Chapter One
"I hate this school." I muttered through my jacket that I had sitting on my head. I pulled it down and straightened it so that I could look at my four best friends, Amedaus Ivington, Wyatt Ramston, Zander Ingram, and Noah Shipp. The five of us make up a band called the JWB Band. Don't ask what JWB stands for we forgot a long time ago we just remember it was lame but the letters make it seem cool. Oh yeah we're also the school's best pranksters. Fun huh?
"We've only been here one complete semester." Daus looked at me sideways through his pale blonde hair that fell in front of his eyes.
"Yeah and it's the first day of second term classes and the second day we've been outta Christmas break." I sighed.
"Ah hush." Noah said between bites of an egg salad sandwich, "At least we don't have to go to a stupid boarding school," he tilted his head causing his dusty brown hair to shake, "Oh wait we do." He rolled his hazel eyes making me laugh.
"Well if we did go to a public school we'd only get to see each other in the afternoons. Here we get to hang out whenever we want." Daus smiled at the rest of us.
"No I'm just glad that our parents decided to put us all in the same school." Zander shrugged as he ran a hand through his black shoulder length hair.
"Yeah I'd hate life if I didn't have you four. I mean yeah I have other friends but still…" I spoke up again.
"We know what ya mean, and it's the same here." Wyatt agreed, which was followed by the other three.
"So how'd your mom react to you buyin another guitar, Daus? I completely forgot about that until just now." Noah started up about one of the many conversations about music or musical instruments we often had. Before Daus could respond I caught a glimpse of my crush, Will Pauley, walking into the dining hall, where me and the boys sat.
"Oh there he is!" I smiled staring at him. Will was the pitcher for our school's baseball team, the head of the guitar club, a daily at the skater park, and the cutest guy in the whole school. Well the last part is just my opinion but that's not the point. With his rusty colored hair that comes down in front of those green eyes and that electric smile he likes to flash at all the girls that drives me crazy… yeah I kinda like him.
"Here she goes again! Why can't you be less, well less of a girl?" Noah asked, I just looked at him with a face that said could you get any stupider?
"Hey she can't help that she's a girl, she didn't get to pick." Zander replied, him and Noah burst out laughing.
"Like I'd choose to be a boy." I rolled my eyes at them.
"It doesn't matter we don't have time to listen to her babble about Will anyways, we need to talk to Professor Bayns to see if he's changed his mind about the rest of the year detentions he assigned last semester." Wyatt picked up his stuff, his dark hair that usually framed his face down to his chin fell in his face and made him push it back before he could talk again "You'd be wise to come with us Ty." He looked down at me while the other three stood next to him.
"Naw the girls are just coming in I'm going to finish eating and talk with them for awhile." I shrugged and indicated towards the three girls making their way toward us. Will had already sat down next to some of his other friends.
"Okay but if we get let off the hook and you don't it's not our fault." He laughed and started to leave as the girls arrived. They all exchanged the regular hey's then the boys left while the girls took their vacant seats.
"Hey Ty." Chellce Rider smiled as she helped herself to some food.
"Hey Chels, Marie, Crissy." I nodded to her and then to the two girls next to her.
"What's up, where the boys goin'?" Crissy Schilling looked back as Zander and Wyatt sat next to Will at the other table and Daus and Noah keep going.
"Well I thought they were going to see Professor Bayns about the detentions, I don't know why those two sat down."
"Oh" She laughed then started her breakfast.
"So you glad to be back?" Chellce smirked at me, I rolled my eyes and laughed.
"Yeah Chels, she's thrilled to be back!" Marie Shipp, who also happened to be Noah's older sister, smarted off.
"Actually as much as I hate this school I missed you all more." I smiled playfully.
"Yeah Ty, we know just how much you love us." Marie said sarcastically.
"I do." I tried to protest but was laughing.
"Hey look Zander is coming over here!" Crissy gasped as she almost choked on the apple with peel she wasn't suppose to be eating in the first place due to her braces. I turned to look and saw Wyatt and Zander coming back towards us… and to my surprise so was Will.
