Mark Tiffy and his followers were strutting towards Zoe, April and Joan. Mark's gang didn't hate Zoe's, as a matter of fact most got along as though they were actually friends... when Mark and his copy- cat crew they weren't drunk; then they became real jerks.
"Hey Apes! Have you-" Mark began.
Mark and his friends were the school's biggest alcholics, they couldnt never manage to go through a single day without a drop.
Joan butted in before he could finish, as usual.
"Hey Mark! Have you ever tried walking like a straight man? You could take tips from your mother." Joan snapped.
Zoe was beginning to blush, Mark hadn't even drank any alchol today, he was just kidding around, April knew it, Zoe knew it and so did Joan, Zoe thought Joan just couldn't help herself and Zoe hated how many people were turning around to stare, which included Sarah whos face was rather smug. This irriated Zoe, why wouldn't she come and help her friends rather than looking like an idiot and hanging on to Jordan like a love sick puppy?
Not now, not now, not freaking now!
"Pathetic." April fake coughed quietly in Joan's ear, it was so low that even Zoe -who was right next to Joan- had trouble hearing the comment.
"I know," Joan sounded frustrated. "But did you see him strutting over here like he's all that?" she whispered back, moving her lips as little as possible.
Only most of the two gangs got on well... however, Joan detested Mark even more than she hated Paul... at least until Paul got tired of everyone never leaving him and April alone and dumped her, then Mark and Joan would proably end up the best of friends. Zoe and April grabbed Joan's arms and pulled her by Mark.
"What. The. Hell. Joan?!" April snapped as soon as Paul was out of range. "I said no fights this early!"
"You try having him give you a Powerpuff character name and we'll see how you take it, after thirteen years!" Joan snapped back.
"Right! It has been thirteen years! Get over it and show him it doesn't bother you anymore and he'll stop calling you that!"
"Fine!" Joan said through gritted teeth which Zoe thought might break into a million peices if she wasn't careful. "Next time, I'll ignore him. Happy?"
"Exceptionally." April answered.
After the warm welcome, Zoe, April and Joan went to the canteen to find the rest of their friends, who were of course, the loudest bunch in the canteen.
Joe Price, Thomas Hill, Haley Milton and Andrew Phillip were sitting at the usual table listening to the usual first thing gossip from the Haley.
"-right in front of everybody!" Haley was saying. "poor girl, she was heartbroken, though I have to admit, it was funny to see her hit him over the head with the branch but it made the most awfulest sound- Oh, hey, Zo', April, Joan."
All turned in their heads in the direction of the three girls and smiled in welcome.
"Hey, guys." Zoe, Joan and April said.
"Almost late again, eh Z'?" Andrew smirked.
"Yeah," Zoe said, seriously. "I can't ever seem to not get to school on time... ah well, maybe next day."
"Aw, Zoe, you look so nice!" Haley said in an envoius tone.
Joe laughed and squashed up his seat to make room for Zoe to sit.
"How are you?" She asked once she was seated.
He just shrugged and Zoe didn't say anything more to him, when he didn't answer he something was troubling him and he wouldn't talk about it.
"You really do look nice, Zo'." His voice was very low and dull.
"Thank you." She winked at him, determined to get him to smile at least once.
"And then Ginger got so drunk, honestly! I saw her stumbling babbling to a tree. I was really worried about her and went to see if she needed help and she told me she just was practising the arguement she was going to end up having with her Mum when she got home! I swear that girl is crazed!" Haley carried on.
Mark and his friends entred the lunch hall looking less then pleased.
"Mojo Jojo!" He yelled.
Joan gritted her teeth but set a false smile for him before turning to face him.
"S'up Tiffany?"
April slowly shook her head from side to side and Zoe knew she was thinking, ' So much for taking my advice and ignoring him.'
Zoe was trying to mentally warn Joan not to push him; his hands were balled up into tight fists and he had red blotches appearing across his face. He detested being called Tiffany as much as Joan hated being called Mojo Jojo, and yet, they still poked fun at each other.
