"How about I just...don't go to school?" Joan asked her mother cheerfully.

"Yeah...no," Mrs. Johnson, her mother, replied. She was braiding Joan's hair down her back. The long, curly black strands didn't want to cooperate, but her mom knew what to do. Pretty soon, Joan's hair was in one long braid.

"Thanks, Mom," Joan mumbled, playing with the braid.

"You're welcome. Now, we don't want you late on the first day!" Joan sighed and grabbed her backpack- filled to the brim with stuff- from her bed and started towards the door. Mrs. Johnson grabbed her purse and keys before following. The warm sunlight made Joan's skin glow. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the bright light. Her mother ushered her into the car. Mrs. Johnson started the car and drove Joan to school half an hour away.

"Love you sweetie! Have fun!" Mrs. Johnson shouted out the window as Joan trudged into the school. At the sound of her mom's voice, she slung her head down and heaved her backpack up. The car drove off as the bell rang to let kids in the halls. Joan scurried along with the flood of other kids.

The first day of school was always scary, but the first day of high school was terrifying, even for Joan. Joan had a lot of friends, but it was hard to spot them in the crowd of people one to two feet taller than her. She checked her schedule and found out where her first period was, but how was she supposed to get there? She spun in a circle, looking for anyone she knew or a teacher. Suddenly, she backed into someone.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed, turning to face him.

"Don't worry about it." He flashed her a shining smile.

The boy was about four inches taller than Joan, so around 5'7". He had big green eyes, jet black hair, and Joan didn't notice much else.

"My name's Tyler. What's yours?"

"Joan. My name's Joan." They both smiled and Joan took a moment to study him more carefully. He had big features, from a great smile to a big nose to large ears. His eyes weren't totally blue. They were almost a white-blue, the kind that Joan loved as she stared at the stars at night. And his hair was darker than the night sky.

"Nice to meet you Joan. You lost?"

"You could say that." Joan laughed nervously.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"I'm looking for... English with Mr. Limer in room 403."

"Oh! I have him, too! Come on, I'll show you the way."

Joan followed Tyler through the swarm of teenagers and down hallways with so many twists and turns that Joan wondered how Tyler knew the way; especially if he was a freshman like her.

Eventually, they made it to classroom 403- English with Mr. Limer.

Joan and Tyler sat down next to each other in the third row. Joan scanned faces, but didn't see anyone she recognized. She frowned just as the bell rang. She had been hoping to be in a class with one of her best friends, Jennette, Carter, or Dexter. Or especially Lucas. Joan started daydreaming about his blonde hair and blue eyes...

"Joan Johnson!" Mr. Limer called, snapping Joan out of her imagination.

"Here!" she replied quickly.

Mr. Limer moved on, and soon Joan heard him call, "Tyler Maysinth!"

"Hey there," he said with a grin. The class chuckled.

Mr. Limer rolled his eyes and moved on.

When I update, I'll likely just add on to this chapter since it's so short. Buh-Bye.