“Allie Heywood?”

            I raised my head from my table, blinking at an unfamiliar young man with shaggy black hair staring at me. It wasn’t an unusual sight. All morning people had been gaping at me. Paul had failed to notify me that almost all the students in the senior class had been together since freshman year, so adding me to the mix was like adding a Tyrannosaurs rex to a zoo. “Yes?”

            “This was delivered to the main office for you,” the stranger informed me, holding out a white envelope.

            Taking it from him, I frowned, turning it over in my hand. Who would be delivering something for me? The only person I knew around here was Paul, and he was at work. “Huh.”

            “What?” Aspen asked, turning her head to look at me. “You got mail?”

            We were currently in our third period painting class, but since it was only the first day our teacher, a rather young looking man named Clayton West, had only assigned us the task of creating giant folders to hold our projects in throughout the year. Instead of desks, there were four-person tables, so luckily there was a little more workspace to make them at. At mine, there was Aspen, her two friends Jake and Oliver, and myself.

             The two boys sitting with us were ridiculously cute. Oliver had naturally black hair that curled at the ends a little, and a pretty set of dark green eyes. Jake was the opposite. His hair was dirty blonde matched with a pair of hazel colored eyes. Both boys were slender and muscular, this being attributed to the fact they were on the school’s soccer team. While Jake participated in the saxophone section, Oliver entered the guitar one.

            “I don’t know what it is,” I responded, sliding my finger under the flap. The first thing that met my sight was a twenty-dollar bill.

            “Jack pot!” Oliver cried, leaning forward to steal my envelope from me.

            Aspen slapped his hand away. “Leave it alone, Oli!”

            “Boo,” he complained, mocking a pout.

            Taking out the money, I found a sticky-note in it as well.

Here’s some lunch money— Paul.

            “Who’s Paul?” Aspen inquired.

            “My guardian,” I told her, frowning at the twenty. The point of me saying I had money was so he wouldn’t give me his. Now I felt bad.

            “Guardian?” Jake echoed. “You don’t live with your parents?”

            “Jake! Mind your own business!” Aspen chastised him.

            I smiled, waving her down. “It’s fine. No, I don’t live with my parents. I live with their friend’s son because he lives closer to this school than they do.”

            “Is he cute?”

            “Ah… I guess?”

            Aspen giggled. “I’d like to meet him then.”

            I smiled. “Sure. You can come over some time. Well, I’d have to ask him, but I’m sure he’d be okay with it.”

            “Okay!” Oliver said excitedly. “Party at the new girl’s house—”

            Jake elbowed him in the side. “Don’t spread rumors, Oli.”

            “Yeah, no parties,” I added with a grin. “His house is worth more than a hundred times my life.”

            “Isn’t that how it is for everyone?” Aspen laughed.

            I grimaced. Right. All these people were born rich. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m here on a scholarship.”

            Jake whistled lowly. “Ooh, you don’t want that to get around.”

            “Huh? Why?”

            “The last scholarship student here quit after one month of torture after the regular students found out he was on a scholarship. These rich people are rabid,” he responded, smirking.

            My eyes widened. “Really? I though that only happens in movies!”

            Oliver rolled his eyes. “Jake’s being over dramatic. He quit because he couldn’t take the competition. There were only a few snide comments about his financial status. Money isn’t what is important here, talent is.”

            “If you’re talented, you’re dangerous in other people’s eyes,” Aspen continued, creating a giant A on her folder in crimson colored paint. She tossed a few silver glitters on it before painting a giant S. “I’d hold back your skill a little at first.”

            “Do you guys know anyone in the piano section?”

            “That’s nice? Nope,” Jake responded casually. “Elliot’s in that class, but I wouldn’t go near him.”

             “Why?”

              “He’s bad news,” Aspen declared, sighing lightly. “It’s a shame. He’s cute, but everyone’s too afraid to go near him. One time a guy got punched for just talking to him.”

               I frowned. To me that sounded more like a rumor. Even if Elliot had almost crushed me this morning. “Oh. What about the other people in that class?”

               “Everyone is really stuck up in that section. I don’t get it. Piano is easy,” Jake stated with a shrug.

