This story came to my head and would not go away, so I just had to write it down. Basically the FMA characters in a High School setting. It's sort of based on the O.C but you don't need to have seen it for it to make sense.

Now for the all important disclaimer: I don't own FMA or the characters (and believe me I'd love to own Ed. Shall have to make do with my friend's Ed plushie which I've been leant)

Also while writing this I have discovered that the soundtrack for FMA is good writing music.

Now, sit back and enjoy the show... I mean story.

Winry Rockbell pushed open the door to her classroom and scanned the room for a seat. It was her second lesson at her new school and she already hated it. Her first class, English, had seen her sitting next to some anti-social jerk. Now she hoped she could get a better seat in biology. She suddenly noticed a girl wave at her. The girl had tanned skin, brown hair with interesting pink highlights at the front. Winry flicked her long blond hair over her shoulder as the girl indicated the seat next to her, Winry gratefully took the offered seat.

"Hi, your new right?" the girl said, Winry mentally rolled her eyes at the comment but kept a polite smile on her face.

"Sorry, that was a dumb thing to say. I'm Rose." The girl said grinning her.

"I'm Winry." She replied, happily grinning back.

A sandy haired boy leant over from the desk in front.

"Hey don't let Rose scare ya, she's very... enthusiastic."

"Shut up Havoc, haven't you got anything better to do than bug us?" Rose replied trying to sound angry but failing to hide her laugh.

"Not really, besides I want to be introduced to the pretty newcomer."

"Wow, you waste no time. This is Winry."

"Well hello Winry, I'm Jean Havoc, but every just calls me Havoc." Havoc leant forward and grinned at Winry who was still blushing from being called pretty.

"Yeah coz he causes it." Rose said, "You're such a pain without Ed, where is he anyway, he's late."

"When was the last time Elric was on time?"

"You'll meet Ed later, if he shows up." Rose explained to Winry "Oh and he's gorgeous." She added as if Winry needed to be prepared, so she wasn't too dazzled. Havoc opened his mouth to say something but at that moment the teacher walked in and class began.

Fifteen minutes into class the door opened and a short blond guy walked in.

"There's Ed." Rose muttered, and Winry looked up to study the newcomer. His back was to her, as he spoke to the teacher.

"Mr Elric, will a detention make you turn up on time in the future." The teacher was saying wearily.

"Probably not." Ed answered back. "Not that I can this week, I have detention every night."

"Well you can have detention every night next week too. Sit down." Ed shrugged and walked to his seat. As he turned round, Winry looked at his face. Rose had been right he was gorgeous, with golden blonde hair and stunning gold eyes, he looked like a prince from a fairy tale, though his clothes and generally demeanour ruined that idea.

Sinking into his seat next to Havoc, Ed sighed. Havoc leaned over to him.

"Nice one, you ever going to have a night off from detention."

"I don't know, but Al is going to kill me."

"You're Dad's going to kill you."

"Screw him, I don't give a toss what he thinks."

"But you do about your little brother."

"Yeah, he doesn't frequently bugger off and leave me."

"Right join up with your lab partners please." The teacher said. Winry just began to wonder what to do when Rose, took hold of her wrist.

"Come join us." Winry smiled gratefully. She noticed Ed look over his shoulder then grin.

"Mr Elric as it seems you have no partner you can work with Miss Rockbell." The grin vanished from his face and Winry herself felt tension suddenly knot her stomach, she didn't want to deal with guys like him on her first day.

"He's not as bad ass as he makes out." Rose whispered with a sympathetic smile.

Winry made her way over to boy who looked at her up and down in a way that made her wish she hadn't worn such a short skirt. She flicked her hair over her shoulder as she looked him in the eye, trying to not focus on the unique and appealing colour of them.

"Well?" she said indicating for him to take the lead.

"Whatever, stay there I'll get the stuff." Ed moved expertly round the glass room, picking up equipment. Winry watched him carefully trying to memorise where everything was. He set the equipment on the work bench in front of her, then walked off again without a word. Returning with two white lab coats and two pairs of safety glasses and a text book, he passed her a coat and pair of glasses which she put on as he put his own on.

"I guess you don't have one of these yet." He said pushing the text book toward her.

"Thanks." Ed nodded an acknowledgement then flicked his own book open to the page number written on the board. Winry did the same and glanced over a familiar experiment.

"Aw damn, I missed the lesson we were taught to use these." Ed indicated the colorimeter in front of them. "I'll go ask Havoc."

"Or you could ask me seeing as I'm meant to be your partner. And yes I do know how to use it, which you'd know if you'd bothered to ask." Winry said angrily at him.

She grabbed the equipment off the desk and started working, not bothering to explain what she was doing but she was aware of his eyes following her every move. She worked swiftly and skilfully telling Ed the results which he jotted down in a table. Once she was about half way through, she shoved the equipment into his hands.

"Here, I'm not going to do everything."

