Franki wanted to stomp on the boy's feet as the coach told them about what she'd witnessed to the secretary. They were then asked to sit down and wait, Franki sat a few seats away--annoyed and aggravated by the smell of smoke. She picked up her phone and quickly texted her brother. Quick! Save me from the principal's office!

Hawk stifled a yawn, undeterred by the fact that he was close to being suspended. He wished they'd just expell him so he would have a choice of what he could do in this town other than study crap he already knew.

The secretary frowned at him. "The principal is not going to be happy. How old are you and why are you smoking?"

"Old enough," he muttered, cracking his knuckles.

She quickly read her text and gritted her teeth. "Freaking sorry excuse for a brother," she muttered loud enough for both the secretary and Hawk to hear.

The secretary sighed, straightening when the door opened and a tall balding man walked out. He wandered if this was John Hech and remained slouched in his seat. The man studied him carefully before looking over at the wide-eyed girl beside him. He sighed. "New students, I presume?"

Oh God. I'm too young for jail or suspension. She swallowed hard and nodded.

The principal folded his arms, his shirt straining against the muscles underneath. "Who was the one smoking?"

Franki didn't hesitate. "It was him, Principal Man," she pointed straight at the redhead guy.

Hawk refrained from rolling his eyes, noting the man's stance betrayed his military background. He cleared his throat. "It was me, sir," he said bravely, knowing the wimp-er, girl beside him would never take the rap for him.

The principal shook his head and narrowed his eyes at him. "This is a serious offense, young man. Do you have the student handbook about the rules of our school?"

Hawk shook his head. "No sir, I do not."

About thirty minutes later and the two students headed out of the principal's office with a warning, a mere slap on the wrist and two new student handbooks. Franki shook her head in amazement at the nonchalant guy beside her. "My goodness, how did you do that?"

He raised a brow at her. "Do what?"

"Get the principal to not suspend us? I thought for sure you'd be expelled and me sent to detention but we got nothing." She laughed. Even Obadiah couldn't get away that easily from trouble. "You have to tell me."

He snorted. "Nope. This is where we separate. See ya around, Nosy." With that, he tucked the handbook in the wide pockets of his pants and headed out.

Franki watched him stride down the hallway with a confidence she'd never seen before and shook her head in silent mirth. "What a basketcase..." She shrugged and headed back to her locker before going to Art class.

Katiya murmured some encouragement to herself as she walked towards the principal's office. Since graduating from college, she'd been looking high and low for teaching positions, and finally, there was one available!

Stopping in front of the door, Kati took in a deep breath before stepping into the principal's office.
---------------------------------------------------------

Almost an hour later, Kati strolled out of the office with a satisfied smile on her face. She'd convinced the principal on the spot after showing the woman her resume.

"History, here I come," Katiya beamed.

Katiya sat in her office looking around. It still felt weird, being an assistant principal and not a teacher. But it would come more naturally once school actually started.

Hopefully she wouldn't have to deal with any bad kids on the first day. But if she did, Katiya was ready.

In all honestly, Van was completely excited to begin the new school year. Something about seeing the new fresh-faced students after the holidays meant that it would be a refreshing year for both the students and the teachers. And the custodians and everyone else involved. He just hoped that everyone else was as excited as he was.

He strode toward the principal quarters, grinning from ear to ear all the while wondering if his new assistant principal was ready. Knocking just in case he wasn't the first one there, Van peeked in and smiled. "Well good morning to you, Ms. Tschenko."

She looked up from the papers on her desk to see Van smiling in on her. "That's AP Tschenko to you, sir," Katiya said in a mock-stern voice before laughing. "Kidding. Just practicing my disciplinary voice.


"Actually, my last name's a mouthful. Would it be weird for them to just call me Ms. T like my students used to last year?"

Van blinked and then laughed. Nervously. "Whoa... You almost scared me out of my boots with that stern look. I'm sure you'll do well as the AP for Hech." He grinned and shrugged. "And it's up to you, if you want."

She grinned up at him and stood to her feet. "Great. So how are you today? Excited for the new school year?"

"Oh, more than ready..." Van chortled, rocking on his heels. "I've got a talented staff and the students look ready. I think this is our year, Kat--may I call you that?" He didn't wait for her response and started walking toward his own office. "I'll show you some plans I have. Come on into my office."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "I am almost confident you'll agree with me. I've been plotting way before the camp we had this summer."

Kat? It seemed like someone had had a good summer. Katiya smiled and followed him into his larger, better furnished office. "Plotting? I'm worried," she said teasingly before sitting down int he chair in front of his desk.

"Don't be," he chuckled and turned around to face her, his eyes dancing with open excitement. "My mind's been spinning since camp. With this amazing idea." He turned to his desk and pulled out a folder, holding it out to her. The front read 'Exchange Program 2010.'

Katiya's brown eyes widened, and she reached forward to look at the folder more closely. "Exchange program? You want to send our students somewhere?"

He bobbed his head enthusiastically. "Guess where?" he singsonged, his nerves jumpy like a kid on Christmas morning.

Katiya bit her lip. "I have no idea. I'm a terrible guesser, sorry."

He raised his brow at her and laughed. "Come on, Kat. It can't be that hard. What school are we close to?"

"The only school I can think of off the top of my head is Ascot, but I don't--" she paused when his eyes lit up. "Ascot? That's where you want to send our students?"

Van nodded adamantly, grinning from ear to ear. "Well...? What do you think? Good idea or not?"

Katiya blew out a breath of air and sagged in her chair. "I don't know. Hech to Ascot is a very big difference. Will our students feel uncomfortable over there and vice versa?"

He grinned, unaware of her hesitance. Of course it was a brilliant idea. He'd thought of it, after all. "No...? Why should they be uncomfortable? We've been to camp before."

So he didn't notice the tension. "Well yes, we have been to camp before, but---what about the parents? What will they think?"

Van shrugged. "I've already received confirmation from the parents in the PTA club and they think it's a good idea. Don't really care for the elite though. Of course anything we come up with that invites them mixing with those unlike them, is unacceptable." He grinned. "But like the came became a success, this will be too... Don't you agree?"

Katiya wasn't sure about the idea, but she nodded anyway. "Yes...how do we decide which students will go to Ascot and which will come to Hech?"

"Randomnly. Seems only fair that way." Van placed his hands in his pockets and rocked on his heels, smirking down at her. "We wouldn't want any particular group in the school thinking they're being targeted, would we?"

Katiya ran a hand through their hair. "But what if those picked have no desire to be a part of it? Or if their parents refuse?" She sighed. "I think we should find a way to get some volunteers or something."

Van's smile waned and he blinked at her. "Volunteers? What if the whole school wants to volunteer then? That's..." he frowned. "I dunno about that."

Katiya sighed again. "Well, you're the principal. Whatever you decide to do, I'll support it," she pushed out of the chair and gave him a smile. "Let me know."

Van nodded, feeling a bit unsure of his so-called confident plan. "Okay... sure." His brow furrowed in deep thought as he pulled the folder back to his side.

Noticing the look on his face, Katiya attempted to reassure him. "It's a great suggestion, really, it is. We just need to work out the few kinks."

"Kinks..." he echoed, staring at the wall directly behind her. "Right." His brow furrowed. "But I already printed it out on some of the students' schedules."

Katiya blinked. Then what was the purpose of calling her here? "Oh...okay, well, I guess the Exchange Program 2010 is a go." She cleared her throat and smoothed away an invisible wrinkle on her skirt.

"I should get back to my office."