1 One.

"Daayum-" Noah whispered under his breath, gawking at the new transfer who stood at the front of the classroom as the teacher tried to quieten everyone down. He ran his long slender fingers through his thick brown hair, trying to freshen up a little, fighting the fatigue that dragged him away from consciousness every now and then. Amongst the hum of chatter in the room, a loud snicker from his left diverted his attention from the transfer. "What's so funny? Melissa Nelson's new hairdo? Cause I think it looks fabulous" he gave a stern look to his friend, Oscar, the weird blond guy he'd known for forever, maybe longer. Oscar on the other hand just smirked, glanced at the transfer, then back at Noah, he opened his mouth, just as the room went silent, about to say something "Du-"

"Hello, and, uh, pleasure to meet you all, my name is Ilysa." Expressionlessly, the transfer introduced herself to the class of 16 year olds, her voice carried clearly, proving she wasn't nervous, the confidence hinting that perhaps she was looking down on the room of people. Noah tilted his head like a puppy, intrigued, sympathy and interest painting his face, he knew what was to come for a new arrival at Elk Creek, in a torn up old town like this, somewhere in solitude, where everything was the same, where there was nothing new, even the places where people parked was the same since he'd been born. Judgemental stares were being thrown from left and right from his fellow classmates as if arrows were being shot towards the female standing at the front of the room, making it clear she wasn't wanted nor welcomed, cold stares stating clearly 'outsider'.

Long dark hair, wavy but elegant, her eyes were also dark, serious and seemingly sophisticated, they contrasted against her pale skin, she seemed like a vampire, her lips were colourless, as if she was suffering from pneumonia, as she walked towards an empty seat, not caring for the stares being thrown at her, she seemed to have a dark, cold tension that followed her. She was pretty, Noah thought, his curiosity hitting high above normal, but a different sort of pretty. Realising he'd been staring, the brunette shook his head frantically, acting as though he'd spaced out.

His focus returned suddenly as he noticed the seat to his right being pulled out, he abruptly swerved to his entire body to face it, "huh?" Confusion rung in his head. He raised his eyebrow, surprised, dark hair fell as the transfer nodded towards him before seating next to him "HUH?! WHY IS SHE-" his thoughts began racing for a moment before laughing came from behind, without thought he swung his elbow, hitting Oscar in the abdomen. Hard.

"You realise I hate you now?" Noah hissed venomously to the half-asleep boy next to him.

"Oh I really do not care-" Oscar giggled "Why don't you make contact with the new arrival commander?"

He was about to speak, planning to sound threatening, but it was the first day, he wasn't in the mood for Oscars idiocy, he shrugged it off and began to eye the list of things they'd learn during the semester. "I don't want to be here," he whispered, then glanced over to the new girl, "Ilysa, huh?" He thought, "what a weird name...maybe she's a vampire." Noah's mind began racing, tuning out the world around him, the teacher's lifeless voice droning notices for the new school year. Soon he began drifting away, fatigue pushing at his eyelids as he fell into a shallow sleep.

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"Mr. Anson. If you feel like it's okay to doze off in homeroom before your lessons have even started, on the first-"

Noah gritted his teeth, trying not to smile, having to wake up from a nightmare to hear his homeroom teacher yelling like a psychopath, he had to admit, was entertaining, in contrast to the lecture they were being given earlier. He tried not to smile, but gave way once making eye contact with Oscar.

"Do you think this is funny?"

"Sir I mean no disrespect" the redhead held his hand up "but maybe if you were a bit more colourful in how you gave us notices I wouldn't have realised I barely slept last night due to anxiety and wandered off to wonderland" the smirk on his face was still apparent, he could feel eyes on him. Though this was normal, he was accustomed to the amused stares of others, looking at the troublemaker, "so what now? Going to give me a detention?"

The teacher, Mr. Sullivan appeared stunned and speechless, his gaze pierced into Noah, suddenly noticing the dark head which was looking down, starting at the sheets of paper on her desk. "Speak to me after class. Oh and Ilysa, could you wait as well?" the transfer looked up, nodded, them swung her head down again. Again no expression, no smile, nor frown, like a robot.

The ringing of the bell blanketed the classroom in some relief that their freedom was still existent, to some extent anyway. In all the commotion, Oscar grabbed Noah's hand, looking away for a second before meeting his friends eyes, "Okay I've never done this before," he thought, looking at their entwined hands, it felt strange.

"What?" his friends stared at him, confused.

"Just don't die okay?" Oscar glanced doubtfully at their teacher, who's mood seemed to have fallen lower than a beat drop.

"Do you have to worry about everything? I'll be okay, he'll probably just give me a detention or a lecture." Noah just rolled his eyes.

"Or get you kicked out, but good luck" he smacked his shoulder before walking out, planning whether to eat something or go to the library, however his mind wondered back to grabbing Noah's hand, he bit the inside of his mouth, contemplating why he felt so awkward by that, "probably just cause we don't hold hands, it's nothing," he concluded, giving a quick look at Noah before walking out the classroom.

"Alright, Noah, I guess I could give you a detention, like you suggested, but I have a better idea." The teacher, looking victorious in some way, looked towards Ilysa, "why don't you show our new pupil around? And help her out during her first week, Ilysa is that fine with you?"

