The changing of Winter | ✔

|08| - Nancy Drew

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Jesse was my partner in home ec. We were making a pie out of rotten strawberries with moldy tomatoes and overripe avocados. As the smell of spoiled fruit wafted through the air, I found myself drooling.

"We have to cook it first," he said as I popped a furry green strawberry into my mouth and moaned.

"Just making sure the strawberries are safe," I say, tipping my head over my shoulder at the Bs. "I hear the Ghouls have a plot to poison you."

"Funny." He laughed. "It's not me they're after." He added with a wink, "New Girl."

I frowned. "True."

"Sorry for how things turned out." He said. "I warned you when you got here, but maybe I should have been more specific. Or defended you in some way."

"It's okay." I picked up a bowl and began to smash the strawberries into thick pulp. "I can handle myself."

"All you have to do is hang in there," he said. "Eventually they'll forget about you. Sooner or later, someone newer than you is bound to do something they think is worse than giving Annabeth back her letter."

I didn't like that thought. I rather take on the Bs than pass them off to someone else.

Looking over my shoulder, I noticed that Joy was paired with Brooke. They were chatting as they both scooped avocado from the skin. I felt like she was hanging with the enemy, but Mr. Franko, the home ec teacher, had chosen the pairs.

Mr. Franko was the only teacher on staff who wasn't a zombie. He had been a chef on a reality T.V show until the entire cast got the virus. For some odd reason, Mr. Franko was immune. He came to ZBSA with his staff, who were now employed at the caslte. "The researchers have been testing Mr. Franko to understand why he hasn't gotten the disease," Jesse explained.

"Maybe Mr. Franko is part of the cure?" I asked. "He might remember what tests they ran on him."

Jesse just shrugged.

"Oh!" I remembered what I'd forgotten in the bathroom with Joy. "What about Visitors Day?" I asked the question quickly so I wouldn't forget it again.

"What do you mean?" He looked at me blankly.

"When is it?" I ask. "I can't wait for you to meet my mom and dad and my best friend, Chiara." Every name made me more and more excited. Going home would be better, but having them come visit was pretty good too. "Danny is going to love coming here."

"I don't know when it is," he admitted. "I don't invite anyone anymore."

I stopped crushing strawberries. "Why not?"

"No one's around for me to invite," he said in a monotone that made him sound kinda like Joy. "You should go introduce yourself to Mr. Jones. He can tell you when it is."

I hadn't made an appointment because I was nervous to meet him.

"After class," I say, steeling my courage. "I'll go see him right after class."

"I thought we were going to the movies today," Jesse reminded me. His memory was much better then mine. I never saw him pull out his notebook to double-check things.

"I'll meet you at the theater," I told him. "Tell Joy to save me a seat."

I glanced back at Joy one last time. She was chatting with all the Bs now. It was strange ... she seemed ... sorta happy?

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At noon, classes were over for the day.

I decided that if I didn't go to Mr. Jones's bungalow right away, I never would. So after making a note to myself to go to the movie theater when I was through, I headed down the stone path behind the school, following the signs to Mr. Jones's house.