His front door opened, as it did it revealed none other than just the guy I needed.

He raised his eyebrows realising who I was, it was mid hours of the school day. The last place I was suppose to be was his house right now. Rather a classroom or a meeting. "Mallory- you're suppose to be in school what are you-"

"-I was,"

He hesitated saying the first thing that came to his mind. Pausing. "...So- why aren't you?"

"Billie we need to talk,"

"I know- I mean- I've been trying to talk with you but you've been angry at me-"

"-I'm still angry,"

"So why are you here?"

"Because... I had a bad day,"

He broke a face of pity. Normally it was a facial expression I hated. But right now it felt nice to feel small and pitiful.

For what felt like the first time in forever, I wanted to cry. I couldn't remember the last time I had, building up all these emotions on a whole rollercoaster of events. I was suppose to be happy. I had the score I wanted. But my victory didn't taste sweet anymore after Mr Watson had soured it.

He moved walking inside, silently inviting me in as I followed him shutting the door behind. Instead of walking through his living room normally, he stopped in the middle of it. Sitting down on the couch as he looked at me whilst I stood up anxiously. "What happened?"

I sighed sitting down on the same couch, not as close to him as I maybe normally would. "I told Mr Watson,"

His eyebrows budged down a little. "You did?"

"Yeah,"

"So... why is that-"

"-He didn't- He erm-" I cut myself of swallowing. My voice felt too close to breaking than I would've liked. "-He didn't believe me," I finished, looking down at my hands.

"Did you show him the tests?"

"No,"

"What?"

"Y'know- whats even the point," I looked up at him. "He thought I was joking at first. He told me a ninety three wasn't in my abilities to achieve. That there was no chance it could have been mine. What is the fucking point? I did better than average students, but yet I'm still getting the idiot lecture?"

He gave me another piteous look. "Mallory... the point is you know you did well and-"

"-But what glory have I got to bask in if no one knows it? He doesn't believe me, you didn't believe in me- suppose I really am just a lost fucking cause,"

"You're not a lost cause-"

"-Then what am I Billie?" I asked defensively, standing up to my feet. Ready to leave.

He followed my actions standing up quickly too. "Mallory we'll just show them the evidence,"

"Maybe it doesn't even matter,"

"It's solid evidence they-"

"-You should have seen me Billie. I just sat there. I didn't even argue back. I didn't even try to show him the evidence. I've given up. I'm at my end- I'm completely jaded,"

"You can't give up now what about how far you've come?"

My shoulders felt heavy as I shrugged them. "Who cares?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"I do Mal,"

"Then stop,"

"You can't do this again,"

"Why not? Why can't I just stay with a thirty six? You accepted it and so did I,"

"But it's not what you worked for,"

"No- it's not. What I worked for was you. I did it for you, I did it to keep you. Because thats how fucking stupid I am. You believed in me when I didn't need you to, when I did you gave fucking up on me-"

"-Mallory," He interrupted. His voice seeming stern.

I breathed. Keeping myself together. "What?"

"You can't give up on yourself again. Think about how sweet this was getting- the look on Tyler's face when he's in trouble for the first time in his life, the way you can completely give a metaphoric fuck you to every single teacher who ever lost belief even for a second. Imagine the point you can prove to your mom for all the comments she snuck in at meetings, don't you want all that?"

I let my defences down. Whispering over. "Billie... I'm exhausted and hurt. I can't deal with much more of this shit,"

He looked down for a second, I thought maybe he was accepting that this mission was just going to have to be a complete bust and end at that.

Billie was the one person in the world I didn't like giving up on. He believed in me right now and that was all that mattered at this moment. In a moment of weakness he was still trying to help. But there wasn't much more I could do. "I'm sorry," I whispered again. "Everyones looking at me like I'm an idiot- and- and even though this time I'm not, I don't have the confidence to tell them any different,"

I'd let my guards down further than I would've liked to. All the feelings that had builder up inside of me felt like they were bubbling through my system now. I felt like everyone was disappointed in me. I was pretty disappointed in myself. I'd let the situation change me, and suddenly I wasn't 'trouble' anymore. I was now 'a problem.' Well- I was my own problem. Because I was in the way of getting what I need and I won't seem to move out the way.

So maybe it was expected when the tears blurred up my vision. Or maybe it was because I was weak right now I was crying over something so little. But consider the situation, I'd worked my ass off for a mark I didn't get. Made myself a clown for trying so hard just to fail again. Only to continue to become a bigger clown by trying to convince these people who had saw the idiot in me for years that I actually scored the best percentage in the class. They were tears formed from, the first time since being a child, self pity- and nothing more than that.

Billie looked at me confused. "What- are- are you... crying?" He asked, ducking his head down slightly to get a better look at my face as I looked up from the floor.

"What!? No! No-" I wiped under my eyes with the palms of my hands. "-Course not, don't be stupid. I'm Mallory Valentine of course I'm not crying,"

"Y'know its okay to cry... right?"

"I wasn't crying!"

"Looked like you were about to to me...."

"Well... you looked wrong!"

"Mallory if you wanna cry, you can. I won't think of you any differently,"

I sniffed, looking away. Trying to stay angry. "You'll never catch me crying,"

He let out a sigh, the one that meant 'well I give up with that part'.

