April
I was running around my room, trying to get everything together for school. I was a sophomore at Seattle Grace High School and my first day back was going to be busy. I had a meeting with my fellow mathletes after school and I had offered to help my best friend, Lexie, set up the back-to-school assembly. I grabbed a white cardigan and threw it on. It matched well with my black flats and dark blue jeans. I ran my hands through my messy, red hair.
"Good enough," I murmur. I run down the stairs and into the kitchen. My mother and father were sitting at the breakfast table eating some toast. At the sight of me, they both smiled warmly.
"Hi, Sweetie," my mom chirps. She was in her blue nurse's uniform and her hair was in a tight bun. My dad was in his suit and began to eye the clock.
"I'm going to have to head out in a minute. These numbers won't crunch themselves," he says chuckling. My dad is an accountant and an avid math lover. He was in the school band in high school and was the biggest geek, according to him and mom. I'm convinced being a geek is genetic since I inherited my love for math, sci-fi, and old movies from him.
He gives me a quick peck on my forehead and gives my mom a chaste kiss. I can hear him leave as his car cranks in the driveway. I grab a handful of granola bars and stuff them in my backpack's pockets. Mom furrows her brow.
"April, have a real breakfast," she says. Mom was the total opposite of dad. She was the head cheerleader and played volleyball. The reason they even got married was because dad tutored mom when she was failing math. They ended up being interested in some of the same films and fell deeply in love after spending a weekend watching a Star Wars marathon.
"Mom, granola is just as good a breakfast. Besides, Alex is the one who needs a filling breakfast," I say. Alex is my older brother. He's a senior this year and he plays football and basketball. Alex got the sports gene from my mom. He also got the looks and the charm. People still get confused when they figure out we're related. We're total opposites.
"Where is Alex? It's the first day of school," Mom says, concerned. She walks out of the kitchen, presumably to Alex's room. On cue, I hear Alex groaning and complaining about Mom waking him up. In no time, Mom walks back to the kitchen.
"He's up. I'm heading to work now. Have a great first day, Sweetie," she says, kissing my cheek. She walks back out of the kitchen and heads for the front door. "Have a great first day at school, Alex!"
I sit in the kitchen, waiting for Alex. I hear him upstairs, stomping about. When he finally comes downstairs, he's wearing a white t-shirt that says SEATTLE GRACE FOOTBALL and some grey sweatpants. He grabs some toast and an apple. I look at him in shock.
"You look like a slob. You could at least dress up for your first day," I say.
"April, the teachers already know I don't give a shit about school. Plus, I'm a senior. I can dress how I want," Alex says, biting into his toast.
"The first day of school is all about first impressions!"
"April, stop being a kiss ass and shut the fuck up," Alex says. He grabs the keys to his truck and walks out the front door. I rush behind him, not wanting to be late.
"Alex could've dressed up for his first day," Lexie says when she sees me in the parking lot. Alex glares at her and flips both of us off. He rushes to find his friends, not wanting to be seen with his dorky younger sister and her equally dorky friend. Lexie had on a light blue button-up shirt and a khaki skirt. She was also in black flats.
"Did Meredith drive you?" I ask. Lexie nods her head. Meredith is Lexie's older sister. She's also a senior and has always been very nice to me. She's offered to give me rides so I can ride with my best friend, but their house is closer to the school than ours. It would be a pointless drive.
"Yeah. Derek offered to drive us both, but she said no. Mom has been up her ass about them dating," Lexie says. Lexie and Meredith's mother is a world-renowned surgeon. She wants nothing but the best for her daughters and she was unimpressed with Derek Shepard. Meredith and Derek had been dating since they were in middle school and everyone knew once they had some freedom as teenagers, they would be official.
As Lexie and I begin chatting about our schedules, we pass by some of the football players. I can't help but stare at Jackson Avery as I walk by. He was talking to Alex, probably about a girl or their practice this afternoon.
"April, you're drooling," Lexie says. I flinch and look at her. She's smirking at me and chuckles. I've had it bad for Jackson since I was introduced to him. We met when I was in kindergarten, and he was in second grade. He told me he liked my hair and I've been smitten with him ever since. It didn't help that he got hotter when puberty hit and that he was at my house all the time.
Jackson and Alex are best friends. They met in preschool and have been attached at the hip since. However, that would change once they graduated. Alex is planning to attend the local community college, and Jackson plans to attend Harvard or Yale.