"Joan, Mark," Zoe began sweetly. " Will you two please... just bloody stop it! Can't you go one bloody day without biting off each other's heads?" although her voice began falsely sweet, it finished in a low growl.
She glared at Joan and Mark which they returned.
"Zo' please, don't get involved." Haley begged.
Poor Haley, she hated violence ever since her brother went off to the army. Not that she loved violence before but she would join in a fight if it was her friends were in trouble, not now.
Zoe told Haley to shut up with her eyes. She obliged but reluctantly. Mark was facing Zoe with a look of concern which puzzled her.
"Mark," She ordered. "Just go away."
He stood there for a few moments, Zoe wondered if he was just staring into space and hadn't even heard her but then with an odd movement - a mix between a shrug and a nod- he stalked off and his friends followed with angry expressions sketched upon their faces. As soon as they left the cafeteria, Joan's mood suddenly turned sulky and didn't speak another word.
'I cannot wait for the day those two finally grow up.' April sent Zoe with a look and Zoe answered ' Dream on,' with her eyes.
After regestration, Zoe, April and Haley made their way to Music class which was all the way across the school and because of this, they were always late and Mrs Conner -their Monday and Thursday Music teacher- was becoming very angry with them.
Unfortunately, this time they walked in on her giving out instructions which made her even madder.
"Now, I want you all to go to your instru- ahh," Mrs Conner breathed as they entred. "And here we are, The Late Crew. Thought you were going to save us all the bother today and just not turn up. Explain yourselves!"
Even though they ran the whole way, they still didn't get to class on time. April was terrified of Mrs Conner, she said it was for many reasons but mostly it as because Mrs Conner looked freakishly alike Mr Conner but right now, they were more worried her head may explode.
"We- we had to come from the other end of the s-school Miss Con-" April began.
"Oh ho!" Mrs Conner barked. "This excuse again! Well, well, we'll just have to sort out this nonesence then won't we? Sit! And wait behind at the end of the class!"
Mrs Conner turned away from the class and began muttering to herself. A sure sign of madness, Zoe thought nastily. I don't know why she's teaching instead of being locked up... preferably in a straight jacket.
Just as Zoe was thinking this, Mrs Conner turned to glare at her and for some unfathomble reason, Zoe felt sure, that Mrs Conner knew what she was thinking.
"Right!" Mrs Conner shouted, her voice rougher than before which solidified Zoe's theory. " Singers, over to the piano. Keyboardists, go to your stations in Mrs Jack's room, Guitarists, collect your guitars, go into Mrs Fitts room. Everyone else, your equipment is in Mr Garthen's room, you will be with him today. Take your homework peices!"
"Homework peices?!" Zoe asked squeakily the others.
April gave her a sympathetic look. "Zoe, we've had since the first day of term to do this."
Zoe, April and Haley seperated, April went to collect her guitar and go into Mrs Fitts room, Haley went through to Mr Garthen's room and Zoe, went to the Singers group.
Crap, crap, crap, Zoe thought frantically. What am I going to do?
She ran around asking the group if they had a spare song they had written. No, of course they didn't.
"Right, I think we'll go backwards today." Mrs Conner mumbled. "So, Winters, to the Piano with you. The rest of you, out!"
Zoe heard several people mutter 'good luck' to her as they passed.
WHAT DO I DO?!
"Right Zoe, so where is your homework peice?" Mrs Conner asked in a horribly sweet voice.
"Erm... the thing is Mrs Conner..." Mrs Conner's face lit up, as though Christmas had come early. "I... memorised mine."
WHAT?! NO! TAKE IT BACK! TAKE IT BACK!
Mrs Conner looked fairly surprised but Zoe knew Mrs Conner was expecting her to fail this assignment already.
"Very well, when you are ready."
Mrs Conner began to tap her fingernails on her desk slowly which did not help Zoe think. She racked her brain for a song she knew well or just a string of words that she was sure she would be able to sing... THINK, THINK, THINK! Then it hit her, she took a deep breath and sang her heart out, singing the first words that popped into her head without any consideration as to whether the words made sense or what they were.
