Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who left a review! I hope you guys like this chapter, and please continue to review!

Inside School Walls

Chapter 1 - Third Hour

Chris Jericho yawned widely as he sat in his third hour class. It was only the first day, and he was ready to go back and enjoy summer all over again. It's only the first day, and already the gossip mill has started, Chris added mentally. Neither he nor his girlfriend, Lilian Garcia, were gossip mongers, but both of them kept their ears open. It was always good to avoid stepping on toes of others at Massena High School. Then again, I really don't have to worry about that much anymore, Chris added, running a hand through his shoulder-length, blond hair, I'm a senior now. Shrugging off the thought, he stretched out his legs in front of him and let his eyes wander over the classroom.

The teacher had left the room to get copies of a supply list, and several students were taking advantage of it. In the back corner, Val Venis was making out with a much younger teenager. She was a nerdy-looking sophomore, and Chris guessed was experiencing her first make-out session by the way she kept grabbing Val's butt. Jericho smirked to himself, and decided to let them have their semi-privacy.

The gothic kids were grouped together, talking and listening to music. Chris caught the eye of the 'leader'-so to speak-and nodded. Ryan returned his nod, and then turned his eyes back to his girlfriend. Jericho moved his eyes yet again, but his thoughts were still on the group. He didn't understand what everyone had against them. Past all of the hair dye and different clothes, they were cool people. And couldn't the same be said for everyone else?

Well, except for Dawn Marie... She can't count, because she doesn't have any clothes on, Chris thought, his eyes falling on the head cheerleader. She's not just the head of the squad; she's the head of the preps, Jericho added mentally. And Trish is her protégé... Scary, scary world. Dawn was talking to John Cena, who nearly had hearts in his eyes. Chris shook his head, feeling sorry for his friend. Chris had tried to warn John away from Dawn Marie, knowing the brunette would simply use him. He himself had been down that road with Trish Stratus during his sophomore year, and no one could pay him enough to relive it.

"You're zoning out," Ivory, sitting to his left, told him. Chris looked over at her, raising his eyebrow.

"Was I that obvious?" he asked his good friend, and fellow senior. Ivory was wearing jeans and a tight shirt, a normal outfit for her. She was one of the few who didn't bother with her appearance much in the morning. "Jeez I'm going to sit in stuffy rooms and be tortured for seven hours. Why do I have to look good for that?" Ivory had asked him at one point, and Jericho had just laughed at her sense.

"Damn obvious," she affirmed. "Thinking about Lilian?" she asked teasingly a minute later. Chris's closeness and dedication to his girlfriend was something that Ivory was proud of him for—and also something she loved to tease him continually about. Chris rolled his eyes, and didn't reply until Ivory changed the subject. "So, Jerky, what has everyone cooked up over the summer?" Ivory asked. She had left for Australia two weeks before the end of school and had just returned a week ago.

"Well, right before the trip to Six Flags at the end of the year, Matt broke up with Lita again," he was about to continue when Ivory spoke.

"The little twit," she snapped, and proceeded onward with a barrage of swear words that Chris couldn't even remember off of the top of his head. When Ivory paused to take a breath, he slipped his words in.

"You done?" he asked, a lilting smile to his face.

She glowered at him. "For now," she replied darkly.

"Well, on the bus ride there—Lita and I were on the bus with nearly all of the preps, and Matt—we decided to get back at Matt. In summary, Matt's pants just happened to come down when he was at the front of the bus, and everyone saw that he was wearing a thong."

Ivory laughed heartily for a moment. "I wish I would've been there," she told him, her tone slightly wistful.

"Ah, you'll be there this year, and I'm sure it'll be more fun."

"I hope so. Anyway... What else happened?"

Chris entertained the urge to tell Ivory about what had happened with Lita recently, but in the end didn't, something he knew he would choose to do. If Lita wanted Ivory to know, then she would tell Ivory herself or direct Chris to do so. "Well, Kurt hooked up with some girl named Maryann when he was checking out the OVW campus," he informed Ivory.

Ivory raised her eyebrows. "Really?" she asked. Kurt Angle was a really nice guy, arrogant sometimes, but sweet. He, however, took his relationships quite seriously, which was a blessing among recent times. Angle wasn't known for just hooking up with some girl.

"Lita, Lil, and I inspected her. She's really nice."

"Does she live around here?"

"No, she lives further south, Albany, I think..." Chris said, and then shook his head. "They hung out all summer and dated all summer."

"And...now?"

"They both decided that 'with school coming up, it would be more stress than our relationship can handle'," he said, making rabbit ears in the air. "So they're not together... She's going to OVW next fall anyway, so they'll hook up then if Kurt doesn't come to his senses before then."

"You sound positive that they'll hook up," Ivory observed. She felt so out of the loop, and wished that she hadn't been forced to take that trip. Her mom and dad had to take a long business trip, and they brought her along, claiming that they didn't want her all alone on the other side of the world. Ivory knew better. They simply brought her to try and hook up with some of the executives' sons. They were all rich and snotty, except for one here and there, but no one that struck her as worth maintaining a relationship with.

"Are you kidding?" Chris laughed. "She's perfect for him." He paused, catching the wistful look in her eyes at his words. "Aw, come on, Iv. You'll meet a guy sometime soon you like."

Ivory smiled at Chris's reassurance, and laughed. "Sometimes I feel like the only senior that's still a virgin," she proclaimed. It wasn't quite true, but provocative preps seemed to rule both the senior class and junior class.

Chris wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm always here to give a little Vitamin C out to the needy," he told her and she rolled her eyes, playfully slapping his arm. He paused, and looked up at a gentle touch on his shoulder to see Torrie Wilson. She was wearing a sleeveless orange dress that ended mid-thigh as well as white knee-highs. Her blond hair was in loose curls around her face. Jericho flashed a smile, and she tentatively sat down next to him. Torrie was a junior, but ended up in a senior class. She was quiet, but kind. Chris had just begun to become her friend, but he noticed that around Lita, Ivory, and the rest of the girls, she loosened up, all shyness gone.

"Hey Chris," she said lightly, and moved her eyes to Ivory, nodding at her and greeting her warmly, "Ivory."

They didn't have any time to start a conversation as the teacher walked back into the room. Everyone had returned to their seats and looked just like when she had left. Throwing them a suspicious glare, the teacher began to hand out the supply lists. Jesus Christ, Chris thought, like anyone is seriously not going to crumple these up and toss 'em on the way out. He rolled his eyes, and yawned. The class droned onward, and Chris found himself zoning out. He looked around the room, and then back to Torrie. She had tuned the English teacher out as well, her eyes settled on a particular someone. Chris followed her gaze straight to John Cena, and John's eyes to Dawn Marie.

Chris Jericho groaned inwardly.

Great way to start a year.