0.0 - Meeting Frances

The first impression Alexa had of Frances was that of a fiercely determined boy, cornered by three other boys in a shadowy hallway in the school. She had taken a shortcut to class and normally wouldn’t be in that area at all. Yet, there she was and as she took stock of the situation, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She’d seen Frances around school. He was tall, thin, with an aristocratic air that surrounded him, much like the lime scented cologne he wore every day. His eyes were a gunmetal grey and his hair was the exact shade of apricot. He walked with the grace of a drunken cat and she was reminded of Captain Jack Sparrow more than once with his languid air and his not so steady movements. She thought he was attractive. She had always been a sucker for a sharp dresser. He often wore crisp dress shirts to school, tucked into skinny jeans that emphasized his long legs. 



He’d come to their middle school as a new student in the middle of the school year, a sucky situation for any teen ager, and if he thought he was going to blend in with his vibrant hair and his kingly posturing, he had to have been highly delusional.

First of all, he’d garnered the attention of ‘The Fucktard Trio’ as she privately referred to them. Three boys who had the luck to be athletically talented and were pressing the advantage in a major way. They all played football together and basketball and baseball, the holy triumverate of school sports throughout the year. They were large and brutish and most of the boys they bullied found ways to steer clear of them as much as possible.

Most of the boys, save Frances, who regarded them with disdain and was now the darling of bullied boys in the school who delighted in his sharp witticisms towards them. 

Alexa sized up the situation. It looked as though Frances was going to learn that payback is a bitch.
She should have moved on. She should have shrugged and walked away, perhaps gone to get a teacher to intervene. Frances would get knocked around some and probably have some impressive bruises but he’d be OK. Mostly.

The horrified voice inside her head was screaming, ‘What are you DOING??!!’ when she set down her books and raised her voice. ‘Oh, for real? Cos this is so impressive, you lot against him.’

They turned as one, three faces who sneered at her in recognition.

‘Oh, look. It’s little precious Alexandra,’ said one.

Frances raised his eyebrows at her. ‘You’re joking, right? Cos this has to be a joke and I’m dreaming and I’ll wake up anytime now with Jesus Christ drooling all over me.’

Alexa and the three boys looked at him in puzzlement.

‘Never mind. All right, Xena. Bring your A game,’ he said with a wry quirk to the corner of his mouth.
Alexa stepped forward with a fierce grin lighting her face. She hadn’t felt this alive in a long time.
‘Right, Captain Jack. This will be a story worth telling to our grandchildren and great grandchildren.’ She readied into a defensive stance.

Frances nodded in appreciation. ‘Captain Jack, huh? Heh.’ His bark of laughter was cut off by one of the boys launching an attack towards his face.


It was a small bloodbath that was cut short by the intervention of two teachers. Alexa was bleeding from her lip and from a cut above her eyebrow. She’d had tears in her shirt and was contemplating taking it off. She knew she’d have bruises from here to China. She also hurt in various places but she didn’t care. She knew she should as she’d feel it as soon as the adrenaline rush was gone. She was laughing like a loon as she and Frances traded quips with each other.

Frances was a little better off. He had one magnificent shiner blooming and his jaw ached. His knuckles were scraped raw and he was pretty sure his ankle was sprained. He was limping and trying not get it stomped on. He was having the time of his life.

The three boys were about ready to just rush them when a teacher called out their names and another teacher stepped in front of Alexa and Frances. 

Alexa lowered her fists and her guard. Frances, never wanting to waste an opportunity, stepped around the teacher and hit the ringleader as hard as he could to the side of his head. 

Alexa grinned and Frances winked at her unrepentantly.

They sat in the office with cold packs, waiting for their parents. Alexa sighed as the cold numbed the side of her face just this side of uncomfortability. Frances had his wrapped around his ankle and was holding another to his eye which had, indeed, sported a magnificent constellation of black and blue.
Alexa’s father came in, his dark brown eyes filled with concern. He twitched a smile at her and then schooled his face to sternness. His eyes still twinkled.

Frances stiffened when his mother walked in, the relaxed curve to his spine changing to a ramrod straight line. She barely looked at him, instead turning her attention to Alexa.

Alexa met dark blue eyes that took her measure in a glance, stripping her down to the core and reluctantly approving of what she saw. 

‘You involved yourself in this fracas?’ she asked of Alexa, her voice low and husky.

‘I did. It wasn’t fair,’ answered Alexa.

Frances’ mother smiled at her, a curve of lipsticked mouth that showed no teeth.
‘He wasn’t at fault, then,’ she continued.

Alexa shrugged. ‘It wasn’t a matter of fault. It was they’re jerks and had him outnumbered three to one. I could’ve walked on but I have a problem when I see something that unfair.’

Frances’ mother turned to Alexa’s father. ‘Will she be punished?’ she asked him, bluntly.

Alexa’s father shook his head. ‘No. She stepped in to help someone out. Granted, I’m not thrilled that it had to be a physical fight. But she did the right thing. I’m not going to punish that.’

Frances’ mother nodded. Then she turned to Frances. ‘Knowing you, your smart mouth was involved, somehow. Gather your things. We’re going to have your ankle looked at.’ Frances averted his eyes and slung his backpack over his shoulder, wincing slightly.

‘Thank you,’ she said to Alexa. She tilted her head to Alexa’s father and turned and walked out.
Frances nodded his head to Alexa and her father and followed silently.

‘Well,’ said Alexa’s father, thoughtfully.

‘Well, indeed,’ thought Alexa. Frances hadn’t released his posture the whole time his mother was there and she saw the wariness in his eyes. She wondered how he’d be punished and considered his mother’s words to him. Her assessment of him changed. She saw that his cockiness and attitude was armour he wore around the rest of the world. She wondered if he had any armour at all when it came to his family.


The next day, Frances wasn’t at school and it was a Friday so Alexa figured he stayed home to let his ankle heal. He was at school on Monday, though, maneuvering his way around with crutches and his usual sharp witted self. He saw her in the hall between classes and for a moment, he lifted his guard and smiled sweetly at her. Then, it resettled over him, and he called out, ‘Ah, there you are, Xena! My rescuer!’ 

Alexa rolled her eyes and pushed on his shoulder. ‘Captain Jack,’ she returned, much to his delight.
‘Mother wants you to come over for dinner sometime soon. You made quite the impression on her, Warrior Princess,’ he said.

Alexa met his eyes squarely. ‘And you?’

Frances nodded his head. ‘Quite possibly so. I may be your most ardent admirer.’

‘Right, ‘ said Alexa. ‘I’ll check my calendar and talk to my dad.. I’ll let you know tomorrow.’

‘That works, ‘ said Frances. ‘Until then.’ He continued down the hall, his apricot hair catching the light and flaring a brilliant orange.