-George Bernard Shaw

The room was filled with chattering and laughter as the students lounged around the classroom. Some sat atop the desks as they conversed with their friends, while others stood in small groups. A few studious kids sat at their desks preparing for class. 

Ding ding ding.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class. The students slowly moved to their designated desks; those who were resting were now awake and yawning, and those who were chatting were now silent as everyone patiently waited for their teacher to arrive. 

Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway outside the classroom. All eyes were fixed on the door as a smiling brunette woman walked in.

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Mrs. Joy." 

The students returned their teacher's greeting in unison with matching smiles. 

Mrs. Joy continued on to her desk at the far side of the room to put her belongings up. Once she was settled, she walked to the front of the classroom and stood there gazing at her students with gentle but firm green eyes. Mrs. Joy was a short, kind woman, who favored warm colors. At that moment, she was wearing a yellow cardigan over her dark green dress that matched the color of her eyes. 

"Now, before we begin class today, I have some exciting news." 

Murmurs floated around the classroom as the students wondered out loud what the news was. 

"Did Mrs. Joy get a new pet? If she did, I bet it's a rabbit."

"Maybe she is having a kid? That would be so cute!" 

"Wouldn't it be funny if she divorced her husband?"

"No it wouldn't, what is wrong with you?" 

"Oh no! What if she isn't leaving her husband but us instead?"

"That would be terrible! What would we do without joy in our lives?"

"Guys I don't think that's what she meant by exciting news…" 

Mrs. Joy's eyebrow twitched as she listened to her students. Don't get her wrong, she loved her students but sometimes they acted a bit… rowdy. With an amused sigh, Mrs. Joy clapped her hand to get her students' attention. 

"I didn't ask you guys to guess." She shook her head with a laugh. "But you are all wrong. The exciting news is that we have a new student joining us today." 

Mrs. Joy watched as her students' eyes lit up with excitement and broke out into whispers. 

"A new kid? It's been a while since we had a new kid in town." 

"I wonder where they are from?" 

"I hope the new kid is a girl because the girls around here ain't all that." 

"Excuse me? Just what is that supposed to mean, Glen?" 

"You heard what I said. Want me to repeat it again for you?"

"Personally I don't care what the new kid is as long as they aren't as stuck up as Patricia."

"Why you-"

Mrs. Joy clapped her hands again.

"That's enough guys. We were only out of school for the summer, and that wasn't enough time for you all to forget one of our most important classroom rules." 

She pointed at the wall where the classroom rules were located.

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it all no matter who started it first." 

The class dully responded in unison with a few students glaring at each other in the process. Mrs. Joy nodded in approval, ignoring the glaring students. 

"Good. Now that everyone has settled down," Mrs. Joy turned towards the open classroom door. "You can come in now." 

All the students straightened their backs to get a peek as the new student walked into the classroom and stood right next to Mrs. Joy in front of the classroom. 

The new kid was a tall dark-skinned boy with warm black eyes and a big smile that showed off his pearly white teeth. He wore a red sweatshirt that showed off his broad shoulders, a black pair of sweatpants, and red sneakers to match his shirt. Rays of sunlight came through the window bathing him in a warm, ethereal glow, enhancing his looks. 

"Oh my…" Patricia blushed.

"Not bad." Someone else said. 

"Not bad at all." Another student agreed.

The students started murmuring amongst themselves again but went silent after Mrs. Joy clapped her hands again.

"Would you like to introduce yourself to the class?" Mrs. Joy asked, having to crane her neck back to look at the new student’s face. Why are highschool boys so tall, she thought in the back of her mind, silently weeping at her own shortness. 

"Yes ma'am, I would love to."  

Mrs. Joy stepped away to give him the floor. 

"Hey y'all, my name is Tykeim Ellis and I'm excited to join all of you this year. I hope we can all get along with each other." Tykeim said, a pleasant smile resting on his lips the entire time he spoke. 

"I hope we can get along too." Someone called out after he spoke resulting in the classroom erupting into laughter. Tykeim didn't hesitate to join in, not looking the least bothered by the comment. Though Mrs. Joy sent a sharp look in Patricia's direction.

"Anway, it's nice to meet you, Tykeim. I'm Mrs. Joy, your homeroom teacher and language arts teacher." 

"Nice to meet you too Mrs. Joy." 

"Do you have any hobbies or interests you would like to share with us or anything else about yourself that you want us to know?" 

"I'm a pretty everyday guy. I like to keep myself in shape, I like to run and if I'm not running I'm skating on my skateboard. I do like to play video games and spend time with my mom when she isn't busy." 

Tykeim put up his fingers, counting off as he spoke about his interests. 

"Does anyone have any questions for Tykeim?" 

Mrs. Joy looks back at the class. Almost everybody in the classroom raised their hands so Mrs. Joy picked someone at random.

"What does your mom do?"

"She works at the hospital in the emergency room." Tykeim said proudly.

"Where did you move from?"

"Honey Hills." 

