Rating: M / T (not sure quite yet how in-detailed I'll go)

Claimer: A Passage to Freedom belongs to me.

A Passage to Freedom…

Chapter One – The Beginning

It was a docile day much like it had been for the past few weeks. The sun was shining and the students of Azaleia High School were locked in the jail that was school, sitting in neat tiny rows, staring at the teacher thinking, absorbing through their skin, every word; yearning for that ever exhilarating sound of the bell. The bell, it was the sound that signaled the end class, well of one class. It was the count down to freedom.

"Joel, man where are you going, get back here!" yelled Maria over the ringing of the school bell just as Joel was almost consumed by the sea of bodies washing down the hallway.

"Quick grab my hand oh faithful lover and save me from my plight" Joel exclaimed as Maria was grabbing for his hand to pull him near her. She immediately turned and looked at something 'more' interesting while muttering "child" under her breath. With a small squeak Joel was easily knocked to the floor by the rush of bodies. He got up and proceeded toward Maria rubbing his sore bottom. Within a blink of an eye Maria turned on him with an icy stare full of promise.

"You deserved that you know" Maria's eyes never left his

Joel couldn't help but giggle, internally that is he didn't have a death wish. Maria was like a big sister figure, just as volatile but just as protective and loving.

"Um well…what is it oh fair maiden?" he exclaimed kneeling, for good or for ill he was gifted at thinking on his feet. Maria smacked him up side the head and walked away while retorting;

"Remember that we're meeting in the library near the computers at lunch so don't forget or get side tracked. I've noted that the cheerleaders practice was moved to tomorrow so one less distraction right, nod, oh and try to be there on time please".

"Puddle dumpling, don't worry I will be there…enjoy math class, the valiant Joel is off to Chemistry" Joel turned tail and was gone, melting into the sea of bodies.

"And to think that this is our twelfth year and he's still acting like a child" Maria let a chuckle slip when she considered her wayward friend but that was the very reason they loved him and she knew they wouldn't have him any other way.

The library was quiet, to quiet, to the point of death but then the rhythmic breathing and the brain fried air gave way to suspicion and told you that you were not alone; it was slow, deep in thought. One would get the feeling like at any moment something would swallow you up, you would be lost forever and no one would notice.

"HERE!"

The silence was broken and whispers soon sprang up from every corner, all wondering who this brash youngin' was and why on earth he was holding his arm in the air as if attempting to answer a teacher's question, a soft laughter soon followed.

A table, among twelve others, in the main half of the library held the youngin's friends who where all in shock. They saw that Joel was looking straight at them and soon the rest of the room turned to look at them as well waiting to see what would happen. Each one of them slowly sank down in their chairs secretly hoping that Joel would simply go away or just disappear. But don't forget the librarian, who scuttled up to Joel finger shaking and mouth scolding;

"Young man this is a library which means quiet, if you want to be a hooligan and disrupt the peace then do so else where. Now this is a place of knowledge, people come here to learn and not be distracted by a baboon, now either shut up or ship out".

The friends sat up immediately to watch there companion, Joel, a six foot one, athletically built, soccer star of seventeen be trapped by a sixty three year old, grey haired, leather skinned women at five foot two,… lets just say that a smile was on every face.

"Well Mrs. Lockhart I see that I have in deed stepped out of line and I am awfully sorry, sincerely so, but ……my, did you get new shoes, they just go splendidly with your outfit today and I must say that you do look especially lovely, did you do something different with your hair" Joel replied looking her straight in the eye.

"Well um, I …" she began to madly look at something else aside from Joel's face but she instead saw that the entirety of the libraries occupants staring blanking at them, mouths inches from the ground. No one could believe what they were hearing, was she really going to buy that crap? ... nope,

"Hold on you young whippier snapper, get you going or next time you won't be allowed back in" she stumbled and blushed slightly but that soon turned into a flush of brilliant red when she noticed Joel smiling sweetly at her. He turned with a slight smirk and walked toward his friends.

Their mouths were hanging open, gaping and ogling with wide eyes which only made Joel's smile all the brighter. Joel strode up to the table, smile still painted upon his face;

"The FUN has indeed arrived ladies and…" he sang out but was quickly silenced by Maria.

