(Here we go y'all.)

I slumped down in my seat and kept staring out the window, I was nonstop thinking about what Billy had said. I mean, I get Steve used to be a douche, yeah. He did spray paint "Nancy The Slut Wheeler" on the movie theater, and broke Jonathan's camera, but it seems like he's changed. I mean, he seems so much nicer. I just feel bad because I've seen kids at school shove, push, punch, and slap him for being a traitor. Everyday they mumble new insults and it makes me sick.

I waited for the bell to ring and fear went everywhere when I saw that he wasn't here. It's been three days and today we have to present our projects.

I was freaking out, knowing that he makes smaller groups go first. And I was the only one with one person.

I was shaking, and when he finally called my name I sighed, walking up and getting everything set up. I heard snickers and mumbling in the crowded class and once I was ready I sped through. When I was done I sat back down, my head was on my desk the whole rest of the class period.

When it was finally lunch I sat at my normal spot with Nancy and Jonathan. I peeked over at Billy and his 'friends' who were cackling and laughing, looking at the empty seat next to them. I furrowed my brow in suspicion, then finally realised what the hell had happened.

"That son of a bitch." I mumbled, and Nancy looked at me confused.

"Hm?"

"That son of a bitch. Steve skipped because he knew we had to present today and was too chicken to help me out."

They both sighed and went back to eating. Something I didn't feel like doing. I sat there, then I heard Billy yell my name and patted the empty seat where Steve would've sat today. I sighed, sitting down and Billy began laughing and smirking.

"So do you believe me now huh? Do you believe that old King Steve is really.. oh so special. A goody goddamn twoshoes?"

I sighed and nodded. Which caused them all to erupt in laughter.

"Well. You're wrong. Because I." Billy pulled out a small bottle from his jacket pocket. "Had this. And Harrington has food poisoning." He grinned and my eyes widened. I stared at the bottle, glaring.

I got up from the table and put away my plate, walking to the empty office. I grabbed the phone, immediately calling Londyn.

'I need you to pick me up. Please?'

"Billy trouble?"

'Uh, definitely.'

"Alright. Be there in ten. Did you hear what happened to that Harrington kid, got sick, taken to the hospital and has food poisoning?"

'Yeah, I heard. What do you think Billy did?'

"Jesus. Didn't think he'd do that drastic."

'Whatever. I've gotta go to class. See you in a bit.'

"Okay."

I hung up the phone and then walked to class. I kept looking at Steve's assigned seat. I glared, then I got a call for me to leave. I said bye and walked to my locker, packing my bag and headed to Londyn's car.

We kept driving and when we came to a stop sign I put my arm on hers. Londyn looked at me, wondering what it was for.

"Turn here."

"Why?"

"Just, turn here."

She sighed, then turned right and kept going straight. After taking maybe about three more turns left and right, I told her to stop. She focused her eyes at the last name on the mailbox.

"Harrington. You're kidding. Now how the hell are you gonna get inside the door is probably locked and you're supposed to be in school."

I slouched back in my seat. She had a good point... My eyes widened and a big grin grew on my face.

"I'll climb through the window. I did take karate and gymnastics for three years."

She smiled and shook her head. "Oh what the hell'd I do without you, (Y/N)?"

I shrugged and smiled. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

She chuckled, then unlocked the car door and I got out and waved goodbye as she sped away. I walked to the window, rubbing my hands together and smirked.

"Alright. Here we go."

I put my right foot on the panel and kept climbing my way up, I checked to see if the window was unlocked and smiled happily when it was. I checked to see who's room it was and saw no one there.

Great. Now he's gonna find a random person in his house and freak out. Then I'm gonna get arrested for breaking and entering or something... Oh well, they can't catch me twice???

