Author’s Note: I just wanted to remind you all that Katie is practically a child when the story begins. Things won't really heat up until a few chapters into the story when she's forced to grow up, so keep reading!

Hello Desire, Part I

Freshman Year

By LPegasus

Chapter 1

When people tell you that high-school is one of the best times of your life, do you believe them? I didn’t. It’s hard enough to get past all the homework, all the things that you need to do, and then finally have time to do the things that you love. At least, that’s how I felt in the beginning.

Stifling a yawn, I pushed open the doors and stepped into the empty hallway, lined with bright red lockers. How I was ever going to get used to waking up early again was beyond me. All I knew was that I had done it before, after every summer, though I wasn’t quite sure by what methods. For the past week, I had been going to bed at twelve and waking up at seven, which was not doing wonders for my complexion. Nor was it doing wonders for my confidence level, seeing as though I always looked scruffy... my hair sticking out in odd places, my clothes fitting awkwardly... I looked like I had just done a couple of cycles in the dryer.

Okay, maybe I was exaggerating a little bit. Honestly, bedtimes just aren’t what they used to be. When I was younger, I was out at nine o’clock on the dot. Now, I’m wide-awake at two.

I couldn’t even get over it yet. Here I was… a Freshman! Here I was… an old woman! This was what it felt like to be in high-school! I was tired because I was still on my carefree summer schedule and I was getting a lot of homework. High-school didn’t feel so good.

I couldn’t even figure out why I was making such a big deal out of everything. It wasn't as if I was starting at a new high-school! My school, the Jacqueline Harriet School in New York City, runs all the way through. I knew about everyone in my grade and got along with a good portion of them. Whether I talked to all of them or not was another matter. Unfortunately, my private, upper-east side school not only had bad cafeteria food, malfunctioning lockers, and uniforms. It also had the standard cliques, and I didn't quite fit in with the “popular” group. I am what people might classify a “good girl.” I like school and get good grades, enjoy any sport that doesn’t involve the word “team,” and love music. However, I really can’t put up with being defined by two words. How can someone judge you like that?

Not that I’m denying the definition…

I slowed down as I came up to my locker. For some odd reason, I always end up with one on the bottom, no matter how much shorter my upstairs neighbor happens to be. So, lowering myself down to my knees, I entered in the code to my number lock and opened up my locker.

“Katie!” yelled a voice from beside me.

I looked over to my right, finding a bouncy, dark-haired girl running towards me.

“Hi, Jane,” I greeted, through a yawn.

“You look tired… been eyeing you-know-who in the yearbooks all night?” she replied, playfully. “Let’s see… Katie Parker… that’s not too far away from…”

“I was not!” I exclaimed. “Besides, our names are far apart, thanks.”

“Oh… so you’ve checked previously, have you?”

I raised a hand to my forehead in desperation, wondering why I let that slip out. It wasn’t that I had looked! I didn’t have that much of a crush on him...

“It’s about time that you get a boyfriend, Katie!” she exclaimed, just as playfully as before. “Then we could go on double-dates!”

I rolled my eyes, stuffing a final book into my bag and proceeding to close my locker door shut. Although serious and reliable when it was important, Jane was rather teasing in ordinary circumstances. Usually, I countered back, but today I was just too tired.

It was obvious that I should never have told her about my crush. I had been keeping it from her for two whole years… Why’d I have to let it slip this year? Now she’d expect me to proclaim my romantic feelings to him, dramatically. I wasn’t exactly the best to fill in that position though.

I’ve never been a big flirt or great at showing how much I “like” someone. Why would I be any better this year? Not that Jane fully understood that. She was past that stage; she had a boyfriend.

“I know…” I replied, while getting back up onto my feet and lifting my knapsack onto my shoulders.

Jane smiled and patted me on the arm.

“Try sleeping pills,” she recommended. “I’ve been using them for the past three days to get back on schedule.”

She gave me a thumbs-up sign and a cheesy smile, causing me to laugh. After that little bout, I didn’t feel so tired anymore.

“Leave it to you to wake me up in the morning,” I teased.

Jane smiled, right on cue with the school bell.

“What do we have now?” she asked. “I don’t want to get out my schedule. It’s at the bottom of my bag.”

“History,” I replied. “It’s this way.”

We walked down to the end of the hall and up a flight of stairs, winding our way through the students pouring out of various classrooms. When we finally got there, we entered into the empty classroom and took seats in the front.

“So, how’s Zach?” asked Jane, putting down her things.

I looked at her inquisitively, before telling her that he was doing fine.

“Oh come on!” she exclaimed. “He’s cute!”

I shot her a dead-pan look, wondering why she had to utter those words. Zach, my half-brother, was not cute. At least, not in my opinion. A sophomore and only a year older than me, he could get pretty annoying at times. I would have traded him in for a younger or older sibling, easily.

