Connor POV
Connor Temple hurried along with his friends Tom and Duncan. They had math and they did not want to be late. Reaching the classroom, they sat at their normal seats. Duncan smirked in amusement.
"What are you laughing at?" Connor asked his friend. Duncan shared a conspiratorial look with Tom, as he answered.
"No reason." Connor shook his head. Sometimes his friends were idiots but he loved them all the same, though he would never admit it. Right on time though the really pretty blonde that no one talked to took his attention. He had no idea what her name was but Connor thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. As she walked past he got the perfect view of her behind. It wasn't like he purposefully looked but he couldn't help it.
On the first day of math class three years ago when they started high school, he had been sure the class would be horrible but then as he took his seat for the first time, she walked in and it was like one those scenes from a cheesy movie his mum liked to watch; everything happened in slow motion. Of course he wasn't stupid enough to think he'd ever have a chance with her but that didn't mean he couldn't look. He had been so upset for weeks after she started seeing the older guy Stephen something and when he had ditched her for Courtney, Connor had been pretty angry. He had watched her in math class subtly those few months after that and she looked utterly depressed. If he could actually manage it without dying a painful death, he would have had a go at Stephen but Connor wasn't stupid enough to enter into a fight with a big guy like that.
He didn't understand why no one liked her. Sure, she was anti-social and always wore something with black but she looked perfectly normal. Not that he wanted her to, but she would have fit right in to the group of popular girls. She looked everything the part. It was only Courtney's influence that kept her from the inner social circle. Connor was particularly glad he wasn't part of that group; it was like they couldn't think for themselves. If the clique said it was acceptable then everyone would follow. It was like being around sheep constantly.
He hadn't noticed he'd been staring at her until she had lifted her head and stared back. Tom and Duncan glanced behind them to see what his attention was taken by and they both rolled their eyes, both saying at the same time.
"The hot blonde again." Tom and Duncan then proceeded to tease the life out of him. They knew that the reason they always sat there was so Connor had the perfect view of the pretty blonde who walked past every class and they never ceased to let him live it down. Tom clapped Connor on the arm.
"Why don't you just ask her out mate?" Connor scoffed and glanced at Tom briefly.
"As if! I'd be laughed into me grave!" Connor looked back at the girl and then his eyes widened and he turned back around. He swore she just winked at him and smiled. He shook his head at himself; his imagination was running off again. He immediately began to pay attention as the teacher entered the class. He wished he knew her name.
Abby POV
Abby wandered aimlessly through the school. She had asked a few people who Connor Temple was but none of them even knew him. She actually wanted to try now. She didn't want to fail the class on purpose. She approached another group of people who once again glared at her in warning but still she asked and they had no idea either. He must be really low on the social meter for nobody to know him. She spotted the two guys that were friends with the cute guy from math and she decided it was no harm to ask them. As she approached them, she watched as their eyes widened to the size of saucers. Had they even talked to a girl before?
"Hi, um I was wondering if you knew a guy called Connor Temple?" she asked trying to make her voice welcoming and cheerful. They both looked at each other in recognition and then smiled. The tall one seemed to decide to take the lead on the situation.
"Uh yes we do. As it so happens he is a very close friend and me and Dunc are more than happy to take you to him," he said and she felt like there was more than what was actually being said going on but she smiled in gratitude.
"Oh thank you that would be great! I've been searching practically all day!" They both raised their eyebrows at each and the tall one instructed her to follow him and the shorter one. She did, eagerly falling into stride behind them.
They led her all the way across the campus to the science block where the extra special classes were taught. The school had a great extra-curricular program and there were many non-classroom science classes taught. The most sought after ones were from the teacher who came in from a university: Professor Nick Cutter. They stopped outside a small building.
"Well he's inside having his lecture on paleontology right now but I'm pretty sure it finishes soon. Dunc and me'll wait and keep you company," The tall one said. Abby had gathered from the small amount of time spent with them that the tall one was the leader. The shorter one, Duncan she guessed, was very quiet and didn't seem to want to input much.
"Um what was your name again?" she asked the tall guy, finding it irritating not being able to put a name to the face. He laughed in realisation and stuck his hand out.
"I'm Tom and this is Duncan." She shook both of their hands and told them her name was Abby.
It was awkward at first as she stood with the two guys. It was like she was a creature in a zoo. They were staring at her like she was the most interesting thing in the world. Her earlier assumption must have been correct, that they hadn't really spoken to girls. She was also finding it hard to not be annoyed as she continually kept noticing that as they talked to her that their eyes were not always on her face but her chest. Soon though, her feeling of awkwardness changed to confusion. They began to animatedly chat about Star Trek or Doctor Who or something and Abby was completely lost. She had never really been a Sci-fi fan and she preferred comedy and romance films.
