" Hi." I didn't want to be rude, and it was the only polite thing I could think of to say.

Jim flashed me a toothy grin, his poster-boy perfectly white teeth standing straight and tall. It didn't take a genius like my mother to figure out that he was flirting with me. Probably envisioning the two of us on a date while he picked on nerds and loners.

Bugger that.

I peered around his side, deliberating avoiding eye-contact to get a better view of the movie in what I hoped would be a giant hint. Jim is always bad news. And he's really snobby to some really nice people. Not only that, but ancient Egypt fascinates me and he was so totally ruining my view.

I can't help it; history intrigues me. I really enjoy learning about the past and what times were like in the days before television, video games, and all this modern stuff. I could just imagine living in ancient Egypt, drinking the sweet waters of the Nile and watching the pyramids rise beneath a sapphire sky…I'll bet the air was cleaner back then. Sweeter.

Don't get me wrong, I love technology, but I think humankind has been abusing our beautiful planet over the past hundred years. Too many wars and too much pollution. When will we ever learn?

With a major frown, Jim turns his head back to the program and leaves me alone for the time being. Phew.

After the film, the teacher turned the lights back on and turned to smile at us with the giddiness she always gets before a round of questioning so in depth that sometimes it feels more like an interrogation, and sometimes I feel like yelling, " The secret weapons are in the underground chamber! Ah! " You get the picture. She just really gets into it I guess, and there's nothing wrong with that.

" Ok, so who was their sun god? Anybody remember? "

My hand shot up instantly. I knew his one! Ra! It was Ra!

She looked my way and I waved my hand frantically like a madwoman until I thought it would fall off. So what does she do? She calls on the girl to my right.

" Jenny? "

" Ra." Jenny's answer came smug and sure. She shot me a triumphant smirk.

I lowered my arm with a soft sigh. Figured.

Is it just me or do teachers wait until you don't know the answer before they call on you? This wasn't my day.

Next class was Math, then French before lunchtime finally rolled around to save me. And just in the nick of time, too. Math went okay I suppose, well as okay as it could be being math and all, but French was a complete total nightmare.

I'd totally butchered a French sentence, and instead of saying 'Sally's mother is thirty-nine' I'd ended up saying 'Sorry Sally red nine', and as if that weren't bad enough I even said that meaningless phrase wrong. Ugh. French is not one of my better subjects. The whole class had a good laugh at my expense, and the teacher decided I needed extra homework. Funny how the ground never opens up and swallows you when you want it to.

Lunchtime. Thank the heavens for such a wonderful concept! A whole half hour to relax and enjoy a meal.

Okay, so maybe the word 'enjoy' doesn't belong in the same sentence used to describe my school's food.

I grabbed a tray and stood in line next to an oriental girl with long jet-black hair swept back in a ponytail.

She looked at me and smiled. " Alexis, huh? I'm Tshondra. I sit next to you in drama, remember? "

I vaguely recalled a girl of her description from drama…I'd only been going to this school for a week now, even though everyone else was almost finished with the quarter.

" Oh yeah." I grabbed a carton of chocolate milk and watched her snatch one of the same. Then we moved up to the specialty of the day: a lump of mystery meat the school cooks so fondly referred to as meatloaf with a hoagie roll or a soggy way-undercooked pizza.

Tshondra grabbed the pizza and made a face. " The food at my last school was better."

" That would pretty much have to be true, unless your last school was a concentration camp."

She snickered a bit and grabbed an apple.

" Don't forget your goo." I gestured to a shallow Dixie cup full of what passed for gelatin. We both grabbed a cup, then it was on to the lunch lady.

After paying, we went to a table basically devoid of life and sat far off to the end. I was hoping Tshondra and I could get off to a good start. Having a friend would ease the suffering of the school days and help me to think less of the home I'd had to leave.

" So how's it going? " She asked, taking a bite of pizza.

I poked my gelatin with a plastic fork and it actually began to ooze.

Passages from 'It came From the Cafeteria' flashed through my mind. That book had been about killer gelatin. It was cute, but not in any way realistic.

" Fine I guess." I lifted my pizza to my mouth, " Had a bit of trouble in French class, but it's over now."

" Ah." Tshondra chewed, processing, and I finally raked up the courage to try a bite of the soggy pizza.

It tasted awful. I really needed to start bringing my own lunches.

" You're new huh? Did you know there's already a rumor going around about you? "

" Really? " I sat the offending pizza back down and tried my luck with the apple, " Is it good or bad? "

At least the apple was good. Nice and crispy. So unusual of school apples.

" Well, a lot of people seem to think you're rich."

A bite of apple caught in my throat. " Rich? " Whoever knew I had money had to know at least something about my heritage. Not a thought I was comfortable with.

Tshondra nodded, " Yeah. I'm just wondering…are you? Y'know, just for the record? "

I washed the stuck bit of apple down with some chocolate milk. " Well, I'm not what you'd call super-rich, but I am well off." I admitted, opting for honesty here. Friendships built around lies are doomed to fail, and I didn't want to give my new friend any reason to be suspicious of me.

