So it doesn't matter that Sky WiFi is a joke because I discovered the wonderfully innovative invention that is iPhone hotspots, which is great because I was itching to get another chapter out. I just wrote the 'big' chapter so I'm now excited to get to that point :) As always, Captain Crunk is the absolute best!
Chapter Three – The Great Escape
Bounce, bounce, squeak. Bounce, squeak.
The sound of the guys dribbling the basketball around the sports hall filled the silence settling between Jess and Cece as they sat on the bleachers watching them play. Schmidt was stood awkwardly to the side, cowering every time Miller faked a hard pass towards him and merely slapping the ball away from himself when Winston tried to get him to join in. Eventually they resorted to letting Schmidt stand under the net and pass the ball back to them if they scored, which seemed to please everybody.
"So, how come you're so quiet?" Cece eventually asked, smoothing her barely there skirt over her caramel legs. Jess wished her legs were that nice. She always kept them covered with thick wool tights or knee length dresses because she thought they were too skinny. She'd had a crush on her lab partner Spencer after he'd admitted to her that he didn't want to dissect their frog because it was animal cruelty, so one day she'd hiked up her favourite polka-dot skirt just to see what would happen, knowing that was how the popular girls acquired male attention. As soon as she walked into class one of the boys at the back (probably Miller's friend) had called her Chicken Legs and everyone laughed. She didn't try that technique again.
Jess shrugged. "I'm not. I just didn't want anybody to make fun of me. I say weird things sometimes."
She looked to Cece and chuckled at her raised eyebrows. "Okay. Most of the time."
Cece rested the side of her face in her hand, her head tilted away from Jess. Winston put the ball in the net for the seventh time, fist pumping as Schmidt threw it to Miller in an extremely feminine fashion. "My friends call you the basketcase you know," she said over the sound of Miller and Winston arguing. "Well…I guess that's what we all called you."
Jess pushed her glasses up her nose nervously. "Oh." Was all she could think of to reply. "I didn't think you even knew I existed."
Cece nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think you are though. Like, you're not unhinged or anything. You're just a little odd."
"…Thanks, I guess?"
Cece laughed, and then went quiet for a while. Jess chose to use that time to thoughtfully suck on the edge of her lollipop. Miller missed the net again and turned around, shaking his head in annoyance as Winston laughed. He glanced upward and caught her eye over the top of the candy. She lifted the lolly and gave him a nod of appreciation, her face breaking out into a grin. He rolled his eyes, flipping her another obscene hand gesture as he resumed the game. She took it as a you're welcome, noting with good nature that she was sure she was making progress.
"So what's the deal with your parents, are they total dicks?" Cece continued, picking at her nail polish. Jess took a few moments to reply, before she shook her head.
"No," she replied, smacking her sticky lips together, "they're just too busy getting divorced to remember I'm there. I'm more of an object they're fighting over, kind of like the dining table they bought together."
She felt the beautiful girl's eyes on her and shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting around the room, looking for something to change the subject to. She wasn't used to talking about her parents. The small group of friends she had at school never asked her about it because they were as timid as her and didn't want any awkwardness or conflict. Cece seemed to be the exact opposite.
Jess noticed a blue and white pom-pom on the floor under her seat, and eyed it pensively. "Why didn't you ever join the cheerleaders?" she asked. "You're like the most popular girl in school. You'd think it came with the territory."
Cece shrugged offhandedly. "I was never any good at it. I'm not built to be thrown in the air." She tapped her chest lightly, raising her eyebrows. Jess giggled, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.
Her expression became grim. "I always have to go along with everything my friends say. Y'know. Boys, clothes and stuff. This felt like something I could decide not to do. It was my choice."
"You always have a choice," Jess said immediately, frowning. Cece was silent, so she shuffled a little closer. "So…what can you do?"
Cece sighed, watching the boys, before a knowing smile spread across her face as she turned to Jess.
"I was actually always…" she shook her head and laughed. "I was always really good at-"
The ball sailed over to the girls and bounced off the seat between them, making them jump. Jess let out a squeak, covering her eyes, as Miller shouted "heads up!" just a little too late, a smirk forming on his face. Jess slammed her hands down on to the seat, glaring at him.
