Hello! Hostfanatic here. This is a sequel to my first story, "Among the Lights," so if you haven't read that one, then you shouldn't read this one. Here's the first chapter of Among the Gems! I hope you enjoy! Read and Review, please! I'd really appreciate it.
Enjoy!
Jeanette sighed to herself as she entered the school building. She was usually a fan of school itself, but she didn't like going between classes. None of her friends were in her classes—not that she had a lot of friends—and she was always alone when she walked in the hallways. That always made her a target for the other kids and bullies that were around.
Suddenly, she felt someone step on her tail. She let out a squeal and turned to see Ryan, one of the football players, grinning evilly down at her.
"Get off my tail," she said through gritted teeth.
He pretended to be surprised. "Oh! Was I on your tail?" He smirked.
Jeanette tugged it out from under his shoe and tried to scamper off. But then she felt him grab her around the waist. She let out a yelp as he lifted her high into the air, and she dropped her books, spilling them all over the hallway.
"Oh, but look at that," he continued. "It's got some dirt on it. Why don't we go wash it off?"
Jeanette's eyes widened. "Nooooo," she squealed, "I'm fine. Just let go of me…"
"I think it's time for a SWIRLY!" Ryan yelled, keeping a tight grip on Jeanette as he carried her toward the bathroom.
"No!" Jeanette shrieked, completely losing it. "Put me down! Not that! Let go! Help!"
He flushed the toilet and was about to drop her in. She was screaming now, wriggling and squirming, trying as hard as she could to get free.
"Hey!"
They both turned at the unexpected voice, and when Jeanette saw who it was, her insides were flooded with relief.
"Simon!" she squealed. "Help me!"
"Put her down," Simon snarled. "Now."
Ryan laughed and lowered her a bit farther.
"You're asking for it, Ryan," Simon warned him. He knew why Jeanette was losing it. Jeanette was absolutely terrified of water.
Ryan dropped her!
Jeanette screamed as she fell through the air, but Simon had seen it coming and had launched himself into the air at the same second. He landed on the edge of the toilet and managed to catch her just before she fell in the water.
He pulled her out of the toilet bowl, and she clung to him, shivering with fright.
Simon smirked up at Ryan. "There's going to be a surprise waiting for you in sixth period," he told the bully before pulling Jeanette out of the bathroom just before Ryan could get to them.
They ran down the halls. Ryan was chasing them, though, and Jeanette saw that he was angry that his trick hadn't worked. Jeanette only stopped to scoop up her books where they had fallen, and then they raced on to sixth period science. They shared that class with Ryan, and Jeanette was wondering what Simon had meant by "a surprise" waiting for the bully.
They managed to get to the class, and they slipped in through the door. There was, surprisingly, the principal waiting in the classroom.
"Are you all right?" he kindly asked Jeanette.
She nodded, wondering how he had known. Then she looked over at the knowing smile on her boyfriend's face and suddenly understood.
They hopped up on the desk that they shared and smiled as Ryan came in two minutes late.
"Did you bully this student?" they heard the principal ask Ryan, gesturing to Jeanette.
"Yes," Jeanette muttered, loud enough for him to hear.
"I…I…" Ryan stammered.
"You're going to have to come with me, young man," the principal said sternly, and he and Ryan left the room.
Jeanette smiled at Simon and whispered "Thanks. I thought I was toast!"
"I'm sorry I didn't get their sooner," Simon said regretfully. "Then you wouldn't have been forced to go in the boys' bathroom!"
Jeanette giggled as she pulled the microscope over to them.
She had been so panicked before, but everything felt just fine now.
Little did she know that that wouldn't last long.
"Hey!"
Jeanette and Simon were just leaving the library when they heard the voice. They both turned to see a scowling Ryan storming up to them.
"Thanks to you, I have detention for three weeks!" he yelled at Simon, clenching his fists. Simon instantly stepped in front of Jeanette.
Even though they were in a dire situation, Jeanette was instantly thrown into a flashback. Ever since what had happened to her, back on the island with Zoe and then at the house with Adam, Simon had rarely let Jeanette out of his sight. Whenever he felt like Jeanette was being threatened, he always got super protective instantly. Like this. Jeanette thought it was wonderfully sweet, and it had come in handy several times, like earlier when he had saved her from being dropped in the toilet. But sometimes she got frightened. Not for herself, but for Simon. Because whenever he put her out of harm's way like that, he was usually putting himself in it.
"You were being a bully," Simon was saying coolly, and Jeanette brought herself back to the present. "So you deserved it."
With an unintelligible growl, Ryan grabbed Simon by the tail and lifted him high into the air. Simon let out a yelp.
Jeanette felt frozen, rooted to the spot. She couldn't do a thing as Ryan's other friends came. It was clear that it was their intention to beat up Simon. This was everything she had been afraid of—that Simon would get hurt protecting her.
"Stop it," she tried to say, but all that came out of her mouth was a high-pitched squeak.
One of the boys laughed meanly, and he snatched Jeanette up by her tail. She let out a shriek of fear as he raised her high in the air.
"HEY! PUT THEM DOWN!"
They both turned to see Alvin and Brittany storming down the sidewalk to their rescue.
The boys scowled. They knew Alvin, and they knew that they could cause him some serious trouble.
"As you wish," the boy holding Simon sneered, and he dropped him. Simon fell hard on the sidewalk.
"Simon!" Jeanette cried.
"Put her down GENTLY!" Brittany commanded the boy holding Jeanette, crossing her arms. He scowled, but put Jeanette back on the sidewalk.
"This isn't over," Ryan snarled at Simon before turning on his heel and stomping off.
"Simon!" Jeanette wailed, rushing over and helping the blue-clad chipmunk to his feet. "Simon, I'm so sorry, I just froze up." She felt terrible. Simon had protected her earlier, and when he had been in trouble, she didn't do a thing about it.
"It's not your fault," Simon assured her, spitting out some grass and brushing at his sweatshirt. Jeanette still felt absolutely horrible.
"Thanks, Alvin," Simon told him, trying to get the grass stains off of his sweatshirt. "I owe you one."
"Thank you, guys," Jeanette told them.
"Ryan's just a big bully," Brittany scoffed, glaring after Ryan. "Are you all right, guys?"
"We're fine," Jeanette said, "I think."
Simon nodded. "Let's go home, Jeanette."
She nodded, too.
The four chipmunks started off toward home. Little did they know that someone was in the bushes, watching them.
The chipmunk chuckled darkly as he peered through his binoculars. They were focused on the four chipmunks strolling down the sidewalk and talking with one another, particularly focused on Simon and Jeanette in the front.
Particularly Jeanette.
Particularly Simon's arm around Jeanette.
He gritted his teeth.
Tonight, he reminded himself. It will all be taken care of tonight.
He couldn't help but smile at that.
"Oh, yes," he mumbled, peering through the binoculars again. "I've got plans for you, Jeanette."
He watched them for awhile longer before realizing that there were a lot of arrangements to be made. He turned to leave. He had to talk to his guards, make sure everything was in position.
Because tonight, everything would change.
But he couldn't resist turning back for one last look through the binoculars at the purple-clad chipette, laughing at something that Simon said, her purple eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
"This one's for you, Callie," Adam whispered.
