Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me except the idea :)
Pre A/N: Hiya everyone. How are all of you doing? So this story was actually requested by me on Twitter by JimCaviezelFan and it was definitely one that I honestly didn't think I would be able to do but it seemed like my muse had other ideas as I couldn't stop writing. Before long, the first chapter was done and I was having fun doing something super A/U. I'm use to my A/Us consisting Joss being alive and well ;) So the rundown is that this is the team in a high school setting but revolves around John and Joss so I hope that this makes you happy JCF and I want to thank SWWoman for taking the extra time to look this over and give me a few tips. It's always appreciated, no matter how long you take. Now on with the show :)
Chapter 1 - Lab Partners
They were afraid of him. Good, that's exactly what John Reese wanted. As he walked down the crowded hallway of Marbury High School with his book bag over his right shoulder, the other students made sure to stay out of his way while getting prepared for first period. He could see the fear in their eyes, the fear of the unknown, and he made sure to keep it that way. He was a senior in the school but he had never desired the companionship of friends since halfway through his freshman year. John learned that he couldn't trust people that stared him in the eyes and said they were his friends only to have them turn around and stab him in the back. It was such a huge act of betrayal that John just didn't want to associate with anyone else and decided to isolate himself.
John stopped noticing the days as they blurred together and before long, he found himself in this hallway once again that was decorated with banners celebrating the senior events that were soon to take place. The school year was coming to a close in 2 months and then he would be off to enlist in the army. It was something he had always wanted to do thanks to the military blood coursing through his veins. His dad fought for a number of years before being killed in combat by a mortar strike. The event now was a distant memory but John still held the memory of his dad close, wanting to be like him. John still had his mother Margaret who he loved with all his heart and did everything he could to make her proud. He knew that she had worried about his well being since losing his father, but John made sure to not do anything to worry her. That's why he took the more passive role while walking through school or in classes. If he didn't bother anyone, no one would bother him either. It also made him an easy target for people that found it weird when he didn't say anything. They'd mock him for being strange, especially one particular student, Cal Beecher, who was the Big Man on Campus. John knew all about him and his academic accolades because even though he didn't want friends, John did his homework and knew his enemies well.
Cal was from a wealthy family, with a reputation known to many. He was also blessed with good looks and charm that attracted many to his side. John couldn't help but always notice the girl that walked by his side. She had beautiful, mocha skin with dark tresses of hair that flowed down to her shoulders in waves. One thing that John noticed most was her large doe eyes. He didn't know much about who she was or why he felt the urge to know more about her. The only thing he had learned from other student's gossip was that her name was Jocelyn. John brushed it off as nothing but a flicker of attraction and walked pastCal who was followed by Jocelyn and his two friends without so much as a glance. John shared a class with all of them during literature and chemistry. He didn't feel anything hostile from Jocelyn which was why he had never bothered to figure out her story.
A delicate scent tickled his nose, causing John to stop a few feet from his math class and turn around. The source eluded him but he recognized the flowery scent as jasmine. It was in the air during his literature class too. Could it be that she was the one that smelled so exquisitely? John dismissed it, walking pass other students who were putting their books away in their lockers. He had recognized others from the same class and told himself it had to be one of them. John sighed, hoping that the day would go by quickly and entered the first of many classes for the day.
Jocelyn Carter was one that loved to be around others. It was much too lonely to not have people to talk to and she enjoyed the company of friends. Being Cal's girlfriend made other students reluctant to approach her because of his hostile attitude but Jocelyn didn't want to be treated differently because of who she was seeing. Even though Cal constantly hounded her about keeping up appearances, she remained friends with many that he felt she had no business associating with like freshman from low income families. Cal had this idea that if they should know anyone, it's the smarter students because they could benefit greatly from exploiting their intelligence to get them to do their homework while they relaxed at home. Jocelyn expressed her misgivings but stayed with him, thinking that it was something that would pass if Cal gave some of the other students a chance.
