Straighter than Parallel Parking

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{ Chapter Twenty: The Social Ladder that Lost Its Ridges }

JANICE IS NEVER GOING TO HAVE CHILDREN. She deducted this probability the minute her biological mother gave her up, but in that short time, she'd also seen her brother's as children (video tape blackmail always a constant reminder), her toddler cousins that never shut up, and, of course, confirms this vow within the time she'd spent waiting outside the school doors for her new freshman.

That was supposed to be with here at least twenty freaking minutes ago.

Though, to be fair, Janice didn't really want to be here anymore than her new assignment probably did.

Finally, her back almost numb from sitting down on the school bench near the parking lot so long, she see's a car pull up. Dropped off is the girl she'd seen yesterday, looking less stoic and more nervous than the freshman probably realized herself.

Janice walks up to her slowly, trying not to startle the poor girl who looks like she's going to breakdown in a couple minutes. Janice can tell; she understood what it felt like.

"Hey," Janice said softly, and even though her attempts were to be tender, it's fruitless since the girl practically leaped twenty feet in the air. "Oh, my god, I'm sorry!" Don't walk up behind a person if you're trying not to scare them. Who knew? "I'm the, er, welcoming committee for you. My name's Janice. Why don't you introduce yourself to me about things about you so we have something to talk about?"

"Um," the girl fiddles with her uniform, "my name's Kori. I have an older sibling but they go to a different school. And, uh, it's kind of weird coming to this academy, especially since it's the second term and everything."

"I like your name, Kori. I feel like I've heard it before," Janice speaks softly, which is a crazy feat since Janice is a normally really loud person. "Well, if it makes you feel better, our school usually gets all excited over the new kids."

Kori groans, and Janice laughs. "Last thing I need is for people to be interested in me. I'll wait another four years or so before I can show off my killer personality."

Janice hip bumps her lightly. "Well, why not start now? You are pretty gorgeous and you have a killer personality, right?"

Kori ducks her head, but she smiles in gratitude. "Thanks, Janice. You're not that bad yourself."

"Not that bad?" Janice mock gasps, placing a hand over her heart like she'd seen in dramatic theatre. "I call you gorgeous and you can say I'm not that bad?"

"Don't worry, you're better than decent." Kori gives a thumbs up.

"Better than decent, she says," Janice grumbles, narrowing her eyes playfully at Kori. "I'm really tempted to just lead you to the boys academy down the street on an errand, take off the male insignia on the guys bathroom, ask you to go in, and just video tape your reaction."

"Remind me to never go outside the school compound with you," Kori bites back a smile, her nerves vanishing. She's warming up very rapidly to her new guide and even though they had a four year difference, Janice feels a kinship of sorts forming.

Janice just winks, before gesturing for Kori to follow her. "C'mon, we need to get to class. We might be a little early, but I don't want your first day to be in a stampede."

Kori lets out a relieved sigh. "Thanks, Janice. I used to go to a public school a while ago and people, er, actually, couples, would, uh, take up pretty much most of the hallways space. They do not understand the meaning of a janitor's closet."