A little help would be nice.

Im Ashley and im 16. I live on my own, I used to live with my gran, after my family died, but I put my foot down and she brought me an apartment. And today was my first day at college.

As I walked down the hallways, I didn't quite know what to expect. Half of me wanted to get good grades and all that, but the other half wanted me to meet friends, be popular and actually have a social life (very unlikely). I looked down at the piece of paper the receptionist behind the desk gave me when I arrived.

306

She had written on the paper. I was searching for that locker. I was at the 300's now so it couldn't be far. I found it soon enough. Great, I thought to myself, right next to the boy's changing rooms. What luck? I unplugged my iPod and put that in my locker. It already smelt in there. As I closed my locker door, I realised my row was all boys, who seemed a bit rough, all except for one. He looked sweet and innocent, but stylish and cool at the same time. All the girls were ogling him. Must be a popular, I thought. I looked away from him; I so didn't want to get involved with the swooning girls.

I took the time table out my bag – the receptionist had given me everything I needed to survive my first day, a map, a guide etc. – and looked for my first lesson. Room 456, English. I smiled, that was my favourite subject. I put that away and took out my map, trying to find 406; it was the other side of the school from where my locker was. Yay (!).

I began my way over to the classroom and my thoughts drifted to that boy I'd seen earlier. He seemed so calm and collected, like he didn't notice any of the girls that were there. Maybe he'd notice – I stopped there, not wanting to get ahead of myself. I hadn't how late I was until I entered the classroom and a 50 pairs of eyes were all on me.

"Sorry im later," I apologised. The teacher nodded and gestured to a seat near the front.

"So, as I was saying, you have to find a partner, a girl if you're a boy and a boy if you're a girl and get to know them. You have a week and then you must write an essay on them. 500 words please. Get choosing!" the teacher announced. Every girl ran over to one desk, I could just about make out that it was the boy from my locker row. I sighed and sat there, waiting for a boy to approach me. Time passed, second my second, rather minute by minute. When someone coughed to get my attention, I looked up from my desk to find the boy from my locker row.

"Hi," he said, smiling. "Im Zac and you are?" was he actually talking to me?

"Im Ashley" I said, smiling back at him.

"You want to partner up?" he asked. I blinked; this couldn't really be happening could it? I pinched myself secretly to see if this was a dream. Nope, definitely wasn't.

"S-sure," I stuttered. He sat down on the desk next to me, and I tried to ignore all the glares I was getting from the girls. When they all looked engrossed in their conversations he began talking,

"I'm so glad you said yes. Otherwise I would've ended up with one of those obsessed girls." I laughed at this, wow, im so glad I didn't choose the option to stare at him earlier.

"Right," I said. Could it really be possible someone like him, a jock and a gorgeous guy, wanted to talk to me, a geek and a less attractive looking girl then anyone alive.

"We better plan when we'll meet up," he suggested. "How about Tuesdays after school? My house or yours?" he asked.

"I don't mind," I said. "I'd prefer mine though. No annoying brothers or sisters, parents, people like that." I told him. Oops, I'd let something slip.

"Wait, no parents or siblings?" he asked, stunned.

"Err, no." I replied hesitantly. I looked down from his curious gaze and bit my lip.

"Cool." He said, smiling.