Hate By Love

The First Glimpse

Hello! This is my first story on this site. I hope you guys like it!

XxX

The sun rose in the eastern sky-coloring it different shades of orange-without much ado, as Trina walked out, or rather, rushed out of her home, calling a hasty, "Bye, Mum!" on her way out.

Securing the lock of her helmet tightly at her neck, she flicked off the kickstand, got on the bicycle and went well on the way to her school the very next moment.

In the middle of her journey, as she was about to take off again after a stop at the crossroads traffic signal when the green light shone, a black limo on her right suddenly raced to her front and she almost collided with it rashly. But at the last moment she squeezed the brakes and only bumped onto its bumper. The limo soon sped off at an abnormally high speed, leaving her shocked and spluttering in its wake.

She remembered the kid she had seen inside the limo, about her age, with his critically tailored uniform to fit his lean form and styled overgrown bangs that spoke of nothing but money.

"Stupid spoilt rich kids!"

Trina muttered with vehemence and continued on her way with an annoyed huff.

Within fifteen minutes she was flicking the kickstand back down, removing her azure blue helmet and securing the bicycle lock.

Slinging her sloppy school bag onto one shoulder, Trina sprinted to her first class, not bothering to stop by the lockers as she already had the books. Entering the vast classroom, she hastily found a seat at the back of the class and hurried toward it just as the teacher also appeared, right at her heels.

"Good Morning, Students. Settle down. Time for roll call."

Mrs. B stated and started calling names from the register. Trina relaxed a moment to get her breath back then looked around to see who sat beside her. On her right was Jenna, her best friend, who almost always sat in one of the back seats. Trina answered the teacher when her name was called and inspected the classroom on her left side too. There was another empty seat right beside her, she realized suddenly, as the teacher finished with the roll call.

"Hey, how come there's an empty seat? Everyone's present."

Trina whispered to Jenna, with confusion. Jenna just shook her head and added, "Don't know, Tree. Maybe Brin'll enlighten us soon."

There was a sound of someone clearing their throat at the door and a polite accented voice asked, "Is this the ninth grade classroom?"

"Yes, yes. Come in. I am Mrs. Brinnie. You're Mr. Leonard, I assume?"

"Please call me Leon, Ma'am."

The boy walked into the classroom and bowed politely in front of the teacher.

"Alright students. Pay attention please?"

Mrs. B started, addressing the class at large, and both Jenna and Trina finally swiveled their heads-from their 'expression talk' with each other at the intrusion about this 'new boy'-towards the front of the class, both of them infinitely sure that it had to do with the mysterious empty seat.

"Mr. Leonard Azari will be joining us today as a new student in the ninth grade. I request that you welcome him with open arms and make him feel right at home."

The boy simply looked at the floor, or at least that's what Trina thought, because his bangs covered his eyes due to the way he had his head lowered.

Trina crinkled her eyes slightly to confirm what her eyes were telling her, that this was the same stupid spoilt rich kid from the crossroads.

"Please take a seat, Mr. Leon."

"Thank you."

Oh come on, don't let him sit beside me, thought Trina.

Mrs. B jumped right into her English Literature storybook as Leon walked to the seat on Trina's left. The boy quietly seated himself and looked around, trying to gauge his new surroundings. He was sat right beside the window so the first person he turned to was Trina.

"Hi. I'm Leon. Pleasure to meet you."

The boy said to her in quiet tones and she looked up from her book in surprise. Right into his eyes, she stared with raised eyebrows. He had the most beautiful eyes, she decided, as she uncharacteristically stuttered.

" Uh...H-hi. I'm Tr-Trina."

His eyes gleamed the most unnatural shade of amber and his lips turned slightly upwards into a crooked smile. It truly complimented his olive skin. But then she blinked her eyes and realized that his eyes were actually just a very light shade of brown. Just a trick of the sunlight, Trina thought to herself as she smiled back at him politely, if a bit forcedly, and turned her attention back to the lecture.

Spoilt or not, stupid or not, this boy-Leon-sure was a sight for sore eyes.

Though not for my eyes, Trina corrected herself in her mind, noticing the kids of her class stealing glances at the boy and whispering with each other secretively.

"I hope the poor guy knows how to not be hunted and captured by annoying cheerleaders," Trina heard Jenna mutter in her direction.

"Well, I hope he falls prey to Zara, the stupid and "pretty" drama-queen of our class", Trina groused to herself. Though a small part of her mind whispered, "You're just in denial, wait till you admit it to yourself."

Mrs. B called to the room at large. 

"Alright kids, time to get your literature assignments." 

A collective groan followed the statement.

"C'mon now, it will be fun. All you have to do is read this book," she patted its hardcover, holding said book up for them to see, "And write a report about what you have understood from it. Make sure that the answer to all of these questions is included." She pointed at the chalkboard where she'd already written them down, five long boring sentences designed to torture them.

The children soon settled into the boring everyday rhythm of school life.