This whole in media's res approach might have worked for the Greek peots,but it's confusing the heck out of me. Not that it can be helped,snice you showed up right in the middle of things. It's just that I cant remember what you already know and what I havent told you yet. Im pretty sure I havent mentioned Duncan,hes the most imprtant part of this entire story.

You know what? Im going to skip right to him-to when I first saw him,i mean-because even though I could fill this book with all the loathe with heather{not to mention all the stuck-up,pretty things she did while we were freshmen},things didnt get really ugly between us untill this year, Untill Duncan Matthews transferred to Hilltop High and stepped into Sophomore honors English Class.

Okay,you know what again? Im going to cover that momentous day in really complete detail,but before we move on you deserve at lease five good reasons why Fourteen Karat Carter shouldnt be popular,believed, or tolerated with:

once in her entire life,has she ever had a zit,stubbly legs, or a close encounter with Sun-in.

better looking than I am does not give her the right to move in on a guy I so clearly claimed first.

has already had 4 boyfriends this year...If I were counting.

heard Fourteen Karat Carter tell Trent she pitied him for ever being seen with me and that he ought to aim higher next time if he doesnt want the whole school to think his a loser!

we up to 5 already? All right then: I happen to know of a fact that Heather cuts the tags out of her jeans so no one will find out shes not really the size 2 she claims to be.

Whew! I feel better. Now back to Duncan.

Tuesday,October 14,9:16 am.

Im not normally an obsessive person-not very obsessive anyway- but im positive thats the exact day and time I first laid eyes on Duncan Matthews. I know this because I wrote it on the cover of my blue notebook and its been there ever snice. It's almost as if I guessed how important this moment would turn out to be,as if my entire furture flashed front of my grammar glazed eyes.

Anyway,the classroom door flew open and Duncan walked in a few paces behind Principal Chris Ito,who went straight up to and started whispering with this intense look on his face. The thing is, Ito always looks like the world is counting down to nuclar war. No one pays attention anyone. Besides,suddenly there was something much better to pay attention to.

".God.,"Countrey Martin whispered,leaning across the aisle between her desk and mine."Is is hot in here or is it him?"

"Shhhh,"I whispered back."You're talking about the man I'm going to marry."

We both laughed,clapping our hands over our mouths when Conway broke off her summit with Ito long enough to shoot us a dirty look.

Even though I was laughing, I was completetly serious.I mean,not about marrying . But i knew,Somehow I just knew that Duncan was the guy I'd been waiting for,the one who was going to make everything right. If he wasnt,why did my heart leap around in my chest untill my blood felt carbonated? I could tell my cheeks were purple too-another special bonus of being born dark headed. I blush so hard I turn splotchy. Life is not fair. Which is kind of my point,But getting off track again. Anyway,Conway and Ito were yakking on,and Duncan was just standing there,looking like he wished he were anyplace else. He kept shifing his weight from one scuffed converse to the other,this hands stuffed so far into the pockets that the hem of his black t-shirt hovered an inch above the waishband of his jeans. And not that I was staring {much},but his abs were incredibly tan-something we appreciate here in California-and a line of black hair ran straight down from his navel. The hair on his head also included a Green Mohawk,interesting What else? Straight brows,chiseled jaw,and a completely prefect nose. I couldnt see his eyes then,but I could tell there were green.

Eventually Principal Ito left and Conway turned to addres us "Class,this is just transferred here from Orange County and I hope you'll make him feel welcome."

A little more detail would definitely have been appreciated. For instance, where is orange Country? People act like that place is a dot on the map,but is the size of a small country. Why did Duncan move?What did he think of Hilltop High? And most importantly,did he have a girlfriend back home?

But that was all we were getting, Her introduction completed,Conway pointed Duncan two adjacent vancant desk at the back of the started walking,dragging his feet like he already suspected the horrors of this class, in the other hand,sophomore honors English had suddenly developed the potential to become a truly rewarding learning experience.

I'll make him feel welcome,I though,cranking up my smile as he walked past.

I'll make him feel very welcome.