"Hey Crissy, we doin' tutorials for ya after lessons today?" Zander asked remembering that he was suppose to tutor her in science after classes later that day.
"Um yeah sure!" Crissy smiled and nodded.
"Ok then we'll meet by the main fountain out in the front courtyard after last class." He noted.
"Ok." She said as if she were in a dreamy sort of state.
"Try and make it less obvious would you?" I leaned across the table and whispered it in her ear so only she could hear.
"What are you talking about?" She whipped around and glared at me trying to hush me up.
"Who doesn't know of your crush though so I guess it doesn't matter huh?" I whispered a little louder.
"I have no idea what you are talking about." She gritted her teeth smiling.
"Okay," I smiled and sat back down, taking a bite of cereal that was in front of me, "I thought you were goin' to see Bayns." I looked at Wyatt.
"I was but I had to talk to him." He gestured towards Will.
"Ah." I just nodded and went back to my food.
"Ty, you get that ollie down yet?" Will smiled at me.
"Um not quite." I felt my face turning red.
"Hey then come with Crissy after classes and I'll help ya while Zander tutors her." He motioned toward the glowing Crissy.
"Sounds good." I felt like Crissy, what with the silly girl smile plastered on my face.
"Now who's being obvious?" Crissy smirked over at me, just then people started getting up making the small group realize it was time for classes to begin. I leaned down to get my bag while Will continued.
"So you have Zimmin's class first period right?"
"Yeah," I smiled as I stood up.
"Well then I'll walk you to it, I have-"
"World Government, I know." I hopped over the table so I wouldn't have to walk all the way around the long table hoping no professors watched me do it.
"See you in class Ty." Chellce called back as she and the rest of the group walked ahead.
"Alright." I called back. "So when do we get to start going to the field trip thing to town?" I looked out a window letting the thought run across my mind out loud.
"Once you've been at the school for a whole year."
"That's not fair, that means you get to go." I playfully whined.
"How bout I bring you back something special, would that help to make things fair?" He smiled over at me.
"Um yeah that could help." I was going to continue on asking about what all there was in the town when an adult's voice rang out.
"Miss Tyson!" I rolled my eyes and we stopped, turning to see a man walking towards us, his wispy brown hair trailing him.
"Ah Halo I need to talk to you." The nerdy looking professor named Jarves came up and put a hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.
"Professor, I asked you not to call me that, Tyson or Ty… NOT Halo! Hey Will I'll catch up with you after lessons I gotta go with him." I rolled my eyes at the last bit making Will chuckle but bid me good-bye, with that he left.
"Come with me Halo." He turned and started off in the direction he had come from expecting me to follow him.
"IT'S TY!" I screamed after him, waited a moment then marched after him when he didn't respond. Once we had arrived in his office he took a seat behind his desk offering me a seat across from him.
"Hal- Tyson…why do you like to be called by your last name?" He got off the topic. I just glared at him as I pulled one leg to my chest so I could sit sideways.
"To annoy the crap outta people like you." I smarted off knowing that wasn't really the reason, no I just hate my first name, Halo, ew it just wasn't a cool name but Tyson… that name kicks butt. Oh now I'm off topic myself.
"But you just annoy yourself when I don't call you by it." He wiped his eyes and put his glasses back on.
"Is this what you wanted me for?" I stared out the window showing how pointless this conversation was.
"No it's not, so let's get to business. Yesterday during lunch, the ground floor girl's bathroom was vandalized." He crossed his arms and leaned back propping his feet up on his desk. It really was pathetic, the way he tried to look cool but was failing miserably at it.
"And this has to do with me how?" I turned back to him surprised that he accused me of something I didn't do. In one quick movement he pulled his legs back under him and sat straight up glaring at me as if he thought that he if he glared hard enough I would just vanish. No such luck.
