"Alright mama, I'll see you when you're home!" I called as I began to head towards the front door.

"Okay hon, take care and good luck! Make friends, okay?!"

It was at that little question that I cringed slightly. Each year since pre-school, this question hadn't stopped chasing me. She knew I had no friends. She thought I was shy to make some. She didn't know that I wanted to make none.

Regardless, as always, I gave her the same affirmative I gave her each year as the answer to that question.

"I will," I said, slightly loud as I stared at the wooden front door of my home, the only barrier between me and the outside world. My hands raised on their own accord as a much used gesture that became a habit overtime and flipped the hood of my over-sized, purple hoody over my head, successfully hiding my face from the world.

With that done and out of the way, I determinedly fixed my backpack straps on my shoulders and opened the door. I quickly got out, ignoring the slight morning chill and shut the door behind.

Smirking a little to myself at the fun I was going to allow myself before school, I put my skateboard down on the concrete steps. It was plain black with neon green underneath alongside neon green-rimmed, black wheels. It was beautiful.

Skateboarding was my own way to add onto some more fun in my routine-like life. I exhaled heavily before placing a black converse-clad foot on it. I rolled it back and forth with my foot idly, before abruptly pushing it forward with force. The board quickly got down the step but before it could go any further, I ran and jumped on it from the steps. The board picked up speed and with that, I got out of our front yard and swerved onto the side walk.

Feeling the fresh air race against me, gave me the rush I was aiming for. I smiled despite myself and continued on, occasionally using my foot to speed up my tempo further. Just as the sidewalk ended and turned to the right to continue on further to a new lane, I used the heel of my right foot to twist the board a complete ninety degrees and stopped just as a car came in view from the new lane and turned towards the direction of school -which was ahead of me.

Wasting no further time, I once again began to shred and crossed the road speedily to avoid getting hit by any cars which decided to make a sudden appearance. I swerved a few turns, crossed a few streets, jumped over a fallen trashcan and finally I saw the parking lot come in view.

Just a few paces before the parking lot exposed me to the people inside and vice versa, I once again screeched smoothly to halt. I stepped off my board and with my feet easily maneuvered it back into my right hand. I began to walk, keeping my head bowed.

As usual, no one seemed to notice me. Sighing with relief, I increased my pace and went inside the jungle also known as high school. In fact, jungle was a better place than high school.

Expertly rushing through the buzzing and crowded hallways and avoiding bumping into anyone, I made it to my locker safe and sound. I'd been a wise lass and came in last week's orientation to collect my schedule to avoid a trip to the office at the first day. Because day one was crowded like a fish market but orientations were always attended by a handful of people.

Less crowd, meant less chances to bump into anyone cocky and arrogant with their noses in the sky and their minds in the gutter.

I rolled in my locker combination and opened it swiftly. I placed my precious board inside and shut the locker. Already having everything in my bag for the classes before lunch-break and having memorized my schedule, I began to make my way to the second floor to my first class -English.

The reason I was already prepared for everything was because I didn't like wasting extra time. Not because I was a perfectionist or over-efficient. But for the reason that the more I was prepared, the more I was ready to escape to my only safe haven in the entire school, away from all threats -the classroom.

No one could bother me there, so long as we were inside the classroom under the eyes of a teacher.

I speed-walked upstairs, which was hardly occupied, and entered the last door at the end of the long corridor. The door opened smoothly and I saw the entire class was in silence because of its emptiness. I crossed the room and took the last seat in the third row, which was near the window.

I placed my bag beside my chair, took out my binder and stationary, before going to stand in front of the window. The view it gave was of a apartment complex across the street but right before that, near the window, were a bunch of oak trees with squirrels, birds and nests.

Smiling to myself, I placed both hands against the cool glass -which was very soothing, and stared at all the activity going on in front of me in the apartments and the trees. It was what I did in every class. I arrived before time, and just watched the view until the teacher or the students filed in.

Since the tree was higher, only appearing in the classroom two levels above me, I resorted to watching the apartments. I caught a woman standing in her gallery on the fourth floor on the extreme left with a mug of coffee, most likely, as she stared down the street below her, occasionally taking a sip or two. Two balconies above her, was an old lady in her rocking chair knitting something with red wool. On the far right of the building, on seventh floor, a man was busy talking to someone on the phone, seeming quite stiff.