"Hey, pass it back dollface," he shouted, his grin infuriating her. She picked the ball up, ready to throw it with all her might at his head, but Cece put a manicured hand on top of it before she could do anything.
"I'll handle it," she whispered, taking the ball from her and hopping out of her seat, making her way down the steps to the boys' level. Winston met her at the bottom, holding his hand out expectantly.
"Don't worry," he said with a smile, "I'll defend your honor."
Cece withdrew her hand, cocking an eyebrow. "Oh, hell no."
She turned her hand over, slamming the ball down and cutting around Winston, who still had his arm outstretched, staring blankly ahead. She dribbled the ball past Miller and half way down the court, before she lifted her arms and with expert precision sent the ball soaring straight into the back of the net.
Jess' mouth had formed a perfect 'O' as Cece turned to her and curtsied, the only sound in the hall the soft bounce of rubber on polished wood as the ball made its way to the corner of the room, forgotten.
"That's what I was gonna say before we were rudely interrupted," she declared. Jess stood and clapped enthusiastically, cheering as Winston and Miller grumbled behind her. She heard the word 'fluke' mentioned.
Schmidt shrugged and clapped too, much to the boys' irritation. "What?" he asked as they glowered at him. "She made you two look like a bunch of amateurs."
Miller took two large steps towards him and pushed him over with a loud thud. "Ow!" he pouted, rubbing his backside. "That was unnecessary."
"MILLER!"
Everyone froze and looked at the doorway. "Shit. You hear that?" Winston whispered loudly, his eyes wide.
"It's Shiller." Miller stated matter-of-factly. Jess felt her heart rate pick up as she realised they were gonna get caught. Her Mom was going to kill her. She fixed her panicked gaze on Miller and he seemed to sense it because he glanced at her, his bravado faltering as he twisted his face in indecision. A couple of tense seconds passed before he sighed exasperatedly.
"Go back to class, I got this." He muttered, jogging over to the ball and grabbing it as everyone stared at him. He waved Cece off as he passed her. "He thinks it's just me."
Jess clambered over the seats, meeting the group at the bottom of the steps as Miller threw the fire doors open, sunlight streaming into the hall. Everyone else piled hurriedly behind the main door just before Shiller strolled purposefully in. Jess held her breath.
"You little son of a bitch!" he shouted, removing his hands from his hips and marching straight across the hall and past the metal doors to the outdoor court, where Miller was dribbling the ball backwards and forwards and pretending to be a commentator.
"…And it's Nick Miller with the ball, the world's youngest pro baller to ever make it to the NBA, the greatest sports prodigy to ever grace the earth with his presence…" she heard faintly as he cheered himself on, taking a shot just as Shiller grabbed his arm. Jess bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from grinning at the sight, before she slipped quietly out of the hall behind the others.
They sprinted as fast as they dared, skidding around the corner to classroom 4D. They had barely been in their seats for five minutes before Shiller dragged Miller by the scruff of his neck into the room, Miller looking uninterested as he was practically thrown into his seat.
Shiller glanced around the room at everyone's slightly flushed faces. Jess was trying her hardest not to appear out of breath, but she had a feeling it was making her face turn an unattractive shade of purple. She put her hands over her cheeks, taking short, whistling breaths through her nose.
"What the hell is going on?" Shiller asked angrily. He gestured at Schmidt, who was perspiring spectacularly and fanning himself with his shirt. He let out a high pitched, nervous giggle, making Shiller narrow his eyes. "Have you been out of your seats? I hope this low life hasn't rubbed any of his habits off on you."
Jess looked at Miller, who was kicking the leg of his desk, his arms folded as he scowled at the floor. Shiller chuckled to himself. "I see what's happening. You think he's cool."
Everyone remained quiet as he continued. "Let me tell you something kids. This pathetic excuse for a man, this little shit," he pointed at Miller, who shifted in his seat, glaring at him, "will not amount to anything. Go on, follow him, see where you end up. I bet my life savings it'll be in jail."
Jess felt her mouth drop open a little. She was sure he wasn't allowed to talk to them like this. Was this how people were treated in detention? No wonder Miller was such a douchebag.
