Chapter One *
A Day in the Life
‘Miley!’ yelled a voice from the other side of the school courtyard. Miley Stuart’s face broke into a grin as her best friend Jacqueline raced towards her and suffocated her in a huge hug.
‘Jacqui!’ she cried, returning the hug and then stepping back to inspect her friend. She noticed that there were new blue streaks running through Jacqueline’s black hair, and ice blue tipped the edges of the tiny pigtails sticking up off the top of her head. She playfully flicked one of them and commented,
‘Your head’s gone blue!’
‘Speak for yourself, Miley. I don’t remember those purple bits.’
Miley smiled. During the Christmas holidays she had gotten pale purple streaks through her sandy brown hair.
‘I told you I’d turn into a purple alien one day. I’m just doing it gradually.’ Miley looked thoughtful, ‘What do you reckon the chances are that Thiti will have dyed her hair?’
‘About 100%,’ said a voice from behind her, ‘I’ve already bet Yvon five dollars on it.’ It was Miley’s other best friend Tiphanie.
‘Oh my gosh, Tiph!’ yelled Miley, ‘Guess what! I saw the Jonas Brothers LIVE during the holidays! And I bought signed copies of their new CD!’
‘You are so lucky!’ gasped Tiphanie ‘I went and bought their CD, but signed? Oh my gosh, have you got it here? Oh my gosh, can I see it? Oh my gosh, can I touch it!?’
Jacqui whacked herself in the face and gave a fake eye roll, laughing, then left them to their Jonas Brothers worship and went to go greet some other friends. The warning bell rang fifteen minutes later and the three of them made their way to roll call, taking their usual seats in the corner next to the window. They were soon joined by their dark-haired friend Yvon, who plonked her bag on her chair and sat down on top of it.
‘Anything interesting happen over break?’ she asked.
‘Yes!’ gasped Miley. She took a deep breath.
‘Oh no…’ groaned Jacqui.
But before Miley could start raving on about JB again, Mithiti turned up at the table.
‘Hi guys!’ she said brightly. Mithiti was a pretty small, but extremely loud girl. She had been Jacqui’s first friend when she had started at the school (though she had started hanging out in a different group to them about half way through the year). She also hated her name, and made everyone call her Thite or Thiti.
‘Ok Yvon, give me that five dollars’ said Tiphanie, ‘She’s got copper highlights.’
‘Ha ha, you wish, Tiph.’ Yvon replied.
‘Oh my God, don’t you have anything better to do than place bets on whether I dye my hair or not?’
‘No.’ said Jacqui, ‘Aside from making jokes about you and Bradley, and you get annoyed whenever we do that.’ Bradley was Thiti’s boyfriend.
Thiti rolled her eyes. ‘Anywayz gotta be off. I’ve got to grab that seat next to Bridge before Micah does. ‘Cause he’ll never leave, and Bridgie won’t want him to!’ she laughed and hurried off to sit down next to Bridget, flashing a grin at Micah, who had just been about to sit down. ‘Sorry Mike, best friends come before boyfriends!’ she lilted and turned to start catching up with Bridget. Micah rolled his eyes and went off to sit next to his best friend Demitri.
‘Geez,’ said Demitri, ‘I thought you were going to abandon me for Bridget for the billionth time. I don’t want to have to sit next to Colin again.’
‘Oh thanks’ said Colin, a scrawny little boy with hair sticking up all over the back of his head, ‘Now I have nowhere to sit.’
‘What are you talking about? Prianka’s lap is free.’ Replied Demitri, grinning.
Miley laughed. Colin rolled his eyes. Prianka yelled ‘I heard that!’ across the classroom from Bridget’s table and pulled her chair right under the desk. Miley laughed again.
Jacqui nudged her in the arm. ‘You’re not listening to all of Demitri’s conversations again Miley?’ she whispered.
‘So what if I am? They’re very entertaining.’ Miley pulled the hair tie out of one of her long braids and began redoing it.
‘Of course they are, to you,’ laughed Jacqui, ‘Though, you do have a point…’ she smirked as Demitri suggested that Colin use Aeroplane Jelly to flatten the back of his hair. Jacqui turned on her Ipod.
Just as Revolution started blaring out of her big chunky headphones, a boy with dark hair trudged over to their table and sat down.
‘Oh hi Norman’ said Miley.
Jacqui looked around, ‘Where’s Rodney?’ she asked.
Tiphanie pointed to a group of three boys raging around the back of the room. ‘Bradley’s here’ she pointed out.
Bradley and Rodney were brothers, and Rodney was a year younger than Bradley. Both born early in the year, their parents decided to let them start school at the same time. Rodney was also Norman’s best friend.
‘He’s probably late again’ said Norman.
‘That’s no surprise. I guess you’ll have to talk to me then’ laughed Yvon.
