Chapter Fourty-four:
It is the Sunday before school starts back again. Everyone is at the Lee's residence to see AJ off to Impertinent High School.
"Do you have everything, sweetie?" Mrs. Lee inquires as she tries to hold her tears in.
"Mom, don't start or else I am going to start." She waves her hand in front of her face.
"You two stop I can't two girls upset." Mr. Lee tries to be stronger for them.
"Oh dad." AJ hugs him.
"You are going to do great I know it." He kisses her head. He can't believe his baby girl is heading away from them.
"Thanks."
"Hey sweetie." Stacey approaches to say her goodbyes for now.
"Hey." She moves out of her father's embrace.
"You don't forget about me, right? I am always going to be your bestie." She wants clarification to dismiss her doubts.
"Of course, you take care of yourself here. Keep Randy in check. Don't let him eat all the cupcakes I bought for him." She whispers to her.
"I heard that I will find them." Randy calls out.
AJ just rolls her eyes. "You will that is why it is in different spots." She calls back.
"You know me too well." He smiles.
"Call me so we can gush over the cute boys there." Stacey teases.
"No cute boys because I am the cutest." Randy again interrupts.
"Why are you listening to our conversation?" AJ scowls.
"I am not." He defends.
"Right, for that you don't get a cupcake." Stacey scowls him like a child. He just sticks out his tongue. "You be safe and don't let them suck you in to be robots." She hugs her.
"I won't."
Stacey moves to the living room to have Randy say his goodbyes. He gives her a big grin.
"Don't start I don't want to cry." He warns.
"Come here." Randy extends his arms.
"You will excel there. They will have you teach classes than attend them in no time." He boosts her confidence like she does to him.
"You keep your anger in check, right? Don't let anyone get you riled up. You remember what the doctor taught you." AJ concerns that she won't be here to calm him down.
"Yes mother I will." He jokes.
AJ giggles a bit. "The cupcakes are hidden around the house. Please eat one a day. I bought them while I will be gone." She hopes he will listen.
"Will you get off my back and focus if I do?"
"Yes."
"For you I will, one cupcake a day." He agrees fingers crossed behind his back.
"You swear on Mr. Bear-"
"Okay, okay." Randy interrupts. "If you ever get lonely or homesick you call, text, or look through the scrapbook." He states going to certainly miss picking up his best friend every day.
"Team Siblings." AJ smiles once again trying to contain her tears.
"Team Siblings." Randy kisses her forehead.
"Okay, my turn." John ruins their moment.
"Sorry no time for you." Randy blocks his way.
"Randy." AJ laughs.
He looks to John and then back at her. "Fine, I will be watching you."
"Damn your bodyguard is very protective." John teases.
"He is my honourary brother." She proudly states.
"Oh that is why he is protective." John sarcastically figures out.
"Yup, he is not fully protective without my other honourary brother." AJ hints.
"Who is that?" John chuckles pretending it is not him.
"You." She reveals.
"Aww thanks." He is touched by her statement.
"John."
"I am kidding you will do great you always do." He hugs her tight.
"I will?" She asks.
"Yes, don't doubt yourself you are stronger than you perceive to be. Now-" He gets serious. "I don't want you to exploit Sarah to your tricks like you do with Stacey." AJ smirks. "I mean it AJ I better have her like she is now." He warns not able to handle three AJ's.
"I will try." She doubtful accepts.
"I bet you will." He accepts the breakable word.
"I will if you be more careful at school. You watch your surroundings so I don't have to come back to have you in trouble." She proposes.
John ponders a bit for suspense. "I will."
"Good." She smiles.
Randy's parents give her a big hug packing an apple for her like before. They will miss having to cook breakfast for her just in case she can't.
"I will miss you two." AJ hugs them.
"As well as us too."
"Be smarter so we can continue our conversation." Randy's father includes.
"You go tackle this." Mr. Cena supports. "Set your mind and everything else will follow." He advises.