            Oliver snorted. “As easy as guitar, right? The only hard instrument is saxophone, isn’t it?”

            Grinning again, I shook my head. “All instruments are hard to play. But unlike other instruments, you can play two tunes on the piano. Like in a song. You can play the music and the lyrics.”

            “Yeah, but…”            Jake started to protest, but trailed off, making a face.

            Aspen held up her hand for a high-five. “And you just one upped Jake. Nice.”

            Our hands met with a dull smack. “It wasn’t what I was aiming for, but okay. So no one in my piano class is as nice as you lovely trio?”

            “The teacher is nice,” Oliver informed me. “As you can tell, the teachers here must be paid to be nice.”

            “And young,” Aspen added, sending an approving nod to Mr. West. “He’s the third most attractive at this school. In my opinion at least. The English teacher is by far the first.”

            “Really?” I said skeptically.

            “Really,” Oliver and Jake chorused.

            I raised an eyebrow. “Got the hots for him?”

            “Oh yeah,” Jake replied with a deep sigh, putting his hand over his heart. “I dream about him all the time.”

            Oliver snickered. “Yeah, Jake practically drools over him during soccer practice. He’s our coach.”

            “Well he’s hot.”

            Confused, I frowned. “Wait, Jake, are you being serious?”

            “I’m gay,” Jake informed me with a thumbs up. “And Oliver’s my boyfriend.”

            “I am not!”

            Aspen patted Oliver on the shoulder. “It’s okay, Oli, you can admit you’re gay.”

            “But I’m not!”

            “Oh, so you’re gay too, huh Oliver?” I teased, playing along.

            His blue eyes narrowed at me. “Not you too, new girl.”

            Jake chuckled, wrapping his arm around Oliver’s shoulder. “We love joking with you, Oliver.”

            “I know.”

            Grinning, I dipped a clean paintbrush into a peacock blue shade of paint and swept it across my folder in a careless manner, lazily spelling out my name. So far transferring to this school was paying off. Never in my life would I have guessed I’d be able to make friends with such great people so quickly. Unfortunately, time was ticking, and third period was ending, which meant I would have to suffer through fourth period alone. Unless… “Oliver!”

            Startled, he jumped in his seat, his head snapping toward me. “What?”

            “Please tell me you have home economics next.”

            “Yes…”

            “Oh thank God!” I cried happily, nearly throwing myself across the table to grab his hands. “Please show me the way.”

            Laughing, he nodded. “Okay, sure.”

            “Do you have second lunch?”

            “Yep.”

            “Sit with me too.”

            Jake smirked. “Boy, you sure are demanding.”

            “Do you have second lunch?”

            “Nope, he’s first with me,” Aspen told me. “Oliver will take care of you, don’t worry. His friends aren’t too crazy.”

            Oliver grimaced. “Actually, some of them are bad…”

            The bell sounded, ending our conversation. All the students started shuffling to the back of the art room to put folders on drying racks. After tossing mine onto the rack, I followed Oliver out of the room, calling a quick goodbye to Mr. West. Remembering that Ms. Allen was the home ec teacher, I could vaguely remember how to get back to the classroom. Oliver was happy to let me guide.

            Upon reaching the room, I thrust my fist up into the air. “Victory!”

            “Good job,” Oliver commented with an amused smile. “Now let’s see you get to the lunchroom.”

            My triumphant expression slipped off my face. “Er, that’s a different story.”

            Just as I reached for the classroom door, it burst open, filling me with déjà vu. This time, however, Oliver was there to swiftly jerk me out of the way of the young man charging through it and down the hallway.

            “Elliot!” came the familiar angry voice.

            Realizing I’d been holding my breath, I let it out, turning my head to offer Oliver a smile. “Thanks.”

            “No problem,” he responded, brushing his dark hair out of his eyes. “See what we meant earlier now? He’s no good.”

            I hesitated. “Why exactly does everyone think that? Besides the fact he seems to be angry all the time…”

            “Well, he’s been suspended for fighting just about a hundred times, so if that doesn’t say something, I don’t know what does. Oh, and he killed someone—”

            “Oliver, don’t go spreading rumors.”

