"So guys how was school today?" Nicki asked later that night over dinner.
"School was lovely . . ." Leigh-Anne started some long story about everything good that happened during her day and how much she enjoyed learning.
"Leigh-Anne you talk too much." Prodigy said then snickered along with Roc Royal.
"No I don't." Leigh-Anne said her insanely bright smile never wavering.
"Um I'm glad you had a good day. Does anyone else wanna share?"
"I think school is amazing." Jade spoke up. "It was fun." Jades smile almost challenged Leigh-Anne's in brightness. Nicki sighed in relief as they seemed to have a good day.
"School is not fun at all." Perrie mumbled. "It's too hard." Perrie sounded sad.
"What do you mean? Is the teacher going too fast for you?" Nicki asked concerned.
"Uhh I don't know? It's just too hard." Perrie said again as she scooped up mashed potatoes with her hand.
"Perrie why don't you use your fork to eat?" Nicki asked then remembered something, "And why was there sand in your hair when you came home?"
"I already told you . . . I was playing in the sand." The way Perrie spoke always made her sound like she was asking questions. And her eyes were squinted like she was confused.
"School was fine." Ray Ray said coolly. "The work isn't that hard."
"Very good Ray Ray. I'm glad you thought so." Nicki scanned the table making sure that everyone was eating. She realized that Jesy hadn't touched her food. It suddenly occurred to her that she had never seen Jesy eat more than a few bites of food. "Jesy, you should eat your dinner."
"No! I've lost my appetite!" She yelled stubbornly.
"And what made you lose your appetite?" Nicki asked, exasperated.
"Ummm . . ." Her bright eyes darted around the table then she suddenly pointed in Perrie's direction, "Perrie is eating with her hands and it's nasty!" She yelled.
Nicki shook her head, "Jesy, really?"
"Mmhhmm." Jesy nodded.
"Mom she's just being over dramatic." Roc Royal said.
"No I'm not!" Jesy screamed. "I'm going to my room!" She got up and left the table.
"Jesy get back here!" Nicki yelled as Jesy stalked off. At the same time Prodigy and Roc Royal whispered some things that could not be complimentary in any way.
Jesy ignored Nicki and continued up the stairs until she made it to her room and slammed the door loudly.
Nicki shook her head. She didn't understand these kids, Jesy and Perrie being the most confusing. At least the others are pretty normal, she thought as she listened to Leigh-Anne volunteer to clear the table and wash up with the help of Princeton.
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For the remainder of the school week there wasn't a day when Jesy didn't get sent to the principal's office. She insulted and talked back to teachers and yelled in class. She refused to do homework and got upset when she was given a time out. In short she was being pretty much a terror to the school.
At the same time Jade was being bullied more and more by the kids in her class. They'd started calling her 'Puny Green-bean' because she was the smallest in the class and still smaller than everyone in the grade below her with the exception of Perrie. And it wasn't over when she got home. Prodigy and Roc Royal were becoming craftier and craftier with their teasing. It was just petty kids stuff but for some reason it got to Jade. Maybe it was because she was just a kid herself even if she always felt more mature than and pretty superior to almost everyone. Even though the teasing slightly hurt and irritated her she kept up a good front for Nicki. She smiled and talked about how much fun learning was. But she didn't hesitate to tell on Prodigy and Roc Royal when they were up to something at home. Tattling was like her secret weapon. The boys usually tried to make it look like she was lying but whenever she batted her long eyelashes at Nicki they'd get scolded.
By Saturday Nicki wasn't sure what to do. Jesy was always in trouble and constantly yelling at everyone. She had realized that Prodigy and Roc Royal seemed to be bullying Jade a bit. Jade never looked like it bothered her but it still wasn't good. Ray Ray and Princeton seemed very distant and Nicki didn't know what they were thinking. It was like they were waiting for something . . . bad to happen. And then there was Perrie who seemed unable to catch up with the other kids in her class. Leigh-Anne was the only one who seemed happy all the time and talked to Nicki regularly.
Nicki was sitting on the sofa taking a breather. Taking care of these kids was exhausting. The amount of worrying she did could not be healthy.
"Mum you alright?" Leigh-Anne asked from the floor where she was coloring with Perrie.
"Yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking." Nicki said getting up. She was heading to her room to do some more writing when she realized that the house was far quieter than it should be. "Hmm something is off." She said softly to herself.
Prodigy and Roc Royal ran past her heading to their own room laughing loudly. "Guys where's Jesy?" Nicki asked them.
"She said she was leaving and that we shouldn't tell you." Prodigy said then covered his mouth. "Oops."
"Yeah she had a suitcase and everything." Roc Royal added.
"You have got to be kidding me." Nicki said getting frantic. She ran down the hall then knocked on Ray Ray and Princeton's room door. "Guys I'm gonna look for Jesy. Keep an eye on the younger kids."
Even though Princeton and Ray Ray were only eight and ten they were clearly mature beyond their years. She hoped that things would be okay as she left them in charge. The kids hopefully couldn't get into much trouble without Jesy.
_____________
Nicki stood looking down the street of her exclusive neighborhood for any sign of Jesy. She couldn't have gotten very far if she was carrying a suitcase. Besides she had really short legs. Nicki started walking down the street. Jesy had to be somewhere near here.
She suddenly heard rustling in the hedges that separated her house from the neighbor's followed by a small sneeze. "Aww nuts!" Jesy's voice came softly from between the hedges.
"Jessica Loise Nelson Maraj, you better come out of that hedge right now!" Nicki yelled getting frustrated. She didn't understand why Jesy was so badly behaved all the time.
"Ow, ow ow ow." Jesy said as she climbed out of the hedges. She was covered with scratches and there were leaves in her now messy brown hair.
"Jesy, why the hell are you doing this?" Nicki yelled as Jesy started attempting to yank a small carryon from the hedge.
"Nya, nya, nya . . . Don't just stand there help me!" She said as she continued to struggle.
"Oh really, now I have to help you!" Nicki yelled back at her. She was beginning to get sick of Jesy's antics and consistent yelling. "Wow okay Jesy . . . Just Wow!!!" Nicki screamed as she too started to pull on the carryon.
"Hey! Hey! There are reasons why people choose to live in a somewhat secluded neighborhood. Stop all the noise!!" A man who lived in the next house said from the other side of the hedge. Nicki hadn't even ever heard his voice before now. "Stupid celebrities . . . think they can do whatever they want." The guy was mumbling.
"Well sorry but no one asked your opinion!" Nicki yelled back at him. There would have been more colourful language added onto that statement if Jesy wasn't present.
"Yeah shut the hell up!" Jesy yelled.
Nicki covered Jesy's mouth, "Jesy you can't say those kinds of words . . . and being rude to the neighbor is wrong."
