Chasing Rusty Parker - 41. Status Quo

Chapter Forty-One – Status Quo

When Monday came around, Rusty felt as rested as if he had spent the entire weekend at a spa or something like that. He smiled as he recalled all the fun he’d had with his baby dude, and most spa treatments surely didn’t rival the stuff they had pulled – and pushed – on each other. Yeah, life was pretty great. Adding that his dad no longer truly cared about his pursuing basketball – since that ship had sailed, according to the same guy – everything was pretty neat.

He whistled on his way home. Despite not being a morning person, he had woken up early so he had enough time to change into different clothes for classes. Also, the little walk from Matty’s dorm to the house he was sharing with his besties – declared by his baby dude the hottest guys on campus – just served to put a little spring in his step.

Jonathan was downstairs, studying something on his phone, and there were already breakfast items on the table. That guy was wasted for his major; he needed to become a chef in his own right and turn into the most famous cooking dude in the universe.

“Hi, Johnny boy,” he said out loud, just in case that serious expression on Jonathan’s face was because Maddox was somehow hidden under the table, giving him a blowjob. Although he had spent so much time fooling around with Matty, that naughty picture in his head was enough to make him wince and walk stiffly, hoping that the Mighty Thor would get the memo. Hot dudes indeed. None hotter than his baby dude, however.

Jonathan turned his head and smiled. “Hi, Rusty.”

“How come you’re already up?” Rusty picked a scone from the plate and sank his teeth into it. Hmm, something wasn’t quite right. “Did you change the recipe?” he asked. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t Hamilton’s on-brand superior cooking.

Jonathan laughed at that. “I didn’t bake them. I bought them yesterday from a pastry shop. Could you tell, though?”

“Don’t act so surprised. You’re using magic dust in your cooking, I’m sure. So, what’s up?” He had to live with the disappointment of not eating Jonathan’s awesome scones, but some regular stuff for a change.

“Mr. Preston summoned us, I mean Connor and I, first thing this morning. So, I was just going over my defense statement one last time.”

“Wow, it sounds pretty serious. How come Dex is not already up?”

“I advised against his coming. I really don’t want him and Connor to come to blows in the Dean of Students’ office.”

“Connor’s a sore loser and a douchebag. He’d try to provoke Dex only to show that our bestie’s a meathead, ready to fight for a bit of beer. I mean, yeah, he did it for beer, but still,” Rusty added right away.

“Mr. Preston will have to hear both sides of the story,” Jonathan said. “And I believe Dex appreciates not having to wake up so early even if it’s Monday.”

If only he could be a fly on the wall to hear what that douchebag Connor had to say as means of explaining why he took two students hostage for his evil scheming plans. The proverbial light bulb popped in his mind. “Hey, you shouldn’t go face the wolves alone. I’m coming with you.”

Jonathan seemed a bit surprised. “Don’t you have classes later?”

“Don’t you?” Rusty shot back. “Come on, mom, don’t tell me you’re ashamed of me and can’t take me out in public. I’m sure Connor’s not going to go alone. He’ll surely pack some heat, and you need to be ready, Johnny boy.”

“You’ve proven yourself countless times, Rusty,” Jonathan admitted. “And you might be right. Connor is not the kind to give up so easily, and now the stakes are high. If Mr. Preston believes him against us, Dex might get in hot water. But if Mr. Preston believes us--”

“His little crusade might come undone, and he’d have to send everyone home. And then, poor he will have to find another strategy to satisfy his world domination ambitions.”

Jonathan laughed but offered Rusty his hand. “Welcome aboard, partner. Let’s see what Mr. Preston has to say about the Implacables, now that there are witnesses to their wrongdoings.”

***

Mr. Preston’s office wasn’t the kind of place you wanted to visit as a student at Sunny Hill as a general rule, although Rusty had seen its interior several times over the years. On their way there, he had explained to Jonathan why he was such an asset for the defense team, as someone who had confronted the Dean of Students before. Confronted was, of course, a vile word to use, since Mr. Preston was a kind man in his late fifties with a weakness for sob stories. He always wanted to help the students in his care, and it must have been because of his natural leniency that Connor had gotten under his skin so easily. When Rusty had ended up in Mr. Preston’s office due to now and then shenanigans, the Dean of Students had always listened carefully to his promises that he wouldn’t do it again, hadn’t known better, yada, yada, yada.

