A tall, well-built girl shouldered her way through the masses in attempts to find her first period class. Having no idea where to begin her search she ducked into the front office in search of a map. She was lucky. Few words were exchange between herself and the woman at the desk. The woman knew that she was new, the look in her eyes said it all. With the map in hand the redhead started in the direction of the English wing. Thankfully, the crowd in the hallway began to thin as people trickled into their rooms. At last, she spotted the room she was supposed to be in. Creeping in, she made her way over to where the teacher was standing.

The teacher was a small stout woman with cropped black hair, younger than most, and smelled remotely of herbs and spices. Looking up she spotted the entering redhead and motioned her over.

The new student increased her speed towards the teacher, when she stopped suddenly, in the room there seemed to be an overpowering stench of dog. Searching the room casually, the young girl found the source in the form of a handsome raven haired boy surrounded by fawning admirers. She snorted trying to get the smell out of her nostrils, she succeeded only to take another step and discover another scent. It too smelled of dog, but instead of a greasy unwashed one, it smelled mildly clean, of the outdoors. The girl’s step faltered as she experienced a sudden jump into the past, the scent was much to familiar. Avidly searching the room she discovered the source, and found it to be a male, and nearly sighed in relief. He was a redhead like herself, but the shade of his hair was almost as if he could not be sure if he wanted to be a redhead or a brunette, for his hair was an even combination of both.

“You must be the new girl.” The teacher smiled politely, she was a nice woman, as many of the women in the English wing were. “I’m Ms. Elliot.”

“Reid Rhiamon.” The two women shook hands.

Ms. Elliot then addressed the class, introducing the new girl, then placed her in one of the few seats available in the class, beside the russet haired boy.

Cautiously Reid filed down the rows of desks and took her seat beside the boy, doing her best not to flinch when he leaned towards her. She also tried to avoid the looks given to her by the majority of the class, especially the gaze directed at her by the black haired boy. She refused to look in his direction at any cost. As she sat in her seat trying to occupy herself while the teacher scurried around the front of the room finalizing the class itinerary, Reid noticed that besides her and the dog scented boys, and the teacher, everyone had either brown or blonde hair, mostly brown though. At least the small town and lack of People would please her mother. Just two so far, and that didn’t include the teacher since her scent was barely noticeable and that was with Reid’s sharp nose.

Class came to a close, and not wanting to look like a fool Reid pulled a wrinkled schedule from her pocket and tried to decode it. French was next, that was easy enough to discern. In what room it was located was much more difficult to translate. Typed was the class number 141. Handwritten was the number 123, and after consulting the map she discovered that the clashing numbers were on opposite ends of the school. No good. She would just wait until class let out and then ask the teacher, since she was nice enough.

Her luck was not that great however, for the scent of evergreen and dog soon overpowered her nostrils and she discovered the redhead was trying to see what occupied her attention. “Oh, class schedules, great invention they are.” He smirked. “What class have you got next?”

“French,” she whispered. Her voice held some deep tones as well as an accent he was not sure about.

“Really? That’s my next class.”

No way Reid was going to believe that excuse. Boys didn’t take French. Spanish, maybe, Latin, possibly, but most likely German. It didn’t matter, he definitely did not take French. No self respecting boy would take French unless…he’d watched a certain film too many times and knew what she was and was trying to make a joke.

But he was just a country boy. They both were. No way had they encountered someone like her before. Not even many city folk had. People like her just didn’t exist.

When the bell rang to end class, he slung on his backpack in a manner that all attractive school athletes do, and girls simply melt. But Reid was not one of those girls, and this boy did not seem to be one of those boys, she observed by the careful way other girls watched him, but did not speak to him.

Unfortunately for her, he did not lie. He actually did take French and sat beside her for the whole of it. It had to be a cruel joke. His name was Dominic Chase, and from what Reid observed of him, he was a rarity among the People. Despite his unnatural beauty, from his messy hair, to his grey eyes, from his sculpted face, to his well muscled body, there was no wave of adoring fans, the likes of which accompanied the other boy. The like of which that always accompanied their kind. He was a different boy for sure. But she was not quite sure if that was a good or bad thing. She would just have to wait and see.

