One of the things I was scared of when moving to America was the schools. Many cliché high school movies portray them as cages where the 'jocks' prey on the 'nerds'. My dad told me that they were just figments of the imagination of authors who probably hadn't been to school for ten or so years.

Oh how wrong he was.

From day one Oak Hill High School, which is only called that as there's a hill with oak trees behind it, has been a war zone..... Ok maybe not considering the fact that the 'jocks' always won by default but I think you get what I'm trying to say. The place is of course a beacon for annoying clichés. 

Now, normally I avoid these like the plague although something tells me it won't be easy this year considering the way she's looking at some random senior. Oh no.

"Raven?" She has heart eyes, oh please don't say what I think you're gonna say. "I think I'm in love." And there it is. I can just see how fun this year is gonna be. My best friend of course just so happens to be the oblivious main character in a high school which seems to attract cliché stereotypes.

The guy who Camila is looking at just seems like a normal meathead football player to me though all the girls seem to be practically fainting at the sight of him. A few guys as well actually. Like a generic football player he of course is very muscular and attractive if you're into that type of guy. The way he looks at girls with those chocolate brown eyes however, as if they should be working to get his attention, is very unattractive. He blows a stray piece of short brown hair out of his face while walking down the corridor.

Now that I think about it I've never seen him before, maybe he has the whole transfer student thing going for him. Of course noticing this he winks seemingly right at Camila, but because of the other drooling ladies I can't be sure who it was for. Then after that he heads off to who knows where.

"Raven." Oh no, please don't believe it was for you, "He winked at me." Damn, now I'm going to have to subtly suggest that there were other girls he could've winked at. I'm quite blunt normally but I'll try.

"Camila, I know that it was in our direction but we are standing in a corridor full of other hungry females and a few males. There's no way we could know who it was for." For how blunt I normally am I'd say that was pretty good. Solid 8/10. The ending let me down.

"Who reads romance here?" I can already see where this is going... Might as well play along.

"You Camila."

"Who wants a relationship here?"

"You."

"So who knows more about relationships here?"

"Me as I haven't let the romance genre warp my idea of how romance works." Now from experience I know to prepare to run and potentially evacuate the country.

"Raven! It's ok, you're just confused. Don't worry, you will find the one soon just like me." Ok I don't know who the new kid is but I'm now worried. Let's hope I can talk some sense into Camila.

"Camila you're starting to sound like a stalker, calm down girl." I say winking.

"Alright fine, you know I'm joking. I know that normally being annoyed at clichés is your thing though  really, who thinks stalking is romantic?" 

"Who knows Camila, who knows." I've calmed the beast, mission accomplished, "Actually are you joining the photography club this year?"

"Definitely, it's the only decent club, I'd convince you to join but Mr Bowman would be after my head. You're practically the best runner this school has."

Now, I know this seems pretty out of character for me but in all honesty it really isn't. Running is a solo sport so I don't need to get annoyed or avoid any teammates, and it keeps Issac happy considering he decided that I needed to get involved with school life. Not as if I had a choice considering the school has a policy that you must join at least one club. Is that even allowed?

"Trust me, I wish I didn't have to. I love running but not competitively. It's stupid that we have to join a club."

Just then, as if sensing my urge to leave school, the first bell rings. Simply nodding at Camila I walk off.

                                                                                  ***

I go to my locker to get my books... Or at least that was the original plan until I see a hot male standing right in front of my locker. He leans and watches everyone else pass like he's watching a movie. As if he isn't there at all. It both unnerves and interests me, though how he looks in that leather jacket also does.

 Alright Raven you gorgeous introvert: you have two options. Either you can walk over to your locker like you own the place and tell him to move or you wait until he leaves. As much as I would like to do the latter and avoid interaction I need my maths book.

"Excuse me, would you mind moving? That's my locker." Well done Raven, you said that like a normal human, good job.