As the modest person that he was, Mr. Preston didn’t have a large office. His space was packed with small gifts from students, as well as duplicates of awards and accolades won by the alumni over the years in their careers, and those were quite a few despite the school being so new. The Dean of Students took great pride in these accomplishments of former students and used them as positive reinforcement for the lost sheep visiting his office.

All things considered, Mr. Preston’s office wasn’t a bad place to visit, but the idea of being associated with some sort of misconduct requiring a duty call to the Dean of Students was enough to scare people off. Not Rusty, though. Also, as he informed Jonathan on their way there, Mr. Preston made a mean English breakfast tea.

“There are like only three other chairs in the room, so we need to get there first,” Rusty explained while rushing Jonathan toward the administrative building.

“Why is that important?” Jonathan asked.

“Because the guys left standing are going to look like the intruders. You know, the bad guys.”

“We aren’t the bad guys.”

“Exactly. Also, I’m telling this to you from the start, I’m going to let you do all the talking. Today, I’m only the support character.”

“That’s very generous of you, Rusty. Okay, I will do that. But I may need you from time to time to confirm my recounting of the events.”

“Will do, will do,” Rusty said, rightfully feeling full of importance in his newly assigned role. Jonathan was a magnanimous boss, seeing how they were rushing now because he had wasted precious time changing into more conservative clothes, apt for a meeting of that magnitude with Mr. Preston and the leader of shitheads.

As the assistant to the guy in charge, he hurried to hold the doors for Jonathan and follow him swiftly as they climbed the stairs. There was no way they weren’t first. Not even the earliest of birds were that early.

And yet, as they were invited to come in after Jonathan knocked briefly on the door, Rusty experienced a feeling of disconcert of the sight of His Douchiness Connor seated across from Mr. Preston, while Matty’s roommate sat right behind him. Wasn’t he supposed to be one of the victims? Damn, he didn’t like that at all.

“Mr. Hamilton, we were expecting you,” Mr. Preston said in his usually jolly fashion, rising from his chair to gesture toward the remaining empty chair in the room. He caressed his salt and pepper moustache and blinked at Rusty through his thick glasses. “We weren’t expecting you, Mr. Parker, so I apologize that we will have you stand throughout this little discussion. Long time, no see, right?”

Rusty smiled and shrugged. “I’ve been a good boy lately.”

“Yes, yes,” Mr. Preston said, moving his barrel-like body around with ease and fiddling with his tea kettle. “Would you boys like some tea?”

“Yes, please,” Jonathan said smoothly, without sparing a glance for Connor, which was quite commendable seeing how the S.H.I.T. leader was already shooting daggers at his soon-to-be opponent.

Rusty stared at John, trying to get a read on Matty’s strange roommate, but the guy kept his back straight, his shoulders level, and his eyes on his boss, without even acknowledging his presence or Jonathan’s. He was a statue. As if he weren’t weird enough as he was.

“Hmm,” Jonathan murmured appreciatively. “This is very good tea, Mr. Preston.”

“Oh, thank you, Jonathan.” As was his usual manner, the Dean of Students had already forgotten about formalities. Also, having his tea-making skills praised was his weak spot, and Jonathan had picked that up as Rusty had explained things to him on their way there. “Now, boys, what is this nonsense about broken doors and hostages and whatnot?”

“They,” Connor started pointedly, “are blowing things out of proportion. And they,” he enthused even more, “broke into an official meeting of our organization--”

“Because you were holding two students there against their will,” Jonathan interrupted Connor, but again without sparing him a glance. He was looking at Mr. Preston, still holding his cup of tea with aristocratic grace.

“Who, exactly, were we holding there against their will?” Connor asked, puffing out his chest, his whole body turned toward Jonathan as if he was trying to pounce on him and rip his throat out like a wild dog. “One of these so-called hostages is here with me today.” He gestured to his acolyte and John leaned forward a smidge, like a dog just waiting for an order from his master to jump in and bite.

Rusty pursed his lips. To counter John, they should have brought Zoey. So, that was the kind of play they were putting on. Damn those assholes. And John was, suddenly, no longer a hostage, but an enemy. The message the guy had sent Matty would have come in handy now.

