-Chapter 1, Boy Meets Girl-


Her name was Tessa. She had always lived in this small, barren waste land of a town, but no one had ever really noticed her. Quiet as a lamb, she spoke not one word in class, but that didn't stop her from standing out for all the wrong reasons. Tessa was an overachiever in the eyes of her peers. They didn't care about the curriculum as much as she did and couldn't understand why she cared. It made her an outcast and easily in the sleepy town of Galaxy Hills, she didn't fit in. Tessa was a klutz. Standing at five feet, she fumbled and stumbled around town. The young teen usually spent her time reading, studying and looking after her pet turtle whom she had named, Friend.

"Seems your the only friend I've got,"he glossed lips spoke as she placed Friend in his tank. Friend had been around since her father had gifted him to her, 7 years ago. That was before he passed. Although her mother remarried later, Friend was a constant reminder to Tessa of her father. Her chestnut brown eyes peered through the glass. Her straight, black hair fell over her shoulders as she crouched over and watched her pet swim in the baby pond she had set up for him. A small grin with sad eyes watched, quietly. Then quickly, realizing the time, Tessa grabbed her books and her backpack and headed for the door, waving goodbye to her little green friend.

"I love you buddy."

Behind her, she slowly closed the door and rushed down the stairs of the stoop to start her journey. Once outside, Tessa took out a book she'd recently started and began to read as she walked, fixing her black rimmed glasses and moving a strand of hair behind her ear. Pride and Prejudice would get her through the depressive thoughts on her mind. Tessa headed into the town's high school, a place she dreaded to return to every weekday. Having no friends took a toll on her. She was for sure, fragile in spirit, but that didn't stop the daily round of taunting.

"DORK!"

"NERD!"

"LOSER!

Paper balls and pieces of chewed gum, tossed at her head from where she stood at her locker. One piece of slimy gum even stuck to her glasses, making the other teens roar with laughter. As quickly and quietly as she could, Tessa ran in a nearby bathroom and hid in one of the stalls. How could kids be so cruel? Why pick on her when she literally only came to school to do what you're supposed to do, learn? Tears fell down dear Tessa's smooth, brown face. She removed her glasses and pulled the gum off with a napkin. This caused more to fall at the harsh memories of the teasing and name calling. Hate, pain and anguish set on her. Oh, how she wished she could be like the confident, polished women in the book she was reading. Why couldn't that be her? A knock on the stall door pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Tessa, I know you're in there. Open the door. Please?"

Slowly, Tessa unlocked the peach colored stall door. A brown eye could be seen peeking around the door. She opened it fully at the sight of her classmate, Yuri. Although she didn't consider Yuri to be her friend, she knew she wasn't one to tease anybody.

"Are you alright? I saw what happened to you in the hall."

"I'm fine." Tessa answered, practically in a whisper.

"Let's get out of this bathroom, it smells gross in here." Yuri pulled little Tessa out of the bathroom and into the hallway. Walking closely beside Yuri, Tessa headed back to her locker to grab and put away some books. Class was starting soon enough. Yuri took the moment to lecture the smaller girl beside her.

"You know, you really shouldn't let people tease you."

"I know..."

"I MEAN IT! You've gotta learn to stick up for yourself!"

"I know." Tessa repeated. She sighed as she turned the combination on her locker. As she did, a teenager passed by her suddenly and threw a piece of paper that hit the back of her head. Yuri gasped in shock.

"HEY! CUT IT OUT!" She shouted. Her head snapped towards the sound of whimpers. Tessa had collapsed to the floor with her glasses beside her. She was broken. Yuri kneeled beside her. "Tessa, don't let them get to you!" Tessa shot up, slammed her locker closed and grabbed her stuff.

"You shouldn't be seen around a loser like me!" She cried. She took off to the school's exit when she felt the tears pour over. Ignoring the calls from Yuri, Tessa sprinted down the street. Tears streaming out of her big, brown eyes and raven, jet black hair flying behind her. Glasses in one hand and books in the other, she ran blind.

"I hope I get hit by a car! Even then, no one would care!" But instead of getting hit by a car, tiny Tessa hit someone running in the opposite direction. They crashed into each other and fell to the sidewalk with a loud thud. She slid across the pavement, arms abused by the hot concrete below. Sitting up slowly after a pause, she grabbed at her arms and hunched over them, eyes closed tightly in pain. "A-ah!"

"Oh my gosh! I hit a girl!" Tessa slowly opened her eyes and looked up. A tall and thin boy with black rimmed glasses that resembled hers stood above her. His brown eyes stared at hers with a worried and quite frantic expression.

"Are you alright? Aw jeez, I'm gonna be soo late for school!" Tessa pulled herself off the ground. Her arms were skinned from skidding the concrete and slowly she could see blood trickling to the surface. Luckily, in her eyes, her glasses weren't broken but her books covered the sidewalk. The boy grabbed a few books off the floor and handed them to Tessa.

