Crys: Joci, hello, you okay?
Joci: Yea, just tired. A lot of things on my mind lately.
Kuro: Like a certain 8 page paper due last week which you've been granted an extension on? Or is it the art projects due this coming week? Maybe-
Joci: Yes, I get it, a lot of things are in fact on my mind and those are just some of them , okay? *Sigh's and walks off*
Crys: Aw, you shouldn't be too hard on her, she's doing her best.
Kuro: I know, I'll go apologize. *Walks off after her*
Crys: So, I guess that just leaves me with the introductions, yay! So we'd first like to thank you all who have read this so far, and we apologize for the delay. Please note that Joce does not own Transformers. Jocie does own however Crystal and Christopher Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Paolini, and Luke, the family dog… So, without a further ado, I present to you Chapter 3 of A New Life.
Previously in A New Life…
"Want to look around? Mr. Hardiman is free this shift before lunch duty." She asked.
"Alright." He said.
"Okay." She smiled and walked over to the door. "Mr. Hardiman, would it be all right if you escorted us around the school, I'd like to show Christopher the place, you know." She said.
"Alright, we can manage that." He said.
They waited outside the door before another teacher walked in and took over. "Alright, where to first?" Asked Christopher.
"Let's just walk down the hallways. We'll stop at the Gym, the auditorium, the cafeteria for lunch, and the band room. I have to say good bye to Mr. Benz before I leave." She said.
"Alright, lets go." He said and she quickly followed after him down the empty hallways as the bell rang. Mr. Hardiman walked a ways behind them talking to a few of the teachers, so they had to stop at times and wait, but at the same time, Christopher was introduced to the teachers.
Chapter Three
Walking through the empty Gym, Christopher walked around with Crystal not far behind him. "Your school is different from mine." He said.
"How so?" She asked.
"First off, it was a private school, so we had to wear a uniform." He said. "The teachers were never as nice as these, and you have block schedule, we had all 8 classes in one day." He said.
"Oh, that is different." Said Crystal walking over to him.
Christopher sighed, "I just wish… I don't know." He said.
"What?" She asked.
"Well, that I could have experienced all of this, with you." He said.
"You can't change time, but you can change the outlook of your future each day, you know." She smiled.
"Yea, I guess I can." He said.
"Come on, there is still more to see." She said leading him out of the Gym and into the lobby where Mr. Hardiman was talking to a teacher. "He'll be there for a while."
"It's still raining." Said Christopher.
"Yea." Said Crystal standing beside him looking out of the window. "Christopher, can I ask you something?"
"Depends." He said.
"Well, what will you do, while I'm away at collage?" She asked.
"I, haven't really thought about that actually." He admitted.
"Oh." She said.
"Well, I could go looking for a job. Need side money for food and to pay some of the bills." He said.
"But the government is paying for most of it." She said.
"They're paying for the mortgage." Said Christopher .
"Oh, right." She said and ran her fingers through her hair. "You know, I'm kind of nervous…" She said.
"About what?" Asked Christopher.
"Going to a new school, where no one I know will be there." She said looking up at him. "People may think, different of me." She said looking back out the window.
"Then those are the people who don't really see who you are, Crystal." Said Christopher placing a hand on her shoulder in reassurance.
"Yea, I guess you're right." She smiled. "But still, I'll be there all week, visiting on the weekends. Will you be okay?" She asked.
"I'll be fine, you worry too much." He smiled.
"Yea, I guess I do." She smiled. The bell rang behind them and students left classrooms heading to their lockers or next class.
"Alright you two, lunch duty with me." Said Mr. Hardiman leading them through the hallway of crowded children.
Christopher stood with Mr. Hardiman and Mr. Chewy in the hallway by the elevator for our handicapped peers in the building. Mr. Hardiman was telling Christopher his war stories while Crystal stood down the hallway by the lav's and spoke with the art teacher on duty.
"Anything new since I left?" Asked Crystal.
"Yes, the school emailed me. You're accepted!" She smiled.
"Really, I can't believe it." She smiled.
"I know, and a student of mine too." She choked.
"It's great though, don't cry." She said.
"I know, but I can't help it. My top student, how wonderful." She smiled.
Crystal smiled back leaning against the doorway. "Do you think you could find out my schedule?"
"Already mailed it to your house." Said the teacher taking a pass from a student who walked by and logged her in. "So, you excited?"
"I-I am, but I don't know…" She trailed off looking down the hallway as students started to stand in the lobby, waiting for the bell to ring. "I don't really wana leave my brother since we just got back together, you know." She said looking at him as he smirked when Mr. Hardiman frightened the little kids.
The art teacher looked at him, then back at Crystal. "He's really your brother?" She asked as the bell rang.
"Yes." Said Crystal.
"Wow, he sure is fine Crys." She smirked in her southern accent.
Crystal laughed, "He's my brother teach." She said. "And you're married."
