Chapter 2: A confrontation and a discussion
The rest of the morning went by as usual for Daphne, other than her noticing that Velma isn't in her Math class, which followed their shared Literature class.
Eventually, lunch period came, and as usual, Daphne went to her locker to put away her belongings before heading to the school cafeteria for lunch.
Arriving at the cafeteria, the first thing that attracted her attention were a boy, who appeared to be around her age, and a younger girl, who appeared to be in Year 9, seated together at a table and eating a large pile of the food prepared by the kitchen staff.
Daphne knew the two students indirectly for quite a while, ever since they started attending West Silverman this past September.
She knew that those two students with such large appetites would've been transferred from another school, or otherwise, she would've seen them in the previous school year.
Judging from the fact that those two students both have dusty brown hair and have thin frames, Daphne guessed that they were siblings.
She knew that the older brother was in her chemistry and history classes, as she had noticed him in those classes and the things that attracted her attention to him was the combats he wore in Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In fact, he's the only classmate in those two classes to wear those combats on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
She knew that the older brother is one of several of the students at school who is also serving in the school's Army Cadet Force (ACF) detachment, and Daphne did observe the chevrons worn by him on the shoulders of his combats.
Although Daphne wasn't familiar with cadet ranks or military ranks, from what her father told her (Due to the fact that he had served in the British Army in his younger days), that army cadet in her chemistry and history classes holds the rank of Corporal, based on the fact that he has two chevrons on his shoulders.
Anyways, word has it that the army cadet and his sister are from London, especially since she has heard rumours that their father worked at Scotland Yard.
Daphne shrugged as she watched the two siblings each finish a large bowl of salad before she continued on to the lineup to get her lunch.
A short while later, she was seated at her usual table with her small group of friends, chatting and discussing the usual topics.
Her group of friends consisted of Diana "Dee Dee" Skyes, whose family is from Jamaica, Brenda Chance, Taffy Dare, April Stewert and Debbie Jenkins, who all take part in the school's drama club and have frequently hung out with her, both after school and during lunch time.
The group were eating in silence, other than occasionally chatting about a random topic, as Daphne observed the entrance area to the school cafeteria when she spotted Velma walking to a table holding a tray of food.
Just then, Alice and her gang walked towards her and taking note of her short stature, stood together in Velma's way.
"So you're the new shrimp, eh?" Alice said to Velma, who stopped.
"You can say that." Velma said with a neutral look on her face before introducing herself. "Velma Dinkley. My family and I moved here from Manchester."
"I see." Alice nodded. "In any way, what can you contribute to our school?"
"Science fair, I suppose." Velma said uninterestedly. "Now, it will be appreciated if you guys can move out of my way so I can have my lunch and get the nutritions I need to last through the rest of the day."
"We will, at the condition that you understand that we run things around here and if you try to get in our way, my mates and I will make you face the music." Alice said as she smiled viciously at the new girl. "Understood?"
Velma simply paused her lips and didn't respond as she narrowed her eyes.
Seeing no response from Velma, Alice turned to her gang.
"She certainly is the nerd type, Alice." One of her friends said.
"Yes indeed." Alice nodded before turning to Velma. "It'll be a shame if she refuses to do our homework for us."
She then turned to her gang before adding, "Hey, I've got an idea. How about we all meet up with Velma after school and see if she's interested in doing our homework for us."
"I've got a better idea, Carswell." A voice suddenly interjected, and the girls all turned towards the source, revealing no one other than Daphne, who had observed the way Alice and her gang have decided to gang up on Velma and decided to step out and intervene.
With her arms folded and a clearly-cross look on her face, Daphne stepped in between Velma and Alice as she said, "How about you leave Velma here alone unless you want to have an appointment with the headteacher?"
"Oh, Blake, don't be ridiculous!" Alice snorted as she turned to the redhead. "Word has it that you've been struggling in chemistry, so maybe you can get a boast in your grades if Dinkley here does your chemistry homework for you."
"Thanks, but no thanks." Daphne shook her head. "I'd rather put up with low grades than getting myself expelled for plagiarism."
"Suit yourself." Alice snorted. "And don't be such a chicken. You do realise that my father Deacon has connections to the executive council, so if I-"
"Like I've said, Carswell." Daphne said crossly. "I'm not interested."
"Very well, then." Alice smirked at her. "But don't come to me begging for help when your family falls onto hard times, especially when the district judge dismisses your family's claims on Robert Sanders' estate."
She and her gang then turned and left, leaving Daphne alone with Velma.
Velma then turned to Daphne before saying, "Thanks for standing up for me, mate."
"Don't mention it." Daphne shrugged as she turned to Velma before adding, "That girl Alice Carswell is one royal pain in the arse and will stop at nothing in getting what she wants and get things done her way."
"You sound like you've had a history with Carswell." Velma remarked.
"Only that it's not a good one." Daphne replied. "She's captain of the school's cheerleading squad, though I highly believed that she got that position in part thanks to her father's connections to the county executive."
"Her father?" Velma raised an eyebrow.
"Deacon Carswell is a banker and investor in town, and you can say he's one of the wealthiest people in the whole of Crystalshire." Daphne responded. "The less said about him and his rotten family, the better."
"Sounds like her father must've pulled several strings in the county executive, particularly in the education authority, in order for her to get to the position she is in today here at school." Velma remarked.
"Something like that." Daphne nodded before stretching her hand and added, "By the way, I'm Daphne Blake."
"Ah, nice meeting you, mate." Velma said as she took her offered hand and shook it. "I do believe you were in my Literature class."
"I am, and I apologise for staring at you the way I did." Daphne said.
