Since 9th grade Ava was always in at least one of Evan's classes. She had weird questions, a peculiar group of friends and an unusually joyous way of expressing herself. Evan watched as she wiggled her way into a circle of people talking in their 1st period English class. Her brown eyes began to sparkle with amusement as she listened to one of her friend's over told jokes. Ava saw the good in people. She saw the potential. She had a unique way of hoping for the best, and possessed a naivety that permitted her from seeing the worst.

As Evan looked at Ava he felt a wave of guilt pass over him. Out of all the years they'd been in school together, he never actually got to know the Ava that everyone else seemed to love and respect. Sure, they'd have conversations, but their conversations were all surface and trivial. Their mutual love for microwave breakfast foods. Ava's obsession with Larry David and Woody Allen. Evan's distain for Larry David and Woody Allen. Now that Evan thought about, he really didn't know Ava at all. In all honesty Evan didn't know many people very well, because Evan was painfully shy. Evan's peers mistook his shyness for arrogance and pretention, but when it came down to it, Evan just had a problem voicing what he wanted to say.

Mr. Adams, the English teacher, came strolling in the room.

"Everyone take your seats." Huffed Mr. Adams. Mr. Adams was a tall slender man in his mid-50s. His hair had become white, and he always had small patches of prickles around the bottom half of his face due to his inaccurate and rushed shaving in the mornings. His blue eyes were tired, but despite this, one could tell they were caring.

The group of seniors standing in a circle, including Ava, rushed to their seats. Some of them were still giggling and talking to each other.

"Be quiet!" Mr. Adams put his brief case down on his desk and began to make his way toward the front of the classroom. "I can't believe I still have to tell that to seniors!"

Evan watched as Ava turned and whispered something in her friend Naomi's ear. After a second Naomi had a fit of suppressed giggles. Unexpectedly Ava's eyes flickered over to Evan's as though she knew she was being watched. Evan reflexively turned his gaze away from hers and pretended like he was interested in what Mr. Adams was saying.

Evan couldn't place it. Even though he didn't really know Ava that well, he still felt like something was different about her. She looked the same. Her hair was typical Ava, long black curls that had a unique way of falling attractively, but imperfectly down her back. Her style was eccentric. She wore bright colors, red, being her favorite, and made an effort to change her fingernail polish color at least once a week. As Evan studied her, he looked harder and harder at her face, it wasn't particularly stunning, but it was interesting—it had a character and a grace that he hadn't even noticed.

Perplexed and a little bit annoyed, Evan nudged his best friend Max who was in the process of labeling his binder. "Hey does Ava look different to you this year?"

Max looked over and squinted his eyes in the direction of Ava,

"Ahhh. Nah. Maybe her hair got frizzier and longer. She seems as Avaish to me." He shrugged and continued scribbling the names of classes on labels.

Evan turned back to Ava, and as he turned Ava turned in his direction. Their eyes met. This time Evan didn't look away, but continued to stare at her. Ava starred back for a second, and then proceeded to smile. Her smile was genuine and friendly. She gave him little wave and went back to talking with her friends.