I sighed then unlocked it and climbed through. I looked at a dresser that had a shit ton of hairspray. I scoffed and kept walking around, I soon found myself in the kitchen, I looked all around and just stood next to a cabinet, putting my hands on my face. Jesus I hope he's not in the hospital or doctor or something, I think Billy just wanted him to miss, not, miss a week. Oh god, this is so my fault. Come tommorow, I'll just talk to Billy, I would say it's painless but, it's pain induced... I yelped when I heard something, grabbing a pan and turning around, hitting the person with it.

I opened my eyes, and gasped. "Oh shit. I am so sorry, oh Jesus.."

"HOW THE HELL ARE YOU IN MY HOUSE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE! WHY ARE YOU IN MY HOUSE!? WHEN DID YOU-"

Steve held his head while panicking and I was thinking best of what to say. Except I was tongue tied and silent.

"(Y/N)?"

I gave up, cursing under my breath. "We had our presentation today, got a B- on it too, for incompletion, missing presenter, and some false facts, maybe only a few. And at first, I thought you just skipped to skip. And the whole school day I was pissed, but lunch rolled around and Billy pulled out a bottle of something. So he apparently out it on your plate when you left for something, and you ate, and he sabotaged our project. So, one, I came to tell you, two, I wanted to make sure you were okay, and three, I climbed through your window."

Steve's eyes were wide and he had his hands on his hips, he looked like a mom who caught their child coming home after curfew.

"So..."

This was probably the most awkward silence I've heard and been in in a lifetime. I looked up and made a small "O" with my mouth. Without thinking I grabbed a towel and out it on his head.

"What're you doing?"

"I accidentally cut your head what do you think I'm doing?"

He looked confused, and I didn't realise what I was doing until after I'd done it. I mumbled a "Shit what is wrong with me?"

I sighed, sitting down in a chair and hiding my face in my hands once again. My face was becoming bright red and I felt flustered.

Steve cleared his throat and sat down in a seat across from me. I was still hiding, and still contemplating on running out the door right now.

"Is there a reason you're blushing like that?"

A smirk grew on his face, and I started blushing even more. "No there isn't."

"If there wasn't you wouldn't be blushing."

"I'm not blushing."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"You're hesitating."

"And you're flirting!"

I spat, half smiling, half not, and still as red as a sunburn. His smile seemed to get bigger now and I slouched a little.

"You're just now noticing?"

"Would you quit it!" I squeaked and slouched back in my seat, hiding my face so he couldn't see the continuous blushing.

"So you are blushing?"

I didn't answer, so far ignoring was the best thing to do. When he stopped asking questions, I stopped blushing thank god.

"Hey (Y/N). I got a question."

I gulped. "Which is?"

"Did it hurt?"

I groaned, laying my head back and looking all fake starry-eyed. "Let me guess, when I fell from heaven?"

He smirked and shook his head. "Nah. When you fell for me."

I grabbed the towel and threw it at his face, in which we both erupted in laughter. I didn't realise that about an hour had passed and school was already almost over.

He looked at my wristwatch, whistling. "Wow. Hey, whattya say we go get some icecream or something. My treat since I missed., I uh, I let you down." He sighed while rubbing the back of his neck.

I looked at him in the eyes with a side smile and clenched my teeth, half angry at him thinking this was his fault.

"Hey, come on. Don't beat yourself up. It wasn't in any, any way your fault. Billy was just being an ass. A protective... cousin. But an ass. He tried to use your past douchebag ways to brainwash me or something. But no, it's not your fault okay?"

He smiled, his cheeks turning red and he let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Why are you blushing?" I smirked, my obvious retort just seemed to make him blush even more. I chuckled, biting my lip.

It was silence again, and the both of us seemed to lock eyes only for a minute. I stared, and then shook my head, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Thanks for the offer but it's fine, really. I just wanted to see if you were okay, but I need to get going now. I'm sorry."

I slung my bag over my shoulders and headed for the door, Steve slid in front of me, blocking the door. I sighed, avoiding eye contact and had a down turned expression. Next thing I know there's a hand gripping my wrist and my head remains down, guilty, confused, and maybe a little scared.

