"Oh my gosh. I am so sorry." Emily jumps away from the boy's grip, providing a good space between them.

Jack laughs light-heartedly. "It's cool, don't worry about it. Just watch where you're going next time." He gives her a sly wink.

Then, Jack's lips rise to make way for one of his famous smiles. Vague dimples appear on his cheeks. The right side is just slightly more prominent than the left. 

At that moment, Emily could feel any bad thoughts towards Rory begin to almost fade away. Almost.

Emily mutters another apology and hurries away from the embarrassing moment. She stands upright and shuffles toward her friend. The color of her face is now similar to that of a ripe tomato. It sends Rory into a fit of giggles.

"Sorry, not sorry." Rory laughs as she walks beside Emily.

Emily glares fiercely at the blonde girl. She glances over her shoulder to see Jack and his friends carrying on like nothing ever happened. "This is not funny! I am humiliated!" She seethes.

Her anger, however, doesn't bother Rory one bit. Rory casually shrugs in response. "You'll thank me later."

Emily scoffs. She did not thank her. In fact, Emily ignored her "best friend" until the sixth period. The last period of the day makes Emily feel ecstatic because as soon as it is over, she can finally leave school, and thus avoid any further embarrassment she might feel from running into Jack again (figuratively and literally).

"Hey," she says to Rory for the first time that afternoon since "the incident." Emily slides into her seat at the desk next to her.

"I'm sorry," Rory tells her immediately. "I shouldn't have done that. I thought I was just helping." Her golden-brown eyes droop at the mention of the events that occurred earlier that day.

Emily offers her a light-hearted smile. "I know you mean well. But, Rory, seriously, it was embarrassing. It's okay, just don't do it again. I think I have enough embarrassment for a lifetime."

The girls laugh together and the tension between them instantly disappears. 

However, a few seconds later Rory stops laughing only for her mouth to part in disbelief. "Who the hell is that?" She whispers.

Emily turns in her seat, following Rory's line of sight. At the doorway of their classroom is a boy. She had never seen him before. And he looks like he came straight out of a bad-boy romance novel.

"Damn." Rory lets out a breath she had held in.

Emily nods. "Yeah," is all she can manage to say.

The guy standing in the doorway is tall and definitely toned. He wears a plain black t-shirt and the sleeves are tight around his sculpted biceps. His deep olive skin seems to practically glow, giving him an angelic aura. His muscles aren't the only sculpted (visible) thing about him though, because an angel must have made his face, that is, an angel who was feeling really, really, sexy that day.

His onyx-black hair is styled messily, adding to his brooding look. It makes him look even more irresistible to all of the females (and a couple of males) in the classroom. He seems to sense this, and his eyes scan the room, meeting all of their curious and lustful gazes.

Emily's heart definitely misses a beat when his forest-green eyes glance over hers. She immediately averts her eyes back to her desk as he continues to silently observe his new classmates.

"I need a cold shower," Rory says out of the blue.

This sudden comment causes Emily's nervousness to disappear and instead, she begins to giggle as quietly as she can without causing any attention to herself.

Rory's face heats up. A light pink blush surfaces on her cheeks. She reaches her foot out and kicks her friend on the side of her leg.

Emily hisses and immediately stops laughing. She shoots Rory a glare. The blonde is staring straight ahead with a ghost of a smirk on her pink, painted lips.

Mrs. Park closes the door behind the new guy and clears her throat, acquiring the attention of the class. "It seems we have a new student joining us today. Care to introduce yourself?"

The bubbly woman in her mid-thirties with a preference for cream and light yellow clothes asks the new boy while walking around her desk. She leans against the front on the opposite side of him.

"My name is Luke," he says briefly to the class. He turns back to the teacher expectantly, burying his hands deeper into the pockets of his black jeans that have a couple of rips at the knees.

"Welcome to Lincoln High, Luke." The teacher gives him a big smile and then clasps her hands together. She then extends a hand in the direction of an empty seat. The desk is at the front of the classroom, at the opposite corner of where Emily and Rory sit.

He heads towards the desk, his head hanging low as if to not draw any more attention to himself. He is well aware that every pair of eyes watch him intently.

"Em," Rory whispers, causing Emily to turn around in her chair to face her. An evil expression is now taking over Rory's soft features. Her smile is also far too wide.

Emily leans back slightly and suddenly feels concerned for her best friend's sanity. "The hell, Rory?" she whisper-squeaks.

The blonde giggles and the evil look leaves her face, but not her eyes. Her honey irises hold a mischievous glint. "I think he could be a perfect candidate." She winks at the end.

The brunette opposite her is taken aback by her suggestion. "A guy like him would never go for me." She scoffs.

Rory's eyes immediately roll at her friend's predictable response. "I know I promised not to intervene anymore, but girl, come on! You are totally in his league. You're so beautiful inside and out. The sooner you realize that the sooner you'll be happier with yourself, and your life," Rory tells her wisely.

Emily contemplates Rory's words. Her bright blue eyes narrow at the wall behind her friend who waits for her response. Emily sighs. She makes up her mind. "I'm starting to regret ever confiding in you. But I think I'll regret not doing anything even more."

Rory does her best to suppress a squeal and instead wiggles in her seat, doing some sort of victory dance. Her face scrunches up and her long, golden-blonde hair whips around messily as she moves.

Emily rolls her eyes at the dramatic girl. She then turns back to face the front of the classroom, but not before stealing a glance at Luke.

A/N

QOTD: Who are you rooting for so far, Jack, the sweet boy with a great smile, or Luke, the sexy bad boy?

AOTD: It's like asking someone who their favorite child is, they don't have a favorite (plot twist, I'm rooting for Mrs. Park).