In the Shade of You

Chapter Eight: Daniel

Daniel was trying to finish the last of his Chemistry homework when the puddle of sunlight he was sitting in disappeared.

"So, are you ready to tell us what you're planning?"

Daniel panicked for a moment, thinking that Mike had figured out about Aster and he certainly wasn't ready for that, but as soon as he saw Mike's face – eyes narrowed in mischief, and the twenty or so other year twelves behind him - Daniel breathed in relief.

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah Dan, surely you've come up with something by now. You've been talking about springing something since year nine," Brian Eivers asked. The group found places to sit around Daniel at the study tables or the bean bags close by.

"Let's just torch a tag into the oval," One of the boys, tall with spiked brown hair suggested.

"No," Daniel said flatly, "You can't afford not to graduate Duncan, so no vandalism, besides we want to do something clever. Something that will become legendary."

"Like what?"

"When Elsie was in year eight, the twelves kidnapped one of the teacher's cars. It was a Mini and they put it in the Science corridor," Daniel said.

"I heard of that. That was when they had just put the second storey on the school. The stairs were wide enough to do it then," Rose Thompson said.

"We could do it now it just means holding a half tonne car over our heads so it clears the middle rail," one boy said.

"Yeah and Mr Highmount would definitely press charges if we even breathed on his precious mini," another boy added.

"I was using that as an example, Ben, not as an option. We want to do something spectacular that will be the talk of the school for years."

"Very well, Prank Master, what's your idea?" Mike asked.

"It will take a while to plan and we're going to need someone on the inside, or at least, someone no one would suspect to be up to something. Also we would need everyone to be in on it. It won't work if even one of us bails."

"What is it?"

"I'm thinking we could highjack the school."

"No way!" It was a collective gasp of delight, disbelief and awe.

"They would call the cops for sure."

"I don't mean at gunpoint and be all 'do what I tell you or die'," Daniel quickly explained. "I was thinking that we would run the final assembly for the school, kick the teacher's off the stage, then highjack the PA system and use it to run a radio station for the day. Make up crazy rules that the teachers and students have to follow."

"That sounds cool and all, but we would need permission to do it and asking Turnstone if we could steal his school for the day would suck." Ben stated.

"I think we could do it." Dina had been strangely subdued the entire conversation and Daniel noticed dark circles under her eyes. "All we need is to do it in such a way that doesn't disturb the other classes too much. The teachers expect us to do something and so do the students."

"Warning signs!"

"Huh?" The group turned back to Daniel, who had put aside his Chemistry in the cascade of glee that filled him.

"We advertise what we're doing, like the countdown posters for movies. We could even make a trailer and put it up on the school website. No wait, might as well just put it on youtube."

"I dunno, Dan," Mike said. "That sounds like a lot of work."

"I think it's a great idea," Briony Forest piped up. Her eyes were dancing. "Mr. Gunther trusts me with the store-room keys and I can spin it that it's an art project. Something like: Contemporary Expression of the Looming Teenage Doom." She intoned grandly.

"What?" Bradley asked.

"She means graduation," Dina explained.

"I'll help with the posters, Briony," Alistair offered, he was the quietest out of all the boys and enjoyed working with his hands. Daniel envied his ability to take whatever was on his mind and put it to paper and then make it. He had won every technology award, every year.

"Thanks, I'll probably need a couple of days to get them done. Then I can take them to my cousin's shop and have them colour printed. Saves us doing it over and over again."

"If we're going for a movie type theme..."

"Are we?" Daniel asked.

"Well, sure. You suggested the movie posters and trailer. If the plan is to take over the school and you want it to be legendary, let's really get into it. What kind of people would take over a school, or anything for that matter?" Jennifer Hendriks asked the group.

"Ninjas," Duncan said instantly, a few of the other boys agreed.

"No," The girls moaned.

"American civil war; we're southern loyalists taking over the damn Yankees' stronghold."

"Brian, we're Australian and not history nerds like you," Dina cut him off.

"Pirates." This suggestion came from Megan Farsalas, a tiny, fragile girl and yet she played centre for the school's netball team.

"I second," Dina jumped in quickly.

"Third."

"Fourthed."

Daniel held up his hand and smiled. The building excitement that filled him when he started to plan a prank was nothing compared to the energy he was suddenly feeling. He looked around at the cohort, about half of the whole year was there and he was sure the others would agree. Some of his glee began to fade and he started thinking of a particular individual. Would she agree?

With the group quiet and listening he said; "okay, so pirates it is. What now Jenny? How are we going to incorporate Pirates into 'the plan'."

"Well we need a notorious Captain and no, it can't be either of you," Jenny immediately pointed to Mike and Daniel cutting them both out of the picture.

"What? Why?" Mike began,

"Every teacher in the school is trying to figure out what we've got planned, and the pot is on you, Mike and Daniel for being the masterminds behind it."

"How the hell do you know that?"

"My sister works in the admin office, Brian. She hears all the goss. I'm not saying that Daniel doesn't plan it and be our leader, but like we have a substitute. Someone who looks like they are running the show but aren't really."

"That would be fun," one of the girls said dryly, "The puppet to the Prank Master."

"I don't know. I think that wouldn't be too bad," Ysabelle murmured loud enough for them all to hear. Daniel knew she was kidding around but he found himself blushing just the same.

"Whatever, it just can't be Daniel or Mike. We need someone that the teachers' and the rest of the school would believe could pull off some sort of general mayhem." Jenny continued.

Everyone turned a looked at Dina who instantly threw up her hands and said; "Uhuh, don't even!"

"Come on, Dina. You're crazy. They will totally believe it."

"Oh, crazy? Thanks very much, Sarah," Dina snapped.

"She's kidding, Dina," Megan soothed softly before saying; "actually Jenny, I think you would be perfect."

Daniel watched Jenny blush and smile.

"Really?"

"I agree," Daniel said. "After all you've started taking over my idea as it is."

"I'm improving it," she said and Daniel couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes you are."

* * *

They continued plotting and arguing and planning until the bell rang and Mrs Whitlam came to shoo them out of the library. It wasn't until then that Daniel realised he still hadn't finished his Chemistry homework.