Chapter 1
Michonne changed into her gym shorts, sports bra, tank top, ankle socks, and sneakers.
This was her first day at Kings County High. She wasn't exactly thrilled to be here, but she didn't have a say.
Her parents had had a nasty drawn out divorce, mom finally agreeing to accepting a hefty lump sum, dad moving to London, where seemingly overnight he married someone and forgot about Michonne.
What could Michonne do? She was never particularly close to her dad, come to think of it, she wasn't very close to her mom either.
Both her parents were executives with careers that mattered more than marriage, family and their daughter. As long as Michonne got excellent grades in school and stayed out of trouble, they were happy with her.
And now, her mom changed. She blindly chose Kings County, a small town in the middle of No Where, Georgia, as the new location they would move to.
So here they were. No. Scratch that. Here She was. Michonnes mom, Brenda Horton, had met a man who whisked her away to a 4 month long cruise around the world. Jeez, if she ever had a kid, she knows exactly what she'd never do, thanks to the fine example of parents she had.
She sighed audibly as she pulled her shoulder length kinky curls into a bun on top of her head. Satisfied, she followed the other girls out of the locker room and into the gym.
"Kids!" The voice of her gym teacher echoed in the gymnasium as the kids were talking milling about, chatting with each other. "10 minutes of stretching, meet me out in the obstacle fields. Groups of 4!" With that, she strolled out of the gymnasium, hopped into a golf cart vehicle and drove off.
Okay…what kind of gym class was this going to be? Michonne did a series of floor stretches for a few minutes, then started heading out of the gym, following the other students to the fields.
"Hey! You new?"
Michonne turned to face the girl speaking to her. "Yes I am."
"Andrea Harrleson", the pretty green eyed blonde said as she stuck her hand out.
"Michonne Wallis", she replied, as they shook each other's hands. They continued to walk.
"So, obstacle course?"
"They put it in last year. Just for Juniors and Seniors. They want us involved in team building exercises."
"Okay! Every obstacle has 2 different courses. Groups of 4! You must work together! Slow and steady! No one is to be left behind! Now let's get to it!" The gym teacher shouted.
"Well we have half of our group," Andrea hooked her arm thru with Michonnes.
"Girls. Girls. Girls." Came an obnoxiously boisterous male voice from behind them.
"Gotta be who I think it is", Andrea whispered giddily. They both turned around, Andreas eyes beaming, mouth wide in a smile. "It's him!" she whispered in excitement.
"Who?"
"Only, The hottest guy in school!" Andrea emphasized.
The tall, dark haired, dark eyed, jock looking type guy with an unmistakable country accent, approached the girls and dropped both arms over their shoulders, steering them towards an empty course.
Michonne rolled her eyes, "We still need one more person," she craned her neck, shrugging out of his grasp, and looked around the field.
Shane turned around to look and spotted someone, "Yo Rick! Get your ass over here bro! I have our team!" Shane called out to someone.
Michonne rolled her eyes again. Great! Another obnoxious jock asshat to join the group!
She faced Shane, "So where is your Asshat Twin?" Michonne asked Shane, who at the moment was whispering something in Andreas ear, causing Andrea to have a giggling fit.
"Behind you." A low toned Southern twangy voice answered. She turned around, her dark brown eyes greeted with, quite possibly, the most handsome face she had ever seen. His eyes were the clearest beautiful blue of blues. She was momentarily stunned, but snapped out of it as she noticed the side of his mouth, turned ever so upwards in a little smirk.
"Asshat 2. About time you join us." she flippantly commented, turning and walking up to the structure. "So how are we doing this?", she asked as she studied their first obstacle.
"Well. I like this," Shane wrapped his arms around Andreas knees, easily picking her up, causing her to squeal and laugh in surprise, "grab the ledge and I'll push you up!" She did as told and sat on the ledge. Shane jumped up, easily lifting himself and sitting on the ledge next to Andrea.
"Very easy." He commented. "Bro. That's how you do it!" He advised Rick.
Michonne rolled her eyes once again, cutting her eyes at the arrogant hottie, "Don't even try it."
She proceeded to jump up, not catching the ledge on her first attempt.
"I can help you, you know." That sexy voice spoke next to her. "It's supposed to be a group challenge".
"Uh I don't think so Asshat. I don't want your hands anywhere near me." Lies. No not lies! I mean, I don't even know him, why would I want those hands of his on me?! Because, he has to be one of the hottest guys in this school. Hell. In all of Georgia. Michonne! Enough! Concentrate on this stupid activity!
"I wasn't going to do anything out of line."
"Yeah. Sure Asshat. Anyway," she jumped again, this time catching the ledge and pulling herself up on to the ledge. She sat up, looking down on the attractive as hell, guy who was looking right up at her, his eyes studying her face, that smirk still playing the corner of his mouth. "I can do this course by myself. Probably faster than your twin". She stood up on the ledge.
"Shane," he called up to his friend who was again whispering things in Andreas ear, "you have a challenge."
