"Megan Morse?"
"Present!"
While Mrs. McMackin continued checking attendance Megan turned to Linda Park, a sophmore in her homeroom, and asked when cheerleading tryouts began.
"September 16, about four days from now." The korean girl smiled.
"Are you going to tryout?" Megan asked. She liked this girl. Megan only knew her for a day but Linda seemed nice.
"No, I want to be a journalist when I graduate so I'm in the student newspaper. And next year when Brittani Tyler and Miranda Blake graduate I'll take Brittani's spot as news anchor. Plus I was never into the whole 'cheerleader' thing."
Megan nodded. "Wait. News anchor?" Megan hadn't heard of this in her shows.
"Yeah! See our school has about every club imaginable, and students who are involved in the newspaper also take part in the broadcasts the school has right after the pledge on fridays." The raven haired sophomore told her.
"That's so cool!" Megan gushed.
"Linda Park?" The teacher cut in, still taking attendance.
"Here" Linda called out.
"But Megan, if you make it on the team, I can do a story about it. It'll read 'New girl kicks ass as newest cheerleader'!" she said making an arch in the air with her hands, then turned back to Megan "What do yout think?" Linda smiled.
"That would be really cool Linda, but I don't think I'll be that good." She blushed.
"You'll do great!" Linda said as the bell rang. "See you tomorrow!"
Megan walked to her first period class thought the crowded hallways and got shoved around a few times, she was in gotham, but kept a fast pace. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see green eyes and freckles, Wally had caught up with her.
"Hey Megalicious" Wally said with a wink.
Megan couldn't help but blush a bit. Growing up the way she had, she never really had anyone flirt with her, except for the buck-toothed guy who worked at the market down the street from her house. Megan liked Wally, but like a brother. Plus she had her eye on someone else.
She said hello and asked him where he was headed to; honestly she knew, she was just making conversation. He was on his way to English, with a teacher he and Dick frequently complained about. She was funny, they had said, but also gave way too much homework. Megan herself was off to American History, and she wasn't too fond of that class, not that she wasn't good at it, she was probably one of the best students in her class but she'd rather be learning about different civilizations and cultures. They were like whole new worlds for her. Luckily for her, a certain raven-haired boy was in that class.
Wally's class was right around the corner so he slipped through the door and said goodbye to her. She kept walking through the halls when she felt a hand around her waist.
"Heeeey, hottie" Megan was greeted by a very tall, lanky boy with pale skin and hair, his eyes a light blue.
"Um... hi?" Megan was creeped out, but didn't want to be rude, so she gently removed his hand from her waist.
He seemed unfazed by this. "Where you headed?", He asked her in a voice that she supposed was meant to be flirty, but she had no intentions of doing so. At least not with him.
"History" Megan forced a smile and a gestured to the room behind her then quickly slid through the door. He followed.
"Me too, babe." He winked. Megan felt a bit sick, to be honest. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive, he was, he was just coming off really sleazy and forward. Megan also got nervous because he definatly was not in this class. Or he was and hadn't come to class in the past few days she'd been here.
"Then why haven't I seen you here before?" She asked, inching away. He smiled, trying to be flirtatious.
"I'm not really the 'class' type."
"So you've been cutting?"
"Not the word I'd use, but sure." He smirked. "I haven't introduced myself, have I? How rude of me, I'm Cameron. You can call me Cam." he winked at the end.
"Megan, but you can call me Megan." She forced another smile, that quickly disappeared
The bell rung and the teacher told them to sit down. The class was seated alphabetically and Megan sat toward the back next to the window with an empty chair to her left. She had never minded the empty chair until now. Cameron followed her to the back and sat right in the empty chair.
"Mr. Mahkent, I see you've found your desk. How wonderful of you to finally join us." The teacher, Mrs. McLaughlin said. Megan thought she was trying to go for a sarcastic/patronizing tone, but it came out more playful and lighthearted. Mrs. McLaughlin was very much a push-over.
