"Would somebody get that!" A good-looking boy peered up from his writing to call attention to the constant banging at the door.
"You could have gotten it Colt!" His older brother yelled from the bottom of the staircase. "But it's okay, I got it."
"Thanks Rocky." Colt yelled mockingly.
Rocky turned toward the door as the knocking became more frantic. Rocky was surprised to find three terrified looking girls on the other side of the door.
"Can we come in?" The eldest asked when the silence grew to several seconds.
"Sure." Rocky said moving to the side and extending a welcoming arm.
The three didn't hesitate and once inside the middle girl closed the door abruptly.
"Are you okay?" Rocky asked.
The eldest turned to him and gave a wide smile. Rocky concluded that they must be close in age. She was by far the largest of the three girls. She had long, thick black hair; olive skin and dark eyes. She was beautiful, with full lips that made her smile shine. She had broad shoulders and a thin waist.
The second was at least two inches shorter than the first with a petite frame and smaller build, however she was just as shapely as the first. She had medium length chocolate hair, natural honey highlights and soft brown sugar, almost hazel, eyes.
The third was tiny. She appeared to be Tum tum's age and very thin. She wore a long dress that covered her shape. She was very fair skinned with ruby red lips and jet-black, ear length, hair that shined like lacquer. Her cheeks were like soft rose petals.
"Yeah, we were…uh," she paused, then quickly changing the subject she added, "My name is Melissa, but you can call me Mel. This," she regarded the middle girl, "is my good friend Kelsey, we call her K; and the little one over there," she pointed behind Rocky, " is K's cousin Jasell, better known as Jaz."
"Nice to meet you." Rocky offered a hand, "I am Rocky."
"We live next door," the girl, Mel called K, explained.
"Next door?" Rocky asked.
K nodded, "With Mrs. Crawford."
"Mrs. Crawford?"
"Yes, she adopted us yesterday." Mel jumped in.
"Oh?" Rocky questioned. "Isn't Mrs. Crawford widowed? If my memory serves me correctly Mrs. Crawford never had any children and she spends her nights cleaning office buildings?"
"Yes," the youngest finally spoke, her non-committal expression never shifted. She couldn't be a day over thirteen, Rocky thought, but not younger than eleven; right about the age of Tum tum. "That's her, she baked you cookies as a child. She told us of you."
Rocky cocked an eyebrow, "She told you about that?"
Jaz stepped closer, her stern look remained, and with no hint of emotion she stated coolly, "surprised?"
Rocky shook his head, "No." 'Weird girl', he thought.
"Who was at the door?" Colt stood at the top of the staircase looking down.
"Hey Colt," Rocky was thankful for the distraction from this odd little girl, "these are our new neighbors Mel, K, and Jaz."
"Hi," Mel waved.
"Hey," Colt welcomed them with his typical lack of enthusiasm, but Rocky noticed K catch his eye, briefly. K tossed a lock of hair over hr shoulder and gave a weak shy smile. Jaz didn't both looking up.
Just then the door flew open, at which point Tum tum barged in knocking Jaz to the round, twizzler hanging from the side of his mouth. He snickered, "sorry."
Jaz gave a low growl as she glared up to the smiling face of the young man. Just as he began to reach out and help her up Mel leapt for him and K for Jaz.
"Whoa, you don't want to do that." Mel warned.
"How come?" Tum tum asked honestly, "I knocked her down."
"She's angry." Mel whispered.
"You okay?" K asked kneeling next to her cousin.
"I am fine." Jaz said picking herself up from the wooden floor. She brushed the front of her dress off and accepted Tum tum's offered hand, " I am Jasell, however you may address me as Jaz."
"Cool, I'm Tum tum."
"We are your newest neighbors."
Mel and K exchanged shocked looks as they added their names when Jaz provided the opportunity.
"So why were you banging on our door?" Colt asked as he maliciously started down the stairs, like a lawyer cross-examining the witness.
Jaz finally angled her head up in his direction, her blue eyes lit up; and though her face didn't show it, Rocky saw the challenge in her crystal iris light with fire. "We just thought we would come over and meet the neighbors we have heard so much about."
"Right." Colt hissed.
Jaz's eyes narrowed and Rocky turned an authoritative tone on Colt, "Colt, it was nice of them to stop by, don't be rude."
Colt's head wobbled as thought it was on a spring as he mimicked Rocky's words, "Whatever. I've got work to do. School's almost over and I've got to start packing for Grandpa's."
K took a step closer to the stairs, "Hey…Colt?"
"What?" He turned back.
Rocky read Colt, he thought Jaz was lying, but when K called him he let his guard down. No one seemed to notice that he gave a slight sigh and leaned casually on the banister.
"I just wanted to apologize for disturbing you, and say that it was really nice meeting you."
Colt couldn't help but smile, "it's cool."
"Well, we'll be going now; but it was nice meeting you." Mel took K's arm and led her toward the door. "Bye Rocky."
Jaz turned to Tum tum, "Farewell, be more careful."
As Rocky closed the door he heard Mel asking, "So, Jaz how come you gotta be so weird all the time?"
"What just happened, Rocky?" Tum tum turned to his brother absentmindedly.
"I'm not really sure Tum, but what I got out of it is that they are our new neighbors."
"Yeah, which means they'll be at school tomorrow." Colt turned and started back up the stairs, "wonderful," he hissed bitterly.
"Colt, it's not so bad. They seem cool enough."
"Distraction." Was Colt's only reply.
"Crawford?" The militant, elderly, 7th grade pre-algebra teacher questioned.
Jaz nodded, "Yes, that's right. Jasell Crawford."
The woman scanned a white sheet of paper. She glanced up to the small girl, glasses poised on the bridge of her nose and pointed to a seat in the front row, "Crawford, next to Douglas. C and then D." Mrs. Hawkins penciled Jaz's name in on the sheet between Bell and Douglas.
Jas took her seat next to Douglas. She looked to her left, there sat an awkward looking young man named Aaron Bell. His hair was a vivid shade of red, he had orange freckles that covered his skin, and pop bottle glasses, he smile at her. Sighing, she glanced to her right. Next to her sat a person she remembered from the previous day. With a smile Tum tum turned to her and said, "Hi."
"Hello Tum tum."
He shook his head, "No, in school it's Mike."
"Mike?" She asked.
"Yes, that is my real name."
"As opposed to your fake name?"
"My ninja-"
"DOUGLAS!" Mrs. Hawkins hard voice rang over Tum tum's words, regaining her composure she continued, "there will be no talking during instruction."
"Yes ma'am." Tum tum hung his head.
That was quite possibly the longest that class had ever lasted for Tum tum. He spent most of the class wishing very bad things to come upon this woman, who embarrassed him. Grandpa had taught him some new things last summer during ninja training and he was certain that he could injure her, even though she was a large burly woman of Russian decent.
When the class had ended Jaz turned to Tum tum, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to have that woman yell at you."
"It's alright. She is just mean. Most teachers are that way."
Jaz smiled, "Oh, well, maybe I will see you in another class. Bye."
"Yeah, bye." He sighed.
Once Jaz had disappeared Tum tum's friend, Justin met him.
"Hey Mike. Did you meet the new girl? What kind of a parent moves their kid at the end of the school year?" He laughed, "Ah well, at least she's cute."
"You mean Jaz?"
"I guess that is her name, least that is what I heard."
"Yeah, I met her, her cousin, and her friend yesterday. They are my new neighbors."
Justin raised an eyebrow and almost in a seductive tone he said, "Lucky you."
In Tum tum's lunch bag he found the same sandwich Jessica Douglas had been packing him for years, peanut butter and jelly. Tum tum's appetite had altered little since he was a small child and it seemed that lunch got smaller and smaller each year that passed…this would never fill him up. Digging deeper in the brown bag Tum tum found a small bag of potato chips, a box drink, and 2 twizzlers wrapped in aluminum foil. The twislers still brought him the slightest hint of joy. Once Justin and Tum tum had finished their lunches, except Tum tum's twislers, he liked to bring them along as they scouted out the patio area, they made their way through the two double doors that lead to the meeting place for all social activity in the middle school community.
