*I know I'm hella late in posting this and that many of you are pissed at me for being so late with it, but I have a good excuse! I was out campainig  for Obama. Which meant knocking at doors from 8am to 7pm. I knocked on about 400 doors in the first two days. So so tried but I decided to it up and type this up. The story if finished, I just have to type it from my old phone since I can't transfer files. :( I hope you guys like this.*

 

Lena's Pov

 

"Lena! Get your down here girl! You gots to go to school!" My mother yelled from the bottom of the stairs. "I know mama! My hair isn't doing what I want it to do." I complained as I pinned my hair in a bun and tied it with a ribbon. "Looks fine to me Le, now get fo Stanley up and leaves ya. Then you'll be walkin to that school alone." She said walking into my room with her hands on her hips. "I'm goin. I'm goin. Dang mama." I said picking up my books. "Don't sass me girl. Be home at a decent time. Ya hear?" She said with a teasing smile and gave me a kiss on my cheek. "Alright mama. Bye daddy, bye everyone!" I shouted as I ran down the stairs. "Bye Le!" They yelled back as I shut the door. I walked towards Stanley and his friends then headed for the schoolhouse. "Lena. Lena. Lena. You lookin mighty fine there girl. When you gonna let me take you out on a date?" My neighbor Earlie asked me as he joined the group. "Neva. Eva. EVA." I said rolling my eyes.

 

         "Why you gotta be so weird for Lena? Most girls jump at the chance to date me. Hell, girls love it when I just look at them! You'd rather learn those weird languages that date a fly guy like me? That's how we know you're a little off." He said tossing his arm over my shoulder. "Well, I ain't most girls Earl Jones the 5th. I'd rather be weird than in the back of yo mama's car." I retorted brushing him off of me. I heard te group do a few 'oohs' and 'daaamns' at my comeback. "How you gonna get a man with that smartass mouth girl?" He said with an obvious attitude. "Well, I hope to get an equally smart man some my comebacks won't damage his ego." I said with a little smile. "Now. Now. It's Monday and y'all ALREADY fussin! Cain't we all just get along? Y'all hear we got some new transfers? 'Possed to be some Chinese folk from Ko-Reha. I don't speake Chinese but I doubt they speak a of English either." Stanley spoke up. "Korean, Stanley, Koreans speak Korean. Not Chinese." I said with a giggle.

 

       He shrugged his shoulders and continued talking. "I bet you would know wouldn't you Weird Le?" Earlier said loudly. "Aww, did I hurt your feelings Earlie? Well, how about this. Me and you go on that date you jus talked about. It'll be jus you and me. No one else. How bout it Earl?" I said smiling. "Really? I didn't mean all that 'Weird Le' stuff. When do you want to go?" He asked excitedly. I pretended to think and a random  number popped up in my head. "How about July 28, 2012?" I said as we walked inside the school. His smile dropped and he walked away from the group with clenched fists. I laughed and did the same, telling Stanley that I'd see him at lunch. I walked into the empty classroom and took my regular seat in the back. I only had about 3 friends and none of them were in any of my classes. People just seemed to advoid me like the plague which was fine since I prefered to be alone. I got lots done since I was alone. I took out my homework and double scanned over the work. The bell rung and people started walking inside the room. As usual, the seat beside me was empty as the class finally setteled.

 

              Our teacher walked in and gave us all a bright smile. She was one of 5 White teachers in the entire school district that taught at Black schools. She was a gineually nice person with a heart of gold. She was from the north where people of color and Whites got along better. Her husband wwas a Black man and their children attened the school. I rememeber people giving her and her family hell when they first arrived but soon stopped when they realized what type of person she was. "Goodmorning everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend. Please pass up your papers." She said grinning. "Mornin Miss J." We all said in unison as we passed up our homework. "We have a new student that I hope you all will welcome with open arms. He's from Korea and he speaks only a little bit of English but he's learning. Mr. Choi? Can you come in please?" She asked polietly. A tall figure emerged from behind the doors and hesitantly faced us. He had long black hair, chubby cheeks, and soft looking features. "Do you mind introducing yourself to the class Mr. Choi?" Miss J asked sweetly. "Hi. I'm Choi Hyunwoo. I from Korea. Hello." He said bowing. Our class jumped back and looked at each other "Quite a voice you have there." Miss J said surprised. I stiffled a smile at his blushing cheeks and looked down.

 

          "You can sit by Lena. She will be your guide until you are familiar with the school. Lena? Please raise your hand so Hyunwoo can find you." She said to me. I slowly raised my hand so he could see me. He bowed to her and came to sit next to me. For the rest of class I dared not to look over at him. He was something different and I didn't want him to think  I was weird too. I handn't notive thay class had ended and that we were the only people left in the room. I mentally smacked myself and stood up. "Sorry. I wan't paying attention. Do you mind if I looked at your schedule?" I asked nicely. He nodded and handed to me. I looked at his classed and laughed. "Is something wrong?" He questioned me. I sobered up and handed the paper back to him. "Well, it seems you and I have every class together, including lunch." I said smiling. "Oh." He said standing up. I backed up a little and looked up at him. Is he rasict and doesn't want to be my friend? Was it because I'm not light skin and pretty? "Ani! I mean, no. I'm relieved that there will be at least one friendly face wherever I go." He said with a smile. I bit my lips and looked away. "Uh, we better go if we don't wanna be late." I said grabbing my things and rushing out of the room.

