Vincenzo was sitting in his least favourite lesson because of the teacher of course. Sancia O'Neil was teaching them Italian literature. He was not really fond of her simply. His father didn't trust her. Neither did he. He was feeling frustrated listening to her lecture as she was writing on the board. He whispered to Tristan sitting next to him " Can you get me out of this class again with an excuse. Like last time?"

Tristan sighed shaking his head and breathed " No."

Vincenzo spoke " I will owe you one if you find me an excuse."

Tristan looked at him " Find your own excuse."

Sancia called out " Do you have a question for me Tristan?"

Tristan turned to his mother " No, Dr Giovanni."

Vincenzo held in a chuckle. He knew Tristan's mother preferred to be called Dr Giovanni. Tristan knew how to keep his mother pleased in public so she didn't complain to his father. Emanuelle O'Neil hardly ever interfered if his wife complained about his teenage sons. But if he agreed with his wife, he would have punished his sons severely. He meant business when he interfered. There seemed to be truce between Tristan and his mother for now. It wasn't that Tristan rebelled against his mother but the problem was that his mother really had unreasonable demands sometimes. Tristan was quite close to his mother's side and resembled the Giovanni family more than his fathers side in some ways. But he was his fathers son when it came to being a double edged sword acting so dangerously as a man of diplomacy and action in any situation.

Sancia O'Neil wrote on the board the next tasks instructions. It was another two thousand word essay and the class had one hour to do it. Students therefore immediately started writing like mad.

Sancia O'Neil walked to her son's table and instructed to Tristan " I would like you to be present in my office right after school when you finish your basketball practice. Don't be late." She then walked away to other desks checking on the other students working and giving lunch time detentions and 1000 lines penalties if they hadn't completed the homework due that day that they were meant to have on their desks ready for her to mark.

Vincenzo looked at Tristan who was looking annoyed as he was writing. " What is it your mother wants from you?"

Tristan shrugged " She wants to add another week to my internship with a client of her choice who she is also happen to have a meeting with today. She wants me in that meeting. I wont be in any post match meeting if one was needed. Cover for me if that was the case...."

Vincenzo spoke " There won't be one. I have to be home right after school. My father doesn't like us staying too late when its exam time.... But tell me... Why not say no? Why do you have to go?"

Tristan sighed "I can't say no."

Vincenzo spoke " Why aren't you keen to go anyways? It's a business meeting from the sounds of it."

Tristan looked at Vincenzo " Trust me. You wouldn't want me to go that meeting. She is not a good friend of your father."

Vincenzo spoke " She? Alright..,, so you are meeting Alton's and Azurine's mother then. You are seeing her again, Bianca McNamara, your mother's best friend. It makes sense you don't want to see her. The woman made her husband disappear after their divorce. Poor soul. Some say she is keeping him locked up somewhere so he wont corrupt his kids with his hippie ideas. I don't know why she married a normal person and not a criminal .... But we both know, it's not just that. She hates men, just like Azurine."

Just then Sancia walked to their table and stood behind Vincenzo " You seem to be struggling with the work. You only have one hour, Vincenzo."

Vincenzo spoke as he was writing the title of the new essay " I am a Rosario. I always deliver unlike some.... "

Sancia picked up his homework and marked it, ignoring his comment. She then marked his son's homework. After she walked away, Vincenzo looked at his homework. Dr O'Neil of course had reluctantly given him an A+. His father would have asked for a remark and demanding to see the teacher giving him lower than A+ always. She couldn't deny him the grade he deserved since his father was going to be very unhappy if he got a low grade if his answer was good enough for the top mark.

Tristan looked at his paper and spoke "No way. She should have given you a Fail for that comment. You implied that O'Neils don't deliver and Rosarios do."

Vincenzo spoke in a sarcastic tone " My god mother likes to give me special treatment."

The bell rang after an hour and Dr O'Neil made everyone show their work at the door before leaving for lunch and issued detentions for Friday if a thousand words wasn't written. She then saw in surprise as Vincenzo remained behind. She stated " I saw your work. You may leave."

Vincenzo spoke " I wanted to ask to drop Extra Italian Literature. I want to take another subject."

