Chapter 01
On Monday morning, Paula Rogers was pleased that the effort to get Norville out of bed and ready for school was not the tragic saga it had tended to be back in Plainsville. It had taken just three knocks on the door and she had actually heard the shower start in the hallway.
Suggie, as always, was already at the table and bubbling over with excitement at the prospect of a new school. "Seventh grade is middle school here, so I'll be a middle schooler. That's almost high school!"
Paula smiled. "That's right dear. And 'almost high school' means 'almost adult' which means that we are going to act like an adult. Right?"
At twelve years old, Suggie had already developed the teen-age snark for which girls her age were famous. "Of course, Mo-o-o-othe-e-e-er." She was growing up fast.
"Good morning, ladies." Uncle Edward came strolling through the kitchen wearing a white linen suit with a brightly-colored handkerchief carefully folded into the pocket. Edward was the most obvious closeted gay man in town and seemed to embrace every stereotype available. His sense of taste and style were impeccable and his home was usually immaculate when it wasn't housing his niece's husband, his great-niece, his great-nephew, and the huge beast of a dog. Right now, it looked like a tornado hit it.
Uncle Edward took the bad with the good. "It is so good to hear human voices around this dusty old place."
Paula smiled her widest smile which seemed forced at the best of times. "And we are so grateful for your help, Uncle Edward. Colton's already gone into work."
"Colton does work hard. I just wish he enjoyed himself more."
Paula's smile faded. "He was born and raised a farmer during hard times. He never developed much of a joie-de-vivre."
"So, I've noticed. Maybe becoming a lazy city-dweller will allow him to have some fun. Speaking of being lazy, I had better head into the factory myself lest your husband start making such claims of me."
Colton already had but Paula would keep that to herself.
Up in Shaggy's room, Shaggy and Scooby were going over the changes in their routine. "Scoob, Crystal Cove is a lot bigger than Plainsville and I won't be riding my bicycle to school."
"Roo ron't?"
"No, I'll be taking the bus. Instead of walking with me to school, you'll be walking with me down to the bus stop and then you come home and wait until 3:00 and come back to the bus stop for when I get back."
"R'I'll ree arone all day?"
"Yes, just like last year."
"Rye thought rat was over."
"No, that was just summer."
"Rwhat's rummer?"
"It's the three months a year that we don't have to go to school."
"Onry rhee months? Rat rux."
"Yes, it does but that is how the 'man' makes it go. We sheep just follow blindly."
Suggie's middle school was within bike-riding distance, so she had already left when Shaggy and Scooby walked through the kitchen, grabbed his packed lunch, and headed out of the door.
Scooby looked up as they walked. "Are roo going to smoke the stinky stuff?"
"Maybe just one quick bowl to get myself in the mood for a new school."
"Raybe roo shouldn't go to a new school smelling rike the stinky stuff."
"Not everybody has your sniffer, big fella. No one will know."
"Reep relling yourself that."
They ducked into a small copse of trees and Shaggy lit up and took several deep hits. The anxiety drained out of his shoulders and he wanted to lay down and take a nap.
Scooby jostled him with his nose. "Ron't roe to sreep. Rou'll riss your bus."
"Okay, but can I have a nibble or two out of my lunch? I have the munchies." He proceeded to eat it all in rapid-fire order.
The bus arrived a couple of minutes after they arrived at the bus stop and Shaggy looked down at Scooby Doo. "See you back here a little after three."
As they had discussed many times, Scooby didn't answer in public. He just stood and looked like a dog.
Shaggy climbed aboard and the bus was about two-thirds empty but he smelled something coming from the back and made his way there to find four guys sharing a weed vape pen. He was in the right place.
xXx
"Daphne!" Sarah Handler was the closest thing that Daphne had had to a friend at Central Middle School. The Handlers were wealthy by Crystal Cove standards but weren't Danforth-wealthy and certainly not on par with the Blakes. But she made an adequate number two in Daphne's cohort.
"Sarah!" They did the half-embrace followed by air kisses that was the official greeting of the rich. "I've missed you so much! I had to spend the summer at camps with those Danforth people but my real friends are here. Have you seen the rest of the group? Melissa and April?"
"We hung out together all summer. It, totally, was not the same without you. We all have homeroom together."
"That is so wonderful! This is so much bigger than middle school!"
"Two middle schools and only one high school. I guess its twice as big and lots of new people to teach who they are messing with."
"Exactly !"
Sarah took Daphne's hand and they looked for their lockers before homeroom started.
xXx
Fred was leaning against his locker with Tony Parsons. Tony had been the quarterback for Central Middle School while Fred was quarterback for Eastern. Central was the rich kids' middle school and had always had the best equipment, the best facilities, and the best players. Players who lived in areas zoned for Eastern would petition for their kids to go to Central. If they were good enough at football, the petition would be granted.
Fred hadn't known Tony well in middle school but the football team had already had spring practice and three weeks of pre-season practice. He would consider Tony a friend but, since they were now competing for a roster spot on the Coolsville High team, it wouldn't bother him if Tony broke an ankle.
Tony wanted to talk about learning the playbook. That is not what Fred wanted to talk about.
"Who is that redhead? She is seriously hot." He gestured toward two girls standing in the middle of the main entry corridor of the school (called 'The Mall'). One was a heavy-set blonde who was dressed to the nines, with an expensive hairstyle, and perfect make-up—but you could only put so much lipstick on a pig. Fred dismissed her. The other was a knock-out.
Tony was stunned. "You don't know who that is?"
"If I had ever met her, I wouldn't have forgotten."
"She's one of the Blakes."
"Really, I don't think I've ever seen one up close before. If she's rich, that means she went to Central, right?"
"Yeah. She was there."
"Maybe you could introduce me?"
"You? And Daphne Blake? She is out of your league by about a hundred tax brackets."
"But you knew her, right?"
"I only went to Central because I can play football. I was not in her social circles."
Fred actually leered. "Well, I'd like to get into her.