 

Hyunwoo's Pov

 

I watched the small girl hurry out of the room and wait in the hall for me. "Now, Mr. Wilson is a little tough but you'll do fine if you stick by me. Mrs. Newman is ok. Mr. Du Bois is...difficult. Don't get on his bad side and you should be fine. Mr. James is easy and you can sit with me during lunch. Um, Ms. Cady is easy and Mr. Willard is ok too. No one ever sits by me so all those seats are gonna be yours I guess." She said avoiding eye contact with me and the people around us. She sighed and shook her head. "I'm so sorry. I forgot Miss J said you didn't really speak English well." She said with a little pout. She repeated everything she said in perfect Korean. "How do you know Korean?" I asked amazed. "I get bored and learn languages and art." She said walking into a class room. I followed her and did the same thing as I did with the other class. The day went pretty much the same until lunch time. Once again Lena was staring off into the distance and I had to wait until she snapped out of it.

 

             "Ugh. I'm sorry. I can't help it, but it's really rude of me." She said apologizing when she noticed me watching her. We walked towards the lunch room in silence but sound buzzed all around us. "Whose the Chinese guy with Weird-Le?" "Can he speak English?" and "Why is his hair so long?" were the top questions among the whispers. "Le!" A guy shouted from the side of the cafe. "Hi Stanley. This is Choi Hyunwoo. He's a transfer." Lena said introducing us. I bowed and waited for him to speak. "We don't do that bowing stuff here. Why is he with you?" Stanley said frowning. "I'm his guide until he knows his way around." She said softly. "He ain't sittin' with us Le." He said looking me up and down. She looked at him and then me and blinked slowly. "I will eat alone." I offered turning away to walk inside the cafe. She stopped me and shook her head. "Come on Hyunwoo. We'll eat outside." She said grabbing my arm and leading me out of the building and towards an empty table. "You didn't have to do that. I can eat alone. Go eat with your friend. I'm fine." I said once we sat down. She looked at me and giggled. "We're friends now. Right?" She asked shyly. I thought for a moment and nodded my head yes. "Then I AM eating with my friend." She said with an amused expression. I felt something unfamiliar in my chest at her proclamation and smiled back. "Well, we can share my food since my sister packed enough for 5 people."

 

     I said offering her some. I half expected her to decline because it was something she's never seen before and walk away from me. She cocked her head to the side and bit her lip. "Mmm, what's this?" She asked looking at my lunch. "It's Kimchi. Try it." I said holding a piece out with my chopsticks. She looked at it for a second and ate it. "Teach me how to use these and I'll teach you English." She said picking up my spare pair. I blushed and looked down. "I...already know English. I just don't talk to a lot of people so everyone assumed I couldn't speak it." I admitted. She stared at me for a moment and hit my arm. "So you understood me the entire time but let me repeat it which was a waste of my breath? So difficult boy." I laughed  at her playfullness and continued to eat and have her try different foods. I learned that we lived on the same street. She was the youngest and the only girl of 8 kids. She even told me her dreams of traveling and trying new things. I laughed when she said that because I had already helped her out with the trying new things part. "Wanna walk home with me Hyunwoo?" She asked after classes were over. I nodded and followed her out of the school house. "Le!? You comin to the diner with us? Alone?" Stanley asked her giving me a dirty look. "Hmm, nah. Me and Woo are jus gonna walk home. I'll see ya tomorrow Stan!" She said turning around to face me.

 

               My heart tugged at her nickname for me and I had to stop myself from grinning like an idiot. I saw Stanley grunt and walk away with some other guys who also gave me some dirty looks. "I'll see you later Lena. You should go with your friends." I said walking away. She ran up beside me and put her small hands on my chest. "Why do you keep doing that Hyunwoo?! Those aren't even my friends. Stanley only hangs around me because he thinks I'm fair game but I ain't that kind of girl. How are we supposed to be friends if you keep pushing me away fool? Psh. 'I'll see you later Lena.' You annoy me already boy." She said angirly. A piece of dust flew onto her face and made her angry look even more adorable. Without thinking, I wiped it off of her face and let my fingers linger. "Sorry. You had something on your face." I said pulling my hand away. She touched the spot where my hand was and gave a little smile. "Well, is it at least gone?" She teased. I nodded and looked behind her. I saw a light skin guy staring holes into her back. He noticed me watching him and walked away. "Who was that ?" I asked slightly pisses at him for looking at her like that. "Who? Oh, that's Earlier. He's my neighbor. Don't worry about him. He's just mad because I won't date him." She said looking at the retreating figure. "Let's get to walkin' fo mama come lookin for me." She said as she laced her arm with mine and smiled up at me.