"Bro. You know. I like to stick to one girl at a time, but she is quite the little hottie, and Dreas bff, I'll take her off your hands."
"In your dreams!" she exclaimed. She turned back to look at Rick, "So are you coming?" Before he could respond or move to get on the structure. She jumped and started completing the next obstacle. "Come on Andrea! Let's leave the Asshat Twins behind and finish this already."
Andrea wriggled out of Shane's hug, deciding to join her new bff.
They both completed the obstacle course, deciding to strip off their tee shirts, lay down, playing up their taking in of the sun while waiting for their slow poke rest of the group.
"So you and Shane are together?" Michonne asked Andrea.
"No. He's always flirted with me, but today's the first day he has ever been so touchy feelie with me. I think you're my good luck charm!" Andrea bumped her shoulder into Michonne's.
Michonne chuckled.
"So. What do you think about Rick?"
"Who is Rick?" She full well knew who Rick was, "Oh, Asshat 2."
"Come on Michonne. He was totally checking you out. And he's pretty hot. Not as hot as Shane. But you guys would look so cute together."
"Oh my Gwad Andrea, I don't even know the guy."
"What do you think of his looks?"
Those eyes, that wavy black head of hair she wouldn't mind to run her fingertips through, those lips with that sexy smirk. "Meh. He's okay I guess."
"He's single. Broke up with his girlfriend, whom everyone thought would be together forever. They've basically been together since 6th grade. But he found out she cheated on him. Dumped her."
"Why would she cheat on him?" She was surprised, because he Was, so attractive.
"Girl. I knew you thought he was hot."
"Oh come on!"
"Admit it!"
"I'm not really saying he isn't, but-" she was interrupted by the gym teacher before she could finish her thought.
"Girls! What are you doing?"
"Catching some sun while we wait for the Twins. They were way too slow."
Just then, both Shane and Rick, emerged from the course, eyes wide as they saw both girls laying as they were, in their sports bras.
"Bro, I think we're in heaven." Shane observed.
"Excuse me! Keep your hormones in check, Walsh! And girls, put your shirts back on! This is not the damn beach! I told you all to complete the courses as a team. No one left behind."
Michonne stood up. "Oh come on. The Asshat Twins were so slow. Taking forever. Were we supposed to carry them thru each obstacle?" She looked at Rick as she exclaimed this point to Mrs. Ross.
He was wearing his stupid sexy smirk again. His eyes twinkled as they stared right into hers.
Jesus fucking Christ! She put her tshirt back on, as they continued to get their lecture from Mrs. Ross.
"You 4 will be here at 6:45 am tomorrow to accomplish this course, together, as a team."
"What?!"
"That is so unfair!"
"Oh come on Mrs. Ross!"
"You will be here at 6:45 am sharp. Or else you all will get a zero for the day and a few days of detention after school. You choose which you want to accomplish."
"Alright! Alright!" Shane said, "we'll be here."
Mrs. Ross turned away from them, calling out to the field of students still completing their courses. "Okay class! Hit the locker rooms. See you all on Wednesday! We will be doing personal fitness tests. So make sure you're ready. Hydrate, stretch, and be ready to do your ultimate best!"
"Thanks a lot Asshats." Michonne threw over her shoulder as she walked back towards the gym.
"It was your fault." Rick pointed out.
"What?!" She whipped her head around. And faced Rick. "How was it my fault!"
"You're the one who didn't want to work as a team."
"You are the ones who were moving as slow as molasses! I think my grandmother could have completed this course in a matter of minutes."
"You have to bring your grandmother into this?"
"That is what I call a "lovers tiff" if I ever saw one." Shane observed as he and Andrea walked by their best friends, faces inches apart, staring each other down.
"Should we break em up?" Andrea asked Shane.
"Nah. Come on. I have something to ask you."
"Oh? What is that?"
"Party this Friday-"
"Listen, I think we got off on the wrong foot here." Rick said as he tore his eyes off of hers, and ran his hand thru his hair.
"Did we, Asshat 2?"
"See? Right. There. My name is Rick Grimes." He stuck his hand out. "Nice to meet you."
She looked away, a bashful smile appearing, "Michonne Wallis," she put her hand in his, shaking while looking into each other's eyes again.
Her heart beat was hammering. This was intense. What the hell was going on?
"Rick!" A female voice called out loudly. They broke off their hands as the girl that had called out his name approached them. "Hey Rick, first day of the school year and you didn't even say hi." She looked at Michonne with squinty eyes.
Michonne inwardly rolled her eyes, and started walking away from the two.
"Hey! Michonne. Will you need a ride tomorrow morning?"
She turned around, seeing the face the girl trying to hang off of Ricks arm, was giving her, and she answered, "Yeah. I wouldn't mind."
"Wait! Where do you live?" He called after her.
"I'm sure you'll figure it out!" She smiled as she walked away. What the fuck did she do? Was she actually flirting with Rick?
Maybe Middle of Nowhere, Georgia wasn't going to be that bad after all.