"Because even though you've been here less than a year every time something bad happens you and your friends are behind it!" I sat there looking at him wishing he would vanish. I was about to comment on how we're not always behind it but I stopped myself and thought. Yes, yes we were, he had a point. But still I didn't do this, at least not this time, oh if one of my friends did this and I'm getting in trouble for it…. I'll leave it at that.
"Yeah well I didn't do it!" I too sat up straight.
"I'd like to beg to differ." He smiled as if he had already won.
"Yeah how?" I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees.
"We have evidence." Evidence! How could they have evidence on something I didn't do? I played it cool even though my mind was racing with a million questions and assumptions.
"Evidence huh? I find that unlikely." I leaned back and let my right ankle rest of my left knee.
"And why do you find this unlikely?" He leaned on his desk pretending to be interested in what I had to say, but he was really just mocking me.
"Because how could you have evidence on an innocent person?" I inquired.
"Easy you're not innocent." He stood up almost knocking his chair over. We just glared at each other, he bent over his desk his arms propping him up, me looking smug. As the minutes ticked away a first grader like me walked in. Now a side note to you my retarded school doesn't work like every other normal American school our grade system is all screwy. So when I say a first grader I don't mean a 6 year old I mean a kid around 13 that is in his first grade of this school. Since the school goes from ages 13 to 18, the 13 year olds are in their first year at the school making them first graders and the 18 year olds are in their 6th year at the school making them 6th graders. I know, it's a retarded concept you have to remember but hey I didn't make the rules. So yeah I'm 13 and am in the 1st grade makes loads of sense huh? But so not to confuse, you I'll say year instead of grade, k? Anyways like I said the first year came in and leaned against the doorway.
"Professor Jarves, Professor Bayns would like to speak with Tyson."
"He can in a minute!" Jarves practically yelled, the scared 1st year whimpered a small 'yes sir' and scampered out of the room. Jarves moved from behind his desk to the front of it, only a foot or two away from me, and leaned against it with his arms crossed.
"You might as well give a full confession now before you get into anymore trouble." An evil smile played across his lips. As I heard this I got all hot and defensive.
"How can I be in trouble to begin with? I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" I stood up screaming. He just moved forward and I sat back down, my dark red hair falling all around my shoulders. He leaned over me and got in my face grabbing the arms of the chair, probably so he wouldn't strangle me.
"Plus it's not like you are the one that should be worrying about it, you're not a flippin janitor, let them deal with whatever 'vandalism' there is." I've been in this school for about 6 months and he already hated me enough to want to kill me.
"Halo, that is not the point! I know you did this and I will get you, I am personally going to see that you are expelled by the end of this year. The only way you'll be coming back, nevertheless graduate, is over my dead body." He growled at me, I looked at him with pure hatred. The only people that know what I could possibly be going through were Wyatt, Daus, Zander, and Noah, who have all been in enough trouble to blow up any teacher.
"Is that a threat, Professor?" I asked through gritted teeth.
"No Halo, a promise." He sat up straight and went to the door opening it and motioned for me to get out.
"At least the kid got my name right." I glared at him as I walked by him. Once outside his office I decided I had to go to Bayns' office to avoid further trouble. On the way there I wondered to myself why in the world they would have the councilor of 5th and 6th years talk to me rather than just let me talk to Bayns. I mean he's the 1st and 2nd years councilor. See my school, along with the stupid grade system, also has this thing with councilors and principals. Professors just run the classes but three of them are also councilors, and another three are Principals. Only the Head Principal, Head Principal Card isn't also a professor, but she's the one in charge of the whole school so I don't think she has much time for everyday classes anyways.
Councilors are the ones who govern the different grades each councilor is in charge of 2 years. Bayns is 1st & 2nd, Zimmins is 3rd & 4th, and Jarves is 5th & 6th. Councilors are the ones you go to when you're in trouble, so me and my friends know Bayns rather well. The three principals Baker, Turner, and Michalk are the ones who govern the students in their assigned dormitories. Students see them the most, at night they watch over the living rooms that the students are allowed to hang in until lights out, they check the dorms, and they're there for questions, any problems or help that is needed.
