How Green Becomes Wood

"My mom hates it which makes me like it even more." Sloan grinned, "I'm about to turn 18, though, so I'm almost free. I might as well get a tattoo, but if she did that everyone in my family would freak."

"If I learned I was at risk of being valedictorian, I'd purposely fail my classes. I would flee the country before I gave a speech. Thankfully, my GPA is totally destroyed, and I'm not in danger of that." Milo remarked, "It's cool we have history together. We can see if the new teacher is better at it than your dad."
 
"Nice," Rumy grinned. "Just get it where the fam won't find out." She glanced around and leaned closer to Sloan. "I got one last year. It's on my hip. The guy I got it from didn't realize I was underage, and I didn't correct him. Probably a bad idea, but it came out okay, and I love it!"

"Not a chance," Xander snorted, handing Milo his schedule back. "Well, if your GPA is too shot for that, then I guess you're in no danger if you show me up in all our classes."
 
"The problem is, I'm a gymnast, so that can be pretty hard to find," Sloan mentioned, trying to think of somewhere that wasn't likely to show up in a leotard or in a picture at the gym when she practiced in a sports bra and shorts, "No way you already have a tattoo. What is it?"

"You're biased," Milo accused as he folded up his schedule and put it away again, "Would I be in danger if I showed you up with a unscrewed GPA?",
 
"It's the zodiac symbol for the ox," Rumy confided. "So, you know, pretty simple lines, but I love it! It's 'cause I love cows, not 'cause I'm an ox. I can't remember what symbol I am, but I wasn't sure what it'd be like to get a tattoo, so I went with something small instead of a whole-ass cow. Speaking of, I guess that's where you could put your tat. On you... cheek." She winked at Sloan and giggled.

"It's not hard to show me up, but at least this way, with a screwed-up GPA, you don't have to worry about making speeches," Xander pointed out.

"Milo! Hi!" Alec cheered, jogging over. He spread his arms wide, offering a hug, but didn't actually go in for one in case Milo (probably) rejected it. "We're all first-day-of-school together!"

"It's still the same school as last year, and the year before that," Xander frowned at him. "Not that special."
 
"A whole-ass cow is better than a whole ass-cow. But I'm not sure if I'd get one there. Seems like kind of a waste, I'd never get to see it, but it would be a fun surprise for others." Sloan replied, walking with her hands in her pockets, "My mom would freak regardless, because apparently botox is kosher but tattoos and piercings, except piercings in your earlobes, are horrendous. But the rest of my family would faint at the thought of me being excluded from the cemetery, but I guess that's not actually true, they just have the mortician slice them off."

"Oh, uh, hey," Milo mumbled, not going in for the hug although he wondered if he should have to be polite, "and, yep. I've heard, uh, rumored, I thought it was legend, but apparently, most students share a first day. I thought it was a myth, but--- here we are, I guess."
 
"Wow, that's pretty twisted," Rumy said, walking with her. "I mean, I guess everyone has their dos and don'ts, but to full-on block you out after death or say ones different than the exact other thing? Ugh. But, hey! If you do get one anywhere at all, it's like it'd ever be any of their damn business. You're only the second person I don't about my ox, but that's mostly because I don't think it's anyone's business except mine unless I want to show it off. You should totally get one. Something awesome and meaningful, and if it shows and you don't want it to, make-up!"

Alec laughed and dropped his arms, not at all offended. "It's proof positive! One for the books! Do you share any classes with us? We share all of our classes for the first itme! It's awesome."

"Yep, he does," Xander said to hopefully spare Milo and told Alec which ones the three of them shared.
 
"Yeah, it's pretty weird. I'm just glad our family isn't more orthodox than it is. My mom's only homophobic in the 'no child of mine' way and not the 'you shouldn't get married' way. But everything is about appearances to her. If my dad was having an affair, she'd be more mad about the possibility of it getting out and embarrassing her than the betrayal, I bet. I'd like a tattoo, really, I'm just not sure what." She glanced behind her, "You know Mr. Dark, the old history teacher here? All the rumors about his tattoos are true, I live across the street from him, I've seen him jogging in a tank top."

"I bet it'll be great sharing classes in case one of you gets sick, it'll be really easy to collect the homework." Milo commented, putting his hands in his pockets, "I wish summer vacation was longer. I've been to some schools where it doesn't start until September, and some where the first day is the first week of August."
 
"Well, if you get one and you don't like it, you can always cover it up with a different one later, but I don't blame you for wanting to try to figure out a good one first," Rumy smiled. She stopped dead when Sloan told her about Dark and her eyes went wide. "Really? No way!" She realized she was being too loud and lowered her voice while walking faster again. "Like seriously top to bottom tats? Are they any good?"

"Why would you start during a month when a bunch of places are still doing like fairs and 4-H and stuff?" Alec asked, making a face. "Later starts are way better!"

"Maybe we get more breaks or something," Xander shrugged.
 
