TIME & TIED: ESCALATION

ARC 2.1 - From the Past

PART 25a: MISSING PIECE 1

Despite Luci’s best efforts, there were already a few students present when she reached her first period mathematics classroom. She’d hoped to be the first one to arrive, in order to get a seat at the back, ideally near the door. Which would allow her to watch all the others as they came in.

She needed to find a new niche in Grade Ten, to make a clean break away from the Grade Nines, now that she was skipping that grade entirely. Trouble was, she’d taken the long way here, to avoid any awkward encounters in the hall.

Fortunately, the desk she wanted was still available. As she slid into the chair, a brunette with long, naturally curly hair approached.

"Hi! Who are you?" the brunette inquired.

"Who's asking?" Luci shot back, out of reflex.

The unknown girl frowned, leaning her palms against the edge of Luci's desk. "I asked first. I don’t recognize you from last year, are you a transfer student?"

Okay, now this girl was bothering her. "What business is it of yours?" Luci demanded.

"Everything that happens around here is my business," the girl said with mounting annoyance. "You always answer questions with questions?"

"What if I do?" Who WAS this girl?

More to the point, why was Luci sabotaging their relationship right out of the gate? She bit the edge of her tongue.

Naturally, both Luci’s parents and her guidance counsellor had advised against starting high school by jumping into Grade Ten. It wasn't because the young asian girl wasn't intelligent enough. Far from it, as Luci had already read ahead in preparation. In fact, despite entering the school system one year late, this would be her third time skipping a grade. No, the real problem, as always, would be her social situation.

Her outspoken nature had never been of much help, before or after her adoption. She’d had no close friends last year, in Grade Eight. And so, in moving on to high school, Luci had put her foot down - new school, new circle of peers. Ones closer to being her intellectual equal.

At the very least, this way she’d be done with high school a year sooner. She’d deftly shot down every argument that had been thrown at her. That had been the easy part.

"Julie, don't bother the newcomer," came a new voice. Luci turned to see a redheaded boy entering the classroom. He looked vaguely familiar.

"I'm being sociable, Corry," Julie retorted, pushing herself away from Luci's desk. Corry, mused Luci... why do I know that name? Right, back at MacKenzie King Middle School there had been a Corry Veniti in the grade ahead of her. He'd had delusions of grandeur, as Luci recalled... this had to be the same guy. Now in her grade.

"Of course you are," Corry was saying to Julie. “And by tomorrow, you'll have the poor girl hauling your books to your next class."

"Well, I didn't know you were interested in her," Julie retorted. "By all means, convince her to carry your books instead."

"Idiots," Luci muttered under her breath, even as the two of them ignored her in favour of glaring at each other. She could do better than people so petty. Right? Maybe?

This small Canadian town wasn’t helping. With very few other asians around, and her fitting a number of the racial stereotypes, she’d trended even further into sarcasm when talking to people. Honestly, why didn’t people THINK before opening their mouths? Though maybe it wasn’t their fault. Okay, positive thoughts. Luci eyed the classroom door.

As the five minute warning bell went off, Luci saw a girl who had to be Corry’s twin sister enter, given the physical similarity. She was accompanied by another girl with a crystal necklace, who had pink hair. Except the redhead was saying her friend hadn’t always had pink hair, last year it was green, though pink went better with her outfit, and oh God, their conversation seemed so boring and shallow. Rejected.

Then a shorter boy entered by himself; he looked too introverted. Then a taller blonde boy; he gravitated immediately towards Julie. Then more students, and in all cases, Luci found that she was rejecting them as possible friends for one reason or another. In large part because it seemed like the cliques here had already formed. For the first time, the advice of her counsellor hit home: ‘Skipping Grade Nine is a BAD idea.’

The teacher re-entered the room with a minute to spare, and people began finding seats. With less than thirty seconds before the final bell, there was a crashing sound in the hallway, and Luci turned again. A blonde girl with long hair was sitting on the floor. Next to her was a male wearing glasses, now slightly askew. Apparently the two of them had collided, running to class from opposite directions.

"Pervert!" the blonde accused, moving to slap the male upside the head with her binder. "I felt that. How dare you try to cop a feel by crashing into me?”

“Ow! What? I was trying to keep myself from falling down,” the male protested, reaching up to adjust his glasses and rub the side of his head.

“Nice try,” the blonde retorted. She whacked his hand. "The last guy who fed me a line like that at least bought me dinner first!”

The final bell chose that moment to ring, the two teenagers turning and blinking in the direction of the classroom. They jumped to their feet and leapt for the entrance, both squeezing through at the same time.

As the announcements clicked on, the blonde hurried for what was apparently a reserved seat next to Julie, while the boy in the glasses slid into the closest available desk... right next to Luci. The young girl realized abruptly that she had yet to take her eyes off of him. She snapped her attention back to the front of the room.

'Okay.’ Luci resolved. ‘It’s socializing with that guy or nothing!’

***

Luci next encountered Frank - she’d obtained his name via attendance taking - during lunch. He was sitting alone in the cafeteria, poring over a book of some sort. Summoning up her courage, Luci set her tray down across from him.

