Chapter Thirteen:

School

"This sucks," I muttered, staring up at New Marias "Academy for the Gifted". "I don't know how Lucy convinced me. Kessler educated me when I… er, 'lived' with him."

Cole nodded. "This feels so weird."

"I'm the one in the horrible uniform," I said, frowning. "Why's it weird to you?"

"I feel like I'm giving my daughter away to her first day of school…"

The look on my face was probably indescribable. Or just a mixture of shocked/stunned/weirded out/horror. Like I said: indescribable.

"Okay, Cole, lemme give ya some advice that'll help you out with those feelings…" I cleared my throat. "Number one: I may be your daughter, but I'm eighteen and you're, like, in your mid-twenties or somethin'. Number two: I'm gonna be home right after school, no doubt screaming that it's a horrible place and I should just be out patrolling with you. And lastly, number three: this technically is my first day of school. Live it up, and let go of my shoulder. You're crushing it."

Cole released me immediately. "Sorry…" He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, have a nice day then, Joan."

I nodded. "One more thing, Cole; you should take Lucy out for something to eat. You guys haven't been on a date in a while."

He grinned. "I'll do that. I'll just tell all the muggings and bombs in New Marias to go on hold for a bit, 'kay?"

"Sounds good." I patted him on the head. "I'll see ya after school!"

As I walked away, Cole called after me, "Kicking and screaming!"

"Right!"

Now, I'll need to give you an accurate description of this place: the New Marias Academy for the Gifted is a private high school for only the best of the best. The "gifted". I automatically fit into that category because having Conduit powers totally counts (in Cole's mind, at least. Don't ask me how he's paying for this, because I have no idea in hell). It's a huge old building that, amazingly enough, was not touched at all by the Ice People (Vermaak 88, but it's so much easier calling them Ice People), the Militia, or the Corrupted. What is with all major baddies never touching the schools, the things that all teenagers hate?

This place has had a history as an academy in New Marias for years, spawning several stuck-up senators, lawyers, world leaders, etc. The kids here are just mini-versions of those guys.

How do I know this? I just walked into the school, for God sakes!

Well, just ask my friend—dialogue.

"My father's just bought the hotel near the square!" a creepy blonde boy exclaimed to his friends. "There's much more business there!"

I think I facepalmed myself. I didn't even notice, but suddenly my head hurt. I frowned at them, but I might as well've been an ant. They didn't so much as glance or even breathe in my direction.

I shook my head. A bunch of spoiled rich kids who think they're the shit… Well, who friggin' gives a crap about 'em? I sighed. Already two seconds at school and I was really disliking it. I'll definitely be kicking and screaming when I get back to Cole's…

"Hey!"

I froze, my eyes widening in utter horror. Very, very slowly, I turned in the direction of the call, hoping that it wasn't who I thought it was.

But, then again, this is me. I'm either really lucky (like living after exploding myself), or really unlucky (like now).

"Joan!" Lance called, grinning like an idiot and bringing too much attention to himself.

I spun on my heel and continued into the school. They did this on purpose! Cole and Lucy…! Ugh! I'm gonna friggin' murder them!

So, as I believed Cole and Lucy had planned, Lance and I were in all the same classes. Damn them. Lance had offered to show me around the school, but relinquished his offer when I asked if he could take me to the bell tower to hang myself.

Everyone here knew Lance Grey as the famous musician, and he did nothing to stop them from fawning over him. It was absolutely disgusting. I was gagging. Seriously. Just another way for them to gain social status, I guess.

Well, the bell rang and we all had to get to our first class. I followed Lance to English, staying well behind him as a crowd of five girls started clinging to him, fawning over him, and giggling at the things he said. And here comes my gagging…

When we finally got to our seats, just as the second bell rang, I made sure to sit as far as humanly possible away from Lance, who was still surrounded by the giggling gaggle of girls. He kept looking at me in the corner, but I crossed my arms and rested my head on my desk, blanking out and ignoring him.

"Settle down, kids," the teacher, Mr. Nordstrom, said so enthusiastically. "We've got a new student today."

Oh, goody. He seems in a great mood to introduce me.

He read his clipboard. "Joan Foster…?"

I yawned.

He looked at me in the corner. "Are you going to stand up and introduce yourself?"

"You just said my name. Is there a point?" I replied, sitting up.

"It'll help the class to get to know you better," he said, motioning for me to stand up for the class. "Just say your name and where you're from, and we can get on with English."

I sighed and stood up. "My name's Joan Foster, and I'm from Empire City."

There was silence throughout the room. I could tell that everyone in the class probably thought I'd been one of the lucky ones to escape the Beast. Well, everybody but Lance, of course. The truth was; I guess I was one of the lucky ones.

Mr. Nordstrom cleared his throat. "Erm… Miss Foster? Why are you wearing the boys' uniform?"

I shrugged. "It's tons more comfortable, and I hate skirts."

He seemed like he didn't want to argue. "Very well. Sit, and we'll begin class."

