New Beginnings

Of High School Hallways and High Level Classes ALEX POV

I head down the Junior hallway and find my locker. As I'm putting my books, which are really heavy by the way, in my locker someone comes up behind me and squeals as they hug me from behind. I automatically know who it is, I would know that squeal anywhere.

"SOPHIE!" I yell happily, and turn around to see the beautiful head cheerleaders behind me.

Out of our group of friends, I would have to say she's the prettiest. I mean, we're all pretty attractive, but she is the best looking. Today, her blonde hair was curled to perfection rolling down past her shoulders, her blue eyes sparkling with anticipation for the new year. She had just gotten her braces this summer, so her sparkly white teeth were as bright as ever. Most of the girls at this school were jealous of her good looks and personality, but our group of friends were the exception.

In my opinion, I'm average in looks compared to my other friends, even though Sophie always tells me that's not true. I'm not sure if she's just being nice or not though. Sophie had just started dating the star quarterback, Hunter Cunningham. I know what you're thinking:

Head cheerleader and the quarterback, how cliché.

I would agree with you except once you see them together or know them personally, you'll understand. I mean, I'm no matchmaker extraordinaire, but they seem like they were made for each other. (and I know how cheesy that sounds) Sophie and I begin to talk about the new year.

" I can't wait to cheer for you at your games! The cheerleading squad is going to be so great this year!" She says excitedly.

I smile at her enthusiasm when two other voices call my name. I turn my head in the direction of the voices and my face breaks out into a grin. Victoria and Wesley Thompson are racing towards me, trying to get through the crowd. I met Victoria last year when we were on the swim team together and she had soon introduced me to her twin brother Wesley. They were struggling to get through the crowd, because people were stopping to stare at them.

Now that Sophie was taken, the entire male population of the school seem to be taking great interest in Victoria. On the other hand, the entire female population was already falling at Wesley's feet. Even with the entire school having crushes on them, they didn't take any notice. Both of the twins were completely oblivious to the attention they were receiving. Actually, both became flustered and nervous when they got too much attention.

Wesley was in Honors Society with me last year and no doubt will be again this year. In a way, Wesley is kind of like myself. He was the only one I could talk to in my college-level classes, because everyone else was too shy or felt threatened because I was "popular." I was the one who had brought them into our circle of friends, and they fit right in. Out of breath, the twins came tumbling out of the ocean of students.

"Alex! It's so good to see you!"
"Yeah! It feels like it's been forever!" Said both of them excitedly and I laughed while they greeted Sophie at the same way.

I took this time to get a good look at them. Victoria's straight sleek black hair was swishing along her shoulders as she talked animatedly. Her gray eyes were light and sparkling. The freckles that were usually splashed across her nose had become less noticeable against her now tan skin from summer. We had hit it off when we first met, because we were both tomboys that are athletic and love skateboarding. To be completely honest, she is the one girl in the group that is most like me. Her clothing style it was the same as always. She always dressed in what you could call "a skater fashion." She never left the house without her vans or converse, her skateboard, or one of her thousands of beanies.

My eyes traveled over to Wesley, which was almost a mirror image of Victoria, aside from the gender of course. His gray eyes also sparkle as he talks about his summer adventures. His black hair was styled nicely, almost perfectly. Both of his dimples, the ones that girls usually swooned over, we're showing while he smiled brightly. He was also carrying his trusty skateboard. Wesley had the same kind of skater vibe that Victoria had except everyone knew that he wasn't a full-time skater and about his numerous academic achievements. When we had first met - I, like many of the girls in the school, thought he was insanely hot. Then, I started to get to know him personally, and I sort of developed a small crush on him. I mean come on? Who wouldn't? It's nothing major though, I'm actually not sure if it's anything at all. Anything could change this year though. Good thing it's no big deal.

"What did you do the summer Alex?" I hear and I'm snapped out of my many thoughts.

"Um...I mainly played sports with my brothers and hung out with my friends." I said laughing slightly because they, if anyone would know. I mean it was with them. We all laughed and started heading to our first class of the day.

Victoria and Sophie turned right on the next corridor, while Wesley and I went left to go to a college-level classes. We continue to walk and some people (mostly girls) came up to talk to Wesley. I frowned. We were going to be late if the girls kept flirting at this rate.

"I'll catch up with you later in class Wesley." I say trying to avoid the mass of limbs which are now circling Wesley. He shakes his head signaling me not to leave him, but I smirk as I shrug my shoulders and wave. I turn around fast and bump straight into someone's hard chest. I look up slightly to see Cole Jackson. I sigh and mumble "of course" under my breath.

Cole and I have known each other since kindergarten when he bullied me. And you know, this isn't one of those stories where the troubled girl falls for the bully, because I've heard that too many times before. What actually happened, was Cole made fun of me for hanging out with more guys than girls. So what do young Alex do you may ask? Well my younger self pushed him off the slide and broke his arm. Oh well. After that, the teacher obviously called my parents and his parents. Once he got his cast done, we had to go to the counselor to "work out our differences." That was totally stupid because it was only one time--when he (rudely) pointed out that I am a tomboy--then I pushed him, I mean it's not like we are fighting constantly. My brothers decided to call it our "couples counseling," and let's just say that you could find skateboard wheels and a pile of colorful woodchips next to the wood chipper the next morning. I never did get in trouble for wood chipping my brother's skateboard, which is a surprise. But that's beside the point. Anyways, Cole and I didn't become sworn enemies or anything if that's what you were hoping for, we just made a mutual agreement not to speak to each other often. We didn't want to have another "incident" so we decided not to socialize that much. We said hi in the halls and if we were paired up for a project we talked about that, but that is as far as small talk goes. Because we are both team captains, we have to go to meetings and socialize, which is sometimes awkward. We were put into the category of acquaintances, if that. But at the end of last year, Cole has been on a mission to talk to me more.

I looked him over. Cole looked pretty similar to last year, except now her looked older, a little more muscular. His light brown hair was slightly styled, but it still had the "messy look" that all the girls went crazy for. His perfect white teeth were showing as he smiled down at me. Pale green eyes also looked down at me, sparkling with amusement.

"Hey there, Alex." He said warmly, a small smirk forming on his face.

"Um...hey Cole." I say and start to move around him.

He grabs my arm. "Alex, where are you going?" He asks questioningly.

"I have to get to class, we can talk later." I say smiling.

"I'm holding you to that promise." He says winking at me.

I continue to walk and realize that Wesley has caught up with me now, free from his prison.

"Ooooo what was that?" Wes says smirking and raising his eyebrows.

"It was nothing..." I mumble Wes starts to poke me.

"Alex and Cole, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I---"

"If you finish that song I swear I will tell Brittany that you've had a crush on her since freshman year and that you would absolutely LOVE to go to the prom with her." I challenge, smirking at him.

"NO NO NO IM DONE I SWEAR!" He yells loudly, drawing the attention from others in the hallway.

It was a pretty good threat, considering Brittany was obsessed with him and probably wouldn't leave him alone until the end of the year. Brittany was the most popular girl in school, and believed that everyone was madly in love with her. She had her sights set on Wesley though, much to Victoria's distaste.

I laugh in response and walk into my first class of the day.

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