I do not own Recess...or Mary Janes.
Off to a Bad Start
TJ Detweiler stood in front of his green backpack, hands on his hips and dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully. His new binders were filled with crisp paper and his new pencil case was nearly overflowing with shiny new pens and pure white erasers. He shuffled his new red and white sneakers against the hardwood floor and grinned at the satisfying squeak.
He spun on his heel and faced the mirror hung up on his closet door. The reflection grinning back at him was dressed in his usual baggy jeans. But keeping with his belief that middle school was a time for a new start, he discarded his usual green jacket and white t-shirt for a simple black shirt with a forest green stripe.
His red baseball cap, however, stayed firmly over his shaggy brown hair. There were just some things you couldn't change.
"TJ!" His mother hollered. "Hurry up and eat your breakfast! You don't want to be late for your first day of middle school!"
"Coming!" TJ grabbed his backpack and jogged down the stairs. He slid into the kitchen and grabbed a piece of toast from the plate on the table.
Teresa Detweiler clasped her hands together. "Oh, Theodore! You've grown up so fast! Just think, in a few years you'll be off to high school, leaving the house and-"
"Whoa!" TJ exclaimed. "I haven't even gotten through my first day yet!"
"Oh, I know. Have a good day sweetie."
TJ stuffed the toast in his mouth and shot out the front door. The sun was shining and there was a gentle breeze floating through the air. He swallowed his breakfast and let out a contented sigh. "This is gonna be tender."
"Teej!"
The twelve-year old boy glanced up and grinned when he spotted his best friend (and second-in-command of their 'Recess Gang') Ashley Spinelli jog up to him. The tough girl had ditched her red dress and leggings for jeans and a red shirt with billowing sleeves. She still wore her favourite boots and orange beanie, which was tucked over her short and spiky black hair.
"Are you ready for two of the best years ever?" Spinelli asked eagerly, falling into step beside them as they made their way towards the middle school.
"Every year has been the best," TJ pointed out. "But I think we can safely assume that middle school will be the best experience ever."
"I can't wait to get our schedules." Spinelli bounced on her toes. "It's so cool that Thaddeus T. Middle School has an Auto Shop!"
Their middle school orientation had been during the summer. Gus' dad had wanted his son to enrol at the local military academy, but he soon relented and allowed his son to go to the public middle school when he saw how devastated Gus was to be separated from his best friends. Of course, TJ may have had a hand in helping the general change his mind.
The six members of the Recess Gang (dubbed by their fellow classmates and even a few teachers) were hoping to get a few classes together.
"I'm totally ready for Public Speaking." TJ cracked his knuckles. "With all the speeches I've done at Third Street, it'll be a breeze!"
TJ's speeches had become something of a legend at Third Street School. Indeed, he had been the kid to stand up for his fellow peers and demand justice and fairness. He proved that one kid truly can make a difference. It also helped that he had the passion, charisma and smooth-talking skills needed to make decent and moving speeches.
Spinelli let out a sigh. "I'm excited for middle school and all, but I'm gonna miss Third Street...we had a lot of good times at that place."
"Like saving summer vacation," TJ let out a reminiscent sigh. "I wonder if Principal Prickly will ever fulfil his dream of becoming a middle school principal."
Spinelli snorted. "I don't miss the guy that much; only enough to pop in for a visit once in a while."
The two friends fell into silence when they approached the street that was situated across from the middle school. They froze on the curb and craned their necks back to admire it.
The old brick building was four stories high with many wide windows. A garden surrounded the edge of the school and there were ivy vines crawling up the building like snakes. There was a courtyard at the back of the school with stone tables and tall oak trees.
"Guys!" A familiar voiced called out to them.
Gus Griswald beamed at them from across the street. His blonde hair was still in its buzz cut, but he now wore a dark green sweater and cargo pants instead of his usual neat attire. The cuffs of his pants actually touched his new black and red sneakers!
"Gus!" TJ grinned and the two jogged across the street. "Are you ready?"
"I sure hope so. I'm feeling a lot better now that I found out Gellman got sent to the military academy I was supposed to go to." Gus shuddered. "Man that was a close call."
Spinelli laughed. "He'd been scared of you since that whole fortune cookie/trap incident, remember?"
"I don't want to take any chances." Gus said firmly. "Besides, I'm here with you guys!"
"What elective did you take again?" TJ asked curiously.
"Leadership. The class teaches on how to handle stressful situations, take charge and basically on how to become a leader. My dad wanted this more than I did...but who knows?"
A dark red van pulled up to the curb and Vince LaSalle hopped out. He shouted something to the person driving before slamming the car door and hurrying over to his friends. He still looked like a jock with his blue basketball sneakers, light green and yellow hoodie and dark green shorts. "Hey guys!"
"You look ready to dominate the basketball court and the soccer field." TJ grinned and high-fived him.