"Yeah, it's a real joy" Cameron said feigning sincerity.
Mrs. McLaughlin ignored him and went to the center of the room, saying something that had nothing to do with American History. Megan didn't get bored easily, in fact she was quite patient and understanding, but Mrs. McLaughlin tested even her with how long she could stay awake. Conner was the only one really interacting with her. Giving her short responses and getting every answer right after no one else would try.
"Now who can tell me the names of the homes the Iroquois built? Austin, how about you?" Mrs. McLaughlin asked.
Austin sat up and rubbed his eye before yawning out "Sorry, I don't know about Indians"
"They aren't called Indians, they're called Native Americans" A girl said, clearly annoyed.
"Whatever, we all know who the real Americans are, am I right?" His friends roared a 'yeah' while banging on the desks, one even shouted "'MURICA".
Conner looked like he was about to say something back, clearly agitated, when Mrs. McLaughlin asked again.
"Megan, dear, how about you? Can you tell me the name of the homes the Iroquois built?"
"They're called 'Longhouses'" Megan said easily.
"Very good!" Megan stopped listening to the teacher as she went off talking about corn.
"Pssst"
Megan turned to her left, Cameron was looking right at her.
"So, McLaughlin huh? More like McLaughlin." When Megan didn't laugh he explained, "Y'know cuz her name is spelled with the word 'laugh' and she so fun to laugh at, cuz she sucks" He let out a light laugh.
Megan tried to smile but it came out like more of a grimace. He didn't seem to notice.
Megan looked at the clock, there was still twenty-five minutes left of class. She let a huff and started doodling around her notes, her chin placed in the palm of her left hand.
Megan ran to her next class, not believing that she was late. She found the room and ran inside right after the bell rang.
"I'm so sorry! I'm still pretty new to the school and I got lost and," Megan took a breath, "I'm sorry" She slumped her shoulders looking down. She was waiting for Mr. Gold to give her detention, like she's seen on her TV shows.
Mr. Gold walked up to her, a small paint smear on his forehead, and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Megan, don't sweat it! I'm cool, and besides, you were only a few seconds late!" He smiled, Why don't you take a seat next to Artemis, Barbara, and Bette?"
"Ok. Thank you, Mr. Gold." Megan smiled back before sitting down next to Barbara.
"Now class, uh," Megan took notice that Mr. Gold talked with his hands a lot, "talk amongst yourselves until I get back; I forgot the basket coils in the other room." He said bashfully, before running out the door.
"Megan, nice to meet you again." Barbara said once Mr. Gold left. "You've met Artemis, and this is Bette."
"Hey, it's great to meet you!" Bette smiled, holding her hand out across the table.
"Hi!" Megan smiled back shaking Bette's hand.
Artemis took off her blazer, revealing her untucked blouse and loose tie. She seemed uncomfortable in her skirt, tugging it down without much success. She turned to see Megan eyeing her outfit apprihensively.
Megan was a bit taken back by Artemis' lack of care for the dress code. It wasn't just Artemis either, Megan had noticed that Wally never tucked in shirt, he always left it loose under his sweater vest with the sleeves rolled up, he didn't even wear his tie. And Cameron's tie had been haphazardly thrown around his neck. "Uh, not to sound rude but, aren't you supposed to tuck that in?"
Artemis laughed, "The guidelines say you are, but honestly, no one really cares as long you've got the clothes on."
Bette motioned her head to the left, "Look at Miranda, could her skirt get any shorter? And the top buttons on her shirt are open, just like half of the girls here. It's like Art said, no one cares." The Blonde shrugged.
"But anyway, Megan, it looks like Alex Johnson has his eye on you." Bette pointed toward a boy about Megan's age with blonde hair and dark blue eyes. The boy, Alex, winked at her before turning back to his friends.
"He's cute but I think Megan is more interested in someone a bit more... muscular." Barbara said mischievously.
"Oh really? And who might that be?" Bette asked, unable to hide her interest, she was quite the gossip.
