Chapter One

 

The first day of school...again.  Why is there always so much pressure on the first day of school anyways?  It's just going into a different grade, with most of the same students, and the same boring teachers.  But there's a little problem with my situation: I just moved here a year ago and was home schooled for that year...so, I'm going to be a sophomore and it's my first year of public school here.

At least I wasn't going in alone.  I had one best friend: Abby Miller.  We've been tight ever since I moved here.  We met when I accidentally crashed into her at the mall.  We found out we lived on the same street and the rest is history.

I envy her looks.  She's the girl-next-door type: long blond hair, slender body, good looks, fashion-queen, but she's a good friend.  We've never gotten into a fight before. 

I don't like to talk about my own looks because they are so plain: short shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes, and I'm more athletic so I have defined arm muscles unlike Abby.  But she's the one who always get asked for her number while she's standing in line.

So here I am: sitting on my bed in my pajama's and wondering when I should start getting dressed.  I couldn't take the suspense anymore, so I got up and pulled open my closet door.  I scrutinized my selection of t-shirts with is really all I owned, that and a million pairs of jeans.  I decided on a baby blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans that were ripped at the knees.  This was probably my favorite out fit.  Not to mention my favorite pair of jeans.

"Sarah!  For goodness sake, you're going to be late and Abby's waiting for you outside!" My mom called from downstairs.

"Alright already, I'm coming!" I yelled back.  I grabbed an elastic band and a brush, stuffing them in my backpack, which was already filled with school supplies.  I slipped on a pair of flip-flops and ran downstairs, grabbing a pop tart packet and brushing my teeth.  I then high tailed it out of there and outside, where Abby was waiting. 

Abby had gotten her driver's license two weeks ago and she already had her own car.  I wouldn't want to call her ‘spoiled' but she got practically whatever she wanted.  The car she had now, a red mustang, was a pretty expensive car.  It was a convertible and she had the top down, along with her hair so that it could flow in the wind.

I ran out to her car and got in.  Abby looked at my out fit, but I pretended to look ahead and look impatient.  "God, Sarah.  I would think you would wear something more...feminine for the first day of school." She said, starting to drive towards their high school. 

I rolled my eyes and pulled out my brush and quickly combed my hair and tying it into a loose bun.  I then took in Abby's apparel: one of the shortest mini skirts I've ever seen with a tank top that showed a sliver of her stomach.  I had to admit: it worked well on Abby because she had nicely tanned skin.

"Oh, my god, Abby.  You aren't seriously wearing that to school?" I said as we neared the high school. 

Abby looked at me irritably, "I am not going to be going through this year unnoticed."

"You never go unnoticed, Abby!  I bet you twenty bucks you'll have a boyfriend by the end of the day." I said.  Abby was never one to turn down a challenge. 

She looked at me with a blank face.  Then she smiled and said, "You're on."

We arrived at the high school and Abby parked the car.  We got out and I looked at my new school.  The surprising mass of students was enough to overwhelm any one but the school was obviously strict.  The school ahead was very well kept from the windows to the lawn.

Abby grabbed my arm and we headed into the crowd.  I could see at once that I wasn't going to be noticed here.  There were dozens of girls with mini skirts just like Abby's.  Nervousness clawed my stomach as guys were already checking Abby out. 

As we came through the double doors that led to the school everyone starting splitting to go to their classes, leaving Abby and me with some space.  We had the same schedule so we started towards our first period class. 

"Abby!" Someone called and she turned around.  I did too and my stomach seemed to disappear.  Veronica Anderson was running towards us.  Veronica had become Abby's best friend a couple of months ago before school let out.  I didn't want to say I was jealous but I suppose I was.  Veronica was constantly hanging out with Abby and stealing her away for sleepovers, parties, just hanging out, leaving me behind.  Veronica seemed to think that I would slow them down and I hated her for it.

"Oh, my god, Veronica!" Abby squealed.  Before I could do anything to remind Abby that I was even there, Veronica linked her arm with hers and walked off, talking a hundred miles a minute. 

"Abby!" I called but she didn't hear me.  I was hurt and felt like I was about to cry but instead I stamped my foot like a three-year-old and cursed out loud.  I was near my locker, thank God.

"Got ditched already?" Said a voice from beside me.  I looked side ways and my heart seemed to melt away.  The cutest guy I've ever seen was standing at his locker, looking at me with amusement.  He had dirty blond slightly overgrown hair with the most sparkling blue eyes I've ever seen.  I tried not to notice this and instead tried to concentrate on what he had said.  It wasn't easy but I managed it, somehow.

"Apparently so." I said, adjusting my backpack to a more comfortable position on my shoulder.  I looked at the locker numbers and found that my locker was two down from the guy.  I tried not to smile to myself as I went to it and spun in the locker combination.  I sighed as I opened it and pulled out some books from backpack and shoving them into it with unnecessary force.

The guy chuckled, "Don't worry.  It always happens on the first day of school, but I suggest you get your friend before she goes too far."

"Are you talking from experience?" I asked, zipping up my backpack.

He shrugged, "One of my best guys thought I was boring and started hanging out with a gang instead," He paused thoughtfully, "I think he went to juvenile hall."

I smiled and closed my locker, spinning the lock.  We stood there a little awkward until the guy stuck out his hand and finally introduced himself, "Daniel Anderson."