"You know it." Vince adjusted the yellow sweat bands on his wrists. "So, when does the assembly for the newbies start?"
Gus checked his watch. "In about twenty minutes. We're still waiting for Gretchen and Mikey."
Just as the words left his mouth a couple buses pulled up to the curb. The kids a year their senor filed out, with piercings on their noses and lips-even the guys had them! Gus gulped as he watched a rather large boy lumber into the school, a skull ring in his eyebrow and his hair green.
Some other kids they knew from Third Street filed out as well. The Diggers looked out of place in plaid shirts and pristine jeans, but TJ knew the two of them had collapsible shovels somewhere in their bags.
"So, where's the playground in this joint?" Spinelli asked suddenly. "I mean, they didn't tell us our recess times or show us where it is."
TJ shrugged. "We can always ask Lawson if we have to."
Spinelli wrinkled her nose at the mention of the arrogant bully but didn't say anything.
"There they are!" Vince exclaimed. Gretchen Grundler and Mikey Blumberg moved towards them.
Gretchen's hair was tied tightly in a braid. She wore a plaid skirt and white stockings and black Mary Janes. She wore a crisp white blouse with pearl buttons. She was the picture-perfect school girl.
"You look ready to hit the library." Spinelli smirked and looked at the only other female member of the group.
Gretchen frowned. "I am very eager to visit our new library. The books here ought to be much more academic than the ones at Third Street."
"What a glorious day!" Mikey cried out. He looked pretty spiffy in his new jeans and white sweater.
"The gang's all here." TJ clapped his hands together. "Alright guys; this isn't elementary school. That means we have new teachers to study and a principal to win over. I want you all to come to me by the end of the day with notes on every teacher you have. If more than one of us is in the same class then one note will suffice. We need to know who we're dealing with and who our future enemies might be."
"Teej, we're only going to be here for two years before we go to Thaddeus Senior High." Vince pointed out.
"Two years can be a long time and I want to be prepared." TJ crossed his arms. "I want to know who's the Finster; the tough, no-nonsense and harsh disciplinary. I want to know who the Prickly is; gruff, stern and fair. I want to know who the Hank is; kid-lover and good guy. I want to know the Grotke and the Lemon!"
His five friends saluted him. "Yes sir!"
"Then let's head off!"
The six friends entered Thaddeus T. Middle School. The hallways were wide with gleaming lockers on either side. Posters and artwork were tapped to the walls, advertising different clubs. The seventh graders followed the signs directing them to the auditorium, where they would get their 'welcome' speech.
They settled into the plush seats at the very back. They observed their fellow peers as they started to straggle in. The Ashleys were dressed in their usual designer skirts and blouses. Swinger Girl had discarded her pilot hat and goggles and looked uncomfortable in jeans. Upside Down Girl was actually right-side up, but her pigtails still stuck up.
"This must be so weird for them," Vince whispered. "They probably can't wait till recess."
The lights dimmed and Vince stopped talking. The curtains pulled aside to reveal not the plump, jovial man they had met briefly over orientation, but a skinny, pale man with cold black eyes.
"Hello. I am Principal Finicky. I will be replacing Principal Hartman while he recovers from a rather nasty surgery. I won't go into the details."
He paced back and forth across the stage. "As I have already told the elder students, I will not be as lenient as Hartman. If you are late to class you will receive a detention. If you act out you will receive detention. If you fail to complete your homework you receive a detention. If you litter you will receive detention. If you fight or skip class or deface property you will receive detention. Collect more than five detentions and you will be expelled."
Finicky turned on his heel to face the stunned students. "This is not elementary school. I will not hold your hand or feel sorry for you. I will not give exceptions in any case. If you are sick, I will require a doctor's note. Don't even think about trying to forge one; I will know."
"I intend to turn this school into one of the best middle schools in the country. It is currently numbered dead last. I am going to change that."
Finicky studied them all with critical eyes. "You will receive your schedules when you walk out this door. Today will be the only day where you are allowed to be late. After that, I expect you to know this school like the back of your hand."
"I think I found the Finster," Gretchen whispered nervously.
"Forget that; I actually prefer Finster than him!" Gus hissed.
"Friends, let's calm down! Surely we cannot judge him so quickly." Mikey soothed.
"Any questions?" Finicky barked sharply.
A slow, timid hand rose in the air. Finicky nodded curtly at Swinger Girl. "Sir? When is recess?"
Finicky looked at her in disgust. "Recess is for children; there is no such thing as recess at middle school. Dismissed."
TJ gaped in horror. "No...recess?"
The best two years just turned into the worst two years.
I apologize if my concept of middle school is not accurate. I have never attended middle school and do not have one where I live :P Since Third Street goes up to the sixth grade, I figure they only have to attend middle school for grade seven and eight.
I hope no one is OOC.
I appreciate reviews, but not flames :)