“I believe that we are not in a court of law,” Jonathan said, without losing his bearings for a moment, “and that there’s no need for putting witnesses on the stand. Of course,” he added, and only then moved his head to look at Connor, “if we ever get to that, proper legal representation will be assured for the party I speak for today.”

Rusty would have loved to applaud Maddox’s better half. Connor lowered his gaze a smidge, a sign that he understood the veiled threat and didn’t have the guts to counterattack.

“Boys, boys,” Mr. Preston called for peace right away. “Why can’t we all get along? I am sure that it was all a big misunderstanding. A door can be repaired, right?”

Yeah, as he thought. For the sake of peace, Mr. Preston would just love to see them kiss and make up.

“They should pay for it,” Connor said, looking at the Dean of Students, in an effort to avoid staring at Jonathan. He already leaned slightly to one side, as if he were afraid of sitting too close to his adversary.

Like a cowardly dog. Rusty shook his head. Mr. Preston must have noticed that because he latched on to him right away. “What’s your take on all this, Rusty?”

“He’s not a neutral bystander,” Connor squeaked. “He was there, leading them--”

“May I speak freely, Mr. Preston?” Rusty asked, feeling bold at being recognized as a party worth listening to by the Dean of Students. Cutting off Connor felt good.

“Go ahead, my boy.” Mr. Preston leaned back in his chair and began playing with one of the buttons of his vest, a sign that he was trying to appear most invested in settling this squabble but also eager to be done with it.

“The way I see it,” Rusty explained, “we got a cry for help – and we have the material proof of that, too. We hurried to the place, and since Connor didn’t seem to care to answer the door, we assumed the worst. We had to force our way in, afraid as we were for the wellbeing of our fellow students.”

“That is not--” Connor intervened.

“Not now, please, Mr. Williams,” the Dean of Students said, putting up one hand. “In this office, people speak in turn, not one over the other.”

That was encouraging. No first-name basis for Connor at the moment. That meant that Mr. Preston really wanted to hear them out.

“Had any harm come to the two students by the time you got there?” Mr. Preston asked.

Rusty hesitated. “Not physical. They just got a little spooked, since Connor and his… friends had taken their phones.”

Mr. Preston nodded thoughtfully. “I see. Well, in that case, this is what I propose. You will repair the door, Mr. Williams. And I don’t want to hear of such petty conflicts anymore. And Jonathan, I believe that it’s good to have a student organization caring for the lives of everyone on campus, as enthusiastic as they might get. This is a minor trifle. Let’s forget about it.”

Rusty was just as dumbfounded by that quick resolution as the others present. Jonathan even turned in his chair and exchanged a glance with him.

“Is that all?” Connor squealed again.

Mr. Preston put both of his soft white hands up. “Why make it into something bigger than it is? It is just a door. And no one was harmed.”

“Mr. Preston, may I add something?” Jonathan asked cautiously.

“Of course, Jonathan. But please bear in mind that other students are in need of guidance and wasting our entire day on this would not do.”

“Certainly, I will be mindful of that,” Jonathan agreed. “However, it is not so easy to overlook Connor’s organization’s behavior toward the students of Sunny Hill.”

Mr. Preston gestured again, as if he were starting to feel bothered by the whole thing. “You are still young. You play pranks on each other. We have a local opera singer and a boy dressed as a personage from a popular musical running around. Do I need to say more?”

Damn. It looked like Mr. Preston was quite in touch with the life on campus. Maybe he was even reading Xpress. Although Matty as a cat boy wasn’t exactly like a personage from the popular musical Mr. Preston was talking about. That seemed hilarious, but Rusty couldn’t quite bring himself to laugh.

“Shake hands, make up. Come on,” Mr. Preston urged them and rose from his chair.

Jonathan and Connor followed suit, both aware that the meeting was over. As affable as ever, Jonathan offered his hand first.

“Very good,” Mr. Preston exclaimed and smacked his hands together, pleased with the outcome and the only one in the room to be so. “Now, make sure I don’t see you in my office again. Unless you want to enjoy a cup of tea with me, of course.”