"Sorry for bumping into you." He apologized. Tessa stared down at his hands as he placed the books in hers.

"It's fine." She whispered. She picked up her bag and stuffed the books in. The boy stared at his watch.

"Aw crud! I'm so late! Stupid alarm clock..." He looked over at Tessa, who was watching her arm finally start to bleed. She rolled her sweater sleeves up quickly to keep them from staining. He gasped. "Whoa! Are you sure your alright?" Tessa looked up at him. She slightly smiled at his concern.

"Yes. I'm alright."

"But that looks really bad." He groaned. In his heart of hearts, he knew he couldn't just leave her like this, despite how late he already was. "Let's get you some help." He searched around the area and lead Tessa down the street into a nearby comic book shop. In the shop, a large man wearing a ponytail and a leather coat was standing behind the register. He loudly sipped a drink as he read a comic. He looked up at the teens as they walked through the door when a little bell sounded. Tessa thought the store smelled pretty musty. It was one she usually passed on the way to school and never bothered to look into. Comic books didn't interest her as much as a good novel.

"Lenny! What's up?" Lenny pulled Tessa over to the counter quickly.

"Oz, look." He held up Tessa's arms to Oz, showing him what had happened. Oz wince and sucked at his teeth to suppress wanting to squeal. Her arms looked bad.

"Whoa! That's not cool! Seriously, how did that happen?"

"It's a long story. Do you think you can help?" Just then, a short and old woman walked through the door.

"OZWALD! You need to dust off these shelves right now or-" Her framed eyes fell on Tessa, and then Tessa's bleeding arms. "Ack!" She squealed herself. "Stay there honey, I need my first aid!" A goat stood at the top of a stair case, watching all the commotion. "Back to your room Mitzy!" The old woman shouted before heading up herself.

Tessa's eyes fell on Lenny as he leaned over the counter and eyed his watch. She examined him closely and smiled to herself. There was something about Lenny that made her feel warm inside. Maybe it was because he actually cared enough to be almost half an hour late to school just to make sure she was alright? Or maybe it was how tall and lanky he looked leaning over like that? She hadn't seen him around before, though she thought they may have shared an honors class together? She didn't know which, but to be fair, she didn't go out of her way to talk to people at school. When his eyes fell on her, they quickly changed their gazes. Tessa's heart beat could probably be heard by anyone in the room at that very moment. Her cheeks were warm and for a moment, she couldn't feel the pain in her arms. This is odd. The old woman walked back into the room with a white case and a red plus sign on the front. The first aid kit.

"Okay honey, let me see again." She said to Tessa. Tessa held her arms out. The woman patted some rubbing alcohol, which burned like hell, and followed up with a wet cloth over the cuts. She wrapped her arms with bandages and gave her a soft pat to each of them. Tessa smiled as she pulled her sweater over her arms.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Your welcome sweetheart." Tessa turned to Lenny and smiled at him. Lenny weakly returned the smile.

"Thank you." She repeated. His brows raised and the weak smile grew a little stronger. He, himself, had never seen her around before and hadn't gotten a good look at her earlier. But now that she stood in front of him, he slowly took in her pretty little features. For one thing, she was very small, height wise. Long black hair, smooth brown skin, black rimmed glasses that framed her big eyes perfectly. So simple, yet so...cute. A beep from his watch pulled him out of what he hoped wasn't a swoon.

"Uh...no problem." He croaked as a response in realization of the time. Tessa headed to the door and waved goodbye. She knew there was NO WAY she was gonna drag herself to school now. Her and Lenny started in different directions before he turned around abruptly.

"HEY!" Tessa looked over her shoulder to see the tall boy running towards her.

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

"Uh, no. I just-uh, decided to stay home today. So, uh, I'll walk you home to make sure you don't get hurt again. But, o-only if you want me to...I mean, you don't really have to walk with me."

"That would be...nice." Tessa blushed. Why was he so concerned about her well being? She smiled to herself. At least he cares. "Are you going my way? I'm a couple blocks down from the park on Free Street."

"Yeah, actually. I walk that way too. I-I mean, I usually ride my bike, but ya know...heh."

"I ride mine too.."

"D-do you?"

"Sometimes..." Tessa made sure she stayed a few inches away from him as they walked. Every few minutes, her brown eyes glanced at the clumsy walking boy. Every few minutes, he did the same. It was an awkward walk for Tessa and it seemed to last forever. It was nice to have company for once, but she didn't know what to talk about and that made it almost dreadful on the inside. When they finally reached her home, Tessa stuck a hand out towards Lenny.

"Thanks for walking me home."

"Oh, it was my pleasure. I-I mean, I was happy to walk you, you know cuz your so small and stuff. Not that being short is a bad thing." He sighed and shook Tessa's hand. Tessa giggled at his rambling. Hearing her light and airy laughter made Lenny know for sure, he totally liked her.