"Don't leave. Just, talk to me please. You need help, so let me help you."

My gaze turned downward and I gave a sad smile, still turning for the door. I started turning the knob until I heard a very, very familiar revving of an engine, and my eyes seemed to widen with even more fear that I'd already had.

"Shit shit shit shit. I gotta go, Steve I really, really need to go! If he sees me he'll kill me. He'll kill you."

He turned to the window to see who it was, of course when he finally realised his eyes widened too. He grabbed my hand and ran me to the back window, opening it as quickly as possible.

He started telling me to go, helping me down. When I was outside and still hanging on to the window I looked inside, scared.

"I'll be okay. Just go."

I saddened my gaze, climbing back down the window the rest of the way. I acted like I was walking home and watched until Steve left the window. I then ran all the way to the side of the house to watch and make sure nothing got too serious. Though I make no promises. I peered over to see, but not too much too noticeable.

"Well, well well. If it isn't King Steve."

"Yeah, it's 'King Steve.' To what I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, I'm thinkin' you have something of mine. Tall, (h/c) hair, (e/c) eyes, kinda pretty, high school girl, top in her class?"

"Nah, doesn't sound familiar, sorry. But if you wanna find her maybe try looking somewhere you wouldn't be."

I let out a silent cackle, Billy smirked, licking his teeth, almost like if he was flirting?

"I'll keep that in mind. She isn't here?"

"No, sorry. She left an hour ago, but thanks for the drop by."

Billy smiled, turning back around to head for his car. I laid back, breathing a heavy, relieved sigh, then turned back around to watch him drive away. I yelped when I watched him jolt back around, retaliating by punching Steve in the face, in which the force made him stumble backward onto the ground. He picked him up by his collar, whispering something in his ear before tossing him up against a small step, I winced as I watched his head hit a small rock. It was hard to see, but I could tell Billy was smiling, and he got in his car and began driving away. I hid closely against the wall so he couldn't see me, but luckily he drove the other direction. Once I couldn't hear the engine anymore, I started running right back to the house.

"Steve? Hey, Steve! Hey!" I started shaking him, and he slowly blinked awake. I smiled, mumbling an oh thank god.

"What the hell are you still doing here?"

"I stayed and watched to make sure he didn't hurt you too badly. I couldn't doubt it though." I sighed while ripping off part of my sleeve and putting it on his head.

"Could you... can you stay? Just the night?"

"No, Billy would kill me. Probably more so you. I wish I could, I do."

He smiled in a sad way, nodding. "Okay."
I smiled in return. Standing up, I bent down to help Steve up, but he grabbed my hand, stood up and toppled right over, wincing and groaning.

"You okay?"

"No. It stings and everything is spinning. So, not really?"

I sighed, sitting back down on the ground with my legs crossed. Steve looked at me up and down, confused.

"What're you doing?"

"Sitting until you're not dizzy anymore. I'm not just gonna leave you outside."

He smiled, looking down and started blushing again. We both were. I averted gaze, looking down at the grass, the beautiful greenish gold grass that was slowly withering from the incoming winter. Making autumn looked so peaceful.

"Have you always been this beautiful?"

"What?"

"You. Have you always been this beautiful?"

I chuckled in between blushing, biting my lip.

"Heh, no. Probably even never."

"I think so."

I softened my eyes, looking back down at the grass and smiled. "Have you always been this dumb?"

He laughed too, and I felt a crisp, chilly autumn breeze. I closed my eyes to take it all in, and when I opened them I saw the pinkish orange hues of the sky. Sunset. I laid down, putting my hands behind my head, and situating myself until I was comfortable. Steve laid down too, and snuck his arm behind my head, yanking me closer. I didn't complain. I was tired and maybe I was feeling something like... who knows.

"Just came to see if I was okay huh?"

I smirked, chuckling. "Shut up."

We both laughed and smiled, and kept staring at the sunset. And, occasionally. At eachother.

(My goodness 🙃)