𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 [𝐣𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐱 𝐨𝐜]

Chapter 2 | The New Student

Jim Lake Jr.

Rumors have been going around lately of a new student transferring to Arcadia Oaks High. Toby was making guesses left and right of who it could be while Jim just listened and laughed at his crazy ideas. They sat in their seats, joking around with each other until Mr. Strickler cleared his throat to get all their attention. "Ahem. Good morning, class. We have a new student here today. She just transferred from New Jersey and will join us for the rest of the term. Miss Walker, you may come in."

The class turned their heads toward the door as a girl with long, wavy brown hair and turquoise eyes entered. Everything around Jim paused as he stared at the new student in sudden recognition.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He recognizes that face, that hair, those eyes anywhere. She looks just like her – his childhood friend, Lizzie! Could this be a coincidence?

Others around him whispered to each other, their gazes fastened on the girl in the front.

"She's so pretty!"

"I want to be her friend!"

"I want to date her!"

"Ah, my heart!"

Standing in the front of the classroom, the brunette greeted them with a charming smile. "Hello, everyone. My name is Elizabeth Walker, but you can call me Liz. I just moved here from Hoboken, New Jersey, and I look forward to getting to know you all."

No way! Jim instantly recalls his childhood friend's name, Elizabeth Walden. Elizabeth Walden. Elizabeth Walker. Lizzie. Liz. That is too much of a coincidence!

Many thoughts cross his mind as Jim tries to rationalize everything. Then, that happened. As Liz swept her gaze across the classroom, her ocean-green eyes met with his sky-blue ones, and he froze in his seat, unable to tear his gaze from hers. He felt everything around him go dark, leaving just him and her. Then, Jim sees her as a little girl in his dreams, her light brown wavy hair floating in the passing breeze, her turquoise eyes glistening like the sea, and her bright smile shining like the dawn as she calls out his old childhood nickname, "Jimmy!"

Suddenly, he hears a loud whisper call to him. "Jim. Jimbo! Hey, snap out of it!"

Jim shook himself awake from his reveries and noticed his friend staring at him as others around him were busy typing on their laptops. Including the new girl, Lizzie – he meant Liz – who took a seat behind Toby.

"Were you daydreaming or something?"

"No. No, I'm not." Jim quickly denies it and looks over at his friend's laptop screen, wondering what he had missed. "What are you doing?"

"Research," Toby replies as he continues typing.

"Hey, look up 'talking amulet,'" Jim suggested. He felt eyes on him from the side, and he turned to look but saw the brunette absorbed in her laptop. Just by her presence, he could already feel his cheeks warming.

Toby was way ahead of him, pointing at the result of his search. "I already did that. All I got was toys. One of them was a plushie."

Suddenly, Strickler's voice called to him. "Jim, would you agree?"

Snapping in attention, Jim looks up to his teacher. "Sir?"

"With Herodotus' opinion on tactics of war, as I've described." Strickler clarifies, pulling out his favorite pen. Sweat dropping, Jim tries to stall, looking at Toby, who turns away and whistles. "Oh, uh...Absolutely."

"Excellent. Which tactics, specifically?" Strickler asks. Feeling the pressure, Jim tries to think of an answer. "The, uh...winning ones?"

The class laughed at his response as the school bell rang, signaling the end of class. Getting up from his seat and putting his books in his bag, he glances at the new transfer student again, who is already heading out the door.