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The documents were filled out and handed in. Rowan and I sat in the car in the school’s parking lot, looking around at the buildings. I blinked at the rear-view mirror, my blue contacts making my eyes look faintly purple and feeling weird under my glasses.

“Have you got your bag?” Rowan asked for the umpteenth time.

I lifted my red backpack up, smiling slightly sarcastically at him. “You sound more like a worried mother than a boyfriend.” I joked.

Rowan apologised. “I used to go to this school, you know,” he grinned. “Who knows? You might see my name somewhere.”

We stepped out of the car and headed towards the administration office. When we arrived, Rowan said a few words to the lady at the desk – who, according to her nametag was called Claris – about my arrival. The office-lady handed me a bunch of papers and we excused ourselves to the hallway.

“This is your schedule,” Rowan pointed to the slightly blue-tinted sheet. “This is a map of the campus,” he pointed to the pink sheet. Finally he looked at the purple slip of paper. “Show this to your teachers when you get to your classes.”

I looked up at him. “Walk me to my first class?” I smiled.

He looked at my schedule again. “Advanced English?” he looked at me and I smiled wider. He looked back down. “Advanced mathematics? Biology?”

I shrugged. “The only space they had left were in advanced classes. Apparently I qualified.”  

Rowan ruffled my hair. “We should go. I don’t want you late.”

Rolling, my eyes, I followed him into the main building. My first class was on the second floor in Room 16.

“I’ll be going now,” Rowan smiled, giving me a quick hug before leaving.

The bell rang, a loud siren in the halls, and the hallways swarmed with people. I froze as the students entered their classrooms, chatting with friends they would have made in previous years. Before I realised it, the halls were silent again. Another bell rang and I realised that I should also be in the classroom. I quickly shuffled into the room and up to a man sitting at the desk in the front.

The teacher looked up at me and I handed him the purple slip. He smiled and stood up, now addressing the rest of the class. “Everyone, we have a new student,” he said, looking back down at the small sheet of paper. “This is Jay Fowler and today is his first day.”

I felt my face grow warm as all eyes landed on me. I was directed to  a seat by the window and so I sat down, trying my best to ignore the whispers coming from the other students, and got my books out.

Mr Brooks, as I now knew my English teacher to be named, began to hand out old, worn copies of Oliver Twist and half the class groaned, winging that they had already studied the book in a previous year. When he got to me, he asked to see my schedule. His eyes scanned over the piece of paper before he turned to the class. “Does anyone have advanced math with Ms Collins?” He asked. A couple of hands raised and Mr Brooks pointed to the girl sitting next to me. “Isabelle, take Jay with you,” he said.

She nodded, flinching when he said her name. When the bell finally rang, Isabelle stood up and waited at my desk. “You might want to hurry,” she said. “The next room is pretty far away.”

I nodded and quickly put my books in my bag, slung it over my shoulder and followed her out of the classroom and down the hall. I tried to make a mental note of the route to my next class as we left the main building and made our way across the grounds.

“So what’s with the hair?” Isabelle asked, flipping her own red hair behind her shoulder. “Is it natural?”

“Yeah,” I replied, looking at my feet.

She smiled. “Seriously? Are you some kind of albino or something?” she asked.

‘No,’ I wanted to say. ‘My grandmother’s and arctic wolf and red eyes run in the family.’ Instead, I just nodded again.

“You’re kind of quiet, aren’t you?” she noted. “If you don’t mind, you wanna sit with me at lunch?”

I smiled and nodded quickly, following her into the building and to the first classroom. The same thing happened as the first class – an awkward introduction followed by finding someone who shared the next class with me.

Second and third period went by quickly, and lunch bell rang. I made my way to the cafeteria by myself and stood in line with the other students, scanning the room for any sign of Issy and her group of friends. When I finally spotted them, she had also found me, and began to wave exaggeratedly at me. I tried not to look as I joined the group at their table by the window.

“Scoot over,” Issy said to a girl next to her, making room for me to sit down.

I placed my tray on the table and perched on the edge of the seat next to her.

“Everyone, meet Jay – new fresh meat,” she laughed. She pointed a few people out, introducing them, and then turned to me. “So, have you seen any girls you think you might be interested in?” she grinned, winking at me.

I felt my face flush and I shook my head furiously. “I-I – um – no, I –” I stuttered, blushing even more.

“Oh?” Issy seemed confused before she grinned again. “Unless you bat for the other team…”

This time, I felt as though my head would explode. I squeaked.

Issy smiled gently. “Don’t worry,” she said and pointed to a boy across the table. “See Matt over there? He’s gay too. You guys could totally get together.”

“That really won’t be necessary,” I said, thanking her anyway.

She shrugged. “Whatever you say,” she said. “You just need to say the word and I’ll help you too hook up.”

I shot her a fake smile and ate my lunch.

Fourth period biology and fifth period modern history were slow – almost painful. Finally, the bell rang. As I left the classroom, I bumped into Issy.

She grabbed my wrist and began to drag me down the hallway. “Come with me,” she said, not giving me a chance answer.

We exited the building and headed towards the football field. “Um, Issy?” I said, trying to get her attention. “I have a ride picking me up. I really don’t have much time for this.”

“Your ride can wait,” she snapped as we reached the bleachers. “Look over there.” She pointed at the players on the field.

A number of muscly jocks ran through drills of push ups, sit ups and other exercises that I didn’t know the name of. One of the players – a tall man with chocolate skin – noticed us watching, stopped his warm up, stood up and waved.

“Jay?” Issy asked. “Why is River Williams waving at us?”

My eyes widened as I stared back down at the man waving. “What did you just say?”

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