"No need to do that." Velma waved a hand. "I understand that you're curious, so no need to apologise."
Daphne smiled before adding, "Say, why don't you come and join me and my mates at our table? That way, you won't have to sit at a table and have lunch all by yourself."
"Sounds like a fine idea with me." Velma smiled back.
After they finished their lunches, Daphne spent the rest of the lunch period helping Velma find her locker, which turned out to be just across the hallway from hers.
Eventually came their afternoon classes, where Daphne found that Velma shares her History and Civics classes.
History went by alright, but Daphne almost dozed off in her civics class.
Thankfully, civics was her last period class for the day and when the bell rang, as quick as a fox, the redhead grabbed her belongings and rushed out of the classroom, with Velma quickly joining her.
"I never thought the class will ever end." Velma remarked as they walked down the hallway.
"Tell me about it." Daphne nodded. "Civics sure is one boring class. I much rather put up with a bloody large pile of math assignments than sit through one-and-a-half hours of complete boredom in civics."
"Oh, well." Velma shrugged. "Let's head home. You don't have drama club, do you?"
"Practice is on Tuesdays and Thursdays." Daphne explained.
"Okay, then." Velma nodded.
A short while later, the girls have gotten all their belongings and were standing by the front door, waiting for their school bus to show up.
As things turned out, Velma happens to be assigned to the same school bus route as Daphne, though the new transfer from Manchester gets off three stops after Daphne, as the redhead had noticed when Velma showed her her school bus pass.
By this point in the afternoon, all the other school buses have departed, yet their bus remains a no-show.
"What's taking the bloody bus so long to get here?" Velma remarked.
"Don't know." Daphne shrugged. "Normally, the only time our bus runs late is on Mondays, but that's because the driver has to drop off the students of the nearby primary school, who ends their school days earlier than us on Mondays, before coming to get us."
"Okay, then." Velma nodded thoughtfully.
Another five minutes went by before the remaining students were informed that the bus experienced mechanical difficulties and that the replacement bus is 30 minutes away from arriving at West Silverman.
With a sigh and a huff, Daphne turned towards the door windows and watches the pouring rain growing in intensity.
Velma soon joined her, and after turning around and see that no one else is nearby or within hearing shot, turned to Daphne.
"Say, what was this thing about Robert Sanders' estate I heard Carswell talking to you about earlier during lunch period, Daphne?" Velma asked.
"Well, I guess that given you're from out of town, Velma, you have quite the story to hear regarding Bobby Sanders." Daphne said as she turned to Velma.
"Who is he?" Velma raised an eyebrow.
"For starters, he was one of the most wealthiest citizens in this fine county." Daphne began. "He was known for being peculiar, has quite the odd way of doing things and is very, very eccentric. However, in the same time, he was a very kind man and is a great family friend of my fathers - in fact, he was of great help and resource when my father started his business shortly after he left the army."
"I see." Velma nodded. "Though you referred to him in past tense, mate. Did he pass?"
"Sadly, yes." Daphne nodded in reply. "This past May, he passed on due to his lung cancer."
Noting the sad tone in Daphne's voice, Velma said, "Sorry to hear about that, mate."
"Well, at least he's now in a better place with his wife." Daphne said and smiled at her sadly.
Another minute of silence before Velma then asked, "So what happened to his estate? I'd imagine it'll be a sizable one."
"I know." Daphne nodded. "This is where that royal pain in the arse Carswell comes in. After Uncle Bobby's funeral, only one will showed up and in it, he bequeathed his fortune in its entirety to Deacon Carswell, who's his first cousin."
"Jinkies!" Velma remarked. "But does Mr. Carswell need all that money?"
"No, given that he's well-off, plus the Carswells were never kind to Uncle Bobby all his life and were never known for their charitable contributions." Daphne shook her head. "Only thing they did was that they provided Uncle Bobby a home when his health started to decline sharply."
"I'd imagine they did so only because he will then bequeath his fortune to them." Velma placed her hands on her hips.
"That's exactly it." Daphne huffed. "You know how much of a character Carswell is, judging from the way she and her gang ganged up on you at the cafeteria, Velma. Another thing is that Uncle Bobby did promise Father and his other relatives that he will bequeath his fortune to us."
"He might've changed his mind once he started living with the Carswells." Velma offered.
"Maybe, though you should also know that Uncle Bobby was also a stubborn piece of work." Daphne said. "We all knew that he prefer not to live with the Carswells, though in the end, he decided to move in and live with them, only because he knew that the Carswells have the financial means to support him."
"I thought your family were well off, Daphne." Velma said.
"We were, for a while." Daphne said. "Unfortunately, Father's been in a tight spot at the London Stock Exchange lately and we have been forced to cut back on certain expenses. But anyways, Uncle Bobby has frequently slipped away from the Carswells to visit us and his other relatives after he moved in to live with the Carswells, and I remembered overhearing Father mentioning Bobby intended to make another will that will benefit us."
"I suppose that explains the claims Carswell mentioned to you." Velma nodded thoughtfully. "But anyhow, do you guys have concrete evidence to back that claim up?"
"Like another will?" Daphne asked before shaking her head and continued, "If so, it would've turned up months ago. Uncle Bobby's other relatives has also joined us in filing the claims in court, but from what our barrister had told us, unless another will has been located, there's no chance our claims are going to see the light of day in the court house."
"But you guys deserve his fortune, considering your kindness to Mr. Sanders, Daphne!" Velma said.
"I know." Daphne nodded bitterly. "We certainly do, but everything the Carswells done so far is legal, even if it wasn't right, and until we find another will, there's nothing that can be done."
Velma nodded in agreement and after that, there was some silence before their school bus finally pulled up in front of the building.
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