okay...here
bang bang bang!
Alex jumped as he opened his eyes. Someone was hitting something...or someone.
Without thinking Alex jumped up and got into a defensive stance, waiting for someone to come at him.
"Heheh."
Not the sound he was expecting, Alex turned around and saw Marina Sitting on the ground, holding. Her phone and laughing.
"What?" Alex asked, slowly lowering his arms.
"You," she giggled. "I can't believe you actually fell asleep. I mean, I fell asleep in the color guard annex once with only my back pack as a pillow and an extras flag silk. But your three minute nap? That's impressive."
Alex opened his mouth to ask why she was sleep ing in the quote 'color guard annex' when more banging erupted.
"What is that?"
Marina laughed some more as she typed in her phone. "Kristen, she's mad because she's locked outside and I wouldn't open the door."
"And why can't you one the door?"
Marina's smiled slipped. "I was hoping you wouldn't ask... Well I don't know how you did it but you somehow fell on top of me and I'm weak and couldn't move you. I was stuck and that is my reason."
Alex could feel the heat rise up in his cheeks. He had been sleeping on top of this girl. "And you weren't going to share this because?"
The brunette blew some hair out of her face. "To avoid all this awkwardness. You didn't mean for it to happen so why should it bother anyone?"
Bang Bang Bang
"Alright!" Marina yelled, standing up. Alex winced at how loud her voice is. "I'm coming!"
Marina walked down the rest of the hallway and took a left with Alex following closely behind.
the was a door right there and someone was banging angrily on it.
Marina laughed and opened it, nearly getting a knocking fist to the face.
In the doorway was a girl with dyed black hair, golden eyes, and an irritated expression. The girl was also wearing a large letter jacket that took up most of her picture. She was pretty to.
"What took you so long?" The girl glared at Marina. Before she could answer though the girl's yellow eyes landed on Alex. "Ooooooh, I see."
Marina scowled and the black haired girl smiled and stood up straight, that's when Alex noticed how tall she was. She had about 2 inches on him and 4 on Marina.
"It's not like that," Marina tried to explain. "Alex is a new student and—"
"Nice to meet you Alex." The girl pushed her way inside and walked over to the band hall door, setting her things don next to theirs. When she was done she turned back around and held out her hand. "I'm Kristin Kelly."
Alex reached out and shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Kristin groaned. "He's British too! Marina why didn't you tell me?"
Marina rolled her brown eyes. "he has better things to do than talk to us all day, he's actually going to join color guard."
That got Kristin's attention "Really? Did you warn him about Kayla?"
Now Marina held a guarded expression. "I don't see why I have to."
'Whose Kayla?" Alex asked, feeling out of the loop.
"She's-" Marina started but Kristin jumped in.
"She's a sophomore who doesn't know what's she's doing. She has favorites and doesn't listen to any of us." Kristin was scowling as she bent down to get something out of her bag.
Marina added some more details. "marching band is hard for any leader and Kayla is new at this, slip ups are to be expected."
Kristin must be in color guard too if she knows so much about the captain...Alex then felt it hit him. A group of girls with a captain they all don't seem to like and there he was, caught in the middle of it like a bug in a spider web. And speaking of why he was here. "Are I asked you to something?"
Marina looked at him. "Of course."
"Knock yourself out." Kristin said, she found what she was looking for-her phone- and was now sitting on the ground.
"Is this a good school?" Alex asked, watching expressions, "Like there aren't a lot of, I don't know, drug dealers?"
Marina's brown eyes widened and Kristin looked up at him.
Marina's eyes now narrowed. "Is there a certain reason you're asking this question?"
Alex shook his head. Liar, liar, pants on fire. "only out of curiosity. There were some at my old school and I was just wondering…"
Marina's gaze softened and Kristin just still looked on with a guarded expression.
"Sorry about being a little cold just then." Marina smiled a little as she sat down next to Kristin. "We've been thinking that the school will send in a bug to figure it out."
"A bug?" Alex asked. He couldn't believe it, were these girls drug dealers? It didn't seem possible, they were too nice and-dispute what they think-innocent. They haven't killed someone like him, whey haven't seen others die and not give them a second glance. How can it be them? "What's a bug?"
"A bug is another word for a snitch." Kristin answered, going back to her phone, what ever she was doing must have been pretty entertaining. "someone to act like a mole, you know? A person who pretends to be all buddy-buddy with people only to get information out of them."
Great, Alex thought, They just descried my mission perfectly. "So there is drug dealing?"
Marina nodded, looking down at her hands. "Someone has been selling pot to students. No one knows who it is, some say it's a teacher and others say it's a band member sense they found a secret stash of money in the band hall."
"pot is marijuana." Kristin explained.
"I know what it is."
"I was just checking, Marina found out the connection about 3 days ago."
Marina scowled in embarrassment. "Can we please just let that go?!"
She then glanced at the clock. "It's barely even 7:00 yet!"
"Why did you get here so early?" Kristin asked.
"I needed to go to tutorials."
"Why didn't you go then?"
"I had to show Alex the way to the band hall, the front office asked me."
"Sucker."
"Shut up, I'm tired."
