THE FINAL BELL RANG FOR THE DAY. Students were leaving to-go home… with ‘popular’ talks of the day amongst themselves, was-of the arrival of the visitors from Manchester tomorrow.
Paul and Jane were the last to leave the classroom, and they were wondering of what-of Peter and his new-found buddy Terry had-disappeared to – during the History-period. They assumed Peter was bored on their ‘first’ day, in this other-Perth – and furthermore, Mr Hull was ‘not’ his twin’s favourite teacher, even-in their ‘own’ Perth.
Jane asked Paul for favour of teaching her how-to-use her phone… as it was ‘complicated’ to handle it-manually… as she had operated in the past-with VOICE-CONTROL-MODE when she was a B-girl.
… Paul set the Samsung to ‘that’ mode and she made a call to Samuel, saying she had tennis practice, and told her brother to pick her up at the country-club later.
She noticed Paul, who was quiet and unmotivated since recess – and-now, he was to go for his counselling for his inappropriate behaviour. Jane hugged him and kissed his cheek, whispering to his ear…
“Pauly… be strong.”
They both parted ways, with Jane going to the Girl’s-room. There were 2 of her classmates there. After using the stall, she came out to wash her hands – and saw a keychain on the floor…
… it was A YELLOW SPONGEBOB KEYCHAIN – and she ‘remembered’ that Alicia had a similar one in her world… when she DISPLAYED AND TESTED with her 3rd-eye – where blind-Jane guessing it-right, as a keychain in her BFF’s hand…
She rushed out and caught up, with her both of her classmates and asked them, where was Alicia-at? They said, probably gone-home… so Jane put the KEYCHAIN IN HER POCKET, and walked with them, to the school’s main door.
-O-
Paul headed to the Infirmary where Ms King’s counselling office was. At the turn, he saw Alicia and some Chinese-boys, whom he encountered earlier, were heading to the gym, wearing their taekwondo white outfits…
… his-Alicia doesn’t play sports, but she WAS A VIOLINIST, in the school’s orchestra…
Curiosity got a hold of him, Paul decided to stalk the platinum-blond teenager going to west-wing with her fellow-team-mates. They joined other students, at the centre of the basketball court – and before-long, they were warming-up for their martial arts training. Paul hid behind the gallery and watched ‘her’ – as his thoughts were in his ‘other’ world, spending quality-time with his-beloved.
But before-long, his reveries were-busted, as a Chinese-boy – who was late-for his training, had caught the hidden-PAUL SPYING ON ALICIA. He shouted at him, and Paul bolted away…
He ran-and-ran away, from both fear and shame…
… Paul stopped running, with his heart-still pounding-hard. He turned his head to see – no-one was chasing him. He then gave himself a tight-slap…
‘Poe, what were you thinking!!?’
Now he was in bigger-problem if Mrs Burnell found out that, he had stalked the ‘problem,’ which he had-already ‘been’ punished for.
The corridor towards the Infirmary was empty, as school was closed. Paul dragged his feet over to the counsellor’s office – anticipating ‘more’ surprises in this version of Stamford High, which he already…
… had tasted-its’ served-buffet of setbacks, drawbacks and glitches.
‘…rack-it, you-dumb Poe – YOU’RE INTO-IT … go-enjoy your bloody-problems…’
He sighed, and took the memo-slip out of his pocket, to be handed over to ‘this’ version of Ms Diane King-inside… he rapped once and open the door – and found the obese, Australian ingenious woman was ‘not’ behind her desk…
… instead, there was this blonde young woman… Paul recognized her at-once – where-she was Nurse Nancy Corrigan in his world…
It surprised him, and he spoke out his thoughts…
“Where is Ms Diane King?”
“Who…? You mean Diane King, the school-librarian?”
… Paul’s jaw was still-dropped when he closed the door.
Nancy Corrigan was also a religious-Protestant… and she continued where the principal Mrs Ann Burnell had left-earlier, in a half-hour of further-lecture of morality and punishments of sins in hell…
… Paul sat still with eyes wide-open, hearing her, but ‘not’ listening…
… as mentally he was REVISITING A HELL called the Underworld…
… where he had great adventures of fighting evil demons and creatures…
… with his one-armed buddy-Mercury, the Red Demon.
