I heard a soft knock on my door not ten minutes after I finished unpacking. I jumped of the bed and opened the door.
"Hiya Six." Race says from the other side with a grin.
"Six? You forget my name already?" I ask with a chuckle.
"I told ya I'd forget it." He says shifting from one foot to the other.
"We need to get me a name then I suppose. You need something Racetrack?" I ask noticing that he's twiddling his thumbs as he leans on the door frame.
"I came ta ask if ya wanted ta play some cards. Me and da boys jus' started up a game."Race explains quickly.
"Sure why not?" I say thinking this could be my chance to find out more about this thing Grandfather wanted.
We were heading down the hall to what I thought he said was room ten when Oscar and Morris turned the corner. Racetrack knocked on the closet door and fell into it dragging me in before the brother's even knew we were in the hall. The door shut tightly and before I knew it we were looking out the door to see if they were still there.
"I didn't think you were afraid of those guys." I whisper to Race.
"I ain't but if dey catch ya alone dey won't hesitate ta soak ya." Race explains as he walks out the door. "Thanks Les. Ya saved the day."
"No problem. I told ya I was old enough to help out." Les says shutting the door behind us.
"Well that was an adventure. Now let's go play some cards. What exactly are we playing?" I ask realizing I had no clue.
"Poker. Ya know how ta play?" Racetrack asks with a sideways glance.
"Of course. You may just have to refresh my memory." I say smiling. "Any way, who are we playing with?" I ask wondering who I might be able to ask about this thing Grandfather wants.
"Da guys you met earlier. 'cept for Les. Davy thinks he's too young to play. Ask me it's da perfect age ta start him at." Race says as he opens the door to room ten. "Welcome ta me humble abode."
We had played a few games before I tested whether or not the boys might have seen this thing that Grandfather wants. I had one the first one but I think they let me win. Race won all the rest always smiling and laughing. I finally summoned the courage to bring it.
"Hey I was wondering if you guys saw something of mine. I guess I dropped it on the way in. It's kinda round and looks like a magic 8 ball but instead has like those twisty numbers on it. Those ones you find on a locker. Oh, it's also greenish-blue marble." I say never taking my eyes off the cards in my hand.
"Doesn't Denton have something like that in his office?"David asks looking up at Racetrack, Mush, and Kid Blink.
"Yeah I think he does. Too bad the only way you can ever get into his office is if ya get in trouble." Kid Blink says looking at his cards.
"I'm sure if you talk to him he'll let you see if it's yours." David says quickly before Racetrack shouts.
"Five in a row boys! You's are makin' it too easy!" Race says smiling so big you can hardly see his eyes.
"I got to be going guys. Thanks for the card game." I say handing Racetrack my cards and heading for the door.
"Alright see ya later Six!" I hear Race yell before I shut the door.
I walked back to my room planning how I was going to get in trouble so I could take it and give it to Grandfather. I came up with the stupidest way to get in trouble. I just hoped it would work. I rushed to my room and shut the door. I didn't want to take any chances running into those brothers again. At least not till the morning. I curled up under the light blanket and fell asleep quickly.
Before too long I woke up to the sun peeking out from behind the buildings. I got dressed and headed looking for the two apes that would help me get what I wanted or more correctly what Grandfather wanted. I ran into them not to long after I left my room. They ran up next to me.
"Hey ain't you the girl that Uncle Weasel wants kicked out?" The cuter of the two asks.
"I don't know. Are you the idiots that had a sissy fight before they got yelled at?" I ask with a smart tone.
When they tried to grab me I pulled out the can of spray paint I had and sprayed it over their faces. It was just face paint but god bless the people who put it in a spray can. They both screamed and before I knew it were heading towards a door that read Principal Denton. There was lots of yelling and after it got quiet a tall man came out and waved me to come towards him. I walked in with my head down.
"Stay here. I need to get your file." He says with a small smile as he walks out the door.
(From here up is written by a friend names Ron W.312)
As soon as the door clicked shut, I raced around the room, searching in cabinets and through drawers inundated with newspapers.
"What do you think your doing?" A voice asks. I slowly turn and am met by a boy, no older than me. His piercing blue eyes and light blonde-brown hair sent a shiver up my spine. He glared at me. "If principle Denton saw you doing that, he would be sure to get you in detention."
"So? I'm already bound to get a detention. What about you? I figure your not here to deliver Denton homemade muffins."
He smirks at me. "Maybe I am."
"Oh gee. Then I can just call you the teacher's pet." I nod my chin at him. "What's your name."
"Spot. Spot Conlon." I stifle a laugh.
"That totally just made it better." He growls something under his breath just as principle Denton walks in with two files in hand.
