Walking down the crowded, noisy halls Kira felt like summer had never really happened. The Jocks and the Cheerleaders still ruled the school. Mike Hemmingway was still the most gorgeous and popular boy and, oh yeah, he still didn’t know she existed. Leaning against her grungy locker Kira sighed, Why did he have to look so good? Today he had on wrangler jeans, faded at the stress points of course, and his black and red varsity jacket.
“Mmhhmm… What a fine male specimen that one is….” came a voice from Kira’s back. Kira, inwardly sighing, responded, “ Hey Jay, how was your summer?” “Nothing much my honey bunches of oats, you know how it is, guys still pretending to be straight.” Jay responded with an impish grin. Pulling his black hair back in a ponytail, Jay raised one black eyebrow, “ Is it just me or does Mike look even hotter than last year?” Kira’s eyes, once more resting on Mike, replied, “ No it’s definitely not just you.” “Honey,” Jay said with a reproachful look, “ you really need to get over him, and pronto.” “Why would I do that when he doesn’t even know I like him? I might as well admire as long as I’m here.”
“Well….” Jay started. “Hey Kira!” “Oh no!!” Kira and Jay responded with a muffled groan. “ Hey Kira how was your summer?” asked Josh, as he almost bounced up in down with his insane joy at being stuck another year in this hell hole. “ It was fine I guess, moved to a new neighborhood. “

“Really? That’s cool. Which one?” Josh asked, spit flying and almost hitting Kira in the face. Kira, subtly dodging the wet projectiles, responded, “ Oh, the house is called Hawthorne Village, it’s not really a neighborhood, were kind of in the middle of the woods.”
“That’s creepy.” Josh said, his admiring gaze quickly dropped to one of fear. “ Kind of, I guess.” Kira replied, mentally cursing Josh’s braces, surely they would be coming of soon , and the waterworks would stop. “ Well I’ll see you guys later. “ Josh said almost skipping with glee to his first period.
“That boy need’s some Ritalin or something.” Jay said in disgust, his dark features briefly transforming into a sneer. “Tell me about it. At least he isn’t your personal stalker.” Kira replied. Tucking her light brown hair behind her ears, Kira started down the hall, “ I’ll see you later Jay, I have to go to the front office to help enroll the new kids.”
“ Why you even decided to intern there is beyond me.” Jay said, a hint of humor sparking in his dark blue eyes. “ You know me.” Kira said laughing, “ Always sacrificing myself for the greater good.”
Walking down the hall a few minutes later, Kira thought, “ Maybe something amazing will happen this year. Maybe I wont have to be an outcast. You never know, something magical might happen.