She had grown up in a humble home, one that taught her that every life is precious no matter the situation. Jocelyn's parents always wanted the best for her and accepted her choice to come to New York even though they had a better school lined up. They also welcomed Cal into their lives, happy by the union when she first introduced them to him in her freshman year. Jocelyn was growing nostalgic at the idea that this would be her last year in high school and how she would be going to college soon. She wanted to get her law degree and maybe join the police academy to be an officer like her father.
Books in hand, Cal, his two friends, and she were on their way to class when Jocelyn saw a familiar face walking in the opposite direction. She recognized the tall, handsome boy as John. They shared literature and chemistry together. Jocelyn knew his name but nothing else. He barely spoke and sat in the back to hide himself from everyone. She saw that he didn't spend time with anyone, even at lunch. It looked really lonely but Jocelyn also saw that he appeared content with the whole thing. She thought that it wasn't right, that no one should be happy being alone. Then she wondered what had happened that caused him to push people away. Her interest was piqued and her desire to know the boy better grew.
It wasn't long before the wheels of fate were set in motion starting in chemistry class.
Nathan Ingram welcomed his students with a bright smile and his chalkboard filled with what they would be doing today in lab. The bell rang as the last of the students filed in and took their seats, the chatter still going on. "Alright everyone, settle down." This got their attention and the noise slowly died down. "I know that you are all excited about graduation in June but that doesn't mean you should start slacking now. Today we will be making a chemical reaction. Now I want everyone to choose a partner and stand next to their stations. You have 5 minutes."
Chairs were pushed back and people moved with haste, already having a partner in mind because they had done this numerous times before. Jocelyn, who was at the middle table, normally partnered up with Cal. She glanced over her shoulder to the back and saw the quiet John Reese still in his seat and not attempting to find someone. This was not the first time, Mr. Ingram normally assigned the student that was left without anyone to him. Usually that was Leon Tao, the fidgety exchange student that appeared to always be planning some sort of scheme to steal the answers for the next test.
"So baby, where do you want to each lunch today?" Cal asked as he got comfortable next to her but she didn't respond right away. "Joss?"
She turned to her boyfriend. "Cal, I'm going to switch with Leon okay?"
"Wait, wh…" before he could say anything, Jocelyn had collected her things and made her way to the very back of the class. She drew the attention of both boys when she stopped where the pair was sitting. "Hiya" she greeted cheerfully. Jocelyn had to fight back the giggle at their stunned looks before continuing. "Leon, would you mind trading partners with me?"
To say his jaw hit the ground at the offer was an understatement. "You mean you want me to partner with Golden Boy Cal?" When she nodded, Leon had to fight the urge to jump up and down, instead grabbing his things and vacating the seat in the blink of an eye. Jocelyn watched him, seeing the strange look on Cal's face when Leon took the seat. She wasn't sure exactly what it was,but didn't think anything of it before taking the empty seat and placing her book in front of her. She straightened her red shirt before grabbing her safety glasses and putting them on top of her head. Jocelyn then turned to her new partner with a bright smile.
John was silent during the exchange but was surprised and wondered why Jocelyn was doing this. He didn't want her pity because he was "the loner." However, he bit his tongue when she looked at him with those brown eyes of hers. There was something shining in them. It wasn't pity for him but John couldn't quite put his finger on it, instead taking up his glasses and putting them on too. Her tiny hand then came into view. "My name is Jocelyn but my friends call me Joss." When he didn't move, she tilted her head. "You do know how to handshake, don't you?" She teased, trying to get a smile out of him.
Warily, John returned the gesture. As soon as their skin made contact, he felt a small jolt of heat travel up his arm and quickly broke contact that earned him a confused look. "John," he spoke simply with a slight gruffness in his voice, not wanting to let his guard around her, no matter how pretty she looked or how warm she made him feel.
Joss clasped her hands together in front of her happily. "So you do speak." Before she could say anything else, Mr. Ingram spoke, informing everyone that they would be starting. She swung her body to face straight ahead, pulling her hair into a loose ponytail. Joss missed the look John gave her, wondering as to how she positively glowed when she got happy.
"Alright everyone, now that you've got your partners, let's go ahead and light up our burners."