After the door to the Dean of Students’ office closed, Rusty fell in step with Jonathan, his eyes on the two scumbags walking rapidly in front of them. Connor turned on his heel without breaking his stride. He pointed a finger at them menacingly. “This isn’t over, Hamilton.”

“I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean,” Jonathan replied, as smooth as he had been in Mr. Preston’s office.

“It means that I won’t give up on raising the morals of this community of students to the highest--”

“Oh, fuck off, Williams, Preston can’t hear you anymore,” Rusty intervened. “And we’re not buying your brand of bullshit.”

Connor turned his attention to him, but just then he stumbled over something and his acolyte promptly hurried to break his fall and catch him in his arms. “I’m watching you all,” he threatened after he straightened himself up and shook off John’s, apparently unwanted, attention.

He hurried down the stairs with his partner in crime on his heels without another word.

“These dudes are so out of whack,” Rusty declared.

Jonathan stopped for a moment and stared at their enemies’ retreating backs. “Indeed. I’m sorry to say, but despite his kind bedside manner, Mr. Preston doesn’t seem to understand that Connor crossed a line last Saturday.”

“That’s Preston for you,” Rusty said with a shrug. “For him, all students are little angels. They never mean to do any wrong.”

Jonathan grinned and nudged him playfully in the ribs. “So, how come the Dean of Students knows you so well?”

“I’m a tea lover,” Rusty said with emphasis. “And that’s the only explanation I’m going to give you.”

***

We are sorry to say this, but all is quiet on the Western front. If that reference went over your heads, don’t worry. We will spell it out for you, because this is what we do when nothing worthy of our interest is going on.

The great confrontation we were expecting with bated breath… proved fruitless. The Dean of Students loves the campus status quo, and we’re yet to decide if that’s a good or a bad thing.

Ah, and Rusty Parker proved that he’s the king for obvious reasons. He beat us at our own game by showing off on the quad with his tutor hanging on his arm, just to prove us wrong.

Ugh, we hate slow days… Give us some sugar, Sunny Hill! We’re dying here!

“So,” Maddox began as soon as he put his phone down, not before bringing everyone up to speed by reading Xpress. “Preston chose peace over violence.”

“He’s ridiculously tolerant,” Kane commented with a grunt.

“I don’t mind it that badly,” Dex said and shrugged. “I mean, my dads never heard from school before, and it would be something to start giving them grief just as I’m about to finish my studies.”

“Don’t tell me you were really worried,” Kane retorted. “I mean, they would believe you over anyone else in the world.”

“It’s true that I got a little carried away,” Dex admitted. “By the way, Jonathan, thanks a lot, man. I wasn’t crazy about seeing that douchebag beer-hating asshole again from up close.”

“Don’t mention it,” Jonathan said and waved. “While all seems good, I don’t particularly like that Mr. Preston thinks that Connor and his proselytes are little angels. If it were anyone else, I’d be happy with this result, but, between us here, Connor has a screw loose.”

“Yeah,” Rusty interjected, “and there’s no one willing to screw it back in for him.”

Maddox guffawed. “Are you trying to say that he needs to get laid? Frankly, I think the guy is just a certified asshole, and no amount of sex can save him.”

“What’s the deal with you proving Xpress wrong, Rusty?” Kane asked. “What do they mean by that?”

“Ah, they’ve been trying to say that I’m turning to the gay side, so I kissed Matty in the quad in the middle of the day,” Rusty explained. “By the way, I got smacked in the face with a pillow for it.”

Kane blinked and stared at him in confusion. “How did a pillow get there? And did you do it to prove them wrong?”

“No, to prove them right,” Rusty said brightly. “I mean, I just wanted to show them that I don’t give a damn about what the hell they’re writing about me. What they think they understand about it all is their freaking business.”

“That’s the most convoluted logic I’ve ever heard, but it’s so on brand for you, Rusty,” Kane said with a sly grin. He traded a glance with Dex, while Maddox did the same with his fiancé. Hmm, they were all behaving like a flock of old biddies. Rusty didn’t have time for that kind of party.

“Let’s focus on the real issue here,” Jonathan proposed. “Connor is going to try some other stupid strategies in hope of having the entire campus under his thumb.”

