The young men of Ravendale Catholic had their keen eyes on us as soon as the bus rolled up to the main entrance.  They watched us from the dunes of the golf courses and they peered through the fences of the tennis courts.  They looked over their shoulders in the arched hallways and leaned whispering against the stoned walls decorated in awards and placards.  I had never had so much masculine attention in my life.

 The older women didn't seem to mind as much. I figured they were used to it, going over their folders or making light conversation, while I was a nervous wreck.  We were escorted into a second floor classroom with a spectacular view of the dandelion courtyard below and each took a seat in the decks that were provided.

Overall, the room was rather sterile looking; a sink in the corner and judging by the dampness of my desk I guessed the room was rarely used. I wiped my hands on my black pleated skirt, a provided uniform with a white blouse and contrasting Kentucky colonel tie.

"This must be your first year." A woman smiled as she sat next to me. Though clearly a brunette, her hair was streaked with blond and pulled into a bun. We wore the same uniform.

"Am I that obvious?"

"There's nothing to worry about.  My first year was a breeze. They never give you more than you can handle."

I nodded. "Well, let's just hope so."

"Margaret." She held out her hand to me and I took instantly.

"Abigail."

"You look much younger than the rest of these ladies, Abigail." She smirked and leaned closer freckles peppering her nose.  "Nice to see someone around my age for a change. Old women can be so boring."

"That's quite the thing to say seeing as we're not exactly 16 anymore."

Margaret sucked her teeth before turning back in her seat.  I gauged her to be in her late 20s like me. "Yeah well it's better than being 60."

I only shook my head at her when the dean walked in making the conversation and possibly the temperature in the room drop.  He stood before the blackboard dressed in a beautifully tailored suit and held his hands behind his back. Blank-faced and balding, his eyes scanned over us briefly as if waiting for someone to speak first and when no one did, he hummed.

"Ladies. Welcome to Ravendale Catholic. I am the dean, Richard Lincroft as well as the founder of the Gentlemen's Advocate program. I must say that I am pleased to see the exceptional turnout for the senior class this year and I would like to personally thank the volunteers for entering."

I nodded with a smile. He wasn't looking at me but I felt gratified nevertheless.

"It is truly wonderful to see other adults taking interest in the education of our children. Now, let's get started."

He clapped his hands and turned to his assistant who was waiting with a binder.  The dean held it open and flipped through a couple of pages. 

"Volunteers. On your desk you will find a folder with your name on it.  Inside is information on the student you have been assigned to. The assignment is based on your abilities and academic qualifications as well as the fields in which the student needs improvement." He closed the binder. "Does everyone have a folder? Good. I will have my staff bring in the students so introductions can begin. Ladies. Let's help these students' final year at Ravendale be a successful one. I put their future in your hands."

I watched as he left the room in a brisk stride and jumped at the loud slam of the heavy wood door. Soon the conversations started up again and the fluttering of paper filled the air. I turned to Margaret who was praying with smile on her face. When she was finished, she grinned at me.

"What on earth are you praying about?"

"Just hoping I get a cute one."

I laughed. "You do realize these are school boys.  Teenagers?"

"I'm just trying to make the most out of this year. Besides, if I'm lucky I could end up with an 18 year old."

I made a face. "You're truly something else, Margaret."

"Oh I'm so anxious. Hey! I have an idea. How about we switch boys? You look at mine and I'll look at yours. It'll be fun."

I failed to see the excitement of the trade but respected her enthusiasm and gave her my folder. "On the count of three. One...two..."

British. Margaret's student was born near London and moved to the U.S. with his father after his mother passed away. He was highly skilled in mathematics and the star player on the school's polo team.  As I read this off to Margaret she squirmed in her seat clearly infatuated.

"Let me see the picture." She fanned her hand at me.

"There's a picture?" Towards the back on the folder, a small square photograph was paper clipped. The pale boy in the picture looked distracted almost irritated by the camera and was dressed in the official Ravendale uniform.  His short reddish-brown hair was styled to perfection.

Margaret snatched the picture from me and squealed pressing it to her chest.  "Ah! He is 18. Oh thank you merciful God."