-O-
Jane stepped out of the school’s main door, and dark-haired Zoe Williams was there, calling her name and came running to her – Jane CRINGED ON-the-spot…
… this was a girl ‘WHO’ WAS her rival in her-Perth, where both hated each other like rivals – both in class, where Zoe accused that ‘blind-school-Jane’ had cheated, in the test scores by the ‘use’ of her study-aid AI. And, when she ‘had’ gained her superpowers of the 3rd-eye – the rivalry SPREAD INTO the tennis court, where Zoe was the #1 Girl-of-tennis in SHS…
… ‘but’ under the banner of Peter’s ‘PERTH FAMOUS COUPLE’ – SHE HAD BEATEN Zoe Williams in tennis too, as a blind-girl.
Jane had-to pretend to be nice to her – after taking Paul’s advice to ‘not’ rock-the-boat in this ‘perfect’ teenaged-realm of theirs.
“Here, take this…”
Zoe handed A SPARE RACQUET to Jane, of a Wilson-brand – while Zoe used ‘her’ trademark Head-brand, similar to her-realm.
“Dougie asked why you didn’t reply his text just-now – are you alright Jane, you been-quiet all day?”
“I’m fine – just a headache…” Jane lied.
“Do you need medicine – we could stop by a pharmacy?”
“No need, I’ll be fine... where is… Dougie?”
“Oh-didn’t you check your phone? He went to the petrol station.”
A minute later, Zoe exclaimed out. “There he is!”
Jane saw a shiny-silver Lamborghini speeding towards them and braked. She saw a handsome, blonde-haired teen-youth – OF HER PHONE-SELFIES – getting fast-out from the driver-seat, and ran over to display his chivalry by opening the coupe-door for the girls. Zoe got in first to the backseat… Jane was surprised of a sudden, when he kissed her in the lips, saying…
“Where were you, Jane, I missed you all day?”
Jane did not’ reply, and she got into the car – still-was processing-what had happened…
She only-first ‘knew’ Douglas Zimmerman from his voice-only, IN HER-BLIND WORLD when the PFC faced-off him-and-Zoe and won in the court, where A VIDEO OF IT WENT VIRAL and earned her fame as A BLIND-GIRL WHO PLAYED TENNIS.
Dougie was friendly since then, but ‘not’ Zoe, who kept being nasty to her. And, during the Mayor’s Cup Challenge, Dougie wished her-luck, and-at the same-time, her BFF-Alicia too had influenced her blind-self TO ‘DUMP’ PETER and change her choice of boyfriend, because Douglas Zimmerman was an a-perfect gentleman – but Jane dismissed the idea, saying-back to Alicia that…
… she came to Stamford High, to study and ‘not’ to fall in love…
… she also remembered her mummy used to tease her back in her world, where she wished that her B-girl who would have Dougie as-her boyfriend, of decent background, rather than the deviant Peter – it looked like…
… her mother’s WISHES HAD COME-TRUE, in this altered-universe.
-O-
Dougie and Zoe did most of the talking in the sportscar, and Jane gathered her intel of this-world, by listening – he joked that had failed his Math test again-and-again just-like his father…who was also an ex-graduate of SHS, where he met his mother-Martha in the ‘past,’ who herself was a TENNIS CHAMPION OF SHS, IN HER DAYS…
… and Dougie-said… he was the LUCKIEST-GUY on earth, that he had met and fell in love with Jane, and joked that… his family-history WAS REPEATING itself in Perthland.
It was obvious that he had told this story before because the ‘entertained’ Zoe was ‘finishing’ his sentences and his punchlines…
Jane listened, that his father Hans Zimmerman was a savvy, multi-millionaire businessman in the mining industry, with a legacy inherited from his grandfather – whose wealth inheritance that could go-down a few generations…
‘…this-teen Jane ‘struct’ jackpot-lucky to have Dougie…’
… Jane thought-and-compared…
… but why was the teenager-version of herself – hanging-out with ‘losers’ like the Walker-twins… and getting into trouble with the law, with her unlawful drunken behaviour?
