Adventures of the Restless Youth: Deluxe Edition: Adventures of the Restless Youth, #4

By AXY Grace

Now you can read all three books in the series within one sitting! Book 1: The Dunkirk Spirit A group of eclectic friends stumbled upon blood messages left on the school walls as a legend of "The Dunkirk" starting circulating in their high school. A string of unfortunate events kept happening to the group. What was the tale of yore trying to tell them? Book 2: The Caster Effect Before the wacky gang even graduated from high school, they ventured into the world of action-sports and Hollywood. Do they survive trying to carve a name for themselves among the strong competition? What did they lose along the way while trying? Book 3: The Stendhal Syndrome The gang faced a dilemma when a few of them gained increasing fame and public scrutiny, causing their friendships and romantic relationships to be tested beyond what they could control. Does the heart always have its reasons which reason knows not?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AXY Grace
• Release date: Apr 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215204122

AXY Grace

*Field experience* In the past ten years’ career, AXY Grace’s first passion was working with youth. The work involved curating vocational training programs and providing career guidance to the adolescents, many of whom were dropping out of school. At one point, she also conducted leadership training to 700 youth volunteers from mainstream schools. Graduated with a BA in Social Sciences, majoring in psychology with a minor in sociology. Obtained a certificate in Career Development Facilitator by National Career Development Association (NCDA) in 2014 and 2021.

Book preview

Contents

Book 1

Preface

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Epilogue

Appendix

Acknowledgements

Book 2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Epilogue

Glossary

References

Acknowledgements

Other works by A.X.Y. Grace

Book 3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

Epilogue

References

Acknowledgements

Other works by A.X.Y. Grace

Book 1

Adventures of the Restless Youth:

The Dunkirk Spirit

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A.X.Y. Grace

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.  Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Cover design using Canva.

––––––––

Copyright A.X.Y. Grace

Revised Edition 2023

First Published 2021

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

The following story is meant to be narrated in a mockumentary format, sometimes with characters describing the situation, their feelings, opinions and what-nots in a talking head style as if expressing their internal monologues to a camera during an interview, similar to documentaries and reality TVs.

There are more main characters than usual, meant to be read like short stories that have been interwoven into a whole. To help readers better understand the characters, an appendix is enclosed at the end of the book with a summary of the main characters’ profiles.

This is the first of a three-part series.

––––––––

Tales are like archived universes, which exist when more than one person has lived in them. – Author

Preface

During my work with the in-risk youths, there were a number of incidents that stood out. A particularly memorable one was where two girls whose parents had filed an order with the court that they were unable to be disciplined treated officers with disregard at a baking program that we arranged for them to participate in. I was somehow keen to win them over.

One of the girls had shared at another program that her dream in future was to become a doctor, to treat those like her brother who is on the autism spectrum. Despite her usual rudeness and indifferent nature, she gave the speech with so much confidence and conviction in front of a class that I almost teared upon hearing what she said.

Another girl always pulled a long face, rolled her eyes whenever I spoke to her and ignored whatever instructions we were trying to tell them. However, she expressed strong interest in the baking program and after I had selected her to represent the class at an upcoming event to showcase her work, her attitude changed drastically and she finally looked me in the eyes. At the event, she initiated to find me among the crowd to take a photo together with another few of her baking classmates who were also present. This happened sometime in 2013 and I kept the photo displayed at home to this day.

Sometimes, these so-called ‘wayward youths’ only needed extra guidance and attention to achieve their potential.  

1

Robbie LaVorgna wiped the wisps of blood off his lip with the tip of his thumb and sneered at his opponent. His opponent, a gigantic figure with wild auburn hair, freckled cheeks and a tiny but noticeable gap between his two front teeth, sat with his left palm supporting his weight on the ground across from Robbie. The giant shook his head to remove the starry blur from his eyes and blinked hard twice. He could not believe that Robbie had pummeled him in front of so many students in the cafeteria of Brooklyn State High School, and now there was ringing in his ears. He broke into a conceited smile thinking that, at least, he had managed to return a fist back and his nail had cut Robbie's mouth.

The Giant

Bruh, I’m known to be a good fighter. My fists and sometimes just a shake of my pinky  finger will instill fear in the weak and the vulnerable. That’s so humiliating, receiving a black eye in front of so many people. That sophomore rascal’s thin as a garden rake but boy, he could definitely pack a punch.