Sancia O'Neil shook her head " Too late. You can't change classes now. It's against the rules. Once you choose your options, you can't change unless you fail. That is of course impossible for you. You can pass this subject with your eyes closed. You are not thinking of failing yourself. Are you? There would be consequences if you do that deliberately...."

Vincenzo was not going to fail. He couldn't fail himself. His father was going to ground him and much worse especially if he found out his son failed himself deliberately. Rosarios weren't supposed to fail.

Vincenzo spoke " I wont fail...There has to be a way. I wish to appeal in writing. I want to be in the dance class."

Sancia O'Neil spoke with finality in her voice " The appeal will come to me straight. I am the head mistress and the course co-ordinator. I tell you now, your appeal is denied. Just go to the dance club during personal study time or after school if you want extra credits for that subject. But by all means do submit a written appeal but I would reject it. May I also remind you that your father insisted that you study Italian literature."

Vincenzo had nothing to say back. She was right. His father had personally picked this unit wanting him to retain good fluency in Italian. He wasn't going to argue. Even if Dr O'Neil said yes, his father may have said no. It was possible. He nodded " Fine. I will join a dance club." He was desperate to learn to dance since the end of exam party was looming. He didn't want to be the only one not knowing how to dance. It sucked that he couldn't be in the same class as Letizia. He was sure she wasn't going to be in the dance club. She was a fighter. Not a dancer.

Vincenzo muttered " Fine. " He then walked out of the class as he didn't have a choice but to obey and Sancia knew that. She knew if she mentioned his father he wasn't going to argue.

Sancia O'Neil whispered as she watched him walk out " His father's son truly."

Sancia O'Neil didn't want to lose one of her star pupils. There was a possibility she had to teach this group till end of year because no one was good enough to be recruited amongst the applicants yet and surely she wanted Vincenzo in her class. He was alot like his father but he was quite intelligent. He was quite out of control in lessons he despised and he made teaching difficult for anyone he didn't like. He would have made sure he knew more than those teachers and was hardly ever caught doing anything wrong. But he did get his teachers if he didn't like them. But of course he behaved himself with her. She was the head mistress. He even knew his place when it came to her.

Sancia O'Neil collected her books and walked to her office. Then she saw the most unlikely student outside her office. Vienna Rosario. She couldn't guess what another Rosario wanted that day. Did she want to change classes too or she wanted to complain about her son.

Sancia nodded at her " Go inside." She unlocked her door and allowed her to enter first. She entered and sat down behind her desk. She was much different to female students especially Vienna. Her son loved her afterall.

Sancia raised an eyebrow " Take a seat. What can I do for you?"

Vienna sat down and bit her lip as she took in Dr O'Neil's concerned look " I was asked to go on a trip with Edward to NASA camp and I can't. My father won't let me. My brothers think so. I haven't asked him but my brothers reckon he would say no. Could you remove my name from the list on the notice board."

Sancia O'Neil sighed " You were chosen. It is your entitlement to go. I can call your father to find out his verdict and find out if we can work around that." She then picked up her phone and dialed a number. Vienna looked at her worriedly.

Sancia spoke " Hi. This is Sancia O'Neil. Get me Francesco Rosario on the phone now."

Sancia spoke firmly " Yes Pablo. It is urgent.."

Seconds later, Sancia cleared her throat " Hi, it is me. I don't wish to take too much of your time..."

She sighed " I know, I already am wasting your time. This is a yes or no question. Can Vienna go on a trip with Edward Blake to NASA ? He was chosen and had to go with a female student because NASA wishes to widen participation of women in science...."

Sancia rolled her eyes " Over your dead body? .... Francesco....my daughter is going too. She is going with Cain.."

Sancia nodded " Yes, he got chosen because of an extended project that no one in the country has done. It's not as good as Edward's but it is unique about weapon design..... But never mind. My daughter is going. Your daughter would be protected on this trip just like mine..."

Sancia started rubbing her forehead " My husband has not lost his mind. He trusts the security we have put in place for our students and my husband certainly is not a nut case for sending his daughter to the lion's den. NASA is a science organisation that happens to be funded by government."

