(Belle POV)
Some Days
The school was quiet when Andrea pulled up. The three of us sat there in silence while the two ex Trinians took it all in with nostalgic smiles before Andrea looked down at the clock on the dash and told a pouting Taylor that they'd have ten minutes to look around. I smiled at the chav as she sank back in her seat muttering under her breath about unfair emos while Andrea rolled her eyes and drove around the school towards the garage. I frowned around at it. The first years should be milling around inventing new explosives and car parts for Flash, but the room was empty. Dropped tools littering the floor were the only indication that someone had been in here today.
"Where are they?" I muttered. Andrea glanced back at me before shrugging
"There's celia's van," she said pointing over the steering wheel at it and gave me an encouraging smile, "Maybe they're talking to the girls"
I nodded and turned away, it was the best explanation we had. I looked back in time to catch the emo exchange a worried glance with Taylor in the rearview mirror. I pretended not to have noticed when Andrea pushed the car forward into Flash's usual space and turned off the engine. She twisted around in her seat and gave me another small smile
"Stop worrying and go find them" she said waving me out. I raised an eyebrow at her and laughed
"You can't boss me around"
"She's right, she's the superior one here Andrea" I smirked back at the sarcasm in Taylor's voice and hopped out of the car, turning back to let her out.
"She might be head girl but nobody bosses me around" Andrea said retrieving her keys from the ignition and climbing out of the car with a sigh. Taylor threw her a knowing smile before kicking an abandoned hammer out of her way and walking up to the stairs that led up into the school's main reception
"I beg to differ" she called back, laughing to herself when Andrea stormed after her.
I smiled to myself as the two girls chased each other up the stairs into the main school with happy laughs as if they'd never been away. A surprised squeal echoed down to me and I laughed. They'd run into Beverly then. I cast one last weary look around the garage before sighing and making my way up the stairs, grinning at the sight that met me. Beverly had taylor pinned against her in what must be the world's tightest hug while the chav was trying vainly to get away. I strode up beside Andrea and watched her smile fondly at the pair
"So you and Taylor..." she snapped her eyes back to me and flashed me a conspiratory smile
"Shh, that's secret" I grinned at her and stepped up to the two chavs and tapped Beverly's arm when Taylor's cheeks started to turn red with embarassment
"Bev, I think Taylor needs to breathe"
"Sorreh love, but I can't believe you're back!" she grinned at Taylor and pulled her in for another hug. I smiled at them and gently prised Beverly off the younger girl again while she stepped back beside Andrea and rubbed her arms
"Nice to see you too Bev" she mumbled, straightening her shirt out and glaring back at Andrea when she nudged her. She threw the emo a small smirk before turning back to Beverly with a happy grin
"Don't forget Andrea" Andrea's smile dropped and she quickly took a step back when Beverly grinned at her.
"Sorry don't do hugs"
"Liar" Taylor grinned at me and looked around the hall again, taking it all in with that sad smile like it'd been years since she'd last stood here. I had to smile at that.
I turned back to Beverly and watched her get herself into a sitting meditation position ontop of her desk before asking her where the girls were. She looked up at me confused before pointing down at the door to the room we'd always kept empty for parties. I frowned and walked away from them towards the door with a nervous tidal wave rushing through me. Why was it so quiet? Something must have gone wrong when the girls were getting the ring back, it wouldn't be so dead otherwise. I peered in through the door and frowned again. They were all stood around Jess as she inspected the ring, all of them silently staring down at it as she twisted the metal in her fingers. What was going on? I was tempted to walk in and find out, but something about the way Roxy sighed impatiently told me I was better off staying out of it for now. I ran a critical eye over the rockstar, taking in her torn shirt and broken sunglasses before turning back to Celia who was looking just as beat up. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the ceiling while mentally groaning to myself
Perfect, just another problem for me to deal with...
"Well?" Roxy's voice pulled me out of my silent study of the ceiling plaster and made me look back at them as she braced her palms on the table beside Jess with impatience glare. The chav ignored her and pulled the ring up to eye level before shrugging
"The other one had markings on it, so why doesn't this one?" I stared at Roxy. The ring didn't have any numbers? How the hell would we find the gold without it?!
