Special thanks to SparrowxLight for the first review and placing this story on Favorites. :D

I changed the title to Second-hand Smoke, but the Fanfiction uploader continues to delete the hypen within the title. *sighs* Oh well! I still think the new title is suiting, so I'm not going to be changing it. :)

Chapter Three: School Blues

The next morning Jim entered the school to find that the new girl was already there. Sporting a red and black checkered boyfriend shirt and black jeans, Kayley strode purposefully toward her locker.

Hoping she hadn't taken offense at his sudden departure the day before, he pushed back his hair and approached his locker. As he began entering his combination, Kayley jerked open her own door so fast that the door flew back and crashed into the closed locker to the right of it. The sound of clanging metal attracted his attention and his eyes flew over to Kayley, who was smashing her lunch bag as she tried to force it in the crammed space. "I think you just massacred your sandwich," he said. Avoiding looking at him, she slammed shut her locker and secured it. She then stormed off to the right, backpack slung over one arm and books held close to her. Apparently she had found his abrupt departure offensive. "Note to self: Never blow off a girl." Closing his locker, the bell sounded, and he set off for his English class.

Upon entering the classroom Jim noticed the new girl sitting in the far front right corner. The day before he hadn't noticed that they even shared a class. But now it was evident that they did.

Kayley had her nose in her English III: American Literature textbook. Flipping the pages, she searched for the page whose number was written on the chalkboard. Finding her page, she straightened and looked up expectantly toward the door. Only to see Jim.

Having met each other's surprised gaze, the both of them quickly averted their eyes.

Jim slinked down the aisle to the back row and fell into his seat. This was going to be a long day. "Thank goodness it's Friday," Jim thought as the English teacher entered the classroom.

O~o~O

At lunch, Jim, as did Kayley, futily tried to find a different place to eat than the day before. No such luck.

Both of them approached the same empty, circular table at precisely the same moment. Depositing their lunch bags before them and pulling out the same chairs they sat in the previous day, they silently began their lunch.

Near the end of their meals, Kayley's cellular phone began ringing to the tune of the Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There." Placing the rest of her bag of Chex Mix on the table, she reached into a side pocket of her backpack and pulled out a razor phone. Pressing the select button, she placed her phone to her ear. "Hullo?" she chirped. A smile beamed across her face. "Oh hullo Mother. No no, it's fine, I'm eating lunch... That reminds me I need to set my mobile to vibrate so as not to disturb class."

Jim held back a chuckle. In her English accent, mobile sounded like mo-byle.

"So, what's on your mind?" she asked. There was silence for a moment on Kayley's end, and then she broke into a grin that spread from ear to ear. "That's terrific!" she exclaimed into the tiny device. "Can't wait. I'll see you there... Mhmm, I love you too, Mother. Bye now."

Kayley hit the red button, snapped her phone shut, and then fiddled with an external button, setting her phone to vibrate. She replaced her phone in her backpack and then turned back toward the table. Seeing Jim, her grin faded. Reopening her bag of Chex Mix, she finished her lunch and departed the table.

Around the same time Jim had finished his celery sticks. Crumpling his brown paper lunch sack, he tossed it into the garbage and hoped for no more encounters with Kayley that day.

O~o~O~o~O

Jim propped his skateboard by the coat rack that stood near the door of Sarah's Café. Dropping his backpack at his feet, he collapsed into a chair and placed his forehead to the shining wooden table.

Exiting the kitchen, Sarah Hawkins spotted her boy. Tying her apron, she asked concernedly, "Did you have a hard day?"

"Exhausting," he answered without lifting his head.

"I'm sorry to hear that, hunny. Were the classes tough?" Jim cringed. Sarah noticed.

"No." He spoke so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"Was one of the teachers mean?"

Jim shook his head no.

Mrs. Hawkins, jumping to conclusions, gasped in anguish, "Jim, what happened? What did you do?" Panic flowed forth in every syllable.

Jim pounded the table with his right fist. "Mom, it has nothing to do with school. Or Juvenile Hall," he said, answering her next unvoiced question.

Sarah sighed in relief. Yet, a part of her wanted to keep probing. Restraining herself, she headed for the supply room.

"How long do girls hold grudges?" he asked suddenly.

Sarah froze and considered his question before carefully answering, "It depends. Unless it's over something major, usually a few days to a couple of weeks."

Jim nodded slightly and began on his homework. Smiling slyly, Sarah turned back toward the supply room.