She was saved soon though when the door opened and students filed out. Abby wanted to smack herself in the head she was such an idiot. Of course the person the person they had brought her to was their friend from class. So his name was Connor Temple? Interesting…
As he walked out he frowned upon seeing his two friends outside his class. He couldn't see Abby yet as for some reason Tom and Duncan had maneuvered themselves in front of her and being as short as she was, she was obscured entirely.
"Um okay… You guys decided to come pick me up after class? I'm flattered?" he said sounding suspicious. Tom shook his head.
"Nah mate we just came to drop something off. Poor thing's been looking for you all day apparently." Abby could hear what Tom was insinuating and she rolled her eyes. This would be interesting. Connor's friends had obviously thought she was seeking him out for other reasons. The two stepped out of the way and she watched as Connor's eyes widened in shock and he went slightly red in the face. Tom and Duncan waved goodbye and shot off, mumbling something about giving them some time alone. She shook her head as she turned back to him. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Um…Hi…um was there something I could help you with?" he stammered pathetically and she watched as he squeezed his eyes closed obviously appalled at his inability to speak like a normal person. She smiled; it was kind of adorable how nervous he was.
"Um, yeah, I'm Abby Maitland, we're in the same math class?" she introduced as if she had no idea that he knew who she was already.
"Mr. Chase told me to come speak to you. He wants you to be my tutor," she explained and she watched as he practically deflated. He had obviously been hoping for her to ask him something else and she suspected she knew what.
"Right well just let me know when and where," he said and she noticed the change in attitude. He was now all business. The awkwardness was still there of course but she could see how he was trying to conceal how disappointed he was.
"Well I was wondering if it was possible to do it at your place because it's just not possible for me to study at mine and whatever day you're not busy I can come over after school," she said and he seemed to scramble to think.
"Um yeah that'll be fine. Um well if it's alright with you, you could come over next Friday after school?" he suggested. Abby smiled and nodded. That would be fine as it was Friday already. She began to walk away and she called over her shoulder.
"I'll see you then; nice to meet you."
This could actually be fun. She hadn't ever really considered him before in any way but she suddenly found herself wanting to know more about him. Maybe she could gain a friend from this.
Connor POV
Connor sighed. He had been stupid thinking she was actually coming to talk to him because she wanted to. Once again movie scenarios had rushed through his head where the prettiest girl would realize at the end of the film that the unpopular nerd guy was better for her and ask him out. He always kept forgetting that he was not anything like a movie star. Stephen was and that was obviously the kind of guy Abby liked. Sometimes he, like all teenagers at some point in their lives, really disliked himself. He had to look at the positives though, at least this way he would get to spend some time with her. He watched as Professor Cutter walked from the classroom to his car. Cutter waved at Connor before he got into his car and drove off. Connor turned and made his way back to the main building of the school. He still had one class left.
As he reached his locker, Tom and Duncan cornered him.
"So did you get her number? What did she want?" Tom questioned first and Duncan excitedly continued the stream.
"Did you ask her out?" Connor sighed.
"Guys, she just wanted me to tutor her, that's all." Tom and Duncan deflated then.
"Ah, sorry Con. We just assumed because we saw her smile at you in class." Connor nodded and the three of them made their way to their last class. Tom thrust a piece of paper in front of Connor and Connor wrinkled his nose at the fluorescent color of the thing.
"What's that?" Connor asked.
"I printed it from an email I got last night. Apparently everyone got one, even the socially unacceptable. Party tonight at the old abandoned building out near the Forest of Dean," Duncan piped up from his place on Connor's right. Connor rolled his eyes. Tom and Duncan had not exactly settled yet so to speak. They were both a year younger than his seventeen years and were still in the phase of trying to be the coolest they could be. Connor had given that up ages ago, contenting himself to throwing himself into his favorite class: Paleontology.
"Connor, I know you're not into these but please at least think about it. It'll be fun, I promise," Tom begged and Connor sighed but took the ridiculous flyer. He had absolutely no intention of going but he would appease his friends. Connor was perfectly confident that he would have the worst time of his life there. If he could see the future, he would certainly take back those words and agree with Tom and Duncan…
A/N:Hope you like this! I don't normally do AU fics but I liked this idea and decided to write it down! Please review :)