Bang Bang Bang
'OMG! Someone find a black to keep the doors open, I'm tired of getting up and having to answer it!"
"But then cold air will come in."
Marina ran around the corner, singing at the top of her lungs. "THE COLD NEVER BOTHERED ME ANYWAY!"
"Well, it bothers me!" Kristin yelled back. When she got no reply she just rolled her eyes and went back to her phone.
Alex glanced around and then turned toward Kristin, "I'm going to look around, if I get lost I'm screaming for you or Marina."
Kristin snorted. "Just scream for anyone and I think you'll be good."
Alex was about to walk off when Kristin called him back.
"Wait." She stared at him with golden eyes and for a slip second Alex wondered if they were fake or real. "There are some upper class men guys who like to pick on new lower class men boys, just be aware of how to get back and who you're with."
Alex frowned. "Marina didn't say anything about bullies."
Kristin smirked at him. "Marina sees the good in everyone and that's special. Who would want to pick on her and who is in the mood to be a jerk when she's around?"
"Fair point."Alex continued walking. "I'll be careful."
"Uh huh." Kristin was looking at the blonde haired Brit as he walked off. The kid was too serious for someone his age, Kristin thought, it reminded her of the military brats here at school. Their eyes always had a haunted look that they try to cover up with a smile, they had seen too much, they know too much, and they're waiting for either the signal to leave or the signal for a funeral. No, they weren't really like Alex, it was the soldiers who reminded her of Alex. They had done things no one even thinks about doing on an everyday basis. Kristin had seen Lone Surviver and that was all the action she even felt she'd need. And yet here's this kid she just met today who reminds her of war. "Sure you will…."
xxxxxxx
Alex hated himself, he was lost. The clock read 7:44 and he was pretty sure the band was already outside and all he knew about his position was that he was downstairs.
He wandered around, hoping for any sign of a way back while also looking out for bullies while also looking out for clues. Multitasking to the max really.
He hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary but him mind kept slipping to one fact: everything in this school was locked.
Alex had never had this be a huge problem in Brooklyn but yet here he was, in America just hoping the doorknob would move once he turned it.
He did that exact thing right then and found it open. The breath caught in his throat as he opened the door though. Ben was sitting at his desk and all around the classroom were little anime looking ponies. Ben was grumbling as he tore down picture after picture and Alex couldn't help but let a laugh bubble up out of his throat.
Ben jumped when he heard the noise and he turned around and promptly threw a stapler at Alex.
Yelping in surprise the teenage spy moved farther into the classroom as the stapler whizzed passed his head. He glanced outside to see the desk utensil break into a bunch of tiny pieces on the tiled floor.
No longer amused, Alex looked that the under cover soldier. "Suppose somebody else walked in?"
Ben laughed, "I recognized you but it's early and you were laughing." He turned his attention back to a huge poster that read My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. "Have to make sure your reflexes are still sharp."
Alex rolled his eyes, pulling down a rainbow streamer with a matching pegasus attached to the end. "Who did this and how can I congratulate them?"
Ben rolled his eyes, "ha-ha, ever the comedian, Alex. A couple of students did this. They're here right now in the cafeteria I think and I'll get them back for it. Maybe a few detentions will show them how funny they are."
Alex shoved him in the shoulder. "You certainly are a stick in the mud."
Ben glared at the boy beside him. "I don't do mornings."
Alex laughed but then his face got serious. "I have some information but when and where is a good time to tell you?"
Ben let go of his poster and looked at the teenager, all traces of laughter gone. "Lunch, you have B don't you? We'll talk then."
Alex nodded, "Okay."
"Don't you have a class to get to?"
"Got lost."
"Then how did you find me?"
"Just lucky, I guess."
"The luck of the devil…"
Alex flinched at the phrase. That term had been used to describe his father many times and it was a little bit of a sore subject with him. How much did Ben know about him family? Did he know his father was a spy too?
Alex decided to delay the question with another one. "How to I get to the foyer?"
Ben pointed out the door, busy with his prank'd room. "Just go straight down that hallway, take a left then a right and you're there."
"Okay, see you…" Alex pulled out his schedule, "Second period then."
Alex followed Ben's instructions exactly and was content when he found himself back in the main entrance. He was not so content however when his path was blocked by three older guys.
'Did you just come back from Swint?" One of the ingle brutes asked.
"What's it to you?" Alex shot back, he was already in trouble, might as well make them mad so they won't be able to think clearly.
"OOoooh." One guy pretended he was scared. "A European! Oh help us, help us, help us!"
The last one sneered at Alex. "Why don't we remind this foreigner what happened during the Revolutionary War."
The three came in closer to where Alex could smell their rancid breath. Alex Rider hated bullies, he always had and always will. But he at least knew how to take care of them and he would not spend his first day of school walking around with bruises and a wimpy reputation. It was still early and only a handful of people were here… Alex smiled.
"Okay." He replied, happily as he got into a defensive stance. "I'll remind you what happened to Texas during the Civil War."
You guys ever feel like you're talking and talking and no ones listening? Thats how I feel right now.
"Nobody's Listening" by: Linkin Park
