A/N: Well, aren't I nice! Two chapters in the same week! LOL. Enjoy!
Ziva's first day dawned and unfortunately it was not bright and – depressingly for Abby – and very early. Marianne practically dragged her daughter out of bed, with the promise of money for a 'Caf-Pow', of which Ziva had no idea what it was. She wondered fleetingly as she waited for Abby to get ready of whether it was a type of weapon, but ignored the idea as Americans seemed against the idea of students bringing weapons to school. Most schools were. Except if you were in Mossad training, Ziva conceded, since weapons were compulsory.
"Why do you look so cheerful?" Abby asked sluggishly as she brushed her hair and braided it tightly.
"I'm starting a new school in a new country and will hopefully make new friends. It's all new," Ziva smiled. "And I read a very good book this morning."
"When were you awake?" Abby asked curiously, slightly sceptical that she wanted to know the answer. For the last few mornings Ziva had always been up and dressed when she woke up. She was beginning to wonder if Ziva only faked sleeping and actually never slept.
"0500," Ziva answered promptly. "No one else seemed to be awake… so I went for a run."
"5AM," Abby stated dumbly. "Why so early?"
"Routine," Ziva replied. At home her father had her waking at 0500, going for a five mile run, having a shower, making her own breakfast and then getting ready for school and arriving at her college at eight in the morning.
"Where did you run?" Abby questioned interestedly, pulling on her knee length socks.
"Near the Potomac River," Ziva informed her, "I did a little research before I came. I dislike being lost."
"I've been down there," Abby added. "Kate likes to draw the scenery there so she took me there to show me what it really looked like."
"Which part of the river?" Ziva asked as Abby tied the laces on her boots. Abby shrugged, although it wasn't obvious since she was leaning over.
"You'd have to ask Kate," she replied apologetically. "Come on, we better get going before we're late."
Ziva followed Abby out of the house, smiling. She waved to Marianne as she passed and Abby kissed her mom goodbye. Ziva had a backpack slung over her right shoulder while Abby had a black satchel with skulls on it and was carrying a metal lunchbox in her other hand. Ziva walked in silence, half listening to Abby's babbling and half wondering what the school would be like.
She had researched the Morrow Naval College extensively on the internet and had almost memorized the prospectus. It had looked like a very nice place from the pictures she had seen and the extra curricular activities mentioned had pleased her. Fencing, karate, dancing, baseball, drama productions: Ziva was looking forward to signing up for many clubs. They even had something called a 'Glee Club' and she wondered whether it was anything like the one from the American show that had recently premiered in her homeland.
They soon entered a stream of people walking, running or pushing through the school gates and were dragged by the flow of students heading into the college via the very impressive main doors. Abby and Ziva veered off to the right and Ziva almost collided with a tall, dark haired boy with a cheeky grin.
"Watch it," he grinned jokingly before turning and heading away. Ziva stared after him for a while before continuing to follow Abby.
"Who was that?" she asked Abby.
"Damon. Damon Werth," Abby told her knowingly. "He's in twelfth grade."
Ziva nodded as they walked into the reception area. "Can I help?" the receptionist looked up at them over her glasses. The name on her badge told Ziva that her name was Cynthia.
"Ziva David," Ziva informed the woman. "I was told to come here?"
The woman nodded: the principal and vice principal liked to talk with any new students. "I'm sure Principal Morrow will be here soon."
"I'll wait," Abby offered, but Ziva shook her head.
"I'll be fine, Abby," she replied. She was very grateful for Abby's offer but didn't want to keep Abby from whatever lesson she had first period.
"Are you sure…?" Abby asked and Ziva nodded her head. She was about to say something when the door to the principal's office opened and a smart woman with shoulder-length red hair stepped out.
"You must be Ziva?" Ziva tell whether it was a statement or a question, so nodded anyway.
"Please come in," the woman smiled and Ziva suddenly felt very nervous: a feeling she wasn't exactly used to. Ziva followed the woman into the office and the man sitting behind the desk stood up and proffered a hand for her to shake. She did and he gestured for her to sit down in one of two chairs in front of the desk. Ziva sat down cautiously and the red-headed woman settled into the other chair.
"So, you are our new student then. We are very happy to have to here, Ziva," the man, who she suspected was Principal Morrow, smiled at her. It was more a smile of courtesy than of warmth, though: he seemed very… official, Ziva thought. "This is Vice Principal Shepard."
"Good morning, Ziva," the woman, Vice Principal Shepard, smiled at her, more than making up for the warmth lost in Principal Morrow.
"My name is Principal Morrow," he added and pushed some papers across his desk which Miss – or Mrs, Ziva hadn't worked that out yet – Shepard picked up and showed to Ziva.
"This is your timetable. We tried to fit all your classes in, but unfortunately we couldn't let you do French and Spanish, as they are taught at the same time. What subject would you like to do? There is mechanics, music or dance. And you didn't fill in one of your subjects. For that one the choices are drama, business studies or world history, although I understand you already have done a few courses in history and social studies," the Vice Principal looked expectantly at Ziva.
"Drama," Ziva decided immediately on the second, although she wasn't sure on the first. She had… bad memories of dance. Not breaking her leg or anything drastic, simply… issues. She could play instruments and she sang, but she was not particularly keen on studying music for two years. Mechanics didn't sound amazingly interesting, but she had to admit that it would probably be a skill that she would need in later life. "And mechanics."
"Okay," Principal Morrow seemed slightly surprised at her choice of mechanics. He had had her pegged as a dancer; she had the lithe body shape and the graceful walk of someone who had studied ballet or something similar. Miss – Ziva had decided on the lack of wedding or engagement ring – Shepard filled in the empty spaces on the timetable and passed it to Ziva who glanced down at it, scanning it and committing it to memory. First she had… Spanish. Not a bad way to start a new school, semester, week and day.
"Here is a list of extra curricular clubs that you may be interested to participate in," the Vice Principal informed her, and soon the pile of papers was in Ziva's hands with each piece explained about in detail.
"Have a good day," Principal Morrow stood up and shook Ziva's hand once again. Miss Shepard put her hand on Ziva's shoulder and led her to the door before opening it for the new student.
"Enjoy your day, Ziva," she smiled and Ziva smiled back at the friendly woman.
"Thank you," Ziva said brightly before heading off. Cynthia watched as Ziva walked past her.
"Jenny?" Cynthia caught the Vice Principal's attention, and the woman looked at her curiously. "Did you give her a map?"
Jenny Shepard smiled nervously. "I knew there was something I forgot."
A/N: The story will begin to get a little more interesting as the other characters get introduced. Sorry if you think I'm rambling!