"Please Principal Duvell, hear me out." I was practically begging while he gave me a disapproving look.

"You're a good student, Azari but you must learn that your actions have consequences," he replied firmly. My eyes were stinging with tears and I bit the inside of my lip from bursting into tears. Get a grip, I told myself.

"B-but I didn't do anything," my voice cracked and he sighed shaking his head. This was going nowhere and everyone knew Mr. Duvell was probably the most stubborn man on this planet.

"It's true," Jay finally spoke and I let out a short sigh of relief. Standing there for the past twenty minutes without him talking was making me wonder if he had changed his mind. "It was me and Jenny. Azari just got wrapped up into this accidentally."

"I have heard what you all had to say," our principal rubbed his left temple. "You must know that such behaviour is intolerable in these school halls."

"Yes Mr. Duvell," Jay's head hung low like he had admitted defeat. But he couldn't. He shouldn't. Who else was going to help me out of this mess?

"I am so sorry, Azari," Jay said softly after we walked out of the principal's office without any progress. "I would have said more but he was even prepared to listen."

I sighed, gripping the strap of my bag tightly. "I know, Parker. It's okay. Guess I will just have to deal with it."

He didn't reply. Instead, he looked at me closely with pity in his eyes. I am not sure what exactly did he feel sorry for, but whatever it was I did not like the way he was staring at me at all.

  "What?" I managed to breath out.

"You don't have to tutor me anymore," he sighed. So he was sad about that and not feeling sorry for me. Phew.

"I still owe you though so I - "

He cut me off as he shook his head. "Nah, I'll figure something out. Thanks anyway Azari."

I genuinely felt bad for Jay. He wasn't as bad as I thought he would be. Or maybe he was.

"See you around," he gently tapped my shoulder and turned at his heels.

"In detention, Parker!" I said out loud, which i probably shouldn't have. Jay turned to look at me, chuckled softly and shrugged. He started to walk away without another word with his shoulders slumped. And i realized in that moment that I was the one who felt pity for him, he never did for me. Maybe I was over reacting, since he had his entire future on line here, I had nothing to lose besides a little scolding from my parents.

I got home late that afternoon and I knew my parents were going to flip. It wasn't that I didn't love them but I wasn't exactly allowed to have fun like most teenagers. Talking to boys was a big deal for them and if they found out the reason I had got detention, trust me I was going to be grounded for life. 

"Where have you been Azari?!" Mom practically pounced at me, as soon as I walked through the front door.  "Its not like you to be so late and also not answer your phone. Who is it? Were you with a boy? Are you--?

"MOM!" I almost yelled at her. God, this is why I was worried and so stressed to tell them I was going to be late for almost 3 months until winter formal. How was she going to take that? "Can you let me explain?"

I heard footsteps descending the stairs as I walked into the living room with mom behind me. Her angry aura fuming the entire house. 

"Oh, so she's not dead," Noah appeared through the hall snickering. 

"Noah!" Mom scolded, her face twisted into a frown while I rolled my eyes at him. I have no idea why did he get away with everything. Maybe because he was supposedly the littlest in the house even though he was 15, but oh well.

"What?" he shrugged in defense. "Don't look at me. I already told you, I had no idea where she was." 

Mom sighed shaking her head and turned to look at me. I wanted to  strangle Noah for never having my back. Like ever. 

"Mom," I started calmly. The only way to make them believe whatever you were saying was to be subtle, smooth and calm. I learned that trick from Noah, he did it all the time whenever he lied to mom and dad. "I signed up for volunteer work to help organize the school dance."

"You what?!" she didn't seem particularly pleased, as expected. Noah snickered behind her, covering his mouth with his hand as I shot him a death glare. 

"It's for extra credit," I lied. For the very first time I lied to my mom and I did not feel good about it. 

"What extra credit? You know we don't allow any of these pointless activities because we don't want them effecting your studies, young lady." Mom put her hands on her hips, like she always did every time she went into full 'lecture' mode. 