What was ‘she’ so depressed-about, that made it into an illness?
“Jane-dear, why are you so quiet?”
Jane’s reverie-popped when he asked and Jane quickly replied…
“… I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
Zoe replied for her…
“She is having headaches.”
“OH-dear, do you want some medicine for it…?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“YES, I’M BLOODY FINE – CAN YOU JUST-DRIVE!!!”
Even Jane was ‘shocked,’ of WHY SHE HAD RAISED-HER VOICE in the-split second-ago. And, during the rest of the journey, no-one spoke…
‘… oh-poor Dougie…’
… Jane was feeling so sorry for him… she now-knew that this teenaged-version of herself was temperamental and had ‘her’ up-and-down mood-swings…
Jane summed-up that Dougie had been tolerant with her because he was deeply in-love with this-teenager Jane – because…
… she was ‘the’ version of his mother, who was…
… A TENNIS CHAMPION-HERSELF, in her heydays…
…. in Stamford High, back in the days.
<>
THE DELOREAN SPED TO TOWN where there was a one-sided conversation and laughter, from the talkative Terry in the car cabin. The serious and stoic Peter was focused on his-destination when his new-found cobber asked him…
“What’s with this twin of yours, go-grabbing Chinatown Wong, and get kicked in his nuts. Just because her mama-san, gave her a new-hairdo, was Poe-pee-Poe attracted to her, hahaha? I get it, these rice feeding monkeys today are really aping-us White folks in everything we do-and-have…
“Ask her to look herself in the mirror, at her dyed blond hair – it’s like an Asian version of the Muppets’ Gilflings – and she thinks she looks all-pretty like a White-Sheila, where in fact she looks as those bloody Skeksis mongrels, hahaha – and WHAT’S WRONG with your twin brother? You should talk to him-Petey, yea – before blood and semen-mixes and our dear-ol’ Perthland, have an overpopulation of Mongoloid Bogans running around like rats, hahaha?”
“That is HIS-PROBLEM – he has a-thing for pagans,” Peter replied.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Yea, our Irish blood should stay pure, brother! Amen to that!”
“Hey-Terr, how much money you got now?”
“About 50, why-mate?”
Peter reached out and took something from the backseat – and showed him, his busted Babolat racquet…
“I need to repair this.”
“Why the bloody hell do you wanna do that – that 50 is our smack-money for tomorrow!!?”
“It’s important-Terr, I need TO PROVE MYSELF that I still have got it, now that I’ve ‘grown-back’ my arm?” Peter’s answer confused Terry…
“What, no way!!? Don’t you think it’s silly to spend the hard-cash on a hobby!!?”
“IT’S NOT A BLOODY HOBBY – IT’S FOR MY CAREER, TO MY GREATNESS!!!”
“NO WAY! Since-when you played tennis, mate? I have known you all my life, you were never in the gym for anything… let this ‘last’ 50-be put to good use, that benefit…us-both!”
While still driving, Peter grabbed Terry’s uniform-tie and choke him…
“GIVE IT TO ME NOW!”
“NO!”
Peter pushed a button, and the speeding DeLorean’s gull-winged door was opening-wide – the terrified Terry looked at the running-tarmac of the road-beneath, with crazy-Peter threatening TO PUSH HIM OUT of the moving car…
“OKAY-OKAY, please, don’t kill me-mate…please…”
Still holding-on to Terry’s tie, he saw the frightened-teen taking his wallet… and fishing his last-50, from it – slamming the plastic-note on the car’s dashboard. Peter closed the door…
“HERE! Take it…” Pleaded Terry.
Peter let go of his tie – and pocketed the 50, hearing Terry cranky…
“What wrong today, Pete – NEVER SEEN you this pissed-ever!!?”
