The Four Stars

[Schools parking lot]

Chad sits in the backseat of Alex’s jeep and crunches noisily on his Natural Valley bar. Levaughn looks at him annoyed and slaps him in his head.

“Ow! What was that for?”

Levaughn smirks. “Do you have to chew like that? Stop it, it’s annoying.”

“Whatever.” He continues chewing noisily and looks at Levaughn from the corner of his eye.

Alex sits at the front of his jeep and sings along to Electric Feel by MGMT blasting from his jeeps stereo.

“Will you shut up. You know you can’t sing.” Levaughn says annoyed again.

Alex replies in his Australian accent. “Dude, last time I checked this was my jeep. If you don’t like the way I sing then get out.”

Levaughn doesn’t respond. He slouches in his seat beside Chad and groans.

Alex looks across the parking lot at a silver Mercedes Benz. “Holy crap!” He tries to get a closer look by leaning out of his seat.

Chad looks at him interested while chewing his bar. “Whatssit?”

“Huh?” Alex asks looking at him puzzled.

Chad finishes chewing and corrects his sentence. “What is it?”

“Dude, looks like she has a broken nose and oh my God look at her face.”

“What is he talking about?” Levaughn asks curiously and watches as Alex unlocks his door and steps out of his jeep.

Chad shouts after him. “Where are you going?”

Alex ignores them and walks over to the car. He leans on the shiny surface and looks at the driver.

“Are you ok? What happened to your face?” He looks at the puffiness of her left cheek and the ugly patch of make-up she used to try and cover the black and blue colour.

Crystal looks at him scornfully. “Get the hell off my car.”

“Sheesh, you don’t have to be so grouchy.”

He looks at Maria and furrows his eyebrows. “What happened to your nose Maria?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Go away.”

He ignores the last two words. “Who broke-?”

His sentence is cut short by the rumbling of a bike. He turns around and sees a trio parking parallel to Crystal’s car. The students get off and take off their helmets. Crystal scowls at one of them and Alex looks at her weirdly. His friends, Chad and Levaughn decide to make their appearance and greet the trio.

“G’day mates.” Levaughn and Chad smile brightly at them.

The six friends respond in a chorus and proceed to walk off. Before they do so, Alex stops them.

“Hello guys. Do you guys know what happened to Crystal and Maria?”

Crystal opens her door and hits Alex with it. “Ow! What was that for?”

She steps out of the car and ignores him while she takes up her bag.

“Are you going to answer my question?” Alex looks at them eagerly waiting for a response.

Genève murderously whispers something in Jullien’s ear. “I won’t hesitate to be violent towards you.”

Jullien smirks at his comment. “Is that a threat?”

“You should know.”

“We have no idea of what happened to them.” Marleon speaks innocently. “But they sure do deserve it.”

“Will you turn off the crap that’s blasting from your jeep?” Crystal snorts.

Alex looks at her disgusted. “You sure do deserve what’s formed on your face.” He turns to the gang. “Later dudes.” He walks back toward his jeep with his friends and turns off the music. He leaves for the school building after taking up his book bag.

A glare war emerges from the two opposing teams. Tension rises and Joanine sighs heavily.

“Let’s get out of here before things get worse.”

Her friends agree to her suggestion and walk to a grassy spot on the lawn and sit down.

“They’re going to get revenge. You all know that right?” Joanine looks at them worried.

Jullien hisses her teeth. “Who cares? They should leave us alone. If they ever dare try to get revenge I will make sure they pay. I mean it.” She looks at Joanine with a stone face and blazing green eyes.

“I seriously don’t like your attitude right now so I’m gonna go.” Joanine brushes off her shorts nervously and takes up her book bag. “See you guys around.” She walks down the brow of the hill and stops to talk with one of her group mates.

The five friends are silent and they look at random things around them.

“Ok.” Juvien gets up. “This is awkward so I’m leaving. Later.” He walks toward the entrance of the school building and disappears in the crowd of children.

“No worries Jullien. I totally agree with getting back at the bimbos if they try anything.”

Jullien smiles at her comment and turns her attention to Everad.

“What? I’m not agreeing to any of this. I’m not so sure about the outcome.”

“Take a chance.” She retorts angrily.

Everad sighs, gets up and slings his bag over his shoulder. “Ok, you’re not stable right now so I’m going to leave. See you guys around.” He walks in the direction of Joanine and walks away with her after telling her group mate hello.

Genève makes himself comfortable by lying down on the grass and uses his bag as a pillow. He stares into sky with his hands behind his head and looks at the figure blocking his vision.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

Jullien stares at him murderously. “What about you Genève?”

He looks at her murderous stare. “What about me?”

“Are you in or out?”

“Jullien,” he sighs and gets up, “what’s the point if you keep attacking them?”

“They’ll eventually leave us alone after I pummel them.”

“No, it will only cause trouble.”

She snorts at his comment. “They have been bothering us for the last four years. Do you expect me to just let it go and pretend like they’ve done us nothing?”

“No I don’t.” He says calmly. “But we can handle it by not punching each other’s faces.”

“Then what would that be?”

“Tell the principal.” He deadpans.

Jullien stares at him like he’s stupid. “Did you hear that Marleon? He said we should tell the principal – Mr. Loci.”

“Yeah I heard him.” Marleon runs her fingers through her hair and sighs.

“I’m not a wimp Genève. Are you listening to yourself right now?” Jullien says.

He shakes his head and puts the strap of his bag in his hand. “You’re acting like a bitch.”

Jullien looks at him in disbelief. “You just called me a bitch.”

He defends himself calmly. “No I did not. I said you’re acting like one.” He puts the strap of his bag over his shoulder and stands up.

“Where are you going?” She demands while standing up as well.

“I cannot be bothered to have this discussion right now. It’s not necessary Jullien. We just arrived not too long ago. I’m not going let this spoil my day. I’ll see you guys in class.” She grabs his arm. “Can you please let me go?”

“Why are you acting like this?”

“I should be asking you the same thing”

Jullien quickly releases Genève’s arm and watches him walk away.

Marleon wraps her arm around her shoulders and gives her a bright smile. “Forget what just happened and let’s get some cake to eat.”

Jullien laughs at Marleon’s and follows her to the cafeteria.