Chapter Three

Adam POV

My first day at McKinley was okay, but I had quickly become the social outcast and everyone avoided me or ignored me. Although, I really wasn't that bothered by that and quite liked being left alone to do my schoolwork in peace.

In English, I sat at the back of the class and kept to writing my notes in silence. We had just been given an assignment to read and review a certain book with a partner, but unfortunately our partners would be picked at random at the end of the lesson.

Dad hadn't drawn attention to the fact I was his son and taught the lesson like any other teacher and didn't give any special treatment (I never would have stood for being made the teacher's favourite because we're related and he wouldn't either, so we made a great team). I knew Dad would be cool, but the student body would give me hell as soon as they find out my father was their new teacher and that was what I was really dreading about a new school. I was an avid reader and I worked really hard to get the best grade possible in every lesson, but no one wanted to get to know the over achiever and be his friend. Stereotypical really, the story of my life.

The door to the classroom burst open and another student ran in, wearing a hood that covered his face. He skidded to a halt at the teacher's desk and was gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Mr Jenson" the guy gasped, reading the name signed on the blackboard and looking apologetically at Dad. He didn't look impressed and looked the guy up and down.

"Jake Puckerman, your reputation seems to be accurate at this school," Dad said bitterly "And take off that stupid hood in my classroom.

Jake kissed his teeth angrily and lowered his hood, causing the girls to all stare at him with googly eyes and a couple even sighed longingly. That was so pathetic, most people look at someone and immediately judge them, so these girls "feelings" for this guy were mainly driven by teenage hormones and not for who he was (shit, I sound like my granddad). Jake Puckerman was good-looking though, a black guy that was definitely mixed race by the slight lightness of his brown skin. He looked the same age as me and we were roughly the same height and build, but his attitude and his obvious lack of respect said that he definitely wasn't someone I'd be mates with.

"Whatever, man." Jake muttered, moving to sit next to a blonde cheerio that had one of those constant smirks of someone you would obviously hate.

"Actually Jacob, could you come back here a moment?" Dad asked and Jake glared at him, but reluctantly walked back to the teacher's desk.

"It's just Jake." Jake said firmly.

"My mistake," Dad said casually, but he didn't look really bothered. "If you had been here earlier, you would know that I have set the whole class an assignment to review a well known novel in pairs."

Dad handed him a box filled with small pieces of paper in it, they obviously had everybody's name on them individually and Jake was going to be made to pick one.

"Pick a name and that person will be your partner for this assignment" Dad said and Jake put his hand deep in the box, pulling out a tightly folded piece of paper. I suddenly thought this whole picking-a-partner-for-the-assignment thing felt a lot like the Reaping scene in the Hunger Games film (and book). If someone really stupid or horrible picked me, I doubted Katniss would burst into the classroom screaming "I volunteer!"

Jake opened the paper and read out the name:

"Adam Jenson"

Everyone looked at me and I suddenly wanted to sink into the floor, they hadn't even spoken to me and yet somehow they knew who I was. The blonde bitch seemed to have figured out I was Mr Jenson's son and smirked. She turned innocent eyes on the teacher and raised her hand.

"Excuse me, sir?" she asked with false sweetness "are you and Adam related?"

She obviously knew, but she had to draw attention to it. For fuck's sake!

"Yes, Kitty." Dad said sternly "But that is completely irreverent and I teach my students equally regardless."

"Of course." Kitty said innocently, but she smirked at me and I met her gaze with a determined glare. She tossed her blonde hair, slapping the girl next to her across the face and looked at Jake with flirtatious eyes.

"Can you go and sit next to your new partner, Jake?" Dad asked and Jake walked over to my table, but everyone kept staring at me like I was an alien.

I moved my rucksack off the chair next to me and placed it at my feet, as Jake sat down silently and gave a little nod in my direction.

He sat casually back in his chair, not taking notes and looking bored.

I was really going to fail this assignment, of all the people to be stuck with it had to be Jake Puckerman.

Jake POV

I wasn't particularly bothered about the English assignment, but Mom would kill me if I got held back and didn't graduate next year. So if the British new kid was my best chance at getting through junior year, so be it.

Kitty leaned casually on s locker in the corridor and pulled me to her as I passed, crushing her lips against mine and kissing me passively. I hated that she only had these make-out sessions to make a statement, but hey I'm a dude and I have needs. Kitty pulled away and wrapped her arms around my neck, smiling cheekily.

"I've got the house to myself tonight, do you wanna come over?" she asked silkily "my parents won't be home for hours…"

"I can't. I've got my half-brother visiting and seriously need to catch up on homework."

Alright, I know I'm turning down some serious action tonight, but I just found myself making more and more excuses to stay away from Kitty. We weren't working, but I didn't have the nerve to end it.

Kitty looked like she was going to protest, but a cough from behind me made us look round to see Adam standing there and he looked seriously annoyed..

"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the locker we were standing in front of "you're blocking my locker."

"Sorry." I muttered, moving away and letting him open his locker. Kitty glared at Adam, but thankfully she kept quiet.

"I got to go, Jakey." Kitty cooed and gave me a kiss that nearly deprived me of oxygen "I'll see you later!"

I watched her walk away, the girl may be a bitch but she was very nice to look at.

I turned to Adam, thinking that it would be best just to get this assignment over with as soon as possible.

"So, what do you want to do for this assignment?" I asked and Adam turned to look at me, looking surprised that I was the first one to bring up the conversation.

"I don't know," Adam said "I think we should probably come up with a few ideas for books we could use and then decide."

"Sounds good to me, where should we meet?"

"Tomorrow, in the library after school?" Adam suggested and I nodded, hopefully it would help my grades if I had the smart kid doing the work.

As if reading my mind, Adam frowned at me.

"You know this is a joint assignment?" Adam asked firmly "We both have to work at this together, not just one of us."

"I know." I snapped, feeling slightly awkward that this guy wasn't intimidated by my Puckerman reputation and expected me to pull my weight.

Adam took his jacket out of his locker and pulled it on, slamming the door shut and turning to me.

"So, see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, man."

Adam looked over my shoulder and pointed to someone behind me, a small smile on his face. "Oh and that girl has been staring at you for the last ten minutes, just saying."

He turned and left just as I looked round to see Marley hastily looking away from me and stuffing her books in her bags. Her face was bright red, but I felt suddenly very smug.

Maybe the Puckerman rep didn't always intimidate people, but it certainly worked on charming the ladies,