• Staring at the clock, Jade counted the seconds as they ticked away. She already endured three hours worth of classes and humiliating introductions. She wasn’t any more pleased with Rocky Heights High than she was earlier that morning. Nor was she excited to continue more torturous classes after lunch. All Jade wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed.

    Jade sighed as she rested her head on her hand. The class that day was watching a movie, so it was dark in the room. Unfortunately, the teacher was very explicit when she had mentioned if she caught anyone sleeping, they would be docked points for the day. At that moment though, Jade just didn’t care. Looking down at her desk, she picked up her pencil and began to randomly draw in the notebook in front of her.

    She laughed at herself as she remembered Algebra. She had to admit, Cloe was an exceptional artist. As sadistic as the drawing of the four ditz’ were, Cloe had an eye for detail. Nothing compared to the small doodles Jade was now mindlessly drawing.

    Jade scanned the dark room. Much of the class seemed to be doing anything but watch the movie. A few people, in the back of the class, whispered or passed notes to their neighbor. Others had their eyes glued to the clock or pretended to watch the movie as their eyes glazed over. The last thing she observed was the absence of the teacher.

    Sitting up in her seat, Jade confirmed that the teacher was nowhere in sight. A genuine smile broke out across her face. This was her chance to get out of the classroom. Gathering her things, she tried to quickly get out without anyone noticing. Within seconds, she was standing in the hall, checking back at the class though the small window in the door. She hurried to her locker.

    When she reached the hall that her locker was located, Jade spotted a small noisy bunch, sitting on the floor, and could hear obnoxious music. She wouldn’t have paid them any mind if she didn’t note that they were awfully close to her own locker. Jade tired to hide her face, but it was no use, Cloe was with them and had already seen her.

    “Hey Jade.” Cloe said happily, getting off the floor. The other girls around Cloe directed their attention toward the new arrival, but the guy farthest from her didn't react.

    “I’m not in the mood for your chipper Cloe.” Jade said bluntly, starting to move the dial on her locker.

    Cloe leaned against the lockers, a sad expression on her face. “You know, I was going to introduce you to my friends, but I guess I won’t.” She said, looking at her nails.

    Throwing her books into her locker, Jade sighed, looking over at Cloe. Glancing at the others, somehow it made since that they all hung out. They all kind of looked like misfits. Jade looked back at Cloe, a pouty expression plaster on her face.

    “Alright, fine. Introduce me to your friends.” Jade said defeated. Cloe beamed as she leaned forward and hugged Jade.

    Without any prompting from Cloe, the rest of them introduced themselves. Each of them different in their own look and style, along with the way they greeted Jade. The first to speak was the girl closest to her and Cloe. Her hair was tied in a side pony-tail and she looked familiar. Though Jade was sure she hadn’t seen her. She had a pale complexion and petite build, similar to Cloe.

    “Hey Jade, I’m Roxanne, call me Rox. It's nice to meet ya.” She didn’t stand, but Rox swiped her hand on her pants and leaned forward for Jade to shake her outreached hand. As Jade did so, the next girl spoke.

    This time she did stand to greet Jade. She was tall with dark chocolate skin and her hair was relaxed and pin straight. Fixing her shirt, Jade noticed she dressed slightly differently than Cloe or Rox; she wore Bermuda shorts, a plain white tank top, along with a colorful cropped jacket.

    “Hey!” She said cheerfully. “I’m Felicity, we have Algebra together, but I had an...appointment this morning.” Jade had heard the pause before appointment, but trying not to look skeptical, she shook Felicity’s hand as well.

    The last member of the group was a boy, who hadn’t acknowledged Jade too much. In fact, he was listening to music so loud that that’s what had made Jade notice the group in the first place. The heavy beat bounced off the walls in the hall way. He seemed to be writing something in a composition notebook and averting his eyes.

    Cloe giggled as she spoke again. “I’m sorry about him. He’s not very sociable.” And with that, she lightly kicked his foot to get his attention. “Say hi, you lazy a**.”

    Flipping off his head phones he looked up for the first time. What Jade saw, would stay with her forever. His eyes were so striking, so clear and beautiful that it was hard for her not to stare. He had the longest lashes and the clearest mossy brown eyes she had witnessed. And his eyes just heightened all the other striking features on him: A sharp jaw line, perfectly plump kissable lips. Jade melted on the spot, and then he spoke.

    “What, Clo?” He snapped. He looked over at Jade, slowly checking her out from head to toe. “I’m busy.” His voice was harsh and cruel, and as quickly as he looked up from his writing, he directed his attention back down to his notebook.

    Taken aback by his actions, Jade snapped. “Excuse me? Where do you get off at being so rude?” She was so furious that she finally slammed her locker shut. She didn’t need to be checked out so blatantly and talked to like she wasn’t worth his time after a day she endured.

    Felicity’s eyes shifted from Jade to her male companion and then to Cloe. Rox looked like she would jump between the two of them if anything happened, and Cloe glared at him.

    “Jade, I’m sorry for his rudeness.” She said. “This, repugnant male friend of ours, is Christian.” Cloe tried to smile at Jade, but Jade was still fuming. She was not in the mood for this.

    “Christian, Jesus, God, whatever the hell his name is, I don’t care. Where do you get off, blatantly checking me out and making me not worth your time when I, for one, haven’t done anything to you, and two, you’re just sitting there, writing in that damn book, when the rest of your friends are introducing themselves?” Jade finished. She was done with this school. Christian starred at her like Jade had when he dismissed her, he too had a look of disbelief on his face. Obviously he hadn’t had people talk to him that way to his face.

    Jade and Christian looked at each other for what seemed an eternity; both trying to read what the others next move was going to be. The others warily, glanced at one another to see if they should intervene.

    “And for a split second," Jade finally spoke again. "I thought you were good looking.” She said snidely to Christian, breaking the connection, walking past him down the hall and out to the grounds. Jade left them gawking at one another, unsure what to do or say.