“You think so, babe?” Maddox asked. “I tend to think that Preston is not wrong. After all, he didn’t let Connor have his way and didn’t blow things out of proportion either way.”

Jonathan sighed. “Normally, I’d agree. Mr. Preston wants us to get along, not get into petty squabbles as he calls them. And there should be no room for such things during our senior year. However, it looks to me like Connor is taking this truce as just an opportunity to rally the troops once more.”

“Did you guys ask Preston if he really thinks beer is that bad?” Dex looked hopeful as he moved his eyes from Jonathan to him.

“No, we didn’t bring it up,” Jonathan confessed. “I suppose that it remains to be seen what Connor’s next move is going to be.”

“And I suppose that someone needs to go against his little reign of terror,” Rusty added.

“Is that someone going to be you or Rybalt?” Maddox teased him.

Rusty found it all too natural to grab his bestie by the shoulders and look into his eyes. “Both of us.”

“Hmm, and is there an alliance with a certain cat boy also in the works?” His bestie threw him a loaded look.

Right, no one knew the true identity of their local feline impersonator. That made him feel quite special. “We’ll see,” he said, loving how acting all mysterious seemed both to amuse and unnerve his audience.

“How come Matty is so accepting of your fascination with the cat boy?” Kane questioned while staring at him through his dropped eyelashes.

“He’s just that kind of swell guy,” Rusty replied.

“Even after all this time?” Kane continued, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Especially after all this time. To think that Matty had played him like that. What else could one expect from a cat? Rusty was beyond pleased, because it took guts and smarts to pull off something like that. Only his baby dude would be able to fool a fox like him. Hmm, maybe he was a tomcat, too, not a fox. Although, he felt like going on a little hunt and sniff a certain cat boy to see if he was in heat. That still wasn’t right because cats didn’t exactly sniff each other’s butts. That was more like a dog thing. Damn, they weren’t going for an interspecies thing now, were they?

***

Matty couldn’t help smiling the moment he saw who was calling. “Rusty,” he began, maybe a bit too enthusiastically, but who could blame him? They had just spent an amazing weekend together, and he planned on turning the famous and infamous king of Sunny Hill into his honest man. Well, maybe he was getting ahead of himself a little. Nonetheless. The guy in question was calling him so soon after they had spent the night together, which was a great sign. Matty would have liked Rusty to wake him up before leaving, have a little fun before classes, but there was no need to get greedy now.

“Good morning,” Rusty said cheerfully.

“How early did you wake up? You were gone when I opened my eyes this morning.”

“Sorry for not being there to give you your morning kiss.”

Matty couldn’t help getting excited when Rusty said random stuff like that. Like, who were they fooling now? What were they? He shook his head and pressed one hand on his chest just to get his breathing in check. Rusty had him swooning with only a few words, and he was already dizzy with all the possibilities opening up in the future. “I’m sorry, too, but let’s not dwell on it. How are you?”

“I’m awesome and you know it,” Rusty joked. “Funny thing. I just came back from an interesting meeting with the Dean of Students.”

“Is this about the incident?” Matty could picture himself doing the air quotes without doing them.

“Yeah. I went with Jonathan as a support character.”

Matty could hardly imagine Rusty settling for that role, but he was all ears. “How did it go?”

“Weird as fuck. Your roommate was there.”

“John? Why the hell was he there? Tell me he didn’t play the victim. He told me he was back in Connor’s good graces before leaving the dorm.”

“Indeed he is,” Rusty said as if he had just been forced to suck on a lemon. “He didn’t say a thing, but he was clearly offering all his support to his shitty leader.”

“Well, I can’t say that I’m completely surprised. After all, John prefers to dedicate his entire life to such leaders and causes. Were they really awful?”

“Connor wanted Dex to pay for the door. Or all of us. But Preston wouldn’t have it.”

“That’s good, right? I mean, he didn’t side with them.”

“Yeah, but he didn’t side with us, either. Preston’s the kind of guy who likes having peace on campus. Xpress commented on it, even complained. Not even they like it.”

Matty laughed. “So Xpress got on it quickly. Sometimes I wonder how that happens.”

“I don’t, at least in this case. After we left the building, so to speak, everyone we met asked us how it went. So, it was no secret. How come you didn’t read it today?”

