Previously on Midway Prep
Episode Sixty-Three
"Oh...my...God" were the only three words that Shannon could utter as she walked into the front door of the building. Everywhere, people were swarming all about. Everyone was trying to do everything at once, which was creating a mass chaotic mess that blew the freshman's mind. She turned helplessly to Chloe.
Chloe shook her head and looked away. "Don't look at me. I didn't do it, sweetie!"
"This is...this is Hell! Pure and simple! I've died and gone to the tenth level of Hades!" Shannon gasped, putting a weak hand to her forehead, prepared to put on her best stage faint.
"Shannon! Shannon! Shannon!" Christian said, the words flying out from his mouth like bullets. "Can you believe this? I've never seen anything like this before!"
"There's a trillion more people here than at the Middle School," Shannon exclaimed. "How could all of these people possibly be in the same boarding school as us? I have never seen them before!"
"It's simple. They've all been hiding in bunkers underneath our old dorms," Gemini explained, coming up from behind them. She was clinging onto her binder for dear life, afraid that if she let go, she'd be swept away in the increasing current that had formed in the Commons.
Christian laughed and then high-fived Gemini. "There you go! That's exactly what's going on!"
"So did you spend last night biting your nails to shreds like I did?" Shannon inquired, looping her arm through Christian's.
"No, actually," Christian suddenly became quiet and sober. "I talked to my dad last night, and he kept me pretty calm."
"I'm really glad to hear that, Chris. How's he doing?"
Christian shrugged and shook his head slightly. "I really don't know. I mean, he says he's okay, but he also said he misses my sister and me a lot. But, hey," Christian shook his head as if to shake away any serious thoughts, "we have today to focus on, after all. Let's see if we can't find a channel that'll take us where we need to go in this river."
Chloe had since settled into silence as she observed her surroundings in mild amusement. Her friends' lack of self-control annoyed her somewhat, for she had vowed to put on her most mature attitude. Their obvious state of confusion and disarray irritated her, but not enough for her to have one boy's gaze upon her go unnoticed.
The young man was tall, but not too tall. His long brown hair would have fallen into his light gray eyes if he hadn't parted it down the middle and pulled it to the side. One foot crossed the other as he leaned against a column, his eyes transfixed upon Chloe in her loose brown pants and black blouse. She resisted the temptation to lick her lips at the sight of his rich brown skin and clear-cut jaw.
"He's pretty hot, isn't he?"
Gemini's question startled Chloe, who blinked rapidly trying to register what she had just said. Gemini merely laughed and put a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"Why don't you go introduce yourself?"
Chloe's eyes widened and she covered her mouth with her hand. "It's too late! He's coming over here!" she said through clenched teeth.
The young man smiled as he walked up to Chloe, revealing a beautiful set of pearly teeth which almost seemed to sparkle just as his eyes were. Since she was closer to him, she could smell the faint yet alluring smell of aftershave about him and could tell that he had just cut a thin moustache that surrounded his lips. Her heart raced as he stopped in front of her.
"Hello," he said, his voice deep and rich. He extended his hand in peaceful greeting.
"H-hi," Chloe nearly choked on the words, weakly meeting his hand with hers.
"I noticed you and your friends over here looking kind of lost, so I thought I'd come over here and offer my services."
When Chloe couldn't manage to get the words out, Gemini nudged her slightly and said, "I'm sure she's very thankful for the kind gesture. Aren't you, Chloe?"
"Yes, very thankful," Chloe blurted out, then shrank away from him. She was feeling that her old, shy ways were coming back, which angered her. Get yourself together, Chloe!
"My name's Raphael Dominquez."
"Chloe Bridges," Chloe finally managed to smile as she shook his hand firmly, putting every once of power she could into her handshake.
"Well, Chloe Bridges, whadya say we go ahead and find your first period class. What is it?"
"French I."
"Ah, that's mine too. Would you mind if I escorted you to the class?"
Chloe barely managed to resist the urge to fan herself. "No, not at all. Thank you."
"I just wish I could have had someone concerned enough to help me on my first day in the Upper School. I'm only glad to help you."
"Sounds like this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship...or more," Gemini whispered into Chloe's ear.
Though part of her wanted to tell Gemini otherwise, Chloe couldn't find the words to do so. She half-believed that it was because of the shock of Raphael introducing himself to her, but another half believed it was because she knew that Gemini was most likely speaking the truth.
-The teens attended Fish Camp, MP's freshman orientation day
October 20, 2001