New In Town

Tuesday morning I woke up in a worse mood than usual because of certain events of the day. I still couldn't believe that Oliver had kissed me, without my permission no doubt, twice! And the second time he was completely sober.... I think. When I see him again, I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind.

"Morning sunshine!" Danny greeted me happily once I had gotten dressed. I mumbled a response before grabbing a cup of coffee, downing it and leaving immediately after wards, without saying good-bye to my too-lively-in-the-morning step-brother.

At school, I saw Aiden sitting alone at the table by one of the only trees in the car park but not our usual one. I made my way over to him before sitting down opposite him. "Hey." I said trying to sound casual.

"You talking to me?"

"No, I'm talking to the tree." I retorted sarcastically. "You see," I began explaining "He was idiotic enough to get into a fight with some jock in my Physics class then had then nerve to yell at me 'cause he hadn't told me the whole story. Bastard tree. But I'm nice enough to forgive him."

"Sorry." He see looking guilty, not meeting my gaze.

"No worries." Alice choose that moment to join us and, to be honest, she looked like shit. "You look like shit." I'm so honest.

"I know! I couldn't get to sleep last night!"

"Why not?" Aiden asked as Alice sat down next to him.

"We have to hand in this English assignment today."

"I thought you were good in English."

Alice turned to him before answering "I am but we had to write a poem. I can't rhyme to save my life!" She cried out before slamming her head on her folded arms. She looked like she was going to fall asleep lying on the table.

"Hey, aren't you guys in the same English class?" Aiden asked looking at me for an answer.

"Holy shit!" My eyes widened at the realisation.

"What?" Alice asked finally lifting her head.

"Are you telling me that we had to write a poem for today?!"

"You didn't do it?!" Alice's eyes widened in alarm. She somehow managed to look tired and wide awake at the same time.

Aiden started laughing before saying "You're so screwed."

"We'll see about Theo, you saggy bitch." I spat before getting up and going to class.

[XxX]

"You're not seriously doing it now are you?" Alice asked incredulously.

"Do you think that if I stopped talking again people would stop talking to me?" I mused just to annoy my classmate. She just rolled her eyes before ignoring me. Mission accomplished.

"The snow melts, it's gone away,
I'm left alone, where I lay." A gothic-ish boy with severe acne finished his horribly depressing poem.

"Uh... thank you Jordan." We were currently reading our poems. Jordan was the only one to volonteer to read their poems so the teacher was left to choose someone. Mr. Laurence wrote something down in his big red booking before looking up to find his next victim.

Being the unlucky sod I am, he obviously met my gaze first "Ah, Miss. Edwards. I trust you've done your homework." I nodded sheepishly. "Would you like to come to the front of the class and read it?" And their it is. The teacher question you can't, well are not supposed to, say 'no' to.

I got up out of my seat with a sheet of paper with the words:
'The moon shines at night,
What a frightful sight,' and nothing else. I turned the piece of paper over and smiled in relief before clearing my throat.

"Oh let the sun beat down upon my face
With stars to fill my dream.
I am a traveler of both time and space
To be where I have been.

To sit with elders of a gentle race
This world has seldom seen.
They talk of days for which they sit and wait
When all will be revealed."

I looked at the class to see a guy smirking at me but, luckily, the rest of the class seemed oblivious to my deception, probably because most of them weren't listening. I looked over to Mr. Laurence who looked like he was trying to contain a smile "Thank you. Back to your seat. Right um.... ah! Charlotte, would you please come to the front."

The rest of the hour was... uneventful. But as the bell rang and everyone was hurriedly leaving the room, me including, teach called me to his desk.

"About you poem. It was a good idea. I did the exact same thing when I was your age only I used 'Bobby Brown'. If you know your Zappa, you probably would have guessed that I didn't get away with it. And neither will you."

I looked down at the floor before lying through my teeth "Excuse me sir, but I haven't a clue what you're talking about."

