Episode 4: SURVIVAL
It was definitely the new start of another school year as many children were greeting friends and saying long goodbyes to their folks who had dropped them off. It was early in the morning and many had not arrive as yet.
"We made it before the bus," acknowledged Clare's mother as she parked outside of the school. They had just rounded the bend and now entering the premises.
"Do I have to do this?" asked Clare desperately as she watched the small group of students dotted in the area. She was not very willing to be seen at any cost.
"Honey," her mother touched her face gently and swept behind a stray lock of hair, "We talked about this. There's no reason for you to switch schools."
"Are we forgetting who goes to school here?" she asked devastated.
"Look. I know it's going to be difficult to see him again and on a regular basis but honestly the daycare is the best chance we have for a better routine."
"You mean your routine?" Clare asked rudely.
Her mother rolled her eyes and sighed and leant over and opened the passenger's door, "I have no time for arguing about this -" She watched as her daughter got out of the car and departed to the back seat of the car and unhinged the little boy from his car seat. Clare stood before her holding the baby. She leant over and kissed him on the cheek, "Now behave yourself today Jake*. You too," she added eyeing Clare suspiciously.
It was snowing lightly and as a result, Clare was wearing a snug jacket over her uniform.
"It's the first day, can't you come back for us?" pleaded Clare.
Her mother sighed again, "I can't, sweetie, work ends at five, you know that."
"I can wait," she persisted stubbornly.
"Use the school bus like you always do," her mother persuaded, "And that's final. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I'm not so sure," she said and took up the baby bags that was on the dashboard and she slammed the door shut behind her. She quickly manoeuvred the baby and the bags under her jacket before anyone noticed him. Her backpack was the only visible thing on her. She hadn't even flinched when her mother said 'bye' and drove off. She walked somberly up the steps of the school, perusing the area just in case anyone became suspicious of her. Slowly she opened the doors, knowing full well that this was not going to be as easy as her parents let it on to be.
[theme song]
She walked gingerly down the relatively empty hallway to a part of the school that students did not tend to socialize around much. She looked at the playful words on the door 'Daycare' and hesitated for a moment. She looked around her once more before she finally opened up the door and she quickly closed it behind her. Inside was a place she had been dreading over the break.
"Good morning. How can I help you?" a kind-looking lady asked cheerily. There was hardly any activity in the room except for another lady handling a few toddlers. "Wait a minute, don't I know you?"
"No - I don't think so."
"Of course, you used to help here in the daycare with Holly J. I remember you. We need as many volunteers as possible. Coming back on board?"
"I doubt it," Clare revealed the baby from under her jacket and the bags. She handed him over to the lady gently, touching the sides of his face, and then she looked up, "I - uh - I need to drop him off here."
"And whose this cute bundle of joy is?" chirped the lady.
"Mine." She blurted but then realised the truth was hard to take in and she quickly stuttered over the word, making it seem as though she had actually made a mistake, "My-uh-my baby brother."
"Is that so! How old is he?"
"Fourteen days."
"Three days before Christmas. Your mom must have had quite a holiday treat."
"Yeah, I guess she must have." She handed over the bags to the lady.
"What's his name?" the lady asked as she swung the baby who seemed to be enjoying her company, "He's quite a brave one. Usually babies this young are crying their heads off when they're in strange arms. Probably takes after his mother."
"Jake. Jake Edwards," answered Clare sheepishly, "And I really don't think he got his bravery from his mother."
"Sister, then?" teased the lady.
She shook her head as though it was the most unbelievable thing in the world to accept.
"The girl who ratted out Principal Sheppard and wrote about that award winning piece about your parents' divorce. I keep up with the good of the school. You're definitely one brave young lady."
"That was a while ago and besides I don't feel too brave these days. Is it OK I come back and check up on him at lunch?"
"At least you're not one of those jealous siblings when there's someone new in the house. You really love him, don't you?"