"Sarah Allen." I said, shaking his hand.

The bell rang.  We headed down the hall.  "What's your schedule like?" Daniel asked, then added quickly, "You are a sophomore right?"

I laughed, "Of course I'm a sophomore.  And here." I said, pulling out my schedule and handing it to him. 

He looked down the list, "Awesome! We've got four classes together." He pointed at several of my classes, "English, Algebra, History, and Science."

I smiled and took back my schedule, "Good, now I know someone.  Although I'll know Abby and Veronica." I said sadly, "They're in all of my classes."

Daniel laughed, "You mean that was Abby?  Veronica couldn't stop talking about her."

I was stunned.  How does he know Abby and Veronica? "You know them?" I asked.

Daniel looked highly amused this time as he looked at me.  "Well, I would definitely know Veronica, because she's my sister."

My mouth dropped open, Veronica's brother?  Veronica had a brother?  Daniel looked at my stunned expression and hid a smile behind his hand.  "Is that hard to believe?" Then he thought of something and added, "Or, let me guess, she doesn't talk about me?"

"Well, seeing as I didn't know who you are, no." I said, closing my mouth as we turned a corner into the hall where our class was. 

Daniel shrugged it aside, "Wouldn't be the first time.  She thinks I'm constantly embarrassing her and that I do it on purpose."  He rolled his eyes.

"Well, do you?" I asked.

"Of course!" He said.

I laughed.

We walked into our class and I immediately spotted Abby and Veronica deep in conversation.  Abby looked up as she heard my laugh and her eyes widened.  I couldn't help but feel satisfaction at the fact that I was talking with one of the cutest guys in our year and she hadn't even met him yet.  Veronica looked up when she saw Abby's expression, but hers turned to anger and annoyance as she saw Daniel taking a seat beside me.

"Alright, students, calm down please." The teacher, Mrs. Brooks called.  I've heard about Mrs. Brooks.  She was a good, fun teacher that really let up on her students when they were doing their work.  She was an African American lady who was wearing dark slacks with a purple top.  She wrote her name on the board and the subject she taught ‘English'.

"If you will all take your seats, we will begin class.  And make sure to choose your seats wisely because they will be your permanent seats for this year." As soon as she finished the whole class minus Daniel, Veronica, Abby, and me started to jostle around to find decent seats.  Mrs. Brooks smiled and called the class to order, "Now, lets start with introducing ourselves, shall we?" She leaned against the edge of her desk and pointed at the first row of students, starting with the farthest one to my right.  "Say your first and last name along with your favorite subject."

The guy stood up and introduced himself.  And so it went, row after row until they finally reached Veronica, "Veronica Anderson.  Shopping." She sat back down.  The room was suddenly filled with muffled laughter and giggles.  I looked sideways at Daniel who was obviously restraining from laughing out loud with difficulty.  Even Mrs. Brooks looked amused.

"And how do you consider ‘Shopping' a subject, Miss Anderson?" She asked, folding her arms and smiling.

Veronica stood back up and promptly said, "Well it's something to learn, Mrs. Brooks.  You learn how to compare prices, which makers are the best and stuff like that."

There was more gigging and snorts from the class.  Mrs. Brooks smiled, "I'm glad you have a sense of humor, Miss Anderson, but I suggest you don't pull that on me.  Next!"

I stood up, "Sarah Allen.  English."

"I'm glad someone enjoys my subject." Mrs. Brooks said, smiling at me.  I smiled back as she pointed to Daniel. 

He stood up and said, "Daniel Anderson.  Science."

The class was almost over by the time we finished.  Many other girls had tried to be smart with the teacher in the result they nearly got kicked out of class. 

As the bell rang, the teacher said loudly over the shuffling feet and talking, "Please bring your work books to class tomorrow along with your favorite book!"

She then stood out of the way and let them pass through her door.  I looked at my schedule and saw that I had Science next.  I looked around for Daniel and spotted him a little ways down the hallway.  I made my way over to him just as he turned around, "Hey, Sarah.  Just about to come and find you."

I smiled, "You have Science next, right?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said, nodding.

As we started walking, someone suddenly grabbed my arm, causing me to stop abruptly.  "Sarah," Abby's voice said, "where have you been?  You didn't come to class with us."

I turned to see that it was indeed Abby along with Veronica.  Veronica looked livid and was staring at Daniel, who simply looked amused once more.  "You mean follow you after you left me in the hallway?" I said hotly.

Abby looked offended, "I didn't leave you!" She said, "I said to come with us so that we could walk to class together."

I looked at her as though she were crazy.  She was obviously lying, which was a first between us.  She had never lied flat out before.  I rolled my eyes and turned to go back to class, grabbing Daniel's arm and dragging him along too.  "Did you hear her say that?" I said angrily, as I walked into the Science Lab.

Daniel shook his head.

"That's what I thought." I said, letting go of his arm, which I hadn't realized I still had a death grip on. 

"Don't worry about it, Sarah." He said bracingly.

We took seats in the front of the class and took out our Science stuff.  I heard giggling a few seconds later that I recognized.  I looked up and saw, with a jolt, Abby laughing at something Veronica had said.  Veronica saw me looking and sniggered at me.  I swallowed and turned my attention towards the board, thinking that this year might be harder than I thought.