The front door was locked, Otis and Eric looked at one another with confused expressions. "I thought you said James was home".

Otis shrugged his shoulders "I guess not, maybe he already left for school" Eric looked beside the trailer. The boys bike gone "yeah, maybe, I can't believe he's not here".

It had been three long weeks, and James had distanced himself from Eric and Otis. They'd ride home separate, the boy practically rushing home,

Eric of course was the only one who found it odd, Otis claimed maybe he was just in a rush. The boy wasn't very fond of school anyways.

"I reckon we'll run into him at school" the duo walked off nearing there bikes. "Maybe we should talk with him, see if he's alright".

Otis sighed "last time we did that, he ignored us for a month, I'd rather not go through that again". Eric pushed his helmet over his head "you're right. He'll come around when he's ready".

The inside of the trailer, was neat. Although the table in front of the couch held many cans of diet coke, some full and others empty.

James normally spend his entire week cleaning, however the cans remained. Surely they reeked and were no longer good to consume.

He rarely had the time to pick them up, but today he walked into the small area holding onto a trash bin. Each can be threw away harshly, the distant sound of movement behind him made him pause.

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he set the bin atop the table. His eyes locking with Ruby's "I thought you were showering before school".

She looked rather interested in what he was doing, she held onto herself for a moment before moving forward. "I was thinking, what if we go on a date".

He couldn't help but frown deeply at her words "I thought you didn't want people to see us together, hence the sneaking around for three weeks".

He spent so many long weeks avoiding Eric and Otis dropping him off home. Or even meeting in the morning before school.

They would notice Ruby leaving behind him, and he didn't exactly want them to find out about the duo. He respected what Ruby wanted, and he was damn good at keeping it secret.

"Surely we can go something no one will see us, what about tonight, after school". She looked nervous he'd refused by the way he shifted.

He pushed his arms in front of himself, biting down on his lip in thought. "I'll figure something out for us, of course only if you want me too".

She nodded, grabbing hold of her bag off the counter and nearing the doorway. This was the morning routine, she'd wake up. Get ready and then run off home so her friends could pick her up.

Of course sometimes she didn't attend at all, and he understood her family needed her. So he spent those long nights cleaning, but the cans always laid on the table. Slowly melting away into nothing.

He looked at the trash bin, reminding himself to attend the shop and purchase more. Ruby left in a hurry and he leaned into his counter sighing.

—

James normally didn't enjoy school, but today felt different. He did all his work, he smiled and he even helped out anyone who seemed in desperate need of it. He sat beside Otis and Eric.

His fingers aching from how fast he wrote, however he didn't stop, not even when he felt the soft glare of Ruby from the hallway.

A cigarette laid upon his ear, the end not lit. He claimed it was for later, but he likely wouldn't actually smoke it, he didn't feel the need too.

"Oh, my God. Jackson is so hot" he found himself letting the pencil go, his eyes locking with Eric. The boy frowning deeply all of a sudden.

"Jackson is looking at us" the boy walked down the hallway entering the small library. "Maybe he's just looking, I mean it's normal".

Eric gasped lightly at the sight of Jackson walking towards them. "Jackson's approaching us" the boy smiled his eyes looking at Otis,

"Mind if I join you?" Eric nearly fainted, James laughed lightly as he patted his shoulder to help him relax and not almost died.

"Jackson is here" James turned around Jackson standing before the trio with confidence.

"You know Maeve, right?" Otis looked uncomfortable "nah" Eric moved forward, his bottom nearly falling off the seat.

"Yes, you do!" he looked at Jackson with bright eyes "he does, in fact James does as well".

James awkwardly waved "well I'd love to stay and help you out Jackson, but it appears I'm needed elsewhere.. somewhere that isn't here of course".

He stood up pushing his work into his bag quickly patting Jackson's shoulder "good luck man!".

He walked into the hallway, pushing the cigarette into his mouth as he walked outside. The grounds were empty, and no one wondered about.

A light rain fell atop his head, making him push his hood over himself as he neared the small building behind the school.

He sat down onto the window seal lighting it, he pushed the window open slightly leaning backwards. He heard the loudness of high heels, a smirk spread across his lips.

"I figured I'd find you in here" he jumped down the window "if you wanted to see me so badly you could've just texted". He stood in front of her.

"Surely your friends would ask questions" he laughed "no, I have you set as mommy! It's totally something they wouldn't ask about".

She rolled her eyes "do you really have me set as that, that's ridiculous". He grinned "you rather it be your name? I could change it if you like".

She seemed annoyed for a moment as she sighed "I've come to inform you, are plans for tonight are postponed to tomorrow night".

She seemed upset having to say those words "what's happened? Everything alright".

"Yeah, it's just my friends invited me to dinner tonight, which of course I never miss". She grabbed hold of her phone "surely you could miss one night, I'll make it up to you incase they go rapid".

"I can't stay long, they'll notice I'm gone" he pulled his cigarette out of his mouth. "Stay, say you ran home to fetch homework or something".

She let out a slow breath as he hovered over her, his eyes looking down at her. He smiled softly as she pushed her phone into her pocket.

Her arms wrapping around him a dull ache tugged at his chest. A feeling he hoped one day wouldn't disappear, he couldn't even think of it going away.

He held onto her, her body melting into his as they remained silent for a moment. The loudness of her phone ringing made her move back.

She saw the disappointment in his eyes right away the second she grabbed hold of it. He watched as she walked off, leaving him alone.