So busy in observing all the people, I didn't notice when the teacher entered, until I heard a, "Oh Ms. Walters! Early as always!"

I swiftly spun around and saw my English teacher, Ms. Ariana, standing in all her blonde, stunning beauty with a radiant smile on her face. I blushed a little at being caught, but greeted her back nonetheless.

"Good morning Ms. Ariana. I'm sorry, I didn't notice when you arrived."

"Good morning dear. And it's okay. Nothing to apologize for," she chuckled softly, yet again giving me a pearly smile and beginning to prepare the board.

I took my seat and began copying what she was writing on the board. It was strange, what with nobody having ever seen my face, yet everyone knew who I was. Well, not everyone, but the teachers.

Now, one would immediately think of me as a teacher's pet, but that wasn't it. I was just good with my grades and gave my teachers respect -something most teens lacked these days.

The bell rang, breaking the silence which carried the smooth taps and swooshes of the chalk gliding across the board and our heartbeats. Soon, we were able to hear the footfalls of a lot of feet stampeding up the steps while talking and laughing simultaneously. The door then opened and the students began to file in.

I gazed at them through the shelter of my hood discreetly, while they all settled down with smiles and laughter on their faces. However, one face was void of emotions. As most of the students got ready, I saw as he also made his way to the seats in the forth row, but solemnly and alone.

He was wearing a pair of red converse with grey baggy jeans and a baggy, two sizes too big red v-neck over a full-sleeved, blue turtle neck. His hair was slicked and combed neatly to side and he had some really fat, black-framed spectacles on the bridge of his nose.

With his appearance, I knew exactly what he was deemed as -an A-list nerd. Also, I knew he was probably the most repugnant sight on the face of Earth to most people above the social ladder. However, I also knew that those two facts, were just the social opinions.

Dare I say it, he was a god, and a Greek one at that. The poor guy just didn't care for his looks, though, he had the material.

He was tall and wasn't built, I couldn't tell much but I was almost positive he wasn't lanky and could definitely sport a perfect eight pack with some drool-worthy muscles. His dark chocolate-brown hair may be oiled away from his face, but I could tell their real texture would be shiny, soft and silk-straight with natural caramel highlights.

His face was breath-taking, deserving and demanding attention, admiration and affection with it's sharp cheekbones, hard jaw, straight nose, dusty-pink, luscious lips alongside the most awe-striking pair of malachite eyes, framed with aristocratic brows hidden beneath the heavy spectacles and his slightly chubby face.

For a minute, I badly wanted to get up, go to his seat and punch his handsome face in so hard, his nose would break and the pieces would sink inside his brain. Cruel and gruesome? It can also be categorized as giving one a reality check.

I mean, what the heck? It is people like him that make want to rip my hair out.

What I wanted to ask was what the heck was wrong with the guy. Was he lacking some neurons in his brain or something? Or was he just plain dense and ignorant? It was hard to distinguish.

What I didn't get though, was the hottest question. Why was he destroying himself? Why did he not become popular? Why didn't he keep himself groomed and charming? Don't boys his age want girls fawning over them? I'd seen all species of jocks, bad-boys, playboys and of course the arrogant, mysterious jerks who never gave two tosses, but kept the girls swooning over them. And I could say with confidence, they didn't hold a candle to his looks. Half of them weren't even good looking, but since they had the muscles, the money and the charm, the entire school worshipped them.

I wished he would just look in the mirror for once and realize how beautiful he really was. Some people (Like him) had it so easy. Yet, they remained too unaware from just what they had. He had been gifted, and he wasn't using it, and it was getting on my last nerve. It was like a slap to the face for people like me.

If I had looks like him, I would...

I caught myself. I couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.

I still wouldn't be able to. I had reasons.

Then I looked at him again, seated gracefully and focused.

Could it be... he had reasons too? May-

The bell abruptly rang, making me jump in my seat. Embarrassed, I surreptitiously gazed around while blushing in discomfit to see if anyone had noticed. Gladly, no one saw me.

