The Challenge (2 page)

Anyways, I pulled up a chair and sat down on the other side of the unknown students, away from my ex, and realized the two kids between us must be the new ones Lena and Lukas were talking about. I leaned over just enough to take a peek at David, who must have been doing the same because his head shot towards the window. We had broken up only last week because I was getting sick of all his lies and cheating amongst other things, but I found it hard to not swing my gaze in his direction if we were in the same room. I looked at the new people -a guy and a girl. Lukas said they were from overseas, but they were white and didn't look too different from the average American. Although their jeans and hoodies definitely told me they weren't from L.A. Also, their body language suggested something was going on between them-the guy kept glancing at the girl like Curtis would to Sam. They didn't look or act related to each other, but they were arriving at the same time from the same place...add David to the mix and the whole situation was sort of surreal.

"So...what's going on?" David asked, bringing my attention back to him.

"You two are going to be guides for our new students this first week," Mr. Coughlan said with a smile.

I groaned. Mr. Coughlan hated me and loved David, so I wouldn't doubt that he paired us together on this task intentionally.

"Is there a problem with that, Miss Williams?"

"No, sir," I said, flatly.

"Good," Mr. Coughlan said. He looked at the girl. She had black hair and dark eyes to match. She was very pale-definitely not from L.A., like, at all-but other than that, she was pretty, I guess. "Lauren Taylor."

"Yes?" Lauren said.

"David Jones will be your guide," Mr. Coughlan said.

That caught me by surprise. The new guy, who was sitting next to me, looked at me. I looked at him. He had hazel eyes and hair that was obviously bleached; the brown roots were starting to show.

"Guess that means we're together," he said. I was surprised by the accent. It was either British or Australian, I couldn't tell, but it was a handsome accent. Lauren didn't have one, though...but they did come from the same place, didn't they?

"Henry Wilson," Mr. Coughlan said, "Kristina Williams will be your guide."

"I have chosen this way because Mr. Wilson and Miss Williams have the same homeroom," Mr. Coughlan explained, "as do Miss Taylor and Mr. Jones."

"That explains things," I said under my breath with a hint of sarcasm.

"Here are your schedules," said Mr. Coughlan. He handed Lauren and Henry their schedules, then his eyes switched between David and me, although he spoke to the other two. "Your guides will show you to all your classes. If you don't have the same classes, then they Henry meet you."

Great
, I thought to myself,
just what I need...to be running around this place trying to get some new kid from one class to the next, then trying to get to my own
.

"Any questions?" Mr. Coughlan added.

"Yes-when's lunch?" Henry asked.

"It's right there on your schedule," Mr. Coughlan said with a sigh. "Any other...
smart
...questions?"

I rolled my eyes and when none of us said anything, he nodded. "Good. Now, I wish you all the best here at Swan Valley High School. You're free to go to homeroom." Simultaneously, the four of us stood and left the office.

"Our homerooms are down the same hall," I said aloud, unintentionally.

"You sound upset about that," David said, smirking. "You never used to mind."

"Key words: 'used to'," I reminded him. He wrapped his arms around me, once we were out of sight of the office.

"Come on, baby. I told you I was sorry," David pleaded. "What do I have to do to convince you?" He pushed my hair behind my ear, but I pushed him away.

"You could stay away from me," I suggested. Then I looked at Henry and Lauren, who seemed to be in a similar position, except she wasn't fighting him off. "This whole school is going to be overrun by horn-dogs."

"Hey! I resent that!" Henry cried out to me and then laughed.

"Whatever," I replied, turning another corner. "This is where you get off." I looked at David.

"You wish, baby," David smirked.

I rolled my eyes, crossed my arms and tapped my toe as I waited for Henry and Lauren to break apart. I was in no rush to get to homeroom, but I
was
in a rush to get away from David. "Come on Lauren, class awaits," I said and pointed at the wooden door behind her.

"Alright then," Lauren sighed. She and David went into their class and I spun around to continue down the hall to my own.

"Wait up!" Henry ran up next to me. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I said. "I just don't want to play babysitter while you and your girlfriend suck face." I pushed the door to our homeroom open and angrily motioned for Henry to go ahead of me.

"Jeez," said Henry. "Who spit in your bloody tea this morning?"

Henry was definitely British.

I rolled my eyes and made my way to my seat next to James. On the other side of me there was an empty desk, so I already knew where Mr. New Guy was going to be sitting.

"Class...this is our new student, Henry Wilson," Mr. Blackmore, our teacher, said. He looked at Henry. "Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?"

"My family just moved here last week from Liverpool, along with my girlfriend and her family," Henry said. "I'm eighteen and I'm a huge Liverpool fan."

"Thank you, Henry," Mr. Blackmore said. "You may take the seat next to Miss Williams."

Henry smiled and sat next to me. I didn't even have to look, I knew he was staring at me with amusement-he was going to be one of those guys who was
way
too full of themselves.

"SAVE ME!" I said, throwing my arms around Lena, and hiding behind her.

"From what?" Lena asked, trying to turn to look at me.

"The new kids and David," I answered quickly, pointing over her shoulder. Henry walked towards us with Lauren on his arm and David next to them.

"You should have seen Kris in homeroom!" James said. I smacked him on the shoulder.

"I bet that was good," Lena laughed.

"Oh no...they're coming over," I warned, standing up straight.

"You should try to run," James suggested.

"Oh yeah...that's gonna look good!" I said, rolling my eyes.

"Thought you were supposed to be my guide," Henry said, once the three of them reached us.

"Well, I figured David could take you to the class after lunch since I have a spare period," I said.

"You going to do introductions, Kris?" Lena butted in.

