Chapter 1: Unsuspecting Contact

"December 6, 1941 was a day that would live in infamy in the hearts and minds of many American's," said Mrs. Granger as she walked across the room to her desk. She was a young lady around the age of late 20s. She had a milk-like complexion with nice blond hair. "Mr. Ripley, what were the reasons for the American involvement in the second world war?" she said with a grin. I sat there in complete silence as Mrs. Granger told me to meet her after class.

At that exact moment I stole a glance around me to see my fellow classmates trying to hold in their laughter. Even Stella was trying to hold in her excitement. After class I found myself being scolded by Mrs. Granger. She handed me a detention slip for after school then told me to leave her sight. I left for my next period, the beloved P.E. As I walked through the narrow hallways of Sharpton High School, I could feel the stares of everyone. It was like lasers piercing every part of my body. It was horrible, however, this was starting to become a normality in my daily life as a "loser".

I entered the dark damp locker room with a sense of disgust as the football players bullied and pushed around the young and naive freshmen. Coach Jackson ignored the bullying and continued playing a game on his phone. He did this on purpose because those who were doing the bullying were his star players. They couldn't be written up or given detention. They were, as many saw, untouchable. This caste system kept people like me down and the football players at the top.

However I just continued on minding my own business and getting changed. "Public school," I told myself as the scent of weed flowed through the air. I felt a bit light headed, "Could this be what getting high feels like?" I thought. Who cared though.

A couple moments later we found ourselves running laps around the gym. The fat junior with way too many chins found himself at the back of the crowd, sweating like a criminal. The football players caught wind of this and picked on the kid as he struggled to get past each lap. They taunted him as if he were not there. However, I saw that he looked not to care about the taunting. Coach would quickly tell us to get water after about 20 laps and sit down. I sat in the corner because, well, it was away from everyone. Complete isolation.

This isolation. I'm told it is bad, says almost everyone. At that moment the girls would enter the gym. Unlike us they didn't have a uniform so instead they wore booty shorts and T-Shirts. Coach would quickly announce that the girls would be joining us for "Free Play", which was just fancy for "I don't care what you do, just don't bother me". We however had to stay on one half while they had the other, but why did I care it's not like I play anything?

I opened my bag and pulled out a book that I'd been reading. Then I looked up to see her. Stella. Her caramel skin, her slender body, and her skinny eyes almost put me into shock. Then I looked back to earlier when she laughed at my embarrassment in class. She was too cool for me to the point where asking her out,even just talking to her, was a death wish. Accompanying Stella was Mia, a close friend of hers and a complete vulture of a person. She had the ability to completely ruin anybody's high school career with one word. To many she was a sort of queen, a goddess. I didn't care about her . I sat there in peace reading my book, toning the world out.

Then out of nowhere Bang! My head started to spin. I felt like I saw stars. I blacked out. I awoke a few moments later to an unrecognized face asking me if I was ok. I said no with the little strength I had. . I slowly attempted to get up as the stranger lent me a hand . I looked around to see that everyone was unbothered by my accident, except this stranger . I shook my head to trying to clear my vision before thanking the stranger. Still not unsure of who they were . I tried to think if I'd ever seen them before, but nothing came to mind. They had to be new here. . A girl, a new girl- who was actually helping me. I quickly, out of nowhere, gained my questionable strength back, stumbling backward towards the ground, slightly confused. . I heard rumors of a foriegn exchange student, but was this her?

She had light brown skin, long wavy brunette hair, and almond eyes. I was lost with words, completely starstruck by her . She asked if I was alright, stating she watched me get hit by a football. She had a hard accent which accompanied her appearance. I thanked her again which seemed to spark a light in her eyes somehow. She quickly scooched herself next to me, shaking my hand stating her name. "Alba' I thought to myself, it was nice.

I quickly gave her my name "Dante" I don't know what I was sensing but there seemed to be a sort of uncertainty in the air. In a sudden realisation that I had to attempt a conversation, I asked where she was from. At first she tilted her head, her hair falling to one side before answering "Menorca'' I must've sported a confused expression as she looked back at me blankly, an eyebrow raised "Spain".

I sat there with some astonishment. What would someone like her from Spain be doing in a corrupt public high school. The thought itself was on the verge of revolting. Our small little town didn't have any major industries or corporate headquarters, most people occupying the town worked in the local copper mine. The copper mine which was owned by, none other than, my parents. Even then the town itself was poor with no physical or spiritual significance.

So, why here Alba?