Chapter Six: Lei and Dare

The best time to skip class was a question often poised by the curious amateur thrill seeker. Those who skipped out on class ought to be prepared to accept the title that is attached to it. Stoner, delinquent, outcast, outlaw, cheater, tramp, vagabond, and others some more common than others. Those who are afraid of getting caught should not attempt, as they only look like fools, and will also be subject to torture by the strict student body captain, who, unlike the majority of the fools running around Patterson High, was as straight as a ruler in the hands of a master architect; she would abide to ever law and pursue any criminal, to the very depths of hell. The notoriety of the school captain was well known, especially since she was only a sophomore, but probably what drove this somewhat sadistic captain to such lengths was the other side of the coin: the School Skipper. Although many students didn't get the ingenuity of the joke, it still made out to be a classic battle between the rule maker, and the rule breaker.

[A skipper is like a captain on a ship kind of way]

It had even risen to even greater heights as the school skipper was known for performing a variety of tasks for the student underground. Despite partaking in an unethical practice such as skipping, the majority of the tasks involved the well being of the student body. Such as exposing those who skipped to pull off stupid pranks, like peeing on the bathroom floor, or writing annoying messages under the stairwell. Some promoted the savior 'student skipper', mainly to spite the school captain, while others still despised this 'queen of skipping' for her devious acts against 'fellow' delinquents. However, this new year at Patterson was slowly grinding to a halt. The summer ecstasy was calming, and requests were few and far between. Nobody knew the identity of the school skipper, which was the main reason for all  the hype. The superhero effect played well into the student body. Yet this caused rumors to spread, saying that the school skipper was actually the captain in disguise, and it was all a big stunt just to catch even more students performing misconduct. Of course that wasn't the case as the school captain worked incredibly hard to keep her reputation up, she would never be caught dead or alive breaking the rules, or so she claims. The only thing known about the school skipper, was the fact that she was a girl, and in the sophomore grade as well.

Nobody would suspect the ghost. In fact, nobody would even know that such a person named the ghost existed. It was not to be known, to anyone. Which is why this day, Wednesday, filled her heart with dread as she stood outside of her fifth period classroom, slouched against the outer wall. Someone had known. Someone had figured it out, and they were threatening her with that secret. She had to move carefully. The situation was greatly spiraling out of control. If she wanted to, she could have traced it all the way back to that stupid bulletin that was posted back when the term was still fresh and she was just getting into her stride. The mission was simple: skip out, get to the middle school, sneak into Mr. Calvin's office and recover some kind of stolen item. The actual details were a bit fuzzy at this point. However, the queen of skipping wasn't expecting her deed to be caught on a tiny video camera, which she had a feel was illegal in the first place. She was expecting that this, Mr. Calvin, would be willing to go so far as to threaten her directly. Yet the threat was bizarre to her:

 They requested that she attend, as a representative of the Patterson High School, as an aid to a massive field trip that was being planned in the neighboring middle school. Initially, such a request would be no problem, if it meant that her secret would still be safe, but they had to extent it even further, explaining that nobody was to know that she was going there, which meant she would have to skip class, just to meet with their strange demands. So she did what she was good at: Skipping out of class.

11:30, The clock read in bright red letters. To Lei, this was the perfect time to begin the 'skip' routine. If she were to ever write a book, which would never be published, [as it would be read, and the knowledge would eventually reach the teachers, policy would change, and then it would just be a moot point], it would be on the art of skipping class at Patterson High. 

11:30 was the best time to skip class because that was just five minutes before Lunch A ended, [the school had divided lunch to four sections, A, B, C, and D in that order]. Sometimes, if a class has a stupid substitute teacher or if the teacher is lazy, the release for B lunch could have up to a five minute lag time, which then gives you time to be inside of the lunch room before 11:35, and that is the best route to take coming from her experience. Considering that she was at the Eastern end of the building, and that there was a staircase directly to her left, one would say that taking that to the ground level would be the best option, however that person would be running the risk of interrogation of the guard who was often positioned at the entryway, usually a teacher on duty. The perfect strategist knows the pieces, they know where those pieces are, they know how those pieces are going to move, and at what time, they know where to be in order to obtain the perfect result. Lei was a strategist. An outlaw in a manner of speaking, but still, a damn good stategist, and tactician. Manipulating the variables was one thing, but playing the pieces as if they were in the palm of her hand...and without uttering a single word.

