Author's Note: Ahh...long time, no see! I've been SO busy with other stuff. Well, here's Chapter Eleven!

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"Em, can I stay at the bookshop for the weekend?" Kristy asked. "I don't feel like going back to 15 Darkly Wynd." A sad smile flashed across her face, but soon faded.

"Sure," Emma replied. "But I have a feeling that's not the only reason."

"We'll help you search for the cure," Gabriel said cheerfully, reading their minds. Kristy smiled at him.

"Thanks, Gabe. You're the best," she said, hugging him in a you're-so-my-best-friend kind of way. Tancred glared at the two jealously as Lysander grimaced.

"Don't worry, Sander. She won't take your best friend from you," Emma said with a grin to the dark African American, surprising Tancred. Kristy faked a hurt look.

"You know I'd never take anyone from you, Sander," she said jokingly, grinning as her mood lightened. "Besides, you were here first."

"How did we get from the topic of Ingledew's Bookshop to Lysander?" Tancred questioned curiously, evidently puzzled.

"Don't know, don't care," Kristy answered as she ruffled Tancred's bright yellow hair. Laughing at the amazed expression on his face, she said, "C'mon. We're late for French."

When Emma, Kristy, Lysander, Tancred, and Gabriel got there, the classroom was empty. Everything was quiet. "Odd," Gabriel commented. "Where is everyone?" Emma shrugged, looking as clueless as Charlie always was.

"I think Charlie's cluelessness has rubbed off on you, Emma," Lysander said quietly, no sign of a smile on his face. "I think we need to see someone about this."

"There's no need," a smooth voice said behind them. The group turned to see a tall girl of about thirteen standing there. Her dark bangs fell into her bright violet eyes. Ink-black curls cascaded down her back. She looked foreboding and mysterious.

"Who are you?" Tancred finally asked. Kristy looked like she had been about to say the same thing. "And what have you done with our class?"

"As for your first question, the name's Michelle Alexandria Turner. I'm a transfer student from Ireland," the girl said. "And as for the second, I haven't done anything. Your French class has just taken a nice trip to Paris. Unfortunately, you've just missed them." Gabriel's jaw dropped open.

"But we couldn't have missed them!" he cried. "Besides, if there was a trip, someone would have told us!" Michelle just shrugged.

"Not any of my business. I take Spanish," she replied promptly, her purple eyes flickering on Kristy. The green-eyed girl seemed to remember something.

"I know you!" Kristy burst out. "You're that girl Daddy introduced me to when he invited some people for dinner! The endowed girl!" Michelle grinned.

"Right on one," she said, satisfied. "Michelle Alexandria Turner, expert fire controller, at your service."

Tancred snorted. "You sure like to say your name," he remarked. "And how are we supposed to trust you? We don't know anything about you."

"You didn't know anything about me, either, and you trusted me," Kristy snapped. "I don't see why Michelle should be any different. Besides, if my daddy trusts her, I trust her." Gabriel nodded, agreeing with his best friend. "And she might come in useful in helping auntie or something," Kristy added as an afterthought.

"Now that that's settled, we should be asking someone for help, since our class is on an airplane to Paris right now," Emma said. "How about it?" The others agreed, all except for Michelle.

"But I'm supposed to be in Spanish class!" she whined. Tancred raised an eyebrow. They could all see that Michelle wasn't going to be a very comfortable companion, even loyal Kristy.

"Good for you," Lysander said sarcastically, not liking this girl a bit. "Now come on." He, Kristy, Tancred, Gabriel, and Emma exited the classroom with Michelle trailing behind them, already feeling left out.

Lysander led all of them to Dr. Bloor's office, the least cheerful place on earth. Michelle yawned, obviously bored. "The last time I was here, the Bloor guy spent two hours lecturing me about the rules," she muttered.

"Miss Turner, back again?" a thick voice said exasperatedly. Dr. Bloor turned from his work and cast his weary eyes on the six children. His eyes flashed as they passed little Kristy, looking perfectly innocent and adorable. "Now, what do you want?"

"Our French class left to Paris, accidentally leaving us behind," Kristy replied crisply, her green eyes clear and alert. "At least, that's what our friend here told us." She tilted her head towards Michelle, then back again.

