Hi people!
Nise-angel: Haha, well Carrie is the Queen of Pranks, so she isn't the kind of person to freak out easily.
Anim3-ang3l: I'm capable of writing people handling rats, but....in reality, I'll be too freaked out to do anything like that.
Sankikya2000: Ray's not cruel when he's messing around with Zarine. He just wanted to tease her.
a-A-a: You want Jewels/Kai action...the next few chapters will have them!
0bs3ssi0n: Haha! I know, Ray's such a HOTTIE!
Crimson Shadow: Hehe, really? Did she actually say that this was such a mushy story? Haha, sorry, I found this criticism funny for some strange reason.
YBM: I like the prank too!
Puppalupp: Well, here's your chappie!
Anime-girl412: I hate Shea too! Along with all those people who said so in the reviews. Lol.
Diamond Core: 'Will Jewels be all right?' That's a good question......
O.o.-GoDsMaCk-o.O.: Hmmm, what can I say to your review?? Guess what? Jewels is not going to be captured by those smoking creeps.
Kanilla: I'm surprised by how right your prediction was. :O Freaky!
HeartKreux27: No, I would be too freaked out.
Kagomewannabe-2008: Glad to hear that you didn't get into trouble for your prank. So what was your history teacher like? I've always pictured them as boring people who speak with thee's and thou's .
I know you all hate Leo and Shea. They're the antagonists (the bad guys) in the story. They have to be there. You'll just have to put up with them. Hehe, I bet you'll be happy to hear that something bad is going to happen to Shea.
Chapter Seventeen – A Plan Backfired
Shea knocked on the door of the history classroom, and opened the door. Mr. Nowak was sorting out the mess that the rats had left this morning. Papers were ripped, erasers were chewed...
"Oh, hello, Shea," the teacher said.
"Sir, I know who did this," she told him with a smile.
"Really? Who?" he asked urgently.
"It's Carrie, and Zarine" she answered. "I saw them hanging around here before school today."
He suddenly turned and grabbed her by her shoulders, shaking her. "You're positively sure?"
Shea held back a grimace at his touch and nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."
"Thank you," he said, releasing his hold on her. "You can go back to lunch."
The blonde made a face as soon as she was in the hallway. She couldn't believe she let that old geezer touch her. She desperately wanted a shower, but she supposed she would just have to wait until after school. At least that little bitch was getting what she deserved.
In English class, Carrie was called down to the principal's office, and so was Zarine who was in Music. The redhead shot her friends a questioning look. Zarine looked as equally confused as she was.
"Do you have any idea why you are here?" the principal asked them seriously.
Zarine wondered how on earth they were going to get away with this. Carrie, however, handled herself expertly. "No," she answered innocently, and put a practiced confused look on her face.
"Do you?" he interrogated Zarine next.
Zarine copied Carrie's suit and put her best confused look that she had perfected over the years that was even more convincing than Carrie's. "No, sir, I don't know what we have done to land ourselves in here," she replied.
"You are here concerning the incident involving the rats today in Mr. Nowak's class. Shea said that she saw you three hanging around the history classroom today. I'm afraid that the evidence points to you. Which also leads me to thinking that you, Carrie might also be responsible for the tarantula mysteriously appearing in Miss Cherry's lunch box last month, and countless other practical jokes that happened once a month." the old man said, starting to pace around the room.
Carrie protested, "Sir, you have no proof that we did it. All you have is Shea's word. That girl hates us, and she would love to get Zarine into trouble."
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Come in," he said impatiently.
"Good afternoon, sir," Jason greeted the principal politely. "I'm here to present evidence against Shea's accusation. These girls couldn't have possibly done this."
"And why not?" the principal demanded. (I just don't feel like thinking up a name for him and he's probably not going to show up again, so why bother?)
"Because they were with me the whole time before school started," he answered, looking straight into his questioner's eyes. "We went into the school through the unused parts."
The aged man looked at Jason for a moment, before sighing, "Fine, you three can go. Just make sure you don't do something like this in the future."
"Sir, if I may tell you about my speculation about this whole thing..." Jason said.
"Yes??"
"I believe that Shea was responsible for this and then framed these two innocent girls. I've seen the looks of pure hatred that she throws at them. I doubt that Shea has an alibi that can back her up that she wasn't the one responsible for this prank," Jason responded.
