Chapter 2 - New lab partner

When Jane woke up she was still wearing the same clothes she had worn yesterday. She looked at the clock and saw that she still had an hour before school. She decided to take a shower and try to wash off yesterday's problems. She found a white tank top, blue t-shirt and some jeans and then ran into the bathroom to take a shower.

The shower helped her relax and calm down. Once she had washed her face and hair she got out and took a good look at herself in the mirror. She wasn't so happy with the sight and all she heard in her head were the voices of all the mean kids. She didn't want to cry again so she decided to suck it up and not let them bother her. Only four years left.

She got out of the shower, brushed through her evil hair that refused to submit to her will. She brushed through it roughly but in the end she gave up and put it in a high ponytail. She was not happy with the sight in the mirror but this was obviously as good as it would get. She then got dressed and walked downstairs.

"Hey sweetie. Are you okay? I tried knocking on your door last night but you didn't answer." Angela said when Jane sat down.

"Oh I was just so tired that I fell asleep."

"Is everything alright?" She stopped cooking and walked to her. "You seem so quiet, you who have always got something to talk about."

"I don't know. Yesterday was just weird."

"Anything you want to talk about?"

"Not really ma."

"Well. If you want to talk, I'm right here Janie." She brought her a plate of pancakes. "Here you go. Eat your breakfast."

"Thanks ma." Jane smiled and ate her breakfast. Her mother could be a pain in the ass sometimes but Jane knew she cared.

She finished her breakfast and waited for Emily.

When she knocked on the door, Jane gave her mum a hug good bye and ran out the door.

"Hey Jane. Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Fine. But please tell me you deleted the picture?"

"Of course I did. I'm so sorry. I really liked it. But I guess I put too much make-up on you, I'm sorry Jane."

"It's okay Em. I know you would never hurt me on purpose."

"You're right Jane. You're my best friend."

Jane smiled. Now that was more like it. Emily had gone back to normal. She hadn't mentioned Daniel so far and Jane just hoped the day would pass without the mention of his name.

They got to school and their first class was biology. They sat next to each other in the middle and waited for the new teacher to come in.

"Hello. My name is Mr. Cohen and I will be your biology teacher this semester. Please raise your hand and say yes when I call your name."

He then started calling the names of everyone in class and Jane was so relieved when she realized Kimberly and Debby were not in this class. But unfortunately, Kate still was. One is always better than three though.

"For the next two weeks you will be working in pairs." Mr Cohen said.

Jane was glad. She and Emily could work together and soon everything would go back to normal.

"I see you guys are excited about the pairings, but unfortunately I will be choosing partners for everyone."

"Oh no." Jane thought. "Please not Kate, Rory or Joey. Please Emily. Please."

"Gilberti and Korkman."

Maria and Giovani looked at each other in despise but they knew they couldn't argue. Giovani moved to Maria but stayed as far away from her as he could.

"Graham and Grant."

Joey and Rory looked at each other happy. Jane was happy as well since she wouldn't get paired with either of them.

He then paired Eddie and Steve together, Casey with some nerdy kid she didn't know, Jessica and Claire, Donna and Eileen, Victor with Barty and soon there were only four kids left without partners. Kate, Emily, Jane and Maura.

"Atkins and…"

Jane hoped and prayed it would not be her.

"…Matthews."

Oh no. Poor Emily. She would have to work with Kate for the next two weeks.

"Rizzoli and Isles."

Well. Jane was a bit bummed when she realized she wouldn't get partnered with Emily, but since she wasn't paired with anyone she hated she should be thankful.

"I'm sorry Jane."

"No I'm the one who's sorry. You'll be working with Kate." Jane said and frowned her face. "I'll move. See you after class."

"Okay Jane."

Jane moved to the empty seat next to Maura. She and Maura had been in the same school for the past three years. And in all that time, Jane had never seen her sitting next to anyone.

"Hi Maura."

"Hey Rizzoli."

"You can just call me Jane."

"Okay then. Hello Jane."

"Are you okay being paired with me?"

"Of course I am Rizz… I mean Jane."

"I promise I'll help you, you don't have to do this all by yourself."

"Thank you Jane. Let's hear what Mr. Cohen has to say about our assignment."

Jane smiled. Maura was really nice. Jane had always thought she was this spoiled brat that only associated with snobs. She looked at Emily who didn't seem to like her partner. Kate also seemed unhappy about this and she looked like she was texting.

Mr. Cohen then explained the new assignment and Jane looked forward to it. She and Maura were assigned to make a Power Point presentation about the evolution theory. They were supposed to work on the assignment in class but if that wouldn't be enough they should meet after school. He then dismissed the class and Jane ran to Emily.

"Oh god. These next two weeks are going to be awful." Emily said.

"I am so sorry Em."

"Well. You're stuck with Maura the Bore-a. I'm sorry for you too."

"Yeah." At that exact moment, Maura happened to walk past them so Jane felt bad. "Do you think she heard us?"

"Who cares? Come on. Let's go."

They went to classes and so far, the second day wasn't bad. At lunch, Jane wished she hadn't said that.

"Hey Rizzoli. Where's your make-up?" Kimberly asked.

"Make-up? I don't wear make-up to pretend to be pretty."

"You need more than just make-up to look pretty, you should wear a mask." Debbie said and the girls laughed.

"That's a great idea. Can I borrow that one?" She pointed at Debbie's face. "Oh I'm sorry, it's your face."