"Maybe it's a fake?" Zoe suggested. Bianca scoffed beside her and shook her head
"Why would some geezer hide a ring in a painting just for it to be fake? Nah man, that is the real deal. Tell 'em Jess"
"She's right, it's real" Bianca grinned and snapped her fingers before smiling smugly at a bemused Zoe
"That's my girl"
"So why hasn't it got markings?" The emo hissed back at her. I felt a small smile tug at my mouth when the girls all turned back to Lucy with expectant stares. The geek had been reading something when she looked up and found a roomful of girls looking at her. She jumped at the sudden attention and folded her clipboard under her arm before sighing
"I'm not sure. There could be any number of reasons..."
"Like?"
"Corrosion. Fading. Someone came along and scratched it out, I don't know" Jess laughed at the last suggestion and shook her head
"Nah it's definately still here" she muttered running her thumb across the polished golden surface of the ring. We all frowned at her while she looked back at the twins
"Trinski, now" They gave her a confused look and threw her a bottle. Jess uncapped it and held the ring out to Roxy. The rockstar held her palm out and Jess dropped the ring into it before picking up the bottle and pouring vodka into her hand
"Jess! For Christ's sake!" Jess ignored Roxy and rolled the ring around in the well of liquid in the rockstar's hand before picking it back up and inspecting it again
"So besides making it sticky and disgusting, what exactly has doing that achieved?" Zoe muttered sarcastically. Bianca smacked her shoulder and looked down at the ring as Jess called a flammable over
"Lighter?" she caught it and smiled around at the group, "I'd stand well back if I were you"
The girls didn't need telling twice. They all inched back away from the table and watched on with matching confused expressions as the chav laid the ring on the table infront of her. Roxy was the only one who stayed beside Jess, an amused glint shone in her blue eyes as she watched the chav flick the lighter and slowly move the flame forward
"You're not serious?" Jess looked back at Roxy just as Lucy gasped
"Of course! Pirate Fritton must have smelded over the last numbers!" The girls stared at her confused while she rolled her eyes, obviously annoyed no one had caught on yet, "It means you need heat to reveal them"
Jess nodded and blew a bubble in her gum as she relit the lighter. Behind her the totties signed their usual "OhMyGod!" while the other girls stared transfixed by the chav's hand as it drew sparks out of the lighter before catching a flame
"This is like that bit in that film where Elijah throws that creepy ring into his fire and that old man makes him read it" Chelsea muttered, moving back against the wall when Jess moved her hand down to the ring again. I rolled my eyes and held in an annoyed groan. Why'd she have to be so blonde?
"That's Lord Of The Rings and it's complete bullshit" Zoe wheezed at her before turning back to Jess and rolling her eyes, "Idiot"
"Belle?" I moved my eyes away from the girls as Chelsea glared at the emo and glanced over my shoulder Andrea and Taylor, meeting their happy grins with a small smile before turning back to the girls. I heard them step up behind me as Jess set fire to the ring. They let out similar sounds of intrigue as they watched on and both of them laughed when the chav and rockstar leapt away from the table when the ring errupted into explosive flames that danced along the tabletop
"Idiots, don't they know you don't set fire to Trinksi? It's more flammable than Taylor's old track pants"
"Thanks Andrea" Taylor muttered behind me. I held in a laugh, knowing that the chav wouldn't hesistate in decking me if I helped Andrea make fun of her
"Oh come on Tay, you gotta admit they caught fire pretty quick"
"I wouldn't know, I was too busy trying to get them off me"
I grinned at that and turned my back on the open door to face them. They were squared off to each other with matching glares while they both tried not to smile. I rolled my eyes at them and shoved off the door
"I've gotta go talk to Miss Fritton about this ring. You guys make yourselves at home" They looked back at me with matching smirks before glancing at each other
"Thinking what I'm thinking?" Taylor asked
"I seriously hope not, I think I'd have to shoot myself"
"Har bloody har. Wanna mess with the tribes?" I looked back at them with a stern stare neither of them paid any attention to. Andrea grinned and nodded at Taylor
"Definately"
"Guys.." The pair of them walked past me and jogged up the stairs, completely ignoring the annoyed look I shot them both as they left me stood in the corridor
I rolled my eyes at them and followed them up, smiling despite myself at their light bickering and happy laughter. I guess they missed this place more than they let on. I found my thoughts wandering back to Kelly while I listened to their footsteps echo down to me. Had she reacted like them or had she just waltzed in like it was another building that meant nothing to her? I shook my head to myself at that. Kelly had loved this place, it had been her home for most of her life. She'd definately missed it. She'd just been too busy trying to murder Roxy to worry about it.
