Author's Notes: For some reason, I was filled with the urge to write a high school fic. Maybe it's because I recently graduated and want to reflect on my own experiences, or perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I'm putting off doing scholarship stuff (I've been procrastinating on an essay about being productive. I am nothing if not ironic.). Whatever the case, here is the first chapter. Feedback is always appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this stuff.

Chapter One

Room 301

Geometry

8:05 AM

Holly Flax entered the classroom feeling uncertain. She wasn't exactly outgoing around new people, and she was facing a room full of them as she started her first day at this new school. She had been worried about transferring in the middle of her sophomore year; by this point in the school year, everyone very likely already had their set group of friends. That was what she was troubled about. That and the fact that she was five minutes late to her first class.

The teacher noticed her, "Hey, you must be Holly."

Holly nodded, "Sorry I'm late."

"Not a problem. I'm Ms. G. There's an open seat next to Michael right in the back there. He can fill you in on what we've been up to, and if you have any questions go ahead and ask me, alright?"

"Hi," Michael greeted her as she sat down, "I'm Mike."

"Oh please," a girl a few seats in front of them sneered, "Everybody calls that looser Michael."

"Shawna, shut it. No one asked you," Michael focused his attention on Holly again, "What'd Ms. G say your name was? Haley?"

"Holly."

"Holly! Like a Holly-gram…get it?"

"Yeah," she laughed. This guy, Michael, seemed pretty cool.

"Anyway, this class is pretty easy if you're good at math…which I'm not," he continued.

"Way to point out the obvious," Shawna muttered, "That's why you have to repeat this class as a junior, because you didn't pass it as a sophomore."

"Shut. It." Michael repeated himself. The room quieted as Ms. G continued explaining the lesson. Holly wondered what the rest of her first day at St. Therese would be like.

Passing Period

Freshman Hallway

8:45 AM

"Hey," Kelly Kapoor greeted her boyfriend Ryan Howard, "I missed you this weekend."

"Yeah, sorry I couldn't make it to the movies," he replied.

"That's alright. I ended up going with Erin, and we had fun."

"Cool," Ryan said, as he began walking to his next class.

"Bye, Ryan. Love you!"

"See you later, Kelly."

Morning Break

Sophomore Hallway

10:30 AM

"Hey Beas," Jim Halpert greeted his girlfriend and best friend.

"Hi," she smiled at him and then opened her locker, dropping off her books.

"Oh, how'd your painting go?" Jim asked as he caught a glimpse of her art textbook.

She closed her locker, "I think Mr. Morey liked it, but you can never tell with him. I spent forever on that project, and it's 20 per cent of our quarter grade, so hopefully he does like it."

"I bet he will. It was a great painting."

Pam laughed, "You say that about everything I paint."

Jim smiled, "Well, it's always true."

"Do you have a newspaper meeting today?"

"Nope, not today. And I'm glad, Jan's been moody lately."

"Yeah. Oh, and intramural basketball starts today, right?"

"Yep, but since when are you interested in intramural sports, Beasley?"

"I'm not, but you promised Kevin you'd play on his team, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I should probably go find Kev now, then," Jim said.

Pam grinned, "I'll be rooting for you guys at lunch."

Jim mirrored her smile, laughing, "And with my mad Halpert basketball skills, we'll be destined to win."

A cappella Choir

Performing Arts Building

11:00 AM

"Sounding great, you guys," their instructor, Mr. Smith, told them, "Take five, and then we'll work on "Walking on Sunshine.""

Andy Bernard made his way over to two of his friends and sat down next to them, "Hey, it's the Kellys."

"Hey," Kelly replied.

"Hi Andy," Erin greeted him.

"Man, this is a good set of songs we've got going for us," Andy said, "Compared to last year, anyway."

"What'd you guys sing last year?" Kelly asked. She and Erin were both freshmen. Andy was a sophomore and had been in a Capella for a few years.

"Like, the lamest songs ever," Andy replied, "But Mr. Smith is much cooler than Mrs. Doyle was. So glad he came to our school."

"Yeah, he's nice," Erin said.

Kelly nodded in agreement, "And this is my favorite class. I love it! It's like we're on Glee."

Lunch

Cafeteria

12:00 PM

"Hi Angela," Julia greeted her friend as they sat down at their usual table in the cafeteria.

"Hi Julia," Angela replied. The two seniors were soon joined by their friends Christina and Alicia.

"Hey Angela, some freshman asked me about joining Campus Ministry today," Alicia said as she opened her iced tea, "I told him he had to wait until applications were due."

"Good," Angela said. She had bought the pasta today and had been eating it very primly before she had replied, "We don't want too many freshman milling around our office, trying to help coordinate events. They're absolutely clueless."

The three other girls nodded in agreement. They were the head officers of Campus Ministry at St. Therese, and they liked to think that they ran it well. They only accepted the best of students into their organization. Spreading faith was the best work on campus, they many a time rationalized, and it therefore required nothing less than perfection of any member of the Campus Ministry club.

"Have you heard from any more colleges yet, Angela?" Christina asked.

"I got into Fordham the other day, which means I'm just waiting to hear from Georgetown," Angela replied.

"I would be so frustrated if I were you," Julia said, "Georgetown's your first choice, and they notify you last. Ugh."

Angela smiled serenely, "Patience is a virtue, Julia."

English III

Room 103

2:20 PM

Meredith Palmer raised her hand, dying to get out of this boring class.

"Yes, Meredith?" Mrs. Alveraz asked.

"Can I go to the bathroom?"

"Make it quick, and bring your phone up to my desk," she replied, weary of Meredith and her numerous bathroom breaks.

Meredith did as she was told. A few minutes later, she slipped into the boy's bathroom that nobody ever used for some reason. She snickered and pulled another cell phone out of her pocket.

"Old hag thinks she's so clever," she muttered of her teacher as she began to text her boyfriend.

She sent the text. She looked up and saw a familiar figure.

"Hey Creed," Creed Bratton was the school janitor, and one of the few adults at St. Therese that Meredith actually liked.

"Hi Missy," Creed replied cheerfully as pulled out a mop.

"Want some help?" she offered.

"A pretty girl like you shouldn't mix with this filthy mop."

"Thanks, I guess," she said. She glanced down at her phone as she received another text.

After School

Student Parking Lot

3:30 PM

"Michael," Jan Levinson snapped at her boyfriend, "Get into the car."

"Sheesh. Sorry, I didn't know you had to be somewhere," he said as he shut the passenger door to Jan's car.

Suddenly, she grinned devilishly, "I don't."

"Then why the heck –"

She kissed him, shoving her body up against his.

"Wow. Wow. I should really get into cars with you more often," Michael giggled.

"Of course you should. Now let's get the hell out of here," she replied.

She turned the radio on loudly and then put car into full speed. "Don't stop, make it pop. DJ, blow my speakers up," blasted as she sped out of the parking lot and left the school behind.

Songs Referenced:

"Walking on Sunshine" - Katina and the Waves

"Tik Tok" - Ke$ha