Chapter 2
It was a bright Thursday morning; Jade was standing by the front concrete steps of the school waiting for Phoebe as usual. She waiting anxiously, pushing herself back and forth on her heel and the tip of her toe with an excited look on her face. She clenched her teeth and searched all directions for Phoebe while she balling her palms into fists.
Her anticipation was running high as she glanced at her black-leather wristwatch with gold rimming on the edge. The long hand was striking 11 and the short hand was on the verge of 8. Biting her lips she let out a long breath of air.
"Where is that girl?" She mumbled to herself, with a slight frown. Her mind was about to go crazy. Phoebe was still nowhere at sight.
Suddenly she felt a tap on her left shoulder threw her out of her thought. She gasped and swirled around to face the person behind her.
"Hey!" Revealed a confused Phoebe; she was baffled by Jade's reaction. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, my gosh!" Jade practically yelled, "Where the heck have you been?"
"Uh, I had to go and re-take my test in Johnson's." Phoebe answered with caution.
"I've been invited to Cole's party!" Jade shook her, excitedly.
Phoebe was shocked to hear the news, all she could do was utter, "Wow."
"That's—that's amazing." Phoebe added, "Now here's your chance to shine for Jason May. So who invited you?"
A shy smile formed on Jade's lips, and turned into a beaming grin. "Jason! Come with me." She eagerly informed.
"Uh, no. I don't think I can." Phoebe answered, uncomfortable.
"What?" She shrieked, with a slight tone of anger. "What do you mean you can't?"
"I don't think my---" Phoebe tried to muster up an excuse before she got cut off by Jade.
"Nuh-uh, don't give me that B.S." Jade said, her voice was filled with anger now. "I know for a fact that it's not your mom."
"I don't really think it's my place." Phoebe said, clinging to the bottom strap of her backpack, scratching the strap with the tip of her thumb rigorously.
"Come for me." Jade said, as she saddened her eyes, clasping her hands together. However, before Phoebe could reply the bell rang indicating school has begun. "Well, I'll see you later." She lightly waved and turned towards the metal door, but before she disappeared into the horde she noted, "Think about it."
Inhaling a deep breath, Phoebe pursed her lips then turned to enter the school. Prancing to her locker quickly before she could be tardy, she ran past Cole who was chatting away with his friends. She took a quick glance at him, as did he, and rushed to her locker.
She struggled with trying to get the locker opened as she only had a minute left to make it to class. She hurriedly tried to open the locker however it won't budge. Letting out an angry grunt she shook the lock furiously then threw it back against the locker.
"Uh, need help?" A deep masculine voice from behind her asked.
Turning around in to face Cole, her face expression immediately changed from frustration to annoyance.
"No," She replied, rather quickly and turned back toward the locker on the mark of the bell's ring.
She let out another grunt and turned sideways as if she was about to give up. She then turned back to the locker again and gave it a hard knock while at the same time she cussed it. "God, damnit!"
"I'd appreciate it a lot if you don't do that to my locker." Cole spoke up again, calmly. "I may not use it, but I'd still like to keep as it is."
The tall African-American hall monitor now yelled down the hall at them, "Hey you two! Attendance office now!" Phoebe turned take a look at the locker; she rolled her eyes in annoyance and brushed past Cole. He quickly followed her to the attendance office.
The room was filled with tardy kids waiting to get processed. Her tardiness was up to thirteen, two more and she could be suspended. The line moved rather quickly and Phoebe was up next.
"ID." A dark-haired, Asian woman said, holding out her hand for Phoebe's ID. She handed the woman the ID and impatiently waited as she leaned on one side and tapped her foot.
The woman handed Phoebe a yellow slip with a copy attached behind it. Phoebe snatched it and stumped out of the office. She droopingly paced to her locker, and opened it. She shoved her history book and a black blinder in there then turned to walk to her class. She took her time and walked down the hall passing the attendance office as Cole emerged with the yellow slip in hand.
He looked her way, as did she; however they both headed off in each of their own direction.
"Phoebe!" Phoebe heard a voice called after her. She swirled around and found Jade running down the hall.
