Reason
by Harikari

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Part Three

1989


"Your friend is a psycho," said Matt Parkman, the usually goofy captain of the school's football team, as he dropped down into the seat across the isle from Mohinder's.

Mohinder blinked, looked up from the eighth grade Social Studies text he'd been poring over. "What?"

Matt had his elbow propped on the surface of the desk stretched in front of him, was leaning into it. "Your friend," he said. "Gabriel? He's a psycho, a freak, a weirdo, a-"

"Shut up," snapped Mohinder.

And when the group of girls lingering near the classroom's open door and the blond boy sitting in the back of the room all looked over with wide eyes he took in a deep breath. Blowing up wasn't smart. Matt wasn't the type to bully -- there had to be a reason behind his sudden hate for Mohinder's best friend, his string of insults.

And, well, there was also the whole Matt could easily kick his ass if he really wanted to thing. No. Blowing up wasn't a bright idea at all.

"Sorry," he muttered, voice much softer.

Matt just smirked.

"What...why? Why are you telling me this? What...did something happen?"

"Your freak of nature friend killed Sarah Ellis' cat."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, to make sense. "No," the eighth grader denied after a moment.

Matt nodded, leaned even closer. "Yes."

Mohinder shook his head. "What is this? Some kind of joke? Did Sarah put you up to this, Matt?" He sighed. "Because-"

"Listen," said the football player. He was no longer smirking, there was no trace of his usual humor in his voice. "I know for a fact that Sarah is home today, that she's home and freaking out because she and her mom found their pet cat, Fluffy, dead in their driveway this morning."

Mohinder bit at his bottom lip. "Well," he started after a pause. "I'm sorry about that, but what makes you think-"

"Mohinder," said Matt, and his eyes narrowed. "You asked Sarah Ellis to the after school Fall Dance last week. Yes or no?"

The slender eighth grader shrugged. "Yeah. I did."

"And she said no, in the school cafeteria. She said no in front of a load of people and she laughed. Right?"

Mohinder swallowed back an abrupt swell of anger; swallowed back the tight knot of hurt stuck suddenly in his throat. "So? What has that got to do with anything?"

"Mohinder," said Matt slowly, and it sounded as if he was trying to explain something obvious to a very small child. "Gabriel was with you when that happened. And you know...we all know how weird he is when it comes to you. And-"

"He's my best friend," hissed Mohinder. He was getting angry, wanted the football player to get to the point -- to say what he was trying to say already. "I don't know exactly what rumors you and your friends spread about him behind-"

Matt shook his head, moved even closer and placed a large hand on the slighter teenager's shoulder before he could finish. "Listen. I shouldn't have started the way I... I'm not trying to be mean to you or anything. Just listen. Janice told me that after school on the day Sarah talked to you in the cafeteria Gabriel came up to them in the hall and told Sarah she'd better 'watch herself'. And this morning she found her cat dead. She found her cat murdered."

It was Mohinder's turn to shake his head. "That's sick. That...he wouldn't do something like that. Just because your girlfriend told you that Gabriel said something to Sarah... It doesn't mean anything. Anybody could have killed her poor cat. I'm sorry she's upset, but she shouldn't-"

"She's knows it was him," insisted Matt.

There was a pause. Then, "She didn't see him, did she? No. There's no proof. And he wouldn't do something like that. I know he wouldn't."

Matt stared at him. The hand on his shoulder gave a firm squeeze before pulling away. "I'm just saying. I don't always believe Sarah, but I believe this." Another pause. "Gabriel is different with you, Mohinder. I understand he's your best friend but...he acts entirely different when you're not around. You should maybe...try to look at him from a different angle one day. See what everyone else sees.  And, you know, be careful."

And then Matt turned, bent to rifle through his backpack. He was pulling out his Social Studies text as the bell rang.

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After Basic Algebra came lunch hour.

Mohinder walked swiftly.  He dodged around the hordes of teenagers cavorting in the halls, spotted Gabriel -- who had obviously gotten out of seventh grade Earth Science a few minutes early once again -- leaning against his locker like always, sporting perfectly creased khakis and a sweater vest.

"Hey, Mo-" he started, his lips tilting into a smile.

"Gabriel," Mohinder cut in before the greeting was out, "did you hear about Sarah Ellis' cat?"

Gabriel straightened, the smile vanished and his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. He took a single step closer to his friend and growled, "What?"


Part Four