He smelled nice. The boy had that much going for him. It killed her inside though, to know the scent was so familiar.

“So.” Dominic started. He had noticed the new girl, who smelled nice herself of herbs and magic, and something else, was pretty enough in her own way. Curly red hair, short and outgrowing a dye job of blue-black. She wore no make up, and no perfume, which suited him well enough, her natural scent was just as intoxicating. Reid spoke little and was often thinking, brooding, avoiding his attempts at small talk, and when she did speak it was barely audible, even to his ears. “Where are you from?”

“North Georgia.” She replied in her whisper.

“Wow, that’s a long haul.” He said.

“Yep.” She smiled softly, and thought to herself, if only he knew where we had originally come from.

“What have you got next?” He asked as the bell rang to end their second class of the day.

“Latin.”

“Nice me too. But first is lunch. You want to sit with me, if you do I can guarantee no one will bother us.”

Again a small smile escaped her, and she agreed. She was not really partial to cafeterias of any sort, but until she could find an alternative place to hide it would have to do. In her old school she had been able to hide in the science wing to escape the deafening noise created by those who dwelled in the cafeteria.

They slid into the cafeteria, choosing a table by the window. Reid sat down to enjoy her salad, while Dominic left her to purchase something from the exquisite school menu. In the brief moment he had left her, the sudden stench of a dirty dog overcame her and she sneezed.

“Bless you.” Oozed the black haired boy as he towered above her. He reeked of charm, none of which would work on Reid for he smelled much too bad. “I noticed you’re new here, and sitting by yourself, I’m Ethan Therone, and would be more than pleased if you’d join me at my table.” He began to take a seat.

“No thanks, I’m good, plus, I’m not alone…”

Dominic was returning and he glared menacing at the black haired boy’s back. Sure he was handsome with sleek black hair, but it was greased to an outrageous amount, and that put Reid off because of her past relations with greasy boys. He was attractive, and was much more than that very word could describe, but his greased hair was a complete turn off, as well as the fact that he acted as a complete ladies’ man, as his type were prone to, and was fixated on the fact that he could use a few more women. Obviously he did not know Reid well enough.

“Ethan,” Dom growled.

Boys are so territorial, she thought to herself.

“I was here first Chase,” Ethan replied turning in his direction, asking for a challenge.

“Actually, Dominic and I are having lunch.” Reid pushed her stuff into the space Ethan occupied to make room on the other side of herself for Dominic. He sat down, much too close, and Reid was nearly overwhelmed by the smell of him. She scooted her chair away.

Ethan sauntered away, having lost this first confrontation.

Dom, curious in spite of himself, apologized. “So do you do any sports?” He asked.

“Sports?” She repeated and began to think. “No.” She continued to eat when manners suddenly grabbed hold, and she realized her severe lack of them. “Do you play any sports Dominic Chase?”

Dom smiled at how she always addressed him using his full name. “I run, cross country.”

I figured as much she thought to herself. “And what about that other boy? Ethan? Does he play any sports?”

The dislike of the other boy was clear in his voice. “He plays on the rugby team.”

“Rugby?” What luck!

“You don’t know what that is?” He asked doubtfully.

“Oh, I do, back in Georgia we had a few teams.” And I played. “Is it just a boy’s team?”

“Well it’s co-ed, but none of the girls play. You aren’t thinking of joining are you?” He asked.

“I don’t know.” She replied distantly, she was thinking. How she wanted to. It improved her speed and agility, but she was supposed to keep a low profile. Surely her parents would let her. They were so far away from where their journey had begun. “I wasn’t aware…” she trailed off.

“Yes?”

“Well, I didn’t know that rugby was so big in Oregon.”

“It’s big everywhere, you just have to know where to look I suppose. I didn’t know for example that Georgia was big on rugby.”

“It is. It just depends on where you are. Most college towns have it.”

“I see.” He replied and continued to stare at her. It was rather unnerving and she said so. “Well, I was thinking to myself that for someone from Georgia you don’t have much of an accent.”

Oh, busted, she thought to herself, and scrambled for an excuse.