Sookie hurried to room 201, glad that the instructions given to her by Maxine Fortenberry, the rotund, overly Southern secretary, proved accurate. When she opened the door and walked in, a couple dozen pairs of eyes looked in her direction, but she ignored them and went straight to the teacher's desk. "Excuse me, Mrs. Bellefleur?"

Heavily makeup'd eyes blinked up from the laptop Portia Bellefleur was typing on and looked at her. "Oh, you must be Sookie Stackhouse. Maxine just sent me a message to watch out for you. Welcome to Shreveport."

"Thank you."

"You've got your schedule?"

"Yes, Mrs. Fortenberry gave me everything I'd need."

"Then go ahead and have a seat. Classes will start soon."

Sookie nodded and turned to the class. Interest in her had since waned, and everyone had gone back to talking to each other or texting on their phones. She made her way to a free seat near the front, but not before her eyes caught the one person still looking her way.

The same eyes that watched her walk all the way to the main office after she nearly bowled him over in the hallway not 15 minutes ago. She'd felt his gaze on her the entire way. He smiled at her and patted the empty seat next to him, waggling his eyebrows as he did so. Sookie ignored him and slid into the seat nearer the front.

She pulled out her schedule. First period, English IV, room 110. Since she was on the second floor now room 210, 110 should be on the first floor, right? She pulled out her map and glanced over the numbers. Where was room 110? The building was large, yes, but unfortunately, not laid out in any logical manner. As she searched, the bell rang, and Sookie felt a slight zing of panic. She should have asked the secretary to circle all of her classes on this map so she'd be able to make it to class on time.

After another minute, she looked up to see most of the classroom empty, including the teacher's desk. She stood, thinking she'll ask a passing teacher where to go, or maybe –

"Need help?" Eric walked up behind Sookie and tapped her on the shoulder. She jumped at his touch.

Not exactly who she planned on asking for directions, but she'd already embarrassed herself with him already, so it wouldn't matter much, would it? "Umm, I guess. Do you know how to get to room 110? Mrs. Fortenberry gave me a map, but it doesn't seem to –"

"Forget the map," Eric said smoothly, plucking it from her fingers.

Sookie snatched it right back, instantly annoyed at his high-handedness. "Just point me in the right direction, please, and I'll be on my way."

He found himself taken aback by her attitude. Where's the Southern belle he'd held in his arms a little while ago? When he didn't respond, she huffed and started to walk away.

"Wait!" he said, taking two steps to catch up to her. "You said room 110, right? English IV?"

Sookie nodded, a frown still on her face.

"I've got the same class, if you just want to follow me."

"You're a senior?" Sookie didn't mean for it to sound as sarcastic as it did coming out of her mouth, and she knew her Gran would give her a well-placed slap to her backside for being so rude to someone she'd just met. But there was something about this out-of-place Viking – she'd finally placed his accent – that made her forget herself and her manners.

"Yes, I'm a senior," Eric replied.

"I'm sorry, that was rude. I'm just a little overwhelmed is all. Bon Temps is about half this size, and –"

"Don't worry," Eric said, placing a hand in the middle of her back as they walked out in the hall. "While we walk, I'll explain all about the ins and outs of Shreveport High, and you can explain to me what a Bon Temps is."

Sookie giggled, then immediately clapped her hand over her mouth. She never giggled.

After first period English, she didn't see Eric for the rest of the day. Which suited her fine. The entire time they'd walked to class, his hand ghosted along her back. And he insisted that she sit next to him in the class. The move gained her a few raised eyebrows from a few of the other females in the class, whose looks at Sookie ranged from curiosity to outright jealousy because Eric's attention was focused solely on her.

She'd picked up at once that he was a natural flirt, but since no less than six girls tried to capture his attention before, during and after class, she knew also that she couldn't afford to allow herself to be drawn into his harem.

She concentrated the rest of the day on finding her classes and making sure she wouldn't have any trouble with her courseload. Bon Temps was a smaller school, for sure, but she found that the curriculum was much the same, and she'd have no problem acing her kept her eyes on her ultimate goal, graduating and then reuniting with her friends to start a new life.

Her first day kept her so busy that she didn't really have time to miss Tara and Amelia. That is, until 3pm rolled around, and she walked out of the building toward the student parking lot. The heat of the day had hit, and she tied her cardigan around her waist to let her shoulders and arms get some sun. Her cellphone beeped with a new text message, and she opened it to see Tara hadn't forgotten her, either.

Girl, you missed a bitchin' first day of school. How's life in the big city?

Sookie smiled as she replied, hearing her best friend's voice in her head as she read her message.

Great! I'll call you and tell you about it later, okay?

Another minute passed, and she was about halfway to her car when her phone beeped again.

You better! Bill was asking about you and why you weren't at school.

Ugh, Sookie thought, the mere mention of her one-time attempt at romance last year ruining her good mood.

He's a dick. He knew Gran got sick, and we sold the house. He lives next door!

LOL He assumed you were staying with me or Amelia.

He's an idiot. You guys coming up this weekend?

Yep. Call me later?

Definitely. Out.

