THAT SAME NIGHT AT JEN'S DINER, Jared is sitting beside me at the diner counter, grinning at me, wolfishly.

"What do you want, Jared?" I asked, not in a mood for any of his Jared-ness.

"Nothing much." Jared replied, and Jen gently sets down a soda pop on the diner counter in front of him and she walks away from him. "Getting a soda pop."

"What do you want?" I asked.

"You asked me like I'm gonna tell you, Angie. You should be more worried about Amy Tooney." Jared said.

"I know about you and gang group The Reptiles." I said to him.

Jared smirks, slyly, taking a swig of his soda pop. "Like I said, you should be worrying about Amy Tooney than me."

Jared and I exchange annoyed looks at each other and he gets up, walking away with his soda pop.

᯽᯽᯽

SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

THE NEXT MORNING, in the school hallway, I walks up to Jed and gently leans sideways on a locker.

"Hi, Jed." I said.

"Hey, Angie. What's up?" Jed said to me, with his opened locker.

"Robyn and I have been best friends for a long while, so, if you hurt her, I will come after you." I said to Jed with a straight face.

"Relax, Angie. I get it." Jed said, gently closing his locker. "You're the protective bestie and you will kick my ass if I hurt Robyn, but I really like her, I really do. By the way, have you met the new assistant principal?"

"Who's that?" I asked him.

"A lady named Fernkensi Periwinkle. She sound pretty cool." Jed said, closing his locker. "I'll see you around, Angie."

"You too, Jed." I said.

Jed walks away. And I gently leans backwards on a locker.

"Miss. Saunders?" Miss. Periwinkle said, slowly approaching me.

"You must be Miss. Periwinkle." I said to her.

"You can spare me the nice chitchat. Why aren't you in class?" Miss. Periwinkle asked me.

"I'm a homeschooled high school student here at Somerville High." I said to Miss. Periwinkles.

"And you should be doing your homeschooling at your home, not here at Somerville High." Miss. Periwinkle said to me.

"I come here to Somerville High to spend time and hangout with my best friends." I said to her.

"Somerville High isn't a hangout place, Miss. Saunders. It's a educational place. So, I suggest you go home and proceed with your homeschooling." Miss. Periwinkle said.

Miss. Periwinkle and I exchange looks at each other.

"Yes, ma'am." I said, and walks away from her.

I glance at Miss. Periwinkle and she walks back into her assistant principal's office. And I turn around and walks into the student lounge.

"Miss. Periwinkle is a bitch." I said, sitting down on the three seat sofa.

"Yeah. I know. I was tying up my shoes when the bell ringed. And Miss. Lane had given me a tardy for being late to her Art class. Miss. Periwinkle said so." Jed said.

"Miss. Saunders?" Miss. Periwinkle said in the student lounge doorway. I look at her. "You're homeschooled, and so, you should be doing your homeschooling at home. If I see you here at Somerville High again, I will suspend you."

I look at Miss. Periwinkle, crazily, and gets up to my feet. "Are you kidding me?" And I'm about to tell her off.

But Ziandra gets up to her feet and slowly walks up beside me. "She's with me, Miss. Periwinkle. I'm sort of failing Science, and Angie's my study buddy."

"Very well." Miss. Periwinkle said, and walks away.

Ziandra and I exchange looks at each other.

"Thanks." I said.

"You're welcome, Angie S." Ziandra said. "Besides, I stopped you from telling off Miss. Periwinkle."

Ziandra and I exchange small smiles at each other.

᯽᯽᯽

MINXES SPEAKEASY LOUNGE

[Song: I Like You - Club Yoko]

That evening, the Saunders Gang and I are dressed up in our suits and dresses for my best friend's, Sharron Marvell's, speakeasy lounge.

The main room is dimly lit with a speakeasy vibe to it. The round tables are decorated with lava lamps atop of them.

A small stage has a microphone stand on it with overhead lights.

Rowan, dressed up in a suit, without a tie, and I, slowly walks down the four steps and into the dimly lit main room. Linked arms. And I'm wearing my hair in a half up, half down hairstyle.

"Sharron outdid herself with her speakeasy lounge." Rowan said, glancing around at the dimly lit itself.

"Yeah. She really did." I said, as Rowan and I slowly walks over to a decorated round table and sits down in a crimson chair.

"So, what's your scheme? Or I be worried?" Rowan asked me, concerned.

"If I tell you, you'll talk me out of it, Rowdy." I said to him.

"Nope, I'll go along with your scheme." Rowan said to me. "So, what is it? Or am I gonna have to guess?"

Rowan and I exchange small playful smiles at each other.

"I'll give you a hint, I'm awaiting for the opportunity to do so." I said.

Rowan and I exchange small smiles at each other.

[Song ends]

after-awhile . . . .

Rowan and I, along with Pedro and Ziandra, are at a the stage railing, looking at my best friend, Robyn, performs a solo song entitled "She'll Be Lovely". And I have my hand on my hip, smiling at my best friend.

After Robyn finishes her solo song, everyone applauds. Me and Yvonne walks up to her on the stage and one-arm hugs her.

"Nice song, Robyn." I said with a smile.

"Thanks, guys." Robyn said with a smile.

᯽᯽᯽

TAVERN BODGE LOCAL BAR AND LOUNGE CLUBHOUSE

That night, Rowan and I slowly walks into the dimly lit main room. He and I looks at Amy Tooney.

"Amy." I said.

"Hope you had your fun at best friend-older sister-like figure, Sharron Marvell's, speakeasy lounge." Amy Tooney said in her English accent, sitting in a sofa chair.

Rowan and I looks at Amy Tooney and she smirks, mischievously naughtily.

any Comment (s) ? any Vote (s) ?