At the end of the session everyone was given their marks. Zoe was expecting a fat 'F' written beside her name.
Mrs Conner, Mrs Fitts, Mrs Jack and Mr Garthens had already made their way around most of the class. Mr Garthen leaned over to show Joan her mark and then Mrs Fitts showed April hers. They both looked exceptionally happy with their marks. As the teachers glided around the room delivering their pupils marks, the ones who had already recieved theirs were comparing the marks, April and Haley giving Zoe the thumbs up. Mrs Conner arrived at Zoe. She tilted her pad and Zoe could not believe what she was seeing. There was the letter 'B' next to her name. A huge smile spread across Zoe's face. And she tried to get the girls' attention to tell them her score. The bell rang.
"I got a B! I got a B!" She bellowed.
Without realising it, she hugged her friends.
"Yay!" The chorused.
April looked as shocked as Zoe felt but Haley was genuinely happy Zoe had passed.
"I connot believe it! I got an A!" Haley sang. " How did you get a B though? You had nothing prepared."
April let out a quick laugh but coughed to cover it up.
"Believe me," Zoe giggled. "I have no idea. I just sang the first words I could think of, I don't even know if they made any sense! Anyway, what did you get April?"
"I got a B." She said. "Now, what did you sing? Because she is going to want a copy, for your folio."
What did I sing? Zoe wondered.
"Oh no."
Mrs Conner stormed over and told them to sit down in her raspy voice.
"Now, I have had enough," She raged. "You three are always late and constantly disrupt my classes. You three may not care about your education but other children do! Now, I do not care if you are in China or Antartica , I want you over here, on time, every day. Do you hear me? Detention for a week and here is your punishment exercises, one hundred times each, good day. Zoe, stay behind I need to talk to you some more. You two leave, now!"
April and Haley had no choice, they left Zoe alone witht he Devil reincarnated.
"Zoe, that was a brilliant peice." Mrs Conner said.
This took Zoe by surprise, she was expecting another big lecture.
"Thank you, Miss." Her mind was unprepared for a compliment, even when she did do her homework and got a better grade, Mrs Conner had never given her a compliment before.
"What would have made it better," she continued in a disapproving tone. "Is if you had actually done it for homework, it would have been better prepared. Zoe, you have no idea just how magnificent your voice is. Mr Garthen heard you and he wouldn't believe me when I said it was you. Now, if you actually did do your homework-"
Lecture at ten o'clock.
"I'm so sorry Miss, it just completely went out of my head."
"That, is blaintantly obvious." Mrs Conner snarled. "I cannot believe I still have to tell you how good you are. Mr Garthen even complimented your voice, ' voice like a Siren's song.' was his exact words, i believe."
Zoe's jaw fell. That was the nicest thing anyone had ever said about her. Voice like a Siren's song. Then reality flooded back to her and she remembered why she was so afraid before.
" I... I guess you want me to write out the song?"
Mrs Conner nodded. Damn it.
"Well, Miss.. . you see... umm, the- the thing is... I can't remember any of the words... well, I'm pretty sure the word 'love' comes into it a few times." She sounded uncertain.
Mrs Conner grinned which shocked Zoe, she didn't know she could do anything other than scowl.
"I can remember it, your in the clear, this time. But Zoe, you're a bright girl. Don't let your grades fall. I'll write out the song and you can copy it. Come here tomorrow before classes start and if you don't finish it, come back at the break."
Thanking Mrs Conner, Zoe left much happier than when she came in, all she had to do now, was remember to go tomorrow.
Zoe caught up with the rest of her friends in the canteen and all the way she could think of nothing but Mr Garthen's compliment.
"Thank the Lord for free periods eh?" Andrew was saying. "Oh, hey Zo'. Did everything go okay with Mrs slash Mr Conner?"
