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Rukhsar Shafi

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Chapter 2 - Look Who's Back

Next day morning, Jen got ready for school. She wore a casual black top with frayed skinny jeans and buckle flats. She called Shay up to pick her up from her house that stood at the corner of Friar Street. Elise was cooking breakfast for everyone in the kitchen. She seemed delighted with her brand new dining table as her wedding gift from one of Peter’s colleagues. Lacey sat at the table next to Noel, in her new school uniform. Noel was almost finished with college and had planned to join the Art department in Beaumont Galleria. A loud roar was heard outside the house, a 2007 red Honda Accord had parked right outside their gate. The car door opened and the stereo was bursting Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest. “Jenny! Darling, will you come fast? We are getting late, we have to pick Grace too.” Marie DePaul, Shay’s mother, shouted towards the house. “Mom, I am getting late for school. I am skipping breakfast,” Jen said. “When did you come home?” Elise asked. “I thought you were staying over at Grace’s.” “I came home early in the morning to grab my books for school. Anyways I am going. Bye.” Jen said. She kissed her sister on the cheek. “Bye Lace,” Jen said as she rushed towards the door. “Ahem! I think you are forgetting something!” Elise said as she eyed Peter, who was discussing something with Noel. Jen stopped in her tracks. “Ah! I don’t think so, Mom!” She said. “You forgot to say goodbye to Noel and Peter,” Lacey replied. “Goodbye, Peter and Noel,” Jen said sarcastically. “She doesn’t like me very much, does she?” Peter whispered to Elise. “That’s nonsense. Everyone likes you. She just needs some time. When she will get to know you she will love you very much.” Elise replied. Peter smiled and got back to his breakfast. Marie stood outside the gate screaming at her children. Shay DePaul, the cheerleading captain of Beaumont High School was fighting with her twin brother, Weston a.k.a Wes. He had a square-cut face with short brown hair and delicate blue eyes which caught every girl's eye. He was also part of the school football team playing the position of the running back. Marie noticed Jen walking towards the car. “There you are! We have forty-five minutes to get to the school. On the way, we have to make a pit-stop at Grace’s and the Laundromat.” Mrs. DePaul said turning towards the car. “Wes! Will you quit fighting with Shay and come sit in the front seat. Jen, you can sit with Shay at the back.” ;3 “Thank you, Mrs. DePaul,” Jen said as she opened the door. “Hey, Shay. Good morning.” She chirped. Shay grumbled ‘morning’ and leaned back in her seat. Jen frowned. “Is everything okay? How’s your practice going on for the homecoming?” Jen asked slowly as she noticed Shay’s uniform hung by the window. Shay sighed heavily. “It’s going alright. Except for a little blip. Ashleigh sprained her foot. Apparently, she fell off the bed. Seriously who would believe that? But we found someone to replace her for the time being. We are almost done, actually. Hopefully, Leigh heals in time. She’s one of the good flyers.” She replied. Turning towards Jen, she continued. “We are going to practice only after school now. Don’t want to tire the girls. You can have the gym to set up for the homecoming dance. By the way, Jen. What is the theme this time?” “I haven’t decided yet. I have to first meet the whole student body council, then we could make a decision.” Jen said as she heard Marie and Wes arguing over which station to put on. It seemed that he had won because the song The Sky Full of Stars by Coldplay blared out of the radio. “What about you, Wes? How’s your practice going on for the Homecoming Game?” Wes growled as he sunk down into his seat. “Please, don’t remind me! Coach Vaughn has been drilling us hard. No pun intended.” He smirked and received a smack on his arm by his mother. “Ow!” He mocked glared at her. Turning back to the girls in the back seat, he continued. “As I was saying. Vaughn is turning into a bridezilla, or in this case, game-Zilla! He has driven us all crazy with his training. I can’t feel my face or body anymore.” He dropped his head in fake sorrow. The car stopped outside The Reynolds Villa. Grace stood in front of her front porch, fiddling with the pink streaks in her blond hair. The Reynolds’s were one of Beaumont Valley’s founding families. They have been there for over five centuries. Grace opened the back door and sat next to Jen. “Hey, Shay! How are you?” Grace asked. “I’m good!” Shay replied frowning at Grace’s chirpiness. “Good! So am I.” Grace said showing off her twinkling white teeth. Just then Wes turned around and grinned toothily. “There’s my favorite girl! Now my day has suddenly turned good. Don’t you look pretty today, Grace?” He said teasingly. Grace blushed furiously as she stared down at her outfit. She wore a white Abbey Dawn t-shirt that had Rock Punk Glam printed on it, with dark wash jeans. “Thank you.” She replied shyly. “Stop flirting with my best friend, moron!” Shay screamed. “Hey, hey! No harm was done here. I’m just stating a fact.” Wes counter-backed. “The only fact here will be my fist in your face.” Shay threatened her brother. Wes rolled his eyes. “Sure, like that will happen.” He laughed. Shay slapped the back of his head. His eyes grew big in shock. “Oh no, you didn’t!” He leaped over the seat to hit Shay when Marie pulled Wes’s shirt and pulled him back down on the seat. “Sit down Weston! I swear you guys will make sure I crash into something. We are here anyway!” Marie screamed. “Can’t wait for you to go. Now get out!” They had reached the school less than forty-five minutes because Marie forgot to pick up her laundry. Beaumont High School was an old, stone building that stood on the corner of Sauvie Street. Moss covered the south wall of the building while the west façade looked a bit corroded. It was built in the remembrance of Adora Kingsley. After the school had caught fire three decades ago, half of the school structure burned down. So they demolished the school and built the new school over the ruins of the old one. The three girls and Wes jumped out of the car. They told Marie their goodbyes as the DePaul twins took their uniforms out of the car. As they started to walk towards the gates of the school, a Blue-green Mercedes Convertible came throttling in front of them. A girl with jet black hair and ice blue eyes emerged from it. She wore a red-blue-green mixed tiered mini-dress with cotton black leggings. Two girls stood in front of the school gates screaming in excitement. “Mara!” Shay leaned towards Jen and whispered, “When did she get back in town?” “I thought she had left town, staying at her aunts in another continent!” Grace said. “I have no idea. We’ll get to know once we get inside.” Shay said. “By the way where is Wes?” The three girls turned to find Wes chatting happily with his team. Jen noticed Grace staring at him dreamily. She chuckled as she dragged Grace towards the school. “Grace, why don’t you just ask him out?” Jen nudged Grace. She shook her head, fervently. “No way! Shay will kill me and then him, or maybe him first then me. In either way, we are going to die!” She threw her hands in the air, dramatically. Jen burst out laughing, making Shay a little suspicious. Jen urgently cast a poker face. “What’s funny?” Shay asked. Jen turned towards Grace, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. Chuckling slowly, she shook her head. “Nothing. Just remembered something Lacey told me this morning.” Shay nodded her head, slowly and nudged her head towards Grace. “What’s wrong with her? Grace you okay?” Grace nodded her head furiously. “All good!” She signed a thumbs-up to Shay.

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