*I'm baaaaaaaaaaaack!*

Pre- Algebra seemed to be interminable, writing notes and raising hands and answering problems pretty much no one understood considering they had forgotten over the break. Multiplication and roman numerals and exponents. It was just a bit too much for the new eighth graders to handle. The good news? They actually didn't have homework.

Finally the bell to end first block rang loud and clear, and all the students in Ms. Wilma Hawthorn's class mentally sighed in relief. They gathered up their books and supplies, hurriedly rushing out the room into the crowded hallway swimming with kids. Elliot walked with Freddy to their next class; Language Arts with Mrs. Conch.

And then behind them someone roughly tapped Elliot's shoulder with two fingers, catching his attention. Looking over his shoulder his book were knocked from his hands, clattering to the floor as Connor and Kristian pinned Elliot to one of the many lockers lining the wall. Most of the attention was on the fight beginning to arise.

"Elliot!" Freddy exclaimed, dropping his books and trying to pull them off his friend. Connor glared at him, rearing back his arm and punching Freddy dead center in his gut. He lurched forward, toppling to the ground and coughing, gasping for his loss of breath.

Jordin's eyes widened, then soon narrowed in righteous fury as she shoved past her giggling and snickering peers. She stormed right up to the boys still holding Elliot, who looked scared half to death, and grabbed tight hold of Kristian's shirt's collar. She easily pulled him off Elliot with a yelp of surprise escaping his mouth, and she lifted him a foot in the air before brutally throwing him to the tiled floor.

Connor stared at her in confusion, anger, and amazement, still having Elliot pinned against the lockers by his neck. Ruby, Jordin's best friend, was helping Freddy off the floor. He looked dazed, and close to fainting.

Jordin set a firm, black- high top- conversed foot on Kristian's back, keeping him in place as she hissed in a chillingly displeased tone, "Let him go."

Connor's eyes narrowed, and a twisted smirk reached his face as he tightened his grip on Elliot's throat, merely making him choke and start trying to kick his way free of his captivity. "Why should I? You honestly don't LIKE these freaks, do you, girlie?"

"I'd consider them my friends if they considered me theirs," Jordin admitted with no shame. "So let Elliot go or I'll rip your sorry throat out."

"I think you've been watchin' WAY too many horror movies, chickita," Connor told her.

"Maybe." Jordin shrugged, eyes flickering distantly to Ruby and Freddy. Ruby was sneaking up behind Connor where he couldn't see her, and Freddy was waiting. Everyone was too petrified to do anything about it. "But that don't mean nuthin', does it, Sport-boy?"

Connor growled in anger at her comment while the crowd watching, "Ohh!" ed, amused. Ruby had to bite her knuckles to keep from laughing, a foot behind him. Then-

"Connor, man, behind you!" Terrence. Connor whipped his head around to see Ruby, only to be met with a hard punch to the face, courtesy of the redhead. He staggered, his grip on Elliot loosening until he was able to wiggle himself free, falling to his knees and gasping for breath as though a fish out of water. Freddy crouched down next to him, patting his back and looking on in worry.

Mr. Maguire* slammed open the door of his room, marching outside into the hallway where the fight took place and saying loud enough for all the students to hear, "WHAT is going on?"

All the students looked to him, many scared out of their wits; Mr. Maguire is fun at most times, but when it comes to noise he's unbelievably strict. That's what they get for having a fight out in front of his room.

Lesley strutted right on up to him and said with as much relish as possible, "Pin-boy, Burn-freak, Crazy-girl, and Pinky started a fight for no reason and beat up poor Connor and Kristian!" Their were many murmurs of agreement amongst the group, and Mr. Maguire quirked a brow, looking behind Lesley to those accused. They merely shook their heads. Not vigorously, as though desperately wanting to prove their innocence. Just... shook their heads.

Mr. Maguire looked back to Lesley, then said, "In the room." She smiled smugly and swaggered on in, Mr. Maguire looking back to the crowd. "Jordin, you too." She faintly nodded, and took her foot off Kristian's back, who then groaned in pain, walking inside. "Ruby, go to the hand looks awful. You too, Connor." They nodded, Connor wobbly getting to his feet and slowly following the sprinting Ruby to the nurse's office.

"The rest of you," he continued. "Get off to your classes." They nodded and did as instructed, Freddy helping Elliot to his feet. He looked down to the floor, seeing their papers and pencils scattered about everywhere. He sighed.

"Man I hate school," he grumbled, kneeling down and beginning to pick up all his things. Elliot joined him. Soon afterwards they heard screaming coming from Mr. Maguire's room;

"You fucking liar! That's not what happened in the least, and you know it!" Jordin was obviously pissed.

"Oh, and you're just oh so fucking perfect Miss I'm In Love With A Freak!" Lesley retorted hotly.

A tribal hunting yell sounded, and bangs and crashes soon followed. Elliot winced, asking, "Did Jordin just pounce on her?"

He nodded, saying, "Dude, I told you she's nuts. I swear, she's like a voodooist or sumthin'."

Mr. Maguire popped his head out of his classroom, saying, "Can you boys come in here for a quick minute?" They looked to each other and shrugged, picking up their jumbled pile of books and notebooks and walking inside as he opened the door wider. Inside Lesley was sitting on the side nearest to the door, holding her fresh new black eye in anger. Jordin was on the far side, a smug smile plastered on her lips.

"Can you PLEASE tell me what ACTUALLY happened?" Mr. Maguire asked the two. "They've been bickering non- stop, screaming their lungs off." Lesley scoffed, and Jordin threw a pink eraser at her, succeeding in targeting the side of her face. She crossed her arms as Lesley growled, glaring.

"Well... we were going to Language Arts when Connor came up behind us and pinned me to the wall," Elliot explained, Freddy nodding.

"I tried to help," the burned boy added. "But he knocked the wind outta me. Then Jordin came outta nowhere, got Kristian to let Elliot go. Ruby was helpin' me."

"Then she had to hurt Connor in order to get him to let me go," Elliot chipped in. "I could barely breathe."

Mr. Maguire nodded, and gave Lesley a look. Her expression was of feign shock. She scoffed again. "No! You're just trying to get my wonderful little Connor bear in trouble, you sorry-"

"Enough, Lesley," Mr. Maguire interrupted. She looked as though she were going to continue, but Mr. Maguire shot her a "Be quiet" look and she shut right up. She "humph!" ed and crossed her arms stubbornly across her chest, put evident on her lips.

Mr. Maguire looked to the boys with a sincere smile. "Thank you, boys. You may go." And go they did, straight to Language Arts, where Mrs. Conch was waiting for them at the door. Upon seeing them she said sweetly with a soft smile, "Where on earth have you two been? I was wondering if I would have to start the year without some of my students!"

"Erm... we uh... got, lost?" Freddy stated questionably, Elliot just nodding in agreement.

Mrs. Conch chuckled. "No biggie. C'mon; we're having a free day in class."

"Free day meaning?" Elliot asked, brow cocked.

Mrs. Conch counted off with her fingers. "Well, there's board games, the computers, plenty of books. You can chat with your friends, draw and color..."

*PS- My science teacher's name is MRS. Maguire. Heh. My Pre- Al teacher's WAY awesomer than WILMA, and My LA teacher is like, the complete opposite of Mrs. Conch. She's SO. STRICT. AUGH. Any ways, yay. If you hadn't noticed, Jordin is my OC, and I hate Lesley a lot. Like, more than a lot. Review! Da da da DA!*