Trouble Times Two

Chapter Fourteen

Wednesday

I smell the scent of a rarity, fresh breakfast.

I run downstairs and see some eggs and some toast for me as well as a chamomile tea.

"A very special breakfast for a very special girl. Now that I'm here, I'm going to start looking for a job so that I can save up some more for college. I've secured scholarships anyways but I want that spending money, you get me." She didn't go to juvie so she didn't have to worry about sealed records or any of that jazz.

She had many bases of reasons she could acquire a scholarship and she seized the opportunity, in our midnight conversations, we talked all about it. I applied for some scholarships too and I got in and got them all too but I wasn't excited for the college experience and I don't think Jessica was either.

"You know, I'm scared. We're different and people know that." I hold her hand.

"I was just thinking that. I'm not excited but I want to go to college, so I will. I've sent a few emails out and can hook up a few interviews for you, is that alright?" She nods.

"Did I hear someone is looking for a job?" Maisie says as she walks through the door and hugs Jess. "Hello Jessica, it's great to see you after so long?"

"Hi Maisie, it's good to see you again too."

"If you need a job for the time being, you can come to work for me. It's $20/hr and you basically just sit around a desk and type all day." Jess' interest is piqued.

They patter on about the job and I can see that Jess is slowly becoming more open to the idea of it.

"I can take you today if you want?" Jess nods and goes to get ready.

"Is Jess coming to Dacre's birthday?" She asks and I nod.

i get a call from someone. It's Mr. Howlett.

"Hey Giana, how are you doing?" He's making small talk.

"Yeah I was a little bit ill but I'm fine now, does the school need me in?"

"Yeah, the exchange information is coming out today and I don't want you to miss anything out, it's quite important that you know this stuff." He's right, I need to know this.

"Okay I'll come to school today. See you later sir." I end the call and go to my room to get changed.

I tell Maisie and Jess what I'm doing and put my helmet on and grab my skateboard.

I skate to school and take my skateboard with me to the room where we're meeting for the exchange information.

I sit there for a while until people start to come in and I roll my eyes when I see that Donovan's on this trip as well.

Of course he was.

I just sit far away from him and listen to what they have to say and write down some of the information about the trip.

I thought we'd be paired with people from our own gender but there wasn't enough of a ratio for all girls to be put with other girls.

To be honest, a lot of the girls at this school didn't like me and I did try to become friends with them so I don't know what was worse. Being put with a girl, or a boy. Boys were infinitely worse roommates and I hate boys who aren't my cousins. So being with a boy would therefore be worse.

We could ask to be put alone but I forgot to do that as back then when we signed up for the exchange, I was swamped.

We finally get to the end of the presentation.

"You cannot switch your partners, once they're settled, they're settled. If you have real issues, then yes you can go to Mr. Howlett's office and he'll organise something. I'll call your names one by one, after you get your information packs, flick through and find your partners name. Meet with them and then if you don't know them, get to know them." Everyone stands up and waits for their name to be called.

"Giana Blackwell." I go up and get mine and stand to the back and flick through my packet.

There it is, sure as day.

Donovan Shepherd.

I wait until his name is called and because his surname is Shepherd and mine is Blackwell.

When he sees my name he looks around and makes eye contact with me.

He's got a smirk on his face but I'm not amused, at all. I grab him by his arm and take him to Howlett's office.

Howlett let's us in and we both sit down.

"I don't want to be his partner for the exchange." Howlett sighs.

"Okay, why not?" He's willing to hear me out.

"I don't like him, he annoys me and he's very, very weird." I really don't want to be with him.

"Those are the reasons why we put people together for the exchange. You guys get to know each other." Howlett's not telling me something.

"I have no oppositions to being with Blackwell." Donovan is very, very cocky.

"Of course you don't Shepherd." I mutter.

"Okay so that's settled." Howlett is a little rat.

I stand. "No it's not settled because you are not telling me something and sure, it might be a secret but I'm not leaving this room until you tell me why."

"Okay, you can tell her." Donovan says and I look at Howlett expectantly.

"Well Donovan has recently been put under watch by Officer LaMer, Rosling and Shepherd for a drinking issue that he has. I reckon it might've been beneficial to put him with you seeing as you are going to be part spending a lot of time with him due to your cousins' respective relationships with his siblings." The real scoop is the fact that Howlett put me with him because we're both delinquents.

"He wants to have sex with me, surely that isn't allowed?" I was getting desperate here.

"Look, I'm just a counsellor here. Students have sex on the exchange all the time. All I can advise is that they use protection and be respectful because it's not my place to say yes or no to any of it. You guys are adults and if you have consensual sex, that's not my business." Curse Howlett and his level-headedness.

I walk out of the room, put my helmet on and skateboard back to my house.