Chapter 5:: Destined Numbers && Escape Routes

Author's Note:: Sorry to have two short chapters in a row! The next one should be longer.

What Happened Last

"Anyway, I'd stay away from the Sons of Ipswich and their girlfriends, if I were you. Especially Kate Tunney, she's just a gossipy bitch."

October 15th, 2006

Junia sipped some coffee as she walked to her class. She hadn't been able to get much sleep last night, and had a rough time with Amanda complaining all morning. She had left the dorm room early in able to get away and grab some coffee before class. Junia was one of the only girls she knew that drank coffee black. She enjoyed lattes and cappuccinos and other "frilly drinks" but she found the taste of straight up coffee much more refreshing.

Junia walked into the science classroom, and was immediately handed a piece of paper and told to sit down. Walking over to her usual lab table, Junia opened the piece of paper. 9. As she sat, pondering over the number, the lab tables filled up, signaling to the teacher that the entire class was here.

"Good afternoon class." The teacher, Ms. Segola, said loudly.

"Good afternoon Ms. Segola." Everyone answered back, monotonously.

"I'm sure a good number of you are wondering what the number on the paper means." She paused as if some reaction was necessary. A few kids nodded their heads. "Well, fate has paired you with someone else in this class, for the rest of this year. After yesterday's little mishap I decided that it was time for a little change." She turned her attention to two boys in the back who were high fiving each other after causing the "little mishap", which to the rest of the class was a fairly big and rather loud explosion. Ms. Segola turned back to the rest of the class, walking over to a table on the opposite side of the room as Junia. "Now I want this table to be ones, the one behind it, twos, threes, fours, fives start this new row, you get it? Good. Get to your new seats."

The room seemed like an airport, everyone running everywhere, a few kids sitting down, looking at the running people like they were crazy. Junia made her way to the 9's table, praying that she was not partnered with Kira, or worse, Aaron. But, no, they were both sitting together at a table already. "What 'luck'." Junia thought, wondering how they had traded with other people so quickly and quietly. Unless they actually got the same numbers. Junia sat down at her new table, and looked around the room, trying to rule out using the people who were already sitting down and those who were walking to the other side of the class room, who her partner was.

"Hey, it's you!" Junia turned around to face the voice. The girl from the library, Kate, was sliding into the chair next to her.

"Hi." Junia replied with a small smile.

"I guess fate really wanted us to partner up and work together." Kate smiled. "So, how'd the roommate thing work out?"

"Oh," Junia's shoulders sunk a little bit. "She got the key."

"Who is your roommate anyway?" Kate asked.

"Amanda Gates."

Kate's eyes widened. "You're stuck with that bitch?" She covered her mouth. "Sorry. Are you…friends?"

"No! No, no." Junia shook her head. "Not really."

"Why haven't you switched to room with somebody else or put in a request or something."

"Well, I came just this September, and I don't really know anyone. The fact that the only people I've ever hung out with are Amanda, Kira, Aaron and Bordy, tends to drive people away from me.

"Well, that would explain why I've never seen you before." Kate said. "Anytime you want to get away though, just give me a call. I can't believe you've even been able to put up with them for a month. I mean just look at Kira and Aaron now."

At their lab table, Aaron was leaning on his arms and Kira was playing with his hair, talking to him.

"Sickening, isn't it?" Kate asked nodding over at them. "You know, my boyfriend's in this class, and I didn't ask or bully you into trading cards with him."

"Do you want me to?" Junia asked, looking at Kate. The question seemed to catch her off guard.

"No." Kate shook her head. "I love Pogue, but he's horrible at science." Kate laughed. Junia smiled too, but something brought back what Kira said. "Pogue's his girlfriend's bitch…I'd stay away from the Sons of Ipswich and their girlfriends, if I were you. Especially Kate Tunney…"

"Is…" Junia paused. "Excuse me if this is a weird question, but is your name Kate Tunney?"

Kate looked confused. "Yeah, it is. Why?"

"I was warned to stay away from you." Junia said with a smile.

"Oh, well it sucks then that you're stuck with me for the rest of the year, doesn't it?" Kate smiled back.

"And I assume you were also told to avoid the Sons of Ipswich and my roommate, Sarah. Wait—you do know who the Sons are, right? I mean, like, everyone's at least knows who they are."

"I only know their names." Junia replied. Kate gaped.

"Well-" Kate began.

"Alright, I see that you've all found your seats, now let's begin." Ms. Segola interrupted. Kate took out her notebook, scribbled something on a page, ripped it out and gave it to Junia.

"You'll need this." She whispered. Junia looked down at the piece of paper. On it was:

Kate Tunney – (Lab Partner & Escape from Bitches Extraordinaire )

617-861-3962

Dorm: 3rd Floor, Room 316

Junia smiled, thanking fate (or was it destiny?) for making her partners with Kate.