Adopted by Phan

Chapter 51

Phil's P.O.V.

Dan and I stood in the doorway of Jay's bedroom, watching as she picked up several books and placed them into her backpack, shifting nervously. She was dressed up in black jeans and a red and black patterned hoodie, which we bought just two days ago for back to school shopping.

She was out of her cast, it was seven weeks since she had fallen down the stairs and the week before it was removed. She was still on crutches occasionally as she was still wobbly from being in a cast for so long, but seemed pretty okay with it.

We had talked to Officer Briny who had arranged the legal side of her going to school and had talked to the principal about the difficulties of her only having a fourth grade education, and had arranged a tutor to help her instead of going to regular classes.

For the three extra subjects she would take, she had decided on art, history and dance and Dan and I were a little bit stunned. She had never had indication that she like art, history or dance but we didn't stop her, if she wanted to do it, then whatever.

"I'm ready." I looked over at her again and she was standing up, a crutch in one hand and her backpack swung over one shoulder, looking straight up at us.

We had already agreed the Officer Briny would take her to school each morning and then take her home again while he was on his break. We had tried to tell him otherwise, we would take the bus with her or a cab but Briny refused to hear it, saying that nothing would stop him.

It would only be a few minutes before he arrived, we would be going with him to talk to her teachers that day and then going back home.

"Have fun today yeah, we'll keep in touch okay." She smiled, running forwards and wrapping us both in a huge hug, pulling us close. I leaned into Phil, feeling nervous.

The doorbell rung, interrupting us. Jay froze for a few second but then sprinted back downstairs, knowing it was Officer Briny. Phil and I hurried down after her to see her opening the door and hugging Officer Briny, who she hadn't seen in a few weeks.

"Ready to go?" A nod was all he needed.

"Come on then, lets go."

----------------------------------------------------------------

We pulled up outside the school and watched the students filing in, talking and laughing, calling for friends. Jay watched them nervously, her hand clutched around her phone and nails digging into her palm.

"You okay Jay?" She nodded.

"Just nervous." Officer Briny nodded, opening his door and getting out. He was dressed in his uniform, very recognisable against everything else and as soon as we were in view of the students, many of them froze.

Briny just tipped his hat, smiling at them and leading us around to the front office, where we headed inside. There was a lady sitting behind the front desk who smiled at us, motioning for us to follow her around to the side.

"New student?" Jay nodded, twisting her hand around her bag strap.

"Right, I assumer you guys are meeting with the principal?"

"Yeah, we need to talk about her classes." She checked her watch, before looking around at the door with a plaque that read 'Principal Riley Thompson'.

"She should be free now, she was talking with some of the older students a few minutes ago." She knocked gently on the door and then pushed it open, saying something to the person in side and then nodding to us.

"Have fun, come and get your timetable from me when you're done, what's your name, I'll print it now." Jay looked over at me and I shrugged, knowing exactly why she was hesitating.

"Jay White. I sent the documents out to change your name Jay, it came back a couple of days ago." Her eyes widened and she threw her arms around Officer Briny, mumbling something in thanks.

"Right, let's go." I pushed open the door and then led the way into the office, only to see a small room filled mostly by a desk and a few chairs scattered around. The principal, a small and tall women was sitting in a swivel chair working on her computer and she smiled warmly at me.

"Sit down, sit down, this might take a little while." She reached out to shake my hand, then Dan's and then Briny's, smiling at Jay who had pulled back and was watching from behind Dan.

"Right, let's get right down to it so you can get into your first class. First things first, you have 8 subjects, at least you would if you were doing normal timetabled classes, and those classes would be english, maths, health and p.e, science and social studies. You've chosen art, dance and history as your extra subjects and you'll be doing them normally." Jay nodded, her head leaning on Dan's shoulder on the chair next to him.

"During the other timetabled classes you'll go to the learning support classroom and we have a teacher to help you during those classes." I looked over at Jay, she was squeezing her hands together as tightly as possible.

"Your teacher, her name is Mrs Livingstone by the way, will be with you in all of your classes for the first week, just showing you around and all that. How are you getting home each day?" Officer Briny nodded his head.

"I'm picking her up on my break and dropping her off each morning. We need to sort out a place to meet at the end of each day."

"There's a bus stop right out on the street, if you want to use that." He nodded.

"There you go Jay, meet there at the end of the day?" She nodded.

"The teacher will meet you in the classroom, the learning support one and then you'll head to your first class which is...." She looked over at her computer. "Dance if nothing changed in the last few days."

She stood up, motioning for Jay to follow her. She looked over at us and I quickly grabbed Jay's hand, pulling her into a hug. Dan did the same.

"Have fun, we'll see you when you get home okay." She nodded.

"Bye, see ya later."