I'm new to the school, Miranda High, and as I stare down at my map, I'm startled by a rowdy, "Coming through!" as someone with curly brown hair skates by. He's actually on a skateboard, in the halls. His Vans are rainbow, and his bright green eyes are fixed on someone up ahead. I look and see the object of his fascination: a guy with cropped dark hair, dark eyes, and a determined jawline twitching with laughter. I can see why the skateboard boy is so compelled. The guy is roguishly handsome and the sparkling center of a throng of students. At his side is a petite girl with a round face and pointed elfish ears, wearing a light blue dress. She watches him with almost naive admiration that instantly earns my pity. Boys like that never stick around for long. Still, I can tell he's the popular one, the top of the social pyramid. What could his attention do for me?

And then a girl in yellow approaches, with long chocolate curls, deep dimples, and a radiant smile. "Hi," she greets me. "I'm Peggy Schuyler. Who are you?" "Maria," I say, "Maria Lewis." "Do you need help finding your way?" "Yes," I admit, chuckling. "Can you show me where social studies with Mr. Washington is?" "Sure, I have that too. So, you're one of the new freshmen, right?" She begins to lead me through the crowd. "I'm a junior. My friend Laurens is a sophomore. Have you met him?" "Uh, which one?" She points. "Oh, the one on the skateboard. The gay one," I quip. "Is it that obvious?" she snorts. "Yeah, the whole school knows. Rumor has it that he likes Alexander, though he's never said so to me." "Alexander...?" She gestures again, and this time its toward that dark-eyed social magnet. His gaze flicks toward us, then away, as if we're undeserving of his attention. I cross my arms in annoyance. "I don't like him." "He's not the most... approachable, but he's great once you get to know him." "And how would you know him?" "My sister, Eliza"- she nods to the girl sticking to Alexander's side like glue- "Is his girlfriend." "Ah," I say. "Even my older sister Angelica is under his spell." She rolls her eyes rather fondly. "I don't see the appeal," I say honestly as I follow her, "But whatever you say."

"Here we are," Peggy says, and opens the door. I enter to see a middle-aged man, and I'm startled by how tall he is and broad-shouldered. He could be a giant! "You get used to it. He used to be in the army, see," Peggy whispers to me. "Hello, Maria," Mr. Washington says with a thick Southern drawl. "Welcome to Miranda High." His eyes narrow. "Alexander has better things to do, I see." "Doesn't he always?" Peggy says, but she's still bright as sunshine. "Tomcat needs to be declawed," the teacher grumbles. "He's lucky his grades are so good." Alexander rushes into class, blowing a dark strand of hair from his eyes. "Sorry," he says, and gives Mr. Washington a charming smile of apology. "Fine. Fine, fine," Mr. Washington growls, "But please, be on time tomorrow, son." As class progresses, I notice Alexander really is clever. He raises his hand all the time and gets every question right. Do I copy from him? No. That would be wrong. But plenty of people do.

I notice a girl with very long dark curls who looks rather like Peggy, dressed in salmon pink, watching Alexander wistfully from the back row. "Who's that?" I ask Peggy. "My sister Angelica." I remember what she said about her earlier and feel a stab of pity for her. Poor thing, going unnoticed by her crush while her little sister dates him. "Please don't be fooled by the 'girl in love' trope," Peggy groans. "She's smart as a whip."

"I can believe it," I say, noting Angelica's eyes of steel. "But Alexander seems smarter."