The very exact moment I set foot into the school perimeter, I realize I'm close to getting away with yesterday's surprise hangout at Leighanne's. With other thirteen kids to follow, my parents might have forgotten that I also exist. I was lucky, by the way, because I could have pizza and a double ration of ice-cream.

On the other hand, I can't say I'm thrilled to be here. School drama is coming, and so is trouble. As much as I like being the center of attention, I'd like to spend a trouble free school year for once. No more pointless arguments, no shouting matches with anyone, no matchmaking and no attempts to hide in the janitor's closet with some random guy.

Okay, I guess my good intentions are going straight in the trash bin. Aaleahya and Leighanne are at the school entrance, chatting loudly with Meagan Daugherty. This isn't good news at all. Meagan is one of the school's gossips. She, like the others, loves spreading nonsense about fellow students without solid evidence.

As the bell rings, I'm glad that Meagan finally lets go of my friends to reach Hannah Ballard, one of her most loyal confidants, and dish on more dirt about someone. I don't want to know who, honestly. I have too much on the plate, starting from Maths class. Do I really need to start with that torture on day one?

I reach Class 305 on the second floor and take my seat at the back of the room, when Aaleahya reaches me, alone. "Where is Leighanne?" I ask, a hint of suspicion in my voice. I mean, she usually likes taking her time before entering classes, but, come on, this is Maths! Tardiness will get her in trouble with Mrs. Dull.

Oh, come on, who am I kidding? Mrs. Dull herself is the queen of tardiness! I've already lost count of how many times she comes late to class, only to reprimand students who don't show up. I mean, I've stopped taking her seriously since finding out about her romance with the Vice Principal.

Okay, never mind. She's here, and the grin plastered on her face makes me believe that she has something not so pleasant in store for us.

"Okay, class," she says, "I have news for you. Now, can you all stay quiet, please?" I don't think she'll be able to make the entire class shut up. No-one is paying her any attention, even after she clears her throat twice.

Things change when she points at the guy sitting at the last desk at the left of the room. To be fair, I'm only noticing him now. He's wearing a black hoodie and his face is partly covered, so I have no idea of who he could be.

As Mrs. Dull gestures at him to reach her desk, the rest of the class starts murmuring. Most of the girls, including Aaleahya, make comments about how hot he can be and all that shit. How can they all be so superficial? Do they only care about his looks?

New Guy, however, doesn't seem to be bothered by the gossip behind his back. He just stands up, reaches the teacher's desk, and mutters something not even Mrs. Dull, who's basically glued on him, can understand.

"As you noticed, we have a new student," says the teacher, after which everyone stops chit-chatting and finally starts paying attention. This is probably the first time we even bother listening to Mrs. Dull, especially I. She turns to New Guy. "Now, if you can introduce yourself-"

He immediately cuts her off. "Hi guys, I'm Allister Todd and, yeah, this is my first day here. Hopefully, not the last one." Okay, this doesn't really sound encouraging. I need someone to help me make school less boring. He can't already get himself in trouble after a couple of hours. I need to bond with him, and I think I have a plan.

But, for now, I have to make do with just asking him one question, as per Mrs. Dull's instructions. For some reason, I end up asking an embarrassing one. "Have you ever had any... uhm... experience with girls at your old school?" I don't think our teacher will believe so, but most of my classmates are convinced that my question has a sexual undertone. Like, come on! Are you going to make me pass off as a pervert?

Fortunately, he answers before anyone else can say a word. "I had a lot of them, but there wasn't really a lot of... let's say, connection." Mrs. Dull doesn't seem to eat up his word choice; however, she doesn't object and lets him continue. "You know, I like making friends. I mean, school is already what it is, so at least having buddies makes it not so... hard to deal with."

He's clearly constraining himself because he doesn't have the guts to admit school sucks, or at least not on day one. I look forward to him pulling me in the janitor's closet to vent his real thoughts of the American educational system behind closed doors. Or, maybe, just share his displeasure with our Maths teacher.

She pulls me out with your thoughts. "Is it all, Nola?" I nod and go back to Dreamland. New Guy chuckles. I'm sure he thinks my given name is embarrassing. I'll get him to call me Sugar, like almost every other sane person does.

The rest of the class goes with no particular hassles, save for Leighanne bursting into class with a pathetic excuse, making everyone but me laugh. She justifies herself. "I swear, I had a private incident!" she exclaims. I don't want her to go into details. I know what "private incident" means, and Maths class is the least appropriate place where to discuss it.

Mrs. Dull doesn't send her to detention, but just issues a warning. "Next time you fail to show up on time, you'll head straight to the Principal's office. This time, I'm letting you off because it's the first day." Leighanne sighs out of relief. She's a mastermind in getting away with everything, which is why she's one of my best friends.

Anyway, when class is over, we immediately rush out of the room, ready to face another torture: History. New Guy follows us, much to my friends' confusion. Aaleahya points out, "I think he wants to talk you, Sugar. Why don't you go to him? We're off to... you know." She drags Leighanne away, leaving me on my own with New Guy staring at me.

Okay, I know it's just the first day, but I shouldn't keep calling him New Guy all the time. He has a name, after all. Come on, who cares? "New Guy" rolls off the tongue better.

He clears his throat as he approaches me. "Nola, right? What the fuck were your parents thinking when they named you?" He's just hit the point. I don't like my name, but I can't change it either. It's not like I have that much money to legally change it, anyway.

"I know, it sucks. Maybe yours is a little better." I mumble. "I forgot it, though. What was it? Todd whatever?"

"Allister Todd. By the way, Todd is the surname. First name is Allister," he precises. Okay, his name sounds worse than I thought.

"I'll stick to New Guy, for now. Sorry."

"No problem. We both have goddamn awful names. New Guy is okay to me, I like it." He stares at me, but his gaze doesn't really show he's focused on me. "How about you? How should I call you?"

"Sugar. That's how everyone sane calls me. And you'd better call me like unless you want to end up in my black list." The black list shit is just something I came up with to sound more serious, but I should really make one for my family and the gossips at our school. Isn't it a cool idea?

"Sugar. I like it," he merely says, after which the bell rings, ruining my first chance of bonding with him on the get go. Fuck that bell.