"I know, I know," I explained. "But my principal said that in order to get into a good college I need to have a lot more than just good grades. Extra curricular is just as significant." Another lie. To my own surprise, I was better at this than I thought.

Noah gawked at me from behind mom, with his jaw dropped open. He knew  I was lying and was just as surprised as I was for being a smooth talker for once. 

Mom sighed again, looking at me skeptically. Definitely debating internally whether to believe me or not. But I had never lied to her before so I was absolutely sure she was going to buy it. "Very well," she said after a long pause. "But use that phone. We bought you it for a reason."

I nodded and she made her way into the kitchen to cook us up some food. 

"What a save," Noah teased behind me as I ascended the stairs up to my room. "Didn't know you could lie that well."

"Who said I was lying?" I scoffed.

"Oh come on," Noah laughed following me till the door to my room. My heart was racing as I knew I was going to dread hearing the words he was going to say next. "Everyone knows you got busted in a three-way Azari."

If only murder was legal. "It was a misunderstanding, Noah! You know I would never!"

He shrugged and then winked at me. "I won't tell mom, don't worry."

As I lay in bed that night, I couldn't stop thinking about Noah's revelation, my white lies, Jay's confession and Travis being mad. What had i gotten myself into? But for some reason I felt a rush of adrenaline. A sense of excitement like I had never felt before. It was nice to feel this way but also, different. 

The next day of school was the one I was dreading the most, because after school I officially had to start volunteering for our school's committee that organized functions like Winter Formal or Homecoming or Prom. Don't get me wrong, it really was exciting to do something different but this, I was not looking forward to at all.

"I heard you went to talk to Principal Dickhead," Lana greeted me. No good morning, no 'how are yous', she just went straight in. That's Lana all right. 

"Lana!" I smacked her arm softly to get her to speak low. If anyone heard us, they could report her to the principal and she could end up in detention with me. Which didn't seem like a pretty bad idea if you think about it.

She chuckled. "Yeah, I mean he didn't even listen to Jay huh?"

"Wow, word travels fast around here."

She let out a laugh and threw her arm around my shoulders, dragging me to class with her. "I have my sources, my little sunshine. You never tell me anything, so I have to go through all this hassle to find out what is going on in my best friend's life."

My face lit up at the words 'best friend'. "Nothing ever happens in my life."

Lana rolled her eyes at me and pushed me into my usual seat in mathematics. Thankfully, Travis wasn't there yet and I had never been more relieved. 

"I am surprised pretty boy isn't here yet," Lana confirmed as she took her seat in front of me but turning around completely.

"I have to tell you something," I whispered. 

Her eyes lit up, her face dripping with mischief. "Finally some gossip! Hit me, baby!"

"Well, Travis seemed pissed at me yesterday," I continued, still whispering. Lana's expressions were cracking me up. Her genuine excitement for the very first gossip I was telling her was understandable. "He saw me and Jay come out the music room and.."

"Woah, hold up! What were you and Jay doing there?"

"SHH!" I made her lower her voice. Word here DID travel fast like wildfire, and if anyone heard this, they were going to confirm my polygamous relationship with Jay and Jenny. "I went to talk to him, and I think I saw Travis frown when he saw us."

Lana giggled. "You know what that means right?"

I didn't.

"Pretty boy likes you."

"But he doesn't even know me."

"Do you? But you still have been crushing on him forever." She had a point and I couldn't help but blush at the thought. Travis Kennedy, liking me. My heart made a little leap within my chest as I cursed Lana under my breath for putting this thought into my head. I was not going to be able to concentrate for the rest of the class. And even so more when I saw him enter the classroom. 

Lana turned and winked at me as our teacher also entered exactly behind Travis. I was hoping he would make conversation or at least say hi when he took his seat to my right. But he didn't even look at me. Not even acknowledge my existence and I totally dropped the possibility of him liking me. It just was outrageous. 

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