How To Rule Your High School

Chapter 2: Clairview High's Finest

        "Ladies, ladies, ladies," came a voice from over my shoulder, "It's not even first period and you're already plotting!"

        "Shove off Tyler," Deanna said, visibly annoyed by the interruption. Tyler's leanly athletic build settled between Deanna and me and, as always, shivers ran down my side.

        Built like the surfer he was, Tyler was just the right combination of lean and muscular - not too wimpy, not too buff. His sun-baked skin was deliciously attractive, as were his brownish-hazel eyes. A tousle of beachy brown hair topped the whole package off and unlike most other guys, Tyler could actually pull off the "fresh-from-the-beach" surfer look, especially because half the time it was authentic. Endorsed by some big surf gear company, he practiced pretty much every day at the Clairview beach, usually at sunrise right before school and at again after the final bell.

         I'll admit that the only reason I know all this is because I've been crushing on the guy since I joined the elite ranks of the A-listers.

         But seriously, of all the shallow and self-centered guys I hang with, Tyler's the only one who's remotely like me. Sure, he's as vain as the next and he definitely has no problem making out with drunken sophomores at parties then forgetting about them the next day. But beneath that macho facade is a guy I don't think anyone else knows but me. The whole reason I know this goes back to the first day I met him, somewhere far from the halls of Clairview High...

I was running on the beach. The soft rhythm of the waves crashing on the shore played a delicate undertone to the music flowing from my iPod. Stopping at one of the benches to stretch, I noticed a silhouette on the water, marring what would have been a perfect sunset. Stretching my quad, I watched in fascination as the silhouette suddenly popped up atop one of the waves. Sliding out of the glare of the sun, the surfer coasted along the wave until it crashed. I was too mesmerized to look away, even when he slipped back into the water, paddling back out to sea. But as I was openly staring, I felt his eyes on me too.

Slightly embarassed at having been caught off guard, I started to jog again. Slowly being pulled into my running trance, I snapped out of it just fast enough to dodge the surfboard that suddenly impeded my path.

 "Whoa, sorry!" the surfer said, faking as if he'd just noticed me. I pulled a headphone from one of my ears as I stopped.

 "No problem," I said, smiling while hoping I wasn't too flushed and sweaty from my jog.

 "Tyler Raines," the surfer said, extending his free hand.

 "Madison Carlisle. Just Maddie is fine too," I said, shaking it.

 "Just Maddie it is then," Tyler said with a smile, "So, you go to Clairview High?"

 "Of course," I replied, twisting my ankle to stretch it, "You're new, aren't you?"

 "Yeah, fresh from North Carolina. What's it like around here?" he asked, leaning on his board and looking around, "I mean, what's the school like and stuff?"

 "Want the truth or the sugar-coated lie? You'll only get the first if you promise not to tell," I offered with a rueful smile.

 "Truth. Can't you tell I'm that kind of guy?" he teased. I chuckled.

 "Alright. It's a snake pit of rich brats, probably the same as what you're used to," I said, being painfully honest. Something about this kid just made me comfortable admitting the well-known, but taboo truth.

 "Aw seriously?" he asked, "I moved here hoping to escape all that BS drama,"

 "Better luck next time," I said jokingly, "It's high school, did you really expect any different?" He laughed.