"Good, now we can put you to work…hey Joel, over here she waved her hand in his face, god man stop staring at… Lantie must you do your makeup here, can you please do it before school or at least in the bathroom, I cant imagine that you could see anything with that tiny mirror and plus, its distracting too…people please, FOCUS, we need to get the work done!" utterly frustrated she gave up, sat back down to wait.

"Well I agree with you Maria we really should be getting the work done guys so…" Jessica announced more to Maria then to the group, only hoping that someone heard her.

"Can't you make that permanent or something, looking atLatoya with amazed eyes, receiving glares from Jessica and Maria, ok, ok, hey Jess I was wondering, what's the homework?"

"WHAT! Max you weren't paying attention again, well it's your fault I'm not giving it to you, your not even giving it an effort so why should I bother to help, so I'm not helping and that's final, the answers no and its not going to change, no." Jessica crossed her arms in defiance and turned away. Maxwell grinned triumphantly knowing well enough that all he had to do was look board and unmindful to the fact that he wasn't doing anything. He softly counted to five and as if on cue Jessica reluctantly handed him the homework.

"Ok, ok, but next time you really need to do it your self, it's your own fault you keep falling asleep in class and miss everything" she quickly slipped him the sheets looking cautiously in Maria's direction.

"It's my fault, what are you talking about, its Mr. Lao's fault he's the one that's so boring". Maxwell grinned again and hid the homework under his binder. Maxwell waited until Jessica was 'not' paying attention then passed the sheets over to Latoya who was shyly and sweetly accepting them.

'WHAT', it screamed inside Jessica's mind, she looked to Maxwell, he just smiled as if he did nothing wrong. Looking passed Maxwell to Latoya, she watched Latoya's sweet smile turned in to a smirk when she noticed Jessica looking her and proceeded to copy her homework. Jessica could barely take it, even after all this time; she felt betrayed. Jessica never understood why Latoya was part of the group anyway, compared to every one else Latoya was a complete opposite, it just didn't make sense. Jessica had to admit that she'd gotten used to being around Latoya, she had been nice to Jessica on occasion like when Jessica needed something to wear to the dance, though it seemed more like Latoya didn't want to be seen with her ill dressed then out of friendship but with Latoya you'd never know. Latoya was in the fashion club (and every other popular club) and that did help a little with making sure she didn't go out side dressed as a clown, unless intended, though the clothing comments get annoying quickly. Latoya was basically a friend every group needed to equal things out. Or as they say;

There's one in every family.

FLASH BACK

Jessica Cummings, five foot eight, amber brown hair, violet eyes. She had started at Azaleia High School in her eleventh year, a student from England with the typical English family, meaning that her father was a 'real colonial' Brit (very punctual and extremely formal, in every imaginable way) he was all ways working and often out of the country. Her mother was the opposite, a small town girl from New Jersey with red hair and a carefree lifestyle; she was constantly bustling about with her exhibitions or out working with her language students. Jessica's parents where oil and water period. But they say opposite attract and they were an example of that, a perfect match.

Jessica had been the odd ball out ... for everything, games, activities, even group assignments to which she had to do them on her own. She had acquaintances not people she would call friends until one day; first semester, first term, second period, math class, she got caught doing a thing any teenage girl normally would do…

"Well, well, now I completely agree with your choice" was whispered softly in her ear.

Jessica whipped around and came face to face with any normal school-status-wise girl's worst nightmare. Latoya Jones. Latoya, seventeen, five foot seven, blondish brown hair with blue eyes, was one of the elite at Azaleia High School. A rich cheerleader with a platinum card, always in with the trends and she knew everyone by name and class (if only she could do that with school), she wasn't the brightest of the bunch but she had useful other traits, her main one was manipulation and it which made any other female hate and despise her, aside from the other 'girls' like her, but teacher's were to scared of the father's to do much about what the girls did.

