"What?" I finally ask, turning to face Avery, who's been staring at me for some time now, after Roman left.

"Nothing." She looks back down to her magazine, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Really, you actually expect me to leave this be, after you've been staring at me for God knows how long."

She sighs, sitting upright now and looking at me. She opens and closes her mouth, she looks to be struggling with what to say.

"What is it?" I press.

"It's nothing really, just that -"

"What?"

" I know that you're just partners, but the way you two are so comfortable around each other, one would think you two have known each other for so long ."

Yeah all our lives.

I shake my head off that thought.

"Partners, that's all there is." I mumble, not meeting her eyes.

" I know that but the way he was with you, he was so protective and ," the hostel siren suddenly rings for lunch.

I start putting everything away, hinting to her that this conversation is over.

" I wonder what we're having today. " She says, trying to change the topic and I appreciate that.

"Hopefully burgers." I respond.

"Yeah, that would be the day." She says, rolling her eyes. She rises to her feet.

I chuckle at that.

As she heads for the door, she stops in her tracks, glancing over her shoulder.

" I don't - look, all I'm saying is that he actually cares more then an ordinary partner would." She says with a shrug, walking out of the room right after.

I sigh, laying back onto my bed again.

It's our day off today and he's taking full advantage of that. He's been distracting me from actually leaving the hostel.

"You know, we're going to be late for school." I tell him.

"Maybe we could skip." He suggests, continuing planting kisses on my neck.

I close my eyes, pulling him much closer.

"That would be nice, but I've got a small quiz this morning." I tell him.

Danny leans back, giving me a look.

"What's one more day to miss?" He arches his brow.

"A day too many, besides, I've missed too many days because of...." I trail off, not wanting to mention last weekend.

"Which wouldn't have happened, had it not been for -"

"For you and my partner's misunderstanding between you guys."

"Your partner?" He says in almost disbelief, taking a step back and out of reach, letting me go.

"You never want me to mention his name in your presence, so it only makes sense for me to refer him as - "

"As nothing. You should refer to him as just that, because he doesn't mean anything to you or am I mistaken?" The tone he uses with me makes me to frown.

" Danny what's wrong?.... Me referring him as my partner shouldn't be made into a big deal, it's just -"

"It's just me not making sense right?" He nods as if he's made sense of something I'm unaware of. " Well until I make sense, tell me. I've got to go." He walks away, leaving me so confused.

" Danny!" I call after him, totally confused about what just happened?

He's never acted like this out of a simple thing I just said.

What's wrong with him today?

*****

" You look like you could use these." My eyes light up at the sight of gummies being held in front of my face.

"They come with a price don't they?" I turn to him, giving him a suspicious look.

I notice him try suppress a grin.

"Nope." He shakes his head.

All I do is look at him, making him sigh.

"Free of charge?" I warily take a few, keeping my eyes on him as I drop them into my mouth.

"You're never going to enjoy them if you keep on giving me that look." He says, throwing a few gummies in his mouth too.

" I can't help think of the price I'll have to pay."

"Well there's working extra hard to win the next challenge," he says.

"Wait, we're still in?" He nods.

"But I had my eyes open for some time and -"

"You trusted your partner and displayed true team work for the little spies to witness."

Wow, I literally thought we were done for after my little accident. I guess not after all.

"That means -"

"We're good partners." He finishes for me, even though it's not what I would have said.

The bell suddenly rings.

" I should get going, I've got a quiz waiting for me."

"Hate those." He mutters.

"Who doesn't?" I say, closing my locker and starting to walking off.

"Hey!" I stop in my tracks, glancing over my shoulder at him.

" I'll walk you to class, let me just fetch something in my locker." He says, walking backwards.

My brows shoot up.

"Is that your way of asking because it sucks."

" I never ask." Yeah right.

"Well you'd better run O' Connor!" I call after him.

"Already am!" He responds, jogging away to his locker, which thankfully isn't far.

I chuckle, shaking my head.

Whilst I wait for him, I mindlessly look around trying to pass time, only to feel being watched. Turning to the direction of where I feel eyes on me, I don't know how to feel just by the sight of Roman's friend watching me from a distance.

"Should I even ask, why I'm being watched right now?"

"Were you?" I don't say anything.

He sighs, pushing off the wall and coming over to me.

"You know, I didn't think I would have believed it, had I not have seen it."

"What?"

" You guys actually talking."

"We're partners, of course we'd need to talk to each other." I say, shrugging my shoulders.

"Even today on an off day, a normal day to be exact, where there's no partnership involved?"

This time I do frown.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Nothing, just that looking at you with him now, makes it hard to believe that you weren't even speaking not so long ago. You didn't even want to be in his presence, maybe it's still the case and I'm wrong?" He raises his brow in question.

I open and close my mouth, not really having a response.

Before I can try say something once again, Colt's eyes move behind me where he shifts on his heel, coughing awkwardly and looking around.

"Don't plan my death just yet, I'm here." Roman says, coming over to join us. "Oh hey man, join you a little later, oh and save me a seat." He adds, dragging me with.

Glancing over my shoulder, Colt's eyes and mines meet and the look he throws my way has me looking away real quick.

More so, questioning what exactly Roman and I are doing right now.

*******

"She won't be able to do it." Sam says.

