Disclaimer: These amazing characters are not my idea, as much as I wish they were. They belong to the amazing Julie Kagawa.

The recess bell rang for the fifth grade class. The girl jumped out of her chair and ran out the door, eager to get outside. Her best friend had been put in the other class, and the only time that were able to spend together was lunch and recess.

The young, blonde-haired girl ran toward the swings, only to find that someone she'd never seen before was occupying one of them. It was a boy her age, with black, slightly unruly hair. He wasn't swinging, merely sitting there looking around as if he was suspicious of everyone.

She stopped for a minute, confused, but decided to take her seat in the adjacent swing anyway. She glanced at the boy out of the corner of her eye. "Hi," she told him. "I'm Meghan."

He glared, but it seemed half-hearted.

Meghan looked down at her sneakers. "So, um, are you new?"

The boy stopped glaring and resumed scrutinizing the schoolyard. "No."

"Oh." Meghan couldn't think of anything to say after that, so she started swinging and humming to herself.

Soon, a red-haired boy came running toward the swing set. He leaned against the pole when he got there, and Meghan stopped swinging. "Hi, Robbie," she greeted.

"Hey, Meghan. I'm late because I got in trouble again."

Meghan nodded, giggling. "I thought so. What'd you do this time?"

Robbie opened his mouth to reply, then seemed to notice the black-haired boy for the first time. "What's ice-boy doing here?"

The other boy glared daggers at him, and Meghan laughed. "Ice-boy?" she asked.

Robbie nodded at the other boy. "That's Ash. I call him ice-boy because he's so cold to everyone."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Goodfell."

Meghan grinned, amused by the exchange. "How do you know him?" she inquired of her friend.

"We have class together this year. And we clicked right away. Isn't that right, ice-boy?"

Ash got up, managing a sort-of-smile for Meghan. "I'm leaving." He looked at Robbie. "If you know what's good for you, don't follow me."

Robbie laughed, taking the now-vacant swing next to Meghan. "Isn't he just a ball of sunshine?"

She laughed and rolled her eyes at his sarcasm. "Anyway, how'd you get in trouble?"

"I put a frog on my teacher's chair."

"Of course."

Bad ending, I know. Other than that, thoughts? Reviews for me are like electronics are for pac-rats. :) Also, I'd love to hear ideas for a better title.