"More than you know," Clare said and retreated with a shy wave at the baby. She closed the door behind her carefully as though somehow if she didn't it would have upset what had just happened. She dreaded that the lady would come back out and land Jake in her arms and told her they made a mistake and that they were closed for the day. She sighed gratefully realising her worst fears were not answered but was suddenly startled by the sudden sight of Jenna coming her way with her tow-headed daughter* in hand.
"Why are you doing here?" Jenna asked curiously.
"Waiting for you! What else would I be here!" Clare answered smartly. She knew Jenna kept her daughter in the daycare even though that wasn't really the reason why she was there, it was as good as any.
"OK." answered Jenna unsure. This had never happened before. She shuffled the little girl from one arm to the next and then she realised the devastation in her friend's eyes, "You look glum."
"I - uh -"
"You're worried Simpson would find out about your ambulance mayhem at the Christmas party?"
"How did you know!" Clare was shocked.
"Drew told me - though, it better be a really good reason for your doing it. If we get another lockdown..." Jenna teased.
"You'll do what exactly." greeted Alli from behind them.
"Alli!" Clare asked thrilled, "Why are you doing here?"
"I'm back."
"You're what?" asked Jenna as though she just got hit in the face with a brick.
Alli hugged her and Clare before answering, "I'm back here with the greatest friends in the world!" She reassured them.
"Good. Then maybe I can make it through this year after all," Clare admitted softly as Jenna continued to stare at Alli suspiciously. With Alli here, she would definitely find out about her and Drew in no time.
"I've got to go put down Trix," Jenna said and quickly departed into the daycare.
"Care to walk me to class," begged Clare.
"I can't exactly do that," said Alli suddenly bummed out, "I have a meeting with Principal Simpson early o'clock. But, I checked my schedule and we'll definitely see each other third period."
"OK." she watched hopelessly as her best friend disappeared down the hallway which now was beginning to get crowded. And then she noticed a familiar and warm face and she smiled as she saw him. She hurried to his side as he was now packing up his locker.
"Hi," she greeted coyly.
"Hi," Connor stopped emptying his backpack and looked at her with scared eyes.
"Are we OK?" asked Clare cautiously.
"I don't know, you tell me."
"We haven't exactly seen each other since the Christmas party -" she suddenly became very quiet as she continued, "There was something I said to you, which I honestly meant every bit of then, but I don't feel the same way as I did that night." She looked at him with searching eyes.
"Honestly, I don't either."
"But, we can try to get back there, together," she said hopefully.
"I'm not so sure if we should," he said and fixed his glasses, "I'm willing to be there 100% for Jake but I can't be with you."
"So, it's over?" asked Clare suddenly dejected.
"I'm sorry, Clare. But, it's probably not going to work out since you..."
"Since I had a baby!" she said defiantly in an under-tone and walked off in a temper.
The bell had rung by then and she was nearing her first class. She was walking into the room when she suddenly looked up and noticed Eli sitting at a desk. She stopped and stared for a while as the other entering students manoeuvred around her. She backed out before suddenly turning around and she ran away from the classroom and soon out through the school's main doors before the police could see her.
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"I'm glad you can make it," announced the science teacher from within the empty classroom. It was just him and the three guys. Alli walked into the room peculiarly nervous and looked at them.
"Sorry, if this feels like an ambush," the teacher admitted as he smiled innocently from his seat atop a desk. "But, we've been hearing that our star player is back in town and we generously offered you a seat. And you can't say 'no'."
"No." Alli said softly.
"No? But I already set up you guys in the Science Tournament at the end of the semester."
"You what?" asked Adam sharply. He and the others were grouped behind the teacher's desk at the top of the class. "That takes four players. I thought we were going to Divisionals just like last time."
"But, you guys are talented, and I really think you guys have a shot," the teacher answered and turned to Alli, "So now you change your mind?"
"It's still 'no'." She said sternly.
"So why you'd come?"
"To tell you that I'm not coming back to this."
"Bad girl Alli is back I see?" asked Adam a tad bit rudely.
"No. I'm the new Alli," she answered strangely nicely, "But, I don't think I have the time or the energy for anything outside of school right now."
