away.

“How about we go somewhere?” Allan asked, tugging on Mielo’s arm. “Somewhere ... more alone?”

“Okay,” the German complied easily enough, not in the mood to argue one bit. Not that he and Allan ever argued before ..., but he didn’t really want to leave. He also didn’t want to annoy the only friend he had in school.

“Great! Let’s go!”

4

                Lennox strode back up the hallway, looking rather business like. He was tall, his posture was good, and his mood was blank. Work was the only thing he’d permit to consume him for the time being, for something odd was happening to him and he needed to let the affected part of his brain rest. Unfortunately, he could not be afforded that rest just yet.

                “Mr. Lennox!” An almost shrill young voice called after him just as he was about to start up the stair well closest to his classroom. The instructor spun around at the familiar voice, hoping that he’d misheard however. Before him stood a girl of average constitutions, she was about five foot five, had shaggy shoulder length brown hair, and keen eyes that had the same unnatural look as Lennox’s. She was a tomboy of sorts, and never made her femininity starkly apparent to anyone.

                “Shayla Gomez,” Lennox crossed his arms as he rolled his eyes, “of all days you choose to vex me, you choose today.” He didn’t need this, Shayla was a good kid, but she was an absolute pest at times, and those times were always given away by the tone of her greeting.

                “You’re a fucking, sicko!” She whispered, being respectful to the man she taunted, knowing that he could hear her as if she was talking normally.

                “I thought we already established that,” Lennox sighed with great exasperation. Shayla, like Lennox, was a Dardexian. The man had sensed her when she came into school seeming different, and approached her with the intent to help. He’d figured out how to live efficiently among humans all on his own through a very risky summer of trial and error, and he intended to share his knowledge with any vulnerable child unfortunate enough to have been bitten. Shay was the first in the school to be turned, and she was followed quickly by two other students, both of which Lennox took under his wing. It was his greatest service to the world, helping out these kids, he’d even gone to their parents and made himself known to them. The man was a saint in their eyes, which almost made him feel guilty, the thought of having slept with many other kids of the same age always lingered in the back of his mind.

                One day, Shay happened to follow him after school on a Friday, curious about how her mentor spent his time. It was unfortunate that she was quite stealthy and that Lennox hadn’t sensed her, so she’d inadvertently stalked him executing an act of his deepest darkest secret. The girl had held it against him ever since, not saying a word to even her closest companions about it, but also dangling the prospect of letting it out over Lennox’s head. She got some favours out of him in this way, sometimes she didn’t because Lennox was able to frighten her despite the power she held over him.

                “No, I’m serious this time!” She frowned, placing her hands on her hips.

                “As if you weren’t serious last time.” Lennox hummed, a sly smirk forming on his mug.

                “That’s not what I meant!” Shay raised a fist but not her voice, “I saw you around that German kid!”

“Yeah, and?” Lennox didn’t show it, but he knew exactly what Shayla was on about, even though she had not rightful basis to scold him on, he hadn’t done anything wrong … yet.

“I know what you’re planning!” She accused simply, “don’t even think it isn’t obvious!”

“It only is to you because you know something nobody else knows, and you follow me everywhere,” the English teacher had expected it all, but also expected Shay to persist despite what he said to her. Why did he even try?

“Well …,” the girl began as a slight loss for words, she wasn’t as articulate as Lennox or any of his honour students. She had merits outside of the spoken and written word, academia wasn’t her home. Shay was the sort that prided herself in street smarts, being a child of poverty for most of her life. She lived with her single mother all her life and was forced to fend for herself, she detested school but did her best to graduate to fulfill her mom’s wishes. “It’s still sick! Plus you told me you didn’t do that stuff to kids in this school!”

“Shay, this is really none of your business, don’t be like Dunne. That old man is already on my case, he just doesn’t know what he’s sniffing out yet.” Lennox explained, trying to remain calm about it.

“I’m not going to let you mess up a kid! It’s one thing when you do your thing and never see them again, but it’s another to like … be their teacher.” The girl protested, having a point even though Lennox would have none of it.

“Haha! Alright, you want to try? Go ahead, what’s your plan?” He was honestly entertained by the notion of a do-gooder Shay. She knew nothing about Mielo or Lennox besides the secret she knew and the most obvious aspects of him.

“I’m going to talk to him!”

“You won’t tell him anything.”

“I know!” Shay stomped her foot in great agitation. Lennox had made her swear not to give away his secret, or even hint at it, by giving her the scare of her life time after she’d first confronted him. “But I’ll make friends with him, and I’ll make sure he doesn’t get into anything he’ll regret! He … I know that it was his dad that broke his arm. A lot of people do, we know he’s troubled, and I know that you’re gonna take advantage of that!”

“Alright,” Lennox was unphased, “you try, and please do tell me how it goes. I’d love to hear how you and Mielo hit it off.”

“Are you being sarcastic?” Shay asked, narrowing her eyes at the man.

“Not in least,” the man laughed, raising his voice back to a normal speaking level, signaling that he was done with this conversation. He patted Shay on the back, happy to not have to check the force he used for once in this friendly gesture, for Shay possessed the same unnatural capabilities he did. “Go back to lunch and do your homework!”

“Don’t!” Shay shirked away from the pat as if Lennox was diseased.

“Could I interest you in a field trip?” The man changed the topic to a whim he’d just had, “I was thinking of taking you and the group down to D.C. sometime next month, I feel like you would benefit from a road trip and fine art.”

“This isn’t a bribe, is it?” Shay ask suspiciously despite a slight brightening of her face with excitement.

“Of course not!” Lennox almost seemed offended, but it was all for show, “you know I genuinely enjoy taking you kids on trips!”

“I’ll tell my mom about it then!”

“I’ll get back to you with a date as soon as I can then.” Lennox concluded and the two finally went their separate ways. The man grinned to himself, pleased with the idea he’d just gotten. It was the first time he’d seen Shayla this year, as the first weeks of September were always too tumultuous and busy for any meetings with the tree. It was time to start the yearly activities, which he always designed to be Dardexian friendly and enriching beyond what the actual school field trips were. It would only work to serve Lennox’s plan to entice Mielo.