They noticed a small commotion at the far corner of the patio. That was the designated bully section of the school and when anything was happening in that particular area you couldn't be caught anywhere else, unless you wanted to be out of the social circle. Justin and Tum tum arrived a little late where they only received back row seats and distant voices.
"Is that Bruce?" Tum tum asked.
"Sounds like him, but I can't see anything." Justin explained.
Tum tum squirmed through the crowd to get a glimpse of the action. When he reached a visual point his jaw hung open. Bruce, the biggest, meanest, most evil boy in school made small circles around Jaz. Not giving it a second thought Tum tum leapt in front of Jaz.
"Leave her alone." Tum tum warned.
"What did you say runt?" Bruce looked down to Tum tum.
"I said leave her alone!"
Bruce stared at Tum tum intently for several seconds. After thinking it through Bruce threw his head back and gave a long hard laugh that started in the pit of his stomach.
"What are you doing?" Jaz whispered to Tum tum.
Tum tum shrugged, "I am not sure yet."
Bruce turned his direct attention on Tum tum, "Don't interfere or I will have to smash you into the ground."
"I'm not moving." Instinctively Tum tum fell back into a ninja stance.
Bruce swung for Tum tum. Tum tum threw both arms up and blocked the punch. Tum tum then followed that up with a hitch kick to Bruce's stomach. Doubling over Bruce held his stomach tightly.
"You gonna back off now?" Tum tum asked.
"Don't do this." Jaz warned, "There are far more civil ways of going about disagreements."
"Shut up!" Bruce yelled. "You are dead Douglas!" Bruce ran for Tum tum full force. Leaping off the ground, with both feet, Tum tum kicked Bruce sending them both to the ground. Tum tum kipped up and wound his fist landing it in Bruce's face. After which he did a spin kick to the side of Bruce's head. Bruce fell to the ground only for a second; his pride was now at stake. He leapt on Tum tum, but before either could make another move the other students shouting "FIGHT! FIGHT!" Brought swarms of administration. The two were broken up and drug down to the Student Resource Center where it would only be a matter of time before parents were called.
"Man, Rocky, it's only a matter of time before we are up at Grandpa's enjoying our summer." Colt smiled as he walked along side his brother carrying a cafeteria tray across the lunchroom.
"Yep, I can't wait." Rocky said. All along the student body had known them by their ninja names, however teachers still call them Samuel and Jeffery.
The tables in the high school lunchroom were packed close together. Rocky slipped between two tables. When Colt tried to follow Ryan, a young man who had been giving them trouble since he lost a basket ball game to the brothers four years ago, in exchange for a bike owned by a girl named Emily, nonchalantly put his foot out in front of Colt. Colt tripped on Ryan's foot sending his tray into the air and Colt onto the floor.
Colt leapt to his feet, and falling back into a ninja position, he growled.
"Colt! It's not worth it." Rocky said putting his arm in front of his brother.
"Aw, come on Rocky."
"No fighting."
Ryan just laughed. "Yeah, little horsy, no fighting."
"Discipline." Rocky stated slowly.
"You're not worth it." Colt hissed.
Again Ryan laughed. Gritting his teeth Colt turned and bent to pick up his tray. To Colt and Rocky's horrified dismay all of Colt's lunch landed on their new neighbor, K. She sat silently looking at her lap, while Mel snickered quietly.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Colt said reaching to remove a cup of Jell-O that landed on her head.
"It's alright." She smiled, but her voice wasn't all that convincing.
It took all Rocky had to keep from laughing. Milk had landed on head next to the Jell-O and threatened to run down her face and an entire plate of spaghetti had landed in her lap.
"Is there anything that I can do? I am so, so sorry." Colt apologized again.
"Sure. You can sit with us." Mel broke in with a smile.
Colt looked to K. "Yeah, that would be nice." K agreed softly. "But I'll be right back, see if I can clean up a little." Gingerly she took the milk box off from her head and handed it to Colt.
"I am going to kill Ryan." Colt said only audible to Rocky.
Rocky smiled, "That is the way to catch her Colt."
"Stop it."
"I'm just kidding." Rocky said sitting next to Mel.
"Don't worry about it Colt," Mel explained, "She's not mad. She is very understanding and sweet. You could never make her mad."
"Whatever."
K returned moments later with a smile pressed on her lips. The spaghetti stain was barely noticeable and K had fixed her hair so that it was not apparent that Jell-O and milk had tainted it.
"Hey, you guys want a ride home?" Rocky asked. "We drove the van today. Colt and I have to go pick Tum up…but we could drop you guys off first."
"That would be great." Mel exclaimed.
"Yeah, that would be awfully nice of you." K agreed.
"It is the least we could do, after my brother decided to dump his lunch all over K."
"It wasn't my fault."
"Hey, it's no big deal. Let's not talk about it anymore and just move on. I have had plenty worse things dropped on me." K told them.
The first bell rang signaling that lunch had ended.
"Meet us at the front gate when school lets out, okay?" Colt said.
"Alright, we'll be there." K said.
Once Rocky and Mel had started back up to the front of the cafeteria with their lunch trays K took Colt's arm keeping him back for a minute.
"Hey, Colt. I know that it wasn't your fault. I don't want you to worry about it," K held out her hand, "friends?"
Colt took it with a half smile, "Friends."
Mel paced the front gate impatiently, "They forgot us!"
"They didn't forget us." K explained gently.
"Well, you know…you know…"
"Know what?"
"We shouldn't be getting involved with guys anyway"
K laughed, "Mel? Was that really you? Did you say something about guys and not being involved? Besides it will be nice to have some friends. And Jaz, you know my cousin that never cracks a smile, really gets a kick out of the youngest of them; so, they can't be that terrible."
"Jaz? Puh, she is weird anyhow. Just like her…" Mel's mouth froze as she noticed the approaching brothers, "Well, well…I guess that they didn't forget us."
"Us?" Colt asked. "Nah, we didn't forget."
"We gotta get going though, Mom will be mad if we are late picking up Tum." Rocky eased his way into the conversation, and glided smoothly toward the student parking lot.
Within five minutes they were on their way to freedom, away from school.
"So, what is it that you do in your spare time?" K asked Colt.
Colt looked over to her; he sat in the back seat with K to his right. Mel had called "shot-gun" on the way to the van, and frankly Colt was glad that she had. Mel sat in the passenger's seat next to Rocky, who won the drive home by a coin flip; Colt had made some snide remark about Rocky being lucky that he still rode with him after the little show he had put on at Grandpa's a few summers back.
"Uh, I am a ninja. Me and my bothers-"
"My brothers and I." Rocky corrected.
"Whatever. We go to our grandfather's house for the summer and learn ninja stuff."
"Oh, that is interesting. Do you like it?"
"Yeah!" K had found Colt's weakness. His eyes lit up and his voice got anxious, "I love it. Practicing with Grandpa over the summer is the best part of the year."
K smiled, then looked up to Rocky, "How about you Rocky? Do you enjoy ninja training?"
Rocky paused, so many thoughts filled his mind. "I do. It is good experience and it teaches discipline. But what about you guys? What do you like to do?"
Mel and K exchanged looks, "Us?" Mel asked. "We really don't do much. We are trying to get used to the neighborhood, ya know?"
Rocky nodded, "Yeah, it must be tough being the new kids."
"Hey, before we go to Grandpa's we could show you around town and stuff. I know Mrs. Crawford is cool and all, but she doesn't know the cool things to do around town." Colt suggested.
"That would be really nice of you." K told him.
"Aw, it's nothing." Colt remarked as they pulled into the driveway of the Crawford home.
"Thanks guys, the ride was great." K told the brothers.
"No problem," Rocky smiled.
"Yeah, it was great to get a ride." Mel added, as she leapt from the van after K, "See you guys tomorrow at lunch, right?"