She then made her first move, quickly walking towards the edge of the locker bay towards the main hallway. This way, she could at least pretend to be going to her locker, or the drinking fountain which was to the right, however she passed both up, to move onto the next goal. She had the mental picture of the school painted brilliantly in her head. If you followed the locker bay, and took a left, you would be in the main hallway, where the entrance to the main office was, if you took another left immediately, you would be faced with another, much safer staircase, than the one mentioned previously. This was so you could access the music room locker bay, as opposed to dealing with a stationed sentry. After passing down the plastic steps and onto the ground level, which had three main exits, Lei slowly inched her way along the band room lockers. It was a well known fact that the students in band, had their lockers specially placed in the locker bay next to the music room which was adjacent to the cafeteria, her destination. If she was an idiot, she may have tried to leave through the gym exit, which was constantly guarded. A more charismatic type of skipper could try to pull out that way with a forged pass, though it was uncommon to leave that way as the path would have you walk among the nearby gym classes that would be outside during this time of year. It was more common for forgers to go through the main ground level exit, which, as mentioned before, was always guarded by a teacher on duty. This was, the only way to get out of the school without a real or forged pass, was through the unguarded exit in the lunchroom. 

11:35 struck. The twin doors leading into the cafeteria, suddenly burst open as the A lunch students began to filter out. In the 'lunch-room-escape-route' this was the one step you needed to perfect if you wanted to be successful. It was all in the timing, which Lei had down to the second: [Not really but close enough]. If you enter too early, the teachers on lunchroom duty will ask you what you are doing in lunch so early, and if you arrive late, then they'll notice you sneaking out of the back. She had arrived, just on time, knowing that the teachers on lunchroom duty were occupied by the messy eater's corner. [a place where the majority of the 'bad' kids sit, and supposedly, the bad guys are messy eaters], And that was when she made her move towards the back glass doors, and covered by late departures, she opened the door to the great outdoors, and was out of sight before anyone had any idea what she had just done.  

Now onto business...

The girl knew her way to the middle school, but how was she supposed to meet up with her tormentor?

With the middle school still engaging in morning activities, there would be teachers on guard there as well. She rarely had to navigate around middle school scheduling, so she had no idea how to proceed. The best course of action...was to navigate towards the pond area, and watch the gym classes for a while. When the field trip started, there would be no more classes, and she would enter the school hoping to catch the man alone...

Like a tiger on the prowl, she made a dash for the pond before a teacher spotted her through the window.

Going back in time to yesterday...

"What the hell, can't you drop it yet?!" The boy who shouted was pissed as he slammed his fist into the hood of a car. "Calm down man, it's not anything big going to happen, just let it slide man, just one girl you know?" The reply came, and there was more pounding as the first boy continued to smashing his fist into the vehicle. "I think the car is winning." An older boy stated as he came up to the other two. At first the boy looked angrily at the commenter, but then his face turned into a slight smile as he jumped off the hood of the vehicle. "Well, well, well, if it isn't Dare." The second boy said, extending his hand, and the two shook. "How'd your investigatin' go man?" The first boy asked looking at his bruised fist for a moment. "Probably as well as your boxing match with that car hood." The other replied snickering. "Ah will you drop it?!"

"Ever since you got beat up by Rey, you've been real down, isn't that right Landon?" Dare asked as he wrapped his muscular arm around the boy's neck and turned him about. "Ow! Hey, watch where you're twirling me boss!" The boy complained. "So what did that suspicious teacher say?" the second boy asked leaning against the car. The three were all standing in the parking lot on the North Side, and the supposed leader looked out at the burning sky of the setting sun and folded his arms. "Well, he started with, I'm going to kill your crippled aunt you delinquent fuck, and when I didn't seem to care, he began threatening my mom, and my then dad of all people. Poor guy, I guess that's the only way he knows how to deal with people like us." He said quietly trailing off, kicking at a nearby beer can with a bit of disgust. "Ha, nobody'll ever get under yo skin boss." Landon commented. The leader shrugged and then turned to the second boy. "Hey Dwayne, did Chris ever come back from those new domes on the 'skirts?" He asked the black kid who was leaning back against the car. "No man, not this time, last word I got was, he got kicked off the property. Never made it, and then something got to him I suppose." The reply troubled Dare for a moment, before his face turned into a smile. "If this Mr. Calvin really is what the rumors say, then I think it's time I strong arm him out of the school system!" The boy smirked, and Landon shook his head. "Damn, you think those Pichanto would just do it themselves right?" The words did make Dare cringe a little at the mentioning of the Pichanto family who was known for their mafia activities in the Stadweld Ghetto. Though it did make him a little more suspicious of the teacher he had dug some dirt on. The Pichanto value education, having invested so much of their time and money into the school board, it was odd seeing any sort of shady educator present. Had it not been for Norie's request, he wouldn't have known anything. Damn, things must be even harder for Maki now... he rubbed his hand over his buzzed hair, and rubbed it across his eyes as he sighed. "Well then, if Chris hasn't come back, and those guys are planning on taking the kids to those same dome, then this, clearly can't be good." The black member of the group, Dwayne began to shake his head. "Boss, this is bigger than some kind of rich dog overstepping his bounds you know what I mean? No doubt you can win in a fight against most people, either with those fists of yours, or your family history and whatnot, but man, this shit is big. This is Senba big man." The warning only Dare's smile only grew. "I never knew you were so knowledgeable Dwayne!"