"Thank you, Mr. Cena."
"Don't forget about us. You always have family here besides your parents." Mrs. Cena utters.
"Yes Mrs. Cena." AJ gets another hug from her feeling like her own daughter heading out of the state. Mr. Cena takes her away before she sobs.
The only person left beside AJ's parents is Jack.
"Sweetie, we will be outside to give you two some privacy." Her father informs her.
"Thank you."
"You two behave." Her father warns before the leave.
"So this is it." Jack holds her hands in his.
"Yup, I am attending another high school." She sighs can't believing this journey led her here.
"Any regrets?"
"No, I need this. This is something I need to do to further my oneself." She admits.
"You are going to be one perfect woman afterwards." Jack assures her.
"You think so." She blushes.
"I know so." He kisses her head.
"I want to give you something to remind you of me." AJ divulges.
"I have quite a lot of memories about you." He winks. "Some will keep me company when I miss you." He wiggles his eyebrows.
AJ blushes at this. "Stop, it is something else.
"What is it?"
"Come with me." She guides her to the bathroom.
"What are we doing in here?" He smiles excited for this present.
"It is your present." She locks the door. "Now, please sit down." Jack gratefully obliges.
"I want you to close your eyes." He obliges again. "Keep them close until I tell you to."
"Okay."
As Jack has his eyes close, AJ grabs his phone to record his present outside the bathroom. Having not heard anything for a while, Jack gets worried. He peeks an eye open to have AJ gone.
"Damn, I have been tricked." Jack states. As he stands, AJ returns.
"Someone doesn't follow instructions well." She playfully scorns.
"I thought… never mind." He sits back down.
"Here is your present." She gives back his phone.
"What-"
"Come." She guides him to the living room.
She sits him down with her on his lap. "Open your videos." She orders.
Jack does what she orders to have a new video; the thumbnail is quite enticing for him. "I hope it is nothing too private." He doesn't want anyone to accidentally watch the video.
"It is not."
Jack opens it to have her sitting down in her undergarments. He watches it which causes a huge smile on her face. At the end, Jack puts down his phone to kiss his girlfriend. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Next day:
Everyone arrives early say their final goodbyes to AJ before she attends class. They all give AJ a poster of the pictures they took at Christmas time. AJ tries not to cry at the sediment going to miss seeing them every day.
"You don't forget about us." Randy hugs her not wanting her to leave.
"You guys don't forget me." She sniffles.
"Never." John joins in. "I am going to miss someone to talk to in English class." He hugs them.
"It will give you more focus on your studies." AJ utters.
"Maybe." He shrugs with uncertainty having Mr. Silver has their teacher. "You say hi for Sarah for me." He requests.
"I will."
"Stay safe, bestie." Stacey hugs her while quite sad that she won't attend their school anymore.
"You too, watch out for Kourtney and her group."
"We will." Stacey agrees wiping her tears away.
"My beautiful AJ, you don't let the queen there push or flirt with you. If they hurt you, they will have to deal with me." Jack kisses her hands.
"They will avoid me if I do say that."
"Good, that was my intention."
"Hunny, we have to go or else you will be late for school." Mrs. Lee states.
"Yes mom." She leans into Jack's ear. "There is another video I made for you. It is locked with my full name, watch it please." She whispers.
"I will. Have fun." He kisses her deep and romantic like.
AJ is in class applying what Sarah encourage her to do. She didn't speak unless spoken to address the teacher by Monsieur, Madame, and Mademoiselle and to be prepared in every class. Although, she was a bit disappointed that the teacher didn't introduce her to the class.
"Okay class, read chapter four and five plus the assignments. They will be due tomorrow as well as your experiment on Coke." Her Science teacher announces a few minutes before classes ends.
The bell rings shortly afterwards. "Ms. April." Her teacher calls out before she leaves for her next class.
"Yes Madame." She utters.