Please stop thinking about her, I mentally berated myself before I sighed and carried on walking up the steps to the second floor, passing a flustered Bursar as he rushed out of aunty's office with a dart hanging off his blazer. No doubt aunty had just given him an earful for some problem that wasn't his fault
"Bursar, right shoulder" He looked up at me startled and looked down at his shoulder with surprise. He yanked the dart out of his arm and hurried off down the corridor. I threw him a sympathetic smile as he tripped over himself and dropped all his papers.
Poor guy, how does he manage here?
"Annabelle?"
I rolled my gaze off the maths teacher as he cast a cautious glance around the halls before bending down to pick his papers up. I turned back to aunty's door and stared at her. She was dressed up all nice and fancy, like she was going out somewhere special. I tilted my head at her and watched as a hint of a blush rose on her cheeks
"Can I help Annabelle?"
I snapped out of my surprised stare and took a deep breath. She watched me with an amused smile and I wondered why she wasn't letting me into her office. We'd need privacy if she were to find out about the ring. I looked in at the room with a brief questioning smile but she simply let out an impatient sigh and met my eyes with a bored expression before looking away down the hall with a look that clearly said she wanted to be somewhere else.
"The girls have the other ring" Her eyes snapped back to me and I couldn't help but smile at the estatic grin that lit her face
"Brilliant! I knew I could count on your girls"
"Yeah the problem is..." She cut me off with a laugh
"How can there be a problem? My dear sweet girl do you know what this means?! We're rich!"
"The ring doesn't have an inscription on it" I blurted out feeling terrible when her smile fell. She turned back to me with a serious gaze and took my elbow
"You're sure?" I nodded, "Bugger"
"Jess had an idea that maybe it was hidden. She set fire to it to..."
"Heat the old smelding and reveal the numbers! Brilliant!"
I rolled my eyes at her. This woman was too smart sometimes. All you had to do was give her a hint of an idea and she would catch on faster than fire. Aunty looked back down at the watch on my wrist and jumped suddenly. I watched her confused as she began straightening her clothes and flicking her hair about. I tilted my head at her and grinned
"Got a date miss?" She giggled girlishly and waved me away
"One has a meeting with Geoffery"
"Oh..that's nice. I hope you have a nice time, it's just that the ring..."
"It can wait Annabelle. I've got to go"
I sighed and moved back as she stepped out of her office. I turned to leave and walked right into Thwaits himself. I blinked up at him. He actually looked like his old self. Smart, clean, handsome. I'd have to thank the girls in the AA group for getting him to pull himself together. He smiled down at me and stepped out of my way
"Afternoon Annabelle"
"Hey Geoffrey" His smile widened before he looked over my shoulder at aunty. I watched his cool expression fade into one of admiration while he looked her over, slowly grazing his eyes across her smiling face with a small hint of loving respect glinting in his eager eyes
He definately still fancies aunty, I grinned to myself and started to walk away from them, already coming up with a plan to get them back together once this treasure business was over with
I made my way up to the dorm, looking around happy at the school as it slowly tuned itself back into madness. It was more than reassuring to hear the odd explosion and high pitched scream while I walked. It told me Jess' idea had worked and the ring was ready for deciphering. I thought about the ex Trinians as I climbed the stairs. They all seemed to come back with the same eager smiles and lingering stares as they walked these halls. Was it so bad on the outside that they missed this place? I couldn't see it myself. Probably because I had too many bad memories associated with these walls. I shook my thoughts back to the Fritton gold when they started to pull towards Kelly again. I didn't want to think about her while I had to walk past the numerous memories of her that continued to mock me.
The girls were deep in conversation when I walked in. I smiled around at them, thankful they'd changed back into their own school uniforms. Seeing them all as guys was getting a little weird. None of them noticed me as I walked over. They were too busy talking about the ring location. I stopped by the geeks station behind them and watched on as Lucy pointed at a red line on the map of the world the geeks had tacked to the wall
"We need the longitude"
"We need the other ring" Ruby said behind her as she held the line up. I felt myself sink. AD1 had the ring and the only way to get it would be to...
