He saw her first.

He was on his was to second period and she walked quickly past. Only a slight glimpse of her face crossed his sight, though from that half second he saw her, he could pin point red eyes and tear stained cheeks. She was crying, and Shawn was empathetic.

He tried to ignore her, too caught up in his own life to try to get tangled in someone else's, but he couldn't. His heart yearned for the girl, always being the kind of person who couldn't stand seeing people upset. His mind was silenced, his logic slipping his head as he went to follow her.

He found her in an empty classroom, her head in her hands and her bag thrown lazily against the wall. He felt slightly awkward, unsure of what to say as he listened to her cry. It's not like he knew the girl.

He silently set his own bag down beside her's and approached the sobbing girl. The floor under his feet creaked and he winced at the sound, watching as the girl looked up immediately.

Brown eyes met his and she wiped her face quickly with the back of her fists. "Who are you? Why are you here?" She asked quickly. No one ever came inside of this classroom, if they did, never while she was inside of it.

"I-I saw you crying and wanted to know if you're okay." He told her, not wanting to scare her or make her uncomfortable. "I'll leave... if that's what you want."

The girl rubbed her eye, the sleeve of her long sleeved shirt making her face even redder than it already was. She debated the option, looking at him as her mind ran wild. She was afraid, nervous, paranoid, even upset that someone found her.

He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, unable to ease because of her bloodshot eyes. "What's your name?" She whispered and he cleared his throat.

"Shawn, I'm Shawn." He answered and she nodded. "You?" He pressed his luck, hoping she'd talk to him and have a conversation with him. He really didn't want to leave. He just wanted to help.

"Audrey." She replied and he nodded his head as her lip ceased to tremble. She seemed to calm down with each passing minute, awkward or not.

That was a very pretty name, he thought to himself. He liked it. Audrey. Audrey. Audrey.

"Like Audrey Hepburn?" He teased her, liking the way it rolled off his tongue and floated into the silent air.

Audrey. Audrey. Audrey. He could get used to it, but he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to. What if this was the only time they would ever speak? That made him really not want to leave now.

"Like Audrey Johnson." She murmured, plucking the loose strings off of the sleeve of her hoodie. Shawn nodded, taking the risk of walking closer to her. His feet moved before the gears in his head did.

"Well Audrey," he started, still not over how the name seemed like such a perfect fit for the girl. "Are you okay? Do you want to talk about whatever bothering you?"

"I'm fine now..." She clearly lied, a fake smile plastered on her plump pink lips. Her face was red as she shook her head, mumbling a quick, thanks before looking away.

"Don't mention it." He dismissed, looking around the small classroom.

It looked to be an English room, the textbooks reading ENGLISH on the covers and the posters with titles like 'SUMMARIZE NOT PLAGIARIZE and 'PARTS OF AN EASSY' giving it away. If not, then this could have been a storage room full of old junk, but he liked the idea of the first one more.

"You should get to class." She reminded him, not wanting him to miss class just for her. If she didn't make him leave, they both knew he'd end up staying.

Shawn looked at her as she stood up, picking up her backpack. "What about you? Are you going to class?" He asked and she shrugged. "What class do you have next?"

"Chemistry."

"I have English." Shawn sighed and she nodded as she held a hand out for him.

"Nice meeting you Shawn."

"You too Audrey," he returned and shook her hand, a smile on his lips. "Care to hangout at lunch or am I pressing my luck?"

"If you want." She shrugged and then nodded softly. "Meet me by the auditorium? The entrance?" She asked and Shawn nodded.

"Okay, I'll see you then." He bid his goodbye and she gave him a soft smile before leaving the classroom.

Shawn grabbed his backpack and made his way to his classroom, which wasn't too far away. He told the teacher that he didn't have a late slip and just came to school right now since he overslept. "Yeah, I missed first period." Shawn repeated and laughed a bit when his friend hit his arm.

"Stop sleeping in!"

"I'm sorry!" He apologized and sat down, pulling a notebook out of his bag to write down the notes that were displayed on the board.

"I saw you this morning, what's up?" Shawn's friend, Brendon, whisperee quietly. "What happened?"

"My mom called me and I had to hide in the bathroom. Shh." Shawn lied quickly and Brendon nodded, buying the excuse.

-

"Hey," Shawn greeted and Audrey looked up, giving him a little smile. "How's your classes been?" He asked and Audrey shrugged.

"Alright... being called Autistic Audrey isn't fun." She told him without thinking and Shawn gasped. "It's not insulting to me, it's just not fun."

"Why do they call you that?" Shawn asked as Audrey pushed her hair out of her face.

"Autism is like, a difficulty communicating with language and getting close to people, right?" She questioned and Shawn nodded as the two began to walk around.

"Do you have-"

"No," she answered quickly and he nodded. "The name was so popular, my parents just had to test. I guess not being a social butterfly makes you a quote on quote, Autistic weirdo."

"You should hit them." Shawn advised and she laughed a bit, holding her binder to her chest. "Next time someone says it, get up and right in the mouth-"

"No, I can't do that." She shook her head and Shawn whined.

"Why not?"