"I'm afraid you are correct, Miss Twirl, oh, fine, Miss Violet," Dr. Bloor answered with a sigh. "Now that is the problem, I assume?" Five heads nodded. "And you, Miss Turner?"

Rolling her eyes, Michelle grumbled, "These kids here wanted me to come with them for some mysterious reason. Ask him." She pointed to Lysander, who looked surprised.

"Er," the African American stuttered. "Well, I just thought it would be a good idea, since she was wandering the halls groundlessly anyway." He smiled smugly as Michelle crossed her arms over her chest defensively, absolutely fuming.

"Well, I suppose the period has passed now. Just go to your next class," the headmaster instructed them, waving the six off. "The matter will be settled. Miss Violet, Mr. Torsson, Mr. Sage, Mr. Silk, and Miss Tolly will have Spanish for the rest of the week. End of discussion."

Kristy opened her mouth to complain, but Gabriel elbowed her, which made her shut up. Glaring at her friend, the auburn-haired girl trotted out of the classroom. Michelle smirked, enjoying the scene. Lysander looked annoyed. "Will you stop that?" he demanded.

"No," was Michelle's answer.

"Why?"

"'Cause I feel like it."

"You stink."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Then you're welcome."

"Oh, will you two shut up? Sure, I'm happy that Lysander's finally found someone to play with, but still. You two can't stay silent for five seconds!" Gabriel snapped irritably. Lysander was confused, as were Emma, Kristy, and Tancred. Their gentle, timid gerbil-loving friend was never like this.

"So-rry," Michelle said, rolling her eyes in that way that Lysander immediately decided to hate forever.

"Shut up," Kristy told her, putting a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. Talking, the two went to English. Tancred and Emma headed to Math. Lysander, unfortunately, was to stick with Michelle until they reached the Social Studies classroom.

"Ah, Mr. Sage, Miss Turner, you're late," the teacher, Ms. Rutabaga said, smiling up at them. She indicated to two empty seats right next to each other, and even worse, up at the front. "The only seats left." Lysander pleaded to her with his eyes, but either she saw it but wanted to ignore it, or she didn't see it at all. It was most likely the latter. Helplessly the two sat in their seats on the edges of their chairs.

"Today we will be talking about. . ." she started.

The lesson went for a whole hour and ten minutes, since it was a double period. Finally, groaning, Michelle got out of her seat and exited the classroom. Lysander followed shortly after he had gathered up his books. The violet-eyed girl was waiting for him outside, for some reason.

"You never told me what department you were in, Sage, or your full name," Michelle said, crossing her arms.

'Why should I tell you?' was Lysander's first thought, but thought better of it and answered, "Lysander Sage. Art Department. You?"

"Art Department, Michelle Alexandria—"she started to say, but Lysander cut her off.

"I already know that part," he said, not being able to help but grin.

"I can see that."

"I'm so sure."

"I really can!"

"Mm-hmm."

"This is stupid."

"Like you."

"Hey!"

"I'm good, aren't I?"

"You aren't even close, Sage."

"Well, I'm better than you."

"Dream on."

"I will."

"Not literally!"

"Oh, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah."

"You're right, this is stupid."

"You bet!"

"Then why are you continuing this idiotic conversation?"

"Ooh, using big words, are we?"

"Big words? Me? You must be mistaken."

You could now see why Kristy Twirl and Gabriel Silk, returning from English, were surprised to see Lysander Sage and Michelle Turner walking to their next class, joking around. You can also see why Tancred Torsson and Emma Tolly, heading toward their next class, were absolutely astonished to see the two enemies laughing over jokes and their own hilarious sarcasm.

"This is one of life's darkest mysteries," Kristy muttered to Gabriel.

"You bet, Kris," the mousy-haired boy replied, his eyes wide.

"I will remember this for all eternity," Tancred murmured.

"As will I," Emma added, nodding.

Author's Note: Very, er, exciting chapter, wasn't it? Well, to see more, R & R! I won't update until I get at least five reviews. Hehe, I'm evil, aren't I?