“Alice—look out!” Tonya threw the ball, and Dana jumped in front of Alice. The ball hit Dana in the stomach and took her to the ground. Alice threw her ball and hit Tonya in the chest. Tonya took a step back and tripped over someone’s foot. She fell to the ground with a thud. Alice kneeled down at Dana’s side.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Dana sat up.

“Thanks for—ahhh!” Alice got hit in the head with a ball. She dropped to the floor. Dana laughed, and Shane laughed on the side line. “Thank you though.”

“You’re welcome Al.”

////

“All right class—we started a new project for the New Year. We’re going to work on pieces from the play of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. So we need to get into a pair of two.” Bette was writing in her notebook as Helena tapped her shoulder.

“Hey—, do you want to be my partner?” Bette smiled softly and turned her head towards her.

“Yeah,” Helena smiled, and Bette turned around in her chair. “So what part—?” Tina approached Bette’s desk.

“Hey.” Bette sighed.

“Hey.” Tina looked at Bette and then Helena.

“I thought that we could be partners.” She smiled faintly.

“Well Helena asked me first.  I’m sorry, and besides Tina, we’re always partners. Would don’t you work with someone else besides me?”

Tina nodded. “Okay.” She turned around and walked away.

“My God—is she always like that?” Helena smiled at Bette.

“She’s been driving me insane lately. I don’t know how much I can take of it.” She rubbed her neck and looked at Helena. “I’m really sorry about your break up with Leigh.”

Helena shook her head. “Don’t be, I’m glad that we’re over. I knew she was cheating on me, but I would have never thought with Tonya.” She laughed softly. “I’m glad that I found out sooner than later.” She looked out the corner of her eye. “Tina is staring at us.” Helena rested her hand under her chin.

“Let her stare—we’re not doing anything. We’re just talking.”

“Y’know sometimes talking can get you in trouble.” Helena smirked, and Bette returned the smile. “Well anyways, let’s get started.” She cleared her throat and flung her hair off her shoulders.

“So what part do you want to do?”

“How about the part that Romeo and Juliet have their first kiss?” Helena bit the cap of her pen.

“Uhh—I don’t think that would be school appropriate. How about the death scene?”

“Don’t you think that everybody would do that?”

“Just have a little faith in me.” Helena looked at Bette and nodded.

“All right, I’m going have a little faith in you Porter.” Bette smiled. Tina watched as the two girls worked and smiled at each other. She rolled her eyes and continued to work with her classmate.

////

“How does your head feel?” Alice sighed softly.

“I feel like I got hit with a sack of potatoes.” Shane smiled as she looked down at the dead frog.

“Why in the hell do we have to do this every year?” She stabbed the amphibian with the scalpel. There was a knock on the door, and Shane stared at the girl who walked into the room. The girl walked over to the teacher and handed her her papers. Alice looked at the girl and looked at Shane.

“Bring it down for a sec class.” The teacher placed her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Everyone this is our new student. Carmen de la—,” Carmen smiled softly.

“Carmen de la Pica Morales.” Shane smirked as Carmen brought her eyes up to her. Alice nudged Shane. Shane pushed Alice playfully.

“Well—there’s an empty chair by Alice and Shane.” She pointed at the table. “Ladies—wave your hand.” Alice waved happily, and Shane nodded. Carmen smiled as she walked over to the table. The girls in the class were giving her the eye, and the guys were checking her out. Alice smiled as Carmen approached the table.

“Hi—I’m Alice Pieszecki,” Carmen smiled and shook Alice’s hand.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.”

“You’ve already met my friend Shane—Shane McCutcheon.” Carmen nodded.

“Yeah we met,” she bit her bottom lip and Shane smiled.

“Welcome to Fairmont Private High.”