Chapter Two: New Beginnings

“Want me to spice up your first day?” read the note.

I turned around to see Tyler looking at me with a mischievous smile. He’s always up to no good. I raised an eyebrow and opened my mouth to ask him. He put a finger on his lips and pointed to his hand. He held an odd, ball-like thing and rolled it slowly and quietly on the ground.

I watched while it rolled across the room and landed near Mr Clarke’s shoe. By this time everyone noticed it too. Mr Clarke turned around and picked it up and started inspecting it. I faced Tyler, who had a small red button in his hand. He looked at me and mouthed.

1

2

3 and

BOOM!

As soon as his finger pressed the red button, the ball exploded in colourful smoke and glitter. Everyone stared at it in awe. The smoke started getting thicker and thicker followed by a weird smell filling the classroom. Mr Clarke was stunned for a moment. He dropped the ball and started crawling out of the class. Everyone started coughing and choking, covering their noses and rushed out of the classroom.

Tyler grabbed our bags and my hand while I grabbed Noelle’s and rushed us through the back door. I was in awe. The visible smoke was beautiful, with all the brilliant colours and glitter it looked unusually pretty except for that smell. It was horrible. But the smoke was just wow. I wish I had my camera to capture that moment.

“Oh my god, Tyler, that was awesome! How did you make it? I want one too!”I exclaimed after coming out from the state of awe. That thing, that device or whatever it's called, is pure genius. I need it to prank others. Noelle was still processing what happened. And when it finally did, she smacked Tyler with her bag.

“Ouch! What was that for?!” asked Tyler, rubbing his shoulder

“Do you know how much trouble you could get into for that?”

“I will only get into trouble if only they find out it’s me, even if they find out, what can they possibly do? They can't suspend me; it’s a harmless prank,”

“There’s colour and glitter powder all over the classroom! Do you know how hard it would be to clean it? You should be glad there are no cameras in the classroom.” Noelle scolded him. She is the ‘mom’ of the group. The one to always scold us when we do something wrong.

“Noelle cut the boy some slack, that was awesome, the principal’s not going to find out about it unless someone snitches,” I said. “ Now tell me how you make it?” I asked excitedly.

“He didn’t make it. He’s not that smart. Jason helped him make it,” Andrew said from behind me. That's more believable. Jason is the smartest one among us. He's really smart, he's kinda like a young scientist. He builds all sorts of devices like this.

“That’s more likely,” Noelle said as if she read my brilliant mind. And Tyler’s jaw dropped. He pretended to be offended.

“You guys think so low of me. I am smart too, you guys don’t believe that I can develop such an awesome invention?!”

“No, we don’t,” we said in unison. Tyler’s jaw dropped again. Tyler clutched his heart and murmured something about “his great talent not receiving enough credit.”

Disregarding his comment, we walked towards the exit. I have no idea where we are going. All I know is that we have this hour free, courtesy to Tyler.

“Behold 'the square’!” said Andrew as he gently pushed the door.

“The garden is the centre of the school,” he said while escorting us to a table with fixed semi-circle benches around it. I looked around and took in the surroundings. It's gorgeous.

“The square? Very original,” I said while I snorted at the name.

“I didn’t come up with it. People have been calling it ever since my Grandad attended this school. I guess they just stuck with it” he shrugged.

There’s a gravel stone path leading to a square interlocked area where a massive oak tree is situated in the middle of the garden. There are four circle tables made of stone on the four corners of the square. There’s a patch of grass around the oak tree. Four gravel paths lead to the oak on opposite sides of the square. The gravel paths are aligned with delicate flowers. A huge glass dome tends the garden from the rain and snow.

“That door leads to the cafeteria,” Andrew said pointing to the door which is in front of me,

“The door on the right leads to the library and some freshman and senior classes. The one on the left leads to the teacher’s lounge, art and music room” he explained.

Noelle sat opposite Andrew and took out some papers from her bag and started writing. I sat between Andrew and Ty. They were talking about last night's game or something.

“Didn't you say Zoe was in our class too? She never misses, heck I don’t think she’s ever been late to school” I asked no one in particular. As if on cue the door opened behind. We turned around and there she was, Zoe Walker. Her platinum blonde hair was dishevelled like she just woke up from the bed. Eyes wide, chests heaving she looked as if she had run a marathon. She walked towards us swiftly with annoyance clouding her vision. As soon as she opened her mouth, her eyes met mine and it softened.

“Emma! You came,” she exclaimed and came over, and I got up and hugged her.

“What’s up with the hair?” asked Noelle.

“And why do you look like you ran a marathon,” Andrew asked.

She sat next to Noelle, fixed her hair and took a huge gulp from her water bottle. She was panting like crazy. When her breathing became normal she started talking.

“You guys were chilling here all along? And here I thought something happened to you. I woke up late today, my alarms broken and I forgot to charge my phone. I missed the bus, my parents were out of town too. I had to walk the whole way here! I sprinted across the hallways so I didn't miss the first period. And guess what I saw when I entered the classroom?” she asked exasperated, her grey eyes wide.

“Nothing! The class was empty and had glitter everywhere. It had a weird smell too. What did you do Tyler? Exploded a glitter bomb or something?” She asked Tyler.

“Who me? How did you know I did that?” Tyler asked.

“Well, you are a prankster and its kind of expected from you” Zoe stated

“Zoe I think you should thank Tyler, because of that “glitter bomb” your records are not tainted. Mr Clark didn’t take the attendance so you were not marked absent.”Andrew said looking up from his phone.

“I am surprised that ‘Perfect’ Zoe is late for school,” I said

“Oh come on! I am nowhere near perfect” she exclaimed. Zoe is the perfect poster child. She has perfect grades, is the student council president and a mathlete champion. She never gets in trouble, basically has her whole life planned. And she never argues with her parents, always obeying them. People say no one is perfect, but I say then they haven't met Zoe Walker.

“Compared to us, you are,” said Noelle.

“Speak for yourself Noelle, everyone knows I am the epitome of perfection,” said Tyler with a smug look.

“If you think that you are delusional” She replied with a scoff, causing us to laugh at him.

“What period do you have next Emma?” Andrew asked me.

“Uhm lemme check...I have maths with Mr Avery. Wait, isn't he the mean, grumpy one ?”

“Yup, that's the one. He's extra grumpy in the morning. Make sure you are always 5 minutes early to his morning classes just to be on the safe side.”

“Noted”

“Jason and I share that period so I’ll show you the classroom, and looking at your schedule it seems like you share at least one class with everyone thanks to your dad”

“I am glad, or else it would've been lost the first day,” I said.

Noelle stood up and started packing her stuff. “Classes starts in 10 and my next class is far from here, see you later Em,” she said and left the ‘square’

“Oh shoot I have to submit my assignment before my next period, I have to go too,” Tyler said and hurried towards the exit.

“Since when did he submit assignments?” asked Zoe.

“Since Ms Gonzales is scary when she wants to be and warned him 10 detentions if he didn’t” Andrew replied getting up.

“Come on Emma let's get going. Bye Zoe see ya later”

“Ok then, Bye Zoe” I waved at her and followed Andrew through the way we came in.

One period down. 7 more to go.