Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh, I realize this chapter is about three times larger than Chapter One. I've always written from a girl's point of view, so writing in Jim's perspective is more difficult. In addition, I had to pick a school in New York, so I chose Bronx Academy High School. Having never been there, I'm sure that my description of the school is nothing like the real deal. My apologies. Finally, I sort of made Kayley and her mother grammar conscientious since they come from England and some people presume the English are know-it-alls (lol) [Don't get me wrong, I do stand up for the English in this chapter]. Please enjoy!

Important Notice: Change in Story Title. Last night inspiration struck and I will be changing the title from Two Worlds to Second-hand Smoke. Yesterday I had watched a YouTube crossover video by SecretHeart20 (Dimitri and Ella [Cinderella] - If It Makes You Less Sad). The footage and song together are so beautiful that last night the song "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot" by Brand New kept playing over and over in my head. One of the lyrics went, "You are Second-hand smoke." In context with the video, it means that though Dimitri and Ella know they should not be together, that they are only hurting themselves by being together, they are addicted to each other and can't fully part. In other words, each of them is each other's incurable disease. "Call me a safe bet; I'm betting I'm not." I highly suggest you watch the video, or at least listen to the song, when you find time. :) Oh, and the video has Jim in it. ;)

Special Request: After reading this chapter could you please review? I would appreciate that so much. Believe it or not, reviews really help me out a LOT. To make the story more interesting for you, the reader, I would like your input. Constructive criticism and polite critiques are well appreciated, as are words of encouragement. Feel free to share any thoughts you may have! Oh, and please tell me what you think of Kayley's last name. :) "Keep your mind open to the possibilities." {I wish I could remember who said that... ^^} And now, without further ado, I present to you Chapter Two!

New Girl in Town

Kayley Evans stared out the passenger side window and watched the students streaming into the Bronx Academy High School. The crimson-cloaked trees lining the schoolyard were gorgeous, but staring at them hardly did a thing to calm her nerves. Exhaling sharply, she slouched in her seat. "There's no way I can do this, Mother," she announced shakily but certain in a melodious English lilt.

"What are you talking about, Kayley?" he mother asked rhetorically. "You're an outgoing, clever, nice, friendly girl. There's nothing of which to be afraid."

"Oh sure," Kayley replied sarcastically as she crossed her arms. "Only my mates. Mother, have you not seen British portrayals in American movies? They absolutely despise us! With the exceptions of movies that star Julie Andrews or Hugh Grant as the main lead, they portray English people as snobby and stuck up—which, sadly, is true of some—but we're not all like that! Every culture has its snobs. Just look at a few of their Hollywood billionaires.

"I'm sure they'll try to avoid me," she continued. "Either that, or mock my accent and traditions and rub it in how they are no longer colonists. The latter I do not care for anyway."

"Kayley!" he mother exclaimed harshly. "Don't be so cynical. If you don't want them to judge you, don't judge them." Mrs. Evans raised her hand and gestured toward the school. "Observe how they walk in while talking and laughing with their friends. Trust me, they're looking for acceptance as well. They'll be nice and like you. I guarantee it."

Kayley took a sidelong glance and glimpsed a group of girls striding into the school. They were dressed in the latest fall designs and had their hair fixed just perfectly. Kayley's eyes roved to a boy about her own age as he rode up on a skateboard, flipped it high in the air, caught it, and proceeded to sulk toward the school entrance. None of the students seemed to be focused on school. Rather, they seemed more focused on themselves.

"Yeah, nice," she mumbled.

"Well, it's time," Mrs. Evans proclaimed. "Have a good day, make friends," she advised before kissing her daughter's forehead. "Love you, and good luck."

"Good luck job hunting, Mum," Kayley said, hugging her mother.

Kayley proceeded to gather up her backpack and climbed out of the rental car, slamming the door behind her. She then ascended the school's stairs without a look back.

Pushing through the doors, Kayley took in the drab corridor. White, or what used to be white, colored the walls, and sky blue lockers lined both sides of the hall. The linoleum floor was scuffed, and the ceiling was a dirty gray. Then again, that's pretty much what one would expect in the Bronx. After all, she definitely hadn't moved to Manhattan, that was for sure.