Rocky nodded, "Right. Colt we still have a few minutes do you want to go home and get a bite to eat?"
"Yeah, that sounds cool."
"Mom!" Colt yelled as he ran in the front door, slinging his backpack onto the couch. "We're here to grab a bite to eat before we pick up Tum."
"Colt? Rocky?" Mrs. Douglas appeared in the doorway to the kitchen of the Douglas abode.
"Yeah Mom, it's us," Rocky smiled.
"You guys don't have to worry about going to get Tum. He is upstairs."
"What? Why? Is he sick?" Colt interjected.
"No, he got suspended today. For fighting."
Rocky and Colt exchanged confused glances. Tum tum was one of the calmer ones among them. He usually kept his cool. What could have caused this?
Mrs. Douglas' face looked tired, "I don't know if he'll let you guys go now," she stated sadly, "You know how Dad is."
"He'll let us go, he has to!" Colt piped in.
"Colt, I don't know." Mrs. Douglas shook her head.
Colt turned without another word and dashed up the stairs. "TUM TUM!" He said throwing the door open.
Tum tum looked up from his spot on the bottom bunk of the bed he shared with Colt. "What?" He asked with a sigh.
"We might not be able to go to Grandpa's now. What were you thinking?"
Tum tum shrugged, "I don't really know. That guy's been bugging me for years, and today he was picking on Jaz. She is just a girl."
Colt sighed, there was nothing they could do about it now. Colt, in the realization that Mrs. Douglas was probably right about Grandpa's, retreated from the house to his place outside. Since he could remember Colt spent time in a tree in their backyard when he was anything but happy. The first time he and Mr. Douglas had gotten in a disagreement about ninja, the first time Mrs. Douglas gave him a lecture about arguing with Dad, and the time Rocky had gotten the girl that was his first crush Colt had gone to that tree.
'Damn it,' Colt thought.
"Hey." He heard from across the fence.
Colt looked over into the Crawford's back yard. He spotted K sitting on the picnic table.
"Hey," he answered with a sad tone.
"Nice day," she smiled, "not a cloud in the sky."
"Yeah," Colt sighed.
K stood up on the table and leaned over to the fence so she was a little closer to him.
"Why so gloomy?" She asked.
"Oh, no reason." He lied.
"Yeah?" She asked, "I wasn't interested anyway." She turned and sat back down on the tabletop.
Colt quickly looked over to her. He had wanted to tell her. He had wanted to tell someone. His jaw hung slightly slack from surprise, she had seemed so nice before.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. His face showed obvious sadness, she smiled at him, "I knew you wanted to tell me."
Colt laughed softly, she had played a trick on him and he had fallen for it.
"It's my little brother. Because of him we can't go to Grandpa's."
"Really? I heard what happened, Jaz called us from school. It could be worse, I heard they only gave him 2 days suspension when he should have gotten 5. But because he is a first time offender they cut him some slack."
"Yeah, that is fabulous for him. But what about us? We're still not going to get to go to Grandpa's."
"Don't be so sure. Anything can happen. Trust me, I know."
"I hope you are right."
K smiled, "I am. Hey I gotta go. Mrs. Crawford probably needs some help with dinner and Jaz should be home any minute."
"Okay." Colt said with another sigh.
"Don't look so sad," she said, "it'll all get better."
"Yeah, I really really hope you're right."
K got up and disappeared into her home. Colt sighed, again. He wished he could believe what she said, but she didn't know his father.
Rocky had ventured upstairs to see his little brother. He knocked on the door, "Tum?"
"Yeah Rocky?"
"Hey," he said as he entered.
Tum tum hadn't moved from the spot Colt found him in. He slowly turned a twizzler over and over again in his hand. "Mom grounded me for a week and I am only allowed to have twizzlers as snacks, no jelly beans, no lollipops, no anything. I am glad I like twizzlers." He stopped playing with the candy and looked up at Rocky, "You aren't going to lecture me are you? 'Cause if you are don't bother, Mom already did that."
"No, I am here to talk, if you want to."
Tum tum didn't say anything, he just examined the floor a little harder.
"What happened Tum?"
"Bruce started it. He was picking on Jaz."
"You didn't want to impress her? Did you?"
"NO!" Tum tum answered a little too quickly.
Rocky smiled, "Okay Tum. But you know-"
"YES Rocky, I know! Fighting is wrong. I shouldn't have done it, and I won't do it again, unless absolutely necessary."
"Okay Tum."
The door creaked open and in stepped Colt.
"Hey Colt," Rocky said.
Colt just nodded.
"I'm sorry guys." Tum said.
"Boys," the 3 heard from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom?" Colt yelled.
"Come down here for a minute please."
All 3 leapt up and ran downstairs, Tum tum leading the way. They all came to a halt at the bottom of the staircase. Mel, K and Jaz all stood just inside the door.
Jaz stepped forward and K smiled as she said, "Thank you Mrs. Douglas."
Jessica Douglas smiled back, "but only for a minute, he is still grounded."
K nodded and Mrs. Douglas disappeared back into the kitchen.
Jaz took another step toward Tum tum. "I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your discretion." She stated with no emotion attached to her words. K cleared her throat and Jaz's eyes narrowed. She glared over her shoulder at K. "And I am sorry for what happened to you."
Tum tum smiled, "It's okay. Sorry Bruce what giving you a hard time."
Jaz's face softened, 'He is so sincere,' she thought.
Tum tum blushed and looked down. When he looked down he noticed the twizzler he was still holding. He pinched it in the middle with his thumb and forefinger, breaking it in half. "Here," he smiled at her holding one half of the twizzler toward her.
"Oh, no thank you," she shook her head.
"No really, here," he insisted.
Rocky and Colt looked at one another in amazement. Tum tum was sharing his candy with a girl!
Jaz reached out and accepted the halved candy. "Thank you," she said, "but I have nothing to give you in return."
"It's okay. You don't have to. Consider it a gift of apology for knocking you down the other day."
Jaz looked at him fondly, "Okay," she said…and smiled.
At that Mel and K exchanged looks. "She really smiled at him," Mel whispered to K, "and she meant it." K nodded
"We gotta get going," K finally said, "Mrs. Crawford will have dinner ready and your mom said we only had a minute."
"Yeah," Mel agreed.
Rocky hadn't noticed until now, he had been staring at Mel. "Oh, okay," He shook it off. "Thanks for stopping by."
Mel winked at him, "our pleasure."
Rocky slid passed Colt and Tum tum to open the door for the girls.
"Bye," Mel smiled at him.
"Bye," he answered.
K waved as she disappeared out the door, Jaz trailing close behind. Rocky closed the door and swung around to the others.
Rocky stared at Tum, "What is going on in your head?" He asked, "you shared your candy."
Colt smiled a devilish grin, "I know." And he began chanting, "Tum-tum loves Ja-az, Tum-tum loves Ja-az." Rocky rolled his eyes with a grin pressed firmly on his lips.
"I DO NOT!" Tum tum growled and turned on his brother chasing him up the stairs.
K crossed the cafeteria with Mel. They spoke softly to one another. "Wow, we've survived the second day of school…so far." K said.
Mel nodded, "Yep. Where is that little hottie that promised me lunch?" she smiled devilishly.
"Mel," K laughed, "do you think of anything other than guys?"
"Heavens no!" Mel looked hurt, "What do you take me for?"
K laughed. Mel had a way of making K laugh. Mel always brought out K's best. K was so reserved, so quiet. Mel was so outspoken, so forward…their personalities complimented each other perfectly.
"Hey there little lady," Ryan grabbed K around the waist spinning her into the seat next to him, "don't you ladies want to eat lunch with us today?"
K just stared at him, she remembered what he had done to Colt the previous day.
"NO!" Mel answered using her free hand, the one that wasn't carrying her lunch, to grab K's arm, "We already have a lunch date."
"Oh," Ryan smiled, "well, you can break it."
