Ziva stood nervously outside the front gates. First days of school are always bad, but they're even worse when you're the new kid and everyone else has already been there for half the year. Groups have been made and friendships formed; there is never much room for the new kid.
As she stepped into the yard, she was overtaken by a pack of tough kids running after what she could see as a younger and much smaller boy. As Ziva stood in the middle of the yard, looking at all the different groups of students, she tried her best to gain some perspective of her new surroundings.
"What do you reckon her deal is?" Kate asked between chews of her bubblegum.
"Dunno," Tony answered. "She must be new."
"Nah, duh!" she answered as she sat up to face him from where she had been lounging on the wooden bench.
Ziva had finally found her feet again and had managed to see a boy and girl sitting on a bench in the shade. They seemed fairly approachable, so she decided to ask them if they could help her with a couple of classrooms that she was unsure of. The maps in her school diary left a lot to be desired.
"Hi, my name's Ziva David. I'm new and I was sort of hoping you could help me." Ziva said, smiling at the two teens.
"What made you think that we could?" asked Tony, clearly annoyed that a new kid saw him as approachable enough to think he would show her around.
"Well, you two seem the least likely to be air-heads, which after seeing some of the students here, isn't saying much." Ziva retorted, giving the boy a bit more than a little, attitude.
"Huh" Tony grumbled, looking away, sheepishly.
"Hmmm," Kate commented, amused that this girl had enough assurance to talk back to Tony, "she's defiantly not an idiot," then turning back to Ziva, "Okay, we'll help you. Here's the stuff you need to know," moving so that Ziva had a place on the bench. Ziva gratefully took the seat and started to listen to the couple. They seemed to know everything about everyone.
"Those two there," Kate said as she pointed to a couple of slightly older students sitting on one of the garden walls. The girl was leaning over the boy's book and obviously discussing its contents with the boy. "That's Jethro and Jenny. Seniors."
"Jethro's the best guy on our basketball team," Tony butted in "apart from me of course," he added with a smug smile.
"You wish, DiNozzo. Jenny's head of the debating team and is on the student council. They're always together, and if I were you, I'd keep out of their way. They're pretty high on the social food chain. Jenny will make you feel like you're an idiot, no matter what you say, and Jethro, well…"
"He'll slap you stupid," Tony finished for her, rubbing the back of his head.
Ziva looked skeptically at the pair. They were sitting on the wall, laughing. Jethro put his arm around Jenny's waist and kissed her hair. It didn't seem like either of them could be as mean as the teens had said they could.
"Over there," Kate started again, now pointing to a younger couple lying on the grass. "Over there you have Abby and Tim. They're freshmen, but they're already known by everyone as 'that cute couple' " she informed using the appropriate hand signals.
"The Goth's got mad skills in science and the nerd is exactly that. Can tell you everything you've ever wanted to know about computers, as well as all the stuff you couldn't care less about." Tony explained.
"Oh look," Tony mumbled, "Someone's left the cage door open"
Ziva followed in the direction Tony was looking.
A young boy was walking across the yard, a very determined look on his face, and a stride to match.
"The Gremlin," Kate stated.
"Who?" Ziva asked.
"Dr. Mallard, one of our science teachers, has the world's biggest suck up ever, always following him, but he doesn't seem to be glued to him today. Maybe Ducky got him to take a message." Kate explained.
"Ducky?"
"Yeah, Jethro made it up as a nickname for Dr. Mallard and now everyone calls him that." Tony explained.
"Ok, so what about you two? How do you fit in?" Ziva asked.
"We sit back, we watch and we commentate," said Tony, trying his hardest to sound profound.
Kate laughed. "Wait, I don't think we've introduced ourselves properly. I'm Kate Todd and this is Tony DiNozzo. It's Ziva, right?"
"Yeah. Listen, thanks for all the… knowledge. You've been a great help."
"No problem," answered Tony as Ziva got up. "Wait, didn't you need help with a room or something?"
"Ah, no. I think I will be able to figure it out. Thanks anyway though," she replied quickly.
When Ziva had left Kate turned to Tony, "She was different, wasn't she. Wonder how she'll go."
"Dunno, but she sure was hot," Tony replied as he watched the new girl walk casually to the main entrance of the building.
"You say that about every girl," Kate murmured as she went back to lounging while watching the school yard. "She'll be one to keep an eye on though."
"Definitely," Tony muttered, already keeping both his eyes on her.