She readjusted her backpack and straightened her violet and white plaid shirt. At least she didn't appear too out of place here. Squaring her shoulders, she set off in search of the counselor's office.

O~o~O

Books stuffed in her backpack and holding a class and locker assignment sheet, she began her hunt for Locker D23. Locating it, she rushed up and, double-checking the code on her sheet, spun the combination on the lock. The door creaked open, revealing a tiny cabinet-like environment. She unzipped her backpack and removed her lunch bag, which contained a peanut butter sandwich and a fuji apple. Having stuffed her bag into the now crammed space, the first bell rang, signaling the start of her English class. That's when it donned on her that she still had yet to find her classroom. Panic suddenly filling her, she slammed shut her locker, spun the combination, and wheeled to her left, smashing her face into the now open door of another locker. Reeling back, she covered her nose in pain. "Ooooooh, oooowwww," she moaned.

Just then the locker door was swung closed and the boy with the skateboard, whom she had seen earlier that day, glanced at her. He studied her for a moment before mumbling, "You okay?" Though in too much pain to answer verbally, she managed a weak nod. Shrugging, the boy walked off, leaving an injured Kayley who still had yet to find her assigned room.

O~o~O

Kayley entered her combination and removed her lunch from Locker D23. After shutting and securing her locker, she—still aching from her face-smashing earlier that day—turned around slowly and cautiously, then made her way to the cafeteria.

Upon entering she noticed every table was occupied by a clique. "Is there anything for European or New-to-School?" she asked herself as she scanned the tables for an opening. Finally she hit pay dirt. In the far back corner there was an unoccupied, circular table. "Bingo..." she mouthed.

She made a beeline for it. She walked so quickly she was practically jogging and had set her auburn-haired ponytail swishing. The angelic-looking girl attracted a few curious stares, all of which she ignored, or rather, distractedly left unnoticed.

Within ten feet of her destination, her happy bubble burst. In her mad dash, she tripped over the legs of an extended chair and was sent flying to the floor. Sprawled out face-first on the ground, she then pushed herself up and glanced hopefully at the empty table.

Pulling out a chair was the skateboard boy. Not wanting to see him again so soon, she studied the other tables and found that, sadly, this table was her only option. Disappointed, she sighed and walked the rest of the way to the table.

Picking a seat to the left of him—for heaven forbid she should have to eat directly across from him—she laid down her lunch bag and sat in her chosen seat.

Skateboard Boy continued to munch on a bag of chips, not even looking over to acknowledge her presence.

Feeling awkward, she felt she had to say something. Scooting up her chair, she remarked, "Fancy meeting you here, huh?" More munching. "Well, of course we go to the same school, so of course we'd be bound to bump into one another sometime, right?"

He finished his bag of chips and then rummaged in his lunch bag, finally removing carrot sticks and a Twinkie. He then proceeded to shove down the Twinkie, saving the carrot sticks for last.

"I'm Kayley," she blurted.

She could see him look over out of the corner of his eye. Taking that as a positive, she smiled in satisfaction and unwrapped her sandwich.

"That was quite a fall you had."

Skateboard Boy's words took Kayley by surprise and she stared at her sandwich for a moment as she tried to compute what he had just said. Suddenly it hit her like a blot of lightning. She glanced up and saw a sly smile creep across his lips. Blushing, she quickly returned her gaze to her sandwich and began eating.

After about three bites of her sandwich she said, "I just moved here from England four days ago."

"Cool," he mumbled through his munching.

"Phew," Kayley thought, relief flooding through her. "At least there's one person here who I know won't mock or judge me for my culture."

"Yes," she continued between bites, "So, as you can imagine, I'm still getting acquainted with New York."

Munch munch, chew chew.

"My mother's sister lives out here. Mum decided she wanted to be closer to Catherine—that's her sister. While growing up they used to do everything together.

"I wish I had a sister. But I don't and haven't for 17 years, so I guess I won't." She shrugged and began working on her fuji apple. Skateboard Boy removed a Red Bull from his bag and snapped the tab.