Mel puffed up her chest, "No way," she and turned away just in time to see Rocky and Colt walking with two pretty girls. Mel took a deep breath and held it for a second as she held her eyes shut tightly. She turned on her heels and smiled down to Ryan, "Sure, we'll eat with you."
"Yeah, they are really cool," Colt exclaimed.
"Yeah, I think that you'll really like them, Emily," Rocky agreed,
Emily frowned, she had been jealous of every girl Rocky had met since there relationship didn't work out four years ago. They had been young, and she always questioned Rocky's ability. Rocky didn't like that, he especially didn't like when she had called him a "show-off". But she had not wanted to lose him as a friend; so, she always put up with him "showing off" whatever girl he was interested in at the time. Lisa-Dee, who stood to Rocky's left, was the exact opposite of Emily. She didn't mind meeting Rocky's new interest. In fact she liked it, she saw it as an opportunity to meet new potential friends. Lisa-Dee laughed at the way Emily acted, she thought jealous behavior was ridiculous.
"I already met them," Lisa smiled, "and I think they are really cool."
"I think they are weird," Emily frowned.
"You haven't met them yet Em," Lisa said.
Emily frowned harder, she never liked Lisa either. "I just mean that I think it is weird that 3 strange girls, not family, got adopted my the same woman."
"Nah," Colt said, "K and Jaz are cousins."
"Yeah, cousins Colt," Emily said, "not sisters. It usually happens that families can't be separated, not friends. Have you even asked what their family life was like?"
"Knock it off Emily," Colt said, "they are perfectly fine. They are nice and cool and everything is hunky-dory."
"No, I don't think it is," Lisa said pointing across the cafeteria, where Mel and K sat with Rocky and Colt's (especially Colt) worst enemies.
Rocky turned to see what Lisa was talking about. His heart nearly leapt up into his throat, 'this can't possibly be happening,' he told himself. Rocky knew Colt would be pissed, at the very least.
K looked over to Mel. She knew Mel made rash, un-thought-through decisions, but this one took the cake. K didn't want to be caught up in whatever Mel was scheming, although she didn't want to leave Mel there all alone with these boys they didn't know. Ryan had since put his arm around Mel and they were laughing together. The shorter, stouter boy sat next to K. She glanced over to him. He had edged a little closer to her. She put up a warning finger. "Stay way," she stated calmly. All eyes went to her, it was like being under a spot light in the middle of a Broadway show. 'Ah well K,' she thought to herself, 'Mel can take care of own messes, she needs to learn how to do it by herself.'
She gently pushed her seat out and looked to the faces around the table, "Excuse me," she said picking up her lunch tray. "I would rather eat alone," she stated solemnly.
"What the hell is wrong with your friend?" Ryan asked.
Mel shrugged, "Who knows." She lied; she knew K was mad for her change of lunch plans. K was supposed to listen to her, K was supposed to do what she said, she never thought she would be left all alone with these bastards. She always got herself in sticky messes, but K was always there to save her, what would she do without her?
K went outside. She liked being alone in situations like this. Mel was so hot headed, so quick on the draw, she never thought about things, and why they might be the way that they are. She sat outside on the grass with her lunch in front of her. She wouldn't let Mel make bad decisions for both of them anymore. Maybe if she started setting the good example Mel would follow.
"Fat chance!" She told herself aloud. Mel and K had been friends since birth, Mel had always been that way and nothing would change it; nothing short of a miracle. Rocky and Colt had been watching. Initially Colt had been pissed, and his first instinct was to go over and start trouble. However, as the situation unfolded K turned out to be the rational one. Rocky was impressed, and relieved that he didn't have to keep Colt from going ballistic on them.
"What do you think is going on?" Emily asked.
Lisa looked over to Emily, "Em, what boat did you fall off of? Can't you tell they're jealous!? Or at least Mel is."
"Oh," Emily said in the realization of the day's happenings.
"But where did K go?" Rocky asked.
"I don't know," Colt said, "but I am going to go and look for her."
'I am sure there is a good explanation for…' Colt interrupted K's thoughts. "Hey, I thought we were going to eat lunch together today?" He said.
"Me too, apparently Mel didn't think it was such a good idea," she stated bitterly.
"Why? What made her change her mind?"
"I am sure it was those two girls you were walking with."
"Emily and Lisa?"
"I guess, she makes me so mad. She doesn't think. She didn't know what was going on, she just assumed that you guys had changed your plans and she would show you who was boss." Colt pawed at the ground with his foot, after all he had jumped to those conclusions as well. "I feel bad leaving her there, but she needs to see who pays the consequences for bad decision making."
"Yeah, you are right there," Colt smiled. "Do you want to come inside and eat with us?" K looked up to him, "Sure." When they re-entered the cafeteria Mel was still eating with the boys, but she looked more reserved, more scared. "She hates being alone," K whispered to Colt as they passed. Colt nodded. He had feared something was wrong, like they hurt her or something.
"She doesn't mean it," K told Rocky, "don't take it out on her please. She always jumps to conclusion. Or do take it out on her, but don't mean it. Just scare her a little."
Rocky nodded, he hadn't been mad. He hadn't been jealous, but he had been a little hurt. "K this is my good friend Emily, and that is my other good friend Lisa."
"Hi," K smiled, "Lisa and I have met, but I don't think I've met you Emily."
"You haven't," Emily stated quickly forcing a large spoon of corn in her mouth.
"Well it is nice to meet you," K said.
"I wish I shared your enthusiasm," Emily growled. K was taken aback.
"Emily!" Lisa said.
"I'm sorry," Emily said as her cheeks flushed.
"It's okay, I realize that I'm new and I am getting a lot of attention. Mel and I, we just want to make friends while we are here."
"While you are here?" Colt asked.
"Yes, while we are here. We may not be here as long as we had hoped, I know that we said Mrs. Crawford adopted us; however that is not entirely the case. You see Mrs. Crawford is working on the papers to have us adopted, we are currently foster children."
"See, I told you," Emily smiled, "I knew that was weird."
"I'm sorry?" K asked, "What do you mean?"
"Do you know your past K, or are you without one?" Emily asked bluntly.
Rocky nearly fell out of his seat, Colt almost grabbed Emily to cover her,
mouth, and Lisa choked on a forkful of mashed potatoes.
K stared at her for a few minutes and then she, kind of, laughed, "Of course."
"K you don't have to answer her, don't listen to her," Colt said.
"Shhh," Emily said addressing Colt, and then turning back to K, "and you know it?"
K nodded, "yes, I think so."
"Really? You think so? You know your parents? Where they abusive, is that why you got plopped somewhere?"
"EMILY!" Rocky said.
"It's okay," K raised her hand, "people are curious, and I understand. I would be."
"Then answer the question…" Emily said.
"What about them?" K asked.
"Did they abuse you?"
"Of course not!" K exclaimed.
"Then what!? Why are you here, why is Mel here?" Emily's jealous took over.
K looked to the ground. "Don't listen to her," Colt said, "You don't have to talk to her anymore."
K nodded. "I'm done Emily," she stated matter-of-factly.
The lunch bell rang, and neither Mel nor K had touched their lunches. Mel because she was afraid, and K because she was defending herself.
"Hey," Rocky turned to K, "what are you guys doing next weekend?"
"Nothing yet, how come?"
"Because we are going to a Renaissance Festival next weekend, and maybe you and Mel would like to join us?" Rocky smiled.
"Oh sure, but…what is a Renaissance Festival?"
Rocky laughed, "You know, with knights, and jousting, and fancy long dresses, Renaissance stuff. It is outside in an open field with lots of people walking around pretending to be from back then?"
"Oh, yeah. That will get really fun. I am sure Mel will love to go."
"Cool," Rocky smiled.
K turned her attention to Colt, "you don't mind, do you?"
"No, I was going to invite you myself, Rocky just beat me to it."
"Okay," she said.
"Hey, I'll walk you to your next class."
K blushed, "Okay."
"No," Emily told Lisa, "I don't like them at all."
