General Hospital Rewrite Part One

August 30th 2016 Part 1

6:52 a.m.
     "Hey Jo. You excited for another day of school?" Julian asks, knowing the exact response he'll get. "Go away." she says. He rolls his eyes. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he asks. "Leave me alone, I gotta get ready." she says. "I'm your father, don't talk to me like that." he demands. "I just don't wanna be late." she says. "Something happened and you won't talk to me. I'm worried about you. If I have to call the school and find out what happened I will."
     "Would you calm down. You're gonna wake Alexis." he warns. "I'm already awake." she says from the stairs. "Jodie, as long as it's not too important or bad, you don't have to tell us." Alexis says. Julian looks at her. "Its your life, your choices." she adds. "Thank you." Jo hugs her. Alexis runs her fingers over the scar on Jo's head. She'd shaved both sides of her head and kept it long on top, but the sides had already started to grow in and were covered by a layer of thick fuzzy hair. She scar was still visible so she kept to longer hair styled over it, thought it was still completely in sight.
     She moves away from Alexis and leaves the house. "She can be difficult." Alexis says. "You can't control her forever though." she adds. "I know, but the last month, I've just wanted to keep her at arms length. You know, close. I almost lost her again. We had just started to get to a point where we were open with each other and we could talk to each other. She could talk to me." he says. "You're her father. She just can't talk to you about some things. Me, I'm her step-mother so there's already an extra boundary there."
     "She adores you." Julian tells her. "When will you not see she's a mini you. Her temperament, the way she reacts to some things. Nature over nurture." she starts. "You didn't raise her and she still has a lot of your traits. Honestly, not all good traits but they're what make her, her. And you, you. You know Jodie because you know yourself. If it gets to the point we need to know, she'll tell us." Alexis comforts. "You're right." he says.
     "I know." she replies. She sits on his lap. "Say it again." she tells him. "You're right." he repeats. "And again."
     "You're right." she kisses him. "I'm always right. Even if I'm not, you aren't allowed to say I'm wrong." she tells him. "Are you allowed to come in a little late?" she asks. "To be with you, of course." he whispers. "Good cause I don't wanna miss this chance. Its just us." she says.

7:52 a.m.
     "Jodie! Jodie!" Alex grabs her arm. "Hey, you alright?" he asks. "I'm fine don't touch me." she says. "It's just, after yesterday, I was worried about you. I wanted to text you but I don't have your number." he says. "I'm fine." she brushes him off. "You won't have that class till tomorrow anyways. Things'll be better by tomorrow." he says hopefully. "I don't know. This place sucks." she slams her locker shut. "Its not that bad once you get used to it."
     "Yeah, but you aren't the new girl." she says. "I was freshman year. My mom and dad divorced so when my mom got custody she moved us out here." he tells her. "I moved in with my dad after my mom died." she says. "I'm so sorry Jo." he hugs her. She smiles and hugs him back. "I think we should probably get to gym." she says to break up the hug. "Yeah, Mr. Brown isn't the nicest when it comes to lateness."
    
8:36 a.m.
     "Late Julian." Nina says. "Waiting outside my office, really?" he asks. "I thought after my threat you ran and hide." she says. "Nope, I just had a late start." he says. "Well, lots of paper work to take care of." she says. He sneers at her and walks into his office. "Oh I'd love a coffee Julian." she says. He drops his laptop at his feet and walks back out of his office, slamming the door.

