A/N: High School AU. Have fun ;)

Chapter 1:

Spock looked up at the low-rise building that loomed over him. Stylized by open, grandiose architecture and a contemporary design of stark concrete and plate-glass. Despite its lack of intricacy, it did hold a certain minimalist appeal. The construct was to be his home for the foreseeable future, as his father was called to Earth on business. While Spock would have been content to stay at the embassy, his mother had encouraged him to enrol in a school in order to interact with his peers, as she thought it necessary for him to socialise with his human counterparts. The reasoning behind her supposed logic escaped him. However, it was a reputable school and he was aware of the close relationship it had with Starfleet, many of its graduates going on to join the academy. He had often considered enlisting in Starfleet himself; it would be the most logical path to undergo should he decide against attending the Vulcan Science Academy.

The building had a large set of double doors which were open to reveal a sleek, modern hallway, down which three people walked out to greet him and his parents. His father was a prominent figure, especially to Starfleet and the UFP. As a result of this, they were prone to special treatment and Spock was accustomed to the influence of his family name when he had visited Earth in the past.

"Good afternoon Ambassador Sarek. How do you do? I am the Principal of the school, Professor Jameson," the man indicated the woman standing to his left, "this is Madeline Carson, Head of Admissions and this is Vice Principal Thompson," he concluded, gesturing, in turn, to the man on his right. Sarek nodded his head in recognition.

"Good afternoon Professor and thank you for greeting us personally," Amanda said warmly. She shook hands with each of the people in turn, speaking their names in greeting as she did.

"Mrs Carson will take care of forms and residence for Spock, while we talk in my office," Professor Jameson explained.

"Thank you professor, that sounds lovely," Amanda smiled.

"Yes, very well. Shall we?" Professor Jameson said as he turned and led them into the school.

Spock allowed himself to trail behind the group as he heard the Principal attempt to engage his father in conversation, to no avail. His mother, however, more than made up for Sarek's rigid demeanor. She had always been exceedingly capable in social situations, knowing exactly what to say and people often warmed to her quickly. Spock had never had the same effect on people he met. Although part of the problem may be due to the fact that he thought most humans were extremely puzzling creatures, and frequently found their social complexities tiresome.

Once they had reached the Principal's office, their company parted. Amanda and Sarek entered the office with the Principal and Vice Principal, while Spock continued to follow Ms Carson as she lead him down a series of corridors.

"This is the dormitory wing of the school," she explained while she walked, "it is where we house the students and where you will sleep." Spock nodded understanding, a visual reminder that he was listening. He had noticed it was an action that humans often seemed to require whilst conducting conversations.
As they drew nearer to the dormitories, Spock noted the considerable rise of the noise level within the corridors, as well as the increasing number of students they encountered. Boys and girls of ages similar to Spock's own milled about the corridors, gathering in groups and loitering in doorways, all talking animatedly amongst each other. Many heads turned in Spock's direction as he passed. He presumed it was because of his Vulcan appearance, or possibly it was simply the prospect of having a new classmate that provoked their curiosity.

One of the rooms exuded more noise than any other they had passed so far. The door was propped wide open and as Spock walked by he glimpsed a crowd of boys, yelling and laughing in amusement. One of the boys was swinging upside down from the top bunk of a bed. His blonde hair, which had fallen away from his forehead, was hanging towards the ground and his face held a wide smile of mirth. Spock continued forward, ruminating about the unprecedented noise level the students created, the antithesis of the detached calm found on Vulcan.

Ms Carson stopped abruptly in front of a door identical to the others that lined the hallway. She smiled warmly at Spock and cautioned him to remember the number of his dorm, lest he get lost. Spock thanked her and watched as she walked away, expertly navigating through the chaotic sea of students, screeching, laughing and throwing things of unknown origin. Spock turned back to the door and opened it.
The room he had been assigned appeared as though it was fit for as many as four beds, although it only housed one. Pressed against the right wall lay a double bed, and opposite Spock found that he had been provided with a desk and bookshelf of his own. It appeared his bags had arrived before him and they now sat on the floor adjacent to his bed.

Spock farewelled his parents at the gates of the school, his mother insisting that he could call at any time and Spock reminding her that such action would not be necessary. After they departed, he returned to his room to unpack his belongings. He contemplated how he would find life living amongst humans. Humans, who were loud, emotion driven creatures. He presumed that the life he would lead on Earth would be of a very different tenor than that of his life on Vulcan. Having never spent a substantial amount of time away from his home planet previous to this move, Spock felt a strange sense of curiosity about what his new life might bring.