Robbie

This is awkward. Am I supposed to introduce myself or what? I don’t know what to say...the deed is done. The Giant deserves it. Period.

Brushing the dirt off his khaki trousers, Robbie stood up to leave just as the discipline mistress with her crimson coiffure rushed to the scene, after a crowd had conspicuously gathered around the fighting pair and caught the attention of the school's management.

Don't move, the both of you! Who's gonna tell me the truth about what just happened here! Mrs. Adler remarked sternly, her arms akimbo as she glowered at the two boys, who were not even twitching a muscle as their brawl had already subsided. The crowd hurriedly dispersed back about their businesses and only Robyn da Silva was left with the duo.

A seventh grader shot a look of gratitude at Robbie before scuttling off with the rest.

The seventh grader

I was...er...just having my lunch? This huge-ass dude walked up to me and took my lunch tray away! Who even is he? Then another thin-ass dude pulled the huge-ass dude’s shirt and he was like, man, pick someone your own size, to the huge-ass dude! NOBODY was the huge dude’s size – what on earth was the thin dude talking about? Anyway, it’s none of my business really, when they decided to exchange punches, just over some food. *Shrugs*

Robyn, I appreciate your loyalty to your friend here, but don't you have a Math period starting right now? Mrs. Adler tried to wave her off to class.

Robyn refused to budge and shook her head. We started the fight together. If you want to punish someone, I'm in it just as much as them. Don't discount me because I'm a girl.

As if to emphasize her determination to stay put, Robyn – or Roby, as she would rather like to be known as, despite the confusion among their friends who knew both her and Robbie – crossed her arms in defiance. That said...you also won't find out anything from me either. Just get on with the punishment.

Exasperated, Mrs. Adler massaged the creases on her forehead and decided to direct the troublemakers to the only person who could exercise command over them with ease. She pointed at the three students one by one and gestured to the Principal's office, where they would be spending their next period at.

Mrs. Adler

These two kids again! How many times did we have to tell them that fighting the bully does not stave off his bullying behavior! *Shakes her head* I mean, the bully’s wrong too of course, but technically, he’s not hurting anybody by eating their food, right? He’s a big guy – surely he needs more sustenance than others to get his energy. We need to tell his parents...they’re probably too busy to be aware of that.

~

The orange gum popped as Roby swung her legs back and forth while chewing nonchalantly. From the corner of her eye, she glanced over at Robbie sitting beside her, who dabbed a tissue on his wound and carelessly combed his scraggly hair while the three of them waited outside Mrs. Olivia's office for indictment. Both Roby and Robbie were no strangers to the Principal Mrs. Chernyshevsky, who preferred to be referred to by her first name instead, as students often mispronounced her husband's Russian family name whether by accident or by choice.

In actuality, Roby very much enjoyed Mrs. Olivia's company, who did not believe in harsh discipline. She always saw potential in students that were misguided and tried her best to tap on their strengths to motivate them and to correct their misbehavior and askew mindsets, instead of negatively reinforcing or punishing their mistakes. Her pedagogy somewhat resembled how Charles Xavier trained his academy of mutants. On the flip side, Robbie preferred to spend his time anywhere else other than inside a classroom’s four walls, where he would be bored out of his wits.

And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit from the three of you to the Grand Oval today? Mrs. Olivia chimed as the students cautiously stepped into her humble office, lined with two maplewood shelves of books, encyclopedias and VHS tapes on one side; trophies and plaques on another. A vintage Stiffel pole lamp stood near the window at a corner, another table lamp was placed on the desk, which was about all the furniture present there. She took delight in calling her workspace by the likes of the White House, as it could not be more poles apart in its scale and furnishings.

The trio stood in silence in front of her gargantuan oak desk that took up almost half the walkable tiles in the office, with files and documents scattered about on the top of it, which Mrs. Olivia deliberately leafed up slowly to organize while waiting for someone to start the ball rolling. A grotesque brown cuckoo clock on the wall struck one and a yellow-feathered bird propelled out, making all the students jump and prompting them to speak.

Roby

Mrs. Olivia has questionable taste in furniture...they all looked so ancient! Like, they’re from the 40s or sumthin’. But the furniture’s quite durable to last that long, I guess? That clock’s so creepy though, urgh.

Roby opened with a question. Is fighting wrong if it's fighting for justice?

Mrs. Olivia, with her streaks of white, gray and black permed hair, looked up from behind her eyeglasses, which was tied with an anti-slip beaded chain strung around the back of her neck.