"It's alright, Alli. You don't have to be there for Clare 24/7, y'know," admitted Connor from next to Adam. The others were not aware of why Connor mention this but remained silent.
"It has nothing to do with that," she answered, "I'm just not as excited about anything as I once was. I'm sorry." She exited with a groaning group of guys behind her.
"So, what do we do now? We just can't undo the entry to the competition, can we?" asked Wesley.
"Uh, hi," a soft, shy voice called from the doorway. All the guys looked up. The teacher dashed off the table and went to cordially greet whom had visited.
"I'm Mr. Sci, can we help you?"
A red-headed girl adorned in spectacles had appeared from behind the door and now into full view of the boys. She looked at them nervously before she answered the teacher.
"I'm new here and my Dad wants me to do something worthwhile after school," she continued as she perched her glasses carefully on her nose, "So I thought I do what I do best and now I'm here."
"Well, come on in," invited Mr. Sci excitedly.
"So that's it?" she asked coyly as she entered clutching a few books tightly to her chest.
"That's it," answered Adam .
"Just make yourself at home," piped in Connor.
"You're perfect for the team," wallowed Wesley.
"Are you guys OK? She has to take a practice round first, you know that!" Mr. Sci asked curiously and then he saw the looks on the boys' faces, "Oh, I get it." he said understanding the situation. "And then they were four. Welcome to the team!" he said as he outstretched his hand to the girl and she took it nervously. He had only hoped that the boys' infatuation and his desperation for a new player was not going to lead him down the tubes.
!-0_0-!
Jenna was sitting at a table with four other girls. Three of them were busy in conversation and huddled close together whilst the other was in a one-on-one with her. The girl shifted her black, curly locks behind her ear and eyed Jenna suspiciously, "Speaking of the devil."
Jenna looked behind her and noticed that Alli had just come into the cafeteria, holding a full tray. She immediately became nervous and looked it.
"So, what are you going to do when she finds out about Drew?" asked her friend.
"Uh - I dunno. But, I'll tell her, I swear," she replied giggly.
"The way I see it," the girl's eyes seemed to narrow with intensity, "She shouldn't even be bothered - she's the slut of the boiler room. So what - Drew cheated on her. My last boyfriend did and I'm over it. If she's still hung up on it after so long, then she's definitely worst than I thought. Who knew who she met at her old school?"
"The boiler room is just a rumour, isn't it? And besides, she went to a girls' school."
"And you're telling me those girls are in school 24/7. Please! Think about it." The girl turned away from her and picked up her empty tray, "It's time to throw out the trash. Maybe you should do the same." Jenna knew that her spiteful comment was targeted to her friend who was a mere couple of inches from the table now. She smiled nervously as Alli took up a seat in front of her.
"You wouldn't believe I spent all this time searching for Clare and I still haven't found her!" grinned Alli, "Did her schedule switch or something? I could have sworn she would have had third period with me."
"None of our skeds have changed," Jenna answered meekly, "Same old, same old. But, I haven't seen her in the first two periods. You think maybe, she -"
"She ditched? Not like Clare."
"How about you ask her yourself." Jenna said matter-of-factly as Clare suddenly popped up next to her and took up the now vacant seat beside her.
"Ask me what?"
"You've been ditching," said Alli suspiciously.
"Uh - no I haven't," Clare answered, feeling guilty for lying.
"Yeah, you did. You have Geography with me first period, remember?" Jenna protested.
"Oh. Oops - I thought it was Geology on the paper. Silly me." She quickly answered and took a sip of her drink. The two girls were not easily fooled and they were about to push the issue when thankfully Connor showed up.
"Can I -?" he asked, indicating for Jenna to move over one chair over.
"Of course, you can." Jenna moved over and allowed him to take refuge next to Clare.
"We can still be friends, right?" asked Connor nervously.
"OMG! You guys broke up!" Jenna shrieked as the three other girls looked up.
"You guys broke up - but you're the 'it' couple." A blond was hyperventilating as she said this.
"That was not suppose to happen until graduation!" exclaimed a brunette in shock and the four girls delved into conversation, debating on how the world's perfect couple could not be any longer.
