Reefside: The "AAR" Chronicles – Part 2
Where There's Will, There's A Way
By Justin Jack
Beth wandered through the halls of Reefside High in a hurry to get to her homeroom.
"Great, my first day and I'm gonna be late to class. Maybe I'll get lucky and my homeroom teacher won't be there yet. It looks clear up ahead, I might just make it as long as I don't run into the new principal. From what I've heard, she's a real taskmaster. Even though Dad told me she was nice at a faculty meeting before school started, I think she only puts on happy face for the adults and becomes the 'Head Mistress from Hell' in front of the student body," she thought to herself.
As if on cue, the new principal appeared out of one of the side hallways connected to the main corridor.
"Miss Oliver, might I have a moment of your time?" the principal asked in an almost commanding tone.
Beth stopped in her tracks. "Crap!" she thought as she mentally slapped herself on the forehead.
Eve L. Turner, the new principal of Reefside High who had just transferred there from parts unknown was the talk of the entire California Municipal School System. With rumors going around ranging anywhere from being a bounty hunter to a former professional wrestler, she was a force to be reckoned with. Even Principal Randall back in the day would have ran for the hills rather than take her on. She's a tall oriental woman, with long black hair usually tied into a bun. She was physically fit and looked like she worked out constantly. Not very muscular, but she looked like she could dead lift a Buick if you asked her to.
As Principal Turner approached her would be target, Beth was trying to figure a way out of this confrontation.
"What I wouldn't give to be invisible right now." she said in her head, thinking back to her father's dino gem ability of old.
"Elizabeth Trini Oliver, shouldn't you be in homeroom right now?"
Beth spun around to face her peer, still trying to calculate a means of escape without punishment. Her principals presence was too powerful for Beth to fight. She just blurted out the first thing that popped in her head.
"Principal Turner, isn't it a nice day today?"she asked before she thought to herself, did I seriously just say that?
"You'll have plenty of time to see what a day it is when you're staring out at it from detention!" she said as she glared down at Beth. Just as she was about to write Beth a tardy slip, a familiar voice that only she would recognize came in from behind her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.
"B, I've been looking all over for you." he told her in an almost relieved voice.
Ms. Turner took one look at Beth's would be rescuer and recognized him immediately.
"Ah, Mr. William Cranston, to what do we owe this intrusion?"
Well Principal Turner, I was sent to find and retrieve our young Miss Oliver here and escort her to her homeroom." he told her with a slight grin.
"On who's authority do you have permission to do such a thing?" she asked with a sneer.
"I have a hall pass."
Will pulled out a miniature palm pilot-looking device and handed it to Ms. Turner. She grabbed it from him and looked it over. While she was occupied with the mini computer, Will turned his head toward Beth and gave her a wink. She returned it with a smile. Ms. Turner handed the com back to Will and stared at Beth.
"You may have gotten lucky this time, but when next we meet it will be in detention hall, are we clear?"
"Crystal, Ms. T.," Beth answered in a mock military voice with a salute gesture. With that, the Principal turned and walked away back down the hall to her office.
"That was close," they both said in unison as they both looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"Come on, we really better get to class before Mr. Polk puts out an A.P.B out on us," Will chuckled as they walked along toward their class.
William Cranston, (Will for short) is the son of Billy and Haley Cranston, he's a computer whiz kid and a semi-pro inventor. At the age of fourteen, he is the second youngest student to attend high school in the state of California, the first being the former Blue Turbo Ranger and former teammate of Dr. Oliver, Justin Stewart. Technically, Will was a genius and could go to any college he wanted to but he decided to stay in Reefside and keep Beth company.
"What did you show her on the computer pass?" she asked her partner in crime.
"Just a little note signed by your Dad that I just whipped up at a moment's notice," he answered as he showed her the note in question.
"You little forger, you," she teased as she playfully messed up his hair.
"Eh, it's a gift," he told her as he was trying to slick his hair back down.
As they entered their classroom, they were greeted by Mr. Polk, their History teacher.
"Ms. Oliver...Mr. Cranston, so nice of you to finally join us," he said with a stern expression.
"Sorry sir, we had a run-in with the local law enforcement in the form of Principal Turner," Will joked to the old man.
With a smile, their teacher spoke, "I see. Well, I can forgive you both just this once."
The bell for first period rang and the students started clamoring into the hallways to get to their own individual classes.
"Well, I gotta get to Computer Lab. Maybe I can hack into the system and set off the sprinklers on the football field during the cheerleader tryouts," Will joked.
"Hey, remember what happened to Uncle Ethan when he tried that years ago?" she asked half serious, half playing along.
"Yeah, but he got caught, I won't," he answered.
"I'll believe that when I see it!" she shot back.
They both laughed and in the middle of the laughter Beth shot Will a serious look. Will saw her demeanor and he cleared his throat.
"Okay, spoilsport. I won't do it. Jeez, take all the fun out of it why don't you?" he told her in sincerity.
"That's better. I'll see you at Lunch right?" Beth asked him.
"Affirmative, B. Save me a place?"
"Will do," she answered him.
And with that, they went their separate ways to their classes. The first day had officially begun.
-End of Part 2
TBC