Author's Note: Sooo…. I've been planning a fic like this a while ago, and I've finally got around to starting it. Basically, I quite like writing "high school" fics, so I thought I'd try a Heroes version.

You've probably guessed that this is an AU fic – ages range from 14 (Claire) to 18 (Nathan), so obviously Nathan isn't Claire's dad and Micah doesn't exist yet. Relationships will be pretty much as they are in the show, at least to start with. It will start off with the usual high school activities – there will be a prom/dance of some kind, and I may bring the "save the cheerleader" plotline in.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I am not Tim Kring and I don't own Heroes. I really wish I did though.

Finally, enjoy the story, and please give me a review afterwards.

Peter Petrelli woke to sunlight streaming in through his bedroom window. He rubbed his eyes, pulling himself into a sitting position and saw his mother standing at the end of his bed. "Mom?"
"Come on, Peter, it's your first day of school, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…"

"I'll let you get up now, I'll wait for you downstairs. I want to drive you myself on your first day of high school."

"Uh, sure."

Mrs Petrelli left the room quickly, and Peter started to get dressed. Before he left the room, though, his gaze fell on the letter on his desk. The acceptance letter he'd received, saying that he had a place at Bennet Academy, a private and extremely prestigious high school in New York City. It was expected that he would go there, ever since his older brother Nathan had been admitted three years before. As Peter re-read the letter for the millionth time, he thought once more of how Nathan was such a perfect student – he would graduate at the end of this school year, and was tipped to be valedictorian of his class.

Peter wasn't as academically gifted as his brother – not stupid, he just didn't have a perfect record of A's and A+'s. He usually managed B's, a few A's and the occasional C in class. He was a bright boy, but his tendency to daydream in class (and even fall asleep completely sometimes) damaged his scores. But he was liked by practically everyone, and was known as very kind, considerate and caring.

He dropped the letter back on his desk, pushed his dark bangs back from his face, and headed downstairs.

After grabbing a couple pieces of toast and some juice for breakfast, he got his jacket and school bag, and headed for the car with his mother. When they pulled up outside the entrance to the school, Mrs Petrelli was about to get out of the car.

"Mom, it's okay, I can walk through the door by myself."

"I just need to be sure you're okay…"

"I'll be fine. I'm fifteen, Mom, not a preschooler."
"Of course, dear."

"Okay, so I'll go now, yeah?"

"Yes, dear. Do you have your lunch?"
"Yes, Mom."

"Well, have a good first day. I'm sure you'll make lots of new friends."
"Uh, yeah, okay… bye, Mom."

"Goodbye, dear."

Peter made a hasty exit from the car, before his mother did something really embarrassing like kiss him. He hurried inside, so quickly that he collided with a pretty blonde girl who was heading inside as well, clutching an armful of books which promptly fell to the floor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there.." He bent to pick up her books, smiling at her.

"It's okay, I wasn't really paying attention either."

"No, really, it's my fault…"

The girl shrugged. "Um… okay, then. I guess I forgive you."

"What's your name? I'm Peter."

"Hi, Peter, I'm Claire. Is this your first day?"
"Yeah, you?"

"Uh-huh. What homeroom are you in?"

"Um…" Peter pulled out his timetable. "Room 17A."

"Hey, we're in the same class… neat."

"I guess so… if we knew how to get there."

"Oh, don't worry, I know where it is."

"I thought this was your first day."

"It is." At Peter's confused expression, Claire sighed and realised that she'd have to explain it, yet again. "My dad is the Principal here. Mr Bennet, you know? I know my way around."

"Oh… you're the Principal's daughter."

"Yeah."

At that point the bell rang to tell the students it was time for classes to begin, and Peter and Claire headed for room 17A together. They found seats next to each other in class, and were soon talking in low whispers – until the teacher told them to be quiet, when they switched to notes. By the time the lunch break arrived, Peter knew that Claire was 14 and that she would have preferred to go to a school where her father wasn't the principal, and Claire knew all about Peter being from a powerful, and very rich, family.

They headed for the cafeteria together… only to find that there were no free tables. Claire spotted Charlie, a girl she had known since preschool, sitting with some other girls – some of whom wore cheerleaders' outfits – so she headed over to join them. Peter was left standing in the middle of the cafeteria, alone. He wandered around the tables for a few moments, but no-one offered him a place to sit.

Eventually, a pretty brown-haired girl came up to him. "Excuse me?" Peter noticed she had an accent, but he couldn't quite place it. "Yes?"

"Do you want a place to sit? You can join our table if you like." She gestured over at a nearby table, where a serious-looking blonde girl, two Japanese boys, and three other boys were sitting.

"Uh, thanks. I'm Peter, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Peter. I'm Hana, I'm a sophomore." She sat down back at the table, and pointed out each of the others to him. "And this is Audrey, Hiro, Ando, Zach, Ted and Matt."

"Well, uh, nice to meet you all, I guess." He sat down in the free space, next to the boy called Hiro. "So, are any of you new here as well?"

Three of them answered yes – Hiro, Ando and Zach. The others were all sophomores like Hana, it seemed.