"Whatever." He said and took over the job, Winry was surprised to see him work so skilfully, mimicking her moves exactly, he was completely focused on what he was doing, not at all like the slacker who'd walked into class quarter of an hour late. She remembered Rose's words, maybe he wasn't as bad as all that.

When they finished clearing away Winry pulled off her lab coat and safety glasses, Ed held out his hand for them and she passed them to him.

"Thanks. I'm Winry by the way." She smiled at him.

"I know." He said and walked off, immediately making Winry mad again. She angrily stuffed her things back in her bag.

"So what did you think about Ed?" Rose asked.

"He's so rude."

"Yeah, he became like that after..."

"Shut the hell up Rose." Ed's voice cut her off. Winry looked up expected to see Ed's furious face, but instead he just looked sad. She wondered at the story behind him, he was becoming more and more interesting. Ed walked up to Winry, purposefully ignoring Rose.

"I'm Edward." He said.

"I know." Winry answered with a small cheeky smile.

"Well see you later." He said and grabbed his backpack before disappearing out the door.

After her next class Winry found Rose waiting outside her classroom.

"Hey, what are you doing for lunch?"

"I have no idea." Winry replied.

"Great come with me."

Rose led Winry to a table that was already occupied by a couple who were totally wrapped up in each other and a well built guy was shovelling a burger into his mouth.

"Hey guys." Rose said as she took a seat, Winry sat beside her. "This is Winry. Winry this Heymans Breda, Gracia Summers and Maes Hughes."

"Hi." Said Winry shyly.

"Nice to meet you Winry." Gracia took her eyes off her boyfriend to smile at Winry.

At that point a dark haired guy leant over her.

"Well, hello."

"Roy if you don't stop harassing that poor girl I'm going to dump you."

"Ah, I'm sorry Riza." He stood up and wrapped his arms round around the tall blonde woman and kissed her.

"Winry, this is Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye." Rose introduced the new comers as they sat down. Roy keeping one arm round Riza.

There was a clatter which caused everyone to look round. A first year was bending down to pick up his lunch tray. His friend grabbed his collar and pulled him up again. Winry noticed the taller boy's unique eye colour, or not so unique seeing as he was the second with that eye colour today.

"Got a problem." A tall dark haired boy was saying.

"Er, no sorry." The small first year with glasses stammered.

"Actually I have a problem. You." The blonde boy answered.

"Yeah really. You're going to have more problems in a second Elric."

"Seriously Kimblee, pick on someone your own age." Ed had appeared behind the bully.

"Aw hell, now the shrimps involved. Breda, Falman, Havoc, lets go." Roy got up and indicated for his friends to follow. Winry hadn't seen the others approach. Seeing himself outnumbered Kimblee backed off.

Roy and co returned to the table and after collecting food Ed and the two first years joined them. Ed sat next to the taller of the first years (who was taller than he was) allowing Winry to see their eye colour was not the only feature they shared. She guessed they were brothers.

"Ok now everyone's here I'll introduce everyone properly." Rose was saying excitedly to Winry. Who tore her eyes away from Ed and his brother realising she had been staring. "You met Roy and Riza, the Colonel and Lieutenant of the group. Oh and Roy is pretty much king of the school. Gracia and Maes have been together forever. Breda and Falman are Roy's cronies." Falman scowled at the comment. "Oh hang on you didn't meet him yet, Winry this is Falman." They exchanged hello's before Rose continued. "There all third years. Then you, I, Havoc and Ed are the second years. Al and Kain are first years, Al's Ed's brother."

The rest of lunch was spent with Winry listening to the group banter. She watched everyone trying to judge their characters, but one person interested her in particularly, Ed didn't seem to fit with the rest of the group. Outwardly he seemed arrogant, selfish and uncaring but he had been quick to act in defence of his brother and everyone seemed comfortable with him, even laughing when Al hit him in the arm for getting detention and Ed spent the rest of break complaining he'd bruise.

"What have you got next Winry?" asked Rose at the end of lunch.

"Erm, maths." Winry answered after checking her schedule.

"Aw shame I was hoping we would be together again." Winry sighed, she'd also been hoping to be in class with Rose again.

"Ed has maths next." Al chimed in helpfully.

"Huh." Ed looked up hearing his name.

"Winry's in your next class, so take her there. On time." Al said in a voice that told Ed not to argue.

As Ed walked with Winry to class an awkward silence fell over them.

"Erm, so your brother seems nice." Winry said trying to make conversation.

"Yeah, he's a good kid."

"You look alike."

"You think? He looks more like our Mom, he's the lucky one."

"Do you look like your dad then?"

"So they say, personally I don't see how I look like that bastard."

"You don't get on with your dad?"

"You could say that."

"Why?"

"Just drop it ok." Ed said angrily, and they descended back into silence.

"I'm sorry." Winry said after a while.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter, I just don't like people digging to deep, they won't like what they find. I don't need pity or help and just fine on my own. We're here." He said indicating a room, he disappeared inside and took his seat, leaving Winry pondering his words. There was more to him they he wanted people to think and it intrigued her.

Hope you liked please review. XD