It's been about six months since Jack's family moved to the East Coast, and he hasn't been taking it very well. Missing his old friends, the parties, and the hang outs, even the long school days. He's been missing all of it. Can you blame him though? Leaving everything you know behind and having to move somewhere new isn't always fun and exciting.
Today was the day he was supposed to start school again. After getting suspended right before his final exams last year, this was meant to be his chance to do better. He only managed to get right was to land himself in detention.
'If Mom finds out about this I'm dead. I already promised her that I'd try harder this year. I'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out.' He thinks to himself as he heads home a while after the school day ended. 'She doesn't need more stress. Not with everything that's happened since we moved here.'
Six months ago Jack's dad was working for the military when he vanished. When it happened the government jumped right into moving them to another part f the country. Tell his mom that it was to keep them safe. All of it was too much for anyone to take in all at once. His mom just agreed to whatever they were suggesting. Within two weeks they were moved to the East Coast. A twelve hour plane trip away from their home. So far adjusting hasn't been for Jack...it hasn't been easy for his mom, or David, his younger brother.
'Living here sucks. I know I need to be positive about this; I need to be here for Mom. She doesn't need a moody teenager around the house. Not now, not after everything that we've had to go through. That's why she can't know about the detentions. I'm not going to make things harder for her.' Jack talks himself through all of it. Something he started doing shortly after moving. Using the walk home to clear his head, his skateboard was confiscated at school. He needs the time to work through it all in his head, and put on a brave face for everyone at home.
His thoughts wonder off towards the better aspects of the day. Something else he's taken up doing to help focus on the positive. Today he finds himself noticing more good than bad. I meant there was that cute girl he kept running into. Quite literally considering this morning when he knocked her over with his skateboard.
'Man I felt sorry bad about that. I was just so busy thinking about everything that's happened that I didn't even see her. I must have looked like such a jerk because I was so shocked that I even hit a person that I couldn't speak. I couldn't believe my luck when I saw her in the principal's office. I had to see if she was okay, so I made up some story and ended up getting detention. Knowing that she's in my Math class is amazing. She's the most amazing girl I've ever seen."
And so his thoughts play through his head. He walks down the street, and notices a car parked in front of the house next to his. His body floods with panic. He begins wondering if whoever is there has been sent to find them. If maybe they've been made. Wondering if they're going to have to pack up and move again. He quickly comes back to his senses. The rational part of his brain kicks in, and more plausible answers start to make themselves known. Like the fact that they could just be added security, or maybe, just maybe, they're an ordinary family that just moved there. He starts to reason who they might be as he walks into his own home.
'I hope they're not here to find us.'
With his mom also being a consultant working for the government it's become second nature for him to think like this. He and his brother, David, have been taught from a young age to be more careful than most adults ever are. They were taught basic self-defence. Taught how to unarm attackers, how to take down people more than twice our size, taught how to stay safe. That's their life though, the life of being part of a family like theirs.
Over the years both their Mom, and Dad have worked with agencies like the FBI across the globe. This wasn't their first time having to move to a different part of the world, and lay low. The first time he remembers having to move was when he was four, and David was only two. Back then it was fun, an adventure even. Now it's just another thing that happens every so often. Only this time their Dad's not with them. Maybe it would be easier if he was here with them....because of everything his Mom's had to go into deep cover. She's even gone and gotten a job in town so that people won't ask questions.
Since his mom is working and David's staying late at school since he's new with the first forms for orientation even though he's in form 2, Jack's got the house to himself. After making himself something to eat he heads upstairs to do his homework. When I open the door to his room he's met with, what is in his opinion, the worst sound ever created by man.
It's worth noting if you haven't already that the family who's moved in next door is the Blake family. Yes, his room is directly opposite Iona's. It's also worth noting that only minutes ago the girls decided that they needed music to help them unpack the lots and lots of boxes.
The first of those boxes was the one containing Iona's laptop which is now propped up on the bed. It was very quickly put to use blasting upbeat pop songs sung by equally upbeat boy bands. This however has only worked to convince Jack that his new neighbors, have in fact been sent to torture him. He can't make out what's going on further than the sound of high pitched voices singing, and the chatter of very loud girls. He can't really make out what's been said, overall it sounds loud and pink. The curtains are closed so he can't even see who's making all this noise. 'I've got a feeling that I'm not going to be able to get much work done today.'
It's two hour later and Iona and her friends have progressed to playing louder female pop artists. They've also made it through all the boxes save one. They've put up her pictures and two posters she's kept. It's finally looking like it's her room.
"So what's it like not having any girls at school?" Just like Nicole to get straight to the point of her social life.
"Well I've only been there one day. So far it's not that different." She doesn't really want to tell them about Jack, but she can't seem to place her finger on why." So how was your guys' day? Was it boarding without me? Has my seat been filled yet?"
"Well you know, same old, same old. Some new chick showed up today," Lizbeth is only half way through her sentence when Nicole finishes it for her, "and tried to sit in your seat, but we stopped her."
Nicole's proud smile is too much for Iona, and she bursts out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Liz sounds confused and maybe it is random that she's laughing at this but her confusion only makes Iona laugh harder.
"Wow ,I really love you guys, but you can't keep my seat open forever." She's smiling when she hears the opening to their song, "Hey do you guys remember doing homework to this?"
"Yeah, you stole my ruler." The way they all start to laugh, as they remember that day, bounces off the walls and fills the room. None of them thought to even hope that they would become this close, but they can't be happier that they did.
"Yeah I did. Then you stole mine" Iona reminds Nicole.
"Oh My Word, look at this!" It looks like the last box only has clothes in it. They both look at Liz to see her holding up a really cute sea green dress that looks like it ends above the knee. It's something Iona's mom bought for her but she's never bothered to try it on.
"It's still got the tag on it." Nicole's now holding the dress up against her, trying to get an idea of what it would look like on her." You have to try it on!"
"Yes, you have to!" Iona can see Liz's face light up at the idea, and I know that there's no way they'll let her just put it away in the cupboard. She has to try it on now. It's two to one. She longer has any choice in this.
"Okay, but you have to look away while I get change." As soon as their backs are turned she starts to take off her uniform.
"We'll just look out the window instead," Nicole tells her as Lizbeth opens my curtains.
It's at this point when Jack is just about to leave his room to go watch TV. What was going to be his attempt to get away from the music that he'll never admit wasn't the assault on the senses he thought it was. However just as he's getting up he hears the muffled voices becoming clearer, and the sound of a curtain being pulled back. Not willing to give up the chance to finally see who's been tormenting his ears he decides to stay a minute longer.
Now in their defence, Nicole, and Lizbeth have no idea that Iona's room was no longer overlooking a private garden. Unlike before this wasn't a room where Iona will be keeping her curtains open. They also didn't release that the houses are so close together.
By the time she hears the curtains opening it's too late. Much to her horror she freezes seeing that her new neighbour is right there.
The curtains are wide open now. The first thing Jack sees is a really hot chick with long black hair that's twisted back into a braid. He can see another girl with curls like there's no tomorrow. Then just as he's about to ask them to turn it down he sees her. The girl from earlier. She's there, and...She's standing in her underwear, wearing the cutest, and well only, Wonder Woman bra he has ever seen. Before he can even think them the words are out his mouth.
"Hey, Princess nice bra!" As he says it he can see her face turning as red as the background of her bra.