"I know, I'm just playin' you know me." She smiled.
The second bell rang and students exited their classrooms heading to lunch.
Christopher stood against the wall as the students rushed past him heading to their classrooms, while others made their way to get to the cafeteria. "Never experienced anything like this but on the base, didn't ya." Said Hardiman.
"I used to go to school back in my home town, but I dropped out. But my school was more formal than this, and highly stricter. Kids weren't allowed to wear normal cloths but the uniform and we stayed in one classroom, in one seat, each day. This, is far different." He said.
"A higher community you lived in." Said Mr. Hardiman.
"Yea, it was." Said Christopher.
"Hey Chris!" Said Sam coming up the nearly empty hallways now. "On lunch duty?" He asked.
"Yea." He said.
"Cool, well wana take a lunch break and hangout with me and get a bite to eat?" He asked.
"I don't know-"
"Go on sport, I'll go relieve Crystal of lav duty as well." Said Hardiman walking down the hallway to retrieve Crystal.
"Great, she knows where I sit anyway." Said Sam. "Come on." He said leading him toward the cafeteria. Christopher followed leaving his post.
"Miss Davidson, you are relieved of your lav duty with Mrs. Mann." Said Mr. Hardiman.
"Really?" She asked.
"Yes, go on and join Christopher and Samuel for lunch." He said.
"Thanks Mr. Hardiman." She smiled. "See ya soon Mrs. Mann." She waved hurrying to lunch.
Walking in the cafeteria, she spotted Sam's bag on the empty table by the window. She walked over and sat down, waiting for him and Christopher to return.
In the lunch line, Christopher stood beside Sam, "So, what is good here?" He asked.
"Well, the Pizza's pretty good and the Chicken Sandwiches." Said Sam.
"Hum. What dose Crystal normally get?" Asked Christopher.
"Uh, well if she doesn't have a bagged lunch, she gets a Cinnamon Raisin bagel with Cream Cheese and a strawberry milk." Said Sam. "That's all $1.50." He said.
"Alright, $3 should be enough then." He said as they entered.
"Can I help you?" Asked one of the woman.
"Can I have a Chicken Sandwich?" Asked Sam.
"Sure." She grabbed one and wrapped it up. "Here you go." She said handing it to him. "Can I help you?" She asked Christopher who leaned over to get a Strawberry milk and a Chocolate milk.
"Two Cinnamon Raisin bagels please." He said.
"Here you are." She said handing him two wrapped in tin foil with a black x on it.
"Thanks." He said walking over to the register as Sam paid for his sandwich.
The lady tallied it up. "$3." She said.
He handed her the three bills. "Thank you." She said and he walked out following Sam back to the table where Crystal spotted them and waved.
"That didn't take you long." She smiled as Sam sat across from her and Christopher sat beside her, letting her have the end.
"Surprisingly, but since all the seniors are gone, its more open too." He said.
"Now you're making that sound like a bad thing." She pouted.
"I-I didn't mean it that way, you know that." Said Sam in defense.
"Well, it doesn't matter." Said Christopher, "Here." He handed her a bagel and milk.
"Hey, how'd you know?" She asked unwrapping it.
"Sam." Replied Christopher digging into his own.
"Thanks." She smiled. They were enjoying their lunch when a group of jocks joined them at the other end of the table. They ignored them and continued on with there own lunch.
"How's the house coming along?" Asked Sam halfway done his sandwich.
"Uh, I haven't seen it since they poured the cement down, but Crystal has a pretty good idea." Said Christopher.
"They have the frame of it done and the roof, but since the rain, they won't be working on it today." She sighed.
"It sounds like its coming along then," He said looking out at the dark sky, "other than a few set backs." Said Sam.
"Yea, and Christopher has even finished his job." Smiled Crystal.
"Yea well, almost. But pretty much, yea." He said.
"That's awesome, I can't wait to visit you guys this summer." Said Sam. "Bee would be able to get out of the house, so to say." He chuckled.
"Yea. Ironhide will be over with Will, Sarah and Annabelle some time too." Said Crystal.
"I haven't met her in person, but the pictures Will sent, she looks so cute." Said Sam.
"Oh, she so is!" Smiled Crystal blabbing on about her with Sam as Christopher finished his bagel. He finished his milk as she finally finished.
"Hey, how long are you staying till you have to leave?" Asked Sam.
"Oh, uh well… The end of August, then I'll only be home on the weekends." She said sadly.
"Oh, that stinks." Said Sam.
"Yea." She said nibbling on her bagel.
Christopher looked over sadly at Crystal who frowned as she finished half of her bagel. "Christopher, what're you going to do now?" Asked Sam.
"I don't know. I haven't been given a call about any of the applications I put in at a few places near by, but I'll try and figure something out. I'll probably work on the base with Captain Lennox." He said.
"What're you going to do all summer Sam?" Asked Crystal.