As I watched her ramble in ecstasy over a British school boy, I began to wonder if Margaret truly joined this program to help troubled and frankly ungrateful rich boys reach their full potential.  Coming down from her cloud, the brunette placed the picture on her desk and turned to my folder.

"Ok. Your turn." She paused. "Should you pray first?"

"Teenage boys aren't exactly my cup of tea. You know the pedophilia and all."

"Stop being overly critical. 18 is legal. Now let's see."

I rolled my eyes and went back to Margaret's folder. "Benjamin Motts."

"Lee Jung Su." Margaret pronounced with humor laced in her voice. "Exotic. Born in Busan, South Korea. Involved in Ravendale Orchestra as the pianist. Age is 18." She sang the last part looking at me.

I glared at her.  "According to this, Benjamin's peers believe he is manipulative, lacks focus in his language classes and is anti-social. How attractive."

Margaret pursed her lips and looked back at my folder. "Well, your boy seems to be an all around delinquent. He lacks focus in all his academics, is an attention-seeker, practices inappropriate behavior and is also anti-social."

I sighed resting my head between my hands. "This is going to be interesting. Does it come with a picture?"

Margaret flipped through paper and shook the folder empty. "Nope. Too bad for you."

I grumbled to myself. But how hard could it be to find out who he was? It was evident that he was a boy of Asian descent and judging by the sparse numbers of minority faces in Ravendale, I figured Lee Jung Su wouldn't be difficult to find.  I wouldn't be difficult to find me either amongst the advocates.  I was definitely the black fly in someone's chardonnay as the song goes.

Margaret pulled me to my feet as the heavy door swung open again. The other women did the same fixing their skirts and sporting a gentle smile. I held my breath as the delinquents of Ravendale Catholic strolled in wearing their dark navy blazers and deep gray pants.  I felt defeated to find a golden letter "R" embroidered on their jackets instead of a nametag.

When they all filed in, the Dean's assistant took a step in front of them with her back facing us. "Gentlemen. These lovely women will be you advocates. Each woman has been hand-picked by your parents and the Dean himself to insure that you not only graduate but mature into the finest gentlemen that Ravendale Catholic has ever seen."

One of the boys made a clicking sound with his tongue and another rolled his eyes.  The majority remained quiet and leaned against the blackboard looking us over. They reminded me of wolves though thoroughly groomed, poised and expensive smelling.

"Now. Shall we mingle?" The assistant waved a hand towards us as if presenting their ballroom partners and I was surprised to see the students obey.

"There he is." Margaret whispered sharply into my ear. She clutched my arm and rattled against me very much excited. "Wish me luck."

"With the socializing or seducing?"

"Hush." Margaret pinched me before skipping off disappearing in the clustered sea of perfect hair buns and ascots. I was thankful the skirts were at the knee.

With my entertainment gone, I finally had the chance to focus on the student assigned to me. "Lee Jung Su." I didn't remember seeing an Asian boy in the line-up and looked over the room. Curly blondes, many straight-haired brunettes, a few redheads and all of European ancestry.

Then I spotted him. He sat in a chair near the window with his arms crossed and an impatient look on his face. His dark hair was cut short and slicked back.  He had a bit lighter complexion than mine and I assumed he must have enjoyed spending his time outside.  One of the little pieces of advice I remembered from orientation was to observe the student instead of asking him a billion questions.

Though he looked rather tough to deal with, I was confident in the program and the Dean and flattened down the pleats of my skirt.  As I approached him, I patted the back of my hair, making sure my bun was neat and began to rehearse how I would present myself.

"Hello, my name is Abigail. You must be Lee Jung Su." No. Of course he was.

I tried again. "Hi, I'm Abigail but my friends call me Abby.  It's nice to meet you Lee. Or is it Jung Su? Crap."

Before I realized it, I was in front of the boy who looked at me more than just a little displeased.  "Hello. I'm Abigail. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Jung Su."

"It's Lee." A deep voice muttered from behind me. I turned to find another boy of Asian descent scanning over me with disinterest. "My first name is Jung Su. My last name is Lee."

I must have looked like a fool with my mouth wide open and I glanced back at the boy in the chair to find him talking with a middle aged advocate member.

"His name is Phillip Alonzo."

"Oh. I'm sorry I assumed-"

"That because he was Asian and the name in your folder was Asian that he was your student."

