Monday morning classes are slow, as is my brain trying to comprehend everything that they teach and say.

The day seems to drag slowly. When lunch comes I literally run to the library.

I hit someone as soon as they are walking out.

"Watch where you're going!" The familiar voice says.

"Calm your tits, jerk face." I say looking at him.

He looks at me, noticing it's me. "Cupcake? Why were you running?" He grins. "Eager to see me?"

I scoff. "No, I was eager to get away from all this," I gesture towards the hall. "What are you doing?"

"I gotta go take a piss." He laughs.

I smack his back. "Geddy up, jerk face."

"I'm not an animal." He remarks.

"Could've fooled me." I joke.

He sticks his tongue out at me, then walks into the bathroom.

I go look for a book on the library, I get one off the shelf and walk towards the table butt hurt jerk's stuff is.

"Feel better?" I ask him when he comes back, sitting down.

"Of course." He smiles at me.

I wish the day was over, I really don't wanna be here.

"What is it?" He asks me.

"I wish the day was already over, I don't wanna be here anymore." I explain.

His smile slowly grows. "Let's go." He grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers.

"What are you-" I soon realize what he's talking about. "We aren't going to ditch." I hiss, digging my heels into the floor.

He turns around. "You want to go, so do I. Why not?" He asks.

"Don't you have to tutor Kandi?" I ask, suddenly realizing he still is holding my hand.

Awkward. Well not too awkward, I've held his hand before.

"I have her number, I can text her to meet a little later."

I raise an eyebrow. "You'd do all that for me?"

He scoffs. "No, you aren't the only one who doesn't want to be here, cupcake."

"And what will we even do?" I ask.

"Just shut up and let's go." He says.

"But Collins-" I use his real name.

"Why do you always say my name when you are pleading with me or many other occasions?" He asks as be starts to walk more, dragging me by out joined hands.

"Why do you call me Ivy?" I question.

"I don't know." He says.

"Same here for Collins." I answer, and try to stop walking.

"Ivy," he turns around. "stop trying to restrain against me or I'll drag you out of this library by your hair."

"But-"

"Cupcake, it's not hard to drag you and carry my bag, won't be too different dragging you by your hair." He grips my hand, pulling me with him.

It's not that I didn't want not to be at school, it's just that I've never ditched school. My mom would kill me if she knew I did.  Speaking of which, I need to tell Austin not to snitch out on me.

I am nervous, what if we get caught? That would be awful.

Jerk face pulls me out of the library, still joined hands. Feeling excitement of ditching, I smile.

***

"See wasn't too bad was it?" Butt hurt jerk asks when he drives out of the school. My heart was still racing though, but I said. "Not too bad." And it really wasn't as bad as I thought. "But if I get in trouble  it'll be your fault."

"I did drag you out of the library." He laughs.

"And threatened to drag me by my hair." I add.

He pokes my cheek, one hand on the steering wheel. "Smile, don't frown. Don't stress it, cupcake."

I smile and pull out my phone to text my brother.

Hey I won't be at school after lunch, please don't tell mom.

I would've lied, but I don't want to get in more trouble if I did.

Why? Are you sick? OR are you ditching?!?

I'm not sick. I feel good.

So you're ditching!!

Maybe, I send.

He texts back immediately. I won't tell mom unless you do something for me.

I sigh, knew that was coming. I text back, What will it be?

I don't know yet, but I won't tell mom.

I smile. Thanks.

No problem, don't make it an everything thing.

Not planning on it. I text back, and that was true. I didn't want to miss a lot of school anyway.

Good. I have to go, see you at home! Don't do anything stupid with Collins!

I roll my eyes, he already knew I ditched with Collins without telling him. Well considering I didn't have any friends besides him, it wasn't a very long list.

I put my phone back in my bag. "Who were you texting?" He asks.

"Gee, stalker. Should I tell you?" I tease. "It was Austin."

He rolls his eyes. "Am not a stalker."

I laugh, "Okay whatever you say. Where are we going anyway?"

He smiles. "A cafe."

"Where?" I ask him.

"It's called Get Away Delights." He answers me.

"Oh okay." I reply.

"Have you ever been there, cupcake?" He asks, looking at me before turning back to the road.

"No." I tell him.

"Awesome. You'll love it." He smiles at me.

***

Not long after we were on a back road, driving towards Get Away Delights.

It was a little cafe shop with barely any cars except two or three. It was a wood house, looking homey.

He parks and we walk in. An older woman stands at the counter. "Hey Collins!" She looks at me. "You brought a guest!"

He looks down at me. "Yeah I did."

"Hi, I'm Mandy."

"Ivory." She holds out her hand for me to shake.

"Just go sit anywhere. Make yourself at home."

He grabs my wrist, dragging me towards a table for two. We sit down with him smiling at me.

"Why so cheeky?" I ask, poking his dimple.

His shrugs. "Because you are the first person I've brought here and  I love this place."

"Well I feel special." I tell him, smiling. And it was true.

Before he can reply, Mandy comes to our table. "You want the usual, Collins?"

He looks up at her. "Make that two."

She nods her head. "Sure thing." She walks away, order in her hand.

"What is the 'usual'?" I ask him.

He bites his lip. "It's this hot chocolate and it is the best hot chocolate. And they put little melted marshmallows in it with this big one floating in it and it has the foam- it's amazing."

And, oh boy, was he correct. It was the best hot chocolate.

"Oh my gosh, Collins." I exclaim.

He looks up at me, smiling a broad smile. "Good, right?"

"I-It's amazing." I take another sip. He laughs at me.

"What?" I ask him.

He takes another drink. "Just happy I can share this with you, cupcake."

"Oh. . " I smile. "Thanks. Now why isn't this place as popular as it should be?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. But they aren't very famous or not well known."

"How did you even come across this place?"

"My mom and I used to come here. She used to know a person who works here."

"Oh. . .Who is she, your mom?" I ask.

He looks away, biting his lip. "She,um, died from cancer when I was thirteen."

I slip one of my hands in his, trying to comfort him. "I didn't mean to ask if I knew. I'm sorry Collins."

He squeezes my hand before letting go to take another drink. "It's okay, Ivy, she was a nice woman though."

I give him a sad smile. "So," he clears his throat. "Any sad story you have to tell me? If you want to, you don't have to." He jokes with a little bit of seriousness in his tone.

"Um," I say. "my dad. He died in a car accident when I was twelve. The truck driver hit him head on. He was killed instantly."

He grabs my hand, the same way I did. "I'm sorry, Ivy."

I shrug, pulling my hand away from his to take a drink of my hot chocolate- easing the lump in my  throat.

He takes a sip of his drink. "We should go here more often."

I playfully wrinkle my nose. "And be seen with you?"

"Cupcake," he wrinkles his nose too, reminding me of Branson. "I don't wanna be seen with you. But looks like we aren't gonna get what we want, are we?"

I laugh. "Guess not." I get serious. "Thanks."

"For?" He asks.

I run my index finger over the little cup, watching me trace it. But then I look up at him. "Everything."

___________

Emotional chapter, huh? Also you found out stuff about Collins (butt hurt jerk, jerk face) whatever you like to call him.

I would like to know your opinions on the book cover- do you like it? Or do you like any of the others in the other chapters? Just comment what you think, I'll start putting more book covers on my chapters and tell me what you think. Or if  the book cover is good now?

Vote and comment please! Thanks :)

Xoxo
Talia