I hesitated, not sure that I really felt like it, but Henry decided to jump in.

"I'm Henry," he said. "This is Lauren."

"I'm Lena," Lena replied. "This is James."

Others in our group showed up just in time and Lena introduced them as well. I sat quietly on the low wall we were standing next to while everyone played nice. I didn't even notice until his arm went around me that David had sat down next to me.
Bastard
.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Who else, but you?" David smiled and tried to move closer.

"I was stupid when I was with you," I admitted, getting up. "Luke, can I borrow your car for this period?"

"No way! Remember last time? It's a good thing I was with you, or you would have had a big problem!" Lukas said. He was referring to the time my phone began vibrating in my back pocket and scared the shit out of me, nearly causing me to crash.

"Where are you going?" Henry asked.

"I need to go home for a while, and get stuff for last period." I said before I realized I had no reason to explain things to him.

"I'll drive you," Henry offered, which caused me to raise an eyebrow. Was this guy for real?

"Bell's going to ring soon," David said. "We should get you to class." He was looking directly at Lauren. I couldn't help but wonder if somehow, already, there was something going on between them.

"I suppose so," Lauren conceded. Everyone gradually left until it was just me and Henry.

"So where do you live?" Henry asked.

"1616 Revello Drive," I responded.

"Right then...I don't have GPS. But let's get going," Henry said, as he started walking.

When we reached the parking lot, I stopped and looked at his car, and almost laughed...the thing was a beater. "This...is your car?"

"Yeah," Henry shot back, "at least I drive something."

We got in the car and drove off. I gave him directions and after ten minutes of awkward silence, he was pulling into my driveway. I thought for sure that he'd stay in the car, but once I got out, he did too and followed me up the walkway to my front door.

"So? I gave you a lift. You could at least offer me a drink," Henry said with disappointment in his voice.

God, he was so arrogant...cute, but arrogant. "Fine," I caved, "even though you nearly killed us pulling onto the wrong side of the road."

I led him to the kitchen and gave him a soda. After I was sure he was happy I went to my room while Henry stayed in the kitchen to finish his drink. Unlike Megan's room, my room was clean. There were a few clothes on the floor, and papers scattered here and there, but at least the floor wasn't covered in clothes and makeup. Point being, I got my stuff together quickly then went downstairs to see Henry standing in front of the fireplace in the living room. He must have heard me coming, because he turned around with a picture in his hand.

"Is this your mum?" Henry asked, holding up the gold-framed picture.

"Yes," I snapped, grabbing the picture from his hands, and putting it back on the mantle. Henry gave me a look. "She died seven years ago," I told him.

"I'm sorry," Henry said. "Who's that?" He pointed at the photo of Megan.

"My sister, Megan," I said. "She was six when that was taken...before we developed our 'we don't want to be seen in a picture together' attitude. I was nine. Mom never got another picture of us together after this one," I shared with Henry, becoming overwhelmed with sad feelings and happy memories.

"When is next period?" Henry changed the subject, rescuing me from my cocktail of emotions.

"Uh," I said, looking at the clock. "Twenty minutes. We should get going."

The ride back to school was also in silence, but it wasn't as awkward as before. I led him to Drama, the one class that everyone is in: Lena, Lukas, Curtis, Sam, Erin, Nick, Amanda, Mark, Darla, David - and, now, Lauren and Henry. I sat with my assigned group, which consisted of Lena, Mark, Erin, Curtis, and three other people from class. We were in groups for a big production at the end of the year. It was a collection of skits with teenagers in our time, and how they dealt with certain issues: dating, drugs, sex, rape and suicide.

"I can't believe Ryan dropped out!" Erin said. She was referring to another guy who used to be in our little clique. He was a good friend, but a horrible student. "Who the hell is...oh wait..." She suddenly smirked.

"What?" I asked.

"Well...we lost a boy in our group....but look...new guy." Erin pointed, smiling ear to ear.

"No!" I shouted. The group voted that I get the lead role because I could memorize better than the rest of them. Ryan originally had the male lead, but he dropped out and our act was the one to do with sex. Which meant that if Henry was put in our group, he would be the lead opposite me and...

"Mr. Wilson, since you're already acquainted with most of the cast for Group C, why don't you work with them?" Mrs. Coolidge, the drama teacher said.

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands. It was bad enough that I have only two classes without him, but to be acting opposite him... Maybe Mark or Curtis would take that role now.

"Our part of the performance is a skit to do with the dangers of sex and rape," Lena explained, as Henry sat down on Curtis' other side. I was between him and Lena. "Kris is the lead, while Erin, Marisa and I play her friends. Mark, Curtis, Dustin and Brett, I guess, are going to play your friends."

"Unless one of them wants to be lead," I hinted, shooting pleading looks at Mark and Curtis.

"If we didn't want it when we first started, what makes you think we'll want it now?" Mark asked.

"Yeah...my boo would straight murder me," Curtis agreed.

"What about one of you two?" I asked, looking at Dustin and Brett. What was I thinking? I'd have a better chance of not being molested by Henry then I would by one of those creeps. "Never mind," I sighed. I handed Henry the script that originally belonged to Ryan. "Your parts are already highlighted."

"I see that," Henry said, flipping through the script quickly. "Wait. So we're the only ones who are....together??"

"Yeah," I admitted, lamely. "The friends are just that-friends. They don't like the fact that Michael and Nina-your character and mine-are together."

"Well," Henry started, but got lost in his own thoughts.

"Dustin's character and my character both want to date Nina," Curtis said. "Dustin's character, Brad, actually goes as far as raping her."

"It's not my favorite scene," Dustin said, as if he had to remind everyone he wasn't a rapist.