"That explains the ditching," Alli commented.
Connor looked at her with a worried stare and then at Clare again, "You what?"
"It has nothing to do with you. It's the first day of school. And Jake's down the hall from me. How am I suppose to concentrate with that running through my head?" Clare asked in a hush-hushed tone.
"Jake's here?" asked Alli.
"I just came from the daycare checking up on him," she answered. At least this part of her story was true. "And, it's OK," she said, changing the subject and looking directly at Connor, "I totally understand. I had some time to think things through and I honestly don't feel the same way and being together wouldn't change things, it would just complicate things more."
Connor nodded, "That's good," he smiled, "Because there's something I really need to discuss with you about my new English assignment!"
"Anything," answered Clare smiling and she, Connor and Alli indulged in conversation; giggling and smiling all the way.
!-0_0-!
"I have to go visit my grandma in hospital today?" Adam announced solemnly, "Now I have to be Gracie. But, I can't just show up like this especially now that she's sick and all. What do you think I should do?" He sighed and looked longingly at his best friend awaiting some word of advice or sympathy; however his friend had other interests at hand.
"Are you going to be staring at them forever?" asked Adam annoyed. He was watching Eli looking over at Clare's table with an intense stare. He had to clear his throat in order for him to look his way.
"I didn't want to do this, but you left me no choice," he unzipped his bag and pull out an oversized, clown-like pair of spectacles and hastily placed them on his friend's face. As he sat back down, he took out his cell phone and took a picture as Eli stood looking at him confused, "This is so going on Facerange!"
"What did you just do?" asked Eli confused as he heard a few giggles from a couple of girls next to them. He looked around at them and they laughed louder. Even Adam was chuckling despite himself.
Eli stood there with a confused look as he stood looking curiously at his best friend all the while.
"You want to be in Connor's shoes so badly, why not be him," Adam answered his quizzical look in a chirpy voice.
"What?" Eli asked with a nervous laugh.
Adam bent over and showed him the picture he had just taken on his phone. Eli laughed, "You can't be serious." He tried pulling the phone out of his friend's hand but they ended up in a scuffle before he finally won it over. He tap-tapped on the phone's keypad before responding, "Now, no one's going to see this."
The twin girls at the table stood up and whipped back their hair in unison and showed him their phones which had a similar image of him on them, "Too late. 'Cause we already got it! See ya!" They giggled as they walked away with empty trays.
"And then they were two," responded Adam jokily and then he turned his attention once more on his best friend and had to chuckle.
"What's so funny now?"
"You still have on the glasses," he answered still laughing and bent over once more to take them off of his face which by then he had stopped in his tracks, "You're - you're not wearing eye shadow." He finally sat back down looking at him strangely. "Rock star phase finally over? You actually look handsome for once."
Eli huffed in disbelief, "For once?"
"Yeah, I don't know what Clare ever saw in you," Adam said smiling broadly, "maybe she was going through a groupie phase."
Eli tried to keep a straight face but eventually his laughter was undeniable, "What?"
"You didn't throw a fit when I mentioned her name. Guess the glasses did their trick after all."
"So that's why you brought them?"
"It was worth it to see you finally smile again; it's been how long, fourteen days?"
Eli huffed once more, "Whatever."
"She's right over there - if you want to talk to her, go right ahead," Adam said and directed his hand over to where Clare was sitting.
Eli looked over there and then back at his friend, "She doesn't want to talk to me."
"I find that hard to believe."
"She was looking right at me just before she ditched class this morning. She made it pretty obvious."
"The only time she ever ditched class was with you. Maybe it was an invitation," he suggested, knowing full well that that could never be the case.
"Not the way she was looking at me."
"So what about Jake?" asked Adam sternly.
"Jake?" Eli asked in shock and devastation, "That's his name." Then he held down his head and shook it as though trying to forget what he had heard, "Not that it matters - what do I have to offer him anyway?"
"The fact that you're his father," answered Adam.
"You don't understand." He shook his head as though he was suddenly in agony.