“I was busy… studying,” Matty eventually replied. At first, he had felt tempted to say that he had been busy being happy and couldn’t care less about what kind of bullshit Xpress was processing today.

That appeared to deflate Rusty for some reason. “Ah, so you didn’t see it.”

“Is there something important to read?”

“Just like you, they didn’t think I was serious. See you later?”

That was a bit abrupt, so Matty pondered for a moment before giving his answer. “Yeah, sure. Drop by?”

“Yeah. I’ll swing by a bit later.”

A bit disconcerted with that conversation, Matty was quick to open the Xpress page. “He beat us at our own game,” he began murmuring under his breath, “by showing off on the quad with his tutor hanging on his arm, just to prove us wrong…”

Hmm, so Xpress thought nothing of Rusty’s PDA. According to Rusty’s history, that of a guy always intent on shocking others, that was par for the course. But why was the king of Sunny Hill disappointed in that interpretation? Matty was quite certain he would have to do some digging.

He was still busy mulling over the recent developments, when his phone began ringing. A frown wrinkled his brow when he saw who the caller was. “Are you being taken hostage again?” he asked without any form of greeting.

“Matthew Han? This is Connor Williams.”

Matthew felt a headache coming on. “Have you taken John hostage again?” he asked pointedly.

“No,” came the affronted reply. “I never have.”

“That’s debatable,” Matty conceded, only because he was damn curious what Connor wanted from him. “Where is he now, and why are you using his phone?”

“He is standing right beside me,” Connor replied in a cool voice.

Matty felt like the characters in movies involving hostage situations as he asked his next question. “I need proof of life. Put him on.”

It took a moment for John’s voice to come through. “Hi, Matty.” He sounded weirdly happy. “I’m here with Connor and, boy, he has something to ask you about. I’m sure you’ll do the right thing.”

Matty was sure of the complete opposite. “Are you okay, man? Is he holding you against your will? At gun point?”

John’s voice soured. “Not at all. I’m Connor’s most loyal ally and confidante.”

Matty sighed. “You make your bed, you lie in it, I guess. Whatever your boss is selling, I’m not buying.”

“But you haven’t heard him yet,” John insisted.

He could hang up and be done with all the ridiculousness. However, he was curious and didn’t believe the old adage about cats and their general curiosity. “Fine, put him on.”

Connor began right away. “You are friends with Rusty Parker.”

“Yes.”

“So you must know about his peculiar situation.”

“What situation is that?” Matty felt his lips still tingling from all the kissing he’d done with Rusty over the weekend.

“You must know about the girl,” Connor continued. “The one he got pregnant?”

“The cat girl?” Matty continued, imitating Connor’s sing-song tone.

“Yes.”

Matty stopped for a moment. Connor was a weasel, but was he stupid? He didn’t think so. “I’m afraid I don’t know her,” he said pointedly. And then, as the honest soul he was – when convenient, but well, circumstances-circumstances – he added, “I doubt she exists.”

“Hmm, I see. Are you really sure?”

“I’m pretty sure there is no cat girl at Sunny Hill,” Matty said cheerfully.

“Oh, how disappointing.”

Matty could swear Connor was sneering at the other end of their weird conversation. “Why?”

“Why what?” Connor’s voice became increasingly suave.

“Why would the nonexistence of the cat girl be disappointing?” Matty asked, speaking each word slowly enough for both Connor and John – who had to be listening in – to understand.

“Because it leads to only one conclusion,” Connor said.

“A very disappointing one,” John piped in.

“Which is?” He needed to lead these two mutts to water, but could he make them drink?

“That it can only be a cat boy in that suit. I mean, that it must be a man,” Connor corrected himself. “A young man who attends Sunny Hill.”

“And lives on campus,” John added again, from the background.

His roommate sounded really excited for some reason, and excited in a mean way. Matty began to think that taking this call hadn’t been that wise.

“Thank you for your input on this, Matthew,” Connor offered in the slimiest and most solicitous manner. “It truly helped me understand everything.”

“Which is?” Matty asked with a frown.

“That the youths of Sunny Hill need me more than ever,” Connor replied. “Goodbye. Thank you for your cooperation.”

Like he had just offered information on things he wasn’t supposed to, completely unwittingly. What the hell had just happened?

TBC