"Oh, no one." Megan said blushing, she looked up to see all three girls looking at her with an eyebrow cocked. "Really!"
"Come on Megan, we all know you've got a thing for Conner Kent" Artemis said, "Not that we blame you because, well, Mmm, that boy." She added suggestively.
"You should totally ask him to homecoming!" Bette said cheerfully. "It'll be great!"
"Are you saying that because you'll be planning it?" Artemis asked eyebrow cocked playfully.
"Maybe." Bette replied. "But really Megan, you should do it!"
"No, no, I mean, I-I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because he's, he's him, and I, i'm" stuttered Megan.
"Gorgeous?"
"Stunning?"
"Hot?"
All three girls laughed at Artemis' choice of words, but she just smiled. "Megan, really just try. What could go wrong?"
A lot of things, Megan thought.
"Look I realize that you've been homeschooled all of your life, but really, high school is nothing like "The secret life of the American Teenager" or whatever crap they show on TV about high school." Artemis assured her.
"Hey, Secret Life is great!" Bette gasped.
"Whatever" Artemis shrugged. She prefered action dramas.
"I don't even know how." Megan said.
"How to ask him out?" Bette asked. "Well there are plenty of ways, like playing hard to get, or OH! you could-"
"Just say 'Hey wanna go out sometime?'" Barbara said smirking at Bette's pouty face.
"Or she could take some tips from Wally and say something like 'Hey, Handsome. Wanna go to an empty room and-'" Bette put her hand over Artemis' mouth and stage whispered, "Don't mind her, she just likes to make fun of others. Especially Wally."
Barbara leaned toward Megan with a hand on the side of her mouth, "We think it's because she has a crush on him." She stage whispered, enjoying Artemis' look of disgust.
"Barb, come on," Artemis glared, "How many times do I have to tell you? There isn't this 'ust' that you claim there is between us. We just hate each other." Artemis huffed, crossing her arms and legs.
"Ust?" Megan asked amused.
"Unresolved Sexual Tension." Barbara smirked.
"Shut up!" Artemis snapped.
"It's a touchy subject." Barbara said to Megan.
Artemis let out another scoff. Mr. Gold ran in the room right after and started telling them about the first project they were doing, a coil basket, and gave them each a piece of paper and some pencils.
"It needs to be at least three inches in diameter and four inches tall." The blonde man said. he was in his mid-thirties and very cheerful. He came around to Megan's table and looked at the girls' sketches.
"These are great, girls!" Mr. Gold exclaimed approvingly. "I can already tell that you girls are my favorite!" he started to walk away then quickly winked, "Not that I pick favorites."
Megan took french for many reasons.
One, she has wanted to go to Paris every since her Uncle John went when she was five and brought her a miniature Eiffel Tower. Two, she loved the language and how it sounded. Three, it was what her older siblings and parents had taken.
She was a bit nervous going in because she recognized no one she was friends with. As she sat down she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see that the mop of red hair she saw sitting down belonged to Wally.
"You take french?"
"Why so surprised, Megalicious?" Wally smiled.
"You just, seemed like the type to take Spanish." The redhead replied, shrugging her shoulders. She forgot that Wally was in her French class.
"I did, in, like, seventh grade." The green-eyed boy explained, "but halfway through the year I realized that it wasn't for me."
The teacher, Mrs. Allen, walked in and walked to her desk, and Wally whispered, "Good luck."
"Sit down." She ordered and everyone did so. "From now on you are to call me Madame Allen and only speak when spoken to and in Français. Compris?"
Everyone nodded at the intimidating women and the bell rang, signalling the start to a very nerve-wrecking forty minutes.
Megan walked into the cafeteria and towards the guys at their usual table. She had brought lunch today, and her Uncle packed her a nice chicken wrap. As she walked towards them Artemis came up to her.
"Hey! Megan, do you mind if I sit with you today? Barbara and Bette are upstairs at extra help." The blonde asked.
"Yeah, it's no problem at all!" Megan smiled.