“Thanks-Terr, we’re gonna repair the strings – and-then you’ll witness me do-my greatness – with my weapon-of-choice when I face off that mongrel Doug Zimmerman in his own backyard… at his rich-man pussy-country club, because I’ve to get back at him for-he stole WHAT IS MINE!”
“Huh, what did Dougie… steal from you?”
“He stole my-Janey – SHE IS MY SOUL-MATE!”
“What? Wasn’t you ‘who’ dumped her?”
“NO! He stole her from me! If I DON’T GET HER BACK – NOBODY SHOULD have her!!!”
Terry saw DeLorean was going at its maximum speed, with dangerous cornering…
“Calm-down Peter! What’s gotten into you – we both smoked the same-smack…didn’t we?”
Peter growled like Immortan-Joe…
“You mediocre-minion – SO-ARE YOU WITH ME in-the plan!!?”
“OKAY-OKAY, I’m with you, don’t get us killed…please…”
After Peter heard him, he reduced the vehicle’s speed and was back quiet and serious – plotting his next strategic move, on the first day of coming to this god-forsaken realm.
While Terry Donovan also sat in silence… with the feeling of… running scared-to the hill…
… also-wondering ‘how’ Peter was going to beat the school-champ later – who-was #1 of the Boys division?
<>
PAUL HAD ENDED HIS MORAL-AND-BEHAVIOURAL conduct counselling of sexual harassment and, respecting the fairer-sex session, with the conservative Student Counsellor Nancy Corrigan. The close-room talks went longer, as Nancy questioned whether he was abused physically or sexually at home…
… Paul SAID NO to all of Nancy’s enquires, as he doesn’t know of his teen self's own upbringing of the past…
… as he was A ‘CONSCIOUSNESS’ from another-place – WHO WAS…
… TRAPPED IN A HOST here, where everything had gone-chaotic since his arrival.
He stepped out of the office, and walked away from the Infirmary – the was wondering ‘what’ his parents' reactions would-be, of now that the principal had informed them of the forbidden kissing-incident…
…then he remembered Nancy saying something about Ms King was the school librarian – and his curiosity was drawn towards ‘there’…
… instead of going back home, and face-the-music.
-O-
Paul came to the empty corridor since the school was dispersed – he saw a notice-board stating that the library would be closed for 2 days – and he-assumed it was the staff were preparing for the arrival of the ‘visitors’ from Manchester, for the school’s 131-anniversary celebration.
He opened the door to peek-in, and it was half-filled as-always – of dag-nerds and bookworms who weren’t excelled in sports…and-to be in the library, instead of the gym…
… he thought about Jane-saying earlier of wanting to quit high-school and to be home-schooled – because, in the transition to this world, she could ‘NOT’ READ NOR WRITE. But he needed her ‘presence’ here-badly or else HE WOULD GO-INSANE alone-trapped in this school until the ‘day,’ where he would-or-NOT HE-GRADUATE HIGH-SCHOOL…
He was sure it was definitely the-latter – because he-himself was 5 YEARS BEHIND in-his school-years, and who-can’t recall-ANY OF WHAT ‘BASICS’ he had studied, when ‘transcending’ over here…
… but he-then made a self-commitment TO TEACH JANE to-learn how-to read-and-write – as a trade-off for to her STAY WITH HIM, in-their final months of schooling.
Paul stepped into this realm-of-the-library EXPECTING ‘NOTHING’ – maybe revisiting a ‘friend,’ who-too WOULD ‘NOT’ REMEMBER HIM, from ‘their’ world…
… there she was – ‘younger,’ in her 20-something-self of the Australian indigenous origins – and healthy-too… unlike the Ms Diane King, WHO WAS FACING older-aged illnesses of her other-world.
‘Did SeeIn ‘COME’ TO HER, in this realm?’
The librarian was pushing a trolley of returned-books and was focused into stocking them back in respective book-categories, into the book-racks. Paul stalked her for a moment – and she noticed him-awkwardly following – as he pretended-to stall, by picking a random book from the rack to browse.
Ms King came to the book-aisle that he was in – and literally back-to-back against him as she stocked her-books. Paul had the-urge to talk to her… but he paused for the right moment while holding a book-in-his hand…
‘… how do I approach her…?’