"What happened with Julia was nothing but an accident, don't let her come between you and Clare all over again." Adam watched him searching for a reaction. He hated seeing this. He had done the right thing by allowing Clare to go back home that Christmas but now he had another bone to pick with his best friend, who had been dodging him like the plague ever since then. Now, they were back in school, it was hard for him to avoid him any longer and eventually he had talked him into eating lunch together. However, it had been a pretty dull and nonchalant lunch as he looked distraught and remained quiet until eventually Clare waltzed in and then he was staring over at her. He had brought the glasses more to cheer him up but avoiding the issue at hand was not on his agenda and he had to question him on his intentions. Julia was two years ago and long gone to a better place. And now somehow, once again, she had risen from the grave and haunted the emotional psyche of Eli.
[ads for five minutes while taking in all that happened before]
The bell had rung to signal the ending of the first day of school and many had jumped up and left even before the teacher could say that they could go.
Alli closed her book and was packing up her bag when she looked at Clare with expectant eyes, "Ready to face the school bus with Jake?"
Clare sighed before answering. However, she stuttered as she tried not to look directly in her friends eyes, "I-I-uh-uh-" She was not very willing to let the entire school know about her son. Somehow she felt as though it was not going to be as easy for her as it was for the popular Jenna.
"Can I have a moment with you alone?" asked Ms. Oh from her desk. She was staring directly at Clare with intense, big eyes that shone through her sharp glasses. Her body language, however, was calm and relaxed.
"I don't know what this is about but I'll catch up," Clare answered determinedly and was somehow glad that she had some time to play around with even if it was just a couple of minutes talking to a teacher. She watched as Alli walked out of the classroom and took up her own backpack and carefully strolled over to Ms. Oh's side.
"You missed the first three periods," Ms. Oh looked at her with a strict expression, "Not a very good start to the new school year."
"I'm - I'm sorry," Clare answered uneasily. How on earth had she known? Had the news travelled so fast from one teacher to the other?
"Look, I know it's not going to be easy but if you have any problems at all, I will reschedule your exams and give you extra credit however possible if you happen to hand in an assignment late."
"Um - thanks." She could not understand why exactly she was getting such special treatment, "But, why are you doing so much for me?"
"I delivered your baby, remember?" Ms. Oh rested a kind hand on the student's shoulder and looked into her blue eyes, "And, besides, you're pretty much a straight A student, and no one wants to see that change, especially me."
Clare felt a little uneasy. She had blacked out immediately after giving birth, so she was told, and had only barely seen who it was holding her little boy. She hadn't realised it was Ms. Oh until now, "Oh."
Ms. Oh removed her hand and her voice seemed to have pepped up, "I just have to finalise the details with the principal."
"You told Principal Simpson?" asked Clare both shocked and devastated.
"Oh - you're keeping it a secret," commented her teacher, "Well, that's going to be difficult to explain to him."
"I'm sure I'll get along fine, it's no big deal," Clare said. She didn't want any help from her, in all honesty, she helped enough.
"I'm going to and that's final. Now you better get going or you'll miss the bus." She smiled earnestly as she watched Clare exited the classroom with youthful, proud eyes.
Clare was standing just outside the school with Jake in hand but hidden beneath her oversized jacket along with his baby bags. She watched nervously at the school bus and started walking towards it. A couple of boys had boarded the bus and the driver had closed the doors. She could have signalled that she was coming as she neared the front of the bus just like she had seen so many late students done before. She shook her head when the driver asked with a quick hand signal if she was coming on board and continued walking as the school bus departed. She came to a bus stop where a public bus was already waiting with open doors. She quickly clambered on and removed the jacket from over Jake and placed in the fare and proceeded inside the bus. There was no way she could ever face the school bus; she had made up her mind right there and then.
Music for this episode: Survival - Chrissi B.*
Tune in next week:
Episode 5: You've Got the Wrong Girl - The new girl has eyes for Wesley and Wesley only
*original title
NB. I came up with the new character Jake before I even knew about a Jake in the present episodes - weird, right? And by the way Jenna and K.C. has a baby girl named Trixie (did not know it was boy until after).