Growing Pains

Chapter 1

A/N: Hey! I'm new on this site so I decided to give this a try!Just please tell me what you think of it, how I can make it better; any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you and enjoy the ride!.... that was dumb; just read the story.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

I slid into my desk. I hated that this was what I was thinking about, but it was. Daniel was just so frustrating now. He was a creature from my past. He meant something to me then, but not anymore.

I'm pretty sure it's like this every year. I pray that he won't be in my class. Most times, it works out ok, and even if we're in the same class, it's not really like we sit together. We have five letters of the alphabet to be a barrier in between us. Yes, I have thought about this before.

Sure, in third grade we were best friends, inseparable, but, come on, that was third grade. I don't really remember when we grew apart. Now, though, he's the class clown and too much for me to deal with. He's a trouble maker. I can't be getting into trouble. I want to have an amazing life, a practical one at that. I want to go to a good college, get good grades, get a good job, meet a good man, grow old with him, and maybe have children. Some girls dream of their perfect guy swooping them off there feet, maybe being a bad boy, good just for them, but that's not how I want it. Maybe people my age would judge me for it, but when I see older couples together, they are content to just be good together. I want that.

The bell rings, and I smile. Thank God, happens to fly through my mind. He's not in the class. The teacher clears his throat. Judging by the messy scrawl on the White Board, I'm going to say he goes by Mr. Kern. He looks like he's in his early fifties. I pull out a notebook marked Math and a pen. Mr. Kern begins to take attendance. The seats are in alphabetical order, but it doesn't really matter to me because Daniel isn't here anyways. He reads some names off in a semi-bored, mono-tone voice.

I've heard some things about Mr. Kern. I've heard that as long as you're good in class he will like you. He used to have some sort of anger-management issues but a summer ago he took meditating classes. If you ever see his vein in his forehead pulse, you'd better hope he takes on of those weird, long, huffy meditating breaths or you're screwed.

He read my name, Eleanor Hunter, and I happily chirped, "Here!" I was one of those people that liked to learn. I liked to take tests because I was able to show off what I learned. I was the girl that everyone wanted to be partners with, but didn't invite to their parties. I wasn't unpopular, I just wasn't popular. Mr. Kern continued to read some names, then he got to the empty seat behind me. He looked at his list once more, peering over the edges of his wide rimmed glasses. He opened his mouth to say something.

Just then, Daniel sauntered in, earning a glare from our teacher. Right then, I was really hoping that he is about to ask for directions to Human Biology or something - ANYTHING other than here. Wow. I didn't know that I disliked him that much.

Daniel grinned. "'Sup Mr. K," he said easily, giving a somewhat disrespectful two-fingered salute. Mr. Kern looked like he was about to get really angry, a vein looking like it was about to surface, when he took a deep breath and nodded curtly at Daniel.

"I am going to guess that you are Mr. Marsh?" he said stiffly.

Daniel smirked. "At your service," he drew out.

"You may take the seat behind... Ms. Hunter." He nodded towards the empty chair behind me. I swiveled to see if there were any other open chairs, but it was plain to see that the chair was meant for Daniel. I swallowed my groan before it could truly surface.

Daniel didn't even blink. "Yessir." He slid into the seat behind me. "How was your summer, princess?" He leaned in so only I could hear. By princess, he meant prestigious, spoiled, bitch. For all I knew, he felt the same way about me as I did about him. We didn't like each other, and we never would again.

I ignored him as usual, not even announcing his presence. I tune into Mr. Kern as he begins his lecture. "I will be your AP Math Teacher for this year." Might I mention, that I don't actually know how Daniel is even in this class. I wasn't aware he had any brains in that thick skull of his. "This will be a year of learning and preparing for college as it is your Junior year at Northvale High. If you listen to what I'm saying right now and for the rest of the year we will get along just fine. First of all, I do not tolerate tardiness, nicknames, or any other ill behavior," he said. At that last part, I could have sworn he was boring his eyes into my hairline, and I was much relieved to notice that it was Daniel sitting behind me, and that was who he was addressing.

Mr. Kern wasn't done, though, not yet. "Again, there is no tolerance for funny business. Detention will be a guarantee and there will be one warning and one warning only." He then began to speak about what we would need for the year. I did a quick scan around that classroom. I seemed to be the only one taking notes and really focusing on what he was saying... their loss. I would be prepared. I knew what I was doing. I was going to get into a good college. I was going to get a good job. I was going to get a good husband, and I was going to live the rest of my days with him, maybe have some children. That wasn't even something I was considering a goal. It was a plan. It was going to happen. Shit! Now, I'm like all of the rest of the kids in the class; I'm not paying any attention to what Mr. Kern is saying. I couldn't have missed much. It didn't exactly seem like he noticed the lack of focus in the classroom.

I turned back to him and began to take notes furiously, trying to make up for the absence of attention I had just paid him. I felt like such a slacker. I needed to work my ass off this year. This was my Junior Year, as Mr. Kern had said. This was my year to prove I had what it took to make sure that I achieved my dream, and that I had what it took. Of course, I wasn't proving this to myself. I was proving it to everyone else in the world who just couldn't understand that I was going to be successful. Most said it was too early for me to start really worrying about my future. Honestly, I had it figured out when I was in eighth grade, but I don't normally tell people that. I continued to take notes. At some points, I wasn't sure if he was ranting about his personal life or telling us about the curriculum, but, whatever it was, I had it written down. Tonight, I would commit it to memory. This was how I spent every day.

The bell rung and I packed up my things slowly. I gathered everything in a neat, organized pile. I hated when things were out of place, or imperfect. I just hated it.

I stood up, about to walk out the door, when I came face-to-face with Daniel. Is it childish to think of him as Daniel the Dickhead?

He grinned his toothy grin, and asked again, "So princess, how was your summer?"

I glared at him. "Oh it was great... Only because you weren't there." I shoved past him and hurried out of the room. My cheeks were flaming. Why did I say that? That was so stupid! Why would I say that!? Of course, it wasn't like I cared.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+

A/N: This was my first chapter.. Ever. Tell me if you like it! That was Eleanor in the picture!

xoxo ~

Tiger