He focused on his pretend-flipping pages of the-book-in-hand – until he ‘saw’ coloured diagrams, and realized it was a Science book – that-was titled ‘Female Reproduction System’ … Paul panicked with tunnel-vision, and hurriedly wanted to put it back in the book-rack…
… but it dropped on the floor, with a loud-thud in the quiet library...
Ms King turned her head, seeing Paul putting a book-back, whispered an apology…
“Sorry…”
He saw her looking at him… a ‘perfect’ opportunity to-talk-to her…
“Ms King, where are your Religious Studies books-at?”
“… a change of a career, at a drop of a hat – from a gynaecologist to a preacher – is that-so, Paul Walker?”
‘… she knows me… and the colour of her eyes are brown ‘not’ green – therefore SeeIn was ‘not’ in town…’
“…err, it-was ‘not’ like that Ms King…” Paul blushed-in state of mortification.
“Then what was it like, Paul… your infamous-fame precedes you in Stamford High – where you-kissed a girl, and made her cry…” Ms King shook her head, chuckling softly.
“It’s was ‘not’ like that too, Ms King… it’s complicated…” Paul defended.
“Repent-then… there are some religious books at the bottom, in that end aisle over there.” She pointed.
“Are there any books on ‘ancient’ religions?”
“This is a school library, ‘not’ the public library.”
“Ms King, are there any books on Medieval Middle-East Religious books, over there?” Paul was seeing her facial reaction, which stunned her… she raised her brows and asked…
“Paul Walker, have you been hacked into my personal data ‘somewhere’…? How did you know that I took ‘THAT’ COURSE IN COLLEGE – I’m reporting you to the principal?”
While in Geography class just now, where Jim Hatcher was the teacher had-made Paul recalled his ‘visit’ to-the Graylands Mental Institute, where he met Nurse Kim Campbell for the ‘first’ time ‘but’ she ‘knew’ HIM IN FACEBOOK – from the PFC fame, as one-armed Peter’s crippled twin…
“I followed YOU ON FACEBOOK, Ms King… err, read your profile… hey, I’m really interested in the subject-matter, so what’s your advice, if I were to pursue it later?”
Ms King looked at him… and sighed…
“It’s a ‘useless’ course – but at-least it PAID-OFF, as it landed me a job here as a librarian – Paul, focus more on Science and Technology, it’s more rewarding in today’s world in the job market.”
He saw her, pushing her trolley to continue her work…
“Thanks, Ms King.”
He saw her-back, nodding as she went-about her routines…
He felt-good talking to this version of Ms King, who shared the same caring virtue – ‘similar’ to his world’s Ms King, who saw him as a superhero of the CURSED-TRIO…
… ALTHOUGH this-Ms King saw him as a sex-fiend – but – he was glad that he approached her and built-the-bridge of communication…
… of himself to the-both-Ms Kings.
-O-
He walked out of the library, feeling more positive. Paul was passing the notice-board and ‘something’ caught his attention… it was the school list-of activities, in conjunction to the school’s 131st-anniversary evening-outing, of what…
… Mrs Burnell spoke-in-the PA earlier, for students to participate – to ‘entertain’ the Manchester-Visitors.
The rapt-Paul laughed out aloud when he saw – ‘FREESTYLE DANCING – solo or couple’…
… he scribbled his name for an entry, and he-then took a public bus to go home.
<><>
THE SILVER LAMBORGHINI ARRIVED at the John Blake Country-club. They got off from the sportscar – and Douglas took-out 2 gym duffle-bags at the backseat – and he gave the key to the club’s female parking-valet, and she drove off to park it.
Feeling-guilty, Jane apologized to Douglas, for her earlier outburst…
“Dougie, I’m very sorry, that I shouted at you just now.”
“It’s-okay dear, I understand – you need ‘your’ space…” He hugged her and kissed her lips.
“You too-Zoe,” Jane said, turning her head to her.
The rapt-Zoe cheered and hugged her too.
