Chapter #2

I plopped down into a seat in the front row, slowly other students started piling in. Not really interested in listening to people complain about their summer vacations I pulled out my book 'The Fountain Head' by Ayn Rand.

Occasionally some people stopped by my desk to say hi or ask how my summer was, I responded curtly but politely.

"Hello, I'll be your Homeroom and Math teacher this year, if you need an help with scholastic activities or anything about school my office is always open. That said, I am not a marriage councilor so if you have any love problems I heard that this generation recommends tinder as a romance consultant,"

We all burst out laughing.

"My wife however recommends chick flicks for the gals and spring cleaning for the guys!"

Another round of laughter.

The thing about Mr. Wise was that he was a genius and even a renowned chess player, but he was hilarious and by far the best teacher in the school.

"Now, since we still have about twenty or so minutes let's get to know each other." he said clasping his hands.

"Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go sir." said a voice from behind me.

I turned around in shock? No more like annoyance when I recognised the owner of the voice. Why me God? I thought to myself, I know self pity is frowned upon but if you were in my position you'd be wondering the same thing.

"Ok Mr Davis go ahead, though I don't think you need much of an introduction"

He let out a sexy chuckle, hey stop judging me, just because I hate him doesn't mean that I can't note that he was kind of sexy, an annoying bastard but sexy.

"I'm James Davis, Captain of the football, Swim and Basketball team." A round of cheers came from fellow members of the teams. "And I love surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding." He said with his signature smirk.

I rolled my eyes as James introduced himself with his usual arrogance. I couldn't deny that he was good-looking, with his chiseled jawline and tousled black hair. But his attitude left a lot to be desired.

Glancing around the room, I noted the different cliques and groups that had already reformed. There were the preppy girls, huddled together in their matching outfits and whispering to each other. Then there were the artsy types, with their colorful hair and eclectic clothing.

As I surveyed the room, I couldn't help feeling a sense of unease. I had always struggled to fit in, never quite feeling like I belonged anywhere. I had hoped that high school would be different, but so far, it seemed like more of the same. I was glad that I had Emma and Caleb but in cases like this were we weren't together I felt kind of isolated.

But then my eyes met James's, and I felt a jolt of something I couldn't quite place. I quickly looked away, feeling my cheeks flush. What was it about him that made me feel so...unsettled? It was probably just anger that I was feeling, yeah that makes sense, I mean why would 'he' make me blush he was a nuisance.

I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the task at hand. I was here to learn, not to make new friends.

After Home room I quickly headed off to my next class.

As I made my way to my seat, I tried to shake off the feeling of discomfort that had settled in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know why James's presence had such a strong effect on me. Maybe it was his confident demeanor or his attitude, as if nothing mattered to him enough for him to actually care, but whatever it was, I didn't like it.

I forced myself to focus on the lecture, taking notes and listening intently as the teacher explained the syllabus. As the class ended, I gathered my things and headed for the door, eager to escape the stifling atmosphere of the classroom.

As I walked out, I saw James leaning against the wall, surrounded by his group of friends Will, Jason, Jake, Tina and Diana. They were laughing and joking around, their voices echoing through the hallway. I tried to slip past them unnoticed, but James caught my eye and flashed me a cocky grin. I groaned internally.

"Hey there, new girl," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Don't think I've seen you around before. What's your name?"

I felt my cheeks flush again, but I tried to hide my annoyance. "It's Ada," I said, trying to keep my tone polite. "and I've been here for the past three years."

James raised an eyebrow. "Well anyways, welcome to the jungle, Ada," he said, smirking. "I hope you can handle it."

With that, he and his friends sauntered off down the hall, leaving me feeling even more alone and out of place than before. I sighed and made my way to my next class, already dreading the rest of the school day.

My mind was wandering as the teacher rambled on about the upcoming school year. As a daydreamer, I was lost in my own thoughts and imagination. But today, my thoughts kept circling back to James.

I couldn't understand why I was so drawn to him. Of course, he was attractive, but there were plenty of good-looking guys at school. It was something else, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Probably his ignorance to anything of importance I thought.

Finally, the bell rang, and I gathered my things and headed to my next class. As I walked through the crowded hallway, I saw James up ahead, surrounded by his group of friends. I couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy at how easily he seemed to fit in everywhere he went, it just came so natural to him.

As I passed him, James turned and caught my eye. He flashed me a grin, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat. I rolled my eyes at my reaction. 'Great' I thought, I was becoming like every other girl in this hell hole.

I quickly shook off the feeling and continued on to class. I couldn't let myself get distracted by some idiot, I had more important things to worry about, like my grades and my future.

But as I settled into my seat and pulled out my textbooks, I couldn't shake the feeling that James Davis was going to play a bigger role in my life than I had ever imagined.