Mona Lisa's Blues ((Cougar))

[phantomlynx]

Sometimes, every now and again, Skyler's parents schedule didn't mesh well. Sometimes they both had to work on the same days. And when that happened Skyler's parents decided he should not and will not be left in the house by himself. On those days, they left him with a muggle sitting service called: "We Care About Your Kids And Their Education Too!" Or WCAYKTET for short. Skyler noted that that name wasn't any easier. Today was one of those days.

Skyler hated being left with WCAYKTET. Not only did he feel that he was old enough to be left alone at home but he didn't like being around so many kids. Not just kids but they were all younger than him. At eleven he was by far the oldest one by a least a year or so. All the little kids would tease him about being a big baby and that he should be seen in diapers. Skyler didn't really care what they said, they were just words after all but he hated the attention.

Today was special. "For today," said one of the sitters, "we here at WCAYKTET are going an a field trip!" Skyler thought she was much too old to have fake enthusiasm. "And do you know where we're going?" The kids all screamed that they didn't and wanted to know right now. "The Art Museum!" There was much rejoice at this. They would be excited if she told us we were going to see a dead body, Skyler mused in his head. He smiled inwardly to himself, quickly realising that the only time he was going to smile today was toward himself.

After the agonising ritual of loading the van with the little devils than unloading them when they reached their destination the middle-aged woman had more to say. "Now everybody listen up! Does anybody know how to act in a museum?"

"Be really quiet!!" shouted one boy.

"Yeah!! Shh!!" a girl reprimanded him. This was followed by all the kids putting their index finger to their mouth saying: "Shh!"

The middle aged woman came up to Skyler. "Skyler since your older can I count on you to look after the little ones?" Skyler knew that she wanted a verbal response but all that Skyler could do was nod. "Thanks. I know one you'll talk, you're just not ready." Little did she know that Skyler did talk he just was picky in whom he spoke with.

Inside the museum Skyler had tried his hardest to drift away from the rest of the group. Every time that he thought he lost them the middle aged woman found him and told him to hurry. It was just after this happened for the sixth time that Skyler found a painting that interested him. He was looking at this painting with a sign next to that read "Impressionist." It made no sense to him but he held him.

[Cougar Farmer R7]

Cougar was bored. Outright, stinking, bored. He had already done all the things he need to do for that day, such as wake up, take a shower, wash his hair twice, comb his hair, put it up, kiss his mother's picture, put on his Celtic cross necklace, and breath. He had run completely out of other things to do. He COULD play guitar, but his fingers were still sore from the night before in the park. He COULD workout, but he was kinda feeling lazy today. HE finally threw on some clothes, a light blue button-up and a pair of khakis, and decided he'd just walk until he found something to do. "Hey Dad! I'll be out for a bit, see you later!" He yelled up to his father who was probably still asleep. Cougar did it anyway just for "GP".

Strolling along down the street, Cougar came across a cafe and decided that he could go for a brew. He stopped inside almost hoping for someone he knew or could meet, but they all seemed to be old or young adults in mid-life crisis. After a few dirty looks (Cougar assumes this comes from the fact that a kid is buying caffeine drinks), he quickly drank his espresso and left the boring place.

A few more blocks down he sees an interesting bunch of little kids leaving a bus and going to the museum. He openly laughs aloud at this spectacular sight, and thinks about how nobody would EVER be able to pay him to do their job. Cougar was just about to hurry along when he saw a boy that caught his eye. There was something about him. Cougar didn't know what it was, but he had plenty of time and a driving curiosity so he was determined he'd find out. He went up to the museum and paid his entrance fee and headed inside.

After entering, he momentarily lost the kids (surprising, huh?), but after just a few minutes of staring at the paintings, he quickly heard the ruckus and knew where they had gone. He trailed them slowly, eying the group out, watching the older boy of the group closely. There was something not right and he would find out what it was. After the boy broke off to look at one of the more "normal paintings" (as compared to the abstract), Cougar walked up beside him. "Great painting, huh? Almost seems "magical" wouldn't you say?" Cougar turned to him and gave him a wink wondering if he would catch what Cougar was trying to get from him.

[phantomlynx]

Skyler was bored stiff. Not only was he at a museum but it was an art museum none the less. He disliked his parents more at this moment than he could ever remember. How dare they leave him alone first of all but then with WCAYKTET, well that was down right ridiculous! He hated being treated like a child. True he was still quite young but his parents knew that he was rather mature for his age. The fact that they didn't trust him to be alone by himself angered him. Why not? How would they ever know if he could until they gave him a chance? But what really put the icing on the cake was that his brother Chase got to go to Miss Rae's house where he was the only child and could practically do whatever he wanted. Not that that mattered, he was too young to appreciate it anyway.

Skyler kept stalling at each painting he went to hoping beyond hope that the middle-aged woman from WCAYKTET would not notice him lagging behind. But just when he thought she was gone she would always find him and tell him to "Keep up with the group." It was almost like there was a silent bell around his neck that only she could hear. It was one of these times when Skyler was looking at a realistic painting and the middle-aged woman had gone into the next room that an older boy approached him. What, does she have spies all over? thought Skyler. But this boy seemed different somehow. Skyler noted that the way this boy walked up to him was like he knew Skyler somehow. He was getting that reaction a lot recently. He just learned that he was a wizard but it seemed as though the rest of the world already knew. The other boy spoke and winked. Skyler started, he was not used to getting winks, much less from boys. He said something about magic, thought Skyler. Say something that won't make you seem stupid.

Skyler wanted to say something about magic. He really did. The sentence formed in his brain and was being transposed to his vocal cords but instead what he said was: "Is that your real hair?"