Chapter 1, Mousey.

I was walking down the leafy trail of the lonely but beautiful forest, on the way to my awaited day at school.

I was calming down my nerves by breathing in my surroundings. I looked up to the top of the trees where the branches filled in the whole sky, the crunches of the crisp colourful but dead leaves in my path and the cold air blanketing my cheeks. Although I felt paralysed by anxiety, beauty protected me. Now focusing on my non beauteous and boring attire, I know I should not be so ungrateful. I have so many goods now, compared to my life in the past where I had absolutely nothing but I still couldn't help knowing the other girls would have much prettier and elegant frocks. I have a dirty, coloured brown school dress reflecting clearly off dear Evelynn, my mousey brown hair made into a fish tail at the side, with a brown bow to top it off. I don't mean to be selfish but I'm not 50 years of age only just 15 and this is what I'm to wear, and I was expected just to plod on with the embarrassment.

I realised I was mentally in another world, I was looking out into the forest and had slowed down my pace but I couldn't see from the amount of thought. I laughed at myself slightly.

I began to walk faster. I turned my head and suddenly fright filled my body as I had walked into somebody and I couldn't find the forest I was in. A rough and scratchy material was rubbing into my skin and eyelids. And heavy footsteps upon the leaves, sounding like they had commited a crime.

Finally the words rushed in a mess out of my mouth, "stop! Please stop!!"

The pushing stopped and the material got off my face.

"Are you going to school too, maybe you could stay here with me instead." The boy was behind following me but the harassing words were right up to my ear and the tone of his voice was quiet but nasty, making the hairs on my neck stand on end.

"Ugh is tormenting girls the only masculine thing you can come up with?" I wittily snapped back. I glanced back at him and scowled then turned away, I straightened my posture to give the impression that I did not care.

All of a sudden he gripped a firm hand around my arm and pulled me forcefully to face towards him, it started getting tighter by the minute. And he kept saying harsh things in my ear, verbally teasing me.

Although I felt like crying, I was taught by Evelynn if anybody tried being nasty towards me to rise above it and save my tears for the pillow and so I repeated that in my head.

After a few moments of teasing, a voice began to creep closer.

"Wow that look interesting Simon but maybe you should get to school and maybe think of being more of a gentleman towards the new girl!" the stranger said, softer but getting passive.

I relaxed my eyes, I opened them and saw a boy dressed in a smart, patterened vest top with a grey buttoned shirt underneath and black trousers on, he had dark brown eyes matching his messy curly fringe, he was walking towards us.

Simon holding me, realxed his grip and firmly pushed me away from him, he waited for the other boy to be face to face with him. "Why do you have to spoil my fun?" Simon said passive aggressively, glaring at the boy.

"Well I'm sure the girl isn't having fun, and I'm sure your methods of getting a girlfriend aren't working very well so maybe you should rethink them" the boy sassed back.

I was standing back but In the middle of the their verbal fight, my eyes going back and fourth.

As they continued on, their words were just a blur as I was once again in a trail of thought.

Where did he come from? Why is he willing to help a stranger? ...wait I can save myself I don't need help from this boy. I thought to myself.

My thoughts got interrupted by Simon storming off. The boy and I were both watching him disappear into the distance.

"You alright, sweetheart?" The boy said gently.

"Quite, thank you" I replied bluntly and trotted off.

Sweetheart? Are you kidding me, who does he think he's talking too?

I began my walk again. I had gotten at the end of the Forrest when I heard footsteps behind me. It was the boy who had helped me. I had purposely gotten faster.

"Wait, who are you miss?" He asked in curiosity.

I didn't answer him.

"I'm sorry if startled you, Simon was out of order and I'm sure you're grateful I was there."

For some reason that had irritated me and I stopped immediately. My head swivelled round to find the boy reaching me as he was sweating and panting. He smiled at me.

"Excuse you...I didn't need your help. I could've done everything you had done myself" I said, defensively.

He looked twice as offended. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me, it was just a strange coincidence that you were there" I told him and walked off again and left him in confusion, his fast pace started once again.

I had finally reached school and sighed in relief. But as I walked closer the fear had blanketed me again and it was getting even bigger. I realized arguing with the boy had brushed off the anxiety. How strange.

I looked around to wait for the boy. He looked at me and panted, smiling with his eyes. My heart went funny and I got very confused but I realised the fear had gone again. I then walked towards the steps of the school, for the final time the boy rushed In front to get to the door first and opened it for me, chivalrously.

Guilt then took place, I walked in and looked at him to find him already staring. "I'm really sorry about how rude I was, you're right I'm grateful you were there."

He smiled at me. I looked around at the class and saw my precious friend Luize sat with some beautiful girls but they were already staring in what seemed as though I was a ghost they had just spotted. So I ignored them and turned back to the boy.

"My name is Else Joyce" I took out my hand for him to shake.

He beamed at me with his returning smile and shook my hand. He was very cold but there was a warm arua that reflected off him. "Noah Tolle"

We were then bombarded with boys running towards Noah and he was suddenly whisked away.

Noah turned around and looked at me as I laughed.

He look around in thought then said "I like mousey better"