"We also moved over here for opportunity," Kayley continued. "It was hard supporting ourselves in England. Not that it's going to be much easier here, mind you, with the worldwide economic crisis and whatnot. Hopefully Mum can find a well-paying job over here in the Col—" Kayley stopped herself short. She had reverted to a common British saying, 'the Colonies,' which stood for the United States of America as a whole. "America," she quickly corrected herself.

Getting back on topic, she added, "It's been especially grueling supporting ourselves since my father left to fight in the War in Iraq in 2003." Kayley gulped heavily. "He died after the first few days of combat. Friendly fire." Kayley bowed her head solemnly. "I was only ten."

Skateboard Boy froze mid-swig of his Red Bull. Now her story was hitting close to home. His father had also gone to fight in the war. Seven years had passed but he and his mother had received no word from his father. But there wasn't any notification that he had died in the war either. The boy had no idea if his father was dead or alive. It had been difficult for both him and his mother.

A sudden need for isolation overwhelmed him. Standing abruptly, he jerked on his backpack and left.

Kayley, sitting there with a blank look plastered on her face, stared after him. Leaning back in her chair, she sputtered, "Well, that was rude!"

O~o~O~o~O

Kayley stormed up the dingy steps of her apartment building and made a right on the fifth floor. Reaching her apartment, she yanked a key from one of her jean pickets and jabbed it into the keyhole. Throwing the door open, she threw her backpack on the floor and began stomping to her bedroom. In her fury she had not seen that in the small living room sat her mother, who had expectantly glanced up from her Martha Stewart magazine to greet her daughter. "Kayley," she called, "how was your day?"

Kayley spun toward her mother. "Terrible!" she cried, throwing her hands in the air. "First I ran smack-dab into a locker door and almost broke my nose." Her mother winced. "Then I couldn't find a table at which to sit. I felt like an outcast. I finally found one and in my haste to get there I tripped on a chair and flew through the air. Mother," Kayley said, exasperated, "I swear I looked like a part of a wild trapeze act." As Kayley described her misfortunes, she paced aimlessly and flailed her arms in dramatic gestures.

"Did you make any new friends?" her mother asked hopefully, all the while wishing it was not the wrong question to ask, which she immediately came to realize it was.

Poor Kayley's face flushed a deep fuchsia and she exclaimed, "Yes! I spoke through the entire lunch period to some stranger and you know what he did?"

"He?" her mother questioned in surprise.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing! All he did was eat and left before I had finished talking! So yeah, I made a friend today. Oh, oh he did say one thing, however," Kayley smirked angrily, her golden hazels flashing, "'That was quite a fall you had.' Can you believe...of all the nerve..." Kayley collapsed beside her mother on the minuscule sofa and laid her head in the palm of her left hand.

Mrs. Evans was silent for a few moments, allowing her daughter the time she needed to calm down. Finally, wrapping an arm around Kayley, Mrs. Evans announced, "I found a job today."

Kayley's head jerked up, revealing a huge grin spreading across her face. "That's terrific, Mum!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Mrs. Evans in a hug. "And so quickly! Tell me all about it."

"Well, there's this cute little restaurant called Sarah's Café. The owner herself hired me as sous-chef and, during the morning and early afternoon hours, I'm a waitress."

"Fabulous," Kayley replied, clasping her hands together.

Jim entered Sarah's Café with a quicker step than usual. Something was obviously on his mind.

"Hi hunny," his mother greeted him as she wiped up a table. "I thought you were going straight home."

He propped up his skateboard near the door and then sauntered over to the table Mrs. Sarah Hawkins was spraying with a disinfectant solution. "I thought I'd do my homework here and then help out with the evening shift," he responded honestly.

His mom beamed in appreciation. "So, how was school?" she asked as she swirled her towel around on the table.

"Interesting," he grunted as he fiddled with the zipper on his backpack.

"Interesting," she repeated. "How so?"

He found his homework folder and removed it, answering, "There's this new girl who accidentally ran into my locker door. At lunch she tripped on a chair and fell right by my table. Then she rambled on and on during the lunch hour."

"About what?" his mother asked, curious and eager to learn more about this "new girl."

"Her family." Jim shrugged. He pulled his homework from the folder and then placed the folder back in the backpack.

"Girls are strange," he stated matter-of-factly as he laid his homework before him.