When they left the office, Carrie asked Jason curiously, "How come you lied for us?"
He smiled. "I did it in hopes of having a chance to go out with you," he said, and put his arm around her.
She blushed, and said, "Sorry, I don't really feel the same."
"Oh," he said disappointedly. "Well, I'll see you around. I have to get back to the auto shop."
"Carrie!" Zarine scolded. "You should have said yes! I mean, he seems nice, and he does like you. You were just saying how you wanted a boyfriend on the weekend."
Carrie sighed. "It's not like I like to turn guys down. I don't like him like that and I bet breaking up with him will be ten times worse."
"Just one date," Zarine suggested, trying to persuade her friend. "Just go on one date with him. Maybe you'll find that you like him."
"Yeah, I could do that," Carrie said, her face brightening. "I'll go tell him that I've changed my mind!"
She ran after Jason. "Hey, I changed my mind. I'll go out with you," she panted.
"Great! How about we go out for pizza tonight at Mr. Benny's?" he proposed happily.
"Sure!" she answered, beginning to feel excited about this whole dating thing.
"I'll see you tonight at six," he ginned, giving her a kiss on the cheek before going.
Carrie had a smile on her face for the rest of the way back class. She had never had a boyfriend in her life.
"You did tell him," Hilary squealed when she found Carrie at her locker. "Oh, Carrie, you're so lucky!"
"Congratulations, sis," Jewels complimented. "I guess you won't be stuck with me at home on Friday nights anymore."
"You know I like having movie nights with you," Carrie said to her sister.
Zarine walked up to them, and told them, "I just found out that Shea got into huge trouble for the rats. She's going to have in school suspension for four days, starting tomorrow."
"I normally don't like to have other people as our scapegoat, but seeing that it's Shea..." Jewels said.
"I know what you mean. She wouldn't have brought it onto herself if she hadn't ratted on us," Hilary pointed out. "Let's go to science before we're late."
In science, the teacher informed the students, "There will be another project. It will be done in pairs. I'm going to choose the partners for you so you wouldn't fight over who's with who..."
The whole class groaned at this information.
"Now, now, it'll be the last project of the year..."
Just then, Shea came in. Her eyes were blotchy from crying and she looked a mess. Zarine couldn't help but get a feeling of great satisfaction. Surprisingly, she only had the slightest twinge of guilt bugging her.
"I'm sorry I'm late. I was at the office," Shea explained, sniffing slightly.
"Go take your seat," he said. "As I was saying, this will be done in pairs. Tyson and Hilary, Carrie and Kenny, Kai and Jewels...." He read through the list. "Zarine and..."
Zarine and Ray looked at each other with a smile, maybe they'll get paired up.
"...Leo."
Ray's head snapped to the dark haired boy. He gave Leo a death glare.
The teacher continued, "Last but not least, Ray and Shea."
Zarine's face became horrified. That slut was going to be Ray's partner??? She took a quick glance at Ray and he didn't seem too bummed out about having her as a partner. The teacher explained what the project was about, but she didn't listen. She was too wrapped up in her own thoughts.
"Go and work on it," she heard the teacher said.
Leo walked over to her. "Hey," he said.
"Hi. Um...I wasn't exactly paying attention to him, so what are we supposed to be doing?" she asked sheepishly.
He chuckled. "Okay....we're supposed to..."
Ray looked over at Zarine and Leo. They seemed happy working together. He hated the fact that his girlfriend liked Leo. He had tried telling her what a bastard Leo was, but to no avail, she just said that she would judge him on her own, and make her own decision about being friends with him.
"I can't believe that I'm getting into trouble for what your girlfriend had done. It's not fair!" Shea whined. "Ray, do you know if she did it or not?"
He was at a loss for an answer. He liked Shea, she seemed really nice. (A/N: Gosh, what a fool. Don't kill me!!) He didn't think it was right for Shea to take the blame, but his loyalties lie with Zarine first.
"No, I don't," he lied.
"Tyson! They aren't for eating! They're for our project, remember?" Hilary reminded.
"Oh ya," Tyson said, "I was just so hungry I forgot myself."
"Ah! I'm never going to get a good mark working with you!" she complained.