"Cause you can't just go around hitting people!" She scolded him and he looked at her. "You shouldn't."

"I think if they call you names, a punch to the mouth is very well deserving." He decided and she shook her head.

"I don't like violence." She admitted and he looked at her, a tad bit worried at this point. "I like to stay away from it, like fighting and arguments and stuff."

"Metaphorically speaking, let's say someone was a violent person sometimes, like slight anger issues that they're working on, would you mind?" Shawn asked and Audrey looked at him.

"If they're working on it, I suppose it isn't that bad." She answered and he nodded, relief flooding over him. "Why?"

"Just asking." He shrugged and she nodded. "So uh, tell me about yourself?" He asked, wondering if he could be any more awkward.

"Oh um," Audrey started, thinking of things she could tell him without him thinking she's a loser. There wasn't much really. "I like to draw, play music, read, sometimes go shopping, and playing with my little kitten. I live with my parents and am an only child."

"Do you play an instrument?" He asked and she nodded. "Which one?" He asked, genuinely interested in knowing. He thought it's so cool when people can play instruments.

"I can play the piano and guitar. Do you play anything?" She asked him, slightly surprised when he nodded.

"I can play the drums, guitar, and piano." He said and smiled. "It's cool you know how to play, some people think it's weird but it's not. It's fun."

"It is." She agreed and then looked at him. "Tell me about yourself. I shared already."

"I have a younger sister, and I live with her and my parents. I like to play video games sometimes, and watch TV. I love making music and going to the rink to place hockey. I work out a lot too, my sister makes fun of me for it." He chuckled and Audrey laughed a bit.

"Sibling goals." She told him, wishing she had a younger brother or sister. "I don't like working out, it's too tiring. I just want to sleep."

"It's not for everyone." He laughed and she nodded as they walked. Shawn saw his friends pointing and talking about them, so they went a different direction.

"What class did you have before lunch?" Shawn asked her and Audrey hummed as she tried to remember.

"AP Calculus." She recalled and he looked at her surprised. "What?" She asked, pushing her hair behind her ear again.

"It's just I heard that class is super hard, and you can't transfer out." He gasped and she shrugged.

"It's pretty easy." She told him and he nodded. "I'm kinda nerdy, I guess." She added and he laughed.

"There is no way you can surpass me," he told her. "I am the biggest nerd ever. Harry Potter fanatic right here."

"Try Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Doctor Who." She said and Shawn gaped at her. She was his dream girl, and he was already smitten. "Plus I have AP Calculus. Queen of the nerds."

"You win." He told her and she smiled as she nodded. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"I finally won something, it's a good thing." She decided and he nodded. "I hope it is."

"I'll say it's a victory." He agreed and she smiled proudly, her day seeming to take a turn for the better.

"For the morning, I just wanna say thanks. If you didn't stalk me then I wouldn't have ever left the classroom." She confessed and Shawn put his hands in his pockets.

"Don't mention it, just don't say stalker, it makes me feel bad." He snorted and she nodded. "What happened? If you don't mind me asking..."

"Just had a bad start to the day, that's all." She told him and he didn't press the answer.

"Can I get your number?" He asked right before the bell rang. She looked at him shocked and he nodded. "Yeah, I'm asking for your number, Ms. Audrey Johnson." He declared with a smile.

"Okay." She agreed and grabbed the pen she kept behind her ear. She wrote down her number on his hand and he thanked her, noticing the blush in her cheeks. "You're welcome... I guess."

"I'll text you after scho-"

"We-We go to the same elective class." She reminded, laughing lightly. "Come on." She told him, his confused expression amusing her.

"I never seen you in class." He told her as they began to walk. "Where do you sit?"

"Back corner by the cabinets." She told him and he nodded. "You sit by the front right?"

"No, the back corner by the door." He told her and she nodded. "I can't believe we never talk to each other."

"Nobody in the class is friends." She told him and he nodded. "It's full of people who only took it for the extra credits."

"Well that's true." He agreed and glanced at her. "Sit by me? I'm lonely in that class, and I heard we have to do an essay on someone in class."

"Who did you hear that from?" Audrey asked and he told her about his friend who has that class before them. "Oh."

"Yeah, I always get headstarts on the work because of him." Shawn winked and then gave a cocky smile. "Same with art."

"You have two electives?"

"Yep." He answered and she nodded as they walked into the classroom. Some students seemed shocked at the two sitting besides each other, most were girls who were envious because they wanted Shawn, or guys who were mad that he got the girl in class that would do anything if someone asked.

"Why are they staring?" Shawn asked quietly and Audrey shrugged. "What are you staring at? Didn't your parents teach you staring is rude?" He asked the class. The teacher was quick to reply, telling him to quiet down and do the work on the board.

"That's one way to get them to stop." Audrey whispered and Shawn nodded, irritated that he could still feels eyes on him. "You okay? You're a bit red."

"I'm fine, it's just hot in here." He lied and Audrey nodded. It was hot in the classroom, and he had a sweater on.

"Take off your sweater."

"I woke up three minutes before the bell rang, I don't have a shirt under." He laughed and she nodded, her cheeks burning slightly. Now all she could think about is what he'd look like under the sweater.