            Glancing toward the door, I saw Ms. Allen standing there. She pursed her lips at him, hands on her hips. He waved her off, grinning. “I’m just telling her a known fact, Ms. Allen.”

            “Just get in the classroom.”

            “Yes, wifey.”

            Ms. Allen rolled her eyes, following him into her room. “How has your first day been going, Allie?”

            “Fine. Er, is Oliver the husband you mentioned earlier by chance?”

            She cocked an eyebrow at me. “What’s up with you and thinking I’m married to students? No, I’m not married to him. He just shares the same name of my husband.”

            “Oh. My bad,” I said awkwardly.

            She smiled at me with a pitying expression. “I’m sorry I have to say this, but you’ll have to be Oliver’s partner. With you in my class, it’s even again.”

            “Why are you sorry?”

            She turned her back on me, ignoring my question. “Let’s start with today’s lesson…”

            Fortunately (or rather unfortunately), my question was answered almost immediately. Putting it in the nicest way possible, Oliver couldn’t cook for his life. By the time class was over, we’d burnt our pasta six different times. It blew my mind how stupid he was when it came to anything related to the kitchen. He was one of those people who cut toward himself instead of away. Which is why it was no surprise when three minutes before the bell rang, he grazed himself on his thumb.

            Panic set in as he was ushered off to the nurse’s office. He was my only hope of finding my way to the cafeteria. I glanced around the room, searching for someone who I deemed friendly enough to ask. No one exactly fit my criteria. Half of them were already heading out of the room, while the other half were busy chatting with other friends. Finally I decided to just wing it. Hitching my backpack over my shoulder, I skulked out of the room and down the stairs to the second floor. The wide, marble floors echoed with each step I took. Not a single other soul was in the hallway.

            Sighing, I turned a corner, hoping it’d lead me to where I wanted to go. “Oof!” I let out a whoosh of air as I collided with someone’s hard chest.

            “You again?” an angry voice said. “Why don’t you try using those eyes of yours for once?”

            Looking up, I recognized the midnight blue orbs of Elliot’s. “Why don’t you learn how to walk?” I snapped back.

            My response caught him off guard. “I…”

            “Where’s the lunchroom?” I demanded before he could form a coherent sentence. “I’m lost. Help me.”

            “It’s uh…”

            I waited. “Where?”

            His jaw clenched and I thought he was going to shout at me, but instead he sighed, turning on his heel. “This way. Keep up.”

            “You’re Elliot, right?” I said, nearly jogging to keep up with his long strides. He was at least a head taller than me.

            After a moment of silence, I figured he wasn’t going to respond. Which meant I was going to have to do all the talking if I didn’t want there to be an awkward silence.

            “Well, I know you’re Elliot anyway. I’m Allie Heywood. Obviously I’m new here. And I’m hungry. Do you know what is for lunch? Oh! I have my menu somewhere, I could just look—”

            “Could you shut up?”

            I gaped at the back of the brunet’s head. “Excuse me?”

            “You talk way too much.”

            “I was just trying to start up a conversation!”

            “Well don’t.”

            I puffed out my cheeks indignantly. “You’re kind of a jerk.”

            He shrugged nonchalantly. “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

            “Why’s that?”

            After shooting me a dirty look, he pushed open a door that led to a crowded hallway. “This is the lunch hallway. Just follow the crowd of students.”

            “Wait, I don’t know where to order…”

            He let out a groan of annoyance. “Then go find someone else to help you.”

            “I don’t know anyone else.”

            “You don’t know me!”

            “I know you better than them.”

            After a short scowling match, Elliot finally gave in. “Fine. But this is the last thing I’m doing for you. Got it? I don’t want anyone thinking we’re friends.”

            Frowning a little, I decided not to give him an answer. Why didn’t he want anyone thinking we were friends? Was he some kind of lone wolf, or something? Whatever the reason, I would decide on my own terms whether or not I wanted to be this guy’s friend. So far he didn’t seem too friendly, but he was showing me where I needed to go. Didn’t that count for something?