Norman turned slightly pink at her words. Changing the subject, he picked up Jacqueline’s Ipod. ‘You’re not listening to the Beatles again?’
‘Oh gosh, Jacqui,’ sighed Miley, ‘you listen to that a billion times a day!’
Jacqui stuck her tongue out and took her Ipod back from Norman, who grinned. ‘You only listen to them because you’re obsessed with George Harrison’s eyebrows.’
‘No,’ said Jacqui, ‘I listen to them because they are awesome geniuses and the Beatles rock. Isn’t that right Demitri!?’ she called across the room.
‘Yeah! The Beatles are awesome!’ he yelled back.
‘Go the Beatles!’ called Miley and went red.
Tiphanie laughed and poked her in the arm.
‘Shut up’ said Miley.
‘No one said a thing’ grinned Yvon.
The second bell rang and the boys at the back went to sit down. Bradley ran his fingers through Thiti’s long dark hair as he passed her. ‘Hey gorgeous’ he said.
Jacqui snorted and coughed to cover it up, choking as she tried not to laugh.
‘And Rodney’s still not here’ sighed Norman.
‘I suppose that means you’ll just have to hang out with me’ said a whiny voice from behind him.
‘Go away Colin’ groaned Norman.
‘Yeah, get lost Scrawny’ said Yvon, chucking a ball of paper at him. It bounced off his head and hit the floor.
Colin opened his mouth to reply, but before he could make a sound, Thiti screamed and fell off her chair. Everyone looked around.
‘He did WHAT!?’ she yelled from the floor.
Bridget pulled her up laughing, and plonked her down in her seat.
Everyone resumed what they had been doing - this happened often. Colin left to go bug Prianka.
‘Thank goodness for that’ muttered Jacqui.
Then the teacher came in.
‘Sorry I ‘m late class, I was preparing the activities for today’s roll call.’
A middle aged woman in a long skirt and blouse had entered. A name badge pinned on her left pocket read ‘Ms Bellpon’.
‘Oh sheez, not one of these teachers…I don’t want any “socially or mentally stimulating activities”, thanks’ groaned Norman.
‘I can see why she’s not married’ whispered Thiti perfectly audibly as Ms Bellpon yanked Jacqueline’s headphones off her head, then proceeded to do up Norman’s tie and tell Bradley to pull his pants up.
Luckily she was too occupied with telling Shania Reger off about the copious amounts of dark makeup around her eyes, to notice when Rodney snuck in through the back window. Tiphanie giggled and he flashed a grin and a wink at her and the other girls.
Ms Bellpon returned to the front of the room.
‘I am sorry to say that I will only be your roll call teacher for today.’
Several students looked relieved.
‘As of now, I expect your best behaviour while I mark the roll and then we will play a game to get to know each other. How does that sound?’
The same several people rolled their eyes.
‘We already know each other’ muttered Josiah Marsdon from in front of Miley. ‘The only way we’d get to know each other better is if we snogged everyone.’
Tiphanie slapped her hand to her face. Yvon leaned over her desk ‘We all know you want to Jos.’
He grinned at her and turned back to his friends.
‘Bradley Baumn’ called Ms Bellpon.
‘Is the best!’ yelled Bradley from the back row.
Ms Bellpon shook her head ‘Rodney Baumn’ she called.
‘Is better than Bradley!’ yelled Rodney.
‘We can see you two are related’ the teacher said with a tight smile ‘…Norman Cage?’
‘Yeah,’ said Norman.
‘Tiphanie Carthner?’
‘Here!’ called Tiph and turned towards Miley, ‘Scarlet’ll still be in Europe then, hey?’
‘Yep,’ replied Miley.
‘Jacqueline Dethuvin!’ said Ms Bellpon.
‘Yeaugh!’ drawled Jacqui.
‘Lucas Furborn?’
‘Yes’ said a deep voice from in front of them.
‘Scarlet should be back in what, two weeks time?’ asked Yvon.
‘Yep,’ said Rodney, ‘She’s in France at the moment and should be flying to India and Singapore next week.’
‘How do you know all this?’ asked Tiphanie suspiciously.
‘I gotta keep up with all my girlfriends don’t I?’ he grinned, clapping her on the shoulder and grinning flirtingly at Miley and Jacqui.
‘Whatever,’ laughed Norman.
‘Sorry Norm, mate, I’ll keep away from your girls then.’
Yvon laughed and Norman blushed again.
‘Micah Harmon’
‘Here…’
Yvon looked up expectantly.
‘Yvon Hilfer’ said the teacher.
‘Yar!’ called Yvon.
‘Scarlet Lumier?’
‘In Le France!’ called Rodney.
‘Aha,’ the Ms Bellpon marked and ‘a’ on her roll, ‘Josiah Marsdon?’
‘Yep!’
‘Bridget Michaels?’
‘Here!’
‘Prianka Newknash’
‘Here’ from nearby Bridget.
Miley looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘Rodney…do you like Scarlet?’
