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Chapter Two

When I make it to the history classroom I find my seat in the back of the classroom, and take out my history homework that is due in about 5 minutes. I quickly glance over it and realize I've done absolutely none of it, and that there isn't a chance that this will be completed on time, so I put that back into my backpack and get out the homework for my next period.

Andrew comes in a few minutes later, right before the late bell rings, and he smiles slightly when me make eye contact, and i smile back before returning to my work.

"Alright class, get your homework out, we'll be going over it as a class today, so i'll come around now to check it off."

This happens a lot. He always has us do things in class, even if it was homework. But as he approaches my seat he looks into my eyes before a frown comes onto his face. I guess he's used to having me not do my work. He just walks past me and I hear him say,

"Andrew, this isn't your assign seat." I look behind me, seeing that indeed Andrew had decided to sit right behind me today, instead of on the other side of the classroom, up front where he usually is.

"I know Mr. Anderson, I was just hoping I could help Jane out with her homework today, she told me she was having some trouble keeping up." He says the last part quietly, so that only Anderson and I could hear, and my heart lifts up a tiny bit... is it really possible that he could be trying to help me? I've only spoke to him once. But if i've learned anything from the world so far, it's that nobody helps you for free.

Once Mr. Anderson leaves (after nodding to Andrew to say he can stay) I turn back to Andrew, a look of confusion clear on my face.

"What?" He asks, "Am i not allowed to sit by you?" He says, a smile clear on his face. His smile is so genuine that it makes me smile back at him, shaking my head.

"It's a free country, you can do whatever you want. However, I am a little curious as to why you're over here. Why aren't you sitting next to your friends?"

"Because i'm hoping i can make a new one." He says simply, like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

I turn back around in my seat as Mr. Anderson starts talking about the homework, and I fill in the spaces for my notes as we go along. Soon I feel a light tap on my shoulder, and i turn my head around to see Andrew holding up a piece of paper, waiting for me to take it. I do, and turn back to my desk before opening the note.

"Do you want to be my friend?" the note reads, and I feel my heart sink as i realize i'm not that nice of a person when i'm feeling rushed.

"Of course I do, it's just i've never really been able to find the time for all of the friend stuff. Plus, its not like a lot of people try to be my friend, i'm a little bit of a loner Andrew." I hand the note back to him, and a few seconds later I feel another tap on my shoulder and I grab the note.

"Well how about we don't even hang out after school, what about you sit with me and my buds at lunch, and you can even just keep on doing your homework. But we've all taken a notice to you, and think it'd be cool to hang out with you, even if it is just you saying a few things. You seem chill Jane." I smile a bit, and although i'm not sure why... I need friends. I need some kind of social interaction other then just about carrying my drunk father to the couch. I need a friend... and these guys are great guys, I may not have talked much to them before but oddly enough, I can tell just by the times i've seen them joking with each other in the hallways and classrooms.

"You know what... that sounds great." I write back before handing it back to him and getting back to my work.

The rest of the period goes by normally, with me getting yet another worksheet to do at home.

~

By the time lunch rolls around, i'm exhausted and hungry. So i go into the cafeteria, my backpack slung over my right shoulder, and I make my way to my usual table before remembering i agreed to sit next to Andrew and his friend group today. So i switch my path to that of his table and when I arrive Andrew looks up at me with a bright smile on his face, and he scoots over to make room for me.

"Guys, Jane, Jane, guys."

He points to each one as he goes over their names. SItting across from me is Clay who has bright blue eyes that gaze at me as if all of his attention is on me, and dark hair that falls right above his eyes. He nods at me, staying silent as Andrew moves on to the next person. To the right of Clay is Xavier, who is just about the opposite of Clay. He's distracted by a girl sitting next to him, who I know to be his girlfriend, Jackie. He glances over at me as Andrew says his name, and does the guy nod thing that guys always do, before turning back to Jackie and watching her laugh at his joke that I didn't hear. He has brown eyes, and brown hair, and i know from seeing him in the gym where i work that he is always working out, explaining how fit he is.

On the other side of the table (the side Andrew and I are sitting on) is Alex, who is sitting the farthest away from me on the bench. Alex is a hard guy to miss, he's the most overconfident one in the group, and he's very outgoing i've noticed. But he's also just a really happy guy, he's always smiling and has one of those smiles that could easily make you smile back with just as much happiness. He smiles at me, and i smile back as Andrew says his name. He has curly black hair and brown eyes.

Andrew points to himself, and says "Last and best, theres me." I laugh slightly at his words. Andrew has black hair, and green eyes that seem to pull you into his gaze.

"You forgot me Andrew!" Jackie says as she reaches across the table and shakes my hand. "I'm Jackie, Xaviers girlfriend, and this idiots sister." she slaps Andrews arm and he chuckles slightly, glancing at me as he does so, making it clear that he did not forget her by accident.

I can't help but feel like this is the beginning of something, something amazing, or something horrible, i don't know. but either way i'm thinking it's worth it. They have already accepted me as a part of their friend group, as if i've always been here, and i'm not wasting the chance to have actual friendships.

I don't even pull out my homework at lunch. I spend the whole time laughing and smiling with my new friends, and for once in quite a long time... i feel happy... like something is going right for a change. I needed this change. Maybe, just maybe, I can learn to be happy in this school. I think I deserve to be happy. No matter how much life throws at me, I need to learn to not only care for others, but to care for myself also. And that means having someone. Or some people, that can help me to be a regular teenager. And I think I've just met them.