Sancia stood up sounding annoyed " Of course. You will never say yes. I see that you can't see this school trip happening just like how you can't see the Beatles voting Republican and Richard Nixon having a cup of tea with Dick Cavette on his show... I get your point. That is fine..... By the way The Beatles can't even vote. They are not American."

Sancia ran her hand in her golden hair " Precisely your point..... you say? Why not discuss this issue in my office. Would you like to make a trip here today?"

Sancia started tapping her finger on her desk " You would rather not.... I see. Please, do give me a final answer by tomorrow which is the deadline for parental permissions. If you changed your mind?"........ She then almost smiled ...." of course you think that is as likely to happen as a possibility of the Beatles recording a song with Elvis Presley is likely.... But that can't happen..."

Sancia spoke " Of course... exactly that is your point.... Fine. I would send your regards to my husband and will tell him to go to Angelo for advice on whether he has lost his mind allowing this school putting our daughters names on a trip to the danger zone. I will tell him. Give my regards to Adele."

Sancia hung up and put the phone down. She then looked at Vienna who was looking anywhere but at her. She smiled " Darling, ask your mother tonight to speak to your father. Can you do that?"

Vienna looked up and spoke " I will ask her. He let me go to Disneyland last time with the school but I guess, NASA is off limits. I don't think he will say yes but I hope he does..."

Sancia spoke " Maybe next time. Talk to your mother regardless. It's a great opportunity. Go to lunch now."

Vienna nodded and muttered a thank you. She then left and walked to the girls common room. As she was walking, she found her path through one of the corridors blocked. Nick Colmes and Joshua Hilton were holding a first year student against a locker while Trent was standing next to an open locker laughing " Alright now, let's stuff him in there."

Vienna was horrified. The lockers were big enough to stuff a person in and had holes and she felt disgusted at anyone thinking of stuffing anyone in there.

Joshua and Nick were laughing as they dragged the crying student to the locker. He was begging them to let him go.

As Vienna managed to reach them, the younger student was forced into the locker. Just when Trent was about to close the locker, Vienna shouted " Stop." Trent stopped as he turned to her with a surprised expression.

The three boys just noticed her presence since they had been too busy deciding the fate of the poor boy who was crying hysterically inside the locker as the locker door was half open.

The entire corridor was empty and there was no sign of anyone else. It was lunch time. She was by herself taking them on. The three boys were silent and only the first year student's sobs were heard.

Joshua complained " What the heck?"

Nick demanded "Why did you ask us to stop Vienna?"

Vienna spoke " You are not going to stuff him into the locker. You will step aside and let him go."

Nick and Joshua who were blocking the locker looked at Trent who was silent with one hand on the locker door. He was looking at Vienna silently with pressed lips with a thoughtful look.

Trent finally spoke " Fine." He turned to the kid inside the locker " Leave Tom. Don't come to the senior Corridor again or you will be thrown in this locker at lunch for a full hour."

The boy said thank you between sobs and came out as Joshua and Trent parted ways for him to sprint away.

Joshua complained " Come on. Why can't we have a bit of fun?"

Nick spoke " Yeah, we were going to take him out after half an hour."

Trent sighed and slammed the locker door shut soundly making Vienna take a step backward " You know, Vienna. We were just messing around. You don't have to act so serious."

Vienna spoke " A bit of fun? Messing around? You boys are unbelievable. He was a first year student."

Joshua spoke " One that didn't know his place. Why does it bother you?"

Nick elbowed him in the arm " Don't question her. Are you crazy?"

Joshua looked nervous suddenly " I apologise Vienna for questioning you."

Nick asked " Can you not tell Tristan about this whole thing. Come to think of it, he says we shouldn't bother you. See we are going." He elbowed Joshua "Let's go." They both then sprinted away.

Vienna turned to Trent " What just happened? why did they speak to me so formally? They acted different to before. They were looking at me differently.."

Trent nodded " You are my brother's girl. You are our queen. You can go to Tristan and get us into trouble. You just have to say we talked to you in a rude manner or we disrespected you. Guess whom he would stuff in these lockers for hours?"