"Are you ready?" he asked while turning to me.

"Yeah, take two." I sighed before tightening my ponytail and grabbing my bag. He got out of the car, jogged up to my side and got the door for me. "Thank you," I smiled as we began walking inside the building. When we got in, we went to our lockers which conveniently were opposite to each other.

"Faith?" he asked while walking over to me.

"Yeah?" I asked. I saw as people slowed down their pace to eavesdrop and get something new to talk about and I can't complain because that's pretty much what we planned to do.

"What are you doing this weekend?" he asked bluntly.

"Probably cleaning up after the game, why?" I asked while placing my books in my bag.

"Wait speaking of the game uh- will you be there?" he asked while leaning on the locker next to mine.

"Yeah, I'll be there." I nodded.

"Would you maybe wanna grab a bite after the game?" he raised his eyebrows.

"Th-this Friday? After the game?" I was a little surprised because we did not plan this.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded.

"Yeah sure, I would love to." I smiled before turning to him as I closed my locker.

"Can Faith Hughes please report to the office? Faith Hughes to the office please?" the PA system announced.

I sighed, "It's probably my mom, I'll see you in class?" I asked while walking back to the office.

"See ya!" he replied. I made my way to the office.

"Hi, I was called?" I asked Mary. She works at the desk.

"Mrs. Hughes is looking for you," she replied, glancing up at me for a fraction of a second before going back to vigorously going back to typing. I walked into my mom's office.

"You called?" I peered my head in.

"Oh yeah, step inside," she called me in. "I wanted to let you know, I'm getting the bleachers cleaned on that side today so just- drop by after school with Alex and make sure they're the way we planned, okay?" she asked.

"Sure, anything else?" I asked.

"I invited the Ryders for dinner tonight," she said casually.

"What?" I asked in shock.

"The Ryders. For dinner," she repeated.

"I heard what you said. W-why?" I questioned.

"Well, you and Alex seem to be getting along really well and it's been a minute since his mother and I met. Your dad can talk to his dad and now you two can talk too," she shrugged. "You can drive back with Alex and then meet us at dinner if you'd like?" she suggested.

"I think I'll be there to get ready and everything at the usual time," I huffed.

"Getting ready, huh?" she teased.

"Bye, mom!" I said before rolling my eyes and walking out the door, and to my class. I was walking down the hall and to my class when I stopped in my tracks.

I feel like I'm forgetting something. What am I forgetting?

While I stood there in the middle of the hallway like an idiot, the sound of clacking heels approached me. Unfortunately, I was too slow to get the hell out of there. I stared ahead as Cody turned the corner.

"I wonder what I have that you didn't," she snickered in my ear before pushing my books out of my hands and strutting off.

I wanted to roll my eyes and let that remark go right over my head, but that one hurt.

I bit my bottom lip and kept my mouth shut while crouching down and grabbing all my books and the few papers that flew out of them. I sighed to myself before quickly wiping a tear that rolled down my cheek.

I stood up and turned on my heels to go to the bathroom but I ran straight into someone. Who the hell is out during class? I stumbled back and looked up to meet green eyes. Alex's eyes.

Right, I know what I forgot.

I forgot that Cody has a class here. And I forgot that Alex knew.

That doesn't explain what he's doing here. "What are you doing here? Class is upstairs," I sniffed.

"What are you doing here? You have English with me." He gave me a pointed look.

"I was coming out of the office and going to the stairs," I huffed.

"Why'd you turn back around?" he questioned. I didn't know what to say. I pressed my lips together in a thin line while staring straight into his eyes.

Huh, I never realized that they had golden specks in them.

"I saw."

I broke eye contact. "Then why are you asking?" I rolled my eyes. He nodded slightly and slowly to himself before sighing and reaching his hand out.

"English?" he asked. I eyed his hand for a moment before placing my hand in his and letting him lead the way to class. I was zoned out while staring at the ground beneath me as we walked and that only led to me bumping into him when he suddenly stopped walking right in front of the class.

"W-what happened?" I asked while looking up at him.

"Nothing," he chuckled before turning back around and swinging the door open. I followed him in and then froze when I noticed people stopped doing what they were just to look at us.

Everyone's eyes shifted down to our hands and when mine did too, I tried to pull it away but I'm guessing he knew what I would do so he locked my hand in his.

"Where were you two?" Ms. Welsh asked while placing the extract she was reading out loud on the table and turned to us with her arms folded across her chest.

"We were called to the office to discuss the game this Friday," I lied without stuttering like usual. I saw from my peripheral vision when he turned to look at me in disbelief and surprise.

"Take a seat, please," she sighed while gesturing to the two chairs left in the back. We got to our seats and fell into an awkward silence, waiting for someone to explain what the fuck we were supposed to do.

And by someone, I mean Ms. Welsh.

"You two, please read the passage and write a two-page essay answering the question at the back. This is due on Friday," she pointed at us after she finished reading the passage out loud. I huffed before reading it through and making some basic annotations and highlighting key points that would help answer the question at the end.

x-X-x

I sighed while putting my things in my bag and heading for the school gates. The day was finally over and while it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, it still fucking sucked.

"So what's gonna happen with you two now?" Hayley asked while we walked to the parking lot.

"I don't know, I guess I'll find out after the game," I sighed.

"You better tell me everything," she narrowed her eyes down to slits at me.

"You know I will," I smiled at her. We stopped walking when Alex's car pulled up in front of us.

"I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow," I turned to her.

"Whoa, wait a minute. He's been driving you here and back?" she asked and I nodded in response. "Since when?" she questioned.

"This week, it hasn't been long at all, I'll see you later!" I replied while speed walking to his car. I got into the passenger seat and closed the door with a huff.

"You okay?" he asked as he began driving.

"Yeah," I replied, "Just tired."

He nodded, "So, what're you wearing tonight?" he asked.

"Huh?" I thought out loud. "Oh, the dinner," it clicked. "I don't know, I'll just look through and pick," I shrugged.

"You should wear the red dress," he spoke.

"What red dress?" I asked while letting my hair down.

"The one you wore to my party," he replied.

"Your party three months ago?" I asked in confusion.

"Mm-hmm," he nodded.

"How do you remember what I was wearing? I didn't until you just brought it up," I chuckled.

"It caught my eye, it's a bright color," he chuckled.

"Was it really the color that caught your eye, cause that doesn't sound like you," I teased as he pulled up on our street.

"Red is a very eye-catching color, for your information," he answered as I got out and walked over to his side. He rolled his window down while I leaned on his doorframe. "But it wasn't the color that caught my eye," he smirked.

"I'll see you at dinner," I smiled before turning to walk away but he grabbed my wrist.

"Wear it, red's your color," he smiled before kissing my cheek and then letting me go.

"Bye," I laughed while walking to my door.

"Bye!" he called out. I turned and looked at him one last time before walking into my house.

I grabbed a fruit bowl and went up to my room. I sighed and opened my closet.

"Now," I sighed to myself, "For that red dress."

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