“No-worries, we kiss-and-make-up, and don’t hold-grudges – Jane, you are like my ‘sister,’ whom I don’t have.”
Jane was taken-aback – it WAS ‘WHAT’ her BFF-Alicia used to say to her, back in her world.
Douglas then handed a 2nd duffle-bag to her…
“Here you go, your-gear – I told the maid ‘not’ to put too-much washing-detergent as-per your specific ‘request’… hope it’s friendly to ‘your’ sensitive skin.”
Again-Jane was surprised – to learn the her teenaged-version was a ‘demanding-princess’ – who made her hen-pecked boyfriend, to-even do her dirty laundry.
Jane was TOO-ASHAMED to thank him and quietly took the bag. They heard Zoe running away.
“See you at the court, I gotta pee-first.”
Douglas held her hand, as they ambled to the changing room, like a couple…
“My mother has been asking a lot about you lately…”
As he was talking-away, Jane was in a state-of-panic internally…
‘Oh-oh is it ‘THE’ VIDEO, where I was drunk and ‘misbehaved’…?’
They reached the dressing-rooms – and the couple went separate ways. Jane entered the locker room and saw Zoe was in-midst of changing for training. She was chatty, talking to her ‘bestie,’ whose back was turned to her… Zoe teased…
“You know right, Dougie is madly in love with you – HE CHOSE YOU and even told me, that you are special, who completes him... Jane please, don’t break his fragile heart…”
Jane turned her head to respond…
… but she saw Zoe was totally-naked, as she was changing. Jane felt-uncomfortable, and grabbed the duffle-bag from the bench, and hurried to the change-room stall.
As a blind-girl from yesterday in her world, she ‘saw’ her ‘first’ naked anatomy just-now – and felt awkward and uneasy, when it came to the issue of modesty – even, Alicia was conservative and had ‘not’ undress in their-presence, back where she came from…
‘… why is Zoe’s boobs normal and perfect, while ‘mine’ are oversized like Mummy’s?’
Jane sighed behind closed doors, and unzipped the olive-green duffle bag – and was more-shocked to see her brassieres and panties were neatly folded, on-top of the ironed sports-pink-skirt and blouse…
‘…oh-my-Gawd!’
Soon she was JUDGING HER teen-self severely…
‘What kind of girl-is-she? This is so-so shameful! She even-had sent her bloody-panties to be washed by Dougie’s maid!
‘Are they really a ‘couple-couple?’ Has she been sleeping with him? I won’t sleep with him, nor with anyone for the matter, because from where I come from – I’m still a virgin!”
Her reveries snapped, when she heard a rap-on-the-door from outside, with Zoe saying…
“Jane, I’m done – see you in the court.”
Jane too hurried and changed into her tennis-outfit and was surprised to see a pink bather, below the pile…
… she was daydreaming again, to-the-time when her aura fought a Chinese water-ghost in the club’s pool – who-had then choked her and dragged her below-the-water – before-when her brave blind-self, went to rescue her Baby-brother from drowning…
It was ‘not’ the same Gucci swimsuit which she saw in her Wilson-home’s wardrobe closet. She tried identifying what brand it was, and gave-up as she CAN’T READ the label.
‘… I’m afraid of water, I will never swim if they ask-me to later…’
She was dressed into her sportswear, and-wore a head-band, to tie up her unkempt blonde-bushy hair. She bundled her school uniform into her bag – and made a mental note…
‘… I will take it-home from now-onwards, do my ‘own’ laundry-there.’
-O-
Meanwhile…
… a kilometre from the country-club, the DeLorean stopped by the green golf course. Peter found clothing of his teen-version-self, who had-used ‘when’ he-before played truant from school – and slipped-into a tracky-daks and slapped on a black t-shirt-top…
… the observing Terry Donovan-then spoke…
“It’s a bad idea, Pete, we would get into trouble if we go-there… my parents were hard on me over last-time when we were-all drunk-from last week. Now-this, of going to breaking-an entry to some rich man's club, where we-both are ‘not’ welcome… this is unwanted trouble, if the club-security call the coppers – Pete, listen to me, let’s go home, mate…”
“No! We STICK TO THE PLAN, mate!” Peter snapped back.