"Hey!" She said, catching her breath.
"Hey, what are you doing in the hallway?" Phoebe asked.
"Restroom break." Jade said, holding up the pass, and then she looked questionably at Phoebe. "Uh, shouldn't you be in class?"
"Soon to be," Phoebe replied, showing Jade her yellow slip.
Raising her brow, Jade gave Phoebe a disappointing look. "Again?"
"It was the stupid locker's fault!" Phoebe defended herself. "They all look the same!"
"Wrong one again?" Jade inquired, with a slightness of sympathy. "Well, hey, Macobee is being a major ass today; he only gives me 2 minutes, so later!"
Jade quickly rushed off to the nearest ladies room leaving Phoebe standing alone in the hallway. She turned and continued to take her time marching to her class.
Approximately five minutes later, she finally arrived at the door of her first period. She jiggled the knob forcefully but it won't budge. Continuing to do so, the door suddenly opened and in she flew. Apparently the door had been locked from the outside, and her teacher had flung the door open sending her flying in.
Phoebe stumbled trying to keep her balance, as the class laughed hysterically. Once Phoebe got a hold of her balance she handed the teacher the copy of her tardy slip then miserably walked to her seat and slouched before it.
"Feet under the desk Miss Halliwell." The teacher ordered with sternness in his voice. Not only was he aggravated by Phoebe's tardiness, but also by her entrance that had disrupted his lecture.
Phoebe grumpily turned herself facing the front of her class and pretended to be interested in his lecturing for the rest of the period. She was so grateful for the sound of the bell. The whole period was a torture. The teacher kept glancing at her giving her these kind of annoyed and evil grimaces. She kept trying to ignore him, but it didn't do much good since there were kids around her who kept snickering to each other whispering stupid remarks about her.
Period two soon passed, so did three, as did four, and then finally came period five. Lunch! Finally, some free time! Phoebe thought she wouldn't have to deal with teachers for the next 45 minutes.
Cheerfully walking into the cafeteria, Phoebe put on a bright smile as she saw Jade across the room. Speeding toward Jade's way with a smile on her face Phoebe picked up her speed and before she knew it one of her peers from her first period class had thrown a banana peel onto the ground and Phoebe had stepped on it sending her to the ground. A big thump echoed across the room as numerous heads turned and laughed.
Phoebe bravely pulled herself up, ignoring the twitching pain shooting out from her buttock as she glanced toward the person who had thrown the banana peel in front of her with an evil grimace. It was a freckles covered face blond boy; he didn't say much instead he tried to hold in his laugher. She then glanced to another side of the lunchroom and caught Cole, a few his sidekicks, and some of his slave wannabes—including his "girlfriend" bursting in laughter.
"What a dork!" Phoebe over heard one of Cole's girl friends said.
Fuming with anger, Phoebe rushed to the closest restroom and cleaned herself up. Jade got out of her seat in a jiffy and chased after Phoebe.
In the restroom, Phoebe faced herself to the mirror; her face was blushed with redness from the public humiliation. All she wanted was to distance herself from class work and the teachers and enjoy sometime with her friend. But no, some thing had to always go wrong! Even if Phoebe didn't admit it, she secretly hated her life. Nothing ever went right. Unless her world falls apart, then the world would be a happier place…for everyone else.
She turned on the water faucet and gathered some water with the palms of her hands and splashed them over her face.
"Phoebe?" Jade abruptly barged through the wooden door.
Phoebe looked up and stared at her best friend with embarrassment for a few seconds before turning away.
"Are you alright?" Jade worriedly questioned, trying to read Phoebe's face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Phoebe said, brushing past Jade, and storming out of the restroom.
Jade remained in the restroom in confusion, debating with herself whether or not to follow Phoebe.
Meanwhile the humiliated Phoebe rushed to her locker and grabbed her backpack and ran out to the front of the school without a second thought.
She ran for a few blocks to get away from the security officers, and then she walked herself to the nearest park and spent the rest of her time there writing in her journal that she always carried around with her everywhere she went.