The brunette grimaced, he knew this was some challenge from Mr. Sullivan, and he knew the teacher just wanted him to feel annoyed, he chuckled, "fine, sir, I'll help her out," letting lose, his lip curled back into the usual mischievous smirk, he turned to face the transfer, "Right, Ilysa, shall we?" He indicated to the door, trying to warm up to her, despite his annoyance towards pretty much everything going on that second. The girl lifted her head, meeting eyes with Noah, her face showed no smile, nor frown, but tiredness flashed in her eyes, she nodded, and began approaching the door, he followed after, determined to destroy Mr Sullivan and prove that this was not, to him, nor a challenge nor punishment.

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"So how come you moved here?" Noah attempted to start conversation, for the third time, it was difficult he had to admit, Ilysa seemed like a quiet one, she wouldn't really talk much at all, maybe she was just shy, he had concluded, she had a habit of pressing her thumb nail into her index finger when she was nervous, he'd noticed, and that while she was expressionless, she actually just seemed to be building walls. "Ilysa?"

"Hm?" She looked up at him confused.

"You spaced out again?"

"Sorry."

Noah couldn't understand, she was shy, but why did she keep ignoring him? It confused him, but he was determined to understand her, and destroy Mr Sullivan.

She took a sharp breath, "okay look, I know that our teacher said for you to look out for me, but I don't need that, I'll be fine alone, so could you just leave me be?" Ilysa burst out suddenly, irritated at the boys presence as they turned into a larger corridor.

"Why? And yes I know, but if he sees me not doing this, he'll sanction me, and I really don't need a bad report this year, if you understand?" Noah returned, attempting to be polite, however irritation began flooding him slightly, he winced as though in pain. "No I will not get annoyed," his mind rang.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have fallen asleep in class then?!" She snapped suddenly, before turning at her heels and marching off, her hair swinging behind her, the robot-like expression still on her face.

"Well it certainly seems someone has issues." A familiar amused voice showed up behind Noah. Oscar. The brunette chuckled, punching his friend lightly in the chest, "tell me about it." They grinned at each other, it was one of those moments where the two boys acknowledged each other and their connection, that the other meant a lot to them, like a brother they never never had.

"Wanna go get information for the football team tryouts?" Oscar asked, he'd always loved playing it, however refused to unless his best friend was with him, playing too, or watching, otherwise he'd felt like there was no reason to play.

"Of course, lets go." Noah grinned as the two made their way to the gym. Walking carelessly along the corridor the dark head of gear caught his eye, she was sitting alone in a corner reading a book he supposed she got from her bag. He felt his interest spike, but felt defensive as she'd just yelled at him, narrowing his eyes at her, he decided he'd try understand her. Running his eyes up and down her, he felt strange, he didn't know what it was but it was definitely a strange feeling, he disliked it a lot, was it a crush? Or hatred? He smirked, determined to find out.

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"Wednesday after school, can you do that?" Oscars voice cracked as he spoke, causing his friend to burst out into laughter. "Shut up, it's not that funny!"

"Oh yeah really? CaaAn you do that?" Noah imitated, still hysterical, he met his friends eyes "okay okay, I'll be there."

Noticing the large group of girls blocking the corridor, the two boys looked up. "Jeez what now?" The brunette tilted his head towards his friend, tempted to march through, but before any response, the familiar infamous ringing of the bell begun, causing the group to disperse, leaving a pale vampire like female, sitting on the floor, alone. Noah could feel his eye twitch. He sighed, trying to stay calm. "Alright Ilysa," he began, walking towards her, crouching down.

"Leave me alone."

The brunette laughed coldy, "as if, come on, I'll show you where your next class it."

"I'll find it myself."

Noah took a deep breath, he could feel his patience growing thin, glancing towards her stuff on the floor, he started picking it up and putting it in her bag, he knew Oscar was staring at him, probably having the same stupid smile on his face.

"What are you doing? Put my bag down." The transfer finally made eye contact with the boy, annoyance written all over her face. "Give it to me!" She hissed, venomously.

"Woah there, calm down, I'm only trying to help you out on your first week." He met her eyes, she looked tired, and really angry, he had no idea what had been going on with the group of girls therefore he didn't know whether the feelings were because of him or them, or both. He felt sympathy for her, taking a sigh, he began to explain. "They don't like new things, they aren't welcome to to change, even Mr Sullivan, he's just acting, he hates new things, if anything is off, he picks it up and never lets it go, and you're new." Noah explained, still conscious of his friend behind them, he threw his head to the left slightly indicated to Oscar to go, to which his friend understood and walked off to his class.

"So?" She inquired bluntly, in her usual cold voice.

"So," without warning he threw her bag over his shoulder and took her hand, pulling her to her feet, lifting his eyebrow, surprised that she didn't react. "They don't want you here. They won't ever let you feel like you belong here."

"Even you?" She stared at their hands then up at him. Narrowing her eyes, untrusting, she bought her free hand to a necklace which hung around her neck, Noah hadn't noticed it before, it looked like one of those which had birthstones on them or something. It had a red stone, which seemed to have been shaped with a lot of care, hanging in the centre.

"Well, you'll have to find out won't you." He grinned, pulling her away from the corner, she noticed he had her timetable in his other hand, he began to inspect it "now, where's your next class?"

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