I looked at Jimmy's bloody snarl, and decided to try to make the situation a little less, awkward? (The only problem? I'm completely, incredibly, undeniably awkward)

"Well, I'm Elizabeth," I replied, "and this dick is Wade." (Yep, that's a mental facepalm)

"Not the biggest dick I've met."

Wade fake coughed, and muttered an equally juvenille insult, but all I could focus on was Jimmy's face. I had seen it before, but where? I thought back to everything that had happened so far today, and-

"Wait, shut up, Wade. Did we crash into each other this morning?"

"You were the nerd with the book?"

"Technically I'm not a Nerd," I pointed out, "they have their own clique."

"Whatever."

Jimmy pushed past us, rushing towards the Boys' Dorm. I shrugged at Wade, and walked away for some alone time (Introverts can only handle so much at once).

Christy and Angie burst into our room about twenty minutes later, interuppting my sacred reading time with loud giggles and pom-poms. I groaned, and closed my book.

"Okay, who's the top guy on your crush list today?" I asked, sighing slightly.

"Well, it's always been Ted Thompson, but I heard there's this new student," Angie replied (Unaware of my painfully obvious sarcasm).

"His name's Jimmy, we've met a few too many times today," I mumbled (Bad idea).

Within a second, both Angie and Christy had tackled me to my bed. Why did I have to open my big mouth? (Problems Only the Dangerously Blunt Will Understand: Volume 1) I know I should lie, but-

"You know the new kid?"

"You have to tell me everything you know about him, Lizzie!"

As much as I wanted to storm out of the room and read in the attic instead, I knew there was no way I was getting out of this conversation (The one I could have avoided if I hadn't OPENED MY BIG MOUTH).

"Dude, all I know is he got into a fight with Wade before I got here, that's all," I mumbled, still half-reading my book.

"That's it?" Christy asked, tossing the (Very heavy) novel across the room.

"Hey!"

"Liz, this could be the love of Angie's life-"

"Well, I don't-"

"He's the love of my life, Lizzie!"

"Okay, okay," I scoffed, "I'll ask around or something, if it will make you that happy."

"Thank you, Lizzie, thank you so much!"

Angie and Christy attacked me with hugs, giggling at my claustrophobia. I couldn't help but smile a little (I'm not that emotionally detached).

"I'll see if either Pinky or Mandy know's some gossip about him for you, Ang," Christy said, letting go of me (Finally!). "There's got to be some dirt on this kid!"

"You guys have fun with that, I gotta meet Bif in English class."

The two shared a sneaky smile, then tried to stifle their laughs (Not suspicious at all, guys. But it was a valiant effort).

"What?"

"Nothing!" Angie snorted.

"Great, have fun with that," I muttered under my breath (I'm used to their inside jokes).

I grabbed my book from the floor at the opposite side of the room, and put my earbuds in. The walk to English was eerily calm; most of the students in the courtyard were either little kids or Nerds. I looked towards the Parking Lot, but I couldn't see any Bullies. Did Wade get caught? There weren't any prefects around during the fight (They were probably trying to control a massive food fight in the Cafeteria).

Mr. Galloway gave me a smile when I walked into his classroom, the wrinkles by his eyes making the dark rings around them more prominent (But he didn't look tired, was he on something?). Bif waved me over from the back of the room, and motioned to the empty desk next to him.

"How are the twins?" Bif asked, referring to Christy and Angie.

"Forcing me to gossip about some new kid."

"The one that got kicked out of what, seven schools?"

"Well that explains the fight," I mumbled (Why am I always mumbling?).

"Fight? Ellie, tell me you didn't get involved in a fight."

"Not involved, really. I actually stopped it. Well, sort of."

"El..."

"Wade and the new guy were being total dicks and-"

"Wade? He's always getting you into trouble, Ellie," Bif snapped, looking at the board to avoid my eyes.

"Not all-"

"Okay, class. Since it's the first day back, we'll just start with a little worksheet or something," Mr. Galloway slurred (Oh, so he's drunk. Eh, close enough).

"Bif, I don't get why you're so upset. I didn't get hurt or anything."

"Just forget it," he muttered, picking up the paper Mr. Galloway set onto his desk.