CHAPTER TWENTY ONE!
( RIDGEWAY HIGH. )

   JOAN STEPPED THROUGH the painted doorway into the mess of public school. The masses of teenagers just talking in disorderly clusters perplexed her. Where was the staff? Just then a teacher stepped out of a doorway and made their way down the hall. No reprimanding. Not even shushing. Jo suddenly felt out of place in your plaid skirt and blazer, everyone else looked much more casual.

She awkwardly walked through the groups of people, trying not to draw too much attention to herself. That didn't work. It seemed like everyone found her fascinating, or at least strange. Jo pushed through as eyes followed her down the hallway.

"Hey! Joan!" A voice called out. Jo snapped her head around to see Chris Noel waving at her.

"Hi," she replied with a relieved smile to finally see someone she knew.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here? Knox told me you got expelled, but he never told me where you'd be going. Y'know, he's been trying to talk to you."

"Yeah, well I've sorta been grounded since then," Jo explained.

"Oh, that sucks. Well, I'm glad to see you," she smiled.

"And it's nice for me to see a familiar face. I don't know how I feel about this. I mean, on one hand it's liberating to be out of that godawful private school, but I also don't really fit in here. I mean, I don't really know the first thing about public school, or making friends," Jo said, surveying the students.

"What do you mean? You have plenty of friends."

"That doesn't mean I'm good at making them, sometimes friendships are just circumstantial," Jo countered.

"Oh, stop worrying so much. You'll be fine," Chris patted Jo's shoulder as she played with her sleeve. "Here, I'll give you a tip. Lose the blazer, and loosen up your hair," Chris nodded.

"Thanks, Chris," Jo smiled gratefully. "I'll see you later, I gotta go find my class."

"Alright, good luck." Chris returned to her large circle of friends with a beautiful grin on her face. Oh, to be Chris Noel.

Jo tugged off her blazer and stuffed it in her backpack. She ruffled your hair, but not too much, then continued walking. Where is Charlie? She kept scanning the faces of the people. She didn't recognize anyone. She sighed and decided to just look at the room numbers on the doors until she found her class. She glanced down at her watch to see that there was only nine minutes left until class started. Maybe he was already in class? Jo and Charlie never talked about their classes, so there was a chance he'd be in hers.

The entrance to Jo's left swung open to a group of a few guys. She tried to avoid them, just keeping her eyes trained on the space ahead of her. After all these years she still didn't like groups of teenage boys. Of course, there were exceptions. A small smile crept onto her face in memory of Todd and Neil, and Meeks, Pitts and Knox. Jo missed Violet. This would be so much more bearable if her soft smile and sparkly eyes were walking down this hallway with her.

"Joey?" She almost ignored it, but she recognized that voice. All too well. Amidst the group of guys, there was Charlie.

"You know her?" One of the guys asked. Charlie ignored him and ran up to Jo. His arms encircled her and he lifted her up to spin her around. "Joey!" he shouted, laughing. Jo grinned, suddenly not caring about all the eyes on them.

"Charlie!"

He pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss, but neither of them could stop smiling long enough for it to really last. He just settled for a tight hug, and Jo smiled into his neck.

"I don't know how many times I'm gonna tell you that I've missed you, but I don't think it'll ever be enough," he muttered, "And yes, I know it's only been a week, whatever. It was the longest week of my life."

"Me too. You have no idea," Jo mumbled. Once they pulled apart, Charlie grabbed her hand and started leading her down the hallway. He acted as if he'd been going to Ridgeway with Jo for years.

"What's your class?" Jo asked.

"I have science first," he groaned.

"Ah, I have Social," she sighed.

"How about second?"

"English."

"No way," he stopped and smiled widely. "Me too!"

"Great! Well, I'll look forward to that," Jo smiled.

❦

Second period rolled around and Jo spotted Charlie in the far back corner. He was mindlessly twirling his pencil in his hand while he stared out the window. She took the seat beside him, making communication much more convenient. His eyes lit up when they saw her. She took out her books, which were significantly thinner and flimsier than those at Welton.

"Nothing's gonna compare to Keating," Jo stated. The teacher looked like another bald shell of a human who hated high schoolers yet somehow ended up teaching them five days a week for his entire career.

"I know, but nothing's gonna compare to Nolan either," he chuckled.

"Yeah, at least their punishment here doesn't leave kids bruised. Or so I've heard," she added.

"I'd be willing to test those rumours at some point," Charlie smirked.

"Still desperately holding on to being the resident bad boy I see?"

"I told you Joey, It comes naturally to me," he grinned, kicking his feet up onto his desk and leaning back in his chair. Jo laughed and shook her head, leaning back in her chair.

"Hey, you! Feet off the desk!" the teacher called from the front of the classroom. In an instant Charlie pulled his feet off the desk and onto the ground.

"Yes, naturally," Jo nodded sarcastically.

"Hey! I can't get expelled again," he said defensively. Jo just shook your head with a smile as the class began. Throughout the period her and Charlie exchanged several glances of places where the teacher just completely fell short of Keating. It was a high standard to hold teachers to, they knew that better than anyone, but it just felt like such a stark contrast.

After the long lecture, the bell sounded and it was time to go home from school. The amount of homework was significantly less than Welton, which Jo was happy about. However, she had to go home now, which she was't as happy about.

She stepped outside with Charlie, sighing deeply. The wind whipped at her cheeks and the snow crunched beneath her feet.

"My dad's picking me up, we better not be seen," Jo frowned.

"Okay, good luck at home," he offered.

"You too," she laughed. As she turned towards him he pecked her cheek. She smiled softly and looked back around to search the parking lot for her father's crimson car. Instead of her father, she saw a brown bicycle with a boy wearing a uniform she'd seen many times before.

"Knox!" Jo shouted, waving frantically. "Charlie! It's Knox!" Charlie turned on his heel with a grin and started to chase Knox down the road. Jo laughed and followed before Knox halted and got off his bike.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Charlie asked.

"Alright, so here's the plan. On Friday we're all gonna go to the cave and hold a meeting in Neil's honour. Ten o'clock. Can you do it?" he asked breathlessly.

"Hell yeah, we can!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Well... I dunno, my father isn't an easy person to fool," Jo shrugged sadly.

"Well he hasn't met me yet," Charlie smirked.

"Yes he has," Jo laughed, "If anyone's sneaky here it's me, Mr. 'I-slipped-an-article-into-the-paper-demanding-girls-eat-lunch-with-guys-or-something'," Jo grinned and looked back at Knox, "I'll find a way."

"Perfect, see you guys there. I really really wish I could stay but you know how Welton is on a Monday," he groaned.

"Yeah, we-"

"Joan Lavy!" A loud honk of a horn followed. Jo snapped her head back to the parking lot to see her father's face in his car window.

"Damnit," she muttered. "See you guys."

"Hey, I'll miss you Joey," Charlie patted her shoulder.

"Me too!" Knox added, opening his arms for a hug.

"Joan! Come on!" her father shouted again.

"I'm really sorry, see you Friday, Knox. See you tomorrow Charlie."

AUTHOR'S NOTE.
❪ ⋆࿐໋ 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒑𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒎. ❫

This is a shorter chapter and the
third last! Two more to go. I hope
I've done their relationship justice,
feel free to comment constructive
criticism, especially as we get closer
to the end, which is arguably the
most important part of any story.