"Why did you move here?" Mrs Joy thought that Tykeim’s eyes went a little dull at this question but dismissed it as a trick of the light.

"My mom's job." 

"Do you have any other family around here?"

"No one important.” Tykeim smiled and tilted his head.“Any other questions?" 

"Are you single?" 

The last question came from Patricia and a few giggles floated around the classroom as a result. Mrs. Joy let out a sigh. 

"Alright, I think that is enough questions for Tykeim. We need to start class but if you want to ask him more questions get to know him after class please."

Mrs. Joy approached Tykeim. 

"Thank you for telling us about yourself and your family,Tykeim." 

"Of course Mrs. Joy." 

"In this classroom we have assigned seats but it will take me a few days to arrange you one, so you can pick any seat as long as it is empty for right now." Mrs. Joy gestured towards the available desks. 

Tykeim nodded in understanding and scanned the classroom for his seat. Some students shoved their book bags and belongings off the empty desks next of them in hopes that he would sit there.

His assessing black eyes lingered on a dark brown girl wearing a white headband with her short black hair. She sat with her back straight, brows furrowed as she studied the open book before her. With a fingernail coated in red holding a bookmark in place on the open page, the girl looked to the front of the room alongside her classmates. Next to her was an empty seat by the wall. Her black eyes met Tykeim and her glossed lips tugged into a small polite smile. Tykeim didn't have to look further for a seat. 

There were a few disappointed sighs from other students when he sat down next to her and they glanced at the girl with envy. 

"Oh you picked a seat next to Mary. Good choice." Mrs Joy approved with a smile before beginning the lesson of the day. 

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Ding dong ding.

The bell rang signaling the end of the homeroom period. The students quickly packed up their belongings so they could walk to class with their friends. Tykeim on the other hand lingered, trying to get to know his pretty deskmate. 

"So, you're Mary?" He asked as he put his stuff up in his book bag. Next to him Mary was doing the same. 

"So, you're Tykeim?" Mary redirected as she put up the last of her things and slid into her book bag.

"Yeah, pleasure to meet you." 

"I bet." 

Mary smiled at him, holding her book to her chest before turning away from him. Tykeim followed behind her, not giving up. It was just his luck that he met such a cute girl on his first day of school;he would be crazy if he didn’t try to get to know her. This is a great start in a new place, Tykeim thought to himself as he caught up to Mary, walking side by side with the girl in the hallways.

"So, Mary," Tykeim began watching as the girl threw him an amused look." What's your next class?”

“Science.” Mary answered. 

“Wow, what a coincidence! I’m also going to science.” Tykeim grinned. He easily memorized his schedule after the guidance counselor gave it to him earlier in the morning.

“Really?” Mary raised an eyebrow.

“Now Mary, I know we just met at all but you will learn that I don’t lie, especially when it comes to cute girls like yourself and my friends.” Tykeim boasted with a smirk. 

“I guess we’ll have to see.” Mary stopped glancing towards the line of students waiting outside the closed science door. “I guess the teacher isn’t here yet.”

“Great, that means more time for us to get to know each other.”

Tykeim leaned his shoulders against the metal lockers that were built into the wall outside the science classroom and crossed his arms. Mary took off her book bag, setting it down on the floor before leaning her back against the lockers. 

“You know there are plenty of other people who want to get to know you too right?”

“Yeah but I’m interested in you right now.”

“Because I’m cute?”

“That's right.”

“And that's all?” 

“Oh no.” Tykeim shook his head. “I can tell that you keep yourself in shape and I’m sure you heard what some of my interests are earlier. Not only that but you like to read and I have a thing for smart girls.”

He pointed at Mary’s defined legs under her skirt before pointing at the book she still held against her chest. Mary blinked in surprise, following his pointing with a laugh and nod of her head. 

“Yes, I do enjoy reading a good book and you can’t help but get a workout when you're a cheer captain.” Mary shrugged her shoulders, glancing back to the line of students ahead of them, missing the way Tykeim’s eyes lit up with interest. “Hm? Oh it looks like the line is moving. Guess the teacher finally came while we were talking.” 

Mary picked up her book bag and slung it on her shoulder. She followed the moving line of students walking inside the classroom with Tykeim close behind her. Tykeim followed the girl mindlessly, her previous words repeating in his head. 

A smart, attractive cheer captain, Tykeim thought with a sharp smile as his black eyes narrowed at the oblivious girl in front of him. Oh, he was going to make his mother very proud. After all, Mary would be the perfect girlfriend for him. Almost like they were meant to be. But first, Tykeim needed to establish himself among the other students at his new school. At his old school he was popular, but not popular enough. Now that he was in a new school, he had a fresh start and, from the looks of it so far, no competition. It helped that he already stood out as the new student and that the Azmarin Pass High School was a small town school.

Now to use that to my advantage, Tykeim thought to himself as he sat next to Mary. He glanced at the girl with a smirk. It was going to take some time and hardwork on his part, but Tykeim was confident that by the end of the year, Mary would be his. And the school? Worshiping him like a god.

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