‘Elizabeth…Ng?’ said Ms Bellpon uncertainly.
‘Yeah’ said a voice from Bridget’s other side.
‘What would you care?’ said Rodney, looking at her carefully, ‘I’m your sort am I?’
‘Oh ha ha. I’m just wondering, because you always seem to know what’s going on with her.’
‘Maybe she likes me.’
‘Come on, seriously, Rod, do you like her?’ asked Yvon curiously.
‘Ha, I wouldn’t tell you for my life!’
‘Dennis Notter’ said the teacher.
‘HERE!’ yelled one of the boys who had been raging around the back.
‘Not so loud please,’ rebuked the teacher, ‘Shania Reger?’
‘Yeah…’ sighed Shania from next to Thiti.
‘Come on, you’ve been best friends with us for a year now!’ said Jacqui.
‘I’m just saying I wouldn’t tell Yvon ‘cause she’d blurt it out to the whole world.’
‘And you’re not like that?’ asked Tiphanie, her eyebrows raised.
Rodney grinned, ‘I never said that, but anyway, I’ve never told anyone who Norman likes have I?’
‘Norman likes someone?’ asked Yvon suddenly, interested.
‘’Course not,’ grinned Rodney, he winked at the other three girls.
‘Colin Shankrash’ called Ms Bellpon.
‘Here.’
‘Wish he wasn’t’ muttered Norman.
‘Yeah,’ agreed Miley, ‘Idiot.’
‘Why do you guys hate Colin so much?’ asked Yvon.
‘Don’t you?’ asked Tiphanie.
‘Well, yeah, but I was just wondering why you do. I mean, I hate any little brat like him, but I’ve never known you guys to hate someone like you do.’
‘Elliot Silverwulf?’ said the teacher with an emphasised German roll of the voice.
Elliot rolled his eyes as he called out his affirmative from next to Lucas and Jos.
‘Because…’ began Miley slowly, ‘Last year he started treating Scarlet like a load of pig dung for no reason, plus he never leaves us alone.’
‘That’s just the start’ continued Jacqui, ‘but this subject has been gone over so many times that I’m sick of it.’
‘Annette Staniski’ asked Ms Bellpon.
‘Here’ called a voice from next to Elizabeth.
Miley glared at the back of Colin’s head. ‘Little rat…’ she growled, ‘Spreads lies about us all the time.’
‘Miley Stuart!’ called the teacher.
‘Here!’ said Miley.
‘When’s there ever a time when what Colin’s saying isn’t lies, insults or self-praise?’ huffed Tiphanie.
‘There’s a lot of it’ said Yvon, ‘It’s called being an irritating little bug.’
‘Simon Thomas?’ said the teacher.
‘Yeah’ called the other boy from the back.
Jacqui absentmindedly began humming Eleanor Rigby. Yvon searched for a subject to talk about. The teacher was almost at the end of the roll.
‘Demitri Thuttel.’
‘Yeah.’
Miley looked around and absently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, but no one noticed this time. Norman was staring out the window while Tiphanie was rummaging through her pencil case and Rodney was trying to look in Yvon’s diary. Jacqui was staring blankly at the desks in front of theirs.
‘Mithiti Verdis.’ The last of twenty-two names.
‘Thiti. And yes, I’m here.’ Thite replied.
‘Well, it looks like almost everyone is here,’ said Ms Bellpon as the bell rang, ‘But we will have to miss out on our game.’
She must have misinterpreted the relieved sighs as groans of disappointment because she gave them all sympathetic looks as they left the classroom.
‘Why were you late today anyway Rodney?’ asked Tiphanie.
‘Tell me you weren’t spying on the Year 10 girls again?’ asked Norman.
Rodney grinned, ‘What are you talking about? I never do that. Besides, why should I?’ he put his arms around Tiph and Miley’s shoulders, ‘I’ve got all these hotties to hang out with.’
Miley shrugged him off and Tiph whacked him on the top of his head, flattening some of the spikes he had jelled up. The others laughed.
‘Anyway, no I wasn’t spying on the Year 10s, thanks. I found this.’ Rodney reached into his bag and pulled out what looked like a huge shiny black stone. It shimmered in the sunlight and revealed a couple of sparkling purple specks.
‘It’s warm’ he said entranced.
‘Really?’ asked Miley, ‘Maybe it’s an egg! It could be a really rare type of lizard or snake…though their eggs are usually soft and white.’
‘Yeah…’ Rodney gazed into the rock and shivered, then tried to make the spikes I his hair stand up again.
‘Or you know what?’ Miley said mysteriously, ‘It could be a dragon egg!’
The others cracked up laughing. ‘You and your dragons,’ said Yvon.
‘Anyway,’ said Jacqui, ‘We should probably get to class.’
The others agreed and began to make their way to Art.
‘Wheeeeee…’ said a random person walking past.
