I am gonna keep my eyes on you...

The next day was a new beginning of my life in Sunnydale. I woke up in the morning with mixed feelings in my gut. I wanted to change my inner awkward self,I wanted to start everything afresh!

" Okay, you got this!"

Looking myself at the bathroom mirror,I said to myself.

Sunnydale High School was just a few blocks away from our home and I wanted to walk the way to the school on my own the very first day.

" I can drive you, honey, if you want. "

Dad told me as I set off for school.

" No, dad, It's okay. I want to have a walk. It's not that far. "

I started to walk towards my direction.

As I was walking along on the street, I was looking here and there with curiosity.

Sunnydale was a very small town with a few inhabitants. In our block, there were only two houses, our's and Elizabeth's. I hardly saw another in this block. The pinewood forest just spread throughout the whole area.

As I was walking on the road, I could hear distant sounds of birds and animals from the woods.

After some time, the road got divided into two sides and I took the right one - which was the way to the school. I looked along the left side - there I could see the road going along inside the deep forest and ended infront of a colossal castle. I stopped for a moment to capture a clear view of it but couldn’t - as the trees kept blocking my view.

" Who on earth would build such a huge castle inside of a dense forest? "

I said to myself.

After a while, I entered the school ground.

At last!

I could sigh a little bit. Unlike the whole Sunnydale area which was all calm and quiet, I heard the familiar din and bustle of the highschool life - which also cheered me a bit.

The school had already started as I went to the administration office.

" Transfer student, ha?"

Someone stared at me when I gave my papers.

" Go to Mrs. Lin's office. She's your home room teacher. "

He gave me back my papers and pointed to a room nearby.

" Good morning students! "

I was feeling kind of awkward as I came with Mrs. Lin to my respected class. I was staring at the floor the whole time while Mrs. Lin was speaking.

" We have a new student here in our class today. Ruth!"

I was a bit distracted when she called out my name as I was thinking about something else.

" Yes, Mrs. Lin?" I said at once.

She laughed a little while looking at me.

" You may seat over there. " She pointed to the only empty seat at the corner of the room near the side of the window.

I was so embarrassed about what just happened lately and hurriedly went to my seat.

"What was I thinking? You stupid! "

I said to myself as I buried my head over my books.

" Hello!"

I heard a manly voice speaking beside me. I looked up.

" Nice to meet you, Ruth! "

The boy smiled at me.

It was him!

I looked around the whole class at once. There were at least twenty of the students inside the room and all of them were looking at my direction right at that moment.

I saw Elizabeth, who was sitting infront of us. Her desk mate was a blonde girl. And it was me, who was seating with the boy I saw yesterday with Elizabeth in the car.

" Hello, Ruth. "

Elizabeth said to me.

" Hello. "

I said to both of them.

" Okay class,so let's begin our today's session..... "

I could hardly hear what Mrs. Lin was teaching at that moment.

Why was I like that? I always felt awkward and shy in new environments and situations. Because of my parents professions, I was always in the run to change schools. That's why in my seventeen years of life,I didn’t have any opportunity to make close friends or connections with whom I could share my deep thoughts and feelings freely. In each school, I always felt like an outcast. Others attitude towards a transfer student was not always the finest and amicable as I could say. That's why I always kind of tried to separate myself from the rest of the environment. But it was a bit different with Emma and Lisa around on my previous school...

But what she did to me,I could never ever forget that!

" Okay,you got this!"

I breathed deeply and said in a down tone while opening my book.

" You alright? "

The boy whispered to me as I was reluctantly turning over the pages of my book.

I was kind of puzzled to hear him talking to me as I never thought that he would notice me from the beginning. I looked at him directly for the first time. Last night I caught a glimpse of this handsome figure from my window view but looking at him close, I had to say that he was way too much handsome for a seventeen years old. He had a long face with a sharp v-line jaw. His amber colored straight hair was back brushed - showing his open forehead which he covered with a black bandana.He was wearing a white shirt with blue jeans and the cuffs of his shirt was folded upwards, showing his manly veins on his arms. He had such dark and deep witty eyes which could see through anyone whoever would try to look at him for too long.

Looking into his sharp eyes, I shivered a little and quickly looked away.

" I'm fine, thanks. "

I said meekly as I wanted to hide my agitation.

" Feel free to share your problems. I am also a transfer student. I joined a few months before you. "

He smiled as he whispered to me.

I couldn’t help but look at him once again. He was kind and helpful as well as jolly to everyone. I stealthily kept staring at his side as he was fully engaged in Mrs. Lin's lecture.

" Okay class. You have to submit the essay next class... " Mrs. Lin continued...

" By the way,what was Adam saying to you during the whole class?"

After the class was over, I and Elizabeth were going to the cafeteria. The whole area of the school was new to me and I asked for her help to guide me there.

" Adam? " I asked her.

" Your desk mate. "

Elizabeth said in a rather calm way.

" Oh, nothing. He was just asking if I needed any help or not... "

I said at once as if I were answering to her. There was some strange agitation in my voice while I was doing that and I was kind of surprised at my own behaviour.

Why was I feeling guilty? Silly me! It was nothing to feel guilty of... Or was it?

" So..." I cleared my throat. " I saw you guys yesterday infront of your house...."

" Yeah,he came to fetch me to his home. "

Elizabeth said in an emphasizing tone.

" Oh,you guys are seeing each other? " I said, trying to be in a more casual way.

" Yeah,It's been a month already. "

" Great! "

We said nothing after that as we were walking side by side.

" There it is. You stay here, I'm gonna go find Adam. We'll come back to get you, okay? We have chemistry lesson after that. You don't know where the chemistry lab is after all... "

" Sure! I'll wait for you!"

I saw Elizabeth going away as I sat on a bench at the cafeteria all alone.

Was she thinking bad about me? I kept Over thinking about the whole scenery on my head over and over again while eating my lunch all by myself. Students from different classes were eating lunch and some of them were studying while eating. I was looking at the gangs of them and kept waiting for Elizabeth and Adam to come and get me to the next class.

As time went by, the cafeteria started to become empty as people were going to there respected classes. I didn’t know what to do,should I wait for them a bit longer or should I ask someone for the direction of the chemistry lab? I was in a dilemma...

I decided to wait a bit longer as I thought that they would come for me later. I heard the bell rang for the next class and there were no other students around at my sight.

Why didn’t they come? I said to myself while packing my things to leave the spot. I was wondering whom to ask as I saw no one around outside. I was wandering at classroom doors and was looking for chemistry lab. But I could not find it in the front building. I was looking to and fro for it and was becoming impatient gradually as well as feeling kind of frustrated inside.

Why would she do that? I bet she forgot about me,,,

I thought to myself as I didn’t want to believe that Elizabeth did that on purpose to irritate me.

" Are you looking for something? "

I heard a strong voice behind my back and turned my head at once.

" I want to go to the chemistry lab. "

I said to the boy who asked me.

" Follow me. "

He gestured me to follow his lead as he was heading upstairs.

" Class! We have an announcement. "

As I went inside the lab with the boy, the chemistry teacher announced the whole class.

" I'm gonna retire from today. You'll have a new chemistry teacher from now on. "

He looked at our direction.

" Meet Mr. Alexander, he'll be your new chemistry teacher from today! "

" No way!"

"Ahhh! He's too young! "

" He's so handsome!"

There were audible whispering around the whole class after the announcement was made. I was also surprised and shocked as I could never imagine that he could be a teacher of my class! I assumed of him to be a student or something as I looked at the tall handsome figure standing right next to me with a complex smile on his face....