Soji turned a page in her book. It was a C.S.I. book about an investigation into the death of a famous killer. Her green bangs got in front of her eyes, and she dismally pushed them out of the way. It was completely silent in her room. She shared a room with another girl called Amy, but Amy was out in the main room with her laptop playing a music video of a Korean boy-band that was popular at the moment. The room consisted of a bunk bed pushed up against the back wall and two disorganized desks pushed against the other walls. The walls had remained the sky blue that they had been from the time that Soji had arrived at the school.
Amy was a year older than Soji and was a very nice person with relaxed features and black hair that stopped at her shoulders. She was taller than Soji who had decided for herself that she was doomed to remain short forever. Amy was also strongly focused on her studies. If she was not studying for a test scheduled three weeks later, she was watching boy-bands. Soji felt it was good to study but only on the week that the test was occurring.
Amy often told Soji about what she had seen at the House before Soji had come four years after. Things that Near or Matt or Mellow had done seemed to be the most common. Stories of their great feats were legendary throughout the school almost as much as L’s. Stories that seemed to obscure to be true but were believed anyway due to the dream that one day one’s self could rise to those legends were spread from student to student. It was learned from these stories that Near had come to the House at the age of three when he had pieced a very difficult puzzle together, and that Mellow was part of a really infamous gang, and that Matt had become Mellow’s friend due to circumstances within the gang. Amy was full of stories of these sorts, but the one that made Soji laugh was Matt’s Christmas story.
“It started like,” Amy would laugh, “Matt and Mellow had just come to the House and were sharing their first real Christmas together. Mellow asked Matt what he wanted for Christmas, but Matt replied that he wasn’t Christian but rather Jewish. Mellow swore and asked if he could still get him a present.
“Well, for Hanukah I get a present for every day of it goes on,” Matt explained.
“So how many are there?” Mellow asked.
“Well, there are eight days in all, so I get eight presents!” Matt smiled.
“Dam I need to become Jewish,” Mellow said, but he agreed and bought eight games for Matt.
“So after Hanukah was over, Mellow asked if Matt had gotten him a present, but Matt explained that he had decided to change religions and became Muslim celebrating Kwanza. Mellow sighed and bought Matt another gift. Mellow bought Matt a new game system with the money that he had been saving to go to the Wonka factory in the U.S.”
“Then Matt explained that he went to Christianity again, and Mellow bought him another present! Finally Mellow was fed up and asked Matt if he was getting him a present or not. Matt tells Mellow to wait and then to close his eyes. Matt pulls Mellow outside and tells him to open his eyes. There in front of him stands a fifty pound milk chocolate bar. Matt explained that he had made it himself, and that was only a fragment of Mellow’s present. Mellow also got to go to the Wonka factory because Matt had bought them both tickets. Mellow was so happy that he and Matt became even closer. Mellow never forgave Matt for doing that! Hehehe isn’t that funny Soji?”
Wait a minute! Soji thought. I never did hear what religion Matt really is! Oh well. It’s not like I really care.
Soji found that she had been reading the same line in her book more than thirteen times “We are missing a clue”. What was Matt? It nagged Soji and nagged her until she put her book down and stood up from her desk chair. She pushed the door to her room open and locked the outside with a key. Mellow and Matt’s room were at the end of the hall with the most rooms because of Matt’s smoking habits. Now she proceeded to the end of the hall. Near had a room to himself on the other side of the hallway, and the door was ajar reveling Near to be studying at his desk. Soji peaked her head in Near’s room for a second but didn’t have time to slip away unnoticed.
“Soji, it is not polite to sneak in and not say hello,” Near commented as Soji had been backing away.
“Hello Near,” Soji smiled as she pushed her way inside the room. There were sets of dominoes, dice, and plastic pieces to things Soji could only imagine as crazy scientist kits. Roger exulted in Near’s mind and bought him any toys he wanted.
“Soji, what are you doing out? I thought you had asked everyone to be silent today so you could finish you book,” Near asked casually.
It was just a question, and Soji knew very well that Near had not meant it to be an interrogation.
“I was remembering one of the stories Amy told me about Matt and wanted to know his religion, and for that matter, what is your religion?”
“You ask it so calmly that there is a 97.23 percent that you don’t know those questions are usually not posed to people,” Near replied.
“You are not just a person, you are my friend Near, and all I did was ask a question as you did. So are you going to tell me or not?” Soji laughed.
“Ahh true, well this is how I believe things work. God fights for justice, but he relies in our heart rather than in a physical form and those that feel they need to kill and do other bad things have lost the piece of God in their hearts. That is my view.”
“Um….well that isn’t really a religion, and it sounds like you have come to you own conclusion to things which I think is fine.”
“You are childish Soji. You believe that people are set into one religion or another, but that is not how the world works.”
“Now I didn’t mean to sound childish Near.”
“Well I know you need to be on your way to ask Matt. I do not wish to stop you up.”
“True, good bye Near.”
Soji walked down the hall and found Matt smoking out his bedroom window.
“Hello Matt,” Soji said.
“Mellow isn’t here right now, but I’m sure he’ll be back soon,” Matt said not turning.
“That wasn’t what I was going to ask. I heard a story a while back and wanted to know what religion you were.”
“Was it the one that about my change in religion? I can tell from your face that is exactly what it was. Right now though, I am unaffiliated. I think there is a God, but I believe that he trusts the good in people’s hearts to.”
Somewhat like Near. Soji thought.
Later Mellow rampaged over someone stealing his chocolate. It turns out later that it wasn’t stolen, it was melted under his bed.