A/N: Okay, this was a short story that I’ve decided to see if I can turn into a longer one, maybe at least a novella if not a novel, but the thing is I have no idea where to go with it, so I’m making it interactive in a way. This of course means that if you want updates, I’ll need your help, and you’ll need to review, so here’s the first chappy, and let’s see how things go!

Won’t you Give Me a Smile?

Seth Christianson sighed heavily as he tucked his books under one arm and trudged down the hallway toward his locker. It was the first day of his senior year of high school, and more than anything he wanted the lunch bell to ring. As he headed down the hallway, Seth could feel the eyes of numerous girls on him. With his glossy, dark brown hair, deeply tanned skin, and sparkling emerald eyes, he was naturally sought after by many a young female. In addition to his good looks, he had a kind and gentle way about him, though he didn’t suspect that was the reason everyone was so attracted to him. The surprise was that he didn’t already have a girlfriend, for he could have had his pick of any girl in the entire school. The explanation for this was quite simple: Seth was extraordinarily shy, particularly around members of the opposite sex. He smiled timidly at several girls who called out to him as they passed him, giggling and chattering. Did girls always have to giggle and travel in groups? Was that part of some unwritten female code of conduct?

Seth frowned as he reached into his locker with the prospect of his first calculus class looming over him. Lunch couldn’t come any sooner. Glancing sideways as he fumbled with the combination, he noticed the girl with long, honey-colored hair and hazel eyes standing at the locker next to his. He’d never spoken to her before, but he knew who she was. Her name was Katie Hanson, but most of the students in the school referred to her only as “The blind girl”. When he looked back on that moment later, Seth would remember noting vaguely that she was rather pretty in a plain, natural sort of way. She wore no make-up, and her long hair was pulled back into a simple ponytail that spilled over her back. From what Seth knew of her, she was extremely shy and didn’t seem to have any close friends that anyone knew of. As he reached for his books, he wondered vaguely to himself why no one seemed to like her unless it was the fact that she never smiled. He would have turned away and headed toward his class, but he couldn’t help noticing that she was having considerable trouble opening her locker.

“Hey, do you need a hand?” Had he just spoken to a girl at random? He never did that. The girl turned in his direction but didn’t speak, apparently unsure who he was addressing.

“Um, I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?” she asked politely.

“Yeah, I just wondered if you needed a hand opening your locker. Mine was giving me some trouble too. They’re a pain in the neck to open even if you can see what you’re doing.” Horrified by what he’d just said, Seth stopped short. “Oh, I’m sorry. That was rude of me.” Katie, however, didn’t give any indication that she was offended.

“No, it’s all right. Actually, I feel a little less stupid now. If you have trouble when you can see what you’re doing, then at least I know it’s not just me.” Seth smiled and reached for the combination lock.

“Here, let me give it a whirl.” Katie stepped back from her locker.

“Would you mind?” she asked shyly.

“Not at all.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m Seth by the way, and you’re Katie, right?”

“How’d you know my name?” she asked although she didn’t sound surprised. “I guess everyone talks about me.” Seth didn’t know what to say.

“Oh, I’m sure no one says anything bad about you.” Katie only shrugged in response. “Hey, which class are you going to?”

“Calculus with Mr. Hanover, but I’m not sure where it is. I didn’t recognize the room number,” said Katie, pulling a piece of thick paper out of the pocket of her sweater and skimming an index finger along the raised bumps- Braille Seth assumed- on the page. “No, I don’t recognize the room. 305.”

“Oh, you know, I think that’s in the new wing they finished building over the summer. I haven’t been down that way either. Mind if I walk with you? We can find it together.”

“Oh, Thanks, Seth. I appreciate it.”

Later on in the lunchroom, Seth headed straight for the table he’d always shared with his best friend, Chris Marvin and Chris’s girlfriend Julia.

“There he is!” Chris shoved his books off of the seat beside him, making room for Seth at the table.

“Thanks, man.” Seth dropped his books and sat down beside his friend.

“Have an interesting morning?” asked Julia. Seth shrugged.

“Hardly,” he said, squeezing catsup onto his French-fries. “This is the first year that Chris and I don’t have any classes together.” Julia’s brown eyes twinkled.

“That should keep you boys out of trouble.” Chris grinned at her, winking at the other boy.

“What trouble?” he asked, feigning innocence. “Okay, so maybe we spent more time playing catch with our erasers than taking notes in Geometry, but we got through with ‘B’s in the end.”

“I can’t imagine how.” Julia rolled her eyes. Chris grinned again and leaned back in his chair, wisps of light brown hair falling into his blue eyes.

“Natural intelligence,” he laughed.

“Hey, you’re never going to believe who’s in my Calculus class,” said Seth. “Katie Hanson.”

“You mean the blind girl?” asked Chris. Seth nodded.

“She has a name, ya know.”

“I know. We really shouldn’t call her that. Anyway, what’s she like? I’ve never spoken to her.”

“She’s nice, but she seems really shy. Her locker is right next to mine. I gave her a hand opening it and walked her to class.” Chris raised his eyebrows.

“You did?” Julia sounded incredulous. “You actually spoke to a girl other than me?” Seth forced a smile.

“She needed help. I felt a bit bad for her today in Math class.”

“Why?” asked Julia.

“I was watching her. She looked really confused. Math must be a nightmare for someone who can’t see what’s on the board. It’s so visual.” Chris’s eyes began to twinkle. Seth knew that look. It meant trouble.

“You know, Seth, you’re pretty good at Math. You should offer to help her out.” Seth tried to dismiss the idea.

“I opened her locker and walked her to class. I’m through playing Sir Lancelot for the day,” he said tersely. Julia laughed.

“You’re just shy, Seth,” she teased. He ignored her and got swiftly to his feet.

“Um, the bell is about to ring, guys. My next class is a bit of a walk from here. I’ll uh, catch you two after school. Bye.”

A/N: So what do you think so far? And now, a question or two. 1: Why is Seth so nervous? Is he going to offer to help Katie? Is he going to try to and then chicken out? Is the teacher going to, ahem, request that he help her? And Is Katie going to say yes if Seth does offer his help? Remember, you give me a review, and I give you chapter2. All righty then? Thanks in advance! Oh, and if you’ve got a mind to, check out “When you and I collide”. That’s my baby, and I’m quite proud of it.