She couldn't help but giggle at Rumy's wide eyes and shock, "Yeah dude! All up his arms and across his collarbones. His torso, too, I caught a glimpse one. Obviously I don't know how all encompassing they are, but he's absolutely covered. I kept that secret while I worked here, because he clearly didn't want us to know---they're even on the backs of his hands!-- but now that he's not here it doesn't seem that important to stay hushed about. They're really good."

"I dunno. But early starts means you end early, so it worked out one year where I started the year in one school that begins in September and ended in mid-may. I had almost no school that year." Milo replied, despite knowing how damaging to his education that year must have been.
 
"Oh, man, that's so epic!" Rumy laughed, bouncing on her heels. "Seriously, so many people are going to be so jealous that you got to see them. I won't tell, but that's so cool!"

"Ouch," Alec winced.

"Must have been a nice break," Xander said, taking the positive side. "Less stuff to deal with."
 
"Most people aren't going to get to know I've seen them. But they're really cool, exactly what you'd expect of him. I bet he knows more about tattoos than anyone." Sloan replied, grinning. It was always weird to just talk about a teacher, but every student loved teacher gossip, especially the kind that felt like legend.

"I got to see a lot, and that was pretty cool. I really didn't mind it," Milo assured them.
 
"Wow! Maybe you should ask him what tat and where!" Rumy paused with a frown. "Now that I say it out loud, that's a terrible idea. Don't do that. Strike from the record!"

"You're like that one song. I've been everywhere, man! I've been everywhere," Alec trailed off as he forgot the rest of the song. "Oh! There's Tom. I gotta say hi!"

"Is this what old folk complain about when they talk about kids having too much energy?" Xander grumbled as Alec dashed off.
 
Sloan sat for a few moments wondering how he would react to it, if he did ask, "Asking about placements would be weird. He might be chill if I ask about like... styles and things. I don't know. Or I can have Alec and Xander ask for me."

"I guess so. I don't remember ever having that much energy. I feel like I was born fifty." Milo replied as he watched Alec bounce away, but as he said the words, he realized it wasn't quite true. He could, distantly, remember being a happy, energetic kid, many, many years ago.
 
"That works, too," Rumy agreed with a grin. "I'd like to get a couple more tattoos, and I'm thinking of getting an earring cuff. I want a bar, but Mom said no bars, no gauges, no lips. Nose is fine, and maybe tongue, but I don't like tongue rings, and nose rings seem like a bad idea if you get a cold. I dunno. Some people say it's fine, but I don't think I could pull one off anyway. So maybe a cuff, or something cool like flowers or something climbing my ear. What do you think?"

"I was born frowning," Xander quipped. He glanced at Milo. "I saw a thing the other day. Advertisement. A photography class for nature and candid."
 
"I want a nose ring, but I don't think I can, because my little mole, so if I put it on the other side, I think I'd look silly. Maybe a septum ring, but I think my mom might just combust. And say I look like a bull. Although I know some people flip it inside their nose, so maybe I can just do that. Ear cuffs are cool, I was going to get more done once I'm out of my family home, those seem easiest to hide." She pulled lightly on her ear, "It's cool your mom is so open about piercings and stuff."

"Aren't all babies? Since they born crying and learn to smile later?" Milo asked inquisitively, before half-teasingly asking, "Are you saying my pictures are jank and I need to take lessons?"
 
"Yeah, I guess she is," Rumy said thoughtfully as if she hadn't thought about it before. "She's got her things she'd combust over, I guess everyone does, but, yeah. Mostly she tells me I have to wait a month, and if I still want it, then we'll talk."

Xander snorted. "Yeah, exactly what I'm saying. Sure. Nah, I just thought maybe you could pick up some pointers and get an in with some place that shows off those kinds of pics."
 
"That's a good way to think, though. That's how I try to be about buying things, otherwise I think I'd buy things impulsively all the time, and be the sort of person who always ends up with a package in the mail." Sloan admitted, slowly beginning to turn towards her first class, and as she looked around the halls it hit her, "It's weird being a senior."

"I guess it could be cool. Is it for film or digital?" Milo asked, although he couldn't help but feel nervous he'd show up and learn he had been doing everything wrong and all of his pictures were bad.
 
Rumy had started to turn off toward her own class but paused when Sloan spoke. She frowned and looked around. "Huh. I guess we are seniors. You know, I really hadn't thought about it, but this is going to be a whole year of 'last times.' It's going to be weird but fun!" She shot Sloan a grin. "A gateway!"

"I think there were options for both, if I remember right. I can text you the deets later, if you want," Xander said.
 
"It's our last first day of mandatory school," Sloan mentioned, looking around the halls, "Do you think you're going to miss it?"

"Yeah, that'd be cool. I'd like that." Milo said with a little nod, "It's worth looking into, anyway."
 
Rumy considered the question. "Yeah, I think so," she admitted. "I'm not going to miss school books or tests or lectures, but I won't have an excuse to see my friends nearly every single day or summer break. I'm going to miss that, that's for sure."

"Sure." Xander glanced around for his brother. "Time to head to class. Let's get this drudgery started."
 
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