"Get out of my way, weirdo." A stranger said to me as I walked down the halls Monday morning.

"Oh because you can't go around me?" I snap at the stranger.

The girl rolls her eyes. "I couldn't get around that huge body of yours."

I snorted. "Okay so you're trying to call me fat. Nice one. Well to tell you the truth, with me not living up to your standards, I obviously don't take up the whole hall. So you could have easily ignored the rude comments out of your mouth." I didn't think I was that fat. I mean I'm not as skinny as her, but still.

"Honey you don't take up the whole hall, which I'm glad you don't. And what about the comments coming out of your mouth?" The girl threw back, glaring at me.

"What? I can't help that they are the truth. Maybe you could use my words as a reference by telling the truth. It'd save you a lot of hassle." I retorted, then walked away with the last words.

The classes were boring and slow, as usual. Not to mention the pounds of homework the teachers dumped on us.

When lunch came around during the torturing school, I went to the library.

In seeks of books and quiet is what I wanted, so, the library would fulfill my needs. I entered the library and looked for a book.

I saw a book I'd been dying to read and scrambled to it. But instead, I went face first to the ground.

How did I trip on just the floor itself?

Without anymore thoughts, I looked at the source to see a teen sleeping against the row of books.

I usually would have just walked away, but I found it amusing that a guy is asleep and also I was slightly annoyed at him for tripping me. Even though he was totally asleep it was kind of his fault.

I looked in my bag, pulled out a sharpie and doodled all kinds of things on his face - some were not very mature.

When I was done I kinda felt bad - he didn't even know he tripped me. I decided to doodle one last thing before I bolted out of the library.

I inched forwards, pressing the sharpie against his cheek. I slowly began to dry a -never mind you don't wanna know- on his face.

His eyes bolted open, making me jump and fall backwards.

"What the-" he looked at me. "Who are you and why were you watching me sleep?"

I wrinkled my nose. "I was not watching you sleep. I was getting back at you."

"Getting back at me?" His voice full of confusion, scrunching up his eyebrows. "Do I even know you?"

"No you don't know me. And I don't want you to." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Then why were you watching me sleep?!?" He said, eyes wide.

"God, I wasn't watching you sleep. You tripped me. And I got back at you." I said, crossing my arms stubbornly.

He glared at me. "How did you get back at me." His eyes traveled down to my hands with a sharpie with no lid. I watched his face come full of realization. "You didn't."

I slowly let the smrik fall onto my face. "I did."

"You son of a -" He stood up and went to the bathroom. I followed, hoping to see his hilarious reaction.

"Are you following me to the bathroom?" He snapped.

"I'm not going into that God's forsaken place."

"Well stop following me." He said, walking into the bathroom.

I stood there, waiting. He was taking forever and I was impatient.

I smirked, picturing his reaction. I didn't even know this guy and I drew all over him... Not that way. But he deserved it. This was hilarious, I mean yeah he probably thinks I'm weird and crazy - but I am - and I don't really care either way what he thought.

He came out of the bathroom, glaring at me. His face was red and most of the sharpie was off his face, he was scrubbing the sharpie off his face in the bathroom.

"I don't even know you," He spat, "And you draw all over my face."

"I don't know you." I mocked in his voice. "And I drew on your face."

"I didn't even mean to trip you, I was asleep for Gods sake! And you draw all over my face. . . Even dirty things!"

"You still did it." I say, shrugging and grinned.

"You're really odd." He pointed out, seeming aggravated that he couldn't find a good enough insult to throw at me.

"I know and I'm appreciative that I got that trait." I reply, corners of my lips turning upwards.

"I'm still pissed at you." He said, rolling his eyes.

I give him a look. "Did I ask for forgiveness?"

"Whatever," he said and walked past me.

"Aww is sleepy boy upset?" I askes in a baby voice.

He turned to look at me with a glare. "Sleepy boy?"

I shrug. "I didn't have enough time to think of a better name."

"But you have time to draw on my face with a freaking sharpie?!?" He said. He couldn't get the little, upturned mustache I have him off his face.

I give him a blank look, suppressing laughter. "Of course." My voice sounds like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

He scoffs, looking away. "Bye."

"I don't even know your name," I say to him.

He turns to look at me, walking backwards. "Did I say I wanted you to?" He turned around and walked away.

***

"So sis," My brother said.

"So bro," I mocked him.

"Shut up." He playfully rolled his eyes. "I'm going out. Don't wait up, okay?"

"I wasn't planning on waiting up on you." I laugh. "Wait where are you going?"

"Out obviously." He said and left.

"Okaaay then." I said stretching out the okay. I walked down to my kitchen and began to make me something to eat.

"Hey sweetie." My mom said as I pulled my hot pocket out of the beeping microwave.

"Hey mom." I said. I stood at the counter and began to eat.

"You know I'll be making dinner soon right?" She asked eyeing me eat.