Well let's see, she mused, it depends on whether there is a need to cause harm to another person in the first place, as that's what fights do, whether it is justified or not. She then added, or unless it is self-defense, in which case you better beat the lungs out of the other person so that the person can't chase after you, and run! Mrs. Olivia punched her fist in the air across her face and winked at Roby.

Robbie, Roby and The Giant widened their eyes at the unexpected response. Roby wanted to rebut but Robbie pulled her back. She shook away his grip but kept silent, as if reading his thoughts. Robbie knew that the Principal was not really interested in what happened per se, but just wanted them to acknowledge that how they behaved was unnecessary.

To him, it was pointless to the adults what children find heroic. Not that he was trying to show off by standing up to the blustering bully, who preyed on smaller students in age and size, but he had felt an obligation to put an end to the tyrannical acts. Reporting bullies to the school's management was the least pragmatic option in his opinion. The school would either not take action without substantial evidence because the victims were likely afraid to speak up, or only be meeting up with the parents and leading to another vicious cycle of the bully being reprimanded or ignored, which probably caused the bouts of bullying in the first place. This was the 1990s and counseling was still only as effective as the next antidepressant drug.

After a short pep talk, Mrs. Olivia somehow convinced the three students to apologize to each other with a handshake, pretending not to notice the crossed fingers behind Roby's back. Nonetheless, she retained Roby for a short chat and released the two boys back to their classes.

Robbie cast a concerned expression at his friend just as he shut the office door with an ominous click.

2

The basketball bounced off the newly varnished hardwood flooring with three loud thuds before waggling to the unfortunate far side of the court.

William Brentwood heaved a sigh before starting out in a lumbering run to pick it up, his high-top sneakers making annoying screeches against the vinyl ground. The alpha leader among his friends due to his imposing athleticism, relatively good looks, high intelligence and strong leadership, William's family also owned a gym equipment business and was one of the wealthiest in the gang. He was also the vice-captain of the school's basketball team, and always tried to make it a point to have the members follow the rule, that no matter what position they occupied in the team, the last person who touched the ball had to fetch it. Including himself.

Hey! Watch it man, William ducked his bristly copper brown head back with a frown, as the gym doors to the court flung wide open when he was bending over to scoop up the idle ball lying right next to them.

Jonathan Phelan grinned impishly, cursed at his chance to have almost crashed into his friend, and slapped William playfully across the back. Why didn’t you guys wait for me to start practice?

Eager to join in the game, Jonathan swiftly slanted his upper torso to one side to slide his backpack off and grabbed the bag strap, hurling it towards the wall.

Victor Lafferty smoothly dribbled the ball inches away from his foot, looked at Jonathan and shrugged with a downward turn of the corners of his mouth. We must’ve missed you buried among the gaggle of girls watching the drama in the lunchroom, your spiky hair notwithstanding, he made a wisecrack and continued to gently toss the ball right into the hoop with a slight flex of his wrists.

Playing basketball was easily the obvious and natural choice for Victor, who was lanky at six feet and towered over his peers. Jonathan, on the other hand, was runty and perpetually at the receiving end of the butt of jokes from the gang, who had known each other since kindergarten from attending the same church. Regardless, he was still a valuable team member as he could sprint fast and lance his way through the typically tall players. He and Victor were also ironically the best of friends despite the contrast in height, as they carried the same good-natured humor, and with both being the oldest child from harsh family backgrounds with an avid interest in sports.

Jonathan

What was it that old philosophers liked to say? Never judge a book by its cover? That's me, the book they're reading so much about. Yeah, my height's cuter than the average, so what? Are all great warriors tall? No – what's the other saying? The best weapon a warrior has is his mind? That's right, I used my mind! To play a basketball game! Try to buzzer beat that!

So, what’s the fight about? William caught the loose ball which ricocheted after hitting a metal post.

Jonathan rolled his eyes. You know how The Giant likes to make fun of chubby chubs. He just can't register that he's actually the one with the higher fat ratio!

His skull's thick too, that's why. In any case, did you lose again? Larry Rogers quipped as he passed the ball to Jonathan, hitting him in the chest when he tried to grasp it.

Larry was also their church-mate and in the same homeroom throughout junior high, who all formed a group of friends collectively known as Will's gang – together with two more schoolmates Nick McDorman, an eleventh grader a year older than them and also a basketballer, and Marcus Leto who was the oldest among them as a senior in the baseball team.