The whole dorm thing that the principals are in charge of? Ok my school, which I don't think I've told you is called Crafts Proper School for Young Ladies and Gentlemen, or CPS for short, Anyways the actual building of CPS is shaped like a 5 storied, sideways facing T. When I say sideways I mean the top of it faces north and south and the end of it sticks out to the east. A little fact about the school is that though it's shaped like a T the halls are twisted and confusing, and there are numerous amounts of staircases. And the three sets of dormitories are each set on a different end of the school, all on the 5th floor. The dorms called North Wing, South Wing, and East Wing. I'm hoping that you can tell which dorm is at which side of the school by yourself. Unlike most schools, because we have already learned that CPS is a very strange school, dorms are not split by years or last names but by date of registration. Most of my friends and I are in South Wing with Professor Turner. Being in one Wing doesn't mean we exclude ourselves away from the kids in the other wings. Actually we all mix kinda well, well that is until baseball season but that's aside the point, so when the wings do get along and what not you can find a lot of mixed Living Areas. Living Areas are basically the lounge for students, each dorm wing has one. Different wings are allowed to visit the other's only during the day and if they're not causing trouble. Students usually hang out with friends, do homework, read, or other relaxing things in the living areas and what not. So now that you know the whole boring information of this incredibly retarded school I think I can stop blabbering and get on with the story!
"Ah good Tyson have a seat." Professor Bayns' office was a dark brown and seemed more comforting then Professors Jarves' did. The walls were lines with books and seemed more spacious compared to Jarves' dark green office filled with things that they used in his Science class. I walked over to the middle of the office and sat in one of the two chairs. "I assume you know about the vandalism that happened yesterday afternoon?" Professor Bayns had a soft smile that made you feel like he really cared but I knew it was fake he just did that to make his victims talk. I looked at him for a second; his balding head was tilted to the side slightly looking at me with his baby blue eyes. He is slightly heavy set and yet he got up and interacted with the kids than most of the fit professors.
"You shouldn't assume anything but yes I know about it." I immediately became aggressive, "Assuming makes an ass out of you and me." He looked puzzled so I explained.
"Spell assume, you get a-s-s-u-m-e, which sounds like you're saying ass you and me…" I just stopped when the puzzled look turned into a frown.
"Halo there is no need for that kind of language."
"And there is no need for you to call me that." I got angry… again.
"Then what would you prefer?" He pretended to care. All the professors were out to get me, even my own councilor, it really was sad.
"Uh I don't know, maybe the name all my friends and family call me?"
"And what might that be?" He mocked me just as Jarves had done.
"Maybe Tyson? Wait yes I have told you this… like a gazillion times!"
"Well then Miss Tyson calm down, we just need to talk." He pulled out a folder and opened it on his desk.
"Can we make it quick I need to get to class?"
"Oh yes you would hate to miss Geometry! The great troublemaker Tyson just loves math." He smirked. I hate sarcasm… well I hate it when it's used on me.
"I prefer the term prankster, and math class is better than this dump." I hinted to the cozy office, he frowned.
"Do you-" He didn't finish, the phone rang and he excused himself to take it, "Professor Bayns here, hello Professor Jarves. No there is no need to yell I can hear you just fine. You're angry yes I understand, but at who? Tyson, but why? Ah I see, I will keep that in mind. No only what is fair, think about it she may be innocent if she says she is." It was then that I had a new respect for Bayns with just that statement, maybe he wasn't solely out to get me… but he continued. "I don't know I haven't exactly talked to her about it yet. Yes she is right here." At this point I rolled my eyes and got comfortable, "No, no Professor that is uncalled for! Yes I will get back to you later though." He slammed the phone down and looked at me with a forced smile.
"He has it in for me." I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Now why do you think that?" I just looked at him as if he were crazy, "Okay about this thing, did you do it?"
"No," I said with all the seriousness I could muster, but then again I'm a known prankster and I don't get serious much.
"Professor Jarves seems to think otherwise."
