Happy New Year! Just another scene, this time from when Cassie and Alex meet for the very first time. Cassie has been "made over" by her friends, Gina and Izzy, and is struggling with the new look - and how to carry her books at school. *** My new bag started to slip from my shoulder, so I stopped to hitch it back up into place. Suddenly one of the textbooks I held, pinned between my chest and my rather slippery folder, started to slide south. I scrambled to catch it with my free hand, and shoved it back up from where it had come loose - only to have it push the other textbook up. The top textbook was teetering awkwardly on top of my arm, then, as I struggled to balance it, it toppled over the top of my arm and fell to the ground. "Oh man!" I exclaimed, sighing in frustration. My new bag certainly suited my new look, but didn't really work very well for holding all of my textbooks and folders. I crouched down to pick up the book and as I reached for it, my Houdini bag made another escape attempt off my shoulder. I grabbed at the strap as it fell down my arm, but it escaped my grasp. "Darn it Gina! Izzy! You and your accessories!" I muttered under my breath as I attempted to grab the strap in order to relocate it back to my shoulder. "Can I help?" A voice, warm and very masculine, interrupted my grumbling at my absent friends. I looked up from my bag and saw that a pair of feet in sneakers stood just in front of me, near my fallen textbook. Before I could answer, the owner of the feet crouched down in front of me, his hand reaching for the textbook. My eyes travelled up, past black jeans and a green tee-shirt covered by a leather jacket, up past broad shoulders to a square jaw, a wry smile, and up to the most beautiful dark forest green eyes I had ever seen. "I... uh..." I stopped, the words stolen from my lips for the moment. The green eyes sparkled as they held mine, their owner smiling at me now. He even had dimples - absolutely gorgeous! "This is your book, right?" he asked. "Uh..." I started, still lost for words. Come on Cassie, think! I told myself off in my head. "Oh yes, I mean. I'm sorry. I'm not usually this clumsy." My hand automatically pulled my bag's strap back onto my shoulder. He smiled at me still, for just a moment longer, then he rose up to his feet again, reaching down his other hand and offering it to me. I reached out and took his hand. It was cool to the touch. I smiled shyly up at him as he helped me back to my feet. He dropped my hand as soon as I was up on my feet again, but his eyes never left my face. He handed me my book. "Uh, thanks." I smiled at him, suddenly shy. "No problem." The corner of his mouth hitched up into a grin. His eyes swept over me, taking in my new outfit, from my new green top, to my stonewash denim jeans, down to the new black boots on my feet. Then back up to my face again. For a moment I didn't know whether to be embarrassed, or pleased, at his attention to me. I supposed that I had no right to be annoyed, as I was staring at him just as much as he stared at me. He was extremely handsome. His straight brown spiky hair glinted with hints of gold as it caught the light from the fluorescent lamps above our heads. He was taller than me, about six feet tall. His skin was like alabaster, pale yet clear, and the contrast set off his eyes - they seemed to shine. I found myself wondering if his face would be as cool to the touch as his hand was. I blushed, embarrassed at my thoughts, but decided I was pleased at his attention, though my heart was beating very fast at this unusual turn of events. "Are you okay now?" he asked, his voice pleasant to my ears, genuine concern on his face. "Uh, yes," I replied, nodding slightly. "I'm fine now, thank you." He smiled once more then nodded to himself as he turned and walked away. *** Tried my best with this scene, given I had limited clothing/hair to work with, but there you go... This one is for Robyn (Mum) my avid reader - Love you!