Saved by the Bell: A New Generation

Chapter Two

"Look Ariana, daddy and I made pancakes," exclaimed a proud four year old Jackson, when he saw his sister emerge into the large scaled kitchen. Ariana smiled when she took notice that her brother wore most of the batter on his now pancake infested pyjamas.

"Uh-huh, I can see," she responded, sitting herself down at the table. "You must have enjoyed making them because you have it everywhere on you."

Jackson beamed proudly. "I did. Eat one Ariana."

"Maybe later if I have enough time," she said, unable to resist the urge to reach out to her brother sitting beside her and wrap him up in one of her hugs she knew Jackson adored. Actually, Jackson adored any moment with Ariana. He just loved to play with his big sister. "Right now, I'm going to fetch myself a glass of orange juice."

Setting her sights on the orange juice in front of her, she poured some into the glass in her place and took a sip.

"So, are you nervous to start your new school today Ariana?" her dad asked.

"No dad, I don't do nervous. You should know that," she set her glass down. "I'm just anxious. That's all. I want to be done with it now. I think I'm trying to get over the initial shock of having to go to another school."

Kelly rose from the table with an empty mug in her hand and walked to the centre of the kitchen and placed the mug on the side of the sink, ready to place the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

"I'm sure you'll be fine honey," she eased, smoothing down her black a line business skirt. Today was her first official day to work at the hospital.

"You're going to be great. You are a Morris after all," Zack implied, standing up from the chair he sat at and walked into the kitchen. "And your first day at work will be fine too. You're both like one another—you're fearless and strong. I know you have nothing to worry about," he finished, stealing a quick kiss from his wife, which only made Ariana roll her eyes and smile in one.

She loved the fact that her parents were still madly in love with one another. Yeah, it did get rather inflicting to constantly see her mum and dad macking on one another at almost every chance they got, though she also loved the fact that they could be the same loving and endearing couple they were before she and Jackson came along. It was heart warming to see that her parents love and affection they held for the other hadn't washed away in all these years since they wed in Las Vegas, for what seemed like a decade ago.

Life had definitely passed them by at a rapid pace, they never really got a chance to stop and think. Their love was still as strong as it ever was—maybe even more now with two children thrown into the mix. The four of them were all tied together as a foursome—together they made up a family. Ariana couldn't be any happier knowing that her marriage had remained strong when around she knew of friends around her whose own parents had suffered through marital problems, some not even making a full recovery—resulting in many divorces.

Her friends often reflected that she was fortunate enough to have her parents remain together in stable relationship unlike their own families. Most of the time, it did bother Ariana to have friends gush over her family seeing as their own families were merely mirrored down to a mental picture or memory but what her friends didn't get was that her parents weren't perfect either.

They too had their fair share of marital problems; they just knew to work it out together rather than as an individual, pretending their marriage never existed. Yet, Ariana wasn't fortunate. She was lucky to have parents who'd face up to their fears and issues head on for the sake of their whole family.

"Ariana, are you ready to get going to school?" Kelly asked.

Ariana nodded. "As ready as I'm ever going to be."

She rose from her chair, finishing off her orange juice and grabbing a pancake from the plate they were on as they sat in the middle of the table.

Draping her bag over one shoulder, she made her way around the table.

"The little man has a bath with his name on it," Zack infused, coming towards Jackson and lifting his small body from his chair, heaving him into the air, as Jackson cackled himself. "He'll be ready in the short time you come home to retrieve him to take him to day care and then I'll leave for work. Good luck, though you two don't need it. My girls will be great."

"Good luck mummy. Good luck Ariana," Jackson chimed in laughing. He was at the stage where he had to copy everyone around him and it did prove to be cute and irritating. "Bye," he dawned out, as he and Zack exited the kitchen.

"Alright, let's go," Kelly remarked, picking up her Gucci hand bag along with her car keys.

Together, Kelly and Ariana headed out of the house and to the car. Soon, they'd be on their way to start their day and what they both never realised was that having the other beside them was sending confidence to the other—something that needed a boost by the minute.

An hour into school and Ariana had yet to step inside a classroom. In fact, from what she knew of, none of her grade had been yet to step inside a classroom. Instead, the entire school had been holed up in the auditorium as they listened to the principal's welcome message along with teacher's expectations; special announcements and each student were then split up and given their electoral class schedule.

If Ariana had never become accustomed or had the term bored enter her life then the morning was a first for something because she was bored. She had never been more bored than she could recall. Other students had fellow friends to talk to when teachers chattered among themselves or prepared notes. Ariana didn't, she had no one. So as every one else was making small talk with the people sitting next to them, Ariana sat there still. She sat in her seat, looking like a stunned mullet. What else could she do? Sure, she could have probably said hi to the people beside her but what else would they talk about? She didn't even know if they were juniors like she was.

As the bell rang to signal the end of class, Ariana remained in her seat and waited until the majority of the population of the school had exited the auditorium before she stood up and made her way out of the auditorium.

Checking her study schedule, she followed the directions to lead her to her first class of the day—AP Mathematics. Taking a senior class when she was only a junior, she was considered a whiz when it came to Math, though she also wasn't one of those people where math was her life and was always seen with a book in her hand. All the same, Ariana did know how to let her hair down and have fun but she also knew when she should buckle down and study.

Taking an AP math class wasn't her idea of choice. She had been encouraged to do so, having being told in a parent-teacher meeting that she had the potential to strive ahead of the class after she was told that she was being challenged enough. Beginning last year, she undertook the junior math class when she was only a sophomore and then this year she could have had the chance retake the class since she was enrolling into a new school but with words of encouragement from her family, she decided she'd take the senior class instead. It wasn't like she knew anyone and besides she wasn't going to go out of her way to admit to people that she was a math whiz.

Finding the classroom she needed, she found a seat near to the middle of the room. She did try to remain morally conducted even when she was intellectually gifted.

Waiting for the teacher to arrive so class could begin, Ariana was oblivious to the shaven and muscular guy who entered the room like he was a superstar and took full notice to her immediately, taking the empty chair beside her.

"Hey there, newbie!" he commented, leaning towards Ariana. Getting startled, she quickly turned her head to beside her and then noticed the boy.

"Hi," she replied with a smile. "How'd you know I'm new? Do you work for the CIA or something?"

Ariana was deeply concerned to know this rather gorgeous looking guy learned she was a new student. What, did he have information on every student that went to this school?

"Or something," he smirked. "I've never seen you around school before and trust me I don't miss women when they look as pretty as you do."

Ariana wondered how many times he had used that line before and if it ever worked. Though she was flattered that he found her pretty—still, she assumed he was just like the rest of the male population or at least all the high school boys she had come to know—players who were only interested in one thing—their reputation. But Ariana definitely wasn't interested in dating guys or any boy for that matter who only had one thing on their mind.

It wasn't her style—well not yet anyway. She was waiting for the right guy to come along where she would know that she had fallen head over heels in love. Then it would most likely be the right time. As for right now, she hadn't found Mr. Right, although she did have a boyfriend but he was another story because she wasn't sure if he'd last the distance anymore. When she did find Mr. Right, she was hoping for the kind of thing that her parents had, taking into account that her boyfriend choice would need to get the seal of approval from her dad who tend to become a tad over protective when it came to the guys his daughter considered to go out with.

"Does that line ever work?" Ariana asked.

"You tell me," he smirked again, cocking his eyebrow.

Ariana didn't say anything; instead she turned her attention to the front of the room where the teacher had walked into the room, ready to begin the class.

It was going to be a long day, Ariana decided. But perhaps this school wasn't going to be so bad after all.