"Billie," I breathed out, looking over. "It's not that I think you'll think of me differently, I just- I don't cry. That's not who I am,"

"Not who you are or not who you portray to be?"

"...Alright... not who I portray to be,"

He sat back down on the couch, before I felt him pick up both my hands. He pulled me closer over to him as I followed, standing in front with my hands in his. He looked up at me with a pout before breathing out. "Mallory, I'm sorry. It wasn't that I stopped believing in you, please don't think of it like that. It wasn't that I accepted you must've got the low mark because of your intelligence on music, I accepted you got the low mark being that I was probably the one to blame for it,"

"But why would you think that?" I whispered.

"I thought maybe I'd put too much pressure on you. That I'd got too eager and gave you way too much to learn- which I did, its amazing you learnt all that. I came in, saw your tests results and left because me leaving was me feeling guilty,"

What did I favour more? The way he always had a reasonable explanation for everything, how his story always added up and he was never who I seemed to think at times? Or how I knew I didn't have to be angry anymore.

"It's complicated and I know it is," He began to carry on. "It's a complicated situation between two complicated people and theres complicated feelings in between us. But no matter how complicated this was, is or will ever be I'd never stop believing in you. We're a team, remember?" He broke a smile on his last sentence, shaking my hands in his slightly trying to see if I'd grin back.

Course, I did. I laughed slightly before nodding. "I remember,"

"You save me from my mistakes, I stop you from making them... right?"

I nodded again.

"And love, you're about to make a stupid mistake if you dont even try to show those papers. Just- for a second, forget about the marks. About the numbers thirty six and ninety two, okay? Forgot about them, thats not what you care about and I know its not. You never have cared about grades. I know you've always cared more about getting points across, proving your statements and getting into fights. The biggest point you can get across is showing every teacher how wrong they were when they doubted you, the biggest statement you can make is showing how you misbehave but still manage to achieve the highest's score in a class, the biggest punch in the face you could ever give to Tyler... is throwing his plan right back at him,"

So now... what did I hate more? The fact that he was right? Or I was wrong to of let the situation get the better of me.

"I need you there,"

"Wh- me?"

"Yes. Billie. You. I need you there with me,"

"But-"

"-We're a team... remember?"

He paused for a few seconds. "You seriously want me there?"

I nodded, looking down at him.

He shrugged, before breathing in. "If thats what you want, and thats what it takes,"

Discussing how I felt about Billie to Esme while being angry at him, was different to feeling how I feel being stood in front of him with my hands holding his after everything he had said. I'd said a while ago how I wasn't sure what m feelings were for Billie and how I hoped I'd never figure them out. Morley because the moment you realise and accept, the worse things can get. But I guess I wasn't scared to admit I did 'love' him.

I thought this wouldn't last, I thought this was a game of teachers pet we were tied playing. But I should've realised the moment he was helping me play guitar with his arms around me and his nose in my hair, when he took me to see the stars and opened up about himself personally, the times when he sacrificed his job and bended his rules backwards to benefits me, I should've realised the moment I saw good in myself for the first time in a while because of what someone else was helping me see, that I'd end up feeling some gooey feelings I would normally think were gross.

"Billie Joe,"

He was right, the situation was complicated.

"Yeah?"

But I still wanted him.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and tell you this, I realised maybe that the other day the way I felt about you had changed than what I realised,"

He widened his eyes merely. "Changed?"

"More... evolved,"

"What does that-?"

More than anything.

"-Billie, I love you. And I wont lie... it feels fantastic,"

It was almost like someone had paused him. His mouth gaped open, but his jaw was still. He looked up at me with big eyes. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, not that I ever could, but he continued to stare in almost disbelief.

"Billie?" I asked, more concerned then worried as I squeezed his hands for a second.

"What? Sorry- I just- did you say that? Like- well I mean of course you did I heard it- didn't I?"

I laughed nervously nodding.

"Well- I mean- I- did- well- did you... y'know? Mean it?"

"Well I sure wasn't saying it for the thrill,"

He broke a goofy smile. "Really?" He asked, his voice high pitch in an excited tone. He kept his hands holding mine, but he stood up as I moved back a little.

I giggled. "Billie I meant it. I love you... y'know? But I mean.... do you-"

"-Of course I do!"

I didn't even get to finish my 'Do you love me back?' before Billie had dropped my hands like they were hot and absorbed me into a hug.

I could feel myself smiling so much it hurt my cheeks as I dug myself into his chest, feeling his arms around me as he swayed back and forth gently together.

I'd felt completely overwhelmed with happiness, and even for a second... I forgot about the complete rest of the world.

I pulled away fast, before checking. "You knew I was gonna ask if you love me back right?"

"Yes you idiot," He rolled his eyes before pulling me back into a hug. "Thats why I told you I do,"

"And your sure you love me?"

"Mallory Valentine. I'm certain,"

"Alright... good,"

A/n: I thought this was a cute chapter for today. Y'know- the whole love confessing stuff. Happy valentines day, to everyone reading, from me. and a especially for the people who don't have a valentine this year. (Because me too.)

P.s. Mallory Valentine. Its literally her day. Speaking of, sorry for going on a new tangent, I hope you all love Mal's character as much as I do. ALRIGHT THATS ALL,

STAY SAFE AND WEAR YOUR MASK. LOTS OF LOVE THIS VALENTINES <33