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(unedited)

Jess' POV

Dry leaves crunch beneath my feet as I step out of the car. Removing my pair of aviators, I take in my new school's appearance.

I still find all this hard to believe. This is really happening, huh?

Deep breaths.

I feel a hand come around my shoulders and hear a calm and composed voice.

"It's going to be fine. We are going to be fine." I turn to look at my best friend beside me, who's observing the place just like I did.

"Really?" A few moments later Jacko's head slowly turns towards me. My eyes lock onto his brown ones, searching them for assurance. Jacko just hums in response, looking down at me with his soft gaze.

Turning to look back at the school, I take a final deep breath. This is it.

"Let's do this." I smile at him, and he returns one of his own. Squeezing my shoulders, we start walking towards the school entrance.

Westmont High, here we come.

The high school is huge. Massive. The modern architecture of Westmont High puts even my previous school in Australia to shame. The beige-walled hallways are wide, with classroom doors on either side with rows of lockers between the doors. Students are loitering in the hallways, talking and laughing amongst each other. Nobody seems to notice the newcomers, which is a good thing for us I guess.

Turning a corner, I finally come to a halt as I realise that I don't have any clue about directions. Jacko seems to realise it too, as he stops and looks at me with confusion. I pull the phone out of my back pocket to ask about the directions when Jacko stops a girl passing by.

"Hey! Um, could you please tell us where the Principal's office is?" His thick Australian accent was evident in his voice, as the girl looks at him and me with curiosity. After a good few seconds, the brunette slowly speaks up.

"Um.... Yeah, sure. Do you want me to show you guys?" Her voice holds firmness and kindness, as she gives us a polite smile.

"If it's no bother...." I trail off, feeling unsure to ask for help. She just waves it off.

"Oh, no. It's no bother at all. But just give me a minute," She turns to look at someone behind her and called someone out.

"Cody!" A guy standing a few feet away in a group looks at the girl on hearing her voice and telling something to others rushes towards her.

"Lexy?" He looks at her and then glances at us. Hid eyebrows furrow, as he looks back at the girl, Lexy I guess, with a questioning look.

"They just needed help with finding Mr Bauer's office. So I'm gonna take them there, yeah?" The guy, Cody, looks at her with a sad look, but then sighs and nods, planting a kiss on her forehead. Smiling down at her, he mutters a "See you later" and offering us a smile, walks back to his group.

"This way," She smiles and starts walking down the hallway, with us following her.

"So, you're new here." It wasn't a question, but rather a statement.

"Yeah..." I trail off and try to prolong the conversation.

"I'm Jessica, you can call me Jess," I say and smile at her.

"And I'm, Alexys Gabrielle, but I prefer Lexy." She returns the smile.

"I'm Jackson, Jacko for short." She politely nods in his direction and turns a corner.

"So, did you guys just move in here?" She gives us a questioning look.

"Yeah, we're from Australia," Jacko says, as Lexy comes to a halt in front of some reception area.

"I can see that." She gives a knowing smile.

"Well, here you go. Ask Mrs Trevor," She points at the lady sitting on the reception desk, "and she'll talk to Mr Bauer, our Principal, and then let you in." She smiles and starts walking backwards, still facing us.

"Thank you!"

"Anytime, guys. And don't hesitate to ask me if you need any other help. Ciao!" With that, she turns around and walks away.

Shaking my head, I give Jacko a look and go to Mrs Trevor. She looks up from some paper she was reading and before I could open my mouth, she beat me to it.

"Miss Bauer, Mr Brazier. Mr Bauer is awaiting you." Raising my eyebrows in amusement, I thank her and head towards the door next to the reception desk. Jacko raises his hand and knocks on the door. A distant 'come in' sounds from inside, and giving each other a look, we open the door and get inside. Immediately I'm being squished in my grandfather's arms.

"My granddaughter. I missed you so much, princess." I hug him too, but find it impossible to get any words out of my mouth due to lack of oxygen supply.

"Can't.... breathe..." I manage to say, and he releases me, giving me an apologetic smile.

"Don't I get a hug?" I hear Jacko complain, and turn to look at him. Grandpa is giving him one of his infamous blank stares, one of the things Jacko is scared off. He raises his arms in defeat.

"Chill, sir. I was just joking." Grandpa continues to stare at him for some time, then turns to look at me.

"Oh, Jessica. You've grown up so much. I missed you..." His voice is thick with emotions, and I myself am trying to control from bursting into tears of joy on seeing him.

"I missed you more, grandpa." A smile graces his features, as his hand comes to rest on my head, lovingly caresses it.

"May you always be happy and successful, princess." He says, and I, not being able to hold back, wrap my arms around him tightly, not wanting for this moment to end. He embraces me back. After some time, we pull back. Grandpa offers us to take a seat opposite him, while he goes and takes a seat in his chair. Then we sit there, chatting about anything and everything. It felt as if we were in some café, hanging out as family and not two students talking to their principal. But we had to get on with our school day. After all, we are new here and had to cope up with everything.

This wasn't Australia, where we will still have our holidays and the next academic year does not start for the next two months. This is the US, where the academic year has already begun and we will be considered joining in the middle of the first semester. Grandpa opens one of his drawers and pulls out two folders. He hands one file to me and another to Jacko.

Opening it, I see my class timetable, a map of the school and some other papers.

"You both almost share all the classes. Well, except two. Also, I have-"

He's soon cut off by the ringing of the phone. Picking it up, he talks to the person on the other line. Must be the receptionist, Mrs Trevor.

Keeping the phone, he looks at us.

"As I was saying, I have made arrangements for y'all so that you don't get lost and get familiar with Westmont High. A student, also in the Senior year like you both, will escort you for some days, till you get familiar with this place. You can always ask him about anything at all. He is really good in studies, always humble, polite, hard-working to achieve his goal. And, he also holds interest in music. I'm sure you'll make great friends. And-"

Someone knocks on the door, and Grandpa clears his throat, telling that person to come in. I hear the door open, followed by someone's footsteps.

"Sir, you'd called for me?" A deep voice says. Very familiar deep voice. I freeze in my seat.

"Ah, yes. I did," Grandpa says, unaware of my frozen and shocked state. Slowly turning my head to the source of the voice, I realise I shouldn't have, as I have a strong urge to puke. My mouth opens in shock. What?

He still didn't notice me sitting here, smiling a genuine smile at Grandpa. And I don't know if it is a good thing or bad. I feel someone poke my shoulders, but I pay the least attention to Jacko. My eyes are focused solely on him. Grandpa's words somehow still manage to register in my brain.

"Remember I told you my granddaughter and a friend of hers are going to transfer here and study? I want you to show them around and help them for a few days if they need it. Just till they are quite familiar with the school. Will you be fine with that?"

"Of course, sir. It will be my pleasure, sir." He smiles at him. But I really want to puke.

"Oh, so rude of me! Let me introduce them to you."

Really, really want to puke.

"This is Gabriel Conte, one of the brightest minds of Westmont High. And this is Jacko Brazier. And this is my granddaughter, Jessica Bauer. Well, she prefers Jess though." Jacko stands up to greet him, but he is too busy to stare at me, wide-eyed and mouth agape. Time seems to stop around us. It feels like we are the only people present in this room. We continue to stare at each other for what felt like aeons. Those all-too-familiar brown eyes staring into my blue ones, with so much intensity, just like that time.

Finally snapping out of my staring contest, I open my mouth at the same time he does. Only one word escapes our mouth with much-contained rage.

"You?"

• •• • •• •

Hey guys! Here's the first chapter. Hope you enjoyed reading it. But it's not edited.

Vote and comment if you liked it!