"I already told you he has it in for me!" I started to whine about how he threatened me and told me that it was a promise and all, he seemed to be taking my side but I knew better.
"Did the Professor show you the 'evidence' we supposedly have?" He looked at me as if he had a great concern for my well being.
"No but it can't be anything since I didn't do it."
"Would you come with me?" He got up and walked to the door.
"Not if we're not going to my class." I remained seated.
"Tyson get up!" He opened the door and walked out, I had no choice but to get up and follow him. I grabbed my bag and we left. We went down three flights of stairs and into the ground floor's girl restroom, Professor Bayns motioned for me to go in first.
"I told the janitors not to clean it until you saw it." He said as we turned into the main part of the restroom. My eyes got as big as saucers and my mouth dropped open at the sight before me. I quickly recovered and found some stupid remark to throw at him.
"You said it was vandalized not hit by a tornado." I walked over to the wall to see what it was that was on it….paint, maybe. The whole room was covered in it. It was used to write on the walls, mirrors, stalls (which most were off their hinges), and even the floor. All the writing was in blue and purple, and as everyone knew those were my favorite colors. It said some vulgar stuff, stuff even I wouldn't write, then there were some stupid made up words. It said all kinds of things but I saw something that I had made the mistake in saying earlier. Not ten minutes ago I corrected Bayns telling him that I preferred the term Prankster not troublemaker, big mistake. In the biggest font on the main mirror said, 'Prankster vs. Tagz, the war has begun!' What war? I didn't know of any. Then Bayns basically showed me my death certificate by bringing my attention to something smaller, much smaller. There in little letters was my signature, no mistaking it.
I pounded on my Geometry teacher's door with all my strength and muttered how I hate the fact that they keep all the doors locked. He pulled it open and I stormed inside slamming down in my usual chair next to my friends, all of which were staring at me.
"Tyson-" He started to lecture me on disturbing his class.
"Professor, don't start with me today!" He glared at me for a moment but went back up to the front to try and get the students' attention again. Once things had settled down the whole gang got as close to me as they could which included; the band, Chellce, Crissy, Dillon, Rory Bacon, Sophie Brewster, Aerith Tyler, and Rielly Richards.
"What's up, where've ya been?" Everyone looked at me as Crissy, who was the closest to me, leaned over and whispered. Chellce glanced at the professor to make sure he wasn't looking.
"Did you guys hear about the ground floor restrooms?" They all nodded and Sophie spoke up.
"Yeah I heard it was bad, something about a war, everyone is talking about it." I frowned and got off subject.
"How come they weren't talking about it at breakfast then?"
"No one knew about it they just thought the bathroom was closed for cleaning or something. But ten minutes before classes started a professor let it slip to a student and you know how fast gossip can spread in this school." Sophie whispered back.
"Tyson, Brewster! Is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Professor Zimmins asked and everyone sat up straight pretending that they had been listening to the professor the whole time.
"No." We both retorted.
"Stop interrupting my class Tyson or you're out of here." He glared at me again but went on with the lesson. I mimicked him just low enough for my friends to hear making them stifle laughs. After a minute or two the rest of the class turned back to the professor and my friends leaned back over to me.
"But anyways they think me or one of you guys did it, though they really think it was mostly me. You guys didn't do it did you?" When everyone shook their heads I went on. "They don't even suspect anyone other than me really, but I didn't do it, I swear!" I frowned and bit my lip.
"We believe you, but why do they think it was you more than anyone else? I mean we all do that kind of stuff." Noah looked at me then the rest of the gang, who all nodded in agreement.
"Man you guys can tell this isn't my work. It said some pretty bad stuff with words I never even knew existed! And some how my sig is on it."
"Your signature! How'd they get that?" Chellce's eyes got big.
"Not my name signature, my prankster one. You know the one I leave on everything I do?"
"Oh yeah the one that says Drum the Band with a pair of drum sticks behind it?" She nodded as she remembered.
"Yeah that one."
