I sighed as I pulled into the school parkinglot. It was the first day back from summer
break, and my first day here. I had already convinced myself that it was going to suck, I didn’t know where anything was and I didn’t know anybody. I already knew that at somepoint during the day I was probably going to embarris myself.

After I parked I did a quick hair and makup check. I usually didn’t let that stuff consern me too much, but I wanted to make a good impression on my first day.

Everything looked fine, my straight shoulderlength brown hair still looked okay, my blue and purple eyeliner wasn’t smudged and was still making my dark brown eyes pop.

I grabbed my batman bookbag from the passinger seat of my 1967 Impala, and hopped out of the car. My dad was really big on cars before he died, the Impala was his baby. I was incredibly honoured when he left it to me.

He had just passed away in June, that’s why my mom decided to pack us up and move to good ol' Jersy. We had family here so mum thought that this was the best place for us. I personally didn’t really care where we moved, I just wanted to be suportive for my mom. She took his death really hard, I did aswell but not like she did. We were both getting better though.

I walked into my homeroom and found a seat at the back of the classroom. It was my goal to not draw unwanted attention to myself. That was the last thing I needed, to be awkwardly watched by everyone because I’m the new kid. Yeah that sounded like a good time. Ha!

I looked up at the board and saw a note to the class saying that today was going to be a "mini day", so we could all meet out teachers and find out about our classes. That made sence, and it would give me a chance to find my way to my classes.

I read the schedule they had written on the board: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, D2.
I pulled out the schedule I had got at the office when my mother had come in to meet with the principal. So I had English, multimedia, art, and biology. That wasn’t too bad, that meant that I wouldn’t have to take math until next semester.

The bell rang signalling for everyone to go to homeroom. People started to gradually pile in, as I put my schedule back in my binder, then put my binder back in my book bag. I sat silently as I watched the people come in the room and find seats with their friends, talking about their summers and whatnot. It all just made me miss my friends, and it rubbed in the fact that I didn’t have any here.

I watched as a jock-ish looking boy walked into the room, some of the less preppy
looking girls stopped their conversations, looked at him, and started to giggle to
themselves.

There wasn’t anything particularly spectacular about him. He was tall around 6’1, pretty built, blond hair slicked back into a pompadour. He was dressed in blue jeans and a plain white shirt. There really wasn’t anything special about him at all, but whatever floats their boats I guess.

To my surprise he came and sat right beside me. He smiled charmingly at me, “hi I’m Vince Caine”

He extended his had out for me to shake.

I took it and smiled back, “I’m Dana Heather.”

“It`s nice to meet you, Dana. So what classes do you have first?” he asked politely.

“English and Multimedia,” I shrugged.

“Oh me too! I can show you where they are if you want?”

“Sure, that’d be nice,” I nodded happily. As weird and jock like as this guy seemed at least he was nice.

We spoke a little more until the teacher came in and shushed us for announcements. Boy was I glad that for that. Vince may have been nice, but was he ever boring. He liked to talk about cars and sports. Neither of which was I really interested in, but I listened all the same just to be polite. At least I knew something about cars.

English, Multi media, and Lunch passed by almost painfully slowly, due to Vince’s
endless chatter about himself more or less, and oddly enough there was some shamelessly awkward flirting. Though I didn’t flirt back.

I was extra excited for Art, seeing as I didn’t have it with Vince. Though he insisted
on walking me there.

When I got there all the tables were full except for two, one in the front with some of Vince’s friends, and one in the back with a boy who was slouched over his
sketchbook drawing.

The decision of where to sit was easy, in the back with the boy I didn’t know. I walked over to him and cleared my through to get his attention. His slowly looked up from his sketch book to me.

My stomach did a back flip and I felt a slight blush come to my cheeks, this boy was
gorgeous! Why weren’t girls flocking around him?

“Hi, um, could I , ah, sit here… with you?” I stammered.

He slightly smiled and nodded.

I mentally kicked myself as I took the seat beside him. I was such a loser! He was
probably laughing at my lame-ness in his head right now. Gah! Life isn’t fair.

“You’re Dana, right?” a beautiful voice asked from beside me as I got my sketchbook out.

“Yeah,” I replied simply and smiled.

He knew my name! I was having such a weird teeny moment. But who wouldn’t, he had shoulder length brown hair, the most gorgeous hazel eyes, and that smile just lit up the room!

“I’m Gerard,” he smiled.

I couldn’t help but smile back as I looked to his sketchbook. He was an amazing artist from what I could see.

“Wow, you’re really good,” I blurted before I could think.

“Uh… thanks,” he said shyly.

“Can I look at you’re book?” I asked.

“Yeah, but only if I can see yours,” he smiled shyly.

“Sure, its nothing special. Mostly portraits,” I shrugged as I handed it to him.

We continued to talk and look at each others sketchbooks as the teacher came in and started to talk about that he hoped to do in the time we had, and whatnot.
When he was done talking he told the class to do whatever we wanted, then he came to the back where Gerard and I were.

“So I take it my speech was too boring for the two of you?” Mr. Sykes laughed.

“Well Bob you give the same speech every year,” Gerard laughed as well.

“Oh sorry to bore you” he smiled, “so you’re the new student, Dana, am I correct?”

I nodded, as Gerard finally gave me back my sketchbook.

“Well you seem to have a good taste in company,” he winked at me.

Gerard rolled his eyes and said, “on another note, Bob, you should see some of the
portraits she’s done. They’re amazing.”

I blushed as Bob gave me an interested surprised look, “may I?”

“Sure,” I nodded and handed him the book.

He sat down on the table and looked through it. The bell rang by the time he was done looking.

“Wow,” he said as he whipped a tear away, “those are absolutely beautiful, they’ve actually made me tear up…. wow.”

“Thank you,” I said quietly, I was a little unsure about his reaction to them, but he seemed pleased.

“Well you two have a good recess, and Dana I look forward to working with you,” Bob smiled, as Gerard and I left the art room.