Emily laughed so hard and Jane pulled her away from the stunned girls who didn't have a comeback.

"Wow Jane. You finally stood up to them."

"Yeah. I figured, why not! They have no right to make my life hell."

"You're right Jane. And I'm glad you're not mad at me about the picture. I'm so sorry by the way."

"It's okay Em. I don't care what they think."

"And you shouldn't Jane.

They found an empty table and sat down just the two of them. But that didn't last long. Soon Casey and Steve joined them. Jane kept her cool because she had spent a lot of time with them during the summer and had actually grown quite fond of them, as friends of course. Emily on the other hand got all awkward and blushed.

"So Jane. Ready for the try-outs for the hockey team?" Steve asked.

"You bet. I am so gonna whip both of your asses!"

"Dream on." Casey said.

They talked about sports for a while and excluded Emily a little bit. Jane then looked at her and saw that she felt uncomfortable.

"So boys. What do you think of high school so far?"

"Eh. I don't know. The teachers we've had seem okay so far."

"Especially Erin Jacobs, the English teacher."

"Mhm."

"Seriously? Is that all you boys can think about?"

The boys looked at each other and answered at the same time.

"Yes."

"Oh gross."

"So Emily. What did you do this summer?" Steve asked her

"Who me?" Emily looked confused.

"Yes you." Steve didn't make fun of her for being so awkward. "Where did you go? What did you do?"

"I went to Iowa, I was visiting my grandparents. Spent the whole summer there."

"Cool." He took a bite of his sandwich. "Are you going to come watch the hockey try-outs?"

"I don't know. I might."

"You should come."

"I should?"

"Yeah." He smiled at her.

"Okay then. I'll come."

Jane couldn't help but feeling a little bit jealous. Steve never looked at her any other way then as one of the boys. She was about to say something when Rory and Joey suddenly came.

"Hey frog face!" Joey said and burped.

"Must you be so mean all the time Joey?" Casey asked.

"What? Frog face your girlfriend or sum?"

"No, but there's no need to call her frog face."

"If anyone should be called frog face around here it'd be you Joey." Jane said.

"Good one." Rory answered. "Where's your make-up Rizzoli?"

"Oh I left it at home. Didn't realize you wanted to borrow it. I'll remember to bring it tomorrow. Maybe Joey can help you put it on?"

Emily, Casey and Steve laughed.

"Woah Rizzoli. Didn't know you had it in you." Steve said.

"Oh there's so much more you don't know about me." She said a little flirty, picked up her plate and walked away. Emily followed her and was amazed.

"Geez. Jane, why haven't you ever done that before?"

"I don't know. But it felt so good." She smiled as she threw her trash away. "Did you see the look on their faces."

"Priceless." Emily said and followed Jane happily out of the cafeteria.

"What class do you have next?"

"Chemestry. What about you?"

"Math." Jane said with a frowny face. "I hate math."

"Yeah, because you suck at it."

"Or I suck at it because I hate it."

"Either way, good luck."

"Yeah." Jane said, not so hopefully. "See you after school?"

"Yes. I'll walk home with you. When are the try-outs?"

"Are you seriously going to come? I thought you hated hockey."

"I don't hate it. I'm just not any good at it. I don't like playing it but I don't mind watching it."

"Yeah, especially with all those hot guys."

"Do you want me to come or not?"

"Steve obviously wants you to."

"Stop it Jane. I know you like him, I would never do anything with him."

"I don't like him."

"Oh yes you do."

"I'm not gonna argue with you. Especially not here. I will see you after school?"

"Sure. Bye Jane."

"Bye."

Jane walked to math class and hoped she would have a better teacher than last year. He refused to help her and always just told her she was hopeless. No wonder she hated math.

She walked into the classroom realizing there was no Emily to sit next to. She didn't see Casey or Steve either. She saw no empty tables so she had to sit next to someone. Then she saw Maura and walked to her.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Yes."

"For who?"

"Whom."

"Okay then. For whom?"

"None of your business."

"What?"

"You can't sit here."

"Why not?"

"Because you…"

"Because I what?"

"I thought you were different."

"What are you talking about?" Jane was confused.

"You are just like the rest of them. Making fun of me and calling me boring. Not even boring, bore-a. That's not even a word."

"I've never called you boring Maura."

"Yes. I heard you and Emily saying it after biology."

"Emily said it. I didn't."

"You agreed with her though."

"I'm sorry Maura. I didn't mean it. I never judge people I don't know, I know that to well from being on the other side of it. Please. I have no one else to sit next to."

"Fine." She answered a little grumpy but Jane took it as a yes and sat down.

When Jane had just taken her seat the teacher walked in. It was an old man who introduced himself as Michael Barsi. He spent the whole class talking about how the semester would be. Jane started feeling a little bit nervous. He talked about how they would have an exam every Friday to see what they'd learned.

"I guess Friday's are ruined." Jane whispered in Maura's ear, forgetting for a second that it wasn't Emily.

"Shh." She said hastily.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm listening to the teacher and you're disturbing me so shh."

"I really don't like it when people shuss me."

"and I really don't like it when people talk when the teacher is talking."

Maura sure was a nerd. But at least she was better to sit next to then KDK, Rory or Joey. Jane decided to try to focus even though the teacher sounded so boring and she almost fell asleep but then the bell suddenly rang and they were free.