“Okay-then-mate, I reckon I’ll sit in the car, and you go on ahead.”
“No-Terr, I need you – you are in your school uniform, and I can sing-a story that we are guests of Zimmerman, and we gain our entry into the rich-boy’s club.”
“Come-on Petey, we’ll get into trouble…”
“What trouble? We only-going in to play-tennis, what trouble is that? Just follow my lead, Terr – chill-out, don’t worry about it… we’ll be fine, mate.”
-O-
Jane joined Dougie and Zoe in the tennis court in the arvo-sun – and the husband-and-wife Connery were their coaches…
… Jane recognized their ‘voices’ and-known both Steve and Amy from another world, whereas a media-sensation blind-girl – who played tennis with the aid of her artificial-intelligence, pairing with the one-armed Peter, as the PFC duo.
What Jane doesn’t know was both the coaches, were younger in this realm – from a period-of their-lives, where they just retired from international doubles-pair and had transitioned into coaching.
Coach Steve was fine-tuning Douglas in the court – while Coach Amy had the girls pit-against each other, in the fine-arvo afternoon. Jane was the-superior one…
Jane noticed her teen-body was stronger, faster and her instincts of the game were natural and sharper, without her use of an AI – that made her the #1 Girl’s category in the school.
She was grateful-also to the ‘other’ Amy Bixby…
… whose presence helped-in a low point in her life – where she gave a pep-talk, during the PFC-Rematch that happened on the same moment, where her father suffered from a heart attack and stroke, in her blind-girl-world.
They all took a 10-minute breather, after a 45-minute training – it was when Zoe looked up, and saw some-oddity…
“What’s ‘the-losers’ doing here?”
Jane gazed and squinted in the sun, to see her classmates of the backbenchers – talkative-Terry Donovan, and her-ex Peter Walker coming their way. Terry stopped half-away, and Peter with an a-fake friendly manner walked over to Coach Steve Connery…
“Hey-Coach Connery, looking your younger-self, and the missus-too – it’s the healthy-sun, I reckon…”
“Do I know you?” The coach looked at Douglas for an answer – Dougie replied…
“They are Zoe and Jane’s classmates – hey-Peter, what do you want?”
“You know ‘what’ I want – you robbed me of my-PFC glory, I’m now ‘here’ to reclaim my ‘rematch.’”
“What is a PFC? What rematch you-talking about – in the first place, do you know ‘how-to’ play tennis?” Said the surprised Douglas Zimmerman.
“What!!? How dare you bloody-insult me?”
Before Peter created his ‘dramatic-scene,’ JANE DRAGGED HIM by the sleeve of his t-shirt aside, to have a ‘personal’ talk…
“PETER, WHY ARE YOU HERE? This is ‘not’ our world! Your PFC-brand doesn’t EVEN EXIST HERE!”
“Hahaha, okay how about an inter-galactical space jam kind-of a rematch in-between realms – same-shit-different-bucket, come to think of it – it still-the same – US VS THEM! How about it, Janey?”
“NO! I’m ‘not’ bloody playing with you – Peter-you better leave this place now, without creating any more trouble!” Jane pointed, at his crazy-looking eyes. Peter scoffed…
“Make-me, Janey-hah! Do you think I ‘need’ you any-more? Well I see-that, you the #1 for the-Girls’ without your-Boyyo … hahaha, look-here – now-that I have re-grown my arm, I HAVE MAKE-THE CLAIM FOR MYSELF, my preciousss spot for the Boys… so-Janey, which-means – I don’t NEED YOU NOR YOUR uncle’s bionic robotic arm, to determine my-destiny, to be a world-class player, hehehe!!!”
The arrogant teenager turned his back on her and marched towards the rest – and he then CHALLENGED DOUGLAS…
“Hey-Doug, how about we finish-off, what we had started!?”
“What are you talking, you fool? What ‘did’ we start?”