“In your opinion,” I stated.

“In everyone’s!”

I burrowed my head into my hands, seeking refuge. This was too much.

“I have a boyfriend, you know,” she happily reminded me. “I only think he’s good-looking and that’s just stating the obvious. It’s not like you’d ever have to worry about me going out with him.”

“I know, thankfully,” I replied, sarcastically.

At least I only had one sibling. Otherwise, I lived with my parents and two cats. Those were relatively safe discussion topics.

“So… do you like the new uniforms?”

“Like?” I replied, sarcastically.

She smiled, tugging at her navy blue skirt.

“Yeah, there isn’t very much of a change, is there?” she agreed. “It’s better than plaid though.”

I nodded, remembering the days when we would have to go to school in plaid jumpers, and then plaid skirts. At least now, we could wear single color ones… though it would have been nice to wear pants every once in a while, especially in the winter.

“It could be worse,” I stated. “Besides, I’m used to it by now.”

I looked to Jane for agreement, but she didn’t answer as she was preoccupied looking at something else. I turned towards the classroom door, trying to spot what she was looking at amidst the hoard of students entering the classroom. I gasped.

“Guess who got moved up into our History group,” teased Jane, smiling at me in triumph.

“Drop it,” I reprimanded, looking towards my shoes. As long as I didn’t have to look at her – or him – I was all set.

“Well now, you can go profess your feelings for him, and then everything will…”

“Would you stop talking about it?” I demanded, glaring up at her. How would she like it if I constantly bothered her about the boy she liked? Not that it was very much to be ashamed of... He was cute, on the swim team, nice, and had attended the school since Kindergarten. Naturally, I hadn’t talked to him once. Maybe that was because he was popular? What a predictable answer…

“Fine!” she exclaimed, turning her back to me in anger.

I sighed, realizing that things had been too good to be true. We hadn’t gotten in a fight since the summer, so one was bound to come along at the beginning of the second week of school.

But I wasn’t going to be the one to apologize. I was right after all! She had pushed the wrong buttons and had been inconsiderate, not me. So, grabbing my bag, I moved over to the opposite side of the room and sat down in a huff. The teacher soon strode into the class and everyone quieted down.

“We’ll be going down to the library for this period,” she announced. “You can leave your things in here.”

I looked at the teacher inquisitively, wondering why we would be going down to the library. It was only the second week of school! She didn’t expect us to do a presentation or research project, did she?

Much to my dismay, I was right. Once we all made our way to the library and took seats around the rectangular, wooden tables, she informed us that we would have to do projects on the diverse groups of immigration in New York City. The report would be picked up and an oral presentation given to the class in one week.

I blinked, taking in the information. Was this what high-school was all about? If so, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like it very much. Not that I didn’t like doing research, but the deadline seemed a little strict. Besides, with all the homework that we already had…

“The reports will be done in groups of four, and I expect the reports to be at least five pages,” announced the teacher, receiving blank stares from the majority of the class.

We had to form groups? Who was I going to be with now that Jane was out of the picture?

Once the teacher finished speaking, everyone rose and began to form groups of four. Looking over my shoulder, I spotted Jane, joining another group. I settled down into my seat and waited. Someone would ask me eventually. Or then… I would ask to be a part of someone’s group. Not that that wouldn’t be extremely embarrassing…

“Katie! Do you want to be in our group?” asked a voice from my left.

I turned slightly, wondering who had asked me. When I saw who it was, I wasn’t any less confused than before.

“What?” I exclaimed. His two friends looked equally confused.

He shot them a glare before returning his attention to me.

“We’re one person short,” he noted.

I nodding uneasily. He knew my name? I had never even talked to him before! Wait… maybe I had. But did asking for a pen really count?

“Okay, great,” he said, smiling.

He scooted his chair over, making room for me at the table.

“Is this enough room?” he asked, motioning down to the space between our chairs.

I again nodded uneasily. What had just happened? He – Chris – had just asked me to join his group? As far as I was concerned, he didn't even know I existed...

Fortunately, things got easier. As we began to discuss our project, I started to feel a bit more in my element. This way, everything could remain factual and I wouldn’t actually have to talk to him about anything important... But once it was time to leave the table and begin to research, I was only too happy to go.

I meandered around the stacks for a while, before grabbing the first book that I could find on Immigration. I flipped through it until I found information on our topic – Population Movement during the Second World War – and then brought it over to the photocopier. Unfortunately, it was not working… as usual. They honestly needed to get a new one.

