Kisses after midnight (WICKED #0) | ✓

3

AS SOON AS SHE stepped into first period the classroom quietened. Everyone watched her warily, but it was only when Penelope grabbed her hand that the chatter resumed. Gabriela glanced at her friend as the girl happily pulled her to her seat, the hair threatening to spill out of the two messy buns on top of her head.

"Gabby!" Penelope smiled," I haven't seen you in ages, come sit down."

"We saw each other last week," Gabriela said.

"Your point?" Penelope said as she sat down in the seat in front of Gabriela, turning it around so she faced her table.

The whole classroom was a mess, paper airplanes flying through it as students sat on literally anything but their assigned seats. The books on the tables were sparse and if they were present the front was usually filled with drawings and pages were missing, spread over the floor. Someone jumped out of their seat to jam a broom against the classroom door, grinning when that succesfully kept it closed.

"I haven't missed this," Gabriela sighed.

"They're still as scared of you as ever," Penelope said," you could tell them to stop and they would."

"I have enough time to feel like a teacher the entire year," Gabriela shrugged," I'm not keen on immediately starting again on day one."

"Whatever you say, Miss," Penelope grinned.

The teacher arrived then, futily attempting to open the door as the others laughed, before finally slamming his hand on it, fuming.

"Where's Mateo?" Penelope said," setting the new kids straight already?"

"He has to," Gabriela said," last year he was too lazy and they all got out of control. He almost got expelled with the amount of bones he broke that week."

"Because one of them disrespected you," Penelope smiled," I remember."

She had been walking through the hallway one day when a guy had wolf whistled at her while Mateo was walking beside her, before proceeding to catcall. Sharp words already had been at the tip of her tongue, but Mateo had slammed the guy's head on a locker before she even could say anything.

"He's protective of his friends," Gabriela said," always has been."

"Girl," Penelope said," you have to be blind to think he only sees you as a friend."

She waved Penelope's reply off, but before they could continue talking she heard her name over the intercom.

"Gabriela Ruíz to the principal's office, please. I repeat -"

"Did you already beat someone up?" Penelope said.

Gabriela frowned, almost hesitating for a second before shaking her head.

"Not that I know of," she said as she got to her feet," I'll see you later."

She headed towards the door then, easily manoeuvring through the crowd. Once she reached the door she kicked the broom, her eyebrow raised at the two guys who were holding it in place.

"What?" one of them began annoyedly, before his eyes widened when he glanced up and saw it was her.

He nudged the guy beside him and both of them jumped up, grabbing the broom and quickly removing it. The teacher almost cried in relief when the door opened then and everyone backed away from her as she walked out of the classroom, Penelope's voice calling out after her.

"Bye, Miss Ruíz!"

She unfortunately knew the way to the principal's office by heart and once she reached it, a sigh left her lips. No way this was going to be anything positive, of that she was sure, but she just had to figure out what the hell she had done this time first. After a second she knocked on the door and when the principal called out, she opened it and came in.

The head of St Joseph was an intimidating man, large and muscular, with salt and pepper hair and a wide grin. As always he was clad in a comfortable tracksuit, his sleeves rolled up to expose the tattoos on his arms, and he folded his hands on the table in front of him.

"Gabriela," he said," thank you for coming."

"I didn't think I had much choice in the matter," she said as she sat down.

"You are right about that," he chuckled.

She crossed her legs, ready to get this over with as fast as possible.

"So," she said," what's going on? I'm sure I wasn't called here for just a friendly chat?"

"No," he said," so let me get straight to the point. I'm sure you've heard of Athena High?"

Sure she had. Though St Joseph was the most notorious school in the country, Athena was one of the most famous. It was well-known for how they basically only enrolled rich kids, it's hallways roamed by people who were destined to be as influential as their parents.

"Yes, I have."

"Well, this matter is concerning two problem students from that school," he said," they've been causing quite a fuss, both of them, and though their parents don't want to ruin their reputation, they also want to set them straight."

"Okay," she said," and what does that have to do with me?"

"Gabriela," he smiled," I think we both know what that has to do with you. You are St Joseph's queen after all."

"Respectfully, I don't have a crown, sir," she said," and I don't see how any position of mine is involved in this matter."

"You see," he said," I need them to be set straight as fast as possible, so they don't have to stay at St Joseph for a very long time. Now, I know you to be quite strict. Students at this school listen to everything you say. If you could use whatever you do there on them as well, that would be great."

"So you want me to set them straight?" Gabriela said, disbelief coloring her voice.

"I think we both know for a fact I can't pick Mateo for this," he said," so yeah, I want you to do it."

"And why would I do that?" she said.

"Because if you do it right," he said," there's a good chance you'll be able to get out of St Joseph."

She blinked, unsure if she had heard him right.

"What?"

"Your marks are great," he said," and beside that, most of the teachers adore you for keeping the order. If you get this done, I'll overlook the occasional broken bone and sent you off to another high school with a gleaming recommendation."

He grinned again then.

"So," he said," what's your decision?"

"Yeah," she said," I'll do it."

Of course she would. There was no way in hell she was rejecting any chance to get away from here and to a school which would better her chances at having a great future. She was done with this place, with the cold atmosphere and the unmotivated teachers. No, she just wanted to go to an university and get her parents a beautiful house and peace of mind.

"Okay," he said as he stood up," then let's meet them, shall we? They're waiting in the back, so as not to meet too many students and be traumatized before they even start here."

"In the backyard?" she repeated.

"Yeah," he said as he opened the door," why? Is there a problem?"

Yeah, there was a problem.

And that problem was fighting all the new kids now in the backyard.