Then I became aware of the fact that the bell rang because class just ended. I snapped my head to the clock above the blackboard ahead of me to confirm and realized I just wasted... an hour. I wasted an hour just thinking about someone I didn't even know the name of!

Students began to rush out the doors like wild animals released from their cages. I pouted, hating that I slackened during my first class. That too thinking about a stupid boy.

Speaking of which...

I looked back at the seat he was sitting at and saw him calmly putting his things away. I contemplated a little, while I put my things away and finally came to a decision.

He was the reason I missed all my English notes, so he should be the one to help me out. Even though he didn't have any idea I was thinking about him or that it was my fault.

Praying I won't regret it, I hung my backpack over my shoulder and made my way over to him. As soon as he sensed me approach him, he looked up and frowned, while I was struck by the sheer beauty of his eyes and how handsome he was up close.

"Yes?" He asked in a velvet smooth voice, a deep and rich sound I wanted to record as my lullaby.

I cleared my throat and smiled, even though he couldn't see it. My cheeks began to heat up along with my ears in discomfit as I began to speak timidly.

"Um, sorry to keep you, but I was wondering... if, you could lend me your notes for this class,"

If he looked confused before, he looked plain baffled now. I bit my lip to keep in the giggles that threatened to escape.

"Pardon, but you were present in the class. Didn't you, make any?" He seemed reluctant to ask, as if I would slap him. I grinned widely at his childish expressions. He was just too polite. I suddenly felt guilty for wanting to punch him and insulting him so much in my thoughts for an hour. He clearly didn't deserve it.

"I wasn't feeling well, my head was hurting a lot."

I saw a tinge of pink spread on his cheeks and resisted the urge to pinch his cheeks and cry "Aw".

"Uhm, well," he cleared his throat nervously and licked his lips as glanced at the board before looking down at me, "You can borrow."

I smiled again at his kindness as he rummaged through his bag and handed me his binder. I took it gratefully, hugging it to my chest as I watched him zip up his bag again.

"Thank you." I whispered. He gazed at me with raised brows, surprised. For a minute, I wondered why he was surprised, before realization hit me.

No one thanked him when they took something from him.

I felt saddened, but tried to push it away to let out my next words.

"I'll return you your notes by the end of the day, just meet me at the exit after school's over. Is that okay?" I asked, unsure.

Then, for the first time, I saw his lips curl up into a soft smile. It took my breath away and made my heart skip a beat. Yet, it was so contagious, I couldn't hold back my own smile.

"Of course," he agreed tenderly, his voice soft and gentle. "And you're welcome."

I grinned at him, even though he couldn't see it and at that precise moment, the bell rang for the next class.

We both jumped a little, then began to chuckle in unison quietly. His deep, melodic chuckle was music to my ears and definitely as contagious as his smile.

"Uh, I guess we should get going before we get in trouble," I suggested, now at ease with him. He seemed to have relaxed as well.

"Yeah, come on," he said, nodding quickly. He picked up his backpack and we got out together quickly. I began to make my way to my Math class which was upstairs, while his was most likely downstairs, since he was speed-walking towards the ground floor staircase.

Just as I climbed a step, I heard him say, "Wait!"

I stopped in my tracks and turned to my left to see him a step down.

"I'm Conner Francis." He introduced, and I found the name suited him. "I forgot to ask, but what's your name?" He questioned with utmost curiosity.

I grinned, and for the first time in life, I wasn't hesitant to answer that question. I turned on the stair to face the rest of the steps in front of me.

"Nice to meet you, Conner. I'm Lucille," I took a glance at his curious face. "Lucille Walters."

Then I ran up the steps without a backward glance to my second hour, a beam permanent on my hidden face. And somehow, I knew he was smiling too.

Author's Note:

Phew! And here's the first chapter! Sorry if it's crappy, but I'm too sick to even walk straight. Still, I wanted to get started writing this and even though it's short, I promise the chapters will get longer as soon as I feel better. I dedicate this to @judi123 because she is amazing and one of the sweetest persons I know :) The picture is not of Connor. It's just to show you his eye color. Stunning, isn't it? *_* One of my favorite colors *sigh*...