Monday
Biology
Physics
Advanced Mathematics
Chemistry
UFP Standard
Linguistics

Tuesday
Chemistry
Linguistics
UFP History
Biology
Physics
Advanced Mathematics

Wednesday
Interplanetary Species Study
Biology
Physics
Advanced Mathematics
Linguistics
Chemistry

Thursday
Advanced Mathematics
Health
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
UFP History

Friday
UFP Standard
Chemistry
Advanced Mathematics
Biology
Physics
Health

Spock appraised his timetable and noted that his next class was Advanced Math. Seeing as he had arrived on a Saturday, Spock had had Sunday to settle into his room and prepare for upcoming classes. He had spent the majority of the day reading as he sat on his oversized windowsill. The campus was very aesthetically pleasing with vivid green stretches of grass and fascinating flora that he would appreciate studying, given the opportunity. The nature of the environment was quite opposite to Vulcan's arid plains of endless sand. Spock had found reading as he regarded the view from his window to be a relaxing exercise, akin to his meditation.

He had already attended two of his classes that day and had found both to be surprisingly stimulating intellectually. He was pleased with the advanced teachings of the school, as he had not found his lessons dull as of yet. He was satisfied with the fact that, although he was not receiving the same standard of education as he would in an institute on Vulcan, he had found that his new school was not as rudimentary as he had come to expect.

When Spock next consulted the time, he observed there were 10.2 minutes remaining before he was due to arrive at his next class. He put down his book, memorising the page number, and left his dormitory for Advanced Mathematics.

He entered the half-full room, with ample time remaining and chose to seat himself somewhat apart from the other students who had already assembled, congregating more towards the front of the room.

He waited approximately 2.7 minutes before the teacher, Ms Henderson, arrived and another 3.2 minutes in which order was installed and the class sufficiently quietened for the beginning of the lesson.

Approximately 5.6 minutes into the class, the door swung open to admit two boys. Spock recognised one as the boy he had seen hanging from the bunk-bed when he had first arrived. His appearance struck Spock as distinctly human, with sandy blonde hair and eyes of a very particular shade of blue, a hue located somewhere between cyan and azure. A careless grin was plastered to his face. The other boy was scowling behind him, his dark hair and light stubble emphasising his somewhat rugged appearance.

"James Kirk, Leonard McCoy. Late again, I see," Ms Henderson greeted them sternly, turning from the touch-screen board in front of her.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that," the blonde replied, unabashed and offering no explanation for his tardiness.

"Well, take your seats and see me after class." She said and returned to her teachings.

"Goddammit Jim, I told you we were gonna be late," Spock heard the brunette whisper to the blonde as they proceeded down the isle of desks, his voice characterised by a distinct southern drawl.

"Relax Bones, it's fine," the blonde dismissed, opting for the desk directly behind Spock's, his companion taking the seat next to it. Not long after, Spock found the tranquillity of Advanced Mathematics broken by a weight suddenly applied to the back of his chair. Turning, Spock observed the blonde boy had the heels of his feet resting upon the back of the seat, his desk pushed to the side. For a moment Spock was shocked, although he didn't display it outwardly.

"Please remove your feet from my chair," Spock requested, calmly.

"Nah, I'm pretty comfortable, thanks," the boy replied, as if it was not Spock's chair he was reclining on. Spock was both affronted and bewildered, perhaps this was just another complex human trait. Yet all the humans that he had come into contact with previously had been respectful enough, granted louder and more outspoken than Vulcans, but not outright rude. He stared at the boy, who stared back, grin growing. Maybe the boy simply had not heard him. Spock thought this highly unlikely, but also the only understandable option.

"I said-," he began, only to be cut off.

"Spock, isn't it? Do you know the answer?" Ms Henderson questioned, catching Spock off guard, nevertheless he turned to study the board.

"x = 65/129," the arrogant voice came from behind Spock, and he looked back to see the boy grinning at him.

"Kirk, take your feet of that chair and stop disrupting the class! And put your desk back, too," Ms Henderson called out, exasperated.

"Sure thing, Miss," Jim drawled audaciously, he winked at Spock before letting his feet drop to the floor heavily, one after the other. Smirk still spread wide across his face. The look of smug, self-satisfaction that he wore provoked an abnormal irritation within Spock.

Cerulean, he noted, as he turned back to his work. Cerulean was the colour of Kirk's eyes, the shade he had previously been unable to name. A curious musing to be left with after such an altercation, he thought to himself, before returning his focus to the calming equations on the PADD before him.