"Ah well, you know, try looking for a job and all, and uh, drive around with Bee." Said Sam.
"That sounds very progressive, considering it's also your last summer vacation too." She said.
"Yea, I know." He said.
The bell rang ending lunch. "Well, gotta get back to class." Said Sam standing up.
Crystal and Christopher followed throwing there trash away. "You didn't finish your lunch." Said Christopher.
"I guess I'm not that hungry." She said.
"You barely had enough for breakfast." He said.
"Little fuel is enough for me, stop worrying." She smiled pushing him slightly walking over toward Mr. Hardiman. "Well, I'm back on Lav duty." She said and continued a bit down the other end of the hallway as the next bell rang.
"So, enjoy your lunch?" Asked Mr. Hardiman.
"Yea. You have more selective choices than the school I went to." He said.
"No kiddin." Said Mr. Hardiman.
Down the Hallway on Lav Duty
"Crystal, you're back. You don't mind sitting and doing this for me, would you?" She asked handing her the log entry for the Lav.
"Yea, its fine, simple enough." She smiled.
"Great, I'll be back after my lunch period." She smiled and walked off.
Crystal took her seat at the chair and within moments, students with passes walked up to her and signed in and out. Pretty simple letting them sign in and out, just getting the correct time was hard.
It was fourth lunch now and the teacher still hadn't returned from her lunch break. "Man, what a way to spend the last day in school." She mumbled.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Ms. Paolini." Said a gruff voice.
"It's Davidson and you know that, Trent." She said looking up at the Junior.
"Sorry." He said defensively. "My mistake." He said.
"Shouldn't you be in class?" She asked.
"Ah uh, got a pass." He said handing it to her.
"Alright, sign in." She said and he took the pen and signed in taking the pass back after. He came back out and signed out heading back to class soon after. It was when fourth lunch ended, Mr. Hardiman and Christopher walked over and relieved Crystal of her duty when the next teacher arrived and took over.
"Last period, finally." Sighed Crystal sitting in Mr. Hardiman's chair. Christopher sat beside her in the wooden one.
"Long day for you?" He asked.
"You could say that." She said when Mr. Hardiman walked in while the students were still rushing around to get to their next class.
"We'll be having a sniper drill today, just so you two know." Said Mr. Hardiman.
"Doctor Yellow?" Asked Crystal.
"No, the other one." He said when the bell rang and two boys came sliding in. "Moptop and Lozy!"
"Sorry Mr. Hardiman." They replied.
"Don't let it happen again, and stop smilin Smily." He said pointing at another.
"Right, sorry." He said with a smaller smirk.
As Mr. Hardiman started his lesson slowly, the announcement went off. Crystal helped shut all the windows and then soon followed the others out the door and down the hallway, with Christopher beside her.
Going down the stairs to the first floor, they walked a short distance to the door and started to walk out toward the football field. "So, who's Doctor Yellow?" Asked Christopher.
Crystal laughed, "It's a code name we use, for when we have a person roaming the building with a gun. Our doors are locked, our windows are shut, and we continue quietly with class till we here, 'Doctor Yellow, has left the building." She explained.
"And so you believe this sniper drill will save you?" He asked as students stood in lines at opposite ends of the field.
"Well, I've had a few spectacles, but what else can you do?" She asked.
"Alright you, get in the line!" Hollered Mr. Hardiman to his students and Crystal and Christopher stood beside him.
A few Juniors who knew Crystal waved from a distance and called out to her. She smiled and waved back to them. "Girls from the hockey team." She explained.
Christopher nodded and looked away from the sun as Crystal stood in his shadow hiding from it. Students all around them complained wanting to sit down, but unable to do so. Crystal leaned on Christopher slightly, taking her hand in his, "So tired." She whispered.
"You should have eaten more." He responded back.
"Sorry." She said and stood up still holding onto his hand. After about another 20 minuets, teachers got the signal ending the sniper drill and they headed in side.
"Oh, you don't look so good kiddo." Said Mr. Hardiman leaning over slightly as they made there way across the soccer field and onto the baseball field.
"Just tired." She said walking at a slow pace.
"You've done your time, you can go." He said tapping her head.
"Thank you Mr. Hardiman." She smiled up at him.
"Don't mention it, and I mean it." He said sternly turning to the younger students. "Come now, inside. Get back to class!" He ordered.
"So, we can go?" Asked Christopher.
"Yes, we can go." Smiled Crystal leading him back through the school and out of the lobby to the front parking lot.
End Chapter Three
Crys: And that's all that we have for today.
Joci: Yea, don't wana give it all to you at once now.
Kuro: We can't do that anyway it'd be to much to read in one sitting, you can't even do it.
Joci: I know, stop reminding me.
Crys: Okay well, we hope to here for you all again soon.
Kuro: Till next time. And remember to review.
Joci: Thanks again.
