Out side Mrs. Muller office she compared she and Skittery's schedules.

They both had English together and math, on Tuesdays, together as well. They had two free periods together and history and C.S. (collaborative study's) together on Mondays and Fridays. They had a few more classes together besides those few but other wise their schedules were completely different.

Royal checked the clock in the corner; 10:23, classes would be switching in 7 minutes.

She looked down at her and Skittery's schedules once more; Skittery had algebra next and royal had literature. Literature was a push over class when you did your homework though she didn't know what algebra was like for she had never taken it before; every year the orphanage had stuck her with trigonometry for her secondary math class.

Not before long, a loud bell struck in the corridor and the patter of shoes could be heard outside the main office as classes switched and kids rushed off to their next lesson.

Royal sighed. She really didn't want to be late to her first class. The embarrassment of having to walk in during the middle of a period would just be too much for her.

She desperately hoped that Mrs. Muller would talk for a long time with Skittery, so long that it would be lunch by the time they were done. Maybe if she and Skittery walked really slowly to their classes, the bell would ring before they could even get inside the room.

She sighed once more.

Suddenly she heard Mrs. Muller on the other side of her office door, speaking loudly to Skittery.

Royal remembered that she hadn't tied up her hair as Mrs. Muller had told her to and quickly pulled out the ribbon currently keeping her hair up, ripped it in half and clumsily tied her hair into two braids.

The door opened and Skittery and Mrs. Muller stepped out, Mrs. Muller still addressing Skittery in a quieter voice.

Skittery's hair had been trimmed to the appropriate boys length and he was wearing a boy's uniform composed of brown wool trousers, a gray button down shirt and a brown, wool vest that matched his pants. Royal could see the metal clasps of his suspenders emerging from their hiding place underneath his vest.

Royal sat up abruptly as they entered and waited for Mrs. Muller to dismiss them.

"Ms. Canely, show Mr. Cooger to his class and then please go to your own. Use your late pass that I gave you if the teacher asks about your tardy. No dilly-dallying in the hallways."

Skittery snorted with laughter at her vocabulary word though Mrs. Muller pretended not to notice his amusement.

Once out side, Skittery swung his school bag over is shoulder and grasped Royal's hand.

"I like the braids." He said sarcastically, reaching over with his right hand and flicking one of her braids back and forth with his thumb and forefinger.

"I like the uniform." She retorted, reaching over and ruffling his hair. Skittery pushed her hand away playfully.

They began to walk down the long corridor, heading towards the lobby.

"What did she talk to ya about?" royal looked up at Skittery expectantly.

"Jus how I cant let stuff out ta no one… shit like that. Most of the older bunks already know about her forgings but she told me that should still keep it a bit hush hush… on the down low, ya know. Then she just went over the rules and stated like a million times that 'there is no tolerance for delinquents what so ever at the 45th street orphanage'" he mocked Mrs. Muller's curt voice.

He rolled up his sleeves as they ascended the stairs, hoping them two at a time and then waiting for royal at the landings between the floors.

"I though Mrs. Muller said all classes are down stairs."

"They are." Royal agreed, smiling pleasantly.

Skittery grinned, waiting for her on the 4th floor landing.

"How late are we gonna be?"

"Only a few minutes" she shrugged, abruptly turning around and starting to walk down the stairs once more.

Skittery jumped down a flight of stairs to catch up with her.

"You don't mind, do you?"

Skittery stopped walking and gave her a sarcastic look.

"Do you really think I would mind? I haven't been to school since I was ten!"

He started walking once more, shifting his limp school bag to his other shoulder. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly though not in a comforting manner. He looked up at her, smiling flirtatiously and placed a kiss on her lips. His hand migrated to her waist and she snuggled up against his shoulder, trying to ignore the scent of vinegar on his new uniform.

They reached the first floor once more and royal directed Skittery to his algebra class, telling him to wait for her outside the room when the period was over. She gave him a short kiss good-bye before hurrying off to her own class, further down the hall.