"Ah shut up man, it's just rumors you know. That rumor boy's been crazy lately. Telling people that a lot of messed up things are happening."

"You mean Trey? The guy who works at that food joint that got robbed?" Landon interjected.
"The very same, rumor spreading Trey, believe everything he tells ya, and you just as crazy as he is."

"That may very well be. You see, I think a lot more people realize what is going on... and this...Mr. Calvin is blackmailing students. I may just be a delinquent, but why would he go so far to harass Maki? It's as if, he wanted us to...know." Dare scratched his back and shrugged. "Ah! I don't know..."

"You might be onto something boss, I mean, this Trey guy has been saying all kinds of things. Like, people are losing their minds, and they just might be. I mean, politicians and big guys, aren't making a move. Why would Norie come to you before the police?" At the mentioning of Norie, his face darkened for a moment.

"Because the Police can't know about Maki..." He stated before shaking his head. "Ah hell, tomorrow I'm going on a field trip boys. One way or another. I'll figure things out." He slammed his fist in his palm.

"You tell em boss."

"Yeah, give em a good one two boss."

And so the next day came, and Dare found himself in a usual sort of place...

If Dare ever went to class, nobody knew about it. The boy was lying calmly on the grass, his arms stretched out behind his head, and occasionally he would turn to look at the black watch band strapped over his wrist. The lazy clouds rolled overhead, and a gentle breeze blew. It was a beautiful day, too perfect to be stuck indoors at the mercy of monotonous lecturers. If they want us to attend class at least make it interesting. He thought, as he was nestled in just over the lip of a hill, so the parading middle school gym class wouldn't even know he was there unless they ran right up to the pond. His mind drifted from one thing to another, thoughtlessly thinking of nothing, and yet it was all beautiful and wonderful it seemed. His body felt alive, and he began to feel a tension rising inside of the pit in his stomach. The excitement of the day was building. Today would be the day that he would satisfy his hunger. It has been nearly two years since I soiled my hands with some dirt. Two years...yeah that fits the bill almost doesn't it? I can't wait to get in there and get something done. I may even get hurt, I'll be a hero, yeah that's what I'll be. The hero!

He sat up and peered down at his watch. "Wow, it's already eleven forty...isn't that field trip supposed to start at twelve thirty? I guess I still have some time to burn don't I?" He asked himself out loud, staring out at the clear and crisp pond. It was then that something came sneaking up behind him, and as he turned around, he gazed upon a girl who seemed to be out of breath. She was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, and her reddish brown hair fell from the sides of her head, tied into twin locks. She was a bit pale, but her green eyes complimented her hair and skin very well. All in all she looked small enough to be a middle schooler, but with greater inspection he came to the realization that she was a high schooler who had the ability to skip class at such a busy time of day. He figured most people would just call in sick, instead of sneaking out while class was in session.

Judging her expression, he had a feeling that she didn't intend to stumble upon him like how she did. Her surprised glance was quickly replaced by a blank stare. Dare was about to say something cheerful to the lovely visitor when he noticed someone running out towards them waving her hand to them. The short black, graying hair, and high heels suggested that it was in fact a teacher. The two students froze.

It was identified as Mrs. Kelling, a teacher of art and performance at the middle school, and as she stopped just a few  yards in front of them out of breath she spoke to them exasperated. "There you two are! We've been looking all over for you." Dare looked over at Lei suspiciously for a moment, but the girl maintained the blank and silent expression as the teacher began to lead them towards the school.

"We need to get on the bus right away!" She said leading the charge to the parking lot. As Lei followed a ton of thoughts began to run through her brain mechanic. So, the boy was sucked up into the mess as well? It looked like for a moment that he was a bit surprised by the sudden recruitment; but then it quickly turned into a devilish grin. With that expression it became clear to her, that this boy was not in the same circumstance as her. He clearly was not under duress of a threat. "Nothing else to do right?" He said, and it was a skipper's dream come true: A chance of getting to do something exciting and unheard of, a story which would be told for years and years afterward. Though Lei didn't really like such stereotypes, she felt this boy fit that description quite well. His buzz cut brown hair and baggy clothing only added to that stereotype. A genuine thug. As the two walked through the middle school building, she took note that her oppressor, Mr. Calvin, had yet to be spotted. "You two are assigned to bus E." Mrs. Kelling was saying, and the two got on, slowly making their way to the back and taking their seats, with slightly confused looks on their faces. Dare then turned to face the girl, still holding that devilish grin on his face. "It's a lot of students...don't you think?" He asked, and it had brought her attention to it completely. There were at least ten buses lined outside in the parking lot. The entire school?! She thought looking at all of the kids pouring out of the school. With such a massive undertaking, it was no surprise that Mr. Calvin requested she help out, but why did Mrs. Kelling say that she needed both of them? It didn't seem to make sense that she would be, 'looking all over for two of the biggest student outlaws at Patterson High...', yet here they were, in a very uncomfortable, and uncertain situtation, though it seemed clear that this other person, this boy, was not feeling the same way, and he looked around the bus as if it were Christmas Morning.