The guy raises his eyebrow, smirks and looks me up and down before meeting my eyes. "Ah I didn't notice. Though maybe I should just stay here and annoy you."

"Why?"

"Cause you look cute when you're flustered." He replied, smirking in my direction.

"You don't know me and I don't know you. Please move." Damn it, I can feel myself blushing.

"I can think of a few ways we can get to know each other." He says while winking, "Though there will be plenty of time for that another time." Brushing his shoulder he leaves me there very confused. Coming back to my senses I decide that overthinking the entire thing won't do me any good so I get my books and make my way to maths.

                                                                                  ***

In a typical high school movie, the most noticeable cliché is at lunchtime were jocks sit with jocks and nerds sit with nerds. I enjoy messing with clichés so Camila and I sit together... Ok we just couldn't be bothered socialising with other teens.

The canteen is quite a big space, considering everyone has to eat there of course it is. In the middle of the room is where the 'popular table' is located. A circular table which fits the twelve 'best students'. Around them the rest of the tables are rectangular. The further out you get from the middle of the room, the more nerds there are. From looking at how close someone is from the middle alone, you can tell where on the 'popularity scale' they are. I know. Ridiculous. But it's also reality unfortunately. Camila and I of course can't stand this so we sit at the furthest table back, even though with our extra circulars we should apparently be further in. 

"How have we already got homework on the first day back?" Ah here she is.

"Honestly it's a bit stupid, it's not like anyone remembers the stuff from last year." I've already been given about ten pages of math to do for next Monday. It's as if the teachers get joy out of seeing us suffer.

"Anyways, I've been thinking about doing things differently this year."

"As in?" 

"What about speaking to new people? Come on, you can join me!" I thought Camila and I were supposed to be the weirdos who had our own table? I don't need more people.

"Nah, I enjoy my own company... And yours sometimes."

"Ugh, fine. I'll talk to new people and you can sit here like a sad hermit crab."

"Why a hermit crab?" I have no clue where this is going.

"You know what? For once I don't know, it just came out."

"Fair enough."

As Camila and I begin a pointless conversation which isn't really worth acknowledging a small nerd called Samuel, or Sammy which he prefers, comes up to us. He's a sophomore now which I only know as I stopped members of the football team bullying the poor kid last year. Ever since, Camila has insisted that he has a thing for me, which in all honesty I wouldn't be surprised considering the way he acts around me, but I have made it clear that I don't like him. Once he joined us at our lunch table, I was against it but Camila didn't care as she wanted to prove that he liked me. She asked what our type was, his description was basically me while mine was weirdly similar to the guy who was blocking my locker.

He is quite short for his age at 5'5 and is quite cute. Would be even cuter if he didn't appear to be infatuated with me. His ginger hair highlights his very light blue eyes, most people say the eyes are the window are the soul though his don't seem to say anything at all to me. His oversized hoodie hides his slim frame, we both have a love for jumpers apparently. He walks around with earphones constantly in his ears, I wish I could do the same but Camila would have my head for not listening to her. She does listen to me when I rant about my video game characters so its only fair I listen to her talk about her odd romance movies.

"Hi Sammy!" Camila greeted. 

She better not have him be one of her 'new friends', he looks at me as if I'm a piece of meat. We did actually consider offering him a seat and Camila tried to convince me to for a week. I said for a few days only as a practice run. At the time he was considering joining the photography club so Camila said she would speak to him about it at lunch for a few days, the entire time he just tried constantly to talk to me. Camila decided that maybe him sitting with us wasn't a good idea after all.

"Hey Camila... Hey Raven." Ok my skins beginning to crawl, I'll just ignore him, seems like a good plan. "Um... Mr Bowman says that running starts today after school." 

Damn it, I was hoping to watch Beastars. Just as I text dad letting him know that I'll be home later than I thought the bell goes. 

"Bye Camila. Uh... And Samuel." I don't use the nickname, he creeps me out too much. Anyways, I don't wait for a reply before walking to next period.