CHAPTER 27

The rest of the day goes by fairly smoothly and into final class where I am actually able to get into my homeroom class, there are a couple students in the moral club here but as soon as Ms. Distress sees me she starts writing up my pass for another class but I'm feeling awesome today and hand her the change of homeroom form. I watch her read it and it's a priceless look on her face when she reads my reasoning why.

"I'm not able to speak with my teacher concerning my academic future due to her focus on non academic activities groups," I watch her sputter the words out.

"Yes, every day I come in here and you are having a group meeting, and then yesterday I can't even get into the class to get a pass so I don't have to listen to a meeting for a group that I don't agree with," I reply smiling and feeling really smug.

"Well regardless of your personal opinion I think we need to have a student meeting about your academic performance," Ms. Distress informs me, taking an authoritative tone.

"So you won't sign the form then," I ask, getting a head shake of no before taking the form back," I'll get Mrs. Jackson to sign it since you refuse."

I get more sputtering behind me but I'm already halfway out the door when I hear Ms. Distress following me out. I watch as Heather and Kyle lead a few students into the building but I'm bound and determined to get to the principal's office and while she doesn't ask her 'youth group' to stop me I don't give her the chance. Once I'm in the office I stand at the door and wait like a student is supposed to and I can see Mrs. Jackson is working on paperwork, Ms. Distress however pushes past me and goes into a tirade about how I've been a poor student and have disrupted her club activities. I watch Ms. Distress make a foolish display and finally Mrs. Jackson waves me in and I hand her the form so she can read it. When she finally turns her attention to me it's more not the questions I've been preparing to answer.

"So Coach Campbell is taking on students for studies period," Mrs. Jackson asks plainly.

"Yes Ma'am, I figured since I had been going there most of the year anyway I'd just get him to take over as my advisor," I explained.

"And Ms. Detress's club activities are keeping you from having any sort of meeting with her," Mrs. Jackson asks.

"Yes Ma'am, my ex Heather is in her club and it's just not an environment that I feel comfortable with," I explain, taking a slightly defeated posture.

I watch as Mrs. Jackson signs the form and Ms. Distress starts to lose her cool and argue about my

transfer and as I'm leaving I can hear Mrs. Jackson turned on her authoritative tone with Ms. Distress. I get to the gym and while my crew is up in the bleachers I hand off my form to Coach Campbell's new assistant before heading up the bleachers and explaining what happened to Kori.

"I swear if that bitch held you up again Guy I would fucking lose it on her," Kori tells me trying to cuddle.

I stopped cuddling due to my need to actually finish an assignment earlier. I barely get my work done before the final bell and as we're all starting to head out Katy explains she and I are heading off to do at Johnny's place.

"I'm in," I hear Ben chime in.

"Us too," from Lilly and Jun.

"Not a group outing needed everyone," I start to explain but my words seem to fall on deaf ears.

"Who else has a vehicle," Kori says, taking over and after a moment Devin raises his hand.

"Devin if you have a car why do you take the bus," Jun asks confused.

"I don't have a car, I can get my Dad's truck," Devin explains.

Kori grabs my phone out of my coat and fires off a message to my home explaining that we'll be there late and then has Natsuko head back in so Hanna and Mathilda know what's going on. I get the feeling we'll be waiting when Hideo comes running back up and makes his way past everyone else and to me.

"Nobody came after me and I kept it hidden all day like you said," Hideo tells me beaming with pride.

"Congratulations, you officially can perform simple tasks on command," I tell him deflating his ego," Now don't go off thinking you're in or out but keep around during lunch in case I need you."

Not as happy with the results of his effort as he could be, we transfer his smuggled contents from his bag to my bike before he rushes off to Jun to plead his case. I trust Jun to handle it his way before turning my attention back to Kori.

"So am I still in charge here or did I just get demoted," I ask, a little upset.

"Honey I spoke with Johnny and he promised me that he wouldn't use us like that and he did," Kori explains," I warned him that if it happened that you'd come back and there would be shit to answer for."

"Wait a minute, so when I left you made an ultimatum for me," I asked, getting a scared nod," That's my girl. Well he agreed so now it's my turn to put the boots on him."

I sit with Kori and Katy as they talk about what to do when we get to Johnny's. Katy wants to bring violence and Kori wants something more subtle but that makes a point. I am keeping my thoughts to myself considering I usually play it by ear and when people step out of line I'll bust them back into place. Mathilda and Hanna join us after half hour once they're out of practice and it's another fifteen minutes later that I watch a large truck come rolling into the parking lot with Jun, Lilly, Ben and Natsuko in the back and Devin driving. It's not an extended cab or even a current model but it's big and made of real metal which is bumping Devin up in the world as far as I'm concerned.

"Dad says I have to bring it back by nine tonight and I can't wreck it," Devin says, getting a laugh from everyone.

"Devin, your truck will crush the shit out of whatever hybrid you hit with it," I tell him laughing.

I ride solo on my bike leading the way; Mathilda and Hanna are in her car followed by Katy and Kori with Devin and the rest of the crew bringing up the rear as we head over to Johnny's. The total trip takes about twenty minutes and the convoy rolling in has the punk/emo/slacker community that lives there at full attention. I get us rolled in and finally stop my bike and listen as all the vehicles get stopped behind me and motion for the engines off before killing my own. I hop off and wait for someone to address me and it only takes a few seconds before I see Vince from lunch time come running over to me.

"I told Johnny that you were coming but he's pissed you took his shit," Vince explains, hoping to spare himself some sort of punishment.

"Get me Johnny or I will start going through people to find him," I tell Vince who heads back off to find Johnny.

I wave to the rest of the crew to disembark and watch as everyone but Devin and Ben get out of the truck. It takes a moment and as soon as I see Johnny I can tell he's pissed off and ready for a fight. A few guys are trailing him as he gets to me and I finally take off my helmet and pull up my hood so we can 'talk'.

"Who the fuck do you think you are taking my shit," Johnny says pissed off.

"Apparently when Kori and you agreed not to abuse my good nature and have your people hide behind mine that meant shit to you," I say keeping calm," Now I took your shit because you damn near put it in my hands whether you wanted to or not. The only reason I'm not kicking the shit out of you right now is because we have a history and I do like you, but that shit today has me more pissed than you so if you want to find out how bad this can get, bring it. Or we can try talking again and this time you're not going to make my girl look like a fool."