Hi! I'm currently writing this whilst it is windy outside. *Shivers* So glad to be inside! Enjoy the next chapter!

CHAPTER 5

Maya hurriedly examined her locker for the dial. The locker was a pretty sea green color, but that was beside the point. She found the dial and then realized with a nervous sweat-drop that she had no idea what her locker code was!

"Zocha," Maya whispered to her friend who had successfully opened her locker and was currently reaching up to a higher shelf for her English book. "I don't know what my code is!"

Zocha grinned. "That's silly. This is the part where you create the code."

Maya nodded, understanding. She decided on something that would be easy to remember: 333. Hopefully no one would know the code. She opened the locker and spotted the English book on a high shelf. She flew up to reach it.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Zocha muttered.

Maya and Zocha both raced up the steps to the English classroom. Maya pushed the door open and the pair found seats near the front.

"Where's the teacher?" Maya queried. Zocha rolled her eyes.

"Again with the questions?" Zocha brought out her pamphlet again and pointed to the section labeled, "Classes."

Maya's eyes skimmed the pages. "Royale High classes do not contain teachers but rather voice command." Her blue eyes sparkled with interest. "That's odd."

Zocha shrugged. "Hey, that's just how they do it here."

A metallic voice rang out over a speaker system. "Welcome to English Class students! Select the correct option on the board using your keypad before time runs out."

"That seems simple enough," Zocha muttered to Maya as the screens pushed themselves out of the counters.

The larger screen flashed three times before it showed the first sentence. "I didn't give up _ I learned how to spell the word." Zocha banged her head on the table at the joke.

Maya poked her and motioned to their keypads showing the different spelling options. "A. Untill B. Un til C. Until D. Untell"

Maya selected the letter C and once the 10 seconds were up, her screen glowed a bright green. Zocha's did the same, but around the room, surpisingly, Maya noticed several dark red screens.

The next sentence flashed up. "It was so _!"

The keypad showed the four options. "A. Embarrassing B. Embarrasing C. Embarassing D. Emmbarrassing"

Maya chose the first option.

The minutes ticked by until the class ended. Maya looked at Zocha. "Why did we need the English books?"

Zocha shrugged and opened hers. "Oh. They spell different words. I guess it's for studying." She waved her hand in dismissal. "ANYWAYS, the next class is..." Her face turned pale as a cloud. "Smmng."

Maya tilted her head. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you. What did you say?"

"Swmmng."

Maya shook Zocha. "What. Did. You. Say."

Zocha opened her mouth and burst out, "Swimming!"

Maya clapped her hands together in celebration. Finally, the class she had been excited about the most! "This is great, Zocha!" she squealed. "I cant wait to show you my different swimming phases! I've got this in the bag."

Zocha still remained a very light shade. "Y-yeah..."

Maya's blue eyes flooded with concern. "Are you sick Zocha? Do you need me to help you to the dorm or-"

Zocha held up her hands, fluttering them like a butterfly. "No no no, I'm fine. It's just..." She sighed and cast her blue gaze on the book in her palms, turning it over. "Petalanians aren't very good at swimming. I know I'll fail."

Maya placed her hand on her friend's shoulder. "It's alright," she soothed. "Just try your best and don't give up. You're not one to give in so easily, Zocha." She perked up. "That's a fact."

Zocha's eyes widened as big as dinner plates, shining. "Thanks, Maya!" Maya quickly swerved to the side to avoid a bear hug.

The two friends hurried down the rest of the stairs with only a few minutes remaining. Maya inserted her code and thrust her English book in, then found a slot for her to bring out her closet and changed into a blue swimming suit that faded down into a soft coral color.

Zocha had changed into a pink swimming suit with tiny heart clasps. She gave Maya a nervous thumbs-up sign and Maya flashed her a confident grin. The two hurried outside just as class began.

The speakers blared on. "Welcome to Swimming Class! Find a stool to stand on and jump over the bar or you'll fall into the water and will have to wait until you teleport back up. You will be graded against your peers."

Maya's heart zoomed up like a rollercoaster and then plummeted down. She had been ready to swim the length of the pool in a race, not jump. Then she pinched herself. I can do this; it's pretty much swimming above land, she thought as her arm stung. She rubbed her hand over it, feeling slightly upset with herself for pinching.

She zoomed up and onto a stool. Instantly, a metal bar popped up and unfolded four navy blue poles, which began to rotate around. Several students screamed in fear as the bar neared them, and splashes of water below alerted Maya that some had fallen. Maya felt her skin prickle, but then reminded herself that her classmates would come back up to their stool. She focused herself on completing the jump.

As the bar came close, she pressed her feet firmly against the blue stool. Then, just as the bar came whizzing by, she launched herself into the air and landed back on the stool's blue frame. Maya sighed with relief and felt the urge to sit down and rest her tired muscles.

However, the bars showed no mercy. Heartbeats later, another navy blue bar zoomed by and Maya and nearly picked her up off her feet; it was only the fact that she managed to jump up in the nick of time that saved her.

After Swimming Class had ended, both girls received their grades. Maya earned an A+ for falling down no times. She watched as Zocha came rushing towards her, dripping wet. Maya was about to comfort her when she noticed Zocha's grinning face.

"I got..." She drew out the word for suspense. "An A+!"

Maya's mouth widened in shock and she pushed it back up. "Wow, that's great!" Maya cheered and raced forward to hug Zocha. Then she frowned. "So why are you soaked?"

Zocha twisted her face into an upset frown. "When I was making my way off the stool, Wilfred flew past and pushed me off! That dummy." Zocha teleported a towel to herself and wiped her soaking body off. Then she wrung out the towel and it disappeared.

"Bad luck," Maya sympathized. Deep down, she had nearly expected an opportunity like this to be right up the bully's alley. "Did you see his goon with him?"

Zocha paused, then shook her head. "Not when Wilfred pushed me, but I'm pretty sure I spotted him opposite me." She snickered. "He couldn't even stand up straight before the bar knocked him off."

Maya felt laughter bubble up inside her. Finally, payback!

Both students ran back inside the school building and Maya changed back into her Mon Cheri Tea Party attire. Then she checked her own schedule and found that Chemistry Class was next.

Wilfred strutted by and waved his hand at Maya, clucking once again. "Maya, Maya, Maya," he chided, his voice almost a whisper. "Do you really think you can ever stop me?"

No, Maya thought silently. But Zocha and I can.