Author's Note: I do not own any of the Bratz characters. Original characters belong to me.
Chapter Two
"Hey girls," Cameron greeted Sasha and Jade at the line up at the buffet, in the school cafeteria.
"Hey, Cam," said Jade, smiling. "How was Math?"
Cameron grimaced at the question. "Not so well. We were given a pop quiz and I think I got almost every answer wrong."
Jade and Sasha gave him sympathetic faces. They both knew that Cameron usually had trouble with mathematics.
"Don't worry about it too much, Cameron," Sasha assured, getting her tray, "I'm sure you got more answers right than you think."
Cameron wasn't so sure about that, but appreciated the comment.
"How's the fashion designing coming?" he asked, wanting to change the subject.
"It's going great!" Jade exclaimed happily, as she got herself a tray. "I have the wardrobe drawn out, I just need to find the right materials to do it."
They were helping themselves to the selective range before them.
"As if anyone would want to see what you come up with!" a high pitched voice spoke from behind Cameron.
Sasha and Jade couldn't help groaning, as Cameron turned around. Kirstee and Kaycee were both standing with them.
"What do you want?" Sasha asked coolly. She took a fruit salad from the dessert end.
At this point a girl entered the cafeteria. She was dressed in a pair of navy blue pants with a pale green vine pattern wrapped around the left leg from the knee down. Her pale green top was short-sleeved and her shoes were a pair of white sneakers, with navy blue laces and pale green leaves on the heel. Her honey blond hair was up in a high ponytail, held with a pale green scrunchie. Navy blue studded earrings and bangle were her only jewellery.
She peered around the area, finding the small line up for the food. She also noticed Kaycee and Kirstee standing there, with three other students.
"Not that it's any of your business, it is lunch time," said Kirstee.
"I thought you didn't like eating the food at this school. You usually bring your own lunch," said Jade, raising her eyebrows.
"We don't eat carbohydrates!" Kaycee said with hands on hips.
"Wow, that's a big word coming from you," said a voice from behind the Tweevils.
It belonged to the girl who had entered the cafeteria just moments ago. Kaycee and Kirstee were having trouble trying to hide their disgust and fear.
"What are you doing here?" Kirstee sneered.
The girl raised her eyebrows. But instead of answering, she turned to Jade, Sasha and Cameron.
"Hi, I'm Ashlee. I just moved here."
"Nice to meet you," said Sasha. "I'm Sasha. This is Jade and Cameron."
"Hi," said Jade and Cameron in unison.
"You were in my Math class," said Cameron.
Ashlee gave a polite smile. "I thought I recognised the face. Never thought I saw someone concentrating as hard as you before."
"I was actually panicking."
Cameron took an ice cream with red jelly from the desserts, while Ashlee helped herself to a slice of pizza, chips and salad. She also took a bottled water too.
"Were you?" said Ashlee, surprised, ignoring the twins.
"Yeah, Math is a weak subject of mine," Cameron admitted.
"You're not the only one," said Ashlee, taking an ice cream with green jelly.
They reached the end of the buffet.
"You can sit with us if you like," Jade offered.
Seeming to not expect a quick invite, Ashlee went to answer.
"What are you doing?" Kirstee hissed. "Do you even know who they are?"
"So?" Ashlee replied.
"What if your mother finds out you're hanging with them?" Kirstee cried.
"Yeah, we'd be in trouble for sure!" Kaycee added.
Ashlee rolled her eyes and simply went with Sasha, Jade and Cameron. This left the twins standing their stunned.
"What was that about?" Sasha couldn't help asking.
Ashlee shook her head. "My mother is an uptight workaholic, who thinks that I should be escorted twenty-four seven. She's also annoyed that I got expelled from my last school."
"Expelled? What for?" Jade sounded surprised.
"I played a harmless prank on two girls who deserved it," said Ashlee, with a small smile and a glint in her blue-green eye.
"Why would you do that?"
"The fact that I have been shoved into Boarding Schools as soon as I was able to go," said Ashlee. "I hated being there. But my mother cares far too much about her work to give a hoot about me and what I want to do."
"Now, I'm sure that is not true," Sasha said.
"You only know her from a business point of view," said Ashlee, just as they reached the table where Yasmin, Cloe and Dylan were already sitting.
"Know who from a business point of view?" Cloe asked, hearing the end of the conversation.
"Who's the babe?" asked Dylan, before Ashlee could respond.
"This is Ashlee," said Jade. "She just moved here. Ashlee, this is Yasmin, Cloe and Dylan."
"Where did you move from?" Yasmin asked, as the girls and Cameron sat down.
"I used to go to Riverside Boarding School," said Ashlee.
"Riverside? Isn't that an all girl school?" Cloe asked.
"Yes."
Ashlee became aware that Dylan was staring at her with a dreamy like expression. Her brow furrowed.
"You're freaking me out!" she said.
Dylan snapped out. "Sorry."
"How come the Tweevils were surprised you'd agree to sit with us?" Jade inquired.
"Don't worry about them," said Ashlee, brushing the question aside. "They feel it is their duty to make sure that I don't get into trouble … or whatever it is they're meant to be doing."
"So what are you into?" Yasmin asked. "As in hobbies and the like?"
"Um … I like fashion, jewellery and art designs. Even my Mom agrees that I have some great potential and talent," Ashlee answered.
"Oh, wow. Me, too!" Jade exclaimed with an enthused smile. "Perhaps you could help me with the Fashion show that's coming up?"
"The Starlight Fashion Show?" said Ashlee.
"The very one."
Ashlee thought it over, looking somewhat excited. Only deflated after that moment.
Shaking her head; "I'm sorry, I would have to pass on that. My Mom has been looking at Boarding Schools since my expulsion. So I'll be lucky if I am here for two weeks before getting shipped off again."
"Do you want to be in Boarding School?" Sasha asked.
"Not really. But it's not about what I want. It's what my Mom wants and thinks is best for me," Ashlee replied. She stood up. "Excuse me."
She walked away from the Bratz' table and out of the cafeteria.