"So your name is Jessica Cumming right?, nod , well that guy you were staring so hard at, that's Joel Hakasaki, therefore I must again I commend you on you choice, he's a real catch. As it is he's captain of the soccer team, big time social butterfly, in fact he's only second to his bother Alex in the P.E. department. You know there are many guys around campus that I'm sure you'd like too but then again, guess what, Joel's not dating anyone right now" She said slyly.

"Oh um I'm not staring at him, no… I … was just spaced out a little, um… wait who are you?"

"Excuse me... I'm Latoya Jones… Jones being the optimal word here…ok, don't worry about it but still you should talk to him, just wait till the end of class and walk up and introduce your self, its easy, ok, two minutes till the bell, good luck." Latoya gave her the thumbs up and sat back to watch Jessica's naive eyes turn to the clock.

Two minutes passed and RRRIINNGGGG!!!!!

Jessica couldn't believe what she was doing, her feet disobeyed her as she found her self walking up to him, her eyes turned to the floor, her mind was screaming for her feet to stop but when she spotted his shoes she knew it was to late to turn back, he'd probably already noticed her walking up to him and then stopping in front of him staring dumbly at her feet, wondering what she looked like to the rest of the world, she tried to form a workable introduction;

"Hi, my name is Jessica and um I'm kind of new here and I…"

"Joel sweetie!"

Jessica looked up to see Joel turn away from her, he didn't notice her standing in front of him, was he like blind or something, she looked back as her chance was fleeing away from her and noticed that it had been Latoya who had called him over, as realization dawned, she felt robbed, crushed and mainly…stupid.

"My names Maria Swanson nice to meet you too Jess, you don't mind if I call you that do you?"

Jessica looked at the girl and stopped. Maria was around five foot nine, eighteen years old with deep dark brown hair and stunning green eyes, that reminded Jessica of the color of green leaves caught in the summer sun, Maria looked like a person who was modest and full of life.

"Um ...hello Jess are we awake ... stare ... well I'm on the student council so if you... still staring ... do I have something in my hair or teeth, oh wait did I spill something on my self again, no response, I'm confused are you ok?" Maria stared back Jessica with her hands on her hips looking very puzzled and a bit worried about the young girls sanity.

"Oh Mary, I'm sorry I just…"

"It's Maria and that's ok no harm done, I know Latoya can be a little cruel when there's someone taking a peek at her Menu…"

"I'm sorry but Menu?"

"Oh I meant like "boyfriend material" list, thingy, she likes having options, and can get protective over guys she likes, she just trying to put you in your place which is total bull shit really, cause she's nothing to be afraid of, so in the end I guess it doesn't really work, well at least on people who know her, but you know now so you'll be ok" Maria smiled at the puzzled and slightly frightened look on the girls face but Jessica couldn't help it. She couldn't believe how Maria could cram so many words into such short a period of time and Jessica still got every single word, wow mad skills alert.

"You know me and my friends are eating lunch outside today, well we kind of do everyday that's if its weather permitting, so how about you come and join us we'd love to have you, what's your next class?"

"Um it's Chemistry but I really…"

"Well it's settled then, we eat out front near the field, by the tree that looks like … well it's the weird tree with the little flowers, there's like millions of them, weird but smells good, so see yeah at lunch" and with that Maria was off to her next class leaving Jessica standing in the empty class room and quite confused as to what she'd just been signed up for.

Well that was fun, what a start! So how do people like it so far even though its only one chapter but I ...is anyone actually reading this? Oh well I'll just talk to my self then...ok that's a little creepy but hey I'm standing on a soap box here! Hum what to do now, I know I'll write the next chapter then maybe people will love me...silence... but then again maybe not. I'll just go sulk in the corner with Robyn, oh wait she's not there AHHH where Robyn go, Jen need Robyn and she no there...dam this sux now my writing is going to have mistakes and not to mention I'm having an utterly joyful time trying to figure out how to operate the stupid site thingy buttons, oh yeah its fun. I am so starting to lose it and I've barely written anything, I think that's a record or something. Well I better go now and drown myself in my writing so that I can have Chapter two up soon, soon being the optimal word.

REVIEW PLEAZ PLEAZ!!!!

AU: its revised…slightly … I don know, leave me to my insanity.