PROJECT: NYNE

Chapter Six: Xena

After A.P Literature, a class that involved only reading, Sky and I had homeroom.

   Joey had mysteriously disappeared as soon as the bell rang. When I walked in, I saw that Blaize was leaning on one of the desks. He looked defeated. As soon as he saw Sky, he smiled, but the look in his eyes stayed the same. Sky walked over to him.

   "How many weeks detention?" Sky asked, concerned.

   "Just a warning."

   "Really?" Blaize nodded his head. I could tell something was off.

   "The principal," Sky added, "Is insane!"

   "Yeah..." Blaize said as Sky sat down next to him. I watched him for the rest of the class period. He made sure Sky didn't see him not smiling. I didn't know how she didn't notice how upset he was.

After class, I went to my locker, then waited by Blaize's. When he got there, he looked disordered. It took him a minute to realize I was there. "Oh!" Blaize put on an obviously fake smile. "Hey! When did you get here?" I looked at him seriously. Blaize looked away, then back at me. "So.. want to help me with biology? Sky is helping, but, ya know..."

   "Yeah, sure. So.. What... Nevermind. Do you have a car?"

   His face brightened. "Only the most awesome car ever! A slug bug!"

   He pulled me towards the back exit. I sped up so he wouldn't rip my arm off. When we got to a dark blue bug, Sky was waiting. This time Blaize didn't put a fake smile on. "This is the kissing police. I've heard you been hanging out with Joey a lot... have you been kissing him? Now, Miss Sky, this is an interrogation... you have sworn your oath on the BIBLE! Now. Miss Sky. HAVE YOU BEEN KISSING JOEY?!"

   Sky stood there, confusion written all over her.

   Blaize gasped. "So you admit it!"

  "I'm baaaaccckk!" Joey came around the car and kissed Sky.

   "AHHH!" Blaize yelled. "I went all through Kissing Police school - " He turned to face me, " - also known as KPS- without the slightest hint - they trained us for this, but I never thought I would see it in person! Oh, the horror!" He proceeded to pretend to faint. Sky laughed until she was leaning half on Joey and half on the car. Blaize stood up casually without a word and got in the car.

   Joey hugged Sky and helped her into the back seat. It was one of those weird bugs that actually had a backseat. He waved at her through the window and walked away. I got into the front seat and asked, "He's not coming?"

   "No, he's creeped out by Blaize's dad," Sky replied. "...I am too. He's weird." Blaize pulled out of the parking spot and into the now-empty street. He drove slowly... until he turned the corner.

   "How fast are we going?" I asked timidly.

   Blaize grinned at me through the rearview mirror. "You don't wanna know."

   It took him five minutes to get to my street when it had taken my mom twenty. Although my mom was a pretty slow driver in the snow. He drove past my house and it took him another ten to get to his.

   When we pulled up the snow covered driveway, I didn't see his house at first. I looked around at the large yard. Then I saw it. I had thought it was a shed, it was so small. Sort of like a trailer, but more like a small house. The snow disguised It and it blended in. It was worse than my old house in Chicago. The glass was broken In on the front porch, and the front step was in the yard.

   "Welcome to my mansion." Blaize said with a straight face. I stepped up onto the porch. The last step remaining creaked in protest. He opened the door to reveal a smoke filled living room with an unshaved man passed out on a vintage floral couch, a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The house looked a lot bigger on the inside. I assumed the man was his dad. Blaize walked slowly over to him and took the cigarette out of his mouth, put it out, then backed away quickly.