            The process of ordering lunch was much more simple than I imagined. All I really had to do was give them a combo number from the menu and it was ready for me moments later. With a grilled chicken sandwich, a bag of chips, and can of coke in hand, I waited for Elliot to obtain his order. Without a glance in my direction, he began to stalk out of the cafeteria after his food was ready. A few people peeked up at him as he passed by, some with fear, some with awe. Their reactions only peaked my curiosity. So instead of heading over to sit with Oliver who I could see indulging himself in his lunch in the corner of the lunchroom, I followed Elliot out, and into the hallway. Even though there was a large sign on the door that read, “No food outside the cafeteria.”

            “Why are you following me?” Elliot asked me after a few minutes.

            I blinked, surprised. “When did you realize I was there?”

            “Since the cafeteria,” he responded in a duh voice.

            “Huh. I thought my stalker skills were better than that.”

            “Go back. You’ll get in trouble for being out here.”

            Shrugging, I fell into step beside him. “You will too.”

            He glowered down at me. “If you don’t go back, I’ll kick your ass.”

            “But I’m a girl,” I protested, batting my eyelashes.

            “Do you think I care?”

            Ignoring his statement, I decided to take my chances. “It’s not fun to eat lunch alone.”

            “Maybe for you, but I like it.”

            “I heard you’re in the piano section.”

            “You’re not going to shut up, are you?”

            I grinned. “Nope.”

            “Even if I stop responding?”

            “Even if you stop responding.”

            He shot me a glare. “You’re really annoying.”

            “Or is it you that is the annoying one?”

            “What…?”

            “What?”

            He groaned. “If I wasn’t against hitting girls, I’d beat the shit out of you. Right now.”

            Ah, so I could use my gender to my advantage. Good to know. “So are you in piano section, or not?”

            “Yes,” he muttered.

            “Good! I need a friend in that class.”

            “We’re not friends!”

            “Yet.”

            “Ever!”

            “Ever yet.”

            Elliot twisted around on his heel, looking ready to chop my head off. I stared at him innocently, batting my eyelashes. After a second of him glaring daggers at me, he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “I’d watch yourself in that class.”

            “Why?”

            “They’re dirty.”

            “The students?”

            He nodded. “My first week, the guys tried to break my hand. They learned their place pretty quickly.”

            “You killed one of them?”

            “I— what? No! Where the hell did you hear that?”

            “Nowhere.”

            Rolling his eyes, he suddenly took a sharp right, striding through a door that led to what I assumed was the courtyard. “All these dumbasses in our grade spread ignorant rumors about me.”

            “I didn’t believe it,” I told him honestly. “You wouldn’t be here if you murdered someone.”

            “Well good for you.”

            I puffed out my cheeks. “No wonder you don’t have any friends.”

            “That’s how I like it. Now go away.”

            Ignoring him, I glanced around the empty enclosure. “Are we allowed to be out here?”

            “No.”

            “Oh, okay.”

            Elliot stared at me with a blank expression for a few moments. Then he sighed, flopping down onto a wooden bench under a strange tree I didn’t know the name of. “If you get in trouble it’s your own fault.”

            I sat down next to him. “Same to you.”

            “And just because I’m letting you eat lunch with me doesn’t mean we’re friends.”

            “Yet,” I said confidently.

            “Ever.”

            I grimaced. “We’ll see.”

            “Give me your chips.” Before I could respond, he snatched them off my lap. “Payment for letting you sit with me.”

            “Hey!” I protested, going to snatch the bag back.

            He smirked, holding it out my reach. “You’re not getting this back, Alligator.”

            “What? Alligator?”

            “That’s your name, isn’t it?”

            I gave him a crazy look. “No… It’s Allie. I told you that. Allie Heywood.”

            “Alligator is close enough.”

            “No it’s not!”

            Paying no heed to me, he turned his attention to his lunch. I grumbled to myself for a minute before picking up my sandwich. For a moment I debated on whether trying to be his friend was worth it. What if there were a few people in my piano class I could be friends with? Surely they would be more amiable than this guy… But then again, I was always up for a challenge. And now my challenge was getting Elliot to say he was my friend. Grinning, I took a giant bite out of my sandwich.

            “And you eat like an alligator too.”

            I clenched my teeth. It would be worth it. It would definitely be worth it.

_____________________________________

Woo! Chapter three! And now the story really begins >:D

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