Nick and Marcus were also two of the more well-regarded students in school – one with his laidback and easygoing attitude on top of his prolific basketball skills; the other a modest all-rounder with straight As and shiny medals to boost.

Jonathan

Not bragging but, we’re like the Sensational Seven in school...not that we can help it, but the name’s kinda befitting. We’ve been friends for like, forever? ‘cos most of us go to the same church, some of us are in the same class and sports team, or we live near to each other...thus we just flock together with those similar feathers...you get the gist.

"Whatchu meant by 'again'? F, Y, I, Jonathan snaked his neck in indignant emphasis as he spat out the acronym, I was just a spectator this time, is that a crime?"

William glared in disapproval at Jonathan’s tardiness. Oh, so you weren’t the one being pinned on the ground? What took you so long to come for practice then?

Victor looked around the gym room. Speaking of late, where’s Robbie?

The group halted in their game and exchanged knowing glances with each other.

He’s playing hooky again, Larry exhaled deeply with a hint of disappointment.

Jonathan bit his lips in an attempt not to get his teammate into more trouble. Standing by the bleachers, Jowell da Silva clapped his hands to gather all players together to start the drill.

Jowell da Silva

Don’t think I’ve been introduced, but I am Robyn’s older brother and the basketball team captain. Just so you know. *Lifts his dark bushy eyebrows for a second*

~

Robbie threw a pebble towards the drugstore's window and managed to chip off a side glass pane without causing any fuss. His shooting skills had come to good use. After stealthily scanning his surroundings to confirm nobody else was sneaking around but him, he stretched his wiry arm into the small hole. Careful not to cut himself and causing more injury than he had already suffered for the day, he fished out a packet of M&Ms and a bag of Famous Amos lying on the top shelf, then reached for some chocolate bars stacked next to the cookies. His side face was almost plastered to the dusty window as he extended his search further into the shop and kept his other leg perpendicular from the ground up for balance, looking like a ballet dancer’s flipped arabesque.

A hand seized Robbie’s right shoulder and he froze. Not wishing to visit the grand oval for a second time that afternoon, he considered his options hastily. Would he be able to drop his goods quick enough to dart across the gravel road without his face being seen if he was lucky, or should he muster up his hidden theatrical tears and cook up a tragic but tenable tale? Before he could come to a calculated conclusion, the hand moved away from his shoulder into the front pocket of his flannel shirt, pulled out the packet of M&Ms from inside and opened it. He spun around to find Roby crunching on the small chocolate pieces being tossed into her mouth in rapid succession. She also groped around through the jagged opening for a bag of chips.

Robbie heaved in relief as he leaned back against the wall beneath the window. What did Mrs. Olivia talk to you about?

Roby inclined towards the wall too and scrunched up her face to fake crying. She wants me to brush up my failing grades and to stop my 'frivolous dalliances' with you, wriggling her index and middle fingers on both hands as she quoted the Principal, as if I had a choice.

Their two families had been neighbors before they were born, and their mothers were pregnant around the same time with them, giving birth within a week of each other. Both families got along so well that they had thought it funny to give their children the same sounding first names; with Robert and Robin with a ‘y’ if it were a girl. Roby had one older brother – Jowell, by a year – and the three of them were inseparable as kids. That was until Jowell entered high school first, became the basketball team's captain even before he was a senior and started dating the most popular cheerleader in school, that he gradually became distant.

Roby

So, you’ve heard of my brother. Jowell and I were actually pretty close when we were kids, but it’s kinda sad that he grew apart – he treats me now as if he doesn’t have a sister. Doesn’t even acknowledge my presence in school! What on earth?

A knock on the window from the inside caused both of them to jump. They turned back in horror to face the shopkeeper, who was pointing at them and shouting indistinguishable words. He was rushing out of the store with a baseball bat just as Robbie and Roby scampered off with their loot of excessively overpriced products.

Robbie

That drugstore is such a complete rip-off. He sells those stuff like half times more than that of other shops, just ‘cos they’re the only one in the neighborhood. Scammers.

~

Deciding not to head home for fear that the shopkeeper might be pursuing them, they returned to school where they spotted Sasha Phillips, Lynnette Robertson and Jennifer Gray at their cheerleading practice on the grass field, taking a short break. These three girls and their families were also close friends with Will’s gang; having been in the same church and class with the four basketball boys since junior high.

