Just Some Guy (5/9)
Notes: Buckle up, folks. It's a big year for Matt!
AO3
–
Year 5
MATT
All my belief in love has been crushed.
I’ve only been back at Watford for my fifth year for a month or so, and then I hear that Agatha Wellbelove is officially dating Simon Snow. The majority of students of our year (and of other years) are all in mourning.
Leslie tells me and the other guys, apart from Ryan, obviously, to get over ourselves.
“Agatha Wellbelove isn’t some kind of property or prize at the end of the road!” she exclaims, “She’s her own person who can make her own choices and she chose Simon Snow!”
Leslie is right, of course. It’s all up to Agatha, and why would she have ever picked anyone else, me specifically? We’ve been in the same class for 5 years and whereas I do think she knows my name (a thought that flatters me immensely), I don’t think she really knows me. We had that Elocution project two years ago, but aside from that, we barely talked.
Still, I sulk and I am disappointed.
Well, I suppose Leslie is also right with her idea that I need to get over her. My year in America didn’t push away the feelings, but back then I still had unreasonable hope. That’s gone, now. That does mean my only (small) interest in Simon Snow’s whereabouts have vanished as snow before the sun.
Hooray?
--
Feelings don’t magickally disappear, especially when those feelings have been with you for 5 years.
The Humdrum attacked Watford again. It’s big news, since it’s a repeated attack. The Humdrum doesn’t do repeats, but I guess he (it?) must have a sweet spot for Paindeer. A big herd of Paindeer interrupted a lacrosse thing. A match? A competition? A friendly game somewhere? I don’t care. It was a lacrosse thing and that’s all that matters to me, because Agatha Wellbelove is on the team.
I don’t know if Agatha herself was there during the attack. I heard the Paindeer trapped some players against a fence, which caused a lot of fear and panic, and then Simon Snow saved the day. Even so, all lacrosse players are ruffled.
“Stop looking,” Leslie hisses.
But I can’t.
Because Agatha Wellbelove is right there on the Great Lawn. She’s being held by Simon Snow. They’re on the floor, she’s in his lap, he’s whispering things in her ear and rubbing her arm in a soothing manner. He’s probably comforting her.
Gosh, I almost wish I was the one saving the day, just so I could comfort her like that. I wish I could make Agatha feel safe.
But I am no Chosen One. I am just some guy. And maybe I shouldn’t want to trade with Simon Snow.
Leslie lets out a sigh.
Then the Mage walks up to Simon and Agatha. He barks some orders at Simon. Simon looks puzzled and says something back, tightening the grip around Agatha’s waist. But the Mage isn’t having any of it. Simon Snow, the Chosen One, is needed.
Simon kisses Agatha, gets up, and follows the Mage.
Agatha is left behind on her own. She stares after Simon for a while.
Maybe now’s my chance.
But then she walks away.
--
I’ve been keeping up with my birdwatch hobby. Who would’ve thought? Back when the Cordero family first asked me to join them on their birdwatch hikes, I was really dreading it, but here I am. The World of Mages has some magickal birds that I would love to see.
One of them only shows up at night, though. John told me about it and he insisted that I should look for it today. I didn’t know John was interested in birds as well, but he just said he loves chirping in any way.
John even helped me sneak out of our room. He’s staying behind to cover for me, just in case. This is kind of exhilarating. I am not a rule breaker, overall. It is definitely not encouraged to go into the forest at night, but it is kind of exciting.
After a few minutes, I finally see the bird that I have been looking for. It is a magickal cuckoo. These birds love to manipulate you, but if you can see through their attempts to fool or distract you, you will be rewarded with the option to ask them to tell you your fortune.
I want to know if I ever get a girlfriend.
It doesn’t even have to be Agatha Wellbelove at this point, but Crowley, please, let me get a girlfriend!
It’s very important information.
(Don’t judge me. I’m fifteen and heartbroken and desperate!)
I take out my magickal binoculars. They’re spelled for wonderful night vision and it makes it more easy to zoom in. Mr. Cordero clearly put a lot of effort into it. It pays off, because I am a bit out of sight. I don’t want to get too close, because I don’t want to scare the bird off.
These binoculars also help seeing through the manipulation of the bird. The bird watches me and slowly starts to shimmer.
I did it!
The magickal cuckoo lets out a cry and I know it is my time to wish.
“Dear cuckoo, will I get a nice girlfriend?” I ask.