"Well. I-I apologize. I just-"

He shrugged. "You made a foolish assumption." The real Lee Jung Su was much tallest and towered, no, hunched over me with his hands in his pockets. He was angelically pale with black hair that reached passed his ears. He stared back at me through sleepy eyes.  "He's Filipino."

"What?"

"He's Filipino. My name is Korean.  That's how you tell us apart." He spoke so nonchalant.

"Oh. Well I can tell you a part I just didn't have a picture to go by so I was left to guess. I hope I didn't offend you." Another rule from orientation: Treat your student with respect.

"Offend me? No. But I do feel embarrassed for you."

I could only blink and rummaged through my mind for something else to talk about.

"So you said your name was Abigail, right?"

"Yes. Abigail Gibbons."

He went silent for a few seconds looking me over and didn't seem to mind where his eyes fell.  After a while, I wanted to turn away from him. "You seem quite young to be an advocate."

"I just graduated college and decided it would be best to do something nice for someone else now that schooling is off the brain."

"You sure you didn't come here because of the view?" He eyed a passing student and I caught his drift.

"Mr. Lee. I can assure you that my only interest is helping you conquer whatever it is that is keeping you from being who you are."

He actually grinned.  "Do you think you will be successful?"

" Well I surely do hope so."

He scratched his forehead.  "Hope is a weak man's crutch. Perhaps you should really read over the info they scribbled about me in that folder, Miss Abigail. You're gonna need a lot more than hope if you want to fix me." He stared at me waiting for a response and since I was too startled to say anything, he turned and left the room.

I caught Margaret eyeing him as he passed her by and she approached me with a grin. "My goodness, Abigail. Tall and beautiful much?"

"Margaret. I have a feeling the Dean gave me more than I can handle."

"He doesn't seem to be the rowdy type."

"You and I both read that folder.  I just get the feeling he isn't going to take this program seriously." I folded my arms. "So how is it going with the Brit?"

"Benjamin? He went to the bathroom. Sweetest thing in the world all calling me ma'am and miss. I just love him to pieces."

"Well I'm glad you're happy."

"Woah! Check it out!" A blond-headed student had his face plastered against the window looking out over the campus. Soon he was accompanied by his fellow classmates and a few advocates who craned to see what the hoopla was all about.

The boys began laughing and hooting hysterically and the blond pounded on the glass.  "Alright Lee! The man is bloody brilliant!"

Margaret and I only looked at each other before hurrying to the adjacent window that wasn't as crowded. We squeezed to get a good look and sure enough it was my student, Lee Jung Su.  He had removed his blazer and was currently doing a balancing act on the concrete crosswalk that linked the West building to the East.

He looked absolutely carefree smiling down at the frantic students and faculty below. The morning wind wiped through his lanky frame and dark hair and I panicked as his balance began to waver while he pulled off his ascot. This was not going to happen. I wasn't about to start my life as a mentor by watching the student I swore to support plummet to his death.

"Where's the latch on this thing?" My fingers ran over the chipped paint of the window sill and Margaret moved back to help me out.  "Here."

It took the two of us and another woman to pry open the weathered window. The horrendous creaking as every latch opened was hard to bare but when a strong breeze rushed into the room I was relieved. Margaret held the window open as I leaned outside. I was nowhere near Jung Su but knew he was in hearing distance and cupped my hands over my mouth.

"Lee Jung Su, you get down from that ledge this instant!" By this time, a few teachers had made it out to the crosswalk and gently begged for the boy to come down. He ignored them and turned to me smiling with hair swirling in and out of his face. "Don't give me that look. Come down from there!"

He tilted his head to the side and teased. "Are you worried about me, Abby? Maybe you should hope I don't fall."

"Don't you think your parents would be horrified to find you as nothing but a red puddle in the courtyard?"

"They have two other sons. So who cares if one dies?"

"I do! Now get off of that ledge, you idiot!" I winced a bit. Calling your student an "idiot" or any derogatory name was a no-no in the program.  I looked back at Jung Su to find he was no longer on the ledge but instead safe on the crosswalk surrounded by teachers. 

As he was vigorously escorted into the East wing, he looked over his shoulder and grinned at me.  Yes. Perhaps I should hope less and start studying him more. But first I needed to speak with the Dean.