He was doomed.

            Hopelessly, irrevocably doomed.

            He was doomed beyond the point of redemption: truly, even the doomiest of doomy dooms would not compare. 

            Of doom.

            "I just don't understand," he moaned, burying his head under his hands.  He looked lost, miserable, and alone.  The tragedy of his pain was visible to anyone within a fifty-meter radius.

            Erutis grinned.  Raenef was just so cute when he was being pathetic.  "You fail another test, Rae?"

            He sighed a pained sigh and ran an injured hand through his wispy hurt hair.  "How'd you guess?" he mumbled gloomily.

            "It was kind of obvious."  Chris sat at the lunch table, tray in hand, and smirked.  "You are reeking of wretchedness, my liege."

            "Lee-what?"

            "He was kidding, Raenef," said Erutis immediately.  "It's too bad he doesn't have a sense of humor, huh?" 

            Raenef had stopped paying attention, though.  Its span was quite short – possibly the reason he tended to fail so many tests.  He just didn't get it.  He didn't understand anything at all.  What god had he pissed off in his past life to be born with so few brain cells?

            And did he really want to know?

            During this moment of self-pity, Erutis and Chris continued to converse. 

            "He must be really out of it," said Erutis.  "He's not even eating his lunch."

            "And the cafeteria lunch had tomatoes on it, too…" said Chris thoughtfully, taking a bite of his own. 

            "We should so something to help him."

            "Why?"

            "Just because you're on his level doesn't mean you can't be nice."

            "What?  I'm better than that kid!" said Chris immediately.  "I'm going to beat him into the ground one day!"

            She rolled her eyes.  Of course.  "Well, I'm going to try and help."

            "How?" said Chris curiously.  What could possibly improve Raenef's condition?  After all, he had known Raenef for a year – and Erutis even longer than that.  He was a dreaming boy with a mind of fluff and a body to match.  Hell, when he had met Raenef, he had thought the kid was a girl.

            He shuddered at the memory.

            "You're pretty."

            "What?"

            "Um.  I said you were pretty."

            "Thanks!"  Raenef burst into a grin.  "You're pretty too."

            His voice was rather boyish for a girl.

            Chris silently cursed.

            One potential date down.

            "Not you too!" 

            Chris snapped out of his reverie.  "Huh?  What?" he said, looking around.

            Erutis rolled her eyes.  "Having one space case is enough, Chris.  Try to stay on Earth, would you?"

            "Yeah, yeah.  Whatever."

            "Don't you 'whatever' me!" said Erutis, taking offense immediately.  She grabbed his ears and tugged.  Hard.  "You should feel blessed to be graced by my presence!"

            "I'm a monk's son, Erutis!  You are definitely not what I would consider a blessing!"

            "What was that?!  Die!" 

            "Hey!  Hey!  No fair!" cried Chris, wilting under her attacks.

            And then, of course, the bell rang.

            Chris was out of the cafeteria like a shot.

            "Raenef!" said Erutis, shaking the boy's shoulders.  "Get up!  We have Algebra now, Raenef."

            "Not… math…" mumbled Raenef.

            "Hurry up, or I'll be late too."

            Raenef sighed and rose dejectedly.  "Sorry Erutis…"

            "It's all right.  It's not your fault you were born an idiot," said Erutis cheerfully.

            "If you say so."

            Jeez, thought Erutis.  It was almost no fun cracking jokes at the kid.  "Are you all right?"