Chapter 3.

A tone dings twice over the speaker system, signaling the next stop. Chase reaches for his backpack."Just remember one thing: the less you call attention to yourself at this school,the easier it'll be, trust me."

I followed chase out of the subway car and join a few dozen other kids walking towards a set of heavy grey doors . Above them hangs a plaque which reads "ZETA HIGH SCHOOL- ESTABLISHED 2 A.Z." I entered a wide hallway lined with lockers, passing small clusters of squealing girls, guys horsing around with their buddies, and silent kids with their nose already buried in thick medical volumes. I follow chase around the corner, eventually approaching three kids who all great him with smiles or slaps on the back.

Guys,meet Jane," chase says. You smile as Nick, Tatum, and Caroline introduce themselves.

"Howdy," Tatum chips. Her strawberry blood hair is lacquered into short spikes all around her head, and her ears are pierced with about a dozen earrings each."Chase told us all about you . If you want to stash your stuff in my locker, that's cool. I have plenty of room."

"Oh, thanks," I say. "But I think first years are all assigned lockers over the west hall?"

"It doesn't matter," Nicky says. His black t-shirt has a white skull with MISFITS written in green across it's forehead. He's also missing a tooth behind his left canine."No one ever checks.I've had the same locker for the past five years."

"Five?"

Caroline snorts and puts her arm around Nick's waist. She's wearing an ill fitting green cardigan and a plaid skirt and thick yellow glasses."He's joking. He's only been held back once, and that's only because he spends most of his time in detention."

I laughed politely as a speaker bolted to the ceiling crackles with static.

"Attention all students: please report to the auditorium in five minutes for principal Gupta's orientation speech," a booming voice announces."This is mandatory. Thank you."

"This is mandatory, thank you," Nick repeats mockingly, and Caroline snorts again.

"Wonder if old Gupta has any new materials this year?" Tatum asks no one in particular, checking her tongue ring in her locker mirror.

"Doubt it," Nick scoffs. He reaches over to put Caroline in a playful headlock.

"Hey!" she wiggles away and hip checks Tantum."Can I borrow your Chapstick?" The girls fiddle with their make up as chase and Nick make bored small talk. No one makes any attempt to join the rest of the students milling towards the auditorium.

"Um, maybe we should get going," I said nervously.

"You're not really going to go to that are you?" Chase asks."It's so totally boring. Besides we have other plans."

"Like what?"

Tatum pulls a blue card out of her back pocket and waves it under my nose."Like, I pinched this from my dad this morning."

"What's that?"

"A key, dummy. My dad's a janitor. That means full access to the school." She slips the card back in her pocket, a self satisfied gleam in her eyes."And rumour has it that there's a cage full of trips somewhere in the south corridor. Like total 20s."

"Aaarrrgggghhh!" Nick lunges at Carolina's neck and she dissolves into giggles before locking lips with him in a sloppy exchange of spit .

"Isn't that dangerous?" I asked."I don't want to get infected. I hear getting an antidote shot totally sucks. And it doesn't even work most of the time."

Tatum rolls her eyes and slams her locker."Oh,c'mon. Live a little. Besides , it's totally safe. My dad cleans in there everyday and he's a total wuss."

"I don't know," I said, biting my lip in hesitation."That orientation sounded pretty important....I mean it's my FIRST HOUR at this school and I immediate break the rules?" I asked incredulously."As mom says, don't break the rules until you know the rule of the game," I think to myself, although am careful not to declare my mom's advice out loud.

"You know what? I think I'm gonna stay behind and go to this thing," I said. "I'll catch up with you guys at lunch."

"Aw, come in!" Tatum says, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Don't be a lame-zilla."

Chase stands up a little straighter next to me, his big brother instinct kicking in."Hey, I'll go with you, Jane."

"Really?" Tatum is scowling now."You said it yourself that it's a waste of time,Chase."

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Besides, I really don't need to start the year off with another detention. You guys go on."

Nick shrugs and throws his arm around Caroline."Whatever, man. See you at lunch." Caroline gives me a little ware and the three of them take off down the hallway.

"Whoa, Tatum is kinda intense, huh?" I asked when she was out of earshot.

"I guess." Chase shoves his hands in his pocket, usually means he's pouting the about something.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go."

Most of zeta high's three hundred students have already packed into the school auditorium, but me and Chase managed to find sits together in the back. A short Indian man stands at a podium in the middle of the stage and taps on the microphone.

"Attention, everyone. Let's take our seats and get started." He waits a moment for the murmur of the crowd to die down."I'm principal Gupta, and welcome to another year at our esteemed Zeta High!" The audience emits a few whistles and claps, followed by a low mooing sound coming from off to the side. Principal Gupta frowns and shuffles through his note cards."In a moment, I'll be going over the school rules and regulations. But first I want to introduce Dana Blair, who will talk you about the Friday homecoming scrimmage"

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