She sat up abruptly in bed. Questions swam through her head.

Who was she...this time?

Brushing her uneven bangs out of her eyes, she caught sight of herself in the dusty mirror across the room.

Ashley...what -was- the rest of it? No fancy title, this era had no nobles. Caldwell. It slowly came to her.

She was Ashley Caldwell, age 16 or possibly 17, renting a cheap apartment on the wrong side of town. And, oh yeah, she had to attend school in this life... and she was missing the first day.

Tossing the covers to the side, she grabbed some garments off a chair and began pulling them on while attempting at brushing her teeth.

A moment after she ran out of the door, it reopened as she grabbed her black with flames backpack.



She had to literally leap aboard the subway before the door slid shut. Catching her breath, she prayed her school wasn't after too many stops.

She bound up the stairs to Room 4B, her new homeroom. She burst through the door and stood there gasping while the class gawked at this interruption.

"Well, it appears your new classmate is here. Class, this is Miss Caldwell. She transferred here from..." the teacher paused here for an answer.

"Boston," Ashley managed between gasps for air.

"Well, if you'd care to take a seat behind Mr. Bernhart, we could continue with roll."

Ashley looked around for an empty seat. A boy near the back glanced up and made a short wave. There was one across from him. This must be "Mr. Bernhart."

Ashley noticed stares and whispering as she moved next to the smiling boy. What could she possibly look like to get such stares?

As she slung her backpack onto the back of her seat, she looked down. <<>> Red tank top, black baggy jeans, cut-off sleeves from a gray shirt that had flames up the sides. She cast a glance across the students. Most of the girls had blonde hair, tan skin, and expensive-looking clothes that appeared to be two sizes too small. The guys all had bleached highlights, and too were tan and well-dressed. She didn't know people in the city got out in the sun so much. With her black and red hair, along with clothes, she must appear a freak.

"Hey...new girl."

Huh? It finally occured to her that the boy across from her was trying to get her attention. Breaking from her apparent trance, she faced him.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"Name's Aidan; yours?"

"Ashley."

"Sounds pretty."

"Thanks, yours too."

He grinned. "You seem pretty cool."

A shadow soon appeared over his face

"Excuse me, Mr. Bernhart, but if you'd care to have this conversation later, I would like to teach the lesson."

He looked up at her, although, Ashley noticed, the teacher would look up at him were he to stand. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Lilson, what are we learning today?"

"Angle Addition."

"Oh, is it that like the addition where there are problems like 'If Pete has three apples and Jack has four, how many apples are there?' Those are the greatest."

"No, Mr. Bernhart, I would have thought they'd tought you that in elementary school."

Aidan frowned and looked down. "Oh, 'cause I was hoping we'd do something with apple addition. I'm kinda hungry."

"Well, that's a shame. Lunch isn't for another three hours."

"Darn... well, in that case I suppose you should teach us. Maybe then my mind won't have to focus on food."

"Well, now that I have your approval, I think I shall."

Aidan winked at Ashley as the teacher returned to the front of the room.

Ashley couldn't help a smile as she turned her book to the current lesson.



"Hey!"

Ashley turned to see Aidan dodging the mass of students running to classes, lockers, and other people.

"Hey there. I was wondering, would you care to join me and some friends for lunch?" Seeing her hesitate, he added with a smile, "Trust me, it'll be fun."

Chuckling, she replied, "Sure, where?"

"Oh, just meet me by the wall along the steps out front. Well, don't need you late for your first class. It's right there for you." He pointed toward a door down the hall. She wondered how he knew until she noticed she still held her schedule.

She smiled, "Thanks," and started toward the door.



She leaned back against the wall at the bottom of the steps. The only other people still hanging around the school was a group of teens standing on the opposite side of the steps who looked too stoned or high to notice her presence. She sincerely hoped this wasn't the group Aidan meant for her to eat with.

Suddenly, things went dark and she gasped with horror. Had one of the stoners snuck behind her?

"Guess who," came a friendly, cheerful-sounding voice.

"Aidan?" Light came through between his fingers as she felt a warmth near her ear.

"Yep."

She turned around to see him crouched down on the wall, grinning. Behind him were


(c) Meghann Pardee