Margaret

I walked into school just as the late bell rang for first period. I sighed before quickly running to my locker and grabbing my stuff for algebra. Although I was good at it, I didn't really like doing it. It wasn't something that I got excited for; especially in the morning. I don't think anyone looked forward to algebra in the morning.

I threw my bag and coat into my locker before slamming it shut and rushing to class. When I opened the door, everyone's attention immediately snapped over to me, making me want to shrink back into the hallway and disappear.

"Miss Anderson, this is the third time this week that you're late to my class. If it happens again, I'm giving you detention. Got it?"

I nodded. "Sorry, Ms. Briggs. It won't happen again."

"Alright, take a seat." She turned back to the chalkboard and began writing a math problem. I started walking to my seat- which was all the way in the back -and I barely made it past the first desk without stumbling. The people who were still looking at me started laughing.

"What a klutz," Noah Park, the bad boy of our school, said. His friends laughed at his statement while I continued to walk to the back of the room. In our school, you sit based on your social status. Since they're the most popular, they get the front of the room. Since I'm barely noticed, I get to sit in the back of the room. But it's not like I can make myself popular, though, so I've always sat in the back. 

When I reached my seat, I sat down, laid my algebra book down in front of me, and opened to the page we were supposed to be on. We discussed a few problems as a class before we had to work on ten questions individually. I finished in no time and turned it in. 

"Your such a nerd," Noah said.

"At least I'm not dumb," I murmured.

"Excuse me?" he said. I ignored him and went back to my seat, where I took out my phone and started playing Angry Birds Go. One good thing about sitting in the back is being able to get on my phone and not get caught. I started a race and got in first, only to have my phone snatched out of my hands.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. I looked up to see Noah with a scowl on his face and his brown eyes flashing with anger. I looked around the classroom and saw that Ms. Briggs had left the room.

"What did you say before?" he demanded. 

"Nothing," I said, reaching for my phone. He lifted it higher into the air, well out of my reach. 

"Tell me or you don't get it back," he said. I contemplated on whether or not I should tell him. He's known for his very short temper, which is why I probably shouldn't have said anything.

"Give it back and I'll tell you," I compromised. He thought for a minute before tossing it back at me. I reacted too late, as it hit the floor. I quickly picked it up and saw there was a crack through the center of the screen. I scowled at the broken screen before looking back up at him. "Thanks a lot, asshole. My fucking phone just cracked because of you," I said showing him the screen. 

He crossed his arms and stared down at me, his face not changing at all. "I'm an asshole?"

"That's what I said," I retorted. 

"I'm an asshole?" he repeated.

I ran a hand down my face. "Did you hear me? That's what I-" I didn't have time to react before he took my phone back out of my hand, slammed it on the ground and stomped on it. I stared at my demolished phone and my mouth dropped open. "What the hell!? Why did you do that?"

"Got a problem with it?" he asked.

"Yes! Of course I have a problem with it! That phone was three hundred bucks!" I said.

"If it bothers you that much, I'll get you another one," he said, before turning back around and going back to his seat. Wow, bipolar much? I thought to myself. Of course he wasn't going to get me another phone, this was Noah Park we were talking about! Not even ten seconds later, Ms. Briggs came in and sat down at her desk.

"Couldn't have gotten here any sooner?" I whispered to myself. The rest of my morning classes went by in a blur. I started heading to lunch once I put everything in my locker. I wasn't really hungry today, so I went to the library and read my book until the bell rang for P.E. I hurried to my locker and grabbed my gym clothes before running to gym class and changing.

"Hey, Margaret, you're not late today," Coach Grant said.

"Yeah. I don't want to do any extra exercising," I said with a smile. Coach decided to let us play whatever we wanted so we started a game of volleyball. It was Great River High's famous sport, so everyone liked to practice and play whenever they could.

After gym class, which was two hours, I changed back into my school clothes and started walking home. I was still upset about my phone. I had all of my contacts in there and I didn't remember any of the numbers...Which wasn't much, but you get the point.

As my house came into sight, I noticed that there was a U-Haul truck parked across the street. The house was in close proximity to mine, just across the street from my house. I looked and saw a small family of four unloading the truck and taking boxes into the house.

"Meg!" someone called. Usually I didn't like when someone called me that because it brought back too many memories of Vin, but in this case I didn't care.

"Mom, what's going on?" I asked when I reached my house.

"Isn't it exciting? There's a new family moving in across the street." I glanced over at them, then back at Mom.

"B-but that's Vin's old house," I said.

"So? They don't live there anymore. That house has been vacant for eleven years. It's about time someone moved into it," she said.

"I don't want someone else to move in there," I complained. I knew I was being selfish, but I didn't want those memories to fade away.

"Well...I don't know what to tell you. It was bound to happen eventually."

"How can you say that? You were friends with Vin's parents for as long as I was friends with him. You can't say you're not sad that someone else is moving in!"

She sighed. "Look I don't want to fight about this. Why don't you go invite them over for dinner tomorrow? We can get to know each other," she offered.

I tucked a piece of my brown hair behind my ear. "Sorry, Mom. I just didn't think anyone would move in there after all these years. I was kind of wishing that Vin and his family would move back in."

She pulled me into a hug. "It's alright. I know it's hard for you. Now, go over there and invite them to dinner!"

I chuckled. "Alright." I walked across the street, but didn't see anyone. I looked by the truck and saw a teen boy leaning against it. "Um...Hi there," I said.

He looked at me before smiling. "Hey, beautiful. You're looking mighty fine today."

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "My mom wants to know if you guys would like to come over for dinner tomorrow night," I said.

He winked at me. "If it's for you I'll do anything."

"Well, we live across the street from you guys," I said.

"Cool. So, do you have a name, or can I call you mine?" he said.

I felt heat rush to my face. "U-um...My name is Margaret."

He smiled. "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl. I'm Corny."

I couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Really?"

He nodded. "I'm known for my corny jokes and pick up lines, so everyone calls me Corny."

"What's your real name?" I asked.

"Ah ah ah," Corny said, wagging his pointer finger in the air. "You must not know until we become lovers."

I sighed and stifled a laugh. "Then I guess I'll never know your real name."

He put his hands to his heart, faking pain. "Ouch, babe, you wound me."

I crossed my arms and raised my eyebrows. "Babe? Ha, you're funny."

"Which is why I'm called Corny," he stated matter-of-factly.

I rolled my eyes and started walking back to my house. "Hey, babe!" Corny called. I turned back a little too quickly, and I ended up running into him. His arms shot out and steadied me before I fell.

"Y-yes?" I stuttered.

"My real name is Vincent." He let go of my arms and waved before going back to help unpack. Vincent? My best friend Vincent? I rushed back home and slammed the front door shut.

"Mom!" I shouted. Mom came running into the room.

"What happened? Did they say yes to the dinner?"

"Yeah, but-"

"That's great!"

"But Mom-"

"I'd better start planning the dinner!"

"Mom!"

"Yes?"

"That family that moved into Vin's old house-"

"Yup nice people they are-"

"-it's actually  Vin's family. They moved back in!"

"Really? That's great!" she said, squeezing me in a hug.

"Not really," I muttered. The only bad thing about it was he didn't seem to remember me at all. I remembered him, but he didn't remember me. The memories came flashing back as soon as he said his name. He has the same nose, same eyes...Yeah, that's defiantly him; I couldn't forget him.

But I guess he forgot me.

***

Chapter one for the Wattys2016 is up! Corny's and Margaret's story is going to start getting interesting. c: