School. Study. Sleep. School. Study. Sleep. Those were the words I've heard all my life since I was a toddler. Maybe that's why I have straight A's in six of my A.P. Classes – and a C+ in my Advanced Algebra class. Because of that grade it brought me to a 3.9 GPA. Stupid Advanced Algebra bringing down my grade. I was not and had never been good at any kind of math, no matter what kind of tutoring my parents got me. I would understand it one day and by the next all the information for it would be gone from my mind. I was pretty sure my ears would be bleeding by the end of the night. Tonight was parent teacher night at my school, and my prefect straight a 4.0. GPA brother was sure to get praise from all his teachers. I had a feeling I would too, except for the "Well she still needs extra help in Algebra…" Too bad I needed it for college…

St. Vinnies Private Academy. It was an expensive private school, unreligious (thankfully) and cost both my brother and I each $14,000 just to go. We'd gotten in with no problem, it was just the money. But that had never been a problem either. My Father was a doctor and my Mother was a model who'd been featured in Cosmo multiple times. The only thing I didn't like about St. Vinnies was probably the Uniforms: Classic button down shirt with either khakis or plaid skirts and nice dress shoes. The guys looked up the girls skirts a lot but they never bothered to change the dress code. Most of the teachers at the school were old grouches too, so that didn't help. My uniform that night consisted of a blue and black plaid skirt with the classic top, and knee high socks with my pair of Mary Jane's. The pin of St. Vinnies, a gold pin with a shooting star rising forward, was pinned above my left breast. It was a stupid pin.

"You're teachers are busy," my mother grumbled. I glanced up at her 5'8' figure compared to my tiny 5'1'. But my mom was a model, height came with the territory. So did her perfect skinny figure, fake tan, fake boobs, face lifts and the blonde hair she had pulled back into a bun was also damaged with multiple dyes.

"We'll have to wait," I told her.

"Please," she snorted. "We shouldn't have to wait for these people. Do you know how much money we've donated to this school?"

"Yes mother," I sighed. My mother was an impatient woman and I took after her for it. But she could never be calm, and was always stuck up about public events. Every parent teacher night my mother took me to go see my teachers, while my father took my brother John to his. It made things "easier" apparently.

"Lona!" my name was called. And then I spotted my best friend, Maria, a slightly chubby girl with thick curly brown hair and half Hispanic girl with a few freckles on her cute yet chubby face run towards me. "Come on, the new APUSH teacher is here!"

"He is!" I asked, and then turned to my mother. "Can I go - please?"

She sighed and lonely sigh, one I knew that she was using to try to make me feel guilty. "Alright…"

"Thank you," I replied and ignored her guilt trip. I followed Maria down the reddish hallways of St. Vinnies and past all the other students with their families. Just before the beginning of the year, the current A.P U.S. History teacher had a severe heart attack and was forced to retire. For the entire first quarter we'd been having a sub teach us too, but now they've officially found a new teacher. Thankfully – subs don't know anything!

"Everyone who's seen him says he's SO cute!" Maria cried, tugging on the sleeve of my shirt and she led me faster down the hallway with her excitement.

"Oh really?" I laughed. "You know I have a boyfriend right?"

"Yeah I know," she replied. "AND he's the hottest guy in at St. Vinnies."

It was true. My boyfriend of two years, Bradley Dawson was a straight A, 4.0 GPA quarterback for the school. I glanced down the silver promise ring I wore on my left ring finger. He'd given it to me on my birthday last year. I loved him and trusted him with all my heart, but we'd never gone farther than making out. I wasn't ready for that…but I was glad he respected me enough not to try going anything further without my permission.

"There he is!" Maria cried. I glanced at her blushing face before looking down at the hallway. And then I understood.

The man was absolutely gorgeous – maybe illegally gorgeous. Certainly teachers shouldn't look as good as he did. His body was 6'1', tall and lean with glossy black hair. His skin was beautifully unblemished and pale with his stern, reddish tinted eyes. My heart thumped in my chest oddly. Maybe I was attracted to him? Oh hell who wouldn't be?

He was surrounded by other teachers though, most likely introducing himself. And then his gaze slowly turned and met mine. I stared before looking away to hide my blush.

"He's. So. Cute!" Maria gasped in excitement.

I looked back a moment later and noticed a young boy at his side, no taller than me. There was a black eye patch covering his right eye as well. Huh. I wondered who he was. I'd never seen him before, and my job as class president was to go introduce myself to him. I planned to do just that before I saw my father, with his tall figure, short brown hair and beard walk over to shake his hand. Though John was nowhere to be found…oh well. I looked down at my Promise Ring and wondered where Bradley was. I was kind of hoping for a quick make out in the back of the school before I left.

"I'd like you to meet my daughter, Lona," my father said.

"Oh, how lovely she is."

That voice. I slowly raised my head to see the new teacher and my father nearing me for my introduction.

"Lona this is Mr. Michaelis, you're new APUSH teacher," my father said and gestured to the new mad beside. The man who was so beautiful and who's voice I wanted to drown in….no. I mentally shook my head at myself. I was a good girl. "And this is his nephew Ciel." The boy wearing the eye patch glanced at me.

"Hello…" he muttered in a rude boy.

"Now, now, Ciel, don't be rude to your classmate. Excuse my nephew, he's quite shy during social engagements," Mr. Michaelis said to me. And his gaze stayed on me. It didn't glance around. It didn't shift for an instance. It was completely and utterly on me. I came to the conclusion that he was either really creepy or a pervert. But aren't they usually both? I knew it would've been proper to look back at him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Hi!" Maria piped up from behind me.

Mr. Michaelis glanced at her, annoyance in his eyes. "Hello," he said, then looked back at me and smiled, warmth returning to his gaze. He held out his right hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lona."

"Y – You too…" I stuttered and took his hand. Gloves? The material was soft against my skin. But why was he wearing them inside?

"Oh excuse me," he said. "My nails are slightly discolored and quite unseemly. Do forgive me."

It was like he'd read my mind – but maybe he got the question a lot. No big deal right?

"Come now Lona we must be going, you need to get your rest for tomorrow," my father interrupted.

"Ok…but I need to go to the restroom," I lied and walked towards the nearest bathroom. Anything to get away from the new teacher, even if for a moment. It was like his presence suffocated me when I was around him…I sighed and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I brushed my fingers through the small waves of my shoulder length blonde hair and frowned at my dull colored brown eyes. No matter my grades, they've never let me have colored contacts.

My mom always said "Natural Beauty Comes First." And this is coming from the woman who had her entire body faked up to the brim. I braced myself and walked back out. And again Mr. Michaelis was staring at me. I followed my father through the crowd and waved goodbye to Maria - but you know the feeling you get when someone's watching you? I had that feeling all the way down the hall. And for some reason, I felt like tomorrow would be the beginning of hell.