The second Jax left, Mandy and Layla rushed over to Winter. "Spill," Layla watched Winter with eyes that seemed to burn into her. "What?" Mandy stared her down, "Why were you with Jax Ryan?" Winter tilted her head, "You know him?" Mandy looked at Layla and then back at Winter, "Do we know him?" She laughed dramatically, "First, stop asking that question. Everyone knows everyone. Second, of course we do, everyone knows him." Winter twisted her ring, "Well everyone knows everyone. So isn't it a given that." Mandy interrupted her, "Even if everyone didn't know everyone. Everyone would still know him." Layla nodded, "Jax is the school's rebel. He's a part of Star's potential but he doesn't want to be. Him and Sam have gotten into way too many fights over the years. They hate each other." Mandy leaned on Layla, "They used to be friends though." Winter looked around the classroom at students who were eavesdropping on their conversation. They all looked away when they noticed her gaze. "What happened between them?" Layla's eyes narrowed, "Don't try to avoid our question with more of your own. We want to know what you were doing with Jax." Winter sighed, "He was just helping me out." Mandy pried, "With?" Winter sighed, "He caught me sitting outside the gym and brought me to the nurse." Layla's eyes widened, "You said you were okay! You liar." Winter huffed, "I was fine. He wasted his time taking me there." Mandy grabbed Winter's face in her hands making her stare at her brown eyes, "Give us details about what happened between you and Jax. Why did he help you?" Mandy and Layla leaned forward. "Nothing. He tried helping me when I didn't need it. That's all." Mandy and Layla shared a look before reverting their attention back to Winter, "Jax Ryan did?" Winter nodded and the girls smiled. Mandy put her hand on her chin, "What I don't understand is why Jax offered to help you in the first place." Winter recalled the insistence he had about helping her. Layla smirked, "Maybe it's because of her display of rebellion to Coach Russo." Mandy nudged Winter's arm, "Why'd you do that Winter?" Winter shrugged while smiling, "I don't know. It was just instinct." Mandy and Layla giggled. The bell rang and they rushed to their seats.
Cornell came stomping into the classroom. "Hello idiots. As you know Mrs. Scrimen isn't here today for personal reasons, so we are going to have another joint class in the audio visual room after these announcements by the class president." He turned to the small figure next to him. "Come up here! I don't have all day." The shy, quiet looking black haired girl with charcoal eyes came to the front of the classroom. "Okay guys," she said confidently, eradicating Winter's preconception of her. "As you know, we have the field day and Moonlight ball next semester. We're holding a meeting for anyone interested in sharing their ideas after school this Friday in room two o' two. Also, if there's anything you would like to eat in the cafeteria next week you should attend the meeting to provide your suggestions." Winter rubbed her arm absentmindedly. Cornell coughed, uninterested. "Alright losers. Get going to the audio visual room with class eight." A general murmur filled the classroom, "Wow class eight again?" "Yeah well, that is Mrs. Scrimen's class so it makes sense." " Why wouldn't they just let us have individual study time?" "Joint classes are annoying." "We get to breathe the same air as Sam!" "Star's potential is so cool." "I wish I was in class eight." Winter looked after the class president and noticed she didn't socialize with anyone after finishing her announcement. Layla linked arms with Winter, "What are you looking at?" Winter cleared her throat, "Just the class president." Mandy linked her arm in Winter's other one, "You mean Sara?" Winter studied the class president a moment longer, "I thought she was shy at first." "Sara Branson. Yeah she's a little unsociable. Harder to approach. But ultimately she's very confident and really well spoken." Winter scratched her chin, "Weird. I never get it wrong." Layla leaned in towards Winter and Mandy, "I meant to mention this earlier, but Winter you're really perceptive." Mandy nodded her head vigorously, "Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. You notice basically everything." Winter sported a coy smile on her face, "It's how I've also been. My mom calls me a spy." Layla laughed, "Why?" Winter's smile dissolved into a devious smirk, "Because she could never hide anything from me growing up. No one could. Whether it was emotions, surprises, birthday presents, secrets. I would always find out eventually. I never leave any mystery unsolved." Mandy and Layla shared a look. Winter glanced at both her friends smiling, "It looks like I came to the right school for that."