Joss turned the knob until hissing could be heard before grabbing the striker. She held it close and attempt to light the flame without success. She kissed her teeth in frustration as she kept trying. "Damn thing. I can't ever get it to work." Joss explained. This was always an annoyance when they had lab during class. She was surprised when she saw the larger hand belonging to her silent partner covering hers instead of taking it out of her hands. Joss was amazed at how soft his hand were as he took hers and helped moved her fingers over the striker in a clear effort to help her. She pushed her stool closer as John squeezed their hands, causing the scratching noise and after only 2 attempts, the small flame flickered to life.
"You just needed to move your thumb a little higher" John explained before turning his book to the page Mr. Ingram assigned. Joss gave an appreciative smile at the advice before grabbing the pair of tongs provided and the glass beaker.
The day was half over with the entire student body currently being served lunch in the cafeteria. Joss was carrying her lunch bag over to the round table next to the large windows where she always sat since freshman year. There waiting for her were the usual people that included Cal and his friends Patrick Simmons and Raymond Terney. Cal looked upset with her as she pulled out the blue chair and took a seat.
"What the hell was that back there in chemistry class Joss?"
She undid the zipper to her bag and started taking out her food that consisted of a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches, an apple, and a water bottle with orange juice inside. "What? I was just trying to be nice."
Cal bit angrily into his hamburger. "But you just bolted without waiting for an answer from me. Babe, you know that we have a reputation to keep and people will start talking if you just decide to hang out with that weirdo." After calming down, Cal pointed right at Joss with a serious look in his eyes. "Don't do that to me again okay?"
Fighting the urge to roll her eyes at Cal's attitude, Joss nodded her head but not listening to his 'rules'. Satisfied with her answer, he turned his attention to Raymond and started talking about something. As she chewed her sandwich, Joss saw a familiar figure enter the cafeteria. The intimidating form that was John Reese made his way to the line to get today's meal of meatloaf and mashed potatoes.
As if sensing her eyes on him, John gazed in her direction, causing her to gasp and looked away quickly. Joss hoped that he didn't notice her embarrassment as she tried to regain her composure. Cal asked what was wrong but told him that it was nothing. However, her mind was entranced by what she saw. His eyes were such a beautiful shade of blue and so soft. The brief glance left her bothered. She had never felt like that when Cal would look at her. Shaking the feelings away, she continued eating.
John had chosen to sit in the far off corner near the door. He had felt someone watching him but he didn't expect it to be Jocelyn. As he plopped down in his chair, he angled his head to look at Jocelyn who was a few tables over. She would turn her head to speak to Cal, a warm smile gracing her lovely features. It was surreal that she had wanted to be his partner. They all had gone through most of the year without acknowledging each other so John was curious as to what changed. He got a scowl on his face as he took a bite of the tasteless potatoes, thinking again that Jocelyn was just pitying him. Even with that idea, he couldn't stop himself when she was struggling with the striker. He found it endearing how she looked, her eyebrows knitted together as she struggled to get it to work. John wanted to smile at her appreciation but he was still unsure of her intentions. Patrick looked in his direction but John didn't make a move to hide that he was looking. Instead, he just casually continued to eat as he saw him lean over and tell something to Cal while pointing in his direction. Cal turned in his chair with a look that clearly was meant as a form or intimidation but John only scoffed because he knew that Cal was all talk. John had taken self defense classes for years and could tell just by looking that he would be able to take care of Cal if the need arose.
The bell shrilled to indicate the second half of the school day had begun. All of the students shuffled to get their stuff together and throw out their food before returning to the hallway. John waited until everyone had left before following. He had noticed that Jocelyn had never stood in line, instead opting to bring her own food which was smart. The food served in this school was dreadful.
Joss cleaned up the mess she made and put everything together that she was going to throw out in the near by garbage. This time, she took a little longer to get ready and Cal told her he would go on ahead with Patrick and Raymond. "Alright, that's fine. See you there." They all left shortly after. Joss brushed away the crumbs from her shirt and put the bottle back in the bag. Most of the students had already cleared out when she slid her chair back. As she stepped around it, her eyes caught John as he patiently waited at the table. She was filled with concern. Is this how he always spends his lunch, alone and away from everyone? She thought. It was clear that he was isolating himself from others for a reason.
Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough time to ask. They had literature together and that was the last class of the day. Maybe she'd have to come up with some kind of plan because Joss believed that there was something special and kind underneath that rough exterior but she didn't know how to get to it. She nodded her head towards him accompanied by a smile before throwing her garbage away and made her way out of the blue double doors.
John's eyes followed, admiring how the jeans and shirt Jocelyn wore fit her well. They showed off her figure beautifully. He mentally splashed cold water on himself, not wanting to start thinking about someone that was already in a relationship. He wasn't like his ex-friend Peter. John respected boundaries. There were now a few stragglers left in the cafeteria and John finally pushed his chair back before throwing his backpack over his shoulder, took his tray to the nearby bin, and dumped the garbage inside before leaving it on top then left through the double doors.
Harold Finch walked in between the rows of desks of his literature class, reading an excerpt from a book of poetry as he studied his students. After finishing, he closed the book with a loud thump before addressing the class. "Poetry is such an amazing tool to express yourself. There are plenty in this book that are done by different authors and yet you can't help but feel an appreciation for them all." Mr. Finch's leather shoes echoed off the hardwood floor as he walked back towards the front of the class. He put the book back on his desk before turning around and crossing his arms over his chest, giving everyone a good once over.
"Since this class will be graduating soon, I have decided on what to do as a final project." He smiled when most of the students moaned. "This will only be for a selected group of students. I want you to write a piece of poetry and read it in front of the class." This announcement caused them to whisper how they felt about the whole thing. Mostly, they were worried about being picked. "There will be three students and my first choice will be Ms. Sameen Shaw."
All eyes went towards the far front right corner desk where she sat relaxed despite the announcement and playing with her pencil. All Sameen did was shrug before saying "That's fine."
The bell shrilled, announcing the end of class and the school day. People packed their stuff up quickly and started to shuffle out the door. "I would also like to see Ms. Carter and Mr. Reese." Joss was pleasantly surprised at being called but Cal assured her that he would wait for her just outside the door. Once everyone cleared out, John stood from his back row seat and approached them both. He noticed the excited look in Jocelyn's eyes. Of course she wouldn't have any problems. John thought that she would easily be able to write something amazing, at least compared to him.
They stood shoulder to shoulder before Mr. Finch spoke. "I have picked the two of you for different reasons. Jocelyn, you have such a beautiful and gentle personality so I feel that you would be a perfect candidate." Joss smiled before modestly giving her thanks at the compliment. He then turned to John. "Mr. Reese, you are an enigma that others want to solve. I feel that there is more under that wall that you put up and that's why I picked you as well."
When he didn't say anything, Joss poked him with her shoulder. "C'mon John, it will be fun." She encouraged in a sweet voice. She really wanted to see what was inside the lonely rebel's head, what was behind that emotional wall. Joss got a glimpse of him in science and she wanted more.
Jocelyn's teasing had been unexpected. John wondered why she would ever be interested in him at all. It was strange and at one point, he had entertained the thought that she was pressured to associate with him with an ulterior motive. John knew that he was just making excuses but just couldn't find a reason why he deserved even a second of her attention. Realizing that he couldn't think of a legitimate excuse to get out of it, John sighed in defeat before agreeing too, much to Joss's happiness.
Mr. Finch nodded his head and dismissed the two students. In the hallway, they walked in opposite direction, John heading home while Joss had to go back to get a few things from her locker before doing the same. Cal threw his arm over her shoulders as they walked together but Joss looked behind her to watch John disappear outside. There was a slight pang in her heart at seeing him go; Joss wanted to talk more with the quiet student. After collecting her things, she was outside and gave Cal a kiss on the cheek before they went to their own cars to head home.
As she drove in her convertible and the wind whipped up her hair, Joss hatched another plan to get to know John Reese before the end of the school year.
Post A/N: Yes, the madness has only started. Like I said, this is all new territory but I got a kick out of imagining what it would be like to see everyone in high school. I hope you all enjoyed this first entry, especially JCF. This is for you :) Again, thanks SWWoman for the corrections.