Chapter One

Henry Griffin laughed at the joke Maggie had told him, even if he didn't quite understand it. His gaze raked over the crowded hallways of his school. One bobbing head caught his attention. It was a girls head, with long, wavy, auburn hair falling around her face. Her eyes were a brilliant jewel blue, and twinkled with wisdom and sadness. She was short, but by the way she walked it was p[lain ti see she could fend for herself. Her skin was tanned and her body was slim and looked perfect for surfboarding. Her t-shirt was black and hid the top of a scar running from the top of her shoulder to the tip of her middle finger. But that wasn't why Henry was staring. Nor because she was beautiful, but because she looked familiar. She looked just like someone he had thought he would never see again.

Henry's bewildered expression didn't escape Maggie's notice. She shot Jasper a wondering look and Jasper shrugged in return.

"Henry, what are you staring at?" Maggie asked. She tried to follow his gaze and failed. Jasper, however had succeded.

"It's not a what." Jasper told Maggie, holding back a laugh "It's a who. He's staring at this foreign exchange student."

"What?" Maggie asked, glaring in Henry's direction. Henry turned around to face her, his ears turning slightly red.

"She just looked kind of familiar, that's all." Henry explained, blushing.

"Who think she's hot." Jasper concluded.

"No. She looks like she's a perfectly comfortable temperature." Henry argue, his forehead creasing in confusion.

"No, stupid. What I mean is, you think she's pretty. Attractive. You like her." Jasper explained, rolling his brown eyes. He shook his head. His cousin was a genius when it came to bird calls and poisonous birds, but trya little modern slang on him and he was lost.

"Oh." Henry said "I suppose she's pretty, It didn't cross my mind."

"Gee, thanks Griffin." snorted a voice from behind Henry. Henry whirled around to see the sort, red haired girl behind him. Now that she was closer he could he could see the silver, dolphin shaped charm hanging from a blue ribbon. The ribbon he had given her. Towards the bottom of the dolphin's tail he could just barely make out the letter 'HG and JL'

"Jezzie?" Henry whispered

The girl rolled her blue eyes, "No, it's Kristen Stewart. Of course it's Jezzie, stupid!" Henry broke out into a grin, picked the girl up and spun her around, hugging her tight. When he set her down, she was smiling just as much as he was.

"I didn't think I'd see you again!" she laughed

"That makes two of us!" Henry said.

"Hey, Henry, who's your friend?" Jasper asked, eying her appraisingly.

"Hi, I'm Jezebel Lockhart." the girl explained. Her Australian accent was heavy "But please, call my Jez or Jezzie."

Maggie smiled sweetly, even though she secretly disliked the girl, "But I want to call you Jezebel. It's such a pretty name."

"Thanks..." Jezzie murmured. Her blue eyes darkened and her whole body seemed to go rigid as if Maggie had threatened her. "But there's only one person allowed to call me Jezebel. And he's dead." Henry shot Maggie a look and she shrugged. Henry grabbed Jezzie's hand an gave it three squeezes. Jezzie to a wavering deep breath before squeezing back. Maggie disliked her even more.

"So, Maggie, Jasper, why don't you introduce yourselves?" Henry asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Hi, I'm Jasper Bartlett." Jasper said, extending a hand for her to shake. Jezzie stared warily at the hand Jasper had extended. Maggie groaned.

"Don't tell me this friend of yours is as clueless about modern society as you are." Maggie whined. Jezzie's blue eyes flashed.

"I'm not clueless." Jezzie protested, her her glinting with anger "It's just, the way I was raised shaking someone's hand means you trust them."

"And you don't trust me." Jasper said, flatly.

Jezzie grimaced apologetically, "It's nothing personal." she assured him "I'm just... gaurded."

"That's a good word for it." Henry agreed. He nudged Jezzie, "This is my cousin. If you trust me, you might as well trust him."

"Oh." Jezzie blushed. She looked down, "Sorry bout that. The only times Henry mentioned you was when he was planning a prank to pull on you."

Jasper's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"You helped him plan those?" He demanded. Jezzie grinned and nodded.

"Henry came up with the best ones." she admitted, brushing a stand of red hair out of her face.

"Are you kidding?" Henry laughed "You're the one who taught me how to set up those tree nets! And bringing home the quicksand and filling a hole with it was all your idea."

"That was your idea?" Jasper demanded, his voice rising a few octaves.

"Yeah, that was me," Jezzie laughed. Henry grinned down at her.

"I'm Maggie Winnock." Maggie said, extending a hand. Jezzie raised an eyebrow and Maggie pulled her hand back.

"Lack of trust, right." Maggie grumped. Jezzie laughed, took her hand a shook it.

"So you're Henry's girlfriend?" Jezzie asked, nonchlantly

"No!" Henry yelped, before Maggie couold intervine. She had 'that look' on her face. The look that suggested she was planning something all too unpleasant.

"Ah, I see." Jezzie mumbled, shaking her head "You're the same as ever Henry." Henry glared down at her, playfully.

"Same to you, Jez." he shot back. Jezzie nudged him.

"Wil jy nog steeds Afrikaans praat?" Jezzie asked

"Natuurlik! " Henry laughed. Jezzie's grin widend.

"You speak Afrikaans?" Maggie asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Absolutley." Jezzie answered "I lived in South Africa with Henry for about a year. Then we went to Aur=stralia, my home counrty. Remember that Henry?"

"Yes." Henry replied, laughing "How could I forget being chased in the African planes by a lion?"

"A lion?" Jasper repeated, bluntly. Henry nodded. Before Jasper could make some sarcastic remark about how you couldn't expect anything else from Henry Griffin an eart shattering boom shook the school.

"What the h-" Jezzie began.

"Jezzie, move!" Henry yelled. Jezzie looked up and tried to move, but not before a huge black shape dropped on her.