"...break into AD1 and get the ring back" My attention snapped back to the girls as Bianca grinned around at them while they stared back at her. I closed my eyes defeated. We all knew that was just a ridiculous plan.
"Going to break in and get it yourself Chav?" I sighed at Zoe's snide remark and looked over at them as Bianca walked up to her, the pair of them squaring up to each other in their usual pre-fight stances
"Oi, it's Rude Girl"
"Chav"
"Rude Girl!"
"Enough!" Roxy pushed them apart and looked around at the girls with a serious glare, "Don't you think this is all a wee bit unfesiable?"
I tilted my head and stared at her. She was looking down at the girls with an almost pleading glare that both asked them to agree with her and begged someone to challenge her. I smiled to myself before taking a step forward with a serious expression
"Roxy this is St Trinians," They all snapped their heads back to me and grinned, "We don't know the meaning of unfesiable"
"That's true" I rolled my eyes at Chelsea while Roxy let out an annoyed sigh at the blonde's comment. The rockstar looked back at me with a challenging stare and the others went quiet beside her, watching us uneasily as I stepped closer to the group with a calm expression that spat out danger.
"And how do you expect us to get into a secret organisation?"
"You worry too much Rox," Her smiled dropped a bit and her eyes turned cold at the jibe, "Besides we've got our way in. We've got our inside man"
"As if Thwaits is going to help us" Zoe scoffed. Bianca nodded beside her
"Yeah no offence Annabelle yeah, but he's more likely to sell his daughter to the zoo innit" I chuckled softly to myself at that. Verity belonged in a zoo.
"Just make a plan. I'll debrief Thwaits and get your info. But until then, quit worrying" My eyes cut back to Roxy again as I said it, catching her watching me with a small thoughtful smile. I smiled back at her and nodded my head towards the dorm door. She grinned and excused herself from the group while they went back to their inspection of the ring
"So rockstar, what's been going on?"
She flashed me a smirk and shrugged. We walked out of the dorm and stopped in the corridor outside my bedroom. Roxy shut the dorm door behind her before leaning back against it with a confident smile.
"Doesn't matter. We got the ring"
"And your little tiff with Celia?" She looked up at me in surprise before falling back into her uncaring cool mask
"Nothing"
I rolled my eyes and stepped up to her, using Kelly's old trick of getting close and personal to get the truth. Roxy stared back at me with a small suggestive smile as she leant into me. I let her run her hand up my neck and pull me closer
"You're going to tell me" I told her pulling on my best husky voice while she shivered under it. I smirked and bent down to her ear with a pleading tone overlaying the husky one so that it almost sounded like a low moan "Roxy?"
"She said I should leave you alone" She blinked to herself with surprise. I grinned and decided I could probably get a little more out of her. I ran my hand up her right shoulder and let my finger glide lightly across her collarbone
"Because...?"
"She said Kelly would kill me if I tried anything"
She wasn't wrong there, I bent down closer to her so that my warm breath hit the skin on the side of her neck and made her shiver
"And?"
"Because you're still in love with her" I dropped my hand and stood back away from her, shaking my head with a defiant glare
"No I'm not"
"Belle..."
"Don't tell me how I'm feeling Roxy. That girl may have messed with my head but I am not in love with her" I looked away from her when I said it. I couldn't handle another pitying smile. I felt her lightly lift my chin up and met her blue eyes with a tired sigh. She smiled lightly at that and moved her hand up
"It's okay" she whispered stroking my cheek with a small smile. She stepped up to me again and pulled me into her arms,
"I don't care if you love her or not. I'm not going anywhere"
I numbly hugged her back and tried not thinking about how Kelly said the exact same thing before she'd ran off. Twice. I kept telling myself Roxy was different and that she wouldn't do something like that to me. But my mind kept kicking my reasoning down while my heart spat out the annoying truth. I did still love Kelly. And I hated myself for it. I felt Roxy's hands glide away from my back down to my sides while she let out a contented sigh into my shoulder
"So Annabelle...you owe me one" I pulled away from her suggestive tone and rolled my eyes when hers cut to my bedroom door with an eager sparkle.
Should've seen that one coming...
Roxy's smile widened when she saw me hesitate and she sidestepped around me to my bedroom, her hands sliding down my wrists to pull me over to her. I felt myself crack a little when she threw me her hynotisingly inviting smile that slowly drew me over to her.