I shuffle down the overly-crowded hallway as fast as I can, trying not to draw attention to myself.

I eagerly scan the mass of people, searching for my twin brother, Lest, but he is nowhere to be seen. I sigh and push my big, thick-framed glasses up the bridge of my nose for the tenth time today. I wonder if anyone recognizes me...probably not. I can hardly recognize anyone myself. I clutch my books to my chest and push my way down to the locker room, trying not to make eye contact with anyone.

My heart is thumping in my chest. Is it normal to be this nervous on your first day of sophmore highschool? I finally reach the locker room. I collapse up against my new locker with a big sigh. I self-consciously reach back and tighten my scrunched-up ponytail, then suddenly I see my best friend, Margaret, rushing over to me. I recognize her from her pointy elf ears and big blue eyes. She tackles me in a giant bear hug.

"Frey!" She squeals, squeezing me tightly. "I haven't seen you all summer! You look sooo different!" She pulls me back so she can take a good look at me. I suck in a few breaths of air, then I smile at her.

"Yeah, you look great Meg." And it's true. Margaret is natrually beautiful. She has gorgeous, shiny gold hair that reaches her waist, ivory skin, and as I mentioned before, big ocean-blue eyes. Today she's wearing a purple blazer with a blue skirt and leggings. She looks fantastic. She grabs my hands and squeezes them. She doesn't seem to mind by baggy sweatshirt and too-big glasses.

"So, did you meet everyone yet?" Margaret asks eagerly, with an excited look in her eyes. I shake my head. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go!" She seizes my wrist and pulls me across the hallway, but I skid to a halt. She turns around and looks at me with a puzzled look on her face.

"I just…" I mutter, fiddling with the stiches on my sweatshirt, "I don't want them to see me and make fun of me." Margaret just shrugs.

"I think you look just fine!" Then she suddenly raises an eyebrow. "Wait a minute...is this about Leon?" I blush and glance down at the linoleum floor.

Leon is my ex-boyfriend. We had a mutual breakup over the summer, but it was evident that I still had feelings for him. Margaret and Lest were the only ones who knew about it. They were both there when I came home, an emotional wreck. I hoped to avoid Leon as much as I could, but I guess that was impossible. Meg sighed and hauled me over towards the next hallway.

"No, Meg, please!" I begged her, but she dragged me onward. "I don't wanna see him right now!" I was going to plead some more, but then she came to a halt. I peered down the hallway, and there he was, cool and tall and beautiful.

He was leaning up against the tiled walls, absorbed in his phone. My breath caught in my throat when I saw his carefree and nonchalant face. He has long, silver hair hastily tied back into a loose ponytail, hoodie, and a t-shirt with the words "caution" printed across the chest. The one thing that gives away the fact that he's Leon is the beanie he's wearing. He wears a striped beanie with two giant holes cut on either side. I can see his big prominent fox ears poking through the holes. He suddenly looks up from his phone and sees us. I stiffen as I see his ears twitch as his gaze settles on me.

"Frey…" he says in that stupid, always relaxed voice. "Hey. You've changed quite a bit." I can almost hear that smirk forming on his face.

"Yeah, well…" I mutter, unable to manage a good comeback. I focus my gaze on the floor. I can already feel the heat spreading across my face. Margaret lays a hand on my shoulder.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, Leon," she chimes in. "But we have to get to class."

"Oh, yeah," Leon says distantly, as if he almost forgot. "Yeah. Class…" he hastily shoves his phone into his pocket and heads towards homeroom. "Later, Frey, Margaret," he calls over his shoulder. Meg turns to me, a truimphant grin on her face.

"See? That wasn't so bad!"

"Yeah, I guess…" I reluctantly admit, feeling grateful that Meg can't hear how loud my heart is beating. My gaze is locked on the spot where Leon was standing. I can tell she's watching. "Well...let's get to class." Margaret nods and heads in the direction to homeroom, and I instantly lose her in the crowd. I sigh and head down into the sea of people after her. Halfway through the ground I feel a light tap on my shoulder.

"Frey? Is that you?" I turn around to see...him?

Vishnal.