Sanja returned home after her first day of American high school. Boy, did she imagine it differently. She hoped people would be nicer, she expected to at least meet someone, maybe start a friendship or something similar to it. She expected it would be like in the movies - all these young teens, driving their cars, looking all nice, big smiles and stuff. What she got was a mass of disinterested young people, lot of them looking as if they come from a poor background, and nobody had a big smile, surely not for her.

But it fit the overall theme of her stay in the States so far. Nothing turned out as she expected. Her very first day was one big unpleasant surprise. Her aunt, who lived in Gotham for 20 and more years, didn't even bother to pick her up from the airport. Sanja had to pay for a taxi, and the taxi driver didn't fail to take the longest possible way around: the fare was just ridiculous.

Her aunt greeted her as if Sonja came by every day, and not as if she hasn't seen her in more than 10 years. Sonja immediately noticed the packed bags, and soon found out that her aunt wasn't planning on staying. In fact, she was moving in "with a friend who lives in Atlanta, it's just for a while, dear. It won't be a problem, would it? You're a big girl, 17, right? You can manage.". Sonja told her she would be 16 years old in two months, and when she asked all those pesky questions, like, what about the bills, how to clean the house, what to eat, etc., she was met with a cold stare. "Any teenaged girl would be ecstatic to be have a whole house for herself! But if you don't like it, find yourself better accommodation. Or go home.".

What choice did she really have? She didn't want to go back to Croatia, she just came here, she wanted to explore Gotham and as much of the States as possible. She didn't know where to find other accommodation and he fear she would be sent home as soon as any authority finds out she's living alone. So the only solution was to live alone in her aunt's house and to keep it a secret from everyone. Her aunt promised to send her money for the bills and groceries, but if she wanted money for something else, like shopping or trips, she'd have to earn it on her own. "You wanted to experience the American life. Teens your age work. So find yourself a job.".

So, this was her bleak reality. Alone in a different country, without a friendly face, with little money and all alone in a pretty shabby house. Things must get better, she hoped, it can't get much worse, now can it?

Mike's idea about a girlfriend was constantly pestering Jack. He rejected the idea at first – it was a silly notion, a girlfriend! Girls are, let's see, mostly useless. Loud. Demanding. Overly dramatic. Way too curious. Shallow. Boring. You can't beat them up. Well, technically you can. But it leads to a lot of drama, and anyway, they're too weak to fight back, so where's the fun in that? So, why bother?

Because of sex, maybe? Jack wondered. He did have some experience at that field, actually, he did have sex. Once. With some older woman. It was quick, dirty, messy and surely didn't leave him wanting for more. That's why Jack thought sex was overrated, and the idea of having a girlfriend because of love didn't cross his mind anyway. Love was some abstract fairy-tale, rumoured to exists, never actually seen by anybody but loonies.

But still, you know how it is when someone plants an idea into your head. It's like a disease, spreading and demanding more and more of your attention. Jack was no exception. The next day in school, he was annoyed to realize that he started taking notice of various girls. It was like a witch was turned on in his mind.

This one is annoying, this one has no sense of humour, this one has slept with the entire football team, this one is a dyke, this one has a great rack but no brain, this one is into Twilight or whatever, this one simply stinks…

..and most of them wouldn't spare me a second glance anyway. Most of them are terrified of me. Most of them - if not all of them - are disgusted by the scars.

..and all of them are so fucking BORING, so BOOOORING, SO GODDAMN BLEAK. No fun at all.

Sanja's second day in school isn't much better than the first one. She still can't find a way to get to know anyone without being awkward and she feels out of place. She took extra care of her appearance that morning, her make up is done nicely, her long brownish hair looks healthy and shiny, her clothes fit her nicely. She knows it's a bit pathetic, but maybe that would help her get some attention.

But apart from some lingering looks from boys, it doesn't make a great deal of difference.

Again, recess is here and she faces the same dilemma as yesterday. She is a bit quicker today and not all tables are yet completely occupied. She awkwardly steers towards a table where only two girls sit, but as soon as she meets their unfriendly gazes, she gives up. At first she feels shame, and some sadness too, but those feelings are quickly replaced by anger. What on earth did she do that she doesn't deserve to simply sit somewhere and mind her on business?!

In her fury, she walks to an unoccupied table in the back and slams her tray on it. A few heads turn and she notices a few faces that seem both surprised and..concerned? She doesn't care. She sits down and returns those looks with a few glares of her own.

However, very soon it dawns on her why people would be worried about her choice of seat. It was his table. Scarface guy. Of course, she realizes that only when she meets a pair of brown, angry eyes. Scarface guy, in all his menacing glory, slowly approaches his table and drops his tray on it.

"Are you, uhm, lost?" his deep voice bears also a bit of a nasal tone to it, making the hair on her arms rise.

"No.", she tries to sound relaxed in spite of wishing she could just disappear into thin air, "This is the canteen, it's recess, I'm having lunch."

"This is my table.", he towers over her. Boy, he's really tall.

"Then sit.", she says shortly and absolutely refuses to look up to him. She doesn't know why, but she feels the need to stand her ground. If she shies away now, she will always be pushed around.

A few very long seconds pass and finally he sits down. He eats his sandwich and throws her a nasty look here and there. She's aware of his looks but acts as if nothing is out of the ordinary. In the same time, she is sure she will choke on the apple she's eating. This is the most uncomfortable meal she's ever eaten. Still, she feels she's doing the right thing for herself.

"I will not be seeing you here tomorrow", he snarls as she is about to finish her goddamned apple.

"Oh, you will", she blurts out with a small laugh.

They stare at each other with all of the possible hostility. She can see that he is annoyed but intrigued. He can see that she is both scared and stubborn.

"You will actually see me sooner than that", sometimes she just can't shut up, "We have maths today."

Their weird interaction is closely followed by the rest of the canteen and as soon as she finally gets up and leaves, the air feels lighter. No bloodshed today.

Just to prove her wrong, Jack deliberately skips maths that day.

"That asshole", Sonja smiles at his empty seat and then does her best to keep up with the class.