Hello
Rogue did not hear much of anything that was said during homeroom. She spent the entire time trying to watch the stranger without him seeing her. He seemed to notice that he was being watched after a while. He would rub the back of his neck and then turn slightly in his seat, as if looking for something. At which point, she, would quickly turn her head back to Mrs. Bale up front and pretended to be paying close attention to what she was saying.
At the end of homeroom, something their teacher said caught Rouge's full attention. She was just about to dismiss the class when she looked down at her papers and spoke again.
"Oh, and class, I almost forgot. We have a new student here at Bayville." Her squeaky voice rose and fell in pitch as she spoke. "Will that student please stand up for a moment and tell us your name?"
All heads, including Rogue's, turned as the young man she had been watching rose from his seat. Rogue could tell that he did not want all this attention. His muscles were tense and he turned red as he stood up. Rogue felt for him. No one wants to be made a spectacle of on their first day of school. He kept his eyes on the front of the room as he spoke. This time, his voice was not as soft. It had a strong tone that carried to every corner of the classroom, though it did not seem loud.
"Hello, my name is Thomas Rogers. I transferred from out of state." those where the only words he spoke, before nodding politely to the teacher and sitting back down. But the effect on the room was VERY obvious. Every girl there was watching him with eyes the size of plates. Some with there mouths hanging open, including Kitty's. As Rogue looked at them, she wondered if she had looked so stupid when he had spoken to her. Had her mouth hung open like that too? She felt her face turning hot and red all over again and she hid her face in one of her books.
Now she felt ten times as stupid as before.
Thomas. She'd never liked that name before now.
As soon as homeroom was dismissed, Rogue rushed strait to her next class. After the way she had acted, she did not think she could stand running into him. She settled into her Science desk, keeping one eye on the door. What if he was in this class too? She was sure she would have a heart attack and die right there. But as the rest of the students filed into the room, she saw that he was not among them. She tried to force relieved feelings into her brain, telling herself that maybe now she could get some work done. But as class started up, she knew she was WAY mistaken. She just could not stop thinking about him! No matter how hard she tried to focus on what there teacher was saying, she could not get her mind off him.
As her Science class ended, she moved down the hall to her next class. For a few minutes, she forgot completely about Thomas as she thought about the class she was going to. Math. She hated math with a passion, always had. Unconsciously, her steps slowed a little as she approached the door. As if her entire body protested the thought of sitting through an hour of the dreaded subject. Half the things they wanted you to learn were never really ever USED in the real world. And yet, a quarter of her grade evolved around her math scores. Sometimes she wished she could meet the people who had invented this stuff and do….…. well….. Something to them.
She was so deep in thought of possible punishments she could inflict them that she was not paying attention to where she was going. Someone stopped in front of her and she ran right into them; almost making her drop what she was carrying. Regaining her balance, her eyes flashing in anger, she looked up to give the person a piece of her mind. And her throat closed off right then. For there, standing three inches away, looking down with an apologetic smile, was Thomas Rogers.
Standing there, looking right at her. Smiling at HER!
She could not seem to catch her breath, so she just held it. Then she realized that she had better say something before she looked like a complete idiot AGAIN.
"Umm… I'm… I'm sorry. I… sh-should have been watching where I was going." her voice came out squeaky and small. The sound reminded her of the mice in cartoons. She felt the heat rising in her face. Not just with embarrassment, but also anger. She hated not being in control of herself like this. Why did this guy have such an effect on her? She had never felt like this around anyone. Not even when she was around Scott did she feel this self-conscious.
Her thoughts were broken into when she realized he was talking. She expected him to laugh, or to try and get away from her as fast as possible. That was what she would have done in his place. But he didn't. His words were spoken with the same gentle, firm voice that he seemed to always use. Only this time, there was a bit of an apology in it.
"Please, don't apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going either. I did not mean to trip you. I'm sorry." There was a true sincerity in the way he said it, that Rogue knew he was not just pretending. For some reason, that made her feel very happy.
"My name is Thomas, by the way. What is yours?" he continued.
Rogue opened her mouth to answer him, when the next bell rang. The people around them began pushing to get to class. He glanced at the door, then back at her, his face holding a rueful look.
"Rogue" she called out, "My name is Rogue." their eyes met and his face lit with a smile. He waved a quick farewell as they were pushed apart by the crowd. Rogue realized that the look on his face mirrored her own.
Her face brightened with what must have been one goofy grin; she made her way into her classroom. Suddenly, math did not seem so bad and grueling after all.