It was a bright Thursday morning; Jade was standing by the front concrete steps of the school waiting for Phoebe as usual. She waiting anxiously, pushing herself back and forth on her heel and the tip of her toe with an excited look on her face. She clenched her teeth and searched all directions for Phoebe while she balling her palms into fists.
Her anticipation was running high as she glanced at her black-leather wristwatch with gold rimming on the edge. The long hand was striking 11 and the short hand was on the verge of 8. Biting her lips she let out a long breath of air.
"Where is that girl?" She mumbled to herself, with a slight frown. Her mind was about to go crazy. Phoebe was still nowhere at sight.
Suddenly she felt a tap on her left shoulder threw her out of her thought. She gasped and swirled around to face the person behind her.
"Hey!" Revealed a confused Phoebe; she was baffled by Jade's reaction. "Are you alright?"
"Oh, my gosh!" Jade practically yelled, "Where the heck have you been?"
"Uh, I had to go and re-take my test in Johnson's." Phoebe answered with caution.
"I've been invited to Cole's party!" Jade shook her, excitedly.
Phoebe was shocked to hear the news, all she could do was utter, "Wow."
"That's—that's amazing." Phoebe added, "Now here's your chance to shine for Jason May. So who invited you?"
A shy smile formed on Jade's lips, and turned into a beaming grin. "Jason! Come with me." She eagerly informed.
"Uh, no. I don't think I can." Phoebe answered, uncomfortable.
"What?" She shrieked, with a slight tone of anger. "What do you mean you can't?"
"I don't think my---" Phoebe tried to muster up an excuse before she got cut off by Jade.
"Nuh-uh, don't give me that B.S." Jade said, her voice was filled with anger now. "I know for a fact that it's not your mom."
"I don't really think it's my place." Phoebe said, clinging to the bottom strap of her backpack, scratching the strap with the tip of her thumb rigorously.
"Come for me." Jade said, as she saddened her eyes, clasping her hands together. However, before Phoebe could reply the bell rang indicating school has begun. "Well, I'll see you later." She lightly waved and turned towards the metal door, but before she disappeared into the horde she noted, "Think about it."
Inhaling a deep breath, Phoebe pursed her lips then turned to enter the school. Prancing to her locker quickly before she could be tardy, she ran past Cole who was chatting away with his friends. She took a quick glance at him, as did he, and rushed to her locker.
She struggled with trying to get the locker opened as she only had a minute left to make it to class. She hurriedly tried to open the locker however it won't budge. Letting out an angry grunt she shook the lock furiously then threw it back against the locker.
"Uh, need help?" A deep masculine voice from behind her asked.
Turning around in to face Cole, her face expression immediately changed from frustration to annoyance.
"No," She replied, rather quickly and turned back toward the locker on the mark of the bell's ring.
She let out another grunt and turned sideways as if she was about to give up. She then turned back to the locker again and gave it a hard knock while at the same time she cussed it. "God, damnit!"
"I'd appreciate it a lot if you don't do that to my locker." Cole spoke up again, calmly. "I may not use it, but I'd still like to keep as it is."
The tall African-American hall monitor now yelled down the hall at them, "Hey you two! Attendance office now!" Phoebe turned take a look at the locker; she rolled her eyes in annoyance and brushed past Cole. He quickly followed her to the attendance office.
The room was filled with tardy kids waiting to get processed. Her tardiness was up to thirteen, two more and she could be suspended. The line moved rather quickly and Phoebe was up next.
"ID." A dark-haired, Asian woman said, holding out her hand for Phoebe's ID. She handed the woman the ID and impatiently waited as she leaned on one side and tapped her foot.
The woman handed Phoebe a yellow slip with a copy attached behind it. Phoebe snatched it and stumped out of the office. She droopingly paced to her locker, and opened it. She shoved her history book and a black blinder in there then turned to walk to her class. She took her time and walked down the hall passing the attendance office as Cole emerged with the yellow slip in hand.
He looked her way, as did she; however they both headed off in each of their own direction.
"Phoebe!" Phoebe heard a voice called after her. She swirled around and found Jade running down the hall.
