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Mikey was pretty sure no one had noticed him and Donnie sneaking out in the morning. They had been doing that for weeks now, and Dad would have mentioned something. Probably.
It had originally been Donnie’s idea, going to the nearby high school in order to learn more about math and physics and engineering. All topics that Mikey had very little interest in, but being 7, he still begged to tag along.
His older brother was, well, not very happy about that. “And here I thought at some point you would find the wonders of technology too! Yet this is the 27th time in a row you’ve decided to watch the art class.”
“Yeah, but art’s way cooler and prettier than your dumb science stuff.”
“You take that back! You…you wouldn’t have video games without my science!” Mikey was absolutely not going to bite back about how video games are actually a mix of the two, but he could hear the school bell ring from where they hid in the ceiling. Donnie went in one direction, and Mikey could hear him muttering “unbelievable” under his breath.
He stuck his tongue out at his older brother, just as an act of defiance.
There were better things to do anyways, like make his way over Mr. O’Neil’s classroom. Oh, Mikey really hoped that today was going to be a still life day, with the fun little display of fruits. To be fair, he always brought his sketchbook, but he’d be able to participate! Sort of.
But the teacher had always brought up a new art style that excited Mikey. Pottery, graffiti, oil paintings (which were used with oil paints, not just regular oil that occasionally pooled in the sewers.) The class buzzed underneath him, and Mikey soon realized that the students were going to start a watercolor project. Which, sort of a bummer. There wasn’t much he could do at the moment but watch and learn.
Hey, he could always work on something else! Art was art, no matter what. Mikey took out his sketchbook and started copying a picture of a forest and lake landscape that hung on Mr. O’Neil’s wall. He flipped through pages filled with drawings of his brothers, basketballs with different shadow effects, and even some of his own made up characters. If he was in this class, for real, he hoped that the teacher would be proud of his art.
“Alright class! Today is a check-up day, so bring up your books when I call your name. Kimmi, you’re first.” The student, tall with jet black hair pulled into a ponytail, walked past the teacher desk and up to Mr. O’Neil’s drafting table.
Then something happened that Mikey couldn’t really explain. Kimmi reacted to something under the desk with a loud “Oh! Hello there.”
There was a pause, and then Kimmi’s face fell into something that almost looked guilty. “Don’t take it personally, she’s a little shy at the moment,” Mr. O’Neil said, and then motioned a hand to make Kimmi focus back on her work.
What was that all about? Mikey noticed it happen a few more times, where students would be called up to the drafting table, and then give a friendly wave or a hello to someone under the close-backed desk. No matter how many students did this, no one ever came out.
Mikey tried to focus back on his art, but he had to know. Was someone hiding under there? If so, they weren’t doing a great job at hiding. Maybe it was another mutant? Was that even possible? He wasn’t sure how that would even work, for a mutant to blend in so well that no one seemed to bat an eye. Sure, his father would bring him and his brothers up to the surface sometimes, but always in colder weather so they could hide their appearances under layers and layers of clothing. That or go somewhere isolated where people weren’t likely to see them.
The bell rang way louder than Mikey expected. Chairs slid on the tiled flood and the chatter of students rose and then faded as they left the room. Mikey watched closely as Mr. O’Neil turned around and faced the desk. “There’s no class to worry about this block, ok? I’ll be back right after this meeting.” The teacher walked out the door and closed it behind him.
It was quiet. There was something though, a quiet 16-bit tune he couldn’t quite place. Was someone playing that old Hot Soup game? He poked his head out from the ceiling-
A little girl, with a yellow shirt and head covered in tight black curls, sat at the desk and was staring up at him.
“I knew it!” Mikey popped his head back in the ceiling. Oh no no no no no, a person! What was he thinking, trying to go into the classroom when people were around. “Get back down here Mr. Leprechaun! I knew you lived in schools, not some end of a dumb rainbow.”
“Just cause I’m green doesn’t make me a leprechaun!” He retorted, and then covered his mouth. What was he doing ?!
The girl, who must have climbed onto a table and then onto a cabinet, poked her head through the ceiling tile. “Then what are you?”
“I’m a mutant turtle.”
“Why are you in the ceiling then?”
Well, honesty was the best policy. “I was watching Mr. O’Neil’s class. I’m going to be a famous artist someday. Or maybe a famous chef.” He lifted a tile below him and came out of his hiding spot.