The cuckoo shimmers a bit more, which means it’s reading my fortune.
I am so entranced by the sight of this bird that I barely notice the bickering in the distance. I mean, it’s annoying, for sure, but the bird is fine with it.
I do definitely notice the fucking explosion, though. I feel the heat of the Chosen One’s magic before it actually hits me, so in panic I throw myself on the floor in the hopes of this magickal wave going over me.
It works. Sort of.
I wait for the magic to be gone. I can hear the Chosen One and that annoying Pitch Heir yell at each other about a Chimera, or something, so I see that as a sign that whatever they fought is gone. I slowly sit up and reach for the binoculars.
This evening did not go the way I planned, but the Chosen One’s bullshit won’t stop me from enjoying my bird.
But once I look through my binoculars, all I see are the charred remains of the bird I’ve adored so much.
The magickal cuckoo didn’t even give me an answer about the future!
At moments like this, I wish the Humdrum could just kill me.
--
I completely miss the drama till dinner.
John and I were building a model train set in our room, so we completely missed the upheaval. I see that Sam has tried to call us some times, but we both had turned off our phones. But when John and I set foot into the dining hall, our friends are basically ready to jump on us with the latest news.
Phillipa Stainton lost her voice.
I try not to care too much about all the shit that happens at Watford, otherwise I’d go mad, but this has rattled the entire student body to the bone. No one’s ever heard of a mage magickally losing their voice.
“What happened?” I ask my friends.
“No one knows,” Leslie answers.
“She went to see Simon, and suddenly her voice started squeaking and it just disappeared,” Scott says. He was there when it happened. He was walking around the Great Lawn with Ryan, who wanted to peek at Simon Snow.
(And people tell us to get over Agatha Wellbelove, now that she’s taken. Ryan should get over Simon Snow, since he’s taken too!)
“So, it was Simon Snow?” Luis asks, baffled.
Ryan shakes his head.
“I don’t think so, and I’m not just saying this because I fancy him.”
He adds the last part hurriedly.
“I’ve heard that Simon Snow blames Baz Pitch,” Arnold says.
“Of course he does,” Sam says and we all sigh, apart from John.
Of course he does. No offense to Simon, but he blames the Pitch Heir for everything. It’s kind of hard to take him seriously.
Leslie frowns.
“The world is changing right before our eyes,” she says.
It’s weird. I don’t want things to change. I am just some guy. I want to live my life in peace. Man, I really, really wish I were living in uninteresting times.
--
I fucking hate Political Science. I just don’t care a lot about politics. That’s probably why I don’t really give a shit about whatever Simon Snow and Baz Pitch have got going on.
Luis tells me that I’m privileged enough to not care about politics, and I suppose he’s right. I am the most basic person ever. But come on, can’t I have this?
And besides, there are people more privileged than I am! Baz Pitch is rich, and he’s the one currently calling for revolt.
We had to write an assignment about how the Mage got to power and of course Baz Pitch sees that as a perfect opportunity to spread the Old Families’ agenda.
Simon and Baz are having a full-blown discussion right in front of us. The teacher isn’t even intervening, because this is probably the most interesting thing that’s ever happened in this class, but come on. This is just so fucking annoying.
And yes, I know these guys probably have some points and what not. I sometimes still remember that time John and I saw Simon coming home from a mission during our second year. Something like that isn’t easy to forget, so yes, I try to listen and be sympathetic, but at this rate everyone’s tired of whatever rivalry is happening.
Let me write my essay in peace!
--
John and I walk up to our tower. We’re busy discussing our next chess moves when John promptly pushes me against the wall of the stairwell. He’s right on time, because the moment the two of us are safe against the wall, Simon fucking Snow tumbles down the stairs.
We watch him tumble down in silence. We’re a bit shocked, I think. We don’t go after him to help, since we’re frozen. I mean, to be fair to us, we didn’t expect the potential Saviour of the World of Mages to just fall down the stairs. We hear him land at the bottom of the staircase with a thud.
That snaps us out of it. John and I exchange a worried look. Then John looks up to something behind me. I also turn around and I see Baz Pitch of all people at the top of the stairs. His eyes are wide and his mouth is agape. I think he’s shocked as well. When he sees us staring, he looks away.
Then he rushes off.
John is the first to react. I’m still standing there like an absolute idiot, but John’s already gone down.