"Here is the experiment for the Coke is due tomorrow. I expect it to be done tomorrow." AJ is speechless. "No special treatment here Ms. April."
"Yes Madame, it will be complete." She takes the sheet to place it in her binder.
"Welcome to Impertinent High School." She smiles before leaving.
AJ sighs knowing that this is tougher than Sarah present it to be. "Just stay calm AJ you can do this." AJ calms herself down before heading to her next class.
Lunch time at the school. AJ goes to the cafeteria to eat. When she arrives there, she witnesses quietness and everyone focus on their work. This is what AJ is afraid of everyone is so focus on their work that she won't make any friends here like in her other school.
"AJ." Sarah calls out.
Everyone looks at AJ with glare for the interruption. AJ just slowly turns around to see Sarah approach her. "Hi Sarah." She whispers.
Sarah titters. "Why are you whispering?"
"I feel like I am in a library, however you can eat here." She whispers again.
"AJ, you can talk normally here. This is one of the places you can talk about anything." She assures her.
"But-"
"Yes I know, are you hungry?" She notices her lunch bag in her hand.
"Yes, although I should start my homework that is due tomorrow." She puts her lunch away not very hungry anymore.
"You need to eat don't let the workload deprive you of food."
"Are you hungry?" AJ inquires to Sarah.
"I have already eaten."
"Where, I didn't see you here?" She inquires.
"I don't bother eating here it is too quiet and depressing. Lunch is supposed to clear your mind for afternoon distinguishes."
AJ giggles. "That is still funny to me. Anyways, where do you eat?" She isn't sure if the can eat any more.
Sarah ponders a bit. "It should be alright to show you."
They arrive at a wall near the Science lab.
"Are we ghosts? Are we going through the wall? Wait, you aren't a ghost, are you?" She half jokes.
"No." Sarah chuckles. "It is a secret room for a few people."
"Umm… I can just eat in the cafeteria." She doesn't want to intrude.
"It is okay AJ they kind of expect a new face to join." She comforts her doubt to join.
"Why is that?" She fears the worst.
"I kind of introduce the idea to them the day after our day of explaining the rules of this school."
"I see." This calms her down a bit, however still a bit on edge.
Sarah does a secret knock along with a fingertip analyze.
"Wow." AJ impressed by the security.
"We have to keep private." She answers her amazement.
"Sarah." Her friends greet.
"Hello everyone." She greets with AJ following afterwards. "Everyone this is AJ the girl I was talking about before."
"Welcome AJ." They acknowledge.
"Hello everyone." She greets sweetly.
"Oh don't be shy, we are all equals here." A male friend of Sarah relieves her doubt with a wink.
"She has a boyfriend." Sarah rolls her eyes.
"So, I can't be nice to her." He argues.
"Nice yes, flirting no." She lays down the boundaries.
"You kill the fun out of everything." He sticks out his tongue.
Sarah sticks out her tongue as they both laugh.
"Sarah, can you stop flirting with him?" Her female closes friend jealously utters.
"Come on just date him already." Sarah orders.
"No, he doesn't like me." She argues back.
"You know that is not true." The male friend includes.
"It is." He stands close to her. She gulps. "Stop." She pushes him away.
"You so want me." He smirks.
"What is going on?" AJ asks quietly.
"They have a flirty banter here, but don't want to admit." Sarah answers.
"I don't-"
"Their parents won't allow the aspect of dating in school, but they didn't say anything about flirting."
"How long have they been up to this?"
"A couple of years, they show me that love can wait if it is the right kind of love." She smiles.
"That is why you won't interfere in John's relationship?" She wonders.
"Yes, plus he won't look at me in that way." She utters with disappointment.
"You never know." She hints.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
AJ shrugs as she joins Sarah's friends. "No, what is that supposed to mean?" she is determine to convey an answer.
"You know about her affection towards John." The male friend curiously asks.
"I do."
The guy friend smiles. "No, you will not convince her to join you. I will not have you manipulate her to become a part of the club." She authorizes.