Tshondra's eyes widened a bit. " Really? Cool! I bet you live in a really big house."

" Actually, no, but it's big enough." I confessed, thinking of Chris and Claire's houses and how they were nice and roomy but not exactly huge. I spend equal time at both houses, getting to know the Redfield sibs better. They were very appreciative of the few million I gave them to buy the places and get a business started. Were it not for my inheritance, we'd all probably be living in a low-income apartment somewhere. Well, at least until everyone found good jobs that is.

I've never had the luxury of living at one of my parents' many manors scattered throughout the world. I stayed the night with my father once or twice in a mansion and that's it. He bought me everything I wanted, but we never had time to do much father-daughter bonding. In fact, most of the time I was there I spent playing with Ash.

Tshondra looked down at her carrot sticks as if they were completely alien. " Must be nice. I live in a two bedroom trailer with my mother and little sister. We have to share a room and it like, so totally sucks because she's only three and she likes to get into my stuff and ruin it. I found two of my brand new CDs with scratches and crayon marks all over them yesterday, and when I told Mom she was all like, well Sammy's only three. Like that excuses everything she does. I swear, my little sis could get away with murder. You have any siblings? "

I frowned. " A brother. I don't live with him though…."

" Ah, your parents are separated then? "

" Wha…no! Actually our parents are kinda….outta the picture. We each live with a different adopted family. It's been like that since we were both very young. I don't get to see much of him."

Tshondra is sympathetic. " That must bite." She narrowed her eyes on me, pizza frozen inches from her mouth. " You look…familiar somehow. What's your last name? "

Gulp. This conversation was hurtling towards rocky very quickly. I felt myself wilt under her scrutiny. " Ashford."

I prayed she would not be familiar with it. My family are not some popular people. You don't make many friends torturing, killing, and experimenting on people. You just don't. I reached for a carrot stick, silently praying.

Tshondra sat the pizza back down without taking another bite; not that I could blame her. " Now I remember! I heard on the news somewhere where a military facility exploded on Rockfort Island a few months ago. The reporter said there were a lot of casualties, including a guy named Alfred Ashford who was supposed to be the head of some big-wig company. They showed a picture. Now my memory's kinda fuzzy, but you seem to resemble him. He was rich too, as I recall. A relative of yours? "

I tried to appear calm and indifferent. " Alfred? I don't…I mean, maybe he's a distant cousin of mine but I don't know him personally." I replied, feeling horrible.

I know this girl for ten minutes and already I'm lying to her. Way to go, Alexis, I mentally scolded myself, way to build the trust. Must be in the Ashford blood.

Tshondra shrugged. " Just thought it was worth mentioning. You know, my cousin was making a big deal out of it because he had an older friend who worked as a guard there and turned up missing a few weeks before the big kablooie. Weird huh? They say it was terrorist attacks that caused the explosion, but they don't really know. Rumor has it they were testing illegal weapons there. What do you think? "

I nipped into the carrot stick, barely taking any of the orange vegetable into my mouth. " Honestly? I don't know."

Actually I did--the island was first attacked by Wesker and then my father set it on self destruct for some reason or another; probably to try and toast Claire and Steve along with anyone else who would dare try and make it out alive. Sad to say, but Tshondra's cousin's friend probably died at the hands of my father. He condemned quite a few people to the guillotine from what I hear. Of course, the ones that got beheaded were the lucky ones.

I nibbled some more on my carrot, trying my best to shake the horrible images from entering my mind. Those poor people.

It was then that I noticed my new friend staring off across the lunchroom with an I-can't-believe-it expression. I spun around in my seat and tried to find the source.

It took me a few moments to spot the chunky kid a little ways off at a crowded table being bullied by Jim. Jim said something which caused a few other kids near his side to laugh heartily and the overweight kid to flinch uncomfortably. Even though I couldn't hear the remark, I didn't suppose it was 'Hey, how's it going?'

Something needed to be done.

" Tshondra, hold on a sec." I announced, getting up and starting for the riot.

" Alexis wait! That's Jim Iverson the…." But I wasn't listening.

I can't stand people who pick on other people. Really, quite uncalled for. Trying to make themselves look better by putting people down.

Jim looked up as I approached. " Oh, will you look what we got here? The star of the show has arrived! "

That roused a few chuckles from his mates.

I waited until I was almost face to face with him. " Look you guys, why don't you go find something more mature to do? "

" Spicy! " Jim laughed, turning to his buddies, " What'dya think guys? Should we leave Fatso alone just because she tells us too? "

More chuckles. I found myself wondering right then how funny they'd feel in my father's torture chambers.

" The heroine comes to save the day! " A tall thin guy with brown hair laughed, " How we worship thee almighty goddess! " His voice dripped sarcasm.

Next to me, the heavy kid frowned. " It's alright, really. Why don't we just go sit somewhere else? "

Actually, that was a very good idea. Leave these jerks to their table, we didn't have to sit around and take this. " Sure." I glowered at Jim and the Jerk Squad, hoping that for just once I could muster up some of the pure icy evilness my mother is so good at perfecting. " Come on."

