Tuesday, I lingered outside my Art class, my fingers tightening around the plastic spiral binding of the notebook I held pressed to my chest. I didn't want to see him quite yet. I still felt bad for blowing up at him like I did and I didn't know what to say. What do you tell a guy who's a complete stranger to you?

I pursed my lips.

One minute left.

I hated being late to anywhere and my toes scuffed the tiled flooring, restless to get through the door.

I sucked in a breath.

Here goes nothing.

      His eyes found mine the second I entered and I froze. I bit my lip and started walking towards him, keeping my eyes on my chair instead of his face. It took all my energy not to turn around and run away right then and there. I slowly put my bag down beside the table and took a seat, busying myself with taking out my pencils and notebook. Finally, I straightened in my seat and glanced at him before looking back up at the board. He was busy looking at his own notebook, pencil moving across the page with the practiced hand of a person who knew what he was doing.

      Throughout class, I worked on my own version of the display at the front of the room, scrawling crooked lines across my page, working them into something that looked more like a ghastly version of the Grim Reaper's face than the collection of cloth, teddy bears, and glass jars at the front of the room. And the class dragged on, the heavy silence keeping me from even taking another glance in his direction.

Once class was dismissed, I shot up out of my seat and turned towards the door.

"Hey."

      I paused, then went about my business, trying to play it off as if I didn't hear him. I started walking away from the table and heard him blow out a breath, clothing and paper rustling as he shifted. A warm weight closed around my free wrist and I stopped in my tracks, turning around to face him instead. He looked at me before dropping his eyes and releasing my arm, muttering something that I couldn't hear. He stared at the table, fingers running through his hair.

"Let's meet in the park today. After class." He glanced at me. "If it's alright with you."

I pressed my tongue against the roof of my mouth and nodded.

"'Kay then..." He trailed off. I rubbed my forehead and peeked at him from under my hand.

"Okay. Bye."

He looked up at me just as I flew out of the classroom.

      At the end of the day, I stumbled into the clearing with my notebook and pencils. I'd left my bag in my dorm; no need to carry it around just for a couple of papers and pencils. He stood up as I approached and there was an awkward silence like a stretched rubber band. I dropped my eyes to the notebook I clutched to my chest, hiding behind it to avoid looking up at him.

"Hello." I said to my notebook.

He slowly let out a long breath through his mouth. "Uh, listen. What happened last time..."

"I'm sorry."

He stopped and stared at me. "You? For what?"

I studied my sneakers. "I shouldn't have yelled at you," I chewed my lip. "It's not your fault."

He shook his head and chuckled. "I should be apologizing, not you."

I narrowed my eyes at the base of the tree. This was a first. The Iron Man laughing. "For what?" I asked.

"You were right. It wasn't my business."

I looked at him and another moment of silence passed. I puffed out a cheek and pouted, feeling small under the tree.

"You're right. It wasn't."

      He blinked and messed up his hair. "Yeah." He sighed and looked back up at me. "I'm sorry. I screwed up. Shouldn't have pressed you to answer, you barely know me for God's sake." He paused. "Forgive me?"

I bit the inside of my cheek to suppress a smile and nodded. He took a hand out of his pocket and held it out to me. "Friends?"

I peered up at him through my glasses for a moment, studying his face, then nodded again. I shuffled forward and put out my hand and he took it, covering my hand with his warm one.

"Fine."

He looked at me for another moment, slightly raising an eyebrow, then lowered himself to the ground against the tree, picking up his papers and setting them in his lap. "Okay, Miss Spitfire, we have work to get to."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's not my name."

"It is now."

"Why Spitfire?"

"Why not?"

I thought for a moment and a soft childish happiness coursed through my veins. "I'm a dragon."

His lips twitched. "Sure you are."

I plopped myself down and pulled my notebook over my thighs. "Let's get this shit over with. I hate it."