"You," he said, pointing at Winston, who frowned back. "I'd be careful if I were you. You just got here, you have a bright future. Don't let poor judgement take that away from you. And Schmidt!"
Schmidt jumped, snapping to attention. "Yes sir?"
"You're top of your class aren't you? Do you really think you'll end up a successful businessman if you do what this sad little man tells you? You're already at a disadvantage with that body mass index."
"Hey!" Jess cried before she could stop herself. This was bullying, and she wouldn't stand for it. Shiller looked up at her, surprised, before his features turned to a look of recognition. He sighed.
"And I would have just expected better from you of all people, Jess."
She felt herself blush, and said nothing further.
Shiller addressed the class, walking slowly through the desks. "This is as good as life gets for Nick Miller, right here, in detention," he said. Miller had been watching Jess' reaction curiously, but snapped his face forward again as Shiller advanced towards him. "He's gonna leave here, probably knock up some poor girl, and end up wandering around aimlessly, drinking and selling knockoff watches."
He reached Miller's desk, and Jess saw that his hands were balled into fists as he fought for self-control, fixing the teacher with a filthy look. Shiller smirked at him. "Just like your worthless, loser, low life of a father."
Miller shot out of his seat, the chair flying backwards. "Don't you ever talk about my Da-"
There was a knock on the open door, accompanied by a throat being cleared loudly. Everyone whipped their heads around to see the school janitor perched awkwardly in the doorway, his eyebrows raised. "I've just come to clean up."
There were a few seconds of silence as everyone stared at him, still distracted by the scene that had almost happened. Then Shiller ran a hand through his hair, smiling at him. "Sure thing Remy, I'll get out of your hair. I'm just taking him to solitary."
Remy raised a hand in greeting. "Nick."
Miller nodded back. "Remy."
Remy wheeled his cleaning supplies into the room as Shiller grabbed his arm, ready to pull him away from the desk. Miller shoved his arm away furiously. "Don't fucking touch me."
Shiller stepped back, palms raised in surrender as Miller let out a slow breath, before pushing past him and stalking out of the room.
Everyone was deathly quiet as Remy went about his business, sweeping the floor and emptying the trashcans. He looked up as he shook the final can into a large black liner. "Nick never has company," he stated. "Occasionally he has one of his burnout friends with him but I've never seen any of you kids before."
"I've never been in detention," Schmidt piped up.
"Me neither."
"Yeah, I haven't."
Jess put her hand up. Remy stared at her for a moment. "You don't need to raise you hand, I'm not a teacher."
"Oh, right, yeah." Jess stuttered, feeling foolish. "I just wanted to know where Miller's being taken. Shi- er, Mr. Shiller said something about solitary?"
Remy nodded solemnly. "Yeah, sometimes Russell puts him in the supplies cupboard down the hall."
Schmidt gasped. "Is that even legal?"
Remy shrugged, putting the can down. "Beats me. I'm just the janitor. Nobody tells me anything."
Jess started to nibble nervously on her fingernails. Remy was watching her, a contemplative look on his face.
"Is he gonna be okay?" Cece asked.
"Yeah, Miller seemed pretty pissed. I wouldn't be surprised if you had to clean his entrails off the hallway floor by the end of today. Mental note: don't mention his Dad," Winston piped up. Cece turned to him.
"I was talking about Miller," she retorted sharply.
"I'm sure he'll be fine," Remy replied, piling his supplies back into his bucket. "You guys just stay here and get through the rest of today. Whatever you do, don't get any ideas."
Jess looked up to find Remy's eyes on her as he made his way out of the room. He held his hand up, where a small key was dangling from his index finger. He winked at her and dropped the key into a container of paperclips. She drew in a breath, her eyes flitting to where the key had landed.
"No ideas." He said, and then he left, trailing his supplies after him. "Russell!" they heard him yell as he retreated down the hallway. "I've got a leak to show you in the basement. I think we need to get a team in."
The group heard Remy and Shiller leave, their voices getting steadily quieter. Jess looked again at the place he had dropped the key.
There it was, glinting amongst the paperclips, a small blue tag attached to it.
Jess grinned to herself. No ideas.