I stopped chewing, giving her an 'oh' look. "Well my stomach has no filter when it comes to food." I laughed at my joke.

My mom smiled, then looked confused. "Why is there not any blaring music going on upstairs in your brothers room?"

I swallow my flaming hot pocket, nearly choking. When I recovered I said, "He told me he was going out."

"Out where?" She asked, coming at full attention. Which reminded me of a dog hearing something outside or like the word 'treat' or 'wanna go outside'.

I shrugged. "He didn't tell me the specifics. Just that he was going out."

My mom got her phone out and dialed his number. She called him two more times. Still no amswer. When he didn't pick up any of them, she became panicked.

"Where would he go? What if he ran away? What if he is half way across the country now? What is he was kidnapped? Or kidnapped by a murderer who has been stalking him for over years now and finally got the chance to get him?" My mom ranted.

Now I see where I get my wild imagination from, I thought.

"Mom calm down. I don't think anyone would ever want to stalk or kidnap Austin. And maybe he is just with his friends?" I tried to assure her.

"We gotta go find him." She said after we waited fifteen minutes.

"But dinner-?" I asked, automatically frowning.

"You had a hot pocket." My mom scoffed as she walked out the door.

I put on my shoes, hurrying out the door as my mom impatiently honked the horn.

"I'm going to go to Luke's first." Mom said, turning down some road.

We went to Luke's but no one was home. My mom had gotten even more worried, eyes wide, hands on the steering wheel tight, and voice shaky and panicked.

"Call him again." My mom instructed as she backed out of his driveway.

I called until it went to voicemail. I tried again.

"Hello?"

"Austin!" I said, voice getting higher. I coughed, then said, "Where are you?"

He was silent a moment. "Out."

"No kidding, moron." I said. "Can you specify where this 'out' may be?"

"I'm with Luke." He said.

"And?" I pressed impatiently.

Silence.

"Austin, come on. Mom is worries sick. We are driving around looking for you."

He sighed with defeat. "We are at Taylor's."

"Was that really that hard?" I said, rolling my eyes.

"Where is he?!?" Mom interrupted.

I put my index finger up to tell her to hold on.

"Shut up, Ivory." He said. "Let me guess, mom and you are coming to get me?" He didn't sound so happy about that.

"I'll see ya in a bit, dear brother." I soothed then hung up. "He's at Taylor's. Let's go get him."

My mom walked up the steps of Taylor's house while I stayed in the car.

"Why? Why didn't you just tell your sister instead of having us panicked?!" Mom yelled at him as we drove home.

"Young man, you are in some -"

"I knew he was there all along," I cut her off, saving my brother.

She froze from her lecture to look at me, "What?"

"I knew where he was the whole time." I say and Austin and I meet eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She almost yelled.

"I - I owed him one." I shrugged. "Look I'm sorry..It's just I didn't want Austin to be mad at me."

My mom slowly breathed in and out. "You two are both grounded for a week. No electronics."

"I'm sorry." My brother and I both said as we pulled up in our driveway.

She didn't say anything as we went inside. I went up to my room, sitting on my bed.

"Why did you do that?" Austin asked by the door, looking at me with confusion.

"What?" I asked. "Saving your butt? Well I can be a little nice at times."

"Well thanks." His tone soft, he smiles.

"Don't mention it." I said. Then added. "You owe me."

"I know." He said, laughing softly before walking away to his room.

***

"Oh great," I mumbled as I saw the same guy from yesterday seated against the same row of books in the library during lunch period.

I stood in front of him, eyeing him. "You know," I said kicking him with my foot in the leg. "This is a library. Not a bedroom to sleep in."

He looked up at me with narrowed eyes. "Did you come here just to see me again?"

"Don't flatter yourself." I rolled my eyes at him. "Now I came back to get a book I wanted to check out since yesterday you tripped me."

"And since you decided to draw on my face." He snapped, looking highly aggravated.

I laughed. "Still butt hurt over that, I see."

He glared at me. "Wait why are you here? Just so you can see me?" I asked, teasing him.

It was his time to roll his eyes, "Now don't flatter yourself. Actually I am here trying to get sleep. But someone annoying wont leave me alone."

"I'm just trying to get a book." I shrugged. "Plus you are in my way."

He moved out of the way and I walked away from him to get the book I needed.

"I should've known you'd do something like that." He muttered.

I shrugged, walking away.

"You forget something?" He asked before I could get too far away.

I turned around and looked at him. "You mean your intelligence? Oh it was gone long ago." I joked, him scowling.

He rolled his eyes. "No not that, stupid. This," In his hand was my sharpie that I had forgotten on the floor yesterday from drawing on his face.

I walked to him, my hand outstretched. "Thanks for finding it, butt hurt jerk."

"Who said I'm giving it to you?" He asked, pulling his hand away as I reached for it. "I said you forgotten it. Not that I was giving it to you. Now it's mine."

My jaw slightly hangs open. "Give it."