8:48 a.m.
     "So if you've had me before you know that I like to jump right into class. So I'm hoping everyone's got their uniforms. If not you'd better have sneakers, if you're really slacking you get a zero, end of story. Everyone go get changed." Mr. Brown orders. All the boys take off to the locker room. Jo looks around slowly realizing she's the only girl in the class.
     "You, what's your name?" Mr. Brown asks. "Jodie Miller." she says. "Go get changed." he orders. "I don't have a uniform." she tells him. "Well why not?" he demands. "I'm new to PCH." she says. "You got sneakers? You're playing." he tells her. "Yes sir." she says. "I'll go get some order forms so you can buy a uniform." he tells her, going to his office. Alex runs out of the locker room and jumps behind Jodie.
     She turns and punches him. "Sorry! I didn't know it was you. I just kinda reacted." she apologizes, kneeling to help him up. "My fault. I shouldn't have scared you. I had a feeling you'd hit me. Don't know why I still did it." he says. "I mean after yesterday I should be more careful making you angry." he adds. "Let's never talk about yesterday." she says. "Peters, why the Hell are you on the floor? Your little girlfriend take you down?" Mr. Brown teases. "I'm not his girlfriend!" Jo defends herself.
     She grabs Alex's hand and pulls him to his feet. "You're strong, you be gray team. Alex you be purple." he says. "First day and they already think we're a couple. And they're pinning us against each other." Alex laughs. Jo laughs too. "Okay everyone I'm breaking you into teams. If you get gray go grab a pinny." he says to the class.

     "You're going down Miller." Alex says. "Fight me Peters." Jo replies. She kicks the ball away from him and laughs as he looses his balance. He gets his footing back and chases after the ball, only a step behind her. He kicks the ball before she can and gets it away from her, making his way to the goal. Another boy kicks the ball and gets it into the corner. Jo and Alex race after it. He crashes into her and knocks her into the bleachers. The side of her head his the hard plastic and she stops for a second.
     She shakes her head and keep going after the ball. She kicks at the ball but completely misses. "Come on. Kick the damn ball!" a boy on her team yells. Alex kicks the ball and scores a goal. A couple boys from Jo's team walk over. "This is why I hate having a girl on our team." one says. "Next time kick the ball." another says. "Back off!" Alex says. "You played really great Jo." he compliments. "You're pretty good yourself." she replies, completely out of breath. "I'm on the soccer team." he tells her.
     "You feeling okay? You don't look so good?" he says. She takes a second to answer. She blinks a few times. "Wha- yeah. I'm all good." she says. "Good, don't make this too easy." he teases. She smiles slowly, running her hand over the scar on her head. The class gets back into position to start. She kicks the ball hard away from Alex and towards the goal. She stumbles but keeps a good pace. Alex kicks the ball just as she's aiming for the goal. The ball flies to the side tripping Jodie on the way. She falls to the ground.
     She lays there for a few seconds, Alex drops to her side and the gym teacher runs over once she doesn't get up. He touches her shoulders. She opens her eyes and rolls herself over. "Jodie, are you alright?" Mr. Brown asks. She nods slowly. "Yeah, I'm all good." he helps her stand. "Alex, help her to the bench." Alex puts one of her arms over his shoulders. She looks down at her shirt, drops of blood are running down the fabric. She wipes under her nose and looks at the streak of blood on her hand.
     She looks around the gym, it's blurry and spinning. Her legs collapse under her but Alex keeps her up. "Lay her back on the ground." the gym teacher tells him. He does what he's told. "Someone get the nurse. Someone else call an ambulance." he yells to no one in particular. A group of boys go running in all directions, some to the locker room to he their phones, some out of the gym to get help. "Come on Jodie. Open your eyes." he prompts with no response.

     "Julian, meeting's starting. Shut your phone off." Nina says. He grunts and turns his phone onto airplane mode.

     Alexis sits at her laptop. "Deals for large groups." she says out loud. "Disney package or separate deals?" she asks herself. "What do you think baby?" she asks, looking down at her stomach. "If your daddy was here to help this would be easier." she says. She looks at her ringing phone. She flips it to see the unfamiliar number. "Hello?" she answers. "Hello Mrs. Jerome, I work for Port Charles High, I'm so sorry to have to tell you this but your daughter was in an accident in gym class. She's being taken to the hospital. We tried contacting your husband but he didn't answer."
     "Is Jodie okay? What happened?" she asks. "I'm sorry I don't know anything else." they says. Alexis hangs up. She takes a deep breath and swallows hard.

When will I give poor Jodie a break? Probably never, but she gets to go to Disney World if she's okay. *shrugs*