AJ laughs. "What."
"You sound like john. He ordered me to not manipulate you to be like me and Stacey; he can't handle three AJs." She explains.
"You mean she is the friend that… oh this is fantastic." The guy friend smirks.
"No, enough of this how was your classes so far?" Sarah changes the subject.
"What club?" AJ asks to Sarah's annoyance.
"The John Club; we try to convince Sarah to tell John her true feelings." The girl friend answers.
"Great, I would love to join." AJ accepts excitedly. "Oh, my day has turn for the better." AJ answers Sarah's question.
"AJ, is it true that-" The bell rings.
"Saved by the bell." Sarah acknowledge. "Come on AJ, let us head to class." Sarah tries to rush her out.
"What is your next class?" The girl friend curiously asks in hope to continue their conversation.
"Math, well, Algebra." She corrects.
"Oh no." Sarah thumps her forehead.
"We have that class as well. We will meet you there." They speak happily.
"Great, Sarah let's go." AJ quite excited to have friends in her class.
"You two behave." Sarah warns as her friends smile innocently.
"Come on you guys perk up." Stacey witness the boys moping. "We all miss AJ."
"I am just worried that she won't fit in." Randy utters.
"I am worried that she would like someone else." Jack sighs.
"I am worried that she will change Sarah; she is perfect the way she is." John hopes.
"You three don't think that she might find another best friend that I will be just a friend." They shrug. "I trust her to be faithful to us. Randy, she is tough she will handle being there plus Sarah is there. Speaking of Sarah, John you like her admit it to yourself and AJ will teach her tricks like me so just accept it. Now, for my brother, you need to have confidence that you are enough for AJ. She believes you are the one prove it yourself you are one. She warns me about this, however I never thought it would be this quick. I am going to call her tonight if anyone wants to join me." She requests as big smiles fill their faces. "I'll take takes as a yes."
"Thanks Stacey." They all appreciate together her encouragement.
"My sister is so great, isn't she?" He messes with her hair.
"Hey, stop." She pushes his hand away. "Randy." She calls for her boyfriend's support.
"Sorry."
"If you do the same tactics, you attempt on AJ, you will regret it." She warns.
"Remember we are quite the same." She double warns.
"You got that right except for the academic trait." Kourtney answers.
They all try to ignore not letting her have time to discourage them. "Oh, ignoring me now that won't work." They continue to talk amongst themselves. "Pay attention to me." She starts to get frustrated. "Fine, you force this." He grabs Randy to kiss him.
Randy immediately pushes her away to wipe his lips in disgust. "What do you want Kourtney?"
"Randy, Kourtney detention; there is no PDA in school." Mr. Henderson orders.
Kourtney cackles. "See you later in detention alone." She gives a flirty smile before leaving.
Everyone is in shock at what just transpired, especially Stacey. As they come out of their shock, Stacey's emotion turns to rage. Before she does anything, Randy picks her up as he waves bye to John and Jack.
"Are you calm?" Randy puts her back on the ground.
"Yes." She smiles devilishly.
"You are not." He sees straight through her façade. "I love you." He express.
"I know, but she shouldn't have done that." She huffs can't believing Kourtney kissed her man.
"There is a lot of actions she shouldn't do, but we just have to accept it as well as don't let it bother us."
"Now, when I am in detention, with her, all I am doing is sitting and waiting for the time to be done."
"We need to show her you are my man." She ponders on one. "I've got it, how much time do we have?"
"No, I am not having my first time with you at school." He figures out her plan rejecting it immediately.
"Why not?" She objects like a child.
"I respect your way too much to have it in a closet or behind the bleachers." He explains his reason of rejection.
"Fine, can you just look like we did?" She purposes.
"I certainly can." Randy kisses her head.
"Thank you." She hugs him. Deep down she fears that Randy might have to date her to leave them alone.
"She will not have any chance with me." He assures her. Her answer is to hug him tighter.