Chapter Two

It took five minutes into her first day for Schuyler to make a scene. Her books scattered around the floor and she ducked her head down to avoid eye contact with any members of her audience and the person she bumped into. Schuyler hadn't even taken look at that person yet, she was so scared. She mentally kicked herself for being so ungraceful and on the first day of school, too. When she finally glanced up, she saw him. Dark brown hair, that curled at the ends, deep hazel eyes, a strong chin; Schuyler choked back a gasp and knew that she shouldn't have looked up. His eyes flickered with amusement when her eyes caught his. Her heart was pounding at a mile per hour. He reached out his hand, as if to pull her up, and his slightly thin lips tugged at the corners. Schuyler latched on and hoisted herself up. His soft touch seemed to burn through her skin so she let go of his hand as if it was on fire, which made him raise his eyebrows and smile a little bigger. Schuyler's mind filled with a thousand thoughts but she only concentrated on one; she made a fool out of herself and now was her chance to redeem herself. She swallowed, smoothed down her skirt and ran her tongue across her lips.

"Sorry 'bout that. I'm Schuyler," she cleared her throat and stretched out her hand. A shy smile played on her lips.

"It's alright. And I know who you are," he smirked and shook her hand. Schuyler's eyes narrowed.

"You know? Please don't tell me that the first person I met today is a stalker." She prayed and hoped that he knew that she was just joking. He seemed to understand because his smirk only got bigger.

"Oh, well, we wouldn't want that would we?" he leaned in closer to her and her breath caught at her throat. He seemed to have noticed this since he leaned away and grinned playfully. "I'm Scott. I live next door to you. Didn't you get the chocolate cake my mom made for your family? Because I wrote the 'Welcome' with icing and it took me quite a while to do so."

The thought of him with an apron tied to his hips and concentrating hard on icing made her blush, but she didn't know why.

"Oh yeah? That was you?" Her eyebrows raised, trying to conceal her ever-growing blush. Schuyler licked her lips in what she hoped was in a flirty way. "Hmmm. That cake was good."

What Schuyler didn't know was that Scott was going crazy at the sight of her glossy plump lips and the sound of her 'hmmmm'. It certainly got a reaction out of him but he hoped that she didn't notice.

"Well I'm glad you thought so. I've got to get going but I'll see you around Schuyler." And with that he winked and saluted her good-bye.

Schuyler couldn't contain the soft sigh that left her mouth. What was she thinking? It was given that she would probably trip or something in that category on her first day. It was the inevitable. She was clumsy; state and fact. But to actually crash into whom was probably one of KPS hottest guys? Now that was just unacceptable. But that's Schuyler for you.

***

Schuyler leaned against the reception desk, as she tried to explain to the elderly woman behind it that she knew that it was November and not September and that she was new to KPS and needed her class schedule.

"Listen, um…" Schuyler glanced at the woman's blouse to find any indication to what her name was. Weren't they supposed to have name tags or something? "…you, I know that today isn't the first day of school for everybody else but it is for me. I'm Schuyler James. Does that ring any bells?" But all the woman did was stare blankly back at Schuyler.

"Ok. You know what? I'm just going to come around the desk and try and find my schedule. Is that ok with you?" Schuyler took the lady's silence as a 'yes'. But she came around the reception desk the old lady started screaming bloody murder.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!! Stop that or my Johnny will come and get you!" And with that, the crazy old lady hit Schuyler square on her right shoulder with her heavy as hell bag.

"What's going on here?!" Both Schuyler and the lady turned to see a red-faced man hurrying towards us. "Young lady aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"I'm new here and I was told to come to the administration office for my schedule." Couldn't these people get anything right? Obviously Schuyler wasn't trying to do any harm to some crazy old lady.

"Oh. Schuyler James, is that right?" The man pronounced Schuyler's name like 'Shy-ler'.

"Sky-ler," She hated it whenever people caller her that.

"Right. Terribly sorry about her," the man pointed to the lady. "She's my mom and I was just about to drive her to my sister's. I'm your new principal, Mr. Barry."

"Nice to meet you," Schuyler didn't want to be rude but this man was seriously wasting her time. If she wanted to get to her first class before the bell rang and avoid the inevitable 'Welcome to KPS. Would someone like to show this young lady around the school? No? Well I guess you're branded as the loser New Girl now, Schuyler' talk with her teacher in front of a bunch of adolescent spectators, Schuyler would have to go NOW.

"I was wondering about my schedule…" she trailed on, inviting Mr. Barry to get her long-awaited class schedule.

" Right, right! Wait right here," Mr. Barry raced into his office. And now Schuyler was left stranded with his insane mother. Schuyler eyed her warily, not wanting to have to fight her off again. But thank the lords that all MBCM (Mr. Barry's Crazy Mother) did was sit on one of the wooden (was everything wooden here?) chairs lining the side of the administration office.

"Here it is. You better get to class." Mr. Barry gave her a smile and sent her off.

The trilling of the late bell echoed the hallowed halls as Schuyler tried, and unsuccessfully, to find her first period English. When she found it, she was already 10 minutes late. Schuyler mentally prepared herself for the definite embarrassment she was going to have to face in a few seconds. She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, smoothed down her hair and shakily placed her hand on the doorknob. Here comes the inevitable.