Trying to make the best of things, I decided to simply type up some of the excerpts on a computer and print it out afterwards. And of course, the technological malfunctions of the day were not over. The mouse on the computer I chose, which just happened to be the only available computer at the lab, did not work. For lack of a better solution, I struggled with the 'tab' button and finally opened a new word document and began to type.

I am not the most patient person, and normally, I would have thrown my hands up in the air and given up on my ridiculous task, sounds of frustration erupting from my mouth. However, the alternative was worse than this. If I handwrote the excerpts, I would have to go back to the table to get paper and a pen out of my bag. I might run into Chris. No... I was much safer here.

And unfortunately, he sought me out anyway.

“Do you want help with that?” asked Chris.

I jumped and looked up anxiously.

“I could dictate the words to you,” he offered, sticking out a hand to receive the book.

“You know… it’s okay! I’m fine!” I exclaimed, strengthening my hold on the book, as if he were going to force it from me.

He looked at me awkwardly, then smiled.

“Okay, suit yourself,” he replied, shrugging, before walking away.

At least that was over with. But I couldn’t help wondering… did he know that I was nervous around him? I raised a hesitant hand to my cheeks. They felt warm. Was I blushing?

So much for a show of confidence… Didn't guys like confident girls?

---

I entered the auditorium and looked around cautiously at the many students settling themselves in and chattering away. Not only were there an overwhelming number of Freshman, but an even greater number of Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors had shown up for the first Musical Theater meeting.

Trying to stiffle my anxieties, I scouted the room for people I knew, reassured to see Jane. I supposed that the argument would have to end eventually…

“Do you mind if I sit here?” I asked her, once I had arrived at beside her.

She shrugged and looked away.

“Jane, get over it!” I snapped angrily.

She pretended to ignore me and I opened my mouth to yell at her further. Before I was able to make our argument worse, however, I suddenly thought of a way to end the argument.

“So... Chris and I finally talked today,” I said, placing my bag down on the ground and sitting beside her.

“You did?” she exclaimed, turning towards me. She was too curious to resist, of course.

I nodded – in a completely unconcerned fashion – and proceeded to drape my coat behind my chair.

“Well, what happened?” she demanded, grabbing my arm.

“You wouldn’t want to know,” I told her, opting for a little moment of revenge and torture, although this was petty and uncalled for.

“How would you know that I don’t want to know?”

I smiled at her words, and she smiled too. They had come out slightly weird after all…

“He asked me to be in his group for History, when you abandoned me,” I informed her..

“Well then remind me to abandon you more often,” she replied, starting to laugh.

“I can't believe I have a friend like you..."

“Or like you,” she added, breaking out into a fit of laughter once again, me along with her. Our banter continued until the director of the Musical Theater group, who is also the school Music teacher, came into the auditorium, got onto the stage, and began to talk.

“Okay, everyone! I’m glad to see so many people,” said Mr. Haket. “This year, we’re going to put on a very romantic play, if I do say so myself. We’re going to do Romeo and Juliet! The musical!”

Everyone laughed, even though the joke was a little cliché. I suppose it was more to please him than anything else…

“So do you want to be Juliet?” whispered Jane.

“Don’t all the girls want to be?” I replied, turning my attention back to the director’s discourse. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to be Juliet, and wasn't sure if I even stood a chance of getting it with all these upperclassmen here. They probably favored the older students. I may as well try though...

“…a new year. So that we are able to accommodate all of you, we will most likely enlarge and add certain parts. Auditions will begin next week, so come prepared, and preferably with the music partition to the song that you would like to sing.”

Mr. Haket droned on, but my attention was once again diverted. I gasped as Chris entered through the auditorium doors and padded silently down the aisle. He sat beside me.

“What did I miss?” he asked, glancing between me and Mr. Haket.

“Not much,” I replied, uneasily… Jane was sniggering beside me and I elbowed her. “Auditions are next week. We’re going to do a musical version of Romeo and Juliet.”

He nodded, lowering his bag down onto the floor.

“I didn’t know that you sang,” I whispered.

“Well, I thought I would try something new,” he whispered back, smiling. The heat came back to my cheeks.

“You guys… I’m trying to pay attention, you know,” chided Jane, peering over at us. She then smiled just enough to let me know that she was teasing.

I let out a sigh of frustration, wondering why on earth I had decided to sit next to her in the first place. Perhaps the argument would have done better if it had lasted longer?

“ No talking please,” reprimanded Mr. Haket, looking directly at her. "I'd like to get through this quickly so that we can begin on time."

Her smiled faded. She glared at me briefly, before turning to face Mr. Haket and nodding agreeably. Okay… so maybe the argument would last longer after all?

As I turned my attention back to Mr. Haket, I couldn’t help wondering… why was Chris suddenly being so nice to me? Why had he even joined Musical Theater? We had barely said two words to each other before today!