Staring Competition ~ Phan AU

I

Dan's PoV

The red school bell rang, signaling that class was starting soon. Luckily, since it was my first day, I would have an excuse to be late. Getting situated.

The hallways were really long and wide, crowded with different kinds of people. Jocks, preps, nerds, artists, emos, surrounding the school. There was even a school newspaper geek, who somehow knew I was new and snapped about ten photos of me walking down the hall, thinking I couldn't see her.

I shrugged my backpack higher onto my shoulder so it wouldn't slip and grabbed my map of the school. It was pointless trying to read. The words were so small they were indecipherable and the layout looked nothing like a building. I needed help from someone else. I looked up and walked over to the closest person. The girl was a Senior, two years older than me. I could tell because her uniform was white. The Freshman wore gold, Sophomore black, Juniors blue, and Seniors white. She had brown hair that went to her waist and she was very tan. Her grey, almost silver, eyes sparkled up at me when I tapped her on the shoulder.

"Uh... hi," I said sheepishly. "I'm new here. Can you direct me to the office?"

"Uh, yea. Go down the west hall," she gestured to the opposite hall from which I came. "And it's three doors down." She smiled.

"Thanks," I replied, returning a smile.

"I'm Colline. What's your name?"

"Dan," I said, beginning to walk to my destination. "My name is Dan."

I entered the office and the woman at the front desk, a senior citizen with red curls and chocolatey skin, looked up at me. Her eagle yes pierced into my soul as if to say 'Welcome to Hell, kid!' I expected her voice to be cold and harsh but it came out sounding like lolly pops and rainbows. "Hi, what can I do for you, dear?"

"Hi! I'm Dan. Dan Howell. I'm new." She began to search through her files, muttering my name creepily as she searched. I had to restrain myself from tapping my foot, a nervous habit I have that seems to offend people.

Finally, she pulled out a yellow envelope. "Your schedule, teacher names, and locker number and combo are in there." I nodded and was about to leave when she calls me back. "Mr. Howell?" I turn.

"Yes Miss?"

"Mrs. Patch," she corrected me. "In your last school, you didn't do so well with English, correct?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"So," she set down her tiny round spectacles. "We have a student tutor option or an individual student teacher study." I looked at her.

"What's a student tutor?" I asked. She explained that during study, a student tutor in the program would help me with the subject. I would get the first meeting to get to know them and if I enjoyed working with them, then we would continue working together. If not, I would work one on one with a teacher. So, I agreed to try the program.

"And you have English first. Just tell Mr. Barnes your decision after class." I thanked Mrs. Patch and headed to English.