"How did I know Reilly?" He says holding up the other file labeled "REILLY CONLON".
"This time it wasn't my fault, I swear!"
"Mhmm. You two, sit. Let's hear Isabelle's story first because she is new to this kind of thing as far as I see here." he says flipping through my clean record.
"The Delancy brothers cornered me so, I did the only thing I could."
"Oh, and what was that?" Denton says leaning on his hands.
"Er… I sprayed a can of spray paint in their faces." Spot snickers from his seat beside me and I glare at him from the corner of my eye.
"Well, that was not the brightest idea was it miss Tailer?"
"It was just self defense. I'm sorry it wont happen again."
"Well, I'll give you one detention with me tonight. No personal record. Now," he says directing himself towards Spot, "What is your story?"
"Well, Race's- ahem- I mean Anthony Higgins's mom packed me chocolates and my roommate- ahem- James thought it would be funny to take them so- ahem- to get them back I- cough cough- tackled him. Accidentally gave him a concussion. Really, it isn't as bad as the hedgehog incident. Now that was awesome."
"Well, it's not as bad as the hedgehog incident, I agree. But still, you realize that you shouldn't have tackled him in the first place. You," he says "will get to join miss Isabelle for detention tonight."
"NO!" we both shout at the same time.
"That is final. Now if you don't have anymore things to discus, I am going to buy a coffee and get to work."
He leaves and Spot and I turn angrily toward each other. "I cant believe I have to sit in the same room as a girl like you!"
"A girl like me? And what kind of girl am I?"
"An extremely attractive one who sadly does not know her place in this school."
"My place? I'm pretty sure I can choose where I want to be in this school!"
"I heard you hung out with Race today. I don't want you to anymore. Got that? He's my friend and not yours. If I see you near him I will kill you. Understand?"
I croak out a yes and he storms out. A large woman comes in carrying a cup filled with steaming tea and hands me it. "Don't mind Reilly. He's really a sweet boy." she says.
I sigh. "If you say so."
OoOoOoOo
"I feel… like you should be wearing a skirt." David says suddenly. I turn a bright shade of red.
"And why is that."
"I dunno. I guess camouflage pants just don't suit you." I give him a questioning glance.
"And why is that."
"And we're going to the show and all…"
"Sorry, I told you, have detention with Fido Conlon"
David scowls a bit. "That jerk. Belongs in solitary confinement I think. You just did what you had to for self defense."
"Yup and apparently, it doesn't count." I say and grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder. "I have to go. I figure it's about time to be there." David gives me a sorry look and gives a little wave.
"If he bothers me someone is gonna die tonight." I growl.
"Yup sweetheart. And I'll plan the flowers for your funeral." Race adds in as he enters. "Davey, you comin?"
"Yah." I catch the door before it is closed and wander down the hall to Principle Denton's office.
OoOoOoOo
Spot and I find ourselves in the back yard and gardens, cleaning up garbage and getting rid of weeds in the gardens. Surprisingly, we were unwatched. Denton obviously seemed to trust Spot and I enough to leave us alone… or maybe there was some sort of security in the rhododendrons…
"I'm sorry. I never meant to threaten you that bad this morning." Spot mumbles.
I look over at him astonished. We had been working in the garden in silence for over an hour and he was covered in dirt and sweaty. It didn't seem to scathe his looks. His eyes still twinkled mischievously in the moonlight and I can't believe how cheesy that sounded.
"It… it's fine. We all get over worked up sometimes." I smile slightly at him.
"I still don't want you taking Race away from me. Damn, that sounded gay. Just… he's been my best friend since preschool and I haven't heard him talk with that much admiration about someone since we had a third friend Jack. But he disappeared last year. Went to principle Denton's office and didn't come back out."
"I'm sorry." I say to him and he says nothing back. "Did he get expelled?"
"Actually no. He was a good kid more or less. Denton wasn't even in the office when he disappeared. he was just gone. Maybe dead. Maybe ran away. Although, the room did reek of sulfur when I was sent in after him." My eyes light up as a lightbulb goes off in my head.
"Oh, really?"
"Listen. Let's just get this over with. I am almost done with this side of the garden. What about you?"
"This place really is beautiful, isn't it?" I say dreamily looking into the fountain at the center of some lilies.
Spot snorts. "Are you deaf or would you rather I speak in Irish?"
"I am NOT deaf. I am almost done too!" I throw a glare at him. "Now you answer my question too cuz I cant speak Irish. Sorry."
"It's great." he chuckles. "I'm pretty sure your bipolar."
"Yah, it is…. WAIT! I am NOT Bipolar you JERK!" I stomp over to him clenching my shovel in one hand.
"If you say so Six."