She clambered down from the top of the cabinet to make room for him to come down. “Oh. That’s cool that you know what you wanna do. I’m going to be a space explorer!” and then she let out a huge gasp, “Is that a limited edition Jupiter Jim 78: Return of the Demonic Cosmic Chicken sweatshirt?!”
The two both stood on top of the table and wow, this girl was like a foot taller than him. At least she had good taste as she studied his sweatshirt. “Yeah! Someone tossed it in the trash, and it looked super soft.”
The girl stuck out her hand, “Sorry for thinking you were one of those tiny green gold hiding gremlins. I’m April.”
Mikey took April’s hand and shook it, “I’m Mikey. Uh, what were you doing hiding under Mr. O’Neil’s desk?”
She laughed, in a way that made Mikey think of Raph. It was loud and real, holding nothing back. “You mean dad’s desk? I mean, did you see the high schoolers? They’re huge ! And definitely would try to eat me for lunch.”
“Gasp! High schoolers eat children for lunch?” An image of him in boiling water, surrounded by looming hungry figures came to mind.
“Hm! I heard my neighbors say that. ‘If you don’t toughen up, they’ll eat you alive,’ how scary is that?” They both jumped down off the desk and Mikey followed April to where she was originally hiding under the desk.
“Well, I promise me and my brothers won’t ever try to eat you.”
Mikey and April sat next to each other, shoulder to shoulder. Was it this easy to make friends with people, or was April the exception? He had a gut feeling he knew the answer, what with the way people screamed and fainted in the old monster movies.
“Woah, that’s so cool. I’ve always wanted brothers. They seem like a lot of fun.”
Mikey brightened up, “Oh they are! Raph is so cool, he has this cool football helmet and always shares his dinosaur nuggets, and Leo is so funny! He put a blanket over himself yesterday and pretended that he was a ghost and tried to tickle me. And Donnie. Hm, he’s sometimes a dork, but he’s really smart. He fixed up a whole tv, and he even said he was gonna try and build phones."
April’s eyes never left him as he kept talking, but there was something sad about them. “What’s wrong?”
She let out a sigh, “Sorry, I’m just a little jealous. It sounds like you and your brothers are the best of friends.”
And then Mikey had the best idea anyone ever had, “How about I be your brother? I’ve always wanted a sister, and you’re super cool. I bet my brothers would love hanging out with you. Oh Em Gee, we should have a sleepover!” Mikey pulled her into a sideways hug, “Wouldn’t that be so cool?”
April laughed and put her arms around him, “That’d be so awesome! But, am I ever gonna see you after this? I’m only here because my dad didn’t want to leave me home alone while mom’s out of town.”
“Hmm, I’m staying till the last class is over. But you’d be leaving with your dad after that, right?”
The two sat for a moment in silent thought. “Earlier, did you say your brother was making a phone?”
“That’s right! Donnie’s actually listening in on a science class right now.”
April reached above the desk and pulled down a pen and paper, and scribbled something onto it. “Here! That’s my number. Once that brother of yours makes you a phone, text me!”
Mikey shot up so fast he bonked his head on the desk. “I can do you one better!” He scrambled across the floor and to the ceiling, only tripping twice. He didn’t wait to hear what April said. The space above the classrooms weren’t too dark, but it was still maze-like, and after about five minutes of crawling, he turned a corner and hit his head against his brother’s soft shell.
“Aw, perfect! Donnie, do you have that phone protothingy on you?”
“Shh! First off, it’s a ‘prototype,’ and second off, why ?” The fact that Donnie would shout his shell off and get them both caught if Mikey actually told him the why was probably the reason why Mikey ignored Donnie and just started searching his brother’s pockets. Donnie smacked him on the head.
“Get off me- Mikey!”
Mikey raised his hand in the air, his fingers clutching a small plastic brick. “AHA! Knew you’d bring it with you!” And then stuck his tongue out and scrambled away from his brother.
By the time Mikey made it back to the Art Room, Mr. O’Neil was back. Which meant he couldn’t go down and hang out with April. He tried to keep his mind on the bright side, though, and began fiddling with the cell phone.
hey april its me! Mikey!!!!
Almost immediately the phone pinged back. Woah that was fast! So, when did you wanna do that sleepover?
well, i think my brothers gonna murder me for taking this so how about tonight
That sounds awesome! I’ll send you my address. See you then :D