“Jeez what a pervert!” Jen said slamming the phone down in fury. “Let’s see who’s laughing when I report him to the school councillor...”
She continued to mutter to herself as she ducked under her bed and managed to retrieve her lost garments, finishing getting dressed; she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
Jen was less than enthusiastic about today, instead of a regular school day the faculty had planned an educational visit to the city zoo. Jen hated walking around for no reason; spending time standing in the sun looking at some animals that she didn’t even care about. Especially when it meant that the trip would last an hour longer than a regular school day.
The bus was going direct to the zoo, Jen usually caught a ride with a friend but today everyone was being picked up and bussed straight there. Jen climbed on the bus at the end of the street along with almost a dozen others, her friend Susan was waiting for her and had saved her a seat.
“Here we go” Jen said rolling her eyes as she sat down, Susan laughed, “Oh come on, it won’t be that bad!”
“Yeah, for you! You love animals! ‘I’m going to be a vet when I’m older Jen’ ‘Animals are so cool Jen’ ‘I can’t wait to go to the zoo’” Jen said mockingly.
“You’re just boring!” Susan laughed, punching Jen playfully on the arm. The bus drove on through the city towards the zoo, the further they got the more yellow buses joined the convoy until they pulled up in the zoo car park. Jen and Susan had bickered playfully for the entire journey about what the day was going to be like, Susan continually insisting that it would be really enjoyable and Jen the exact opposite.
The whole school was lined up and handed entrance passes as they were led through the large iron and brick gates that opened into the zoo. They were given free reign of the place but had to meet at lunch for food and a team building exercise. Jen, Susan and the other cheerleaders headed off into the zoo. Susan led them in a straight line direct to the elephant enclosure. With nothing better to do Jen stayed with the group as they trailed around the park, looking at lions, tigers, gorillas, penguins; when they reached the Antelope enclosure they seemed especially interested in the girls, crowding around them, scrambling against the fence.
“Weird” Susan said, “They seem to like you Jen”
Jen didn’t say anything, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her chest felt tight. What if Kyle’s curse was real...
“Hey guys look!” Anne, one of the other cheerleaders shouted from across the path, she was looking through a wire fence into the enclosure opposite, Jen spun on the spot and saw what she was pointing at.