He sighed before continuing "Maybe if you had chosen a band from this century I wouldn't have noticed but Led Zeppelin? Did you really think I wouldn't recognise Zeppelin?" he asked me smiling slightly.

"Sorry?" My apology came out as more of a question.

"It's ok. You may go to your next class now. Oh, and I'll see after school for detention."

[XxX]

At lunch I began my search for Oliver to give him a piece of my mind. I found him behind the school where all the smokers usually hang out and, well, smoke. "Hey, Viv. What's up?"

"You! You've got some explaining to do!"

"Why? What'd I do?" He asked looking rather nervous of the fact that the new girl was mouthing off to him in front of his mates.

"What the hell were you thinking yesterday?! Kissing me like that! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Oliver looked furious. He grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a corner of the school building.

"Would you keep it down?" he hissed before continuing "And that's what you're supposed to do after a date, kiss!"

"Yeah but only with the girl's permission. And it wasn't a date!"

"I did have your permission. And it was a date."

"I did NOT give you permission! It wasn't a date!"

"You did! You looked at my lips! And it was a date!"

"It wasn't a fuc- I looked at your lips? I looked at you lips? You call that permission?"

"Well, yeah."

I huffed "Blokes, you do the slightest flirty thing and they jump you!" I shouted before turning to leave and bumping into a hard chest. I felt arms rap around me to steady me, I looked up but only saw a chin and hair. Nice long brown hair.

"Woah there! Someone's in a rush." said the low velvety voice of the boy holding me.

"You can let go now. She's not gonna fall on her ass." Came a cold voice from behind me.

"Charming." Mr. Velvety-voice said mockingly but still letting me go. "Aren't you going to introduce us Oli?"

"Viv, this is Rick. Rick, Viv."

"Nice to meet." Rick smiled at me while Oliver just kept a scowl on his face. "I loved your poem." Then it hit me. Rick was the guy smirking at me in English.

"Yeah, didn't work out too well though. Apparently teach is a Led Zep fan."

He started laughing "No way?! Who would of guessed, Mr. Laurence liking Led Zeppelin."

"He likes Zappa too."

"I'm less partial to Jazz rock but he made some good songs."

"I feel the same."

"So, you like classic rock? You don't look like the type." I looked down at what I was wearing and it didn't seem too preppy and pink to me. I was wearing bleached skinny jeans, DMs and Danny's old Van Halen top that was now too small for him.

"What are you on about?"

"Well you just seemed... darker."

"Yeah well, I'm more Metallica, System Of A Down, that sort of stuff." Rick raised an eyebrow at me before shoving his hand in his pocket, looking for something. I heard the faint sound of the bell ringing, signaling the end of lunch.

"Well, I'll see you guys later-"

"Wait! Here's my number." he stated thrusting the paper that was previously in his jeans pocket at me.

"Why would I need that?" Oliver smirked as Rick's smile faltered at my question.

"Just in case." I took the paper before going off to Physics which I had just realised that Oliver had with me.

"Can I call you 'Oli' too?" I asked when we were around half way to the classroom.

"What? Why?"

"Well, 'cause Rick called you 'Oli' and it's shorter than Oliver. I shortened my name. Vivienne, Viv. See?"

We stopped in front of the classroom door "Only if I get a kiss." He said smirking and leaning down. "No chance Oliver." I said before entering class.

[XxX]

I was making my way to the bus stop when I heard someone calling my name from behind. "Vivienne! Vivienne!" I turned around to see Coach Green jogging towards me with a clip-board.

"It's Viv." I stated as he arrived.

"Oh, ok Viv. I just wanted to make sure you were coming to Basketball practise tomorrow. You're the only one who didn't come to tell me."

"I made the team?"

"Of course you did. Didn't you check the list?" Truth is I was so sure I mucked up that I didn't even bother to check whether or not I actually made the team.

"Uh, no I didn't."

"Oh, well anyway, can you come?"

"Uh... ok sure. I'll be there."

"Great, see you tomorrow." He said smiling before jogging off somewhere else.
'Wow, I made the team. Even if I did fall on my arse. Three times.'