The Rich and The Wolf

2

ELLE

My classes this semester didn't seem so bad. I had homeroom with Kate and Jessica, then English, and Government before I had lunch. Easy. After lunch I had AP Biology, and then Math and ending the day was Spanish. Not too bad, but the math was something to be worried about. Math wasn't my strongest subject but I loved biology, so hopefully it would all equal out.
        Homeroom was the typical first day stuff; locker assignments, senior expectations and they had already started talking about college applications. English was going to be to extremely easy, write an essay or two and read some books, no big deal. Government may be a difficulty, but I knew I needed it. It looked really good on a transcript.
        Lunch arrived before I knew it and I was hurrying to the lockers to wait for Jessica and Kate. Jess was already there, her purse on her arm and she was texting on her phone. I said a quick hello and asked about her classes. She hated Phys Ed already, but Jason Cooper was in her History class so she kind of liked that one. Kate showed up not long after me and said her morning classes were boring. We grabbed our bags and headed to the cafeteria.
        The cafeteria was either your excitement for the day, or the worst possible place in the entire universe. For someone like me, as awful as that sounds, it was lovely. I saw all my friends and got all the latest gossip. It was my Holy Grail. The unfortunate part for me, was that Connor hung around the same friends as I did, which meant I couldn't really avoid him during lunch. I decided that I would just ignore him and enjoy the short hour I had.
        Kate, Jess and I took out seats next to each other and many other people showed up as well. We caught up with Megan and Katrina, asking them about their summer and how their day was going so far. Jake, Kate's boyfriend of just over a year, came over and sat with us, bringing along a few of his friends. In those friends he brought, was Connor, who lingered at the end of the table, shooting me daggers every chance he got.
"He still holds a grudge, huh?" Jessica whispered to me, nudging my shoulder to get my attention.
"I guess so," I said taking a sip of water. I caught him looking at me and I turned my back to him, facing Jessica, "That's what he deserves after being such an asshole," I told her and rolled my eyes, over the whole discussion. Jessica nodded in agreement.
        I took the few seconds I had to myself and glanced around the big cafeteria. Oakwood High was decorated in blue and gold, the tables a cheap plastic blue with old, yellowing chairs. The lunch trays were blue with yellow edges. The over-coordination thing was so tacky and I totally hated it. Oakwood High wasn't that bad, it was like any regular high school. The popular kids sat in the middle, the jocks next to us, the debate kids in the far corner with chess club and the computer nerds. The hipster kids sat closer to us, but still on the outskirts and beside them was the goody-two-shoes. The whole back corner was designated for the Reserve kids. They all sat together and ate together. They would all leave around half way through the lunch break and would go to their trucks and cars, parked in the very back corner of the school parking lot. No one was really sure why they left, probably to go smoke or drink, something stupid like that.
"Elle," Kate hissed beside me. I whirled around to face her, a smile on my lips, showing her nothing was fazing me, "Stalker at three o'clock," she whispered and jutted her chin to my right. I turned my head to look, casually looking that direction.
        My eyes locked with a guy sitting at the Reserve table. He had piercing green eyes, narrowed slightly like he was concentrating on something. I then realized he was concentrating on me, I swallowed and tried to look away, but something held my gaze with his. The muscles in his chiselled jaw worked and he rubbed his chin with his hand, then he ran his fingers through his dark hair. His hair was cropped short, but different than the other Reserve guys. His was a bit longer and he swept it away from his face. His skin was dark, tan and looked like he had worked in the sun all summer long. He opened his eyes a bit wider and a crooked grin appeared on his face, like he had just found a gold mine or something. I swallowed and grimaced. I broke his gaze and shuddered, turning back to Kate.
"What the hell was that?" she whisper-hissed at me. I gulped before I answered.
"I have no idea," I said shaking my head.
        I felt weird for the rest of lunch. I didn't dare look back at the Reserve table again. It wasn't a feeling of stalked or a scary feeling, it was weird because I had butterflies in my stomach and excited goose-bumps showing up on my arms. I felt compelled to look at and be close to this guy on the other side of the room. I had no idea who he was, but I wanted to know him. That wasn't going to happen thought, it couldn't. I couldn't be hanging around with the Reserve kids, there is no one way anyone would allow that.

Biology was going to be a breeze. Mr. Locksley, our teacher was already in the classroom when we got there. He handed out seat assignments, first day review and a calendar for the whole year. Obviously, he was prepared for the class and I don't think any of us students were ready.
        I sighed in relief when I saw I was by myself for seat assignments. I was used to being at the end of the list, end of the line, etc. There weren't many names that came after Woodroffe. Working alone in biology was probably the best thing to happen to me so far today. I am very controlling and some even say I am a perfectionist, so working alone was probably the best for me. I was actually interested in how this class was going to go now.
        I settled in my seat, putting my binder on the joint desk, beside the sink and set my purse on the stool beside me. I saw Jessica turn around her seat, she was partnered with Peter McCracken and he was brilliant, of course she would be getting a good grade in this class. She pouted at me, sort of sympathizing, but I just shrugged and looked away. I took my iPhone out of my purse and checked Twitter and Instagram while I waited for the bell to ring.
        After the bell rang, I put away my phone and turned my attention to the front. Mr. Locksley called roll and everyone was present. He began to go over the class expectations when the door to the classroom creaked open. My heart stopped for a minute and my breath caught in my throat. It was that guy. The Reserve guy was standing at the front of the classroom with a binder in his hands and backpack slung onto one shoulder.
"Ah, Mr...," Mr. Locksley said, trying to figure out who the guy was.
"Rhett," the guy answered for him. His voice was deep and husky, but not in a bad way. I couldn't see his face as his back was turned to me, "Williams," he finished. Rhett Williams. Hot name, I thought to myself. No! Not hot, he was from the Reserve!
"Yes, Mr. Williams," Mr. Locksley said again, "Please take a seat next Ms. Woodroffe at the back," he said and motioned to me at the back of the class. I'm sure my eyes were wide with surprise and I'm sure my mouth was hanging open as well.
        I scrambled to move my things from his seat as his tall, muscular body strode down the aisle towards me. Everything about him screamed 'badass' from his dark wash jeans to his dark t-shirt, also add in the fact from the Reserve and I was already zipping my mouth shut. His jeans fit him nicely, hanging low on his hips but not baggy, they were stylish and looked great on him. His slim t-shirt clung to his sculpted arms and I could see the outline of his chiselled chest. He was easily over six feet tall and his muscles were huge. He nodded to one his friends in the corner before he slid into his seat. He nodded a 'hello' to me and I just smiled weakly at him. How the hell did this guy already have this effect on me?