Peter turned to the coach and boasted…
“Hey-Coach, WANNA SEE ME TRASH your favourite ‘golden-boy?’”
“Be my guest, I would put my reputation on-the-line if you could do it…”
Douglas Zimmerman stood up, and faced-off…
“I will ‘only’ play you under-ONE CONDITION – if I beat you, you STOP HARASSING my girlfriend!”
“Which one?” Peter replied as he looked both Zoe and Jane.
“Jane Wilson!” Shouted Douglas back.
“O’ the blind-one, okay – we ‘shake’ on it…”
… Peter ‘spat’ on his right palm, and extend-out to Douglas to handshake. The blonde-teen did ‘not’ shake, and walked to his side of the court.
“What’s the matter ‘rich-boy’ – it is not’ that-I have sclerosis or anything, hehehe.”
“You can do it, Dougie – go-thrash his egotistic asshole!” Zoe cheered, as Terry in a distant, facepalmed.
Coach Steve Connery looked at Jane…
“You want TO ‘BE’ THE UMPIRE – both of these guys, are fighting over you?”
Jane shook her head as a-no… and the coach’s wife-Amy stepped up, for her.
Douglas took the first-serve and scored his first point… Peter was shocked that he can’t play, LIKE HE ‘USED’ to with his dominant left arm, just like his idol-John McEnroe…
… in no-time, he was left behind 0-4… and it bugged Peter a lot, with a single cheering-girl whose top-pitch laughter, AT HIS ‘EVERY’ CARELESS AND CLUMSY MISTAKES-MADE, of cannot hit the ball over the net – he wished HE COULD CLOBBER Zoe Williams in her head as he did… his ‘piece’ into…
… the pagan Chinatown Wong’s… ‘NOT’ LONG-AGO…
… soon it was 0-5, and there was NO COMEBACK FOR HIM… Peter realised that-on-a-given-day, EVEN THE ONE-ARMED VERSION of himself… could beat his ‘own’ teenaged-self body, that HIS CONSCIOUSNESS WAS TRAPPED-into now.
Jane could ‘not’ take it anymore, and she grabbed the duffle bag – and hurried-past the stupefied Terry. She left the club’s tennis courtyard and headed to the entrance, and she broke down in tears, thinking of the ‘curse’ she had brought along, to this teen-world…
… where Peter WOULD PLOT HIS ‘REVENGE’ NEXT, to get-even…
Jane heard Peter shouting-mad from a distance, which gave the chills to the spine… and-made Jane run to the car park – and was surprised to see her-Ford Taurus car parked. It was a saving grace for her, to escape Peter’s wrath. She ran to the orange-car…
… and saw her younger brother behind the driver-seat – as he was passionately-kissing his girlfriend. She rapped the glass-window which startled the unaware-couple, in the front-seats. Samuel unlocked the backseat-door for her. Jane got in… and hurried him…
“Sam, quick drive!”
“Hey-Sis didn’t expect you-come, dis early…” The-flush tween responded slapdashedly.
The 3 of them in Ford’s cabin witnessed the club’s 2 security guards with-their batons, escorting-forcefully 2 TEENS-BOYS, FROM STAMFORD HIGH, to leave the premise ground. Peter was raged as the pointed at the aggressors…
… and waving his racquet at the guard on the walkie-talkie, who was-also threatening him, that he was going to call the police…
“What is this mad-cow Peter’s doing here, Sis?” the gawking Samuel uttered.
Jane was stupefied for the moment before she commanded…
“There is nothing to see here, just drive!”
Peter was seen smashing his Babolat on the tarmac, with-his tantrums, as he shouted back to the guards, while Terry was pacifying him. They were all walking to the DeLorean, which was parked at a distance, from the Ford.
Samuel irritated Jane when he said…
“What did I tell you this morning – DON’T ASSOCIATE WITH ‘those’ bloody Walker-twins… cos’ they are bad influences and apples. I don’t understand why you-my Sis get tangled-each time, with these troublemakers from your class?”
“Spare me the bloody-lectures, BOYYO – AND DRIVE-NOW!!!”