Lisa just laughed.
"You could have gotten it Colt!" His older brother yelled from the bottom of the staircase. "But it's okay, I got it."
"Thanks Rocky." Colt yelled mockingly.
Rocky turned toward the door as the knocking became more frantic. Rocky was surprised to find three terrified looking girls on the other side of the door.
"Can we come in?" The eldest asked when the silence grew to several seconds.
"Sure." Rocky said moving to the side and extending a welcoming arm.
The three didn't hesitate and once inside the middle girl closed the door abruptly.
"Are you okay?" Rocky asked.
The eldest turned to him and gave a wide smile. Rocky concluded that they must be close in age. She was by far the largest of the three girls. She had long, thick black hair; olive skin and dark eyes. She was beautiful, with full lips that made her smile shine. She had broad shoulders and a thin waist.
The second was at least two inches shorter than the first with a petite frame and smaller build, however she was just as shapely as the first. She had medium length chocolate hair, natural honey highlights and soft brown sugar, almost hazel, eyes.
The third was tiny. She appeared to be Tum tum's age and very thin. She wore a long dress that covered her shape. She was very fair skinned with ruby red lips and jet-black, ear length, hair that shined like lacquer. Her cheeks were like soft rose petals.
"Yeah, we were…uh," she paused, then quickly changing the subject she added, "My name is Melissa, but you can call me Mel. This," she regarded the middle girl, "is my good friend Kelsey, we call her K; and the little one over there," she pointed behind Rocky, " is K's cousin Jasell, better known as Jaz."
"Nice to meet you." Rocky offered a hand, "I am Rocky."
"We live next door," the girl, Mel called K, explained.
"Next door?" Rocky asked.
K nodded, "With Mrs. Crawford."
"Mrs. Crawford?"
"Yes, she adopted us yesterday." Mel jumped in.
"Oh?" Rocky questioned. "Isn't Mrs. Crawford widowed? If my memory serves me correctly Mrs. Crawford never had any children and she spends her nights cleaning office buildings?"
"Yes," the youngest finally spoke, her non-committal expression never shifted. She couldn't be a day over thirteen, Rocky thought, but not younger than eleven; right about the age of Tum tum. "That's her, she baked you cookies as a child. She told us of you."
Rocky cocked an eyebrow, "She told you about that?"
Jaz stepped closer, her stern look remained, and with no hint of emotion she stated coolly, "surprised?"
Rocky shook his head, "No." 'Weird girl', he thought.
"Who was at the door?" Colt stood at the top of the staircase looking down.
"Hey Colt," Rocky was thankful for the distraction from this odd little girl, "these are our new neighbors Mel, K, and Jaz."
"Hi," Mel waved.
"Hey," Colt welcomed them with his typical lack of enthusiasm, but Rocky noticed K catch his eye, briefly. K tossed a lock of hair over hr shoulder and gave a weak shy smile. Jaz didn't both looking up.
Just then the door flew open, at which point Tum tum barged in knocking Jaz to the round, twizzler hanging from the side of his mouth. He snickered, "sorry."
Jaz gave a low growl as she glared up to the smiling face of the young man. Just as he began to reach out and help her up Mel leapt for him and K for Jaz.
"Whoa, you don't want to do that." Mel warned.
"How come?" Tum tum asked honestly, "I knocked her down."
"She's angry." Mel whispered.
"You okay?" K asked kneeling next to her cousin.
"I am fine." Jaz said picking herself up from the wooden floor. She brushed the front of her dress off and accepted Tum tum's offered hand, " I am Jasell, however you may address me as Jaz."
"Cool, I'm Tum tum."
"We are your newest neighbors."
Mel and K exchanged shocked looks as they added their names when Jaz provided the opportunity.
"So why were you banging on our door?" Colt asked as he maliciously started down the stairs, like a lawyer cross-examining the witness.
Jaz finally angled her head up in his direction, her blue eyes lit up; and though her face didn't show it, Rocky saw the challenge in her crystal iris light with fire. "We just thought we would come over and meet the neighbors we have heard so much about."
"Right." Colt hissed.
Jaz's eyes narrowed and Rocky turned an authoritative tone on Colt, "Colt, it was nice of them to stop by, don't be rude."
Colt's head wobbled as thought it was on a spring as he mimicked Rocky's words, "Whatever. I've got work to do. School's almost over and I've got to start packing for Grandpa's."
K took a step closer to the stairs, "Hey…Colt?"
"What?" He turned back.
Rocky read Colt, he thought Jaz was lying, but when K called him he let his guard down. No one seemed to notice that he gave a slight sigh and leaned casually on the banister.
"I just wanted to apologize for disturbing you, and say that it was really nice meeting you."
Colt couldn't help but smile, "it's cool."
"Well, we'll be going now; but it was nice meeting you." Mel took K's arm and led her toward the door. "Bye Rocky."
Jaz turned to Tum tum, "Farewell, be more careful."
As Rocky closed the door he heard Mel asking, "So, Jaz how come you gotta be so weird all the time?"
"What just happened, Rocky?" Tum tum turned to his brother absentmindedly.
"I'm not really sure Tum, but what I got out of it is that they are our new neighbors."
"Yeah, which means they'll be at school tomorrow." Colt turned and started back up the stairs, "wonderful," he hissed bitterly.
"Colt, it's not so bad. They seem cool enough."
"Distraction." Was Colt's only reply.
"Crawford?" The militant, elderly, 7th grade pre-algebra teacher questioned.
Jaz nodded, "Yes, that's right. Jasell Crawford."
The woman scanned a white sheet of paper. She glanced up to the small girl, glasses poised on the bridge of her nose and pointed to a seat in the front row, "Crawford, next to Douglas. C and then D." Mrs. Hawkins penciled Jaz's name in on the sheet between Bell and Douglas.
Jas took her seat next to Douglas. She looked to her left, there sat an awkward looking young man named Aaron Bell. His hair was a vivid shade of red, he had orange freckles that covered his skin, and pop bottle glasses, he smile at her. Sighing, she glanced to her right. Next to her sat a person she remembered from the previous day. With a smile Tum tum turned to her and said, "Hi."
"Hello Tum tum."
He shook his head, "No, in school it's Mike."
"Mike?" She asked.
"Yes, that is my real name."
"As opposed to your fake name?"
"My ninja-"
"DOUGLAS!" Mrs. Hawkins hard voice rang over Tum tum's words, regaining her composure she continued, "there will be no talking during instruction."
"Yes ma'am." Tum tum hung his head.
That was quite possibly the longest that class had ever lasted for Tum tum. He spent most of the class wishing very bad things to come upon this woman, who embarrassed him. Grandpa had taught him some new things last summer during ninja training and he was certain that he could injure her, even though she was a large burly woman of Russian decent.
When the class had ended Jaz turned to Tum tum, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to have that woman yell at you."
"It's alright. She is just mean. Most teachers are that way."
Jaz smiled, "Oh, well, maybe I will see you in another class. Bye."
"Yeah, bye." He sighed.
Once Jaz had disappeared Tum tum's friend, Justin met him.
"Hey Mike. Did you meet the new girl? What kind of a parent moves their kid at the end of the school year?" He laughed, "Ah well, at least she's cute."
"You mean Jaz?"
"I guess that is her name, least that is what I heard."
"Yeah, I met her, her cousin, and her friend yesterday. They are my new neighbors."
Justin raised an eyebrow and almost in a seductive tone he said, "Lucky you."
In Tum tum's lunch bag he found the same sandwich Jessica Douglas had been packing him for years, peanut butter and jelly. Tum tum's appetite had altered little since he was a small child and it seemed that lunch got smaller and smaller each year that passed…this would never fill him up. Digging deeper in the brown bag Tum tum found a small bag of potato chips, a box drink, and 2 twizzlers wrapped in aluminum foil. The twislers still brought him the slightest hint of joy. Once Justin and Tum tum had finished their lunches, except Tum tum's twislers, he liked to bring them along as they scouted out the patio area, they made their way through the two double doors that lead to the meeting place for all social activity in the middle school community.
They noticed a small commotion at the far corner of the patio. That was the designated bully section of the school and when anything was happening in that particular area you couldn't be caught anywhere else, unless you wanted to be out of the social circle. Justin and Tum tum arrived a little late where they only received back row seats and distant voices.
"Is that Bruce?" Tum tum asked.
"Sounds like him, but I can't see anything." Justin explained.
Tum tum squirmed through the crowd to get a glimpse of the action. When he reached a visual point his jaw hung open. Bruce, the biggest, meanest, most evil boy in school made small circles around Jaz. Not giving it a second thought Tum tum leapt in front of Jaz.
"Leave her alone." Tum tum warned.
"What did you say runt?" Bruce looked down to Tum tum.
"I said leave her alone!"
Bruce stared at Tum tum intently for several seconds. After thinking it through Bruce threw his head back and gave a long hard laugh that started in the pit of his stomach.
"What are you doing?" Jaz whispered to Tum tum.
Tum tum shrugged, "I am not sure yet."
Bruce turned his direct attention on Tum tum, "Don't interfere or I will have to smash you into the ground."
"I'm not moving." Instinctively Tum tum fell back into a ninja stance.
Bruce swung for Tum tum. Tum tum threw both arms up and blocked the punch. Tum tum then followed that up with a hitch kick to Bruce's stomach. Doubling over Bruce held his stomach tightly.
"You gonna back off now?" Tum tum asked.
"Don't do this." Jaz warned, "There are far more civil ways of going about disagreements."
"Shut up!" Bruce yelled. "You are dead Douglas!" Bruce ran for Tum tum full force. Leaping off the ground, with both feet, Tum tum kicked Bruce sending them both to the ground. Tum tum kipped up and wound his fist landing it in Bruce's face. After which he did a spin kick to the side of Bruce's head. Bruce fell to the ground only for a second; his pride was now at stake. He leapt on Tum tum, but before either could make another move the other students shouting "FIGHT! FIGHT!" Brought swarms of administration. The two were broken up and drug down to the Student Resource Center where it would only be a matter of time before parents were called.
"Man, Rocky, it's only a matter of time before we are up at Grandpa's enjoying our summer." Colt smiled as he walked along side his brother carrying a cafeteria tray across the lunchroom.
"Yep, I can't wait." Rocky said. All along the student body had known them by their ninja names, however teachers still call them Samuel and Jeffery.
The tables in the high school lunchroom were packed close together. Rocky slipped between two tables. When Colt tried to follow Ryan, a young man who had been giving them trouble since he lost a basket ball game to the brothers four years ago, in exchange for a bike owned by a girl named Emily, nonchalantly put his foot out in front of Colt. Colt tripped on Ryan's foot sending his tray into the air and Colt onto the floor.
Colt leapt to his feet, and falling back into a ninja position, he growled.
"Colt! It's not worth it." Rocky said putting his arm in front of his brother.
"Aw, come on Rocky."
"No fighting."
Ryan just laughed. "Yeah, little horsy, no fighting."
"Discipline." Rocky stated slowly.
"You're not worth it." Colt hissed.
Again Ryan laughed. Gritting his teeth Colt turned and bent to pick up his tray. To Colt and Rocky's horrified dismay all of Colt's lunch landed on their new neighbor, K. She sat silently looking at her lap, while Mel snickered quietly.
"Oh, I am so sorry." Colt said reaching to remove a cup of Jell-O that landed on her head.
"It's alright." She smiled, but her voice wasn't all that convincing.
It took all Rocky had to keep from laughing. Milk had landed on head next to the Jell-O and threatened to run down her face and an entire plate of spaghetti had landed in her lap.
"Is there anything that I can do? I am so, so sorry." Colt apologized again.
"Sure. You can sit with us." Mel broke in with a smile.
Colt looked to K. "Yeah, that would be nice." K agreed softly. "But I'll be right back, see if I can clean up a little." Gingerly she took the milk box off from her head and handed it to Colt.
"I am going to kill Ryan." Colt said only audible to Rocky.
Rocky smiled, "That is the way to catch her Colt."
"Stop it."
"I'm just kidding." Rocky said sitting next to Mel.
"Don't worry about it Colt," Mel explained, "She's not mad. She is very understanding and sweet. You could never make her mad."
"Whatever."
K returned moments later with a smile pressed on her lips. The spaghetti stain was barely noticeable and K had fixed her hair so that it was not apparent that Jell-O and milk had tainted it.
"Hey, you guys want a ride home?" Rocky asked. "We drove the van today. Colt and I have to go pick Tum up…but we could drop you guys off first."
"That would be great." Mel exclaimed.
"Yeah, that would be awfully nice of you." K agreed.
"It is the least we could do, after my brother decided to dump his lunch all over K."
"It wasn't my fault."
"Hey, it's no big deal. Let's not talk about it anymore and just move on. I have had plenty worse things dropped on me." K told them.
The first bell rang signaling that lunch had ended.
"Meet us at the front gate when school lets out, okay?" Colt said.
"Alright, we'll be there." K said.
Once Rocky and Mel had started back up to the front of the cafeteria with their lunch trays K took Colt's arm keeping him back for a minute.
"Hey, Colt. I know that it wasn't your fault. I don't want you to worry about it," K held out her hand, "friends?"
Colt took it with a half smile, "Friends."
Mel paced the front gate impatiently, "They forgot us!"
"They didn't forget us." K explained gently.
"Well, you know…you know…"
"Know what?"
"We shouldn't be getting involved with guys anyway"
K laughed, "Mel? Was that really you? Did you say something about guys and not being involved? Besides it will be nice to have some friends. And Jaz, you know my cousin that never cracks a smile, really gets a kick out of the youngest of them; so, they can't be that terrible."
"Jaz? Puh, she is weird anyhow. Just like her…" Mel's mouth froze as she noticed the approaching brothers, "Well, well…I guess that they didn't forget us."
"Us?" Colt asked. "Nah, we didn't forget."
"We gotta get going though, Mom will be mad if we are late picking up Tum." Rocky eased his way into the conversation, and glided smoothly toward the student parking lot.
Within five minutes they were on their way to freedom, away from school.
"So, what is it that you do in your spare time?" K asked Colt.
Colt looked over to her; he sat in the back seat with K to his right. Mel had called "shot-gun" on the way to the van, and frankly Colt was glad that she had. Mel sat in the passenger's seat next to Rocky, who won the drive home by a coin flip; Colt had made some snide remark about Rocky being lucky that he still rode with him after the little show he had put on at Grandpa's a few summers back.
"Uh, I am a ninja. Me and my bothers-"
"My brothers and I." Rocky corrected.
"Whatever. We go to our grandfather's house for the summer and learn ninja stuff."
"Oh, that is interesting. Do you like it?"
"Yeah!" K had found Colt's weakness. His eyes lit up and his voice got anxious, "I love it. Practicing with Grandpa over the summer is the best part of the year."
K smiled, then looked up to Rocky, "How about you Rocky? Do you enjoy ninja training?"
Rocky paused, so many thoughts filled his mind. "I do. It is good experience and it teaches discipline. But what about you guys? What do you like to do?"
Mel and K exchanged looks, "Us?" Mel asked. "We really don't do much. We are trying to get used to the neighborhood, ya know?"
Rocky nodded, "Yeah, it must be tough being the new kids."
"Hey, before we go to Grandpa's we could show you around town and stuff. I know Mrs. Crawford is cool and all, but she doesn't know the cool things to do around town." Colt suggested.
"That would be really nice of you." K told him.
"Aw, it's nothing." Colt remarked as they pulled into the driveway of the Crawford home.
"Thanks guys, the ride was great." K told the brothers.
"No problem," Rocky smiled.
"Yeah, it was great to get a ride." Mel added, as she leapt from the van after K, "See you guys tomorrow at lunch, right?"
