Saviours *HEROES OF OLYMPUS FANFIC*

Chapter 2- Leo

Leo's P.O.V.
This is it. This is the day where everything can be fresh and new. In this moment everything is wiped clean and raw. Ready for me to leave my mark. Or just stuff it up again.
The lady in the office hands me a timetable and points me down the hall. 'I think you must have English now, with Mr Bruner. That's just down this hallway, up the stairs and room E16'.
'Thanks' I reply automatically, but I'm not really paying attention. I know I always look confident, it's one things people always notice about me. It's not like it comes naturally though.
I'm sure I always have to make an effort. Always smiling and cheerful, looking like nothing could get to me and pull me down. I may look easy going, covering up my despair with jokes and laughter, but I always have my guard up. I wish it wasn't like that. I wish I was the person I pretend to be.
The person without regrets and secrets eating at him from the inside, but that's not how it is. Not anymore. I look down at the timetable as I reach the door of E16. It has my name typed in even black letters Leo Valdez. Before I knock on the door I breathe in deeply.
There are lockers running along one side of the hall and classroom doors on the other. Other than that the hall is empty. I can hear noise coming from the classrooms though, E16 in particular. I slouch a little, trying to look as if I don't care I'm the new kid who should be worried about being this term's punching bag.
I smile widely and try and role play as if I'm the one who has this whole school wrapped around his finger, I look down at what I'm wearing. Faded worn jeans, a grey t shirt with the logo of a band I've never even heard and black vans. I look back up, curl my hand into a fist and knock twice on the door before turning the handle and opening it.
'Hi' I say talking to the teacher but aware that everyone in the suddenly silent class has their eyes on me. 'My name's Leo, I just transferred here'.
I'm certain my voice sound confident and sure of itself, I'm certain none could notice the shakiness when I said my name or notice how hard I'm trying to look careless. The teacher looks me up and down, at first he frowns and I'm worried I'm in the wrong class or he's already decided he doesn't like the laid back style of the new kid.
This is it though, my first impression on the class who will be the first students in the school to spread rumours about the new kid. I look up, making eye contact with the teacher and I'm relieved to see a welcoming smile spreading across his face, almost mocking mine. I find that when I'm always grinning the people around me find it hard not to as well.
'Hi Leo, nice to meet you. Sorry we weren't more prepared to welcome you into our class but I wasn't expecting a new student. My name is Mr Bruner by the way. I'm sure you will be a great addition to our class. Take a seat anywhere you like, we're just finding partners for a group activity'.
This is where my heart started to race. I know that if I just wait in an empty seat for the poor loner who nobody wanted to partner with came to me that it would leave a scar on my reputation at this school. I survey the class quickly, I can already see the cliques and groups formed. Girls looking over too similarly dressed girls to laugh or roll their eyes at the loud boys sitting in a clump towards the back.
For the first time I let my eyes wander to the very back of the room where I notice one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen quietly frowning at me. Her hair is golden and braided to the side, she's wearing I white t shirt and denim shorts showing of her beautifully tanned olive skin. She's not wearing makeup and I can tell her hair isn't dyed, she just looks...real.
Of course at the moment I am not interested in dating at all, I don't even intend to stay here long enough to be in a relationship and I'm not a player. I wouldn't date a girl for the thrills and then just leave her behind, I could never be that cruel. Although even though I couldn't be less interested in finding a girl to open up too and let her into my dark heart I can't ignore how naturally pretty she is.
That isn't why I start walking towards the empty desk next to her though, I tell myself that this is how it has to go if i want to keep up the charade. Looking like I have enough confidence to make the first move. Beside the fact that there are only two empty desks in the room, one amongst a few dorky looking kids at the front and this one. I can tell she's unhappy about my invasion of her space before I even sit down.
People are looking at us and I know they're probably thinking 'He just sat down next to the least popular girl in this class, poor guy'. The thing is I can tell that she's unpopular and I know that no one else was sitting next to her for some reason but this is just how it is being new at a school you don't make the rules you can only face them and at least this makes me look like I don't care what people think.
Thats the truth though, no acting there, I don't care what these people think. As long as I'm staying under the radar after the news of the new kid dies down then I'll be just fine and like I said it's not as if I plan to be here for long, I'm getting the hell outta here as soon as I make a plan.
I look at the girl and smile, this time it's genuine. She doesn't smile back. 'So I guess we're partners?' I try. The girl looks at me and breathes in deeply she pauses to look at me before picking up her pen and opening her notebook.
I'm mistaken to think it's over and I'm about to admit defeat and get my own notebook out but just before I turn away I hear her voice, her words clear yet almost a whisper 'I guess so then... Leo'.