Lexie and I walk into the building and head straight for our lockers. I open my locker and grab my textbook for first period.
"Are you still helping me with the assembly?" Lexie asks me while grabbing her Chemistry book.
'Oh yeah, for sure!" I say. I shut my locker and wait for Lexie to finish up. I notice an anatomy textbook in her locker.
"Are you taking anatomy, too?" I ask. She rolls her eyes and nods.
"Yeah. My mom wanted me to double up on sciences instead of taking an extra elective," Lexie says.
"Do you even want to be a doctor?"
"No! I want to be a teacher but mom would die if she knew that."
I laugh because I know it's true. Ellis Grey is the biggest hardass I have ever met. It's probably why she's so successful. Lexie and I continue our conversation until I trip, causing my books to go flying. When I look up, I see Izzie Stevens. She's the head cheerleader and resident mean girl.
"Watch where you're going, Nerd," she says. Lexie has already picked up my books. I get up and am beyond embarrassed when I notice Jackson, Mark, and Alex staring at me. I nudge Lexie and nod my head at them.
"Do you think they saw that?" I ask.
"Well, they're staring pretty hard, so I would say yes."
I groan. What a wonderful start to my first day in tenth grade.
After school, I'm sitting at the dining room table with my math book sitting in front of me. I'm working diligently on my homework when I hear the front door open and slam shut. I hear two loud, male voices and know Jackson and Alex have finished football practice. They both walk into the kitchen to get a snack.
"Hey, April," Jackson says. He gives me that megawatt smile and I swear his eyes are staring into my soul. I flush and smile at him. I give an awkward wave and go back to my school work. Alex gives me a weird look.
"April, you're the most awkward person I've ever met," he says. If it's possible, I blush harder.
"Yeah, probably why I only have two friends," I say quietly.
"April, you're a genius and you miscounted. You only have one friend," he says.
"It'll be two soon. Jo is moving back to Seattle. She's coming to live with her dad," I explain. I swear I see Alex visibly pale. Alex had a thing for Jo when we were in middle school. He was head over heels for her, but the feelings were never requited. She moved away the summer before our seventh-grade year and was finally moving back.
"Man, didn't you have the biggest crush on her?" Jackson said.
"He absolutely did. He used to ask me about her all the time, especially when she came over to spend the night," I said, giggling.
"Speaking of spending the night, Jackson is staying over. His mom is out of town and he doesn't want to be home alone tonight," Alex says. This wasn't very unusual. His mom was constantly out of town for surgeries, meetings, and conferences. Jackson was by himself a lot and it got lonely not seeing his family for days so he stays with us.
"Oh. That's nice," I say. They ignore me though.
"So who are you going to homecoming with?" Jackson asks Alex.
"Dude, I'll be on the field and so will you. Who cares about a date?" He asks.
"I-I think it would be nice," I say quietly. They both look at me before turning back to one another.
"I'm taking Stephanie. Pretty sure Leah would go with you. She's always looking at you and laughing at your lame jokes," Jackson says. Alex punches his arm.
"Leah is so hot, plus she puts out," Alex says. I cringe and he notices. "Sorry, Apes. Forgot you're a virgin."
"I-I… Why does that matter?" I ask, embarrassed and blushing.
"Because you can't handle that talk, I guess. You always look like you're sucking on a lemon when anyone brings up sex," he says. He's right. Mom taught us about sex and did so graphically since she's a nurse. I should be used to it, given my mother's teachings and how Alex talks about girls and sleeping with them. It's just a foreign concept for me.
"Well, I want to wait. Maybe not until marriage, but for the right person," I say, proudly. Alex smiles fondly at me and shakes his head. Alex may not understand me and tease me to no end, but he supports my decisions, even if I made them when I was twelve. He and Jackson head upstairs, leaving me with my math book and thoughts. I want a date for homecoming.
It's early when I wake up in the morning, too early. However, I need to use the bathroom. I open the door to the guest bath, which is the bathroom Alex and I share. I don't know if it's because it's too early to function or if I wasn't paying attention but I notice Jackson much too late. He has a fluffy, white towel slung low on his waist. Jackson has the most gorgeous body I have ever seen. His muscles are bulging and his pectorals and abdomen are perfectly toned.
"April?" He asks, eyes wide. When he notices my roaming eyes, he smirks. "See something you like?"
"U-um… I-I. Sorry! Sorry!" I yell and run out of the bathroom. I hear him laugh loudly behind me and swear I wish the ground would swallow me whole.