Matthew was drawing a blank, which galled him, but he was prepared to guess if he had to. Fortunately, as he was casting about in his mind for a name, he glanced down at his hand and the various rings he wore there.
Not many people actually knew Matthew very well, personally speaking, and most simply wrote his jewelry off as "Goth Stuff" and didn't bother to look any closer. His few close friends, however, knew that most of his jewelry held cunningly worked symbols of his various fandoms. What caught Matthew's eye now was a black ring whose filigree was actually the Star Trek symbol, tessellated over and over again. Matthew heard then the voice of Leonard Nimoy.
"Logic is the beginning of wisdom..."
*Hmn.* thought Matthew, *They never actually told Walter his LAST name would change, just his first...it should still be the same as Mark's!*
Matthew smiled at Mrs. Miles.
"Ha, I'll forget my own head next. Walter Jackson."
"Alrighty, then, I'll get right on that."
=*=*=*=
The jocks, meanwhile, hadn't actually been tormenting Walter, or adding new things to Simon/Brandon. Not that they didn't want to; what they were doing chiefly was arguing over what to do.
"We should make Walter gay!"
"No, we should make Brandon bigger!"
"No, your both stupid, we should alter ourselves!"
"Are you nuts? I'm not goin' under for you assholes!"
And so on and so forth. They'd been at it in circles for quite some time when the announcement cut through.
"Walter Jackson to the Auditorium, please. Walter Jackson to the Auditorium."
Brendan sneered.
"Looks like your safe for today. Get outta here, nerd!"
=*=*=*=
As he walked, Walter was grateful for whatever had saved him from those cads. Meanwhile, inside his mind, Mark was screaming in agony and impotent fury. He mentally swore revenge, somehow, someway, while he entered the darkened Auditorium.
"MISTER JACKSON."
Walter/Mark wheeled around to face the now spotlit stage. From the circle of light, Matthew smiled.
"I believe it's time we had a chat."