Artemis got a mischievous glint in her eyes, "And this way I can help you ask out a certain someone." She winked before walked towards the table.
Megan sat down between Kaldur and Artemis and took out her lunch. Kaldur seemed to know Artemis and started talking.
"Artemis, how nice to see you again!" the blonde boy smiled.
"You too, Kal! When was the last time? Nationals?"
"I believe so. I remember that you had done excellently." Kaldur said.
"Nationals?" Conner asked, taking a bite of his pizza.
"Yeah, I'm on the archery team. Kaldur's best friend, Roy, was the captain before he graduated. Kal came to every match." Artemis explained.
"Oh, you're an archer?" Megan asked excitedly, she had always admiried archery.
"Best one since Roy left."
"Maybe the best even when Roy was here, my friend." Kaldur said, a small smile on his face.
"Thanks, Kal" Artemis smiled back.
Conner and Dick were seated across from Megan and Artemis. Dick had started talking with Artemis about Mrs. Murphy, one of the english teacher for 9th and 10th graders, and Megan went back to eating her food.
"So, Muscles, you've been quiet. What's on your mind?" Artemis asked, elbow propped on the table, other hand toying with her waffle fries. Megan wanted to say something about manners, like her mother had taught her, but decided against it.
"Nothing." Conner said monotonously.
"Well in that case, what do say to a movie sometime?" Artemis smirked. Megan nearly choked, her eyes going wide, staring at the table. Conner looked Artemis up and down apprehensively.
Artemis laughed,"Relax, Muscles. I was only joking!"
"That is the fifth time you've been asked out Conner! Dude, how do you do it?" Dick mock interviewed. Conner, taking it seriously, shrugged and said "Beats me."
Wally walked up to the table at that exact moment. "Hey, guys!" he greeted sitting down between Artemis and Dick, "'Punzel."
"Baywatch."
"Aww, look! They've broken out the nicknames!" Dick fake-cooed, pointing at the two.
"Shut up." They both said. They turned to each other and glared.
"And they talk in unison!" Megan joined Dick in trolling the two. She was a bit upset at the joke Artemis pulled.
"Megan not you too!" Artemis said exasperdly, as Megan and Dick laughed together. Wally made a joke about Dick having a thing for redheads that promptly made the younger boy turn a shade of magenta. Kaldur gave Wally a look that very kindly told him to stop picking on his best friend.
"Conner are you thinking about joining the football team?" Kaldur asked. "Tryouts end this week."
"I don't know, I mean I guess it'd be cool." Conner said.
"You totally should Conner, you'll do great!" Artemis reassured.
"Thanks."
"Wow, Wally that was fast." Megan noted once Wally got back from throwing out his trash. "I know you're the fastest guy on the track team but do you have to fast at everything else too?" She asked good-naturedly.
"I can always slow down if you want, babe." Artemis whacked Wally upside the head.
"HEY! What was that for?!"
"That was gross, Wall-man." Artemis told him.
"I don't get it." Megan said. All eyes turned to her. Kaldur looked as if he were pondering telling her, but was decidig against it. Conner was just eyeing her skeptically, thinking she was kidding. Dick starting laughing, and had to put a hand over his mouth, while Wally and Artemis were just staring at her incredulously.
"Wow, uh, w-wow" Artemis stammered, letting out a chuckle.
"Megs, did you ever take health?" Wally tested cautiously.
"Yes, basic human anatomy of the male and female genders; How the body works." Megan nodded.
"Like... say, the reproductive systems?" Dick asked calming down a bit.
"Yes, human reproduction was covered." Dick let out another round of hysterics. Little troll, Wally thought.
"Have you ever heard of a sexual innuendo, Megan?" Artemis asked, highly amused. Megan didn't understand what was so funny about human reproduction. The redhead shook her head and Artemis leaned over and explained.
"O-Oh my... WALLY!" Megan shouted as loud as she could without directing too much attention to herself.
Wally's ears went pink, and Dick just laughed even harder.