Her mood lifted, Sookie slid her phone back into her bag and headed to her car. The cherry red Corvette was still parked next to hers, but it wasn't that that caught her attention. It was the person leaning against it.

Eric. It figured, she thought. A Corvette fit him and showed her how far apart they really were. A glance at her beat up Datsun and his shining vehicle summed up that fact. A small part of her wanted to say to hell with it and flirt back and have a good time, but what then? She couldn't afford now to be reckless. She'd had to grow up fast this past summer, and her first big decision appeared to be right in front of her. And so, pushing aside her adolescent libido that had jumped at the sight of the blonde Adonis, she walked toward him.

Eric stood beside his car, impatiently waiting for Pam to show up and return his keys. He shouldn't have handed them to her in homeroom that morning, but his thoughts had been focused on Sookie. He hadn't even heard what Pam's reason was for needing to get into his car. But now he was stuck. He texted her, telling her to move her butt, but she didn't answer.

He saw out of the corner of his eye a flash of blonde and turned, thinking it was Pam, but no. It was Sookie, walking and frowning as she worked her cell.

"Hey, Sookie," he said when she'd gotten close enough.

"Hey."

The frown had disappeared, a small smile replacing it. "How'd your first day go?"

"Good, thanks to your help."

She walked past him to the small yellow car that sat beside his.

"Nice car."

Sookie stopped short. Did just make fun of her car?

The frown came back, and Eric immediately saw his gaffe. Compared to the thousands of dollars of metal and glass he was leaning against, the obviously decades-old vehicle she was opening the door to was nothing close to "nice."

"I mean, it suits you," he added quickly. "The color, I mean, suits you. Bright and sunny." He was stammering, he knew it, and it startled him. He'd never been nervous around a girl before.

"Thanks, I think," Sookie said. "Yours suits you, too."

Eric smirked, "Thanks. It was my birthday present last year."

Of course it was, Sookie muttered to herself. Yet another example of how different they were, how far apart in their lifestyles. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Without waiting for him to answer, Sookie slid into her car, and with a loud cranking of the engine, she headed out of the parking space and through the lot.

Eric watched her the whole way, something that came to Pam's notice as she walked up to him. "I recognize that look."

"Huh?"

Pam sighed, "You had that same look on your face this morning."

"It's Sookie."

"That was her car?" Pam nodded over her shoulder.

"Yeah."

In any other circumstance, Pam would take the opportunity to poke fun at her brother, but he truly seemed interested in this girl. And it'd only been seven hours. Eric was hooked.

Though she loved him, she knew Eric was unhappy, and had been since they were 14. Plucked out of Sweden to live here. Pam took it all in stride, but Eric, since that day, just wanted to go home. She could very easily leave him to his own devices, but she couldn't bear another year of him pouting, complaining, and screwing half the females in the senior class.

Plan in mind, she tossed his keys in his direction before turning to her own car. "Tell Dad I'll be home later," she said.

Sookie's bright yellow car stood out in traffic, and it didn't take long for Pam to catch up and follow her. She had no interest in stalking the girl, but other than a name, she had no information to contend with. For now, she'd settle on knowing where she lived.

Sookie pulled up at her apartment complex and parked. It wasn'tanything too flashy, but it was small and secure. Given its temporary status, she didn't care much for extras and amenities. Once inside, she dropped her bag, grabbed a granola bar and headed out the move to the apartment and getting ready for school, she hadn't seen Gran for a few days.

Her car, though, had a different plan. A loud cranking sound emitted from the engine, but nothing else. "Damn it, not now!" she screamed within the confines of the vehicle, slamming her hands on the wheel.

A knocking on her window made her jump. A beautiful, well-dressed girl was standing beside her car. Sookie rolled down her window.

"Need some help, Sookie?"

"How do you know my name?" Sookie asked.

"I saw you at school."

"Oh, okay. Ane you are?"

"Pam Northman."

The name, the looks. It all fit together. "Then you –"

"Eric's my twin," Pam nodded.

Sookie's level of frustration peaked again. "Did he send you to follow me?"

"Oh, get over yourself," Pam deadpanned, opening Sookie's driver's side door. "Eric doesn't know I'm here."

"Then what –"

"What am I doing out here in the Louisiana sun and humidity when I could be in my own air-conditioned home?"

"Yes," Sookie answered, climbing out of her car.

Pam looked the fellow blonde dead in the eye. "Because you're the first girl to hold Eric's interest for more than a couple of hours."

"Pam, I'm flattered by Eric's attentions, and I'm sure any other girl –"

"Psh, forget about that," Pam said, waving Sookie's protestations away. "In fact, forget about Eric for now. Your car's obviously dead, and you were headed somewhere?"

"Yeah, I need to check in with my Gran, and –"

"Then come with me, I'll drive you."

Sookie wanted to say no, but Pam was already getting into her car. It wasn't as flashy as Eric's Corvette, but Sookie knew a Mercedes when she saw one. She looked back at her Datsun. It'd been hers and her Gran's for years now, and she hoped it'd last through the year. But now it seemed she'd have to use the money from the house sale to get it fixed. Or, more likely, get a new one.

A blare from a car horn pulled her out of her thoughts, and she turned to see Pam looking at her expectantly.