The next two weeks were strained in the Wesley household. The girls limited contact with Nancy as much as possible keeping from being home most of the time. Craig knew his wife was hurting but didn't know how to help. Finally school started which gave the girls more of an excuse but also forced them to stay home at night. Tabi was nervous about the first day even though she knew most of the people from the picnic earlier that month. She'd been to so many different schools in her life but this was her senior year. She looked down at her schedule again: AP English, AP Government, Calculus, AP French V, Physics, Advanced Drama, Advanced Choir, and Debate. Chloe was in all of her AP classes except for French which she had with Belle. She was also in Choir with Chloe. Calculus she had with Shawn and Debate with him and Philip. The only class she was really nervous about was Drama. She was one of the best at her last high school but didn't know how she'd do here. Plus, she knew no one in that class. She was finishing up getting ready when Chloe came in. "That's what you are wearing?"
Tabi looked down at her outfit. She had on jeans, a gray spaghetti-strap tank top and a gray kercheif on her head. "Yes." She and Chloe had had this conversation many times. Tabi had let her and Belle make her over once and never again. She now wore what she always had. Chloe, meanwhile, was wearing a dark blue striped tank top with a high neckline and tight black pants. Her heeled boots made her tower even furthur above Tabi.
"Why don't you borrow something of mine?"
"Because this is more comfortable."
"Can I at least do your makeup?"
"I'm not wearing any."
"You should be."
"No Chloe."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Am I driving today?" In an attempt to please her daughters Nancy had bought them a silver Eclipse. They shared it, taking turns driving.
"Yeah. We need to leave now actually and I have to put on my makeup still. Let's go." They trudged downstairs carrying their new messenger bags. Tabi's was a pewter color while Chloe's was red. Tabi grabbed the key rings off the peg by the door. "Bye Mom." She yelled and Chloe did the same. They got in the car and drove away.
Nancy had been standing in the kitchen and heard her daughters parting words. Tears sprang to her eyes. "They called me Mom." She smiled brightly and called up Craig to tell him the news.
Tabi drove up to Salem High. "Wow, I hope we find a parking spot." Then she saw Shawn, Belle, and Philip waving ahead. They were standing in a prime parking space in the first row. "Well that solves that problem." She pulled in much to the dismay of surrounding cars. She threw the car in park and turned off the engine. She and Chloe hopped out and Tabi was immediately caught in a huge hug by Shawn. "Hey. Thanks for saving me a spot."
"No problem. I was waiting for you to get here. I parked right here and Philip's right next to you so we decided to help you two out."
"You are so sweet."
"No I'm not." Shawn was a big advocate of protecting his masculinity.
"Yes you are." Now if only you would ever kiss me. Tabi and Shawn had been almost inseperable for the past two weeks but he still hadn't kissed her and she couldn't figure out why. She'd talked to Belle about it but was only told not to worry, that he'd always been slow about things like that. Still, Tabi didn't feel any better about it. "Where do we find out our homerooms and locker assignments?"
"We all meet in the gym and are told where to go." Philip said. They followed the masses into the gymnasium and got a seat in the senior section. Mimi and Jason were waiting for them.
"Hey guys! What's up?" Mimi asked.
"How can you be so perky?" Tabi groaned. "School starts entirely too early."
"Welcome back students!" Mr. Woods shouted into the microphone. "Are you ready for rollcall?" Cheers rose from the students. "Alright FRESHMAN! Sound off!" Nervous cheers rose form the ninth grade bleachers. "Sophomores!" More yells, a bit loader from the next section of seating. "Juniors?!" Still even more noise. "Now let's hear it from the class of 2002. This years' SENIORS!!" Tabi watched as everyone around her jumped to their feet, screaming clapping and cheering.
Wow, talk about school spirit.
"OK guys, calm down." Mr. Woods waited for the cheering to die down a bit. "First the fresman will be escorted out then the sophomores, juniors and then finally the--"
"SENIORS!" Jason yelled, cutting him off. Everyone laughed.
"Cut it, Welles." Mr. Woods said sternly. He introduced the freshman teachers whose homerooms were done based on alphabetical order. The same held true for the Sophomores and Juniors. The gang figured that's how it would go for them too.
"Alright," Mr. Woods said, turning off the mic. "I'll read my list first. I'm anxious to get out of this gym so as the Senior Class sponsor it's my right. OK, if I call your name come with me. Adamson, Brady, Black, Cole, Kiriakis, Lane, Lockhart, Lambert, Spears, Welles. OK, my ten follow me." He watched as his group got up. Little did they knew he'd hand chosen them. He watched his 'kids' get up and was shocked to see that he was obviously behind on the gossip. First he saw Belle Black holding hands with Philip Kiriakis and then noticed Shawn with the new girl, Chloe Lane's twin. This baffled him because he'd thought that Belle and Shawn were together. But he'd catch up soon.
"Awesome, we are all finally in homeroom together. Being a senior kicks ass." Shawn slapped Philip five then pulled Tabi close. "You are going to love Mr. Woods. He's the coolest teacher ever."
"Another advantage you all have is that you choose your own lockers." Mr. Woods announced, further hyping his group.
"I want to be between you and Chloe." Tabi whispered to Shawn.
"Sounds good to me. Hey, let me introduce you to Mr. Woods." He drug her towards the teacher. "Mr. Woods, this is Tabitha Cole. Tabi, Mr. Woods."
"It's very nice to meet you Tabi.
"You too," She said shyly. She really didn't like meeting new people.
"So, are you and Shawn an item?" Tabi could merely blush at Mr. Woods question.
"Yes sir, we are."
"And Belle and Philip?"
"Yes sir them too."
"Ah." Mr. Woods was glad to be caught back up. "Anything else I should know?"
"Don't think so. But ask Belle." Shawn said. "She knows everything that's going on. Wait, better yet ask Mimi."
Mr. Woods smiled and ushered them into the classroom where the others were. "Alright. This is your homeroom. You will meet here every morning at 7:20, NO LATER! Do you understand Jan?" Jan sent him a deadly stare. "You will stay here for fifteen minutes. You may not leave. Understood? Good. Locker time. Go and stand by the locker you want. Easy enough." The gang went and lined up that the lockers. Chloe, Tabi, Shawn, Belle, Philip, Mimi and then Jason stood in that order. "These are your lockers for the year. Before you ask, no you may not switch. If you think this locker could cause problems later on decide that now." He waited and no one moved. "Ok, then." Soon the bell rang signaling first period and everyone split to go to their classes. Their senior year had begun.