New Arrival

A stranger appears, disrupting the norm.

Gwen was the first to notice the disturbance.  A large group of students were surrounding the door leading to the principal’s office.  Closer inspection proved her worst fear to be true; the group consisted mostly of girls, leaving room for only one conclusion: there was a new boy in school, and judging by the countless mouths that were agape, a “cute” one.  Heaving a sigh and rolling her eyes, she sidled past the stupefied clones.  It’s the same every time, she thought.

            Reaching her locker, her thoughts turned back to more interesting things.  Decisions, decisions.  Which would make a more interesting book report?  The Da Vinci Code or Tale of the Body Thief?

            “Hey, Space Cadet.”

            “Huh?”

            Annoyed at having her thoughts so rudely interrupted, Gwen whipped her head around abruptly, only to come face to face with…a chest.  Looking up, she realized the obtrusive chest belonged to none other than the new guy.  At least, she thought it was the new guy; she never really paid much attention to the guys at her school. 

            “Gwen, this is the new guy,” Luke bluntly announced.

            Suspicions confirmed.

            “Thank you Captain Obvious.  Does the new guy have a name?”

            “James.  James Dean,” the new guy announced, stepping forward and taking Gwen’s hand.

            Gwen looked at him in disbelief.

            Eyebrows raised, she said simply, “You can’t be serious.”

            “What do you mean?”

            “Your name.  You can’t be serious.”

            “I know, I know.  My parents thought it would be cute; I think it’s cruel.”

            Luke was looking back and forth between them as if watching a tennis match.

            “What are you guys talking about?  What’s wrong with his name?”

            Stifling a snicker, Gwen exchanged a glance with James.  It was then she realized he still had her hand in his.  Looking first down at the hands, then up at him, she gave him a look that said simply, what are you doing?

            Holding her eyes, he cupped her hand in his, raised it to his lips and, to Gwen’s complete shock, kissed it!  Quickly jerking her hand away, she gave him a smoldering look.  Fuming, she stalked away without looking back, not seeing James’s crooked grin or Luke’s dangling jaw.

            Who does he think he is?  The nerve of him!  I can’t believe he did that, that stupid-

            “Gwen!”

            Jerked out of her thoughts yet again by her brother, Gwen thought she just might have to resort to violence soon.

            “What?” she demanded.  Turning to face him, she realized that James was still with him.  Her eyes became beady behind her glasses, hoping that maybe the expression “if looks could kill” would miraculously become effective.  His crooked smile did nothing but increase her malice.

            “I meant to tell you before you stomped off.  James’s locker is gonna be next to ours.”

            “Is that so?” Gwen spat.

            “Yeah, so I thought I’d introduce you guys, so you wouldn’t get confused.”

            “Thanks for your consideration, Luke.  Well, we’ve met, and now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got to get to cla-“

            “Luke tells me you’ve got Psychology first period.”

            “That’s right.” Gwen answered, glaring at Luke.

            “That’s my first class, too.  I was thinking you could show me the way,” James replied, and winked at her.

            Gwen could not believe her luck.  This was not her day.  She usually avoided most of the guys at Pensbury, as they mostly consisted of arrogant, pig-headed jerks with heads so big they could pass for floats at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.  James should fit right in, she thought crossly.

Reviews

[Darl1ng N1kk1]

lol Well Gwen's sort of an extension of myself, but as I said, this was written a long time ago. And while I share some of her qualities, she's certainly not me. I agree, she can be a bit harsh, but I think it's mostly a front, a defense mechanism she's acquired from years of feeling like an outsider. I don't know if she'll soften necessarily, but she's not a complete b***h. Just feisty.

Also, I wrote it with the intention of her being sort of attracted to James against her better judgement, and therefore she's mad at herself for feeling the same as her classmates, and that's part of where her hostility comes from.

[Closedown]

I agree, there's snark, and then there's cattiness... Gwen sits on the fence right now...

[Trevor]

Gwen's kind of a b***h lol