Roby, being Irish-Hispanic and hailed from a secular Catholic family, did not attend the Protestant church but had hit it off so well with each of the three girls from the same homeroom that they accepted her as part of their clique. The four of them were hence affectionately nicknamed Sasha's gang. When they hung out together with the boys, they just referred to the whole group as the gang, who frequently congregated at William’s three-story mansion at Bitmus Avenue, where he lived with his parents and seven other siblings. Even though every household in the gang had varied financial situations, the parents were like-minded in wanting their offspring to attend public schools to mix with other children from all walks of life.

Roby went over to greet the girls and parted ways with Robbie as he strode off to the indoor basketball court. At the same time, two football jocks appeared at the field although it was not their training day, with the obvious intent to watch the cheerleading practice. Sasha, with her svelte curves and lustrous honey blonde wavy locks, was very charismatic and confident. She excused herself temporarily from chatting with the group and took charge to drive the uninvited guests away.

When they refused to budge and flirtatiously taunted her, she caught sight of a baseball lying on the ground close by.

The next moment, the baseball flew right past the two football players and shattered the glass panel of the teachers’ lounge behind them. A few staff streamed out to find the culprit.

Only the footballers and Sasha's company witnessed what had happened as the other cheerleaders were too far off the other side of the field to take notice. The two guys were the likely suspects from the staff’s point of view while Sasha contemplated her reputation of being the smart, well-adjusted and conscientious student in school. Not to mention her high popularity among the students due to her pretty looks, stylish wardrobe and rich parents.

Thinking that she did not have anything to lose, Roby stepped forward and admitted to the so-called demonstration of reckless behavior.

Sasha

What? I don’t...I can’t...no...not now...*Walks away*

3

Training’s almost over, but we can play another round, if you beg us, Jonathan tossed a friendly ball at Robbie, who sauntered onto the basketball court after sluggishly changing into his jersey.

Robbie grabbed hold of the ball that almost went past his shoulder and smirked. You wish! I’d rather do drills than kowtow to anyone.

William snorted in distaste for people with a disregard for time. Even MJ would practice throwing hoops daily and not find it a mundane chore.

Victor gained possession of the skyhook shot from Robbie. As if your intelligence is really that high to know What Would Jordan Do?

"MJ said it himself – ‘Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work’. Don’t you know the more you practice, the less you bleed in battle?" William opined.

Well, I think he also said something like, if you get the wrong technique, then you’re just spending eight hours of practice being good at shooting the wrong way... Robbie shrugged and missed the throw from Larry, where Victor caught the stray shot with his slender arms.

William inhaled a deep breath. "Whoever told you to practice the wrong shooting method? Get your basics right, which you will when you actually show up for practice!"

The team continued their carefree banter just as Roby barged onto the court and grabbed the ball from Victor. She aimed at the middle of the backboard, shifted her ankles and sprang. Although she was only about five feet, her jump shots were almost hundred percent accurate, with the prolonged duration she spent after school on the neighborhood basketball courts with the other street kids. She had tried out the girls' basketball squad for the last two years with no luck, which she suspected that her brother Jowell had purposely messed with her chances because he was the overall school captain and did not want his kid sister to be in the same sports team.

Woah, rude. Play nice, young lady, Victor mildly chided as he went after the ball to pick it up, while Roby scurried around to retrieve another.

After she aced a three-point shot, she dribbled the ball for a few more seconds before bounce-passing to Jonathan to start a proper game. William was drying off on the sidelines, ready to shower and go home for the day, but they could not play a match with uneven sides. He trotted back on the court and raised his arms, signaling to Roby for an overhead pass. Larry, who was standing behind her, hit the ball out from her hands and Robbie escaped with it to score. Furious at the interception so soon into the game, Roby swirled around to clothesline Larry to the floor before he could high-five his teammate in celebration, where she tripped and both of them landed on the hard maple floor with a bam.

What's wrong with you!? Larry scowled and stared into Roby's eyes as she lay atop of him, both gasping for air from the impact.

At that exact minute, Mrs. Olivia stormed through the entrance with an entourage of teachers in tow. They were in search of Roby, who had run off after her confession of culpability for the broken window earlier before the matter could be investigated. The drugstore owner had also shown up in piping anger at the school’s reception counter, incoherently demanding to see the two daylight robbers.

Mrs. Olivia's hand covered her mouth in surprise at what she saw. Miss Robyn da Silva, enough for the day, I believe. A word with you in my office now please.