Rocky nodded, "Right. Colt we still have a few minutes do you want to go home and get a bite to eat?"
"Yeah, that sounds cool."
"Mom!" Colt yelled as he ran in the front door, slinging his backpack onto the couch. "We're here to grab a bite to eat before we pick up Tum."
"Colt? Rocky?" Mrs. Douglas appeared in the doorway to the kitchen of the Douglas abode.
"Yeah Mom, it's us," Rocky smiled.
"You guys don't have to worry about going to get Tum. He is upstairs."
"What? Why? Is he sick?" Colt interjected.
"No, he got suspended today. For fighting."
Rocky and Colt exchanged confused glances. Tum tum was one of the calmer ones among them. He usually kept his cool. What could have caused this?
Mrs. Douglas' face looked tired, "I don't know if he'll let you guys go now," she stated sadly, "You know how Dad is."
"He'll let us go, he has to!" Colt piped in.
"Colt, I don't know." Mrs. Douglas shook her head.
Colt turned without another word and dashed up the stairs. "TUM TUM!" He said throwing the door open.
Tum tum looked up from his spot on the bottom bunk of the bed he shared with Colt. "What?" He asked with a sigh.
"We might not be able to go to Grandpa's now. What were you thinking?"
Tum tum shrugged, "I don't really know. That guy's been bugging me for years, and today he was picking on Jaz. She is just a girl."
Colt sighed, there was nothing they could do about it now. Colt, in the realization that Mrs. Douglas was probably right about Grandpa's, retreated from the house to his place outside. Since he could remember Colt spent time in a tree in their backyard when he was anything but happy. The first time he and Mr. Douglas had gotten in a disagreement about ninja, the first time Mrs. Douglas gave him a lecture about arguing with Dad, and the time Rocky had gotten the girl that was his first crush Colt had gone to that tree.
'Damn it,' Colt thought.
"Hey." He heard from across the fence.
Colt looked over into the Crawford's back yard. He spotted K sitting on the picnic table.
"Hey," he answered with a sad tone.
"Nice day," she smiled, "not a cloud in the sky."
"Yeah," Colt sighed.
K stood up on the table and leaned over to the fence so she was a little closer to him.
"Why so gloomy?" She asked.
"Oh, no reason." He lied.
"Yeah?" She asked, "I wasn't interested anyway." She turned and sat back down on the tabletop.
Colt quickly looked over to her. He had wanted to tell her. He had wanted to tell someone. His jaw hung slightly slack from surprise, she had seemed so nice before.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. His face showed obvious sadness, she smiled at him, "I knew you wanted to tell me."
Colt laughed softly, she had played a trick on him and he had fallen for it.
"It's my little brother. Because of him we can't go to Grandpa's."
"Really? I heard what happened, Jaz called us from school. It could be worse, I heard they only gave him 2 days suspension when he should have gotten 5. But because he is a first time offender they cut him some slack."
"Yeah, that is fabulous for him. But what about us? We're still not going to get to go to Grandpa's."
"Don't be so sure. Anything can happen. Trust me, I know."
"I hope you are right."
K smiled, "I am. Hey I gotta go. Mrs. Crawford probably needs some help with dinner and Jaz should be home any minute."
"Okay." Colt said with another sigh.
"Don't look so sad," she said, "it'll all get better."
"Yeah, I really really hope you're right."
K got up and disappeared into her home. Colt sighed, again. He wished he could believe what she said, but she didn't know his father.
Rocky had ventured upstairs to see his little brother. He knocked on the door, "Tum?"
"Yeah Rocky?"
"Hey," he said as he entered.
Tum tum hadn't moved from the spot Colt found him in. He slowly turned a twizzler over and over again in his hand. "Mom grounded me for a week and I am only allowed to have twizzlers as snacks, no jelly beans, no lollipops, no anything. I am glad I like twizzlers." He stopped playing with the candy and looked up at Rocky, "You aren't going to lecture me are you? 'Cause if you are don't bother, Mom already did that."
"No, I am here to talk, if you want to."
Tum tum didn't say anything, he just examined the floor a little harder.
"What happened Tum?"
"Bruce started it. He was picking on Jaz."
"You didn't want to impress her? Did you?"
"NO!" Tum tum answered a little too quickly.
Rocky smiled, "Okay Tum. But you know-"
"YES Rocky, I know! Fighting is wrong. I shouldn't have done it, and I won't do it again, unless absolutely necessary."
"Okay Tum."
The door creaked open and in stepped Colt.
"Hey Colt," Rocky said.
Colt just nodded.
"I'm sorry guys." Tum said.
"Boys," the 3 heard from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom?" Colt yelled.
"Come down here for a minute please."
All 3 leapt up and ran downstairs, Tum tum leading the way. They all came to a halt at the bottom of the staircase. Mel, K and Jaz all stood just inside the door.
Jaz stepped forward and K smiled as she said, "Thank you Mrs. Douglas."
Jessica Douglas smiled back, "but only for a minute, he is still grounded."
K nodded and Mrs. Douglas disappeared back into the kitchen.
Jaz took another step toward Tum tum. "I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for your discretion." She stated with no emotion attached to her words. K cleared her throat and Jaz's eyes narrowed. She glared over her shoulder at K. "And I am sorry for what happened to you."
Tum tum smiled, "It's okay. Sorry Bruce what giving you a hard time."
Jaz's face softened, 'He is so sincere,' she thought.
Tum tum blushed and looked down. When he looked down he noticed the twizzler he was still holding. He pinched it in the middle with his thumb and forefinger, breaking it in half. "Here," he smiled at her holding one half of the twizzler toward her.
"Oh, no thank you," she shook her head.
"No really, here," he insisted.
Rocky and Colt looked at one another in amazement. Tum tum was sharing his candy with a girl!
Jaz reached out and accepted the halved candy. "Thank you," she said, "but I have nothing to give you in return."
"It's okay. You don't have to. Consider it a gift of apology for knocking you down the other day."
Jaz looked at him fondly, "Okay," she said…and smiled.
At that Mel and K exchanged looks. "She really smiled at him," Mel whispered to K, "and she meant it." K nodded
"We gotta get going," K finally said, "Mrs. Crawford will have dinner ready and your mom said we only had a minute."
"Yeah," Mel agreed.
Rocky hadn't noticed until now, he had been staring at Mel. "Oh, okay," He shook it off. "Thanks for stopping by."
Mel winked at him, "our pleasure."
Rocky slid passed Colt and Tum tum to open the door for the girls.
"Bye," Mel smiled at him.
"Bye," he answered.
K waved as she disappeared out the door, Jaz trailing close behind. Rocky closed the door and swung around to the others.
Rocky stared at Tum, "What is going on in your head?" He asked, "you shared your candy."
Colt smiled a devilish grin, "I know." And he began chanting, "Tum-tum loves Ja-az, Tum-tum loves Ja-az." Rocky rolled his eyes with a grin pressed firmly on his lips.
"I DO NOT!" Tum tum growled and turned on his brother chasing him up the stairs.
K crossed the cafeteria with Mel. They spoke softly to one another. "Wow, we've survived the second day of school…so far." K said.
Mel nodded, "Yep. Where is that little hottie that promised me lunch?" she smiled devilishly.
"Mel," K laughed, "do you think of anything other than guys?"
"Heavens no!" Mel looked hurt, "What do you take me for?"
K laughed. Mel had a way of making K laugh. Mel always brought out K's best. K was so reserved, so quiet. Mel was so outspoken, so forward…their personalities complimented each other perfectly.
"Hey there little lady," Ryan grabbed K around the waist spinning her into the seat next to him, "don't you ladies want to eat lunch with us today?"
K just stared at him, she remembered what he had done to Colt the previous day.
"NO!" Mel answered using her free hand, the one that wasn't carrying her lunch, to grab K's arm, "We already have a lunch date."
"Oh," Ryan smiled, "well, you can break it."
