BONES: Next Generation

Chapter One

The smell of damp clothing and sticky feet filled the school gym. Christine found it odd that she would rather smell embalming fluid and dead bodies than sweaty high school students. The two things smelled just as bad, but the latter was more her style. High school was supposed to be a place of learning, but instead, it was a place for teenagers to hook up and have their hormones twisted into pretzels. Not only that, but the teachers kind of sucked. No one understood any of the material. Other than Michael, she was the only kid that really got what they were learning.

She could thank her dad for having all of the same classes as Michael. Being the daughter of an FBI agent and a world renowned anthropologist could do wonders when dealing with teachers and principals. Even though most of her teachers, especially science, were undereducated, but Christine would rather go to public school than private. It wasn't the cost, it really wasn't, but it was the uniforms and the smart snobby kids. In public school, she was known as the "genius" or "nerd" along with Michael, but in private school, so many other kids were smarter and would tear her down. The kids at her current school only made fun of her for being smart, if she transferred to private school, it would be because of her being stupid.

Michael wheezed beside her, his buttery fingers smearing his glasses lenses as he pressed them up his nose,

"I really, really hate PE."

Christine gave a sympathetic smile, "You look like you're about to asphyxiate."

"I might as well," He said, swiping off his glasses before wiping them uselessly on his wet shirt, "Who even needs to play basketball anyways? Why can't we do something-"

"With dirt?" She cut him off, "You are so much like Hodgins."

"Well I am his son," Michael answered, "What about you? What would you rather do instead of this?"

"Karate," She answered simply, dodging a few players as they darted for the ball.

He snickered, "Of course you'd say that, you're great at it."

"You would be too if you had agreed on taking classes with me," Christine muttered, glancing over at the PE teacher.

Michael shrugged, "I didn't want to miss summer camp."

"With your dad?" She asked flatly just as their teacher blew the whistle.

"Booth, Hodgins, get your asses onto the court!" Their coach yelled.

Michael rolled his eyes, "Typical, picking on the weak kids while the cheer team sits on the bleachers looking all sexy as can be."

"Weak?" Christine scoffed, "Speak for yourself."

                                                                           .~.    

As school let out, crowds of teenagers swept into the parking lot and streets as they headed home. Christine and Michael walked side by side along the chain link fence, heading towards her house. Both of their parents had said they would be home late, and what could be better on a Wednesday night than finishing homework and mess around with household items? It wouldn't take long for them to find something to experiment on, and Christine did live right next to a forest with several dead things, bugs, and plants.

"Is Parker gonna be there?" Michael asked, squinting as he looked towards the setting sun.

Christine shrugged, "Who knows, he's supposed to be off at college for computer

engineering. I haven't seen him in a few months." Christine paused, "You know you should stop looking directly at the sun, it causes blindness."

"Like I'm not already blind," He sneered, holding his glasses up for her to see.