"So they think you did it, are you in trouble?" Sophie asked as she ran her tongue across her lips.
"They said I'm allowed in school until they can really prove it was me, then as soon as I do I'm out, until then all my 'privileges' are gone. I can't do anything."
"I told you leaving a signature would get you in trouble." Zander looked at me with one of those I-told-you-so smiles; Crissy looked surprised at him and softly hit him on the shoulder. All he did was smile at her sweetly; she just rolled her eyes playfully and leaned back over to listen to me.
"How come they just now told you about it?" Daus asked.
"They said it took awhile to find the signature. But get this; in the biggest letters said the pranksters and Tagz are at war. Since when have we been at war?" I inquired as everyone shrugged. Aerith looked puzzled but tried to cover it up,
"Hey I'm losing my mind remind me what a Tagz is." She tried to smile while not looking stupid; I looked at her and shook my head.
"It's the other group of pranksters. You know Demetre Taglen right?" She nodded, "Remember during the first week of school last semester he started a group of pranksters but labeled 'em Tagz?"
"Oh, but why are you at war? I mean you're all pranksters."
"My best bet is that it's cause when he started the group me and the rest of the band wouldn't join. And he knew from the plane ride over here that we were good pranksters, so he got jealous. But anyways some good news, that some of you already know, Will said that he'd help me with getting the Ollie down today after classes."
"You already have the Ollie down though." Wyatt looked at me his brown hair falling over his eyes.
"I know this, but he doesn't."
"Whatever Ty," The boys rolled their eyes and went to talking to each other about baseball leaving us girls alone, but me being me I had to just keep talking.
"That way I can hang out with him for a reason and not just tag along with Crissy gets hers from Zander." I smiled forgetting all about the threat of expulsion, everyone turned back to the lesson except Aerith who leaned as close as she could from her seat.
"She gets lessons from Zander?" Her mouth dropped.
"Oh yeah you like him too…"
"Too? I like him first and for much longer."
"Okay, sorry."
"That is so cheating!" Aerith murmured under her breath as she sat up straight, eyes glaring at Crissy as Chellce and Sophie leaned over.
"She okay?" Chellce motioned to Aerith.
"Yeah she will be, I'll explain later." They nodded and sat up. I just looked at Aerith as if she was crazy but then again like me she could very well be.
After class let out I burst into the hall and collided with none other than Demetre Taglen, the Tagz leader.
"Sorry, oh it's you. I take that back what I just said." He looked up from the book he was reading, his piercing blue eyes glared at me.
"Already did" I glared right back at him. "Now Taglen why in the world would you be holding a book, everyone knows you can't read." I heard snickers behind me which meant my buds were right behind me to back me up.
"Shut-up diphead.
"Diphead, huh? Nice choice of a word…wait a minute." For once I was actually thinking hard on something other than a prank, "That was one of the words on the restroom wall, one of the ones that I thought was made up, WAIT!" I whispered all but the wait to myself but heard a murmur from my friends as the information set in and assumptions were made. By the time I realized what happened Demetre was already almost half way down the hall, now holding the book casually by his side looking straight ahead. "GET BACK HERE!" I ran after him and when I caught up to him I grabbed his shirt and swung him around almost making him trip, "You did it!" I screamed in his face. His eyes were about ready to explode from holding in laughter.
"Did what?" He acted astonished.
"You did that to the girl's bathroom and put my signature on it to get me in trouble for it!" I said a little bit quieter, through gritted teeth. He smiled as he slightly rocked on his heels, I saw my friends coming towards us out of the corner of my eye.
"So what if I did, what ya gunna do bout it?" I was about to punch him square in the jaw but Chellce's voice popped into my head from one of the other incidents that had gone on the first semester, she has said, 'Tyson you need to control your temper, don't get back at someone through physical contact, get back at them mentally. It's more fun.' So I took the advice and didn't hit him but told him,
"I'm going to give you what you want, a war. And me and the band are going to cream you at it so bad you'll wish you never messed with us. Guys the wars on!"