Chapter 2: Trouble
Next morning Jen got ready for school. Shadow had not returned that night. She got onto the bus, finding her friends she sat with them.
"Hey Jen, you're quieter then usual. What's up?" said the boy beside her. He had a freckly face and red hair he also had eyes blue that looked worried.
"Me? Shadow ran away yesterday afternoon. I'm worried about her Chris."
"Hey don't worry about her. Almost everyone's animal did that yesterday. She'll come back."
"Hey Freckle-face your girlfriend looks upset," leered a boy on the backseat. Everyone looked around at him. He was in the same year as them. He had blonde hair and his grey eyes were always mocking, his chin was pointed and he had a slightly pointed nose that gave him the look of a rat. The rest of his friends guffawed stupidly. "I'd had thought that you would at least comfort her. Go on put your arm around her."
Chris blushed and mumbled something about don't worry about it, as Jennifer stood up. "Well if we were going out why would it bother you," she smiled sweetly at him. "Or did you get hungry last night and eat your girlfriend, Dragon."
She sat back down, looking thoroughly pleased with herself, as everyone cheered for her.
"You'll pay for that," his voice shook with anger.
"Ohh I'm scared," she feigned trembling with a hand over her mouth. "What you going to do, eat me?" Everyone laughed.
He growled as he went back to talking to his friends, casting surly looks at them emphasising that he was speaking about them.
"You didn't have to do that Jen," Chris said quietly as they got off the bus. "Sticking up for me and all that." He seemed to be highly embarrassed about it for some reason.
"Nah I had to do that," she replied just as quiet. "That slime ball gets his own way too much. I had to do something to stop his head inflating any further," she smiled and looked over her shoulder at the blonde haired boy. "Wow I have to treasure this moment for the rest of my life. Dragon didn't trip me down the steps."
"Jen leave it," Chris had moved away from her as he saw who was behind them.
"Yeah Dimples listen to your boyfriend," he jeered as his friends laughed stupidly beside him.
Jennifer laughed out loud, turned to face him, "Dimples am I? At least I never ate him." Laughing she walked off with Chris and her other friends.
"Jen that was excellent," her browned haired friend clapped her on the back, "I'd never thought you had it in you."
Jen shrugged, "it was nothing Sira. Someone had to do it eventually before he got full reign of school bully."
Sira smiled, "I thought that he was going to hit you after that second remark though. You did push it you know."
Jen nodded, "I know I did," she suddenly burst out laughing again. "He thought that Dimples would scare me. He is so running out of names."
"But you do have dimples," Chris said blushing furiously.
Jen blinked, lost for words.
Sira giggled, "she doesn't have a comeback for that," trying to stifle her giggles.
"Shut up."
Sira's eyes danced with laughter, but she knew better then to reply.
Chris went over to his mates as the two girls went to theirs. News had spread rapidly about her talking back to Dave.
"Jennifer Wood, this way please," her teacher called from across the playground, outside the principal's office.
Sira looked at her, "why does she want to talk to you?"
Jen shrugged and shook her head as she walked over to her teacher.
Her teacher jerked her head into the office.
Frowning Jen walked in and saw Dave sporting a bloody nose.
He sneered at her while the teachers' back was on them.
"Jennifer why did you punch Dave on the bus this morning?"
Jen blinked with dawning comprehension. "I – I never did that!" pointing a finger at Dave's bloody face.
"Dave said you did, and so do all of his friends. He says that you were teasing him, and he said some remark and you punched him in the face."
Jen opened her mouth shocked. "No he was teasing Chris, I never did that! Ask all the people on the bus, he was teasing us."
"I have asked enough people and they all say it was you doing the teasing."
Jen couldn't believe her ears, she knew that she never got on with the teachers at this school, but accusing her of hurting someone was totally against her nature.
"I'm afraid I will have to call your grandparents and tell them. You are suspended from this moment."
"WHAT?" she screeched, the colour draining from her face. "You can't suspend me, it should be him and his sc … friends."
"Dave do you want to go home?" the teacher said kindly ignoring Jen.
"Yes Miss, I don't feel to well," he wiped his nose on the back of his hand.
"Very well stay here while I go and ring her grandparents."
"Miss Clare Roony, are you suspending my students without my authorisation?" The Principal came through the door, looked at Jen who was looking livid and Dave sitting on the chair, sporting a black eye. "What's going on here?" He demanded.
"I'm suspending Jennifer here for hitting Dave on the bus this morning," she said pompously.
"Jennifer, did you?" he looked kindly at her. He was good friends with her grandparents and knew that she wouldn't hurt a flea.
She shook her head, "I only spoke to him not to tease me and Chris."
"You didn't hit him?"
She shook her head again, "no Sir."
"Very well. Dave why were you teasing Jennifer here?" Turning to face the blonde boy.
"I wasn't teasing her, she was teasing me!" he said indignantly.
The Principal raised his eyebrow. "It seems to me that Jennifer here was just protecting the dignity of her friends. Dave here was too brash in his answer. Therefore Jennifer is not suspended."
Jen blinked. Dave looked angrier then on the bus, she gave a small smile of victory to him.
"But Sir, she punched him," the teacher looked as though she had just been slapped.
"Might I bring in one of Dave's friends. Gregory come in please," he looked at the door as Dave's burly friend shuffled in. He cast Dave a look of apology. Dave snarled at him.
"Gregory show me your hands. Jennifer show me yours as well," they held out their hands with slightly bemused looks on their faces. Gregory held his palms up and shifted on his feet uncomfortably as if he had just been caught. "Other way round Gregory."
With great reluctance he turned his hands over. His knuckles on his right hand were red and swollen. Jennifer's were smooth.
Miss Roony looked livid with anger, as Jennifer suppressed the urge to whoop. "Doesn't prove a thing!"
"Doesn't it?" he replied with a small smile. "I always thought that when you punch something your knuckles always go red. Jennifer's aren't, but Gregory's are. Jennifer you may go to class," he excused her then facing the two boys. "Would you like to explain yourselves? Or do I have to suspend both of you?"
As Jen left she heard Gregory blubbering an excuse and Dave telling him to shut up.