As Roby briskly pushed herself up with every ounce of strength she could mobilize and blushed from first-hand embarrassment, her friends were scattered around the court, rooted to their feet gaping in disbelief.

Roby

That was plain embarrassing. Not well-played by me, I’ll admit. But what’s the worst that could happen? Another talk? Pleasshh.

Even though she loved delving into the human psyche, Roby could not decipher how logic worked. Mrs. Olivia told her that the most rational arrangements for her failing grades and astonishing acting outs would be: one, to bar her from ever joining the school’s basketball team until she attained reasonable marks for all her subjects; and two, for a student mentor to tutor her after school, since her parents could not afford paid tuition.

After careful consideration, Mrs. Olivia and Roby's homeroom teacher assessed that the most suitable classmate for this task would be Larry Rogers, the high IQ, eloquent and responsible class monitor, whose mother was a college professor. Given that her athletic prowess would be gone to waste if she was not part of a sports team and wanting to occupy Roby's free time more meaningfully, Mrs. Olivia enrolled her for track and field instead, which she was none at all interested in.

And yet, Roby had presumed that there was definitely nothing to lose.

Roby

Totally did not see that coming – her playing that consequence card. *Lips tightened in a firm line*

~

Ruffles gently licked its paws and nestled on Roby's crossed legged lap in her bedroom that night, as she mulled over how to escape her predicament. She was smoothing back the fur of the twelve-year-old fluffy gray Persian when the telephone rang beside her and startled her from daydreaming.

Aren't you gonna tell me what the heck's went on in school today? Jennifer's voice boomed over the receiver on the other end of the line.

Roby rolled her eyes and stared up at the glow-in-the-dark stars stickered to her ceiling. Her bedroom walls were more or less like a standard sixteen-year-old's; plastered with posters of Michael Jordan, who was her all-time favorite NBA player, in addition to the posters of rock bands Bon Jovi and Green Day.

Jennifer was her best friend as they shared similar tastes in music and differed from other girly peers due to their apathetic interest in fashion and boys, whose awareness towards them were equally lackadaisical, mostly due to their outward appearances based on the usual teen standards. Roby was healthily tanned from being out too much in the sun, and scrawny with her short brown bob, while Jennifer was palely freckled, gangly, redheaded and wore garish glasses. Both had a less-than-caring sibling as well, with Jennifer's elder brother being the school's infamous awkward nerd who scored distinction in every possible Science Olympiad. Jennifer was more fortunate to have another oldest sister four years apart, who provided her with sound life advice that she at times would also pass on to Roby. Roby and Jennifer hence connected emotionally even though the latter was a Mathematical whiz, whereas Roby preferred literature.

Roby hesitated to spill the full story, as she was worried that Jennifer might feel offended at not being chosen for the role of her mentor, because she fared well academically and liked to be entrusted with such a prestigious accolade that would stand out on her already outstanding job resume one day. Roby decided to skip through the tedious details and selected only the important bit, i.e. that she could never join the basketball team in the foreseeable future due to her misdeeds.

Hey, what's that noise behind you? Roby enquired brusquely to change the subject.

Jennifer grunted. Nick's here playing with the stupid xylophone my geeky brother bought from the thrift shop.

Despite being in Will's gang of athletes, Nick was best buddies with Jennifer's brother, Alex, from the same homeroom, as he was always awestruck by Alex’s fanatical scientific experiments. Alex in turn admired Nick's kind earnest nature in his willingness to befriend the odd outsider. They shared the same silly sense of humor and love for slapstick comedy, notwithstanding the fact that the two guys were worlds apart in physique and demeanor – Jennifer's brother being skinny and gawky while Nick was brawny and gregarious.

Jennifer

Don’t ask me how that friendship works – only the heavens know. People say that someone must be playing a joke on them...or just Nick. Maybe he offended a goddess in his past life.

Moreover, Nick enjoyed spending time in the warmth of the Grays’ household, whose parents welcomed him at their dinner table with his wisecracking jokes. His own dad had passed on from cancer when he was only nine, and his mother had been juggling three jobs to single-handedly raise him and his two sisters, one older and one younger. Even though they were close-knit, he always had to be the strong pillar as the only male in the family. Here, he could act as immaturely as he wanted.

Just as Jennifer was lamenting the dire state of her long untamed frizzy hair, Nick strolled into her room with an amused grin. He plonked down on her swivel chair and waited patiently for the phone conversation to