Mel puffed up her chest, "No way," she and turned away just in time to see Rocky and Colt walking with two pretty girls. Mel took a deep breath and held it for a second as she held her eyes shut tightly. She turned on her heels and smiled down to Ryan, "Sure, we'll eat with you."
"Yeah, they are really cool," Colt exclaimed.
"Yeah, I think that you'll really like them, Emily," Rocky agreed,
Emily frowned, she had been jealous of every girl Rocky had met since there relationship didn't work out four years ago. They had been young, and she always questioned Rocky's ability. Rocky didn't like that, he especially didn't like when she had called him a "show-off". But she had not wanted to lose him as a friend; so, she always put up with him "showing off" whatever girl he was interested in at the time. Lisa-Dee, who stood to Rocky's left, was the exact opposite of Emily. She didn't mind meeting Rocky's new interest. In fact she liked it, she saw it as an opportunity to meet new potential friends. Lisa-Dee laughed at the way Emily acted, she thought jealous behavior was ridiculous.
"I already met them," Lisa smiled, "and I think they are really cool."
"I think they are weird," Emily frowned.
"You haven't met them yet Em," Lisa said.
Emily frowned harder, she never liked Lisa either. "I just mean that I think it is weird that 3 strange girls, not family, got adopted my the same woman."
"Nah," Colt said, "K and Jaz are cousins."
"Yeah, cousins Colt," Emily said, "not sisters. It usually happens that families can't be separated, not friends. Have you even asked what their family life was like?"
"Knock it off Emily," Colt said, "they are perfectly fine. They are nice and cool and everything is hunky-dory."
"No, I don't think it is," Lisa said pointing across the cafeteria, where Mel and K sat with Rocky and Colt's (especially Colt) worst enemies.
Rocky turned to see what Lisa was talking about. His heart nearly leapt up into his throat, 'this can't possibly be happening,' he told himself. Rocky knew Colt would be pissed, at the very least.
K looked over to Mel. She knew Mel made rash, un-thought-through decisions, but this one took the cake. K didn't want to be caught up in whatever Mel was scheming, although she didn't want to leave Mel there all alone with these boys they didn't know. Ryan had since put his arm around Mel and they were laughing together. The shorter, stouter boy sat next to K. She glanced over to him. He had edged a little closer to her. She put up a warning finger. "Stay way," she stated calmly. All eyes went to her, it was like being under a spot light in the middle of a Broadway show. 'Ah well K,' she thought to herself, 'Mel can take care of own messes, she needs to learn how to do it by herself.'
She gently pushed her seat out and looked to the faces around the table, "Excuse me," she said picking up her lunch tray. "I would rather eat alone," she stated solemnly.
"What the hell is wrong with your friend?" Ryan asked.
Mel shrugged, "Who knows." She lied; she knew K was mad for her change of lunch plans. K was supposed to listen to her, K was supposed to do what she said, she never thought she would be left all alone with these bastards. She always got herself in sticky messes, but K was always there to save her, what would she do without her?
K went outside. She liked being alone in situations like this. Mel was so hot headed, so quick on the draw, she never thought about things, and why they might be the way that they are. She sat outside on the grass with her lunch in front of her. She wouldn't let Mel make bad decisions for both of them anymore. Maybe if she started setting the good example Mel would follow.
"Fat chance!" She told herself aloud. Mel and K had been friends since birth, Mel had always been that way and nothing would change it; nothing short of a miracle. Rocky and Colt had been watching. Initially Colt had been pissed, and his first instinct was to go over and start trouble. However, as the situation unfolded K turned out to be the rational one. Rocky was impressed, and relieved that he didn't have to keep Colt from going ballistic on them.
"What do you think is going on?" Emily asked.
Lisa looked over to Emily, "Em, what boat did you fall off of? Can't you tell they're jealous!? Or at least Mel is."
"Oh," Emily said in the realization of the day's happenings.
"But where did K go?" Rocky asked.
"I don't know," Colt said, "but I am going to go and look for her."
'I am sure there is a good explanation for…' Colt interrupted K's thoughts. "Hey, I thought we were going to eat lunch together today?" He said.
"Me too, apparently Mel didn't think it was such a good idea," she stated bitterly.
"Why? What made her change her mind?"
"I am sure it was those two girls you were walking with."
"Emily and Lisa?"
"I guess, she makes me so mad. She doesn't think. She didn't know what was going on, she just assumed that you guys had changed your plans and she would show you who was boss." Colt pawed at the ground with his foot, after all he had jumped to those conclusions as well. "I feel bad leaving her there, but she needs to see who pays the consequences for bad decision making."
"Yeah, you are right there," Colt smiled. "Do you want to come inside and eat with us?" K looked up to him, "Sure." When they re-entered the cafeteria Mel was still eating with the boys, but she looked more reserved, more scared. "She hates being alone," K whispered to Colt as they passed. Colt nodded. He had feared something was wrong, like they hurt her or something.
"She doesn't mean it," K told Rocky, "don't take it out on her please. She always jumps to conclusion. Or do take it out on her, but don't mean it. Just scare her a little."
Rocky nodded, he hadn't been mad. He hadn't been jealous, but he had been a little hurt. "K this is my good friend Emily, and that is my other good friend Lisa."
"Hi," K smiled, "Lisa and I have met, but I don't think I've met you Emily."
"You haven't," Emily stated quickly forcing a large spoon of corn in her mouth.
"Well it is nice to meet you," K said.
"I wish I shared your enthusiasm," Emily growled. K was taken aback.
"Emily!" Lisa said.
"I'm sorry," Emily said as her cheeks flushed.
"It's okay, I realize that I'm new and I am getting a lot of attention. Mel and I, we just want to make friends while we are here."
"While you are here?" Colt asked.
"Yes, while we are here. We may not be here as long as we had hoped, I know that we said Mrs. Crawford adopted us; however that is not entirely the case. You see Mrs. Crawford is working on the papers to have us adopted, we are currently foster children."
"See, I told you," Emily smiled, "I knew that was weird."
"I'm sorry?" K asked, "What do you mean?"
"Do you know your past K, or are you without one?" Emily asked bluntly.
Rocky nearly fell out of his seat, Colt almost grabbed Emily to cover her,
mouth, and Lisa choked on a forkful of mashed potatoes.
K stared at her for a few minutes and then she, kind of, laughed, "Of course."
"K you don't have to answer her, don't listen to her," Colt said.
"Shhh," Emily said addressing Colt, and then turning back to K, "and you know it?"
K nodded, "yes, I think so."
"Really? You think so? You know your parents? Where they abusive, is that why you got plopped somewhere?"
"EMILY!" Rocky said.
"It's okay," K raised her hand, "people are curious, and I understand. I would be."
"Then answer the question…" Emily said.
"What about them?" K asked.
"Did they abuse you?"
"Of course not!" K exclaimed.
"Then what!? Why are you here, why is Mel here?" Emily's jealous took over.
K looked to the ground. "Don't listen to her," Colt said, "You don't have to talk to her anymore."
K nodded. "I'm done Emily," she stated matter-of-factly.
The lunch bell rang, and neither Mel nor K had touched their lunches. Mel because she was afraid, and K because she was defending herself.
"Hey," Rocky turned to K, "what are you guys doing next weekend?"
"Nothing yet, how come?"
"Because we are going to a Renaissance Festival next weekend, and maybe you and Mel would like to join us?" Rocky smiled.
"Oh sure, but…what is a Renaissance Festival?"
Rocky laughed, "You know, with knights, and jousting, and fancy long dresses, Renaissance stuff. It is outside in an open field with lots of people walking around pretending to be from back then?"
"Oh, yeah. That will get really fun. I am sure Mel will love to go."
"Cool," Rocky smiled.
K turned her attention to Colt, "you don't mind, do you?"
"No, I was going to invite you myself, Rocky just beat me to it."
"Okay," she said.
"Hey, I'll walk you to your next class."
K blushed, "Okay."
"No," Emily told Lisa, "I don't like them at all."
Lisa just laughed.