"Won't be able to do what?" I ask when I reach their table.

Their heads snap in my direction.

I try not show that I'm surprised to see Roman in the same table as Avery and Sam.

"Well, Roman has brought you a little something." Sam speaks up.

"Come on." Roman gestures for me to take a seat, that seat being beside him.

I don't put too much thought on it. I remind myself that he's still my partner.

Taking a seat beside him, I'm hit with the gorgeous smell of saucy wings.

Oh gosh, my favourite.

" I can already see her falling, they have that effect." Sam says to someone, knocking me off whatever trance I just was put in.

"Who's falling?" I say, pretending to be unaffected by the smell as I try keep a straight face.

Glancing at the two guys, I see one smirking which is Sam and Roman trying to suppress a grin behind his hand.

"These aren't your favourite right?" Avery says.

"Whaaat?" My voice goes high pitch. "No." I scoff, looking away from them.

"Okay good, well I can have one can't I?" My head snaps to her.

"No don't!" She stops mid air. "I mean, it's all oily and not healthy at all." I trail off, feeling my resistance weakening by the minute.

Damn it, who brought these wings here. They surely are cruel.

" I think they are fine, besides one bite wouldn't kill anyone." Roman speaks up, opening the container and that's when it hits me so strong that I bite at my lip.

"Three." Someone murmurs, but I can't look away from the deliciousness to find out who.

"Two." Oh gosh.

"One." I swallow hard.

The minute Roman reaches in to take one, I smack his hand away, earning a an 'ouch' from him.

Before I can think twice, I've already got one in my mouth.

The minute I sigh out in satisfaction, they burst out laughing.

"You guys are so mean." I speak behind my hand, rolling my eyes at them.

"Um, who's eating alone right now?" Avery says.

"Who's the culprit?" I ask, avoiding her question.

I'm not sharing.

Both turn to Roman, giving the answer away.

"Really Roman? - You know what they do to me." I whine, taking another bite.

"It was the first thing I picked." He tries defend himself, his lips twitching into a small smile.

I roll my eyes.

"Wow." Avery says, glancing between Roman and I.

"What?" Both Roman and I say at the same time.

Before she can say anything, her eyes widen as they glance behind us.

"What the heck happened to you?" Sam says to someone and following to where they are looking , my own eyes widen when a guy with a split lip, blue and black eye mark and a slightly crooked nose stands before us.

"Hi." The guy says to me.

"Uh hi." I say awkwardly, not understanding why this stranger is here, talking to me.

I don't miss him nervously glancing at Roman before looking at me again." About yesterday, when I hit you with that ball, I just want to say I'm sorry. "

"Oh uh, it's okay." He nods, stealing another glance at Roman once again, before rushing off..

"Woah, what was that all about?" Avery asks but I can't keep my narrowed gaze away from Roman.

Feeling my eyes on him, he turns to me.

"I know that look and no, I didn't do anything."

" I find that hard to believe."

"Ofcourse you would." He mutters before sighing. "Do I need to bring the gummies into this, cause they are my word."

"Don't you dare involve those deliciously innocent goodies into this. " I point at him in warning.

"Only they can speak for me."

"Uh -huh and try cover up your misdeeds, nope. Not gonna happen this time Buddy." I say, continuing with my food.

"Again, wow." I hear Avery say but I'm too into eating to pay any mind to her.

"You get used to it." Sam whispers.

I catch Roman just as he reaches out to steal my food. I scrunch my nose at him, creating space between us so he doesn't get another chance to try something.

Him pouting at me makes me chuckle, shaking my head at how childish he can be.

"You big meanie." He says to me.

"Not my fault." I say in a sing song tone.

"Do we get a piece?" Sam asks.

"No!"

"Meanie!" They throw at me but I shrug them off.

******

My heart thuds against my chest as my feet pick up speed. Glancing at my wrist watch, I see that I've only got about 2 minutes before it officially starts.

I might have gotten the reminder a bit late but I definitely don't want to be late. It's Danny's first swimming race for the year.

His team will be competing with a neighbouring school and I've heard that they are pretty good, but I believe Danny's team is better. I've watched them practise and what I've seen is impressive .

I promised I would watch him and I keep my promises.

I'm able to take a breath once I make it in the arena, rushing over to claim a spot on the stands, looking for the right place to get the perfect view of everything.

My eyes are quick to find him getting undressed, leaving him in his swimming gear.

When he's done, he looks around and that's when I start waving, wanting him to see me and know that I'm here, just like I've always been ever since I've known him.

Luckily for me he does see me, and I earn a quick nod, instead of a normal wave of acknowledgment from him.

My arm slowly drops back down once he's turned back around, the gesture alone makes me question it.

This is the first time he's given me a simple nod instead of a wave.

What did that mean right now?

"Hey, you're Hazel Lovett right?" I'm snapped out of my thoughts, looking up at the girl standing next to me.

"Yeah, I am." I trail off.

" I'm part of the committee and I know I shouldn't say this but, you and your partner are really doing well. Good partnership." She says before walking off, leaving me confused and speechless.

Watching her walk off, I realize that we really are being watched.

***********************************

I think the involvement of others might just be a setback, to things starting to look right between Roman and Hazel.

And is Danny jealous or what?

Questions, questions.....(sigh).