“I’d like to sit here?" she said, belatedly turning the assertion into a question.

Frank looked up in surprise. "Hm? Oh, sure, sit where you like," he said.

Luci nodded, sliding into the available space. Frank looked back at his book. "I see you're interested in time travel," she continued, unwrapping her sandwich.

“What?" Frank said, looking up again. Luci motioned to the book he was reading: 'Time Machines' by Paul J. Nahin. "Oh!" Frank realized. “Yes, it's a passing interest. Alternately, a long and complicated story... uhm, forgive me for asking this, but do I know you?"

"No. Not yet,” Luci admitted. “I'm new to the school. But we were sitting next to each other in math class. Luci Primrose,” she offered, extending her hand.

“Frank Dijora,” he responded, setting his book down to shake.

"You know,” Luci continued. “That girl had no right to hit you the way she did this morning. Outside class. You should have stood up to her."

“Oh, you saw that?” Frank said, wincing. “That's... well, yeah, maybe you're right, except Carrie will be Carrie. Contrary to what some people say, she's not all bad. Overly emotional maybe. It's... never mind. Uh, did you transfer in from out of town?”

Luci noted the change of subject, but decided to roll with it. She swallowed her bite of sandwich. "No, I skipped Grade Nine."

Frank lifted an eyebrow. "I thought you looked young! Nine is an odd one to skip though, it must leave you at a bit of a loose end with respect to the school."

"Yeah, kind of," Luci admitted. “Which is why I’ve been looking for someone to help me out. And you seem to be both nice, intelligent and..." She stopped herself before adding ‘good looking’, only to realize she was no longer sure where else to go with that sentence.

Frank's other eyebrow joined his first. “And... so you want me to show you around or something?”

"Yes. I mean no. I mean, I don’t need a tour," Luci amended hastily. "But maybe catch me up on what some of our classmates are like? Friends, enemies, personalities?"

Frank shook his head. "I'm not the person you want for that,” he countered. "For statistics, go to Julie. Rumour has it that she’s got a file folder for every student. In our grade, and beyond.”

Luci wrinkled her nose. "Julie, I met. Didn't like her."

"She can evoke that reaction," Frank agreed. "But she's pretty popular. Does things for people, throws good parties - she's a LaMille, you know."

"A LaMille?" Luci said, taken aback. “Related to that rich couple who own the old mansion in town?"

“Yup," Frank said. “So if you’re aiming for popularity, you’ll need her on your side. Well, her or Corry Veniti. They’re the most influential people in our grade.”

“See, this is exactly the stuff I need to know! Tell me more.”

It took a bit of convincing, as Frank seemed wary of spreading misinformation, but Luci left their lunch period feeling a bit more confident in her ability to fit in. And in having found someone to talk to.

That’s when things took an odd turn.

Luci opened her locker at the end of the day, to find a note taped on the back side of the door. This, despite how she had only bought her lock last Friday, and had told no one about the combination.

Luci pulled the note off and scanned it. It read: ‘I have important information. Willowdale Park at 9pm tonight. Come alone.’

"Something out of a bad movie," Luci muttered to herself. She flipped the paper over, but it was unsigned and she didn't recognize the handwriting. Luci tapped the paper edge against her fingertips. "All right. I'll bite," she decided. "But whoever you are, take care you’re not underestimating me."

***

The park was deserted when Luci arrived. As she was ten minutes early, she hadn't really expected anyone else to be there yet. Seating herself in one of the swings, Luci took the opportunity to scan around in all directions, through the growing darkness.

She first heard a noise at a minute to nine. "Hello? Who's there?" she called out authoritatively.

"Luci?"

"Frank?" Luci's tone turned to surprise as she stood. "Frank, is that you?"

"Er, yes," Frank responded. She could now see him approaching her. "Sorry about this cloak and dagger act," he continued. "It’s all rather complicated."

“Apparently,” Luci fired back. “First things first, how did you know my locker combination?"

Frank winced. “You told it to me, Luci.”

"I did no such thing.”

“No, you kind of did, actually," Frank countered.

She crossed her arms. “Explain.”

He stepped closer. “Right. See, I am, um, a secret government operative with the power to read minds. I was asked by my superiors to look into you as a potential recruit, due to your superior intelligence."

Luci stared. Great, so she’d decided to befriend a crazy person. “Where’s your proof?”

“Well, right now you’re thinking that I’m crazy."

“That’s not proof! What agency is this? Why would it have a branch in Canada? What other science fiction books are you reading?”

“Okay, stop, that’s a lot to answer at once,” Frank protested. “We need to take this slowly, like where you think of a number, and I tell you what it is, and then after that we’ll move on to shapes, and you know what, now would be a real good time, Luci!”

Too late, Luci heard the noise behind her. She started to turn, but the cloth had already been slapped across her mouth and nose. The effect of the drug was almost immediate. After a short, futile struggle, the thirteen year old asian girl lay unconscious upon the ground.

The fourteen year old asian girl, still with her hair done up in two ponytails, was left looking down at her own body.