Chapter 2: Meanwhile, Back in 2003...
Leigh-Ann sat at her desk in the back of Mr. Hoover's classroom, astonished at the ordeal that had just occurred. A million questions were running through her head.
"What happened to the rest of her friends? Where had she been? How had she gotten there? How had she gotten back?" she wondered. Just then the bell rang and Leigh-Ann started to pack up her books.
She was in the middle of a debate with herself about whether or not to take Rachael, Allie, and Lauren's books with her when suddenly all three appeared at their desks, like nothing had happened. Leigh-Ann gawked in disbelief. The trio smiled at her and mentioned for her to meet them out in the hall. She walked out of the classroom, as usual, and went to her locker.
The other three girls followed her out and ran over to her, trying to explain what had happened without freaking her out... again.
~*~*~
"Leigh-Ann, we know you're freaked out, but just try to listen to us, okay?" said Lauren reassuring her that nothing bad would happen, "Rachael, please continue."
"I will, later. I don't think school is an appropriate place to discuss this. Why don't we meet at my house in an hour?"
"Okay," the other three agreed.
~*~*~
Later that day...
The four girls sat in a circle on the floor of Rachael's bedroom, discussing the situation at hand.
"Now that that matter is settled, why don't we plan to go back another time," said Rachael, referring to the fact that Leigh-Ann knew what was going on and could talk about it without bursting into hysterics.
"Yeah!" shouted Allie, "I want to go back and meet Jack!" she sighed in contentment.
"That would be cool," Lauren thought aloud, "I would finally get to meet Race!"
"We could go during social studies tomorrow," piped up Leigh-Ann, who had been sitting quietly for the past few minutes. The others stared at her.
"We can't go in the middle of class again! Last time was an accident, but what if we got caught? I mean, we could get in trouble if someone noticed we were missing! Even if we did go in social studies, we wouldn't be like 'Hi! Bye! Got to go!' we'd want to stay for a while and hang out!" countered Allie.
"That's just it!" exclaimed Leigh-Ann, jumping to her feet, "Right before we 'left' I noticed the time, you know to check how much more torture we had to suffer, and it was 1:59. When I got back I immediately looked at the clock to see how long I had been gone and the clock was just striking 2 PM! We were, in reality, only gone for a few seconds!"
"Wow..." the other three gaped in amazement.
"Well, now that we know, pretty much, how this 'thing' we can do works, I guess it's settled. We'll go back tomorrow in social studies at 2:00. When the clock strikes 2, think about Newsies!" Rachael ended.
~*~*~
The second bell rang, announcing the start of ninth period and Allie, Leigh-Ann, Rachael, and Lauren hurried into Mr. Hoover's classroom. He handed out their assignments, as usual, and went back to his desk to read a book. The four friends pulled out their textbooks and began the worksheet they had been given, anticipating their visit to 1899.
After finishing her work, Rachael first glanced over to her friends, they were all finished, and then to the clock. It was 1:59 and some seconds. She again turned to her friends, nodded, closed her eyes, and thought her hardest about Mush.
Leigh-Ann sat at her desk in the back of Mr. Hoover's classroom, astonished at the ordeal that had just occurred. A million questions were running through her head.
"What happened to the rest of her friends? Where had she been? How had she gotten there? How had she gotten back?" she wondered. Just then the bell rang and Leigh-Ann started to pack up her books.
She was in the middle of a debate with herself about whether or not to take Rachael, Allie, and Lauren's books with her when suddenly all three appeared at their desks, like nothing had happened. Leigh-Ann gawked in disbelief. The trio smiled at her and mentioned for her to meet them out in the hall. She walked out of the classroom, as usual, and went to her locker.
The other three girls followed her out and ran over to her, trying to explain what had happened without freaking her out... again.
~*~*~
"Leigh-Ann, we know you're freaked out, but just try to listen to us, okay?" said Lauren reassuring her that nothing bad would happen, "Rachael, please continue."
"I will, later. I don't think school is an appropriate place to discuss this. Why don't we meet at my house in an hour?"
"Okay," the other three agreed.
~*~*~
Later that day...
The four girls sat in a circle on the floor of Rachael's bedroom, discussing the situation at hand.
"Now that that matter is settled, why don't we plan to go back another time," said Rachael, referring to the fact that Leigh-Ann knew what was going on and could talk about it without bursting into hysterics.
"Yeah!" shouted Allie, "I want to go back and meet Jack!" she sighed in contentment.
"That would be cool," Lauren thought aloud, "I would finally get to meet Race!"
"We could go during social studies tomorrow," piped up Leigh-Ann, who had been sitting quietly for the past few minutes. The others stared at her.
"We can't go in the middle of class again! Last time was an accident, but what if we got caught? I mean, we could get in trouble if someone noticed we were missing! Even if we did go in social studies, we wouldn't be like 'Hi! Bye! Got to go!' we'd want to stay for a while and hang out!" countered Allie.
"That's just it!" exclaimed Leigh-Ann, jumping to her feet, "Right before we 'left' I noticed the time, you know to check how much more torture we had to suffer, and it was 1:59. When I got back I immediately looked at the clock to see how long I had been gone and the clock was just striking 2 PM! We were, in reality, only gone for a few seconds!"
"Wow..." the other three gaped in amazement.
"Well, now that we know, pretty much, how this 'thing' we can do works, I guess it's settled. We'll go back tomorrow in social studies at 2:00. When the clock strikes 2, think about Newsies!" Rachael ended.
~*~*~
The second bell rang, announcing the start of ninth period and Allie, Leigh-Ann, Rachael, and Lauren hurried into Mr. Hoover's classroom. He handed out their assignments, as usual, and went back to his desk to read a book. The four friends pulled out their textbooks and began the worksheet they had been given, anticipating their visit to 1899.
After finishing her work, Rachael first glanced over to her friends, they were all finished, and then to the clock. It was 1:59 and some seconds. She again turned to her friends, nodded, closed her eyes, and thought her hardest about Mush.