Overweight kid grabbed his tray and I helped him with his book bag. " Over there." I pointed to the table where Tshondra was already getting up, a worried gleam in her eye.

Unfortunately, it proved to be a bad decision to turn my back on the schoolyard boss. A rough shove against my back sent me stumbling forward.

" Nobody gives me the brush-off that easily, Doll." Jim's voice.

Any other day I might have just brushed it off, refused to lower myself down to his level. Report him to a teacher. That would be the most mature thing to do. Any other day.

Today was not any other day. I'd show that jerk!

Thinking quickly, I snatched my benefactor's tray right out of his hands and whirled around in a frenzy, smashing the contents right into Jim's pretty-boy face.

For a moment the whole lunch room went silent as everyone turned their eyes to me and a very unhappy Jim.

It really was comical. Chunks of the mystery meatloaf dribbled down his face in gooey brown rivers, flakes of mashed potato muck clung to his hair, and his fancy designer shirt was completely coated in slimy green gelatin and milk. The carrot sticks, of course, were on the floor.

Score one for the good guys! Victory never felt so sweet.

I only wished I had brought a camera; I could take a picture or two, make copies, and then tack them all over the school. That would take Jimmy down a peg or two!

After about two seconds of unchallenged silence, the whole lunchroom roared with laughter. Even Jim's jerk squad were not above having a good laugh at their leader's expense. I couldn't help myself either.

" Better watch who you call a doll, jerk! " I laughed.

Jim narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth in a threatening growl that would've been more threatening if he didn't look positively ridiculous.

I spotted an aid making her way through the throngs of kids towards us. So did Jim.

" This isn't over, Alexis." He hissed. To the aid he called, " Over here! This girl just smashed a food tray in my face! "

I stood my ground, totally prepared to argue my case while at the same time hoping I didn't get lunch detention every day for the next month.

The older lady reached us in moments and gave Jim and I a humorless scowl. Her graying hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and her wrinkled features cut deep into her face; especially around the corners of her mouth.

A rebel grandma without a cause. My hopes sank.

" What happened here? " Rebel Grandma barked, her voice just as harsh and raspy as I would've expected, " You! " she turned her murderous glare on me, " Why did you toss the tray in his face? "

" He was being a world-class jerk and bullying that kid," I jabbed a finger at the overweight kid whose name I had yet to learn, " So I offered to let the boy come sit at my table and then Jim pushed me once I had my back turned so I flung the food in his face. And he deserved it! " To the heavy kid I said, " Sorry about your food….I'll buy your lunch tomorrow. Kay? "

He nodded, " Sure! I'm Josh by the way. Josh Weaver."

I dared a quick wink. " Alexis Ashford."

" Enough! " Rebel Grandma bellowed. She handed me a pink slip. " Detention! Room B-9. And if you try and skip it I'll know and you'll have to serve double! "

That wasn't fair!

" But what about Jim…" I started.

" He's to go clean up."

" But he was teasing Josh! Shouldn't he get detention too? "

Rebel Grandma snorted. " I've no proof of that."

" Actually, Jim was teasing me! " Josh shouted, coming to my rescue.

Rebel Grandma just shook her head, frowning. " In that case…" She handed Jim a pink slip, obviously not wanting the bother of going through a full interrogation to try and find the truth. " After you clean up, go see the counselor. You know this school has zero tolerance for that sort of thing."

Jim pressed his lips together in a tight line, giving me the evil eye. " Fine."

BREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

The bell rang just then, if you could call that annoying buzz a ring, signaling the end of lunch period. Rebel Grandma turned to go, keeping an eye on me to make sure I headed for room B-9.

She would never listen to me, of that I was certain. For the first time in my life, I was getting detention.

And all because I was trying to help someone.

***********************************************************************

A/N: flashback next chapter! Sorry if this seems a little slow going, it should start picking up pretty quickly.

Fahsky: Okay, with the Alexia deal, there are conflicting reports as to when she went into actual hibernation. Some believe she was 12, but I heard somewhere where she was 15 and that's what I'm sticking to since it's the only scenario which allows me to bring in Ash and Alexis in a halfway believable fashion. My version might not be one-hundred percent correct, but it makes sense if you believe she was 15 when she went into hibernation and 30 when she came out. Bear with me here. ^^;;

Sych77: Aw, thanks for the review! *sniffles* I finished Crimson Africa as you already know and Curse of Veronica is not too far away.

Katiana: Thanks for the review! Glad you're enjoying it. =D

Screaming Eagle: You will see more twistedness ( lol, is that even a word? ) later on in this fic when I get to some of Alexis's less-caring family members. Alexis herself is very mild on the twisted scale, sorry to disappoint. ^^

Shakahnna: You like? Great! And yeah…thought I'd try some slightly less stressful stuff than being chased around by monsters for my characters. Lord knows I've already put them through Hell and back, they needed a little break. ^_^