We worked for another hour, and I finally got the hang of drawing a near-perfect circle. Oh Joy. My hands started hurting again but I didn't complain.

After the hellish lesson, he got up and started gathering his books. I studied the forlorn paper in my hands,curiosity gnawing at my insides.

"Why'd you do it?"

"Hmm?" He paused and looked at me. "Do what?"

I started fidgeting with the edge of the paper, all of a sudden feeling like I wanted to go for a run again. "Yesterday, there was...the..." I trailed off.

      "Oh. That." He smiled. What is this craziness. Twice! He smiled twice!  "That was Luke. He spotted you walking into the flower-shop and decided to sneak up on you. When we caught up, you didn't look like...you looked out of it, so we just watched you instead." He studied me. Creeper. "It was Luke's idea to send the bouquet."

My eyes widened. "Luke? Why?" I hissed and jerked my hand away from the paper when it sliced through my skin.

He shrugged. "Cheer you up, I guess."

I smiled to myself, bringing my bleeding finger to my lips. I'd have to remember to thank him when I saw him. "Okay." I got up and dusted myself off. "I'll see you in class then, I guess."

He nodded and I turned around to leave, making sure I had everything I had brought here.

"One more thing."

I paused and turned around. He was leaning against the tree, his dark eyes burning a hole into mine.

"I picked the flowers."

My eyes widened and I looked at my sneakers again. The air got hot and the dying grass was fascinating under my feet. "Thanks," I mumbled.

I felt his eyes on me as I made my way out of the park and back to the dorms. The flowers were still on the dining table when I returned and I hurried into my room instead of stopping by the kitchen.

      Friday afternoon, I took a walk down to Anna's Coffee. I wanted..no...I needed the coffee. I was tired and could barely keep my eyes open in class. On my way there, there was a light tap on my shoulder. I turned my head to the side and didn't see anyone so I kept walking. Then I felt a tap on my other shoulder. I bit my lip and glanced behind me. No one. Maybe I'm going crazy.

"YAAAAH!!" Someone grabbed both my shoulders and pulled me backwards, yelling in my ear. I shrieked and twisted around to see Luke laughing as he took his hands off me.

"Luke!"

He grinned at me. "Hey Zeenath! Long time no see," he said.

"If I'd just had a heart attack, you'd never see me again."

Luke laughed. "It's all good. You're still alive."

I rolled my eyes, and he fell into step beside me.

"Hey."

He looked down at me. "Yeah?"

"Thanks for the flowers."

He grinned. "Don't mention it. Thank Damian. It was his idea."

I stopped. "He said it was yours."

His eyes widened and he laughed. "He lied," he said, passing it off like this happened everyday.

I gritted my teeth as I resumed walking and shook my head hard. No thinking about this anymore. It doesn't matter.

We passed little puddles scattered along the sidewalk from the rain that morning and Luke stopped, grabbing my shoulder and pulling me to a stop beside him. His eyes glittered. "It's Friday."

"And?"

"You remember our little deal?"

I groaned. "Nooo..."

"Yes. We'll talk more about it tonight over dinner." His smile grew bigger as I started walking again.

"Hey Zeenath!" he called.

I turned around again, suddenly wary of him and his creeper ways.

      He jumped into the puddle beside me, splashing dirty water all over my clothes. I yelped and staggered backwards, landing in another puddle and getting my jeans even more wet. I quickly stepped out onto dry land. The water was already seeping through my sneakers and making my socks wet. I grimaced and looked up at him. He smiled.

"Happy Friday."

       He grinned one last time and ran off, leaving me standing on the sidewalk in wet jeans and sneakers. I watched him fly away in the sunlight as the leaves on the trees turned a little more yellow and the breeze turned a little bit colder.

~Zeenath.

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Sorry for the late update. *sniffs* I fell of my Health rocker and am sitting surrounded by a box of tissues and melancholy. *cries*

Friday's update will be up as usual. Fingers crossed.

~October