Disclaimer: I do not own Shiver, only the characters I create like Zoe and any others that develop.

School takes a turn for the worst

Zoe's POV

I walked through the door of the school, nervous for my first day. Don't fall, don't fall, don't fall. I kept repeating over and over in my head hoping it would help. And of course two seconds later I rammed into someone.

I glanced up quickly, ready to apologize to whomever I had run into. What I came face to face with was a boy who looked to be my age with dark, chestnut brown hair and bright blue eyes, yet his expression held a glare.

"Watch where you're going!" he yelled at me, I flinched, I wasn't used to people treating me like this even when I did run into them. The boy's interest was changed when he saw a large group of people waiting down the hallway with similar expressions on their faces.

"Sorry." I said quietly, a habit of mine.

"Excuse me?" he demanded,

"I said sorry, you think people would be nicer on someone's first day..." I trailed off already losing my train of thought.

"Whatever," he said looking frustrated "later loser." He looked back towards his friends who were grinning towards him. The oldest one looked ready to intervene when a girl who looked about sixteen came around a corner. He straightened up quickly looking at her with an expression filled with only one thing, love. Something only read about in romance novels, it does not fit in well with the high school atmosphere.

"Hi, what's up?" the girl said, she didn't reflect any of those around her, she was slight with long blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. For someone who apparently knew these boys she seems fairly kind.

"Nothing." the boy replied, obviously my entire existence was forgotten. She didn't even look towards me, her eyes remained focused on the boy, that is until she saw the glares being sent in my direction.

"Who's this?" she asked seeing me kneeling on the floor with books everywhere. "Do you need help" she asked while walking towards me. I made an attempt to shake my head but she didn't seem to notice.

"No thanks." I replied surprised at how strong my voice sounded, "Your friends helped me enough." Gesturing to the boys, I began to gather my books, I saw the girl's face though, flashes of first confusion then anger. Whatever, I thought to myself, if she wants to help she can just come over here and do it. The last book I had to pick up was my sanity, my favorite book, Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. I have always lived in books, wishing they were real. But, I learned the hard way that life is never a fairy tale, never. But it was always good to dream, it provides escape from the worst of situations.

I began to walk away quickly not wanting to turn back, but the girl stopped me. She seemed overjoyed in a way, as if no matter how many people attempted to hurt her or bring her unhappiness she wouldn't let it phase her.

"Hi, I'm Grace, I'm sorry if they gave the wrong impression, but they are-"

"Whatever, I need to get to class." I told her quickly, I've had enough 'pity' for one day.

"Wait!" she called as I tried to walk away, she quickly caught up to me, the happiest expression I've ever seen still remained on her face.

I turned on her, "What?" I asked with more venom then I intended. She didn't flinch though, but before she could reply, the boy was there, the eldest, up close I could see his face, the strangest thing was his yellow eyes…

"Is there a problem here?" he asked with a growl creeping into his voice,

"No." the girl, Grace said quickly looking between me and him quickly as if assessing if he was going to hurt me.

"It looked like something was going on." he said eying me as if daring me to say something defensive.

"I have to go." I said firmly, and I walked away without a second glance.

Great, first day and I already have enemies. I admit treating that girl like that was cruel but hay a crappy day has begun and is far from finished. As I walked to my first class, I saw there was only one seat available and it was next to the brown hair blue eyed jerk. I walked over and sat down quietly avoiding eye-contact.

I glanced at the old clock hanging on the front wall of the classroom, I still have fifteen minutes until class starts.

I wonder if the teachers would mind if I read before classes, most likely not, with all the other activities going on they would probably be surprised by the fact that one of the students even knew what a book was when teachers were not hand delivering them and forcing the students to read them.

"What are you reading?" the boy asked from beside me, leaning over my shoulder to have a better look at the page, causing me to become even more agitated.

"Why do you need to know?" I demanded.

"Just curious." he stated, smiling and eying me happily,

"Curiosity killed the cat." I replied looking back down at the page.

"Wow you are a freak." He said matter-of-factly.

"And you're an ego-centric, jerk-face, who can't keep his mouth shut." I said not taking my eyes off the page.

"Wow, someone's defensive, you know I'm like the most popular guy at this school and not a person to make enemies with." He said with an amazingly charming smile, get it together, he's just a boy, just another player who will break your heart.

"Can you just let me read?" I half yelled at him, I know what you're thinking, not the best way to make friends, but I'm already off to a bad start, what's one more mistake?

"Wow, what's your problem?" he asked looking confused, I was confused for a second then I remembered, he's used to girls falling all over him and I am , a girl is not falling for him call, the police.

I ws about to reply to his question when the teacher walked into the classroom and began to talk, firmly taking her seat behind the large mahogany desk placed in the front of the room, directly beneath the clock.

"Class please turn to page twenty nine, we will be learning about the Revolutionary War." Within seconds I was lost in history, but I was still aware of the side-ways glances the boy was giving me every now and again.

I have decided to rewrite the first few chapters, mainly just touch up and changing some dialogue, I've made so many mistakes in this I hate a lot of it so I'm going to fix it. :)

~HunterofArtemis1136