He pretends to think about it, but shakes his head. "I'd rather not."

"But I need it." I say, reaching for it which makes him jerk away.

"Are you whining?" He smirks.

"What - No! Give me my sharpie." I demand.

"What is the big deal over a sharpie?" The jerk says.

"A sharpie?!?" I say, giving him a look. "To me, it isn't just a sharpie."

"Well to me it is just a sharpie." He throws back.

"To me it isn't." I grumble, looking away.

"I'm keeping this sharpie. Go whine in the lunch room so I can get some sleep." He grumbled, moving around as he tried to get comfortable.

I laugh. "Go into the lunch room with all those obnoxious people? I think not. And I doubt you're gonna get sleep."

"Why wouldn't I get sleep?" He raises an eyebrow.

"Because your stupidity is too strong for your mind to relax and fall asleep."

"I beg to differ, I get to sleep at night and sometimes in class."

"Wow that's correct." I say, fake face palming. "Miracles do happen."

"Ha-ha." He rolls his eyes. "You are annoying."

"So they say." I reply, walking away to a table.

I sit down and start to read the book. Suddenly the jerk plops down beside me.

"Excuse me? I wanna read in peace." I say, looking up at him from the book.

"You just broke the 'peace' by speaking first." He states annoyingly.

"Whatever," I say. "Why are you sitting here?"

"Because my butt is killing me from sitting on the floor for way to long." He says.

"Knew you were butt hurt" I say. "Plus there is a table over there."

"And be accompanied by nothing when I can be accompanied by you?" He says. "Don't get me wrong, I could probably name all the people I'd rather want to be seating with at this table with both hands and feet."

"But here you are," I look back down at my book.

"Here I am." He says softly, looking at me then lays his head down.

"I would like to read in peace without your occasional snoring and drool." I say after a minute, looking at his head full of hair.

He looks up at me. "Get over it, cupcake."

I wrinkle my nose. "Cupcake? I am a human thank you very much."

"But you are the size -"

"Don't you even dare make a joke about me or a cupcake." I warn him coldly.

"No, I was gonna say you remind me of a cupcake because of your shortness." He covers up quickly, grinning.

I roll my eyes. "So now it's a short joke."

"No it's really just what I thought." He replies.

I roll my eyes again. "Sure, sure."

"Fine. Don't believe me." He says, pretending to be hurt.

"Boo hoo!" I say. "I'm sorry you got your feelings hurt."

He pulls out his bottom lip, fake pouting. He almost makes me laugh.

Almost.

"Now shut up so I can sleep." He said. "Wait I take that back I don't want anything drawn on me today."

"Wow and I thought the whole stupidity thing going on with your personality, well whole being. But at least you got a small bit of common sense in you." I remark, studying him closely.

He stares at me for a moment. "Well I have a lot more common sense if you'd let me sleep."

"Oh nothing is stopping you from sleeping. It's just I can't promise that I won't do anything to you while you are sleeping," I innocently look at him, making a small smile fall on my lips.

"Of course not." He muttered.

The bell rung and I got up, following him out the door.

"Looks like you can never get any sleep! Boo hoo!" I say.

"Shut up," he glares at me. "I'll get sleep in class."

We both turn down the same corner. "Stop following me." I say.

He rolls his eyes. "I'm not following you. I'm going to my next class."

"Sure." I say, my voice sounding off on purpose.

We hit shoulders, turning into the same class. "Move butt hurt jerk." I say. "This is my next class, scooch."

"Great," he says. "This is my next class too."

"How convenient." I groan, walking past him to enter the classroom with teens talking loudly.

I sit in my usual seat, ignoring the butt hurt jerk. He sits not far away from my lab table, ignoring me also.

Class starts and soon enough I see that butt hurt jerk is leaning on his hand, dozing off.

Idiot.

An idea pops in my head. I throw a piece of paper at the short guy sitting beside the sleeping jerk.

The short guy looks around, trying to find the source. "Hey," I whisper yell at the short kid.

He looks at me questioningly. "I'll give you five dollars if you knock that guys arm down." I wave my dollars in my hand, bribing him.

His eyes light up and he looks at butt hurt jerk with a mischievous smile. He must really want some money.

The short guy makes butt hurt jerk's arm fall down. The jerk's head falls to the lab table with a huge, loud thump.

"Ow!" The jerk yells. The teacher turns wide eyed to look at jerk.

"Excuse me?" The teacher asks.

"Oh..uh..umm." Jerk stutters. The short guy seems amused.

I like that guy.

"Well?" The teacher questions, clearly annoyed.

"I. . . . Sorry." Jerk apologizes, the back of his neck heats up in a dark shade of red.

"Thought so, Collins." The teacher says, turning around.

Is his name Collins?

Jerk glares at the short guy who raises his face full of innocence, pointing towards me.

I don't like that guy anymore.

Jerk or Collins - whatever - glares at me. I smirk and hand the short, tattling guy his five dollars.