"Hilary, I'll try really hard, okay?" Tyson said.
"Really?" she asked incredulously. "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, anything for you," he told her.
"Oh my gosh Tyson, I didn't know you can be so sweet," she gasped, giving him a hug.
"Hilary, get off," he told her embarrassedly. He hugged her back anyways and found that he liked the feeling of having her in his arms.
"I'm going to the library with Leo," Zarine told Kai after school. "Can you tell Ray?"
"Nope," he grunted. "I have to work on that stupid project with Jewels at her place."
"Fine, fine, I'll go tell him myself," she sighed. She managed to find Ray at his locker. He wasn't alone though, a certain blonde was there also.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, distaste clear in her voice.
"I'm just waiting for Ray, so we can go to my house to do our project," Shea answered sweetly. "Surely, it's not a crime."
Zarine's eyes turned dark with anger. "I'm going to the library with Leo," she told Ray in a tight voice.
"You're WHAT?" he yelped.
"We have to finish that assignment, so we're going to the library together," she told him innocently.
"Excuse us," Ray said to Shea before dragging Zarine away.
"I don't want you to go," he grumbled.
"I'm going whether you like it or not," she told him. "I don't want you to go over to Shea's either, but I'm not stopping you."
"I don't like Leo," Ray stated flatly.
"We already had this conversation last week," she remarked. "I believe we ended up yelling at each other." Sighing, she said, "Let's not go there this time. I may not like Shea, but I hate fighting with you even more."
"Good point," he said. "It's just this once for a project."
"Exactly," she agreed. "I'll see you at dinner."
He gave her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek before bidding her good bye.
Kai and Jewels walked home together quietly. "So have you thought about what I said on Friday?" Kai asked.
"Yeah, a bit," Jewels answered. "I guess I will...but what will the others say?"
"They would love it. We talked about you all the time," he told her. Then he added, "The good things, not the bad."
"You can have ice cream if you like," she offered as she opened the door to her house.
"No thanks," he declined.
"MOM!" Jewels yelled. "I'm home! Kai's here too, we're working on a project!"
"Hello, Kai," Mrs. Satsuki said. "I haven't seen you around for a while."
"Let's go to my room," Jewels said as soon as she had an ice cream sandwich in her hand.
The smoking men were in a car in front of the school, waiting for their target to appear.
"There she is!" one of them said, pointing at her.
"Let's follow!" the other one said, starting up the engine.
Kenny and Carrie met Leo and Zarine in the library. "Hey," Carrie said. "I didn't know you two would be here."
"I'm going to get some books for us," Kenny told his partner.
"Well, I'm not going to keep you two from doing your work. Come to my house at five thirty, okay? I have a date at six!" she said with a wink.
She was trying to get some information on the internet with her laptop when it froze. She restarted it, but the same thing happened. Sighing with frustration, she pounded on it.
"What's wrong?" Kenny asked, returning with a huge stack of books in his arms.
"It's this stupid laptop, it keeps on freezing," Carrie growled.
"Let me see if I can fix it," he suggested, looking at her laptop. Ten minutes later, it was up and running like new.
"Thanks, Chief!" she said gratefully.
At five, she asked, "I've got a date tonight, so do you mind finishing the notes? We only need a bit more."
"Sure," he replied.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said before leaving.
When she was walking by the river, she was suddenly grabbed from behind. She dropped the laptop in her hand in surprise.
"Quickly, give me the needle!" a gruff man's voice said.
Panicking, Carrie tried to wiggle free. She stopped when she felt a sharp pain in her neck.
Feeling the girl go limp, he tied her up, stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth, and threw her into the trunk of the car.
"Boss, we have successfully captured the victim," one of the man announced.
"Good," a man's voice chuckled on the other end of the walkie talkie. "Now get her there so we can get our money."
I'm sorry if you got two email alerts! I had to replace this chapter because I made a mistake! I was going to have Hilary called down to the principal's office, but I changed my mind.
Poll: I keep on forgetting this....Which couple do you like reading about the best? If you have already told me, you don't have to.
Ray/Zarine
Kai/Jewels
Tyson/Hilary
Max/Mariam (I know, I know...she's not there yet. She'll appear as soon as this whole thing about the smoking guys is solved.)
