Chapter 2

It was… Different working at a high school. For a start, the school was larger and much further from my apartment. The students were almost (or were) adults. Some still behaved as if they should still be at middle school though. I had a lot more work to do, and incidents were more than children posting videos of Ms Day on YouTube.

Since I'd lost my job at the elementary school, any job at a schoolteacher worked for me. The opportunity came up and I tried to be as professional and less Jess as possible. But I got the job, and I had in fact been given a promotion. As I taught at a high school, and I was most qualified as an English teacher, I was now a full English teacher instead of just a form tutor. I felt very proud and went out to buy as many professional office dresses so I didn't turn up looking like… Well, an elementary teacher.

Miranda sat by me chipping off the nail varnish off her talon-like acrylics. The job looked quite expensive, too, bright and intricate. But at least it shut her up. When she finished that task, she carried on to peeling off her nails. Soon one hand was naked of her talons, and she turned to me with a sickly smile. "So. Geography Day, huh?" She said flashing her bleached teeth.

"Yeah… All the subjects have the theme of something geographical. The things I have are South American rainforests, volcanoes and tides. My classes are writing poetry." I replied flatly. I was trying to concentrate on the busy traffic downtown.

"Cute. Maybe I should have carried on the course… Nah, maybe not. Hey, remember when you had a crush on the tutor? He was cute though. And talented. And he totally wanted you. Remember when he left you a poem in your folder. That's how English people do it." She whooped with laughter.

"Not that funny."

"It is! It was! Jessica! You never used to be this boring. You were fun. We went shopping in Hollywood."

"And then you got a call from your bank about your debts."

She gasped. Her financial history was a touchy topic. "Shut up!" She slapped my knee and laughed. "How's Cece? Still a model?"

"Yup."

"And your boyfriend?"

"He cheated and I dumped him."

"No! Nick? He's cute! He can't cheat! He wears old man clothes!" Miranda seemed genuinely shocked. I jerked and stopped the car.

"What did you say about Nick? How the hell do you know he's my boyfriend?"

"Carry on driving, Jess, you'll be late." She turned with her slender neck and gave me a look that reminded me of Miranda 2008. Pretty girls intimidate me and I pulled back out to the traffic. "You have problems, Miranda." I muttered.

"I know I do." Her voice trembled. "You never used to bring it up. I might have been diagnosed but it doesn't mean you can bring it up! It's private! It's sensitive! It's not something to mock!"

I'd brought Miranda to school. I laughed at my stupidity. It'd been an awful day. It started with first period- Miranda went to help herself to the food from the canteen.

Then, at lunch, she decided to make out with one of the jocks. This is a bit weird as she's 31 and he's 17.

Finally, some of the girls with a free period let her take them shopping- to get them lost of the way to Hollywood. There was something about Hollywood that kept drawing her there. As she was lost, she decided to go joy riding around some of the streets.

I had had no idea this happened. It was only when she called from jail that she could be bailed out for joyriding for $200. Nick and I drove all the way to her jail with $200 cash and finally got home at 12am.

"You're a crazy girl, Miranda." Nick said with his old man voice.

"Or am I freaky? They're similar." Miranda said with her man-pulling voice. Nick laughed and said "Schmidt will be glad you know this girl, Jess. He's still hung up over Cece."

"Nick, no offence but I don't care. I'm really, really tired and it doesn't help that we will have a guest. That means I need to prepare guest things like a bed and tell her rules of our home."

"Rules? Jess, you must be tired. We don't have rules except when you have someone over you don't go in until invited."

"Jess… You live in a house full of men? You're doing a Snow White! Except… How many have you really slept with?" Miranda whooped again and threw herself back kicking my seat.

"Yeah Jess?" Nick laughed along.

"Shut up," I growled but I didn't feel too upset.

We pulled up to our lot and climbed out. "So. The great Day territory."

"No, it's all Winston's really, but Schmidt thinks he's top dog, still." Nick said conversationally.

Miranda was very child-like. She bound up the stairs to the flat and peeked through the keyhole to look at the flat. "It looks so nice, Jessica. You've really made it."

"Erm, haha, people usually call me Jess. And not really, I was laid off a year ago. But at least I have a job." I replied.

"Hey," I heard Schmidt say as I walked up the stairs. "You brought a girl? Nick? Are you gonna have a three-way? You can't do that! You have a queen-sized bed; you need at least a double!"

"Douchebag jar," Nick said pointing to the door.

"Aw man… How much? Please be 20, Nick, I'm poor."

"For begging, it's $30."

Schmidt sloped off back into the flat and paid up.

"Gonna get laid tonight" Miranda said, and followed after Schmidt.

I knew she was right as soon as I saw her pole dancing with the curtain pole with Winston and Schmidt whooping, and Nick mesmerised, that Miranda was most certainly right.