Zoe smiled at him and nodded and he went back to finish his conversation, April gave Zoe a watery smile, she had been crying. Even though Zoe had known April her entire life, she still could not believe how easily she got upset. This made her think about all her friends and how much she loved them all. She was the odd ball.
April; she was so sweet and pure, her little red curls made her look as though she ought have a firey temper, but she was quite the opposite. She was so tiny too; four foot nine. Her green eyes were beautiful and so unbelievably green, sea green. April was the one who you would go to for advice. She was and always would be, Zoe's best friend.
Joan; she was the smart one always acheieved 'A's. She was unbelieveably tall. Her long black her always pulled back into a braid and her stylish glasses were always perfectly clean. Her brown eyes were so deep. She was always so calm and in control. She always tried to make people see the lighter side of something. She was the best friend you could have.
Sarah; she was very, quick to temper. Her short blonde hair always perfectly straight and she always wore the most expensive clothes she could get her hands on. She had rather strange eyes; a hint of brown, blue, violet and the teeniest bit of red around the edges. She was not the kind of girl you messed around with and they loved her for it.
Haley; she was amazing. She always knew how to calm people down; she knew the right things to do or say. She was very talented; she could play the guitar, keyboard, trumpet, and she was learning how to play the violin; she could speak several languages including; French, German, and Italian. She was part Italian and part German but she was born in Britian. She had a boyish hairstlye, her hair would have been a beautiful golden blanket, if she were to ever grow it.
Joe; he too had red hair but his was not as bright as April's. His eyes however were brown, like chocolate. He most defianetely had a temper; he could get upset over the simplest of things such as, you need to fix your hair. He was unbelieveably sweet though and a hopeless romantic. He is the best guy a girl could go out with, for one thing he was the only guy Zoe knew who could remember to call after the first date.
Andrew; he was very tall and lanky and dark skinned. He had a terrible acne problem and he was a book geek but they loved him all the same. He was the one who could get people to laugh whenever: watching scary movies, even during maths which is something that had almost proved impossible to do. His hair was very tidy, and his clothes were all second hand but this only made them love him more.
Thomas; he was the boy all single guys envied, he always had a girlfriend and has never been dumped in his whole dating life. He was a very nice guy, a great boyfriend, brought flowers, chocolates, necklaces, the kind of guy all parents loved... he went the whole nine yards and he was a loyal friend but he got bored easily. He always wore the same black leather boots and a matching leather jacket... he says it appeals more to woman because they think he's dangerous, which it does but it's more he was copying his older brother Davy, whom he has always thought of as a role model. He was a complete idiot but a great laugh and a very loyal friend to have.
And then there was Zoe; the only brunette in the group which they had teased her about for years. There was nothing exciting about her what so ever; long brown hair. Her blue eyes were not nearly as beautiful as they should have been. Average height. No special skills the others didn't have. Nothing special at all... but all her friends still loved her anyway, which was one thing she could not understand.
"Zoe... Earth to Zoe... ZO!" Everyone was saying.
Zoe snapped back into reality.
"Sorry... happy place."
They all laughed and Zoe sat down on the edge of the table and kept her back to her friends but to pretend to listen.
"Mr Hannigan tried to give me a weeks worth of detentions." Joe said.
"What for?" Joan asked.
Zoe, finally interested turned to face Joe.
"Because I didn't get a credit mark." He complained. "We've been here a month and he expects us to all automatically get credit marks. We haven't even finished the first topic yet!"
Mr Hannigan was the schools worst teacher; he never taught anything properly. He gave surprise tests and you were expected to pass or get punished. He gave out homework he convinced himself he'd already taught the topics for.
"What do you mean he 'tried'?" Sarah enquired.
Joe grinned.
"I told him I refuse to do any punishment he gives me and if he doesn't like it, he was to phone up my mother."
Everyone laughed. Joe's mother, Aurora, don't let the name fool you, was the only person Mr Hannigan feared. Joe didn't get his temper issues from his father. On one than more occassion has Aurora Price came down to this school and leaving looking thoroughly pleased with herself and Mr Hannigan, unnaturally pale.