Dash Hill High School

Kat's head snapped up to look at Mr. Leutian. Groups?!?! I have to work with other people?!? She pouted, a strand of black hair that came loose from her ponytail falling in her face. Frowning, she brushed it behind her ear, and grabbed her stuff, wondering who she was going to have to work with.
 
Hearing the word "groups" being used by the teacher, she felt herself cringe a bit. This is the worst possible thing for a new student. Didn't parents say not to talk to strangers? Why on earth did mother have to send me here. Schools are dreadful..
 
Kale sat back in his seat with a smile on his face. 'Groups hu? he smirked, 'Wounder who i'll chose.' He looked around the room and saw Kat with a horrified look on her face. 'Oh poor Kat, she'll actually have to WORK with people,' the day just kept getting better and better. He was trying to decide who he'd pick. Kali would be nice, but she thought she wanted him to not bother her. Then there was Suna who seemed not to enjoy him anymore. The cute blond girl in the skirt was also another good choice, and he hadn't got to meet her left. Or even Kat, oh how fun. 'Choices choices.'
 
She looked at Kale, Suna, and the other students. 'Groups? Aw, no! This day is bad enough and this is still homeroom!! This is horrible." As the other students looked around she hid her face. 'Pa-leez don't pick me!' she thought as she peaked out from covering her face.

To make it worse, Mr. Leutian said that we were going to be paired up for two school weeks. Kali closed her eyes very tight. She didn't want to be with anyone. Kali raised her head up, she saw a horrified look on the girl by the window's face.. 'At least there's someone else who feels the same.'
 
Suna lay her arms across her desk, face pressed down against it. "Whyyyyyyy?" She groaned to herself. The class was bustling about, most of which finding their partners almost immediately, but she and the few others remained seated, not ready to choose.
"Um.. Hey. Setsuna, right?"
She looked up hesitantly, seeing a boy standing in front of her desk, smiling nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
"Mmhm.."
"I'm Grey." He held out a hand, and she stared at it for a moment before raising an arm and shaking it.
 
A blonde-haired guy about the same age and height as Kale appeared behind the other boy, and jumped on his back, tousling his hair.
"Kale!" he grinned. He spoke with a British accent. "Getting it on with the ladies already? You're a fiend," he teased Kale, before giving the two girls a wink. "The name's Alex. It's a pleasure."
He sat down in a seat, completely unaware of the teacher's glare at his outburst, and the fact that he was late, until the teacher cleared his throat. "Whoops, sorry sir. I got caught up with my reflection," he joked.
 
A boy who was about 6'1 sat behind Kali. He looked around at everyone. He had black hair, a leather jacket and a new pair of jeans on. Seeing the shy girls were hiding their faces I decided to help at least one of them out. He looked around then leaned forward and said to Kali "Hay, are you ok with working with me? Better then him." I gestured to Kale. "I promise I don't bite." I said giving her a warm smile. I wanted the new students to feel welcome. I knew how being new felt.
 
"Would you like to be partners?" Grey asked, giving another smile. "I'll try not to be a nuisance."
"Ah.. okay." Suna answered, once again feeling herself become nervous around a new person. He sat in the desk in front of her, backwards so that he could face her.
"I wonder what we're paired up to do." He pondered, hoping it'll be something not so embarrassing.
 
Kali giggled a little and turned around to see the boy. "I believe you." she said under her breath. "Sure, I'll work with you. But, who are you?" Kali answered to the tall boy in sitting behind her.
For some reason she lost her shyness and could answer the boy. 'What a nice boy!' she thought.
 
"I'm John. Its nice to meet you." I said still giving her a warm smile.
 
"Oh you know me all to well," Kale smirked at Alex. "Though I might have to ask you to leave. Girls go crazy for the accent." Vain Kale straightened his scrambled brown hair, "And blonds." Kale was still busy deciding which girl he would pick. He had to act fast, they were being picked off one by one. "Have a partner yet?"
 
Kali nodded her head slightly. Suddenly her shyness came back. "Oh, um... it's uh... well.... it-it's n-nice to meet you too." She quickly turned back to facing the front of the classroom.
 
"Come now. You can't be shy again." I said playfully teasing her. I still smiled trying to get her a little more social. I wanted her to feel at ease around me.
 
Alex laughed. "Oh don't worry, my good man. Your one over there is totally attracted to you," he nodded in the direction of one of the girls. "My accent's a lady killer in States, I have to say. It's very entertaining! So, we have to find partners?" Alex sat back in his chair and propped a leg up on his lap. "Anyone want to be my partner?" he called to the class. "I promise that I am insanely awesome and have an IQ of 138," he grinned. He was bluffing of course. Alex liked sports better. He was a junior pro tennis player.
 
Kale shook his head, 'IQ of 136? Oh what a fraud.' Kale kept it to himself though; no point in bursting Alex's bubble, he'd still find away to lure them in. Kale had his hopes set on Kali, but John was just a bit faster than him. Then he saw just the one. "Dibs on the blondie." She had remained quite for a long time, and it seemed like no one had picked her up yet. "I'll leave you too it," he nodded to Alex as he went to "make his move."
 
"Go for it. Two blondes clash anyway." Alex waved his friend off and sighed to himself. He wasn't particularly worried about not having a partner. This class was a farce anyway.

He fished out a book. One of Yeats' poetry anthologies. Alex settled down in his seat and began to read, ignoring the teacher's instructions.
 
Kali turned back around facing John. "What do you think this project is?" she quickly asked John.
Most of the students had already picked their partners. Kali thought about the project. She was pretty glad John had picked her, yet until he asked to be partners, to her he did not exist. Kali felt bad for some of the students, those with the idiotic partners. She respected all of the students, but some she wasn't sure about; such as Kale. Even so, Kale had something good about him, just not on the outside.
 
"I don't know. He normally doesn't give us anything hard." John said. "Its the first day though so most likely something to get the new students used to the school I would think."
 
A shiver went down Kali's body. 'You mean be around someone? Always?! Aw, no!' she thought.
Well, John was right, that is what the teacher meant. A few moments later Mr. Leutian said, "Alright class, ready to hear your assignment? Well, for two weeks you will be paired up with your partner for the older to show the younger around... get them more social." This wasn't hard. It was just tough in a way for shy people such as Kali. She looked at Mr. Leutian and then back at John.'Oh well. At least it's John, and mom and dad won't be bugging me to be more social all the time.' Kali thought.
 
"Well then looks like I should show you the school." John said to Kali with a warm smile. "What would you like to see first?... or if you want to meet someone I'm sure I can introduce you."