It was the first day of tenth grade. All the usual people were back at
school.

"Al!" Tiff called me from down the hall.

"Hey!" I answered as I opened my new locker. Tiffany Baker was my best friend since 3rd grade. She knew me better than I knew myself.

"So...found Dave yet?" I asked. Dave was her longtime boyfriend. They were practically attached at the hip.

"Yeah, he's with his buds. So, I just wanted to check in with ya. I'll seeya at lunch, okay?" she asked excited. Tiffany always loved the first day. She thought it was so much fun.

"Seeya," I replied as the 7 minute bell rang. I started to leave when I saw a tall, blonde, and blue-eyed guy rush to the locker right next to mine. I smiled to myself thinking how lucky I was and left. Even thought I knew I'd never talk to him, good scenery wouldn't hurt.

They day went on normal. After the 2:10 bell I headed for my locker. I was putting my stuff away when his girlfriend came up. I knew there had to be a flaw somewhere. His girlfriend was Lily Thompson. The slut of DHS. My guess was he wanted to be popular. The hall was getting clear and soon it was only us 3 there. I closed my locker and left. Unfortunately, I ran into Lily's friends that were going to see her.

"Hey Ali. I see you're still an A. Well you are 16 now. The doctor can fix that," Chris said rudely. I sucked it up and left. I looked back at my mystery man and he was also buddies with all them. Like I had a chance anyway, but I truly hated that group. They hated me equally as much.

The school year went on pretty much the same way for a few months. Me and my mystery man never talked. One day after school Lily appeared behind him upset. They argued for a while and finally Lily slapped him. He sighed and leaned against his locker. I looked right at him and he saw me. I looked away pretending not to notice.

"Ali? Can you take me home? Dave's sick today," Tiffany said running up right behind me.

"Of course," I said zipping up my bookbag. I closed my locker and looked at him. I wanted to talk to him, but I knew he probably didn't want to talk. I dropped Tiffany off and headed for Starbucks. I worked there. I loved it there. My shift was over so I went home and did all my homework.

The next day at school I was getting my books out when everything fell out.

"Damn," I muttered to myself.

"Here," my mystery man said helping me with my books.

"Thanks," I said not being able to look at him.

"Carter! Come on, we're all skipping and the girls are waiting for you," Chris said as he walked up.

"I"m coming," he said handing me my final book.

"MacLaren, I think you need to wear baggier shirts. It might make you look fuller in the bust area," Chris said snobbishly. I looked at mystery man to see if he was laughing. He looked mad.

"Chris, that really hurt me," I said sarcastically and left.

The day went by normal. I went to work and came home. Did the normal stuff and before I knew it I was at school the next morning.

"Ali, did you happen to do the health homework?" Tiffany asked hopeful as she approached her locker.

"Tiff, you need to remember, I don't have health," I replied.

"I have health," we heard someone say. I looked over. It was my mystery man.

"Really? Did you understand it?" Tiff asked.

"Most of it," he shrugged.

"Do you think you could help me?" she asked sweetly.

"I, uh, have to go," I said nervous and running to my first period.