I sat back down, ignoring the pitied stares I got from everyone. Just a few hours. Just a few hours. Don't snap on your first day!

When English was over, we went to History, and then Science before lunch. I decided to sit alone, ditching Lance before he could catch me in class. It's not like I hate the guy! It's just he has all those other girls; might as well let him hang out with them, since they seemed so desperate.

I'd bought my lunch, which consisted of a cheeseburger and fries, with pop. I think that brightened my day up about three-million percent. So, as I was sitting alone, reviewing my notes and frowning at my handwriting (it looked like chicken-scratch), I somehow didn't notice Lance's gaggle of girls sneak up behind me.

"Hello, Joan!" their leader (the one who was front and centre. Kinda obvious) greeted a little too cheerfully. "My name's Gwen. This is Mandy—." She pointed to the girls on her right. "—and Jennie. And this is—." She pointed to her left. "Annie and Carly." She smirked at me. "We wanted to properly welcome you to the Academy for the Gifted!"

"Thanks," I muttered, not doing any more than barely glancing at them.

They seemed stunned for a second, and then sat at my table. "Well, we kinda wanted to talk to you, Joan…"

"Then talk," I replied, taking a quick drink and returning to my notes.

Gwen cleared her throat, her blonde curls bouncing on her shoulders. "I was wondering how you know Lance, because all he ever does is talk about you…"

I laughed, finally giving her my attention. "Wow, high school is really like all the movies I've seen and books I've read…" I mumbled.

"What's so funny?" Mandy snapped.

"High school," I replied, smiling. "It's cliché. Now, to answer your question; Lance and I are just friends."

"Are you gonna stay that way?" Jennie asked excitedly.

One of my eyebrows rose. "Way to get to the point." I shrugged. "I hope. There's no way I'd date that idiot."

Gwen slammed her hands on the table and stood up, looming over me. "Lance Grey is not an idiot!"

"Then you don't know him as well as I do."

With an embarrassing amount of pride, Gwen grabbed a card out of her purse and held it in front of my face. "I know everything about him! I am the president of his fan club!"

In an annoyed tone, I'd recited her last line with her, having seen it in every movie and every book. She glared at me, eyes full of daggers.

"Okay, look," I said, standing up to be at eye-level with her. "It's my first day. If I get into a major fight on my first day, it'll look bad at home. So go and do your make-up or something."

She reminded me so much of Sasha it wasn't even funny. "Just because everyone you knew died in Empire City doesn't mean you're a charity-case!"

"Pfft! Everyone I know's alive. Well, except for one. I'm not quite sure about him. But I'm no charity case. I can get by on my own quite well, blondie."

"I see the way you look at him!" Gwen spat, jabbing me with a well-manicured finger (which I wanted to break). "You're practically fawning over him! And those eyes! Those contacts suck!"

I sighed. "Well, last I checked, I wasn't the one unbuttoning my shirt as I groped desperately for his arm." I grinned. "And by the way, these're very real. Check; they're not contacts."

Gwen came around and examined my eye. She pulled my eyelids apart to get a better look, and I managed to see her other hand carefully going behind her back. Quickly, she pulled her hand away from my face and brought two fingers from her other hand towards my eyes.

I grabbed her wrist and twisted it, unflinching. She cried out, getting as much attention as possible.

"I'll let go if you never come near me again," I told her sweetly, tightening my grip until she couldn't cry out.

I felt a hand on my shoulder instantly. "Joan, let 'er go."

I sighed. "Fine." When I'd released her, I turned to look at Lance. "Probably for the best, before I fly off the handle."

He nodded, smiling. "I wouldn't wanna see that!"

Gwen rubbed her wrist, trying to look like a helpless doe. "Oh, Lance! You came to my rescue!"

I rolled my eyes with extra emphasis.

"You shouldn't have picked a fight with Joan," Lance told her, frowning. "She'd kick your ass."

"It's so nice to know you care!"

I hated girls like this. Gwen made me want to stab myself repeatedly just so I could get her perky voice outta my head. And her drama… well, let's just say she'll never see Hollywood.

Lance grabbed my notebook and put it on my food tray, then picked it up and came over to me. "C'mon, Joan. You're gonna sit with me today."

"But I sit with you every night!" I complained, taking my tray from his hands.

"Well, you're doing it again!" I frowned as he started to grin, and then he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "C'mon! It'll be fun!"

"This is uncomfortable," I said bluntly as he led me away from the gaggle.

"I'm actually quite comfortable," he replied.

I shrugged his arm off. "I have a jacket to keep warm. I don't need your arm."

"Sure you don't." If I didn't have that tray in my hands, I woulda hit him! "Idiot," I muttered, resulting to my obvious alternative.

"Believe me," Lance said as we sat down at his table with all of his stuck-up rich friends, "you're gonna need me to survive this ordeal."

I shook my head. "I can't believe I've got to rely on you. Of all people!"

Lance grabbed his heart dramatically. "Oh, Joan! You wound me!"

"Whatever."