• Chapter Two


    The halls were not filled to the brim with all the freshman standing in the middle while everyone else pushes through them, but kids were in single file lines, not talking or sharing ideas about what color to dye their hair next. I was like that one movie… Children of the Corn…with all those zombie like people…wait a second…I don’t think that’s the right movie. Anyways, it was dead quiet and no one looked at each other. I was just too darn creepy!
    Chemistry was on the second floor, near a huge set of circular windows. The door, like all the other doors it seems, was out of a comic: Star Trek sliding doors (totally retro). It actually slid to the side when Trent said his name! He also said my name, so it beeped at me and let me in. I just gaped as I entered the room.

    The lab tables were solid granite with a glass tabletop. The chairs looked rather uncomfortable but seemed adjustable because someone was pulling a lever up and down and moving up and down. There were giant microscopes, about a foot and a half taller than any I’d ever seen. All the tables seemed to have large sinks with two faucets. There were also cabinets on the bottom half of the tables.

    There must have been only sixteen people in the enormous room. The teacher, a gray haired man with a slight build, was sitting at a rather large desk that was neatly organized. The other students seemed to be put in little study groups, about 3 people at each table. Trent tried to scoot me into a seat but I was slow in getting there. I wanted to watch instead of sit but I finally realized people were staring.

    “Class, it is time to start. Please remember that the button on your left brings up the set, not the right button. Look to your right on the computer screen for your instructions,” said the teacher in a slow and slightly drawn out voice.

    Trent pushed the button and suddenly an entire chemistry set popped up on the table. Freaking amazing, I thought, just too freaking amazing. I looked on in wonder as Trent pushed another button and a computer screen popped including instructions on how to distill water. It was pretty spiffy but rather useless because it was rather idiotic to read about what you already know. Trent pointed at a drawer, so I pulled on it an out popped a wardrobe! I have got to get one of these I said to myself. Three white, fresh-out-of-the-dryer smelling lab coats hung neatly on hangers. I figured I needed one so I took one that looked like it’d never been used out and suddenly a red light started flashing and a screeching siren went off. What’d I do now? I wondered silently. Trent pulled me down and tried to hide me.

    “What was that for?” I whispered, trying to look up but Trent’s arm was crushing my head down towards the floor.

    “Just be quiet!” He whisper-screamed at me. He looked from side to side and slowly got up. “I think the coast is clear,” he said in a weird, strained voice.

    I look up and guess what I see? You got it, Public Enemy Number One, the nerd squad. They glared down at me and one motioned me to stand. I just sat there wondering why this was happening to me, after all the preparation I had done with my outfit this morning. Suddenly, one of the girls grabbed my arm and gently tugged at it, signaling me to get up. I figured, what the heck, might as well, so I slowly got up, never taking my eyes off the nerdy guy staring at me.

    “State your name and ID code,” said the nerdy guy in a nasal voice that reminded me of some guy I knew when I did a brief stint in the school band.

    “Mia Fitzgerald, no ID,” said Trent nervously, which scared me because this kid was cool as a cucumber earlier and now looks as if he is going to cry.

    “No ID? How did she manage to get in the building then?” said the same guy, who, I just noticed, had really white hair, about 17 with a pointy nose, like an older version of Pinocchio.

    “Um, let me think…oh yea! I walked through the front door maybe?” I said sarcastically. I was really annoyed with Pinocchio boy and his yellow and purple plaid tie. What I actually wanted to scream was, What are you in, the Ice Age? Purple and yellow clash! Some with your acne and greasy hair should understand that! Now, I know what your thinking. Man this girl is stupid, who does she think she is, and who critiques someone’s outfit when there are sort being interrogated? Answers: no, I intro’ed myself at the beginning so I think I know and you know who I am, and I do obviously so live with it. It’s my story not yours.

    Now back to the story. While Pinocchio boy was talking (more like barking) at Trent for my talking back, I surveyed the group in front of me. None of the girls were ugly, nor were any of the guys except Pinocchio. One girl looked like a model, which confused me because usually models don’t hang out with mean, over powering Pinocchios. Maybe this school is messed up. Nope, it is definitely messed up. Whatever, I’m off topic again and Pinocchio is staring at me again.

    “Um, hello. My name is Mia Fitzgerald and you are…?” I asked, faking the fact I was happy to talk to Pinocchio.

    “Yes, we now know who you are, as Reamer One just said. But about your ID code… well let’s just say you will have to come with me to the office and get one,” Pinocchio said. Except I stopped listening when I heard him call Trent Reamer One. I wanted to laugh so hard because Reamer One was cowering behind his desk like a rabbit watching for predators. Then I snapped back to attention as Pinocchio pulled me away from the group and out the door. Boy oh boy, I don’t think I am going to get brownies on this trip…

    We walked through the hallways (which were still creepy quiet with a touch of whining generators) and down the stairs. Pinocchio led me to a little room and told me to sit down. So I sat. And waited. And waited. And waited. I think I waited about two hours before he came back and took the chair in front of me. He had a file in his hand.

    “Mia Fitzgerald, 17, went to Tuskuson High School, lived in 13 different states, still has contact with first boyfriend, ex-cheerleader, considered by her sophmore class as most likely to forget what day graduation was.” He just kept reading on and on and on, evidently trying to get me to deny any of it but it was true so why would I?

    “ID assignment in progression. Now, Mia, talk to me about something,” he said in a calm voice.

    “How about we talk about why I am here and whether the justice system actually allows people under the age of 18 to interrogate those of the same of lesser age?” I said.

    He just stared at me, as though I was a bug. Then he started to grin and brought his hands up to his face and… pulled! The ugly mask and acne came off and there was a normal kid under it. He just kept laughing though, which thoroughly confused me.

    “You’re not half bad for a preppy,” he said as he started to cry from all the laughter.

    “What did I miss here?” I asked.

    “Well,” he said as he started to calm down,” Let’s start with who I am. I am Ethan Youngblood, Trent’s older brother by three minutes. I am the head hacker on ACTION ONE and I think you’re cute.”

    I just stared. What was going on? I think I must still be missing something.

    “You still seem to be confused but that will go in time. Sorry for the big show. Trent had to pretend to be scared because the other’s think he fears me. But honestly, he’s my brother, why the heck would he fear me? I did bring you down here for IDing but I think I will skip that for now. Although I will have to explain more on how this school works, I’m sure Trent filled you in. School is run by nerds. They rule this entire town too. I managed to become one of them after I made an awesome science experiment burn down an entire woodpile in four seconds flat. So here I am. Wanna go out some time?”

    “So the school is… wait, what? You’re asking me out? But you’re a… um…nerd. And according to your brother…wow, your brothers?... according to him you can’t ask me out,” I said, very confused that this kid who was actually pretty cute was asking me out after he dragged me from a room and made me sit by myself for two whole hours.

    “Well, nerds make the rules, and I am a nerd so… I think I can change the rules too, “ he whispered as he looked at me, as if trying to decide whether to laugh or be polite and just sit there.

    Suddenly, a bell rang and Ethan got up and checked the door.

    “ On to your next class then,” he said with a smile.