The bell rings.

I take my stuff and run out of the classroom. Away from Dane.

When I'm at my locker, I'm breathing hard. Shit. I take out my puffer and take a few quick breathes, before I hide it again. No one saw.

I open my locker and organize my thoughts.

Why did he do that?

Why am I failing math?

I'm not dumb?

I smile, knowing Dad will be proud of me.

Me: Great news! 

Mom: Tell us!

Dad: Whats it, honey?

Me: I passed all my math tests, apparently. The teacher failed me while I almost always had a ten. He said he didn't like my attitude or so

Dad: Asshole

Mom: I'm proud of you!

Dad: Me too, Will. Good job!

I smile. They're proud of me. Their approval is important for me. 

"Smiling at some boy's text?"

His voice makes me jump and I look at him, startled. He cocks an eyebrow at me. "What? No! Why would I- Why are you even talking to me?" I stutter. He rolls his eyes.

"Switched classes? You're gonna lead me two weeks?" 

Oh. Yeah.

"Yes, right. Come on," I sigh and walk to the next class. He walks next to me, without saying a word. But just before I get in the class, he grabs my wrist and pulls me back. "You thought you were dumb?" he asks, whispering.

I look down at my feet. "Doesn't matter. Don't act like you like me now, Dane. You hate me as much as I hate you," I say through gritted teeth, before I walk in the class.

He storms after me. "Willow!" he whisper-yells. I ignore him and sit down at my desk. He rolls his eyes and sits next to me. Why did I always sit alone?

"You don't hate me," he tells me. I scoff. "If you believe that, you're dumb." He sighs and slumps in his seat. "As dumb as you are?" 

I gasp. No one ever called me dumb. It's just the second lesson of the day and it's already the fifth time I have to swallow my tears. "Dane, please.." I whisper. His jaw flexes and he closes his eyes.

"Alrighty! Let's partner up!" the teacher says. 

I immediately look at Delilah, but she is talking to June. No Delilah then. I look around the class, but everyone has a partner. Everyone except... 

Nah uh.

With wide eyes, I look at him. He smirks at me and I shake my head. "No way," I say. I'm not working with Dane. He just grins. "Then who are you working with?" He cocks an eyebrow.

I sigh, knowing I won't get out of this. "Fine," I grumble. He chuckles. The teacher claps in his hands. "I'm making the partners," he tells us and I feel relieved. No Dane.

"Delilah and... Eric!"

"Then we have Willow and... let's see... Why don't you partner up with our new student, Willow?" he says. I sheepishly nod and he goes on. 

Shit.

"Well, hello partner," Dane smirks with his stupid smirk. I sigh, ignoring him. Finally, the bell rings and I run away, again. This is not good for my asthma.

I stop at my locker, gasping for breath. I want to take a few puffs, but everyone is in the hallways now and it's too visible. But I'm dying.

Air.

Air.

Air.

Why are my lungs not working?

Black spots dance in my eyes, and I know if I don't take my puffer, I'll faint. But... it's gone? I start panicking, not helping my for-air-begging body, and search in my pocket.

The black spots are big now, almost blurring my whole view. My head feels dizzy. I feel someone grab my wrists and pull me somewhere. I hear a door close. What?

The puffer is on my mouth and grateful, I take a few puffs. My lungs start working again and the spots disappear. I look up at Jack. "Thanks," I whisper and he pulls me in a hug. "Willow, this is dangerous," he tells me.

"I know," I sigh. I'm calmed down and hear the bell ring. My eyes widen. "I have to go to class. See you at the workout!"

I run outside the janitor's closet. I'm too late for class and I still have to take three stairs. "Willow!" someone yells, making me stop. Frowning, I turn around. I sigh when I see Dane running towards me.

"What do you want?" I growl. "Uh.. to know where my class is? You can't just abandon me," he tells me and I roll my eyes, turning around again. He quickens his pace nd walks next to me.

This time, he does talk to me. "You know, I wonder why that dick failed you. He can't just do that! And then he says he doesn't like your attitude, like what the fuck? You're always so quiet in class, I know that from the other boys. Then why doesn't he like you?"

I sigh. "He's not... quite friends with my mom," I whisper. He frowns. "Because she has a smart ass daughter?"  I roll my eyes. "No. My mom took his job. He was the coach from the rugby  team- " 

I cut myself off. Shit. His eyes widen and he turns around to face me. "Oh my god! Your mom is the coach? Jack's mom is the coach? Why didn't I know this?" he yells. I narrow my eyes. "If you took the effort to meet my parents instead of annoying me you would have figured out."

He shrugs. "True. But I like annoying you, so," he grins. I take a deep breath, remembering I promised Jack to not punch Dane.

"We're late for class," I change the subject. He rolls his eyes. "Willow, I'm always late for class." That's true. "Then what were you doing early in the last class?" I ask.

He shuts down. "Fair enough, fair enough. I'm almost always late for class."

Just when I step into class, I see it's empty. "Shit! Is he absent?"  I take my phone out in a panic and see he indeed is absent. That means we're free for the next two hours. And I don't know where Delilah is...

Dane chuckles. My gaze shifts to him and I frown. "What?" I ask and he shakes his head. "Nothing. It's a nice phone case, though."

I narrow my eyes and turn my phone. It's covered in black marker, all over the pretty pink. I gasp. There's xoxo Dane written on it. I narrow my eyes at him. "That means I get a new phone and a new phone case from you."

He raises an eyebrow. "You think?" he chuckles. "Ain't gonna happen."

Of course not.

"So, we have two hours no class, and then it's lunch. I'll see you after that at my locker?" I ask and his expression changes. But before I can tell what it was, it's gone already. "What are you gonna do now? Study in the library?" he smirks. 

I stick out my tongue at him. "No. I'm going home, telling my parents I have a ten for math," I say and he rolls his eyes. "Of course," he mumbles. What?

"What's wrong with that?" I ask as sarcastically possible, trying to hide my vulnerability. Is that not normal?

He rolls his eyes again. "Willow, no one is as close to their parents as you are. It's kinda c-.. nice. It's nice," he corrects himself. What did he want to say?

"Oh okay. I guess I'll see you later then," I say, not waiting for an answer and walking away.

Weird.