We starer at each other, wide eyed, for quite a while. To be honest, I bet we looked kind of silly, just staring at each other with wide eyes.

My blood has risen to my cheeks and his went to his neck.

Lord of mercy, we were both blushing!

I can't seem to look away from him and neither can he. If this was a staring contest, we'd be in a tie.

But eventually our eyes would get dry and we'd need to blink or our eye would twitch- which would be even more embarrassing.

What is wrong with me?

He just got done telling me a kind of connection he wants with someone- which is the same kind of relationship we have. But now I'm also thinking of an eye twitching.

"Uh. . ." I speak, my voice a whisper. "Want another strawberry?"

He looks away first, shaking his head no. He gets out of his seat and leaves the library.

Well then.

I poke a strawberry, confused. Was he specifically talking about me?

If so, does that mean that he likes-

Get a hold of yourself, he doesn't like you that way, don't think that. My subconscious snarled at me, I could almost hear her cruel laughter.

Well it was kind of my laughter, which means that I technically just called my laugh creepy.

The bell rings, making me go to my next period. I go in my next class and butt hurt jerk isn't in there yet.

Soon enough, class starts and he still isn't in the class.

Five minutes.

Ten.

Fifteen.

He still doesn't come in class, he ditched.

What is up with him? I'm too confused by what he said to understand why he left school- just because he said that?

Seems suspicious and weird.

I'll need to ask him about it soon, but he left school and I'll have to ride home with my brother. I don't even know where he lives.

Aren't I just lucky?

***

"Why isn't Collins driving you home?" My brother asks as we leave school.

"Who is Collins?" Taylor asks, sitting up leaning towards the front of the car.

I had gotten shotgun, well I kind of ran to the car and sat in the passenger seat.

"Her boyfriend." Austin says.

"For God's sake, he isn't my boyfriend, he ditched last period." I tell Austin.

"So who is Collins?" Taylor asks.

"My friend, stupid." I tell him. Taylor rolls his eyes.

"I need to talk to him," I dial his number, but just as I expected he didn't answer.

"Do you know where he lives?" I ask Austin.

He turns down a road. "Nope."

"You know I will do anything if you do something for me," I turn towards him.

"And what is that?" He sighs.

Ten minutes later, I'm dropped off at a road that's close to where I am going.

Austin sticks his head out of the window. "Call me if you need a ride back home."

I nod my head. "Will do."

When they leave, I walk towards the  road towards Get Away Delights.

When I arrive there shortly after, I was right. Butt hurt jerk sits there, drinking hot chocolate. He looks in deep thoughts.

I walk in and head straight towards him.

"Collins." I use his first name. He looks up at me in suprise and I sit down.

"Collins, what's up with you?" I ask him. His expression is unreadable, thinking.

"Look I didn't mean to walk away, it's just I got caught up in my thoughts." He says. "I'm sorry, Ivory, I know how when I said the connection I'd want with someone sounded a lot like us, but I don't want to make it awkward."

"It won't be awkward." I tell him. "It's okay, I was just confused about what happened." I reply, looking away.

"I know, I should've stayed instead of leaving." He says. "How did you know I'd be here?"

"Well I don't know where you live, you left school and so I decided to check here and I was right." I inform him.

"Well, I need to make it up to you." Jerk face smiles at me.

I wave him off. "You don't have to, just talking to you is perfect enough."

"You know I get all excited when you be sweet." He tells me, grinning.

"I did it on purpose." I tease.

He laughs, " Do you want hot chocolate or something else?"

I grin. "Hot chocolate, butt hurt jerk."

"Yes ma'am," he walks off towards Mandy.

Soon enough she comes back with two cups of hot chocolate, making me smile.

"Are you glad it is starting to get cold?" He asks.

"Even better reasons for us to hang here." I take a sip of the delicious hot chocolate.

"True," he notes while watching me.

"What is one of the simplest thing you have ever done?" I ask the first thing that pops into my head.

He looks at me, and says, "I don't think anything can be simple, everything seems to be complex in it's own way; good or bad."

"Very poetic and deep." I smile, it wasn't too bad.

"What do you want to do with your life?" He asks me.

I smile, leaning closer across the table. "Most people want to be remembered, or change the world, or make a difference, or known by many; I want to actually make something of my life, as in, go places, see things most people haven't. I only want to live my life, not change the world or make a difference, I really just want to only make an invisible mark on the world."

He looks thoughtful. "Why don't you want to make a difference or not change the world?"

I take a deep breath. "Well everyone is remembered when they are born and die, I only want to be known by people who knew me."

"Very poetic and deep," he mocks me with a smile.

"I see what you did there," I said with a smile.

Mandy comes over to refill our hot chocolate, taking our cups away.

"So are we good?" I ask him.

He nods his head. "Yeah."

"So do we just forget what happened in the library or. . .?"

He clears his throat. "It doesn't matter."

"Okay. ."

***

Butt hurt jerk drives me home, the car ride completely silent.

"Sorry again." He apologizes.

"It's okay," I tell him. "I would've ran away too."

"I just don't want you to think that I. . .Meant to make you uncomfortable."

"No you didn't, you're still my butt hurt jerk." I poke his cheek, making him smile.

He pulls in my driveway, stopping the car.

"I'll see you tomorrow. " he bids me goodbye. "I would come inside, but I gotta get home."

"Okay." I say, giving him a side hug before leaving.

He stares at me, a unreadable expression on his face.