“Hey, you alright?” I hear him, so I also descent the staircase.
Simon Snow’s sitting on the ground and he looks dumbfounded, as if he’s trying to comprehend what just happened? Did that Pitch Heir push him down the stairs? John’s trying to help him up.
“Do we need to take you to Miss Christy?” I ask.
“’m fine,” Simon mumbles and he pushes John away. I realise that this is the first time John and I have ever spoken to him.
“You’re not fine,” John says.
“I said I am fine,” Simon bites out, loudly. Both John and I are shocked by this change of tone.
John and I don’t know what to do. We take a step back and watch how Simon gets up. He doesn’t struggle, but I don’t know if he’s trying to look tough for us, which is ridiculous. He doesn’t need to impress us.
“Penny is near the Wavering Woods,” John suddenly says.
Simon narrows his eyes for a second, but John doesn’t add more. He also doesn’t explain why he knows this, and Simon doesn’t know that John just… knows things.
“Alright, thanks,” he eventually says and walks away without a word.
What an ass, I think, before I remind myself that this guy just fell down the fucking stairs.
I watch him walk away and I am suddenly reminded of that moment in our second year.
“Come on,” John says after a beat of silence, “We need to get our chess board.”
--
The rumour mill at Watford is up and running, because Baz Pitch has proudly proclaimed that he’s pushed his nemesis down the stairs. A lot of kids from the Old Families look up to him with admiration.
During dinner, Leslie complains about how the Old Families glorify unnecessary violence. Sam and Arnold also think Baz Pitch is a piece of shit for this. Even Luis, who admires Baz for his football talent, isn’t happy. Ryan, who still has a little crush on Simon, keeps craning his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of Simon, to see how he’s doing. Scott tells him to not be so obvious.
I do too. I see Simon. There’s a bruise on his temple and Agatha Wellbelove is holding an ice pack against it. He has an arm around her waist. She’s speaking to him and Simon nods every now and then, but he cannot stop staring at Baz.
The sight Simon and Agatha together like that would usually pain me, but now, I am just worried.
I also watch Baz from our table. He really does look full of himself and he jeers about how fragile the Chosen One is.
“Can you believe the Mage thinks this guy of all people can save us?” he says, full of unabashed glee, and his minions cackle.
But I remember the look of absolute shock on his face. I remember how he rushed away from us.
John doesn’t say anything during dinner.
--
We’re having an end of year picnic. Not an official Watford one, but an unofficial Watford Chess Club one. Man, this year is almost over and I honestly cannot wait for it to end. So much has happened.
“John, is it me, or was this year busier than usual?” I bemoan.
“Well, this definitely is the longest chapter,” he says back. “I did warn you at the end of the last one.”
“What?” Leslie says.
“The following chapters are also longer than the first four, but this one does take the cake,” John adds and we all collectively let it slide.
“For real, though,” Sam lies down, “Especially with all that Simon and Baz crap.”
Ryan lets out a sigh.
“Like, we always knew that they were off doing their own thing, you know?” he says, “But it’s almost as if this year, it’s been more obvious. I heard that Simon follows Baz non-stop these days, even in the evenings and nights.”
Of course Ryan knows about Simon Snow’s whereabouts.
“Merlin, is Simon Snow a stalker?” Arnold says, aghast.
“At least he still saves the school on a regular basis. Really, a lot of stuff happened,” Scott says.
I frown at that. I did get caught up in the weird shit with the Chimera at the beginning of the year. And yes, John and I witnessed Baz pushing Simon down the stairs. And of course, Simon and Baz disrupt class a lot with their bickering. But I can’t say I was caught up in any more stuff. Maybe my friends witnessed stuff I am unaware of? I regularly hear stories about Simon Snow saving the day. That’s an usual occurrence.
“Should we be worried?” Arnold asks.
“What for?” I ask.
“Civil war, Matt,” he answers, as if it’s obvious.
“There’s been unrest ever since the Watford Tragedy,” I say, “No way now’s the time it’s all going to escalate.”
I hope I am right. I just want to live my life in peace and quiet. Let me do my own uninteresting thing. We have the Simon Snows to fight our battles for us.
--
End notes: Also a huge thank to Jess @you-remind-me-of-the-babe for coming up with the magickal cuckoo, and thanks Dre @cutestkilla for giving me the idea of Simon, uh, killing the bird in the Chimera blast.
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