"Hey!" She said, catching her breath.
"Hey, what are you doing in the hallway?" Phoebe asked.
"Restroom break." Jade said, holding up the pass, and then she looked questionably at Phoebe. "Uh, shouldn't you be in class?"
"Soon to be," Phoebe replied, showing Jade her yellow slip.
Raising her brow, Jade gave Phoebe a disappointing look. "Again?"
"It was the stupid locker's fault!" Phoebe defended herself. "They all look the same!"
"Wrong one again?" Jade inquired, with a slightness of sympathy. "Well, hey, Macobee is being a major ass today; he only gives me 2 minutes, so later!"
Jade quickly rushed off to the nearest ladies room leaving Phoebe standing alone in the hallway. She turned and continued to take her time marching to her class.
Approximately five minutes later, she finally arrived at the door of her first period. She jiggled the knob forcefully but it won't budge. Continuing to do so, the door suddenly opened and in she flew. Apparently the door had been locked from the outside, and her teacher had flung the door open sending her flying in.
Phoebe stumbled trying to keep her balance, as the class laughed hysterically. Once Phoebe got a hold of her balance she handed the teacher the copy of her tardy slip then miserably walked to her seat and slouched before it.
"Feet under the desk Miss Halliwell." The teacher ordered with sternness in his voice. Not only was he aggravated by Phoebe's tardiness, but also by her entrance that had disrupted his lecture.
Phoebe grumpily turned herself facing the front of her class and pretended to be interested in his lecturing for the rest of the period. She was so grateful for the sound of the bell. The whole period was a torture. The teacher kept glancing at her giving her these kind of annoyed and evil grimaces. She kept trying to ignore him, but it didn't do much good since there were kids around her who kept snickering to each other whispering stupid remarks about her.
Period two soon passed, so did three, as did four, and then finally came period five. Lunch! Finally, some free time! Phoebe thought she wouldn't have to deal with teachers for the next 45 minutes.
Cheerfully walking into the cafeteria, Phoebe put on a bright smile as she saw Jade across the room. Speeding toward Jade's way with a smile on her face Phoebe picked up her speed and before she knew it one of her peers from her first period class had thrown a banana peel onto the ground and Phoebe had stepped on it sending her to the ground. A big thump echoed across the room as numerous heads turned and laughed.
Phoebe bravely pulled herself up, ignoring the twitching pain shooting out from her buttock as she glanced toward the person who had thrown the banana peel in front of her with an evil grimace. It was a freckles covered face blond boy; he didn't say much instead he tried to hold in his laugher. She then glanced to another side of the lunchroom and caught Cole, a few his sidekicks, and some of his slave wannabes—including his "girlfriend" bursting in laughter.
"What a dork!" Phoebe over heard one of Cole's girl friends said.
Fuming with anger, Phoebe rushed to the closest restroom and cleaned herself up. Jade got out of her seat in a jiffy and chased after Phoebe.
In the restroom, Phoebe faced herself to the mirror; her face was blushed with redness from the public humiliation. All she wanted was to distance herself from class work and the teachers and enjoy sometime with her friend. But no, some thing had to always go wrong! Even if Phoebe didn't admit it, she secretly hated her life. Nothing ever went right. Unless her world falls apart, then the world would be a happier place…for everyone else.
She turned on the water faucet and gathered some water with the palms of her hands and splashed them over her face.
"Phoebe?" Jade abruptly barged through the wooden door.
Phoebe looked up and stared at her best friend with embarrassment for a few seconds before turning away.
"Are you alright?" Jade worriedly questioned, trying to read Phoebe's face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Phoebe said, brushing past Jade, and storming out of the restroom.
Jade remained in the restroom in confusion, debating with herself whether or not to follow Phoebe.
Meanwhile the humiliated Phoebe rushed to her locker and grabbed her backpack and ran out to the front of the school without a second thought.
She ran for a few blocks to get away from the security officers, and then she walked herself to the nearest park and spent the rest of her time there writing in her journal that she always carried around with her everywhere she went.