When the buses finally came to a rumbling start, and drive away from the school lot, Lei watched the boy carefully. She didn't know him personally; not even a name came to mind as she watched him look out of the window, as if he was picking up all kinds of detail. "Where do you think we are going?" He asked quietly, facing her, and then quickly looking back out, even though Dare already knew the answer to his question. They were going to the two 'newly' built domes, that apparently, didn't like people approaching. Yet upon mentioning it, the girl looked outside of the window for a moment at the roads, the direction they were going was unfamiliar to her. 

  Wait, we are going out of town? Doesn't this street lead to the outskirts? She peered out at the ghetto with concern, once they drove around the commercial sector, it wouldn't be long before they were clear out of anywhere worth visiting. Her expression was noted by Dare who continued to speak to her dispute her obvious self inflicted silence. "To the outskirts, I hear they've built something strange out here..." he commented, and it made her wonder about it even more. So what? I dug up some dirt on Mr. Calvin, big deal. Now what's happening? I get to go on a field trip? That hardly seems fair. This man is dangerous, I know that much,but why is this boy here? Does he know something? She didn't want to ask him, so she remained silent, trying to deduce it own her own. Yet Dare wouldn't let her be. "Listen, I don't like where this is all going. I don't know whether you signed up for this or not, but you gotta hear me out okay? We can't go in with the rest of the crowd, you what I'm saying?" It seemed like he had asked a ton of questions, so she just nodded darkly. Yes, she understood. If they followed the crowd, they would share the same fate as the middle schoolers. "We make the way out the back, see?" He said gesturing towards the fire emergency exit. "Do you got a hair clip?" He asked pointing, and she couldn't help but smile at how he was treating her. She reached into her pocket, and handed him the bright pink hair clip, and he bent it expertly. As the bus began to grind over a gravely surface, the boy inserted the clip into a crevice between the emergency lift bar, and the wiring it was connected to. In this case, if the bar was lifted, the circuit wouldn't break, and the sound wouldn't go off.

The bus they were in followed the other buses as it descended into a dark garage. The unlit tunnel made it impossible to see for a while, and as Dare looked out he could see other buses coming in to block them. It would be nearly impossible for him to find Maki in such a massive crowd, but he definitely had a score to settle with Mr. Calvin. As the large vehicle came to a rolling stop, it hissed, and then the doors slowly folded open, and the students, like a pack of lemmings began to descend from the bus and out into the garage. While they had the chance, the two outlaws flipped up the bar, and opened the door, and jumped down, and in the same motion, Dare turned around and closed the door, making his way alongside the parked buses. "Hey, what a sec..." He held up his hand as he whispered. "There are only five buses here!" He commented, looking and counting them. "Weren't there ten when we left?" He asked, and Lei confirmed it with a nod of her head. Come to think of it, these kids all look a bit young...Since Maki is in the 8th grade, I bet she's at that other Dome we saw! Without speaking another word, he began to work his way along the buses, and Lei silently followed him, but under a different principle. Where as Dare was trying to save his friend's sister, she was on the hunt for Mr. Calvin exclusively. Although, who was to say that Dare didn't want to knock a few teeth out of the teacher himself? The delinquent duo pressed on, and eventually cleared the bus line and made their way into the dark tunnel. 

A suspicious teacher had infiltrated the school. That same teacher began to set up a field trip idea, to a newly established area. The strangers of it all would have certainly attracted more people, yet...so few seem to be taken aback by the odd events unfolding.

~Dare has gotten involved, but what of the mysterious School Skipper who has been caught up in the suspicious Mr. Calvin's plan? Two domes, only one Maki.~

Next Time on Scratch: The most notorious student at Patterson High? Well, some might say...it's the Sophomore School Captain. She's a fiery spirit. So yet another character gets involved...oh the wonderful contrast! A chapter about delinquents, and then a chapter about law a abiding citizen! Wait, did I mention her family is a part of the Mafia? To find out, keep reading! Ha-ha, see you Friday! And hopefully at an earlier time...