I'm sat in math twiddling my thumbs and trying to come up with a reason to leave, I managed to talk Kate into meeting up with me during this class like now, I needed to talk to her about her jealousy towards Hadley. I would ask to get a drink but the teacher won't let me leave for that anymore, nor does he let student go to the washroom this close to the bell.

I finally come up with something and get up to talk to the man at the desk. "Sir, I had a gift for you but I just remembered I forgot it in my car." I do my best to sound genuine.

"Dustin, that's not going to work. You're just going to have to wait another 20 minutes for the end of class to wander the halls just like everyone else in the class alright." He says and looks back down at the stack of papers he's working on.

"No sir really, it's a sorry, for always being late to your class. You know it's not you I don't like, it's the prison feeling of the school in general." I tell him, it's not entirely false.

He lets out a loud sigh then looks up at me, he glances at his watch. "Alright be back in no more then 5 minutes okay Dustin."

"Thank you sir." I head out the door and start walking to Kate's locker, where she told me to meet her.

There she was, leaning against her locker. "Kate." I say to her as I approach.

"Dustin, I know." She says standing up straight," that you probably want a hook up or something right? Well rumours have it stating you're in an actual relationship and as much as I wish it were me, I would hate to ruin that for you." I want to wipe that smug look right off her face.

"Don't bulls**t me Kate. Why did you tell Hadley to back off?" She raises her hands in defence

"Wow, calm down cowboy. Listen I didn't tell your girlfriend anything, like I said I wish it were me but I honestly don't like messing up relationships. I can find someone better fit for me then you." I look at her unamused and in convinced. "Dustin I'm serious, I'm over it. I've seen you around with your girl and you guys fit. You and I never fit like that."

I stare at her only a second longer to try and find a lie in her face. I soften," I'm sorry, it's just Hadley said someone told her to back off and I initially thought of you." She run my hands through my hair. I'm both embarrassed and confused. Who would tell her that if not Kate?

"It's alright, I get it." She starts to walk away, "I am glad you found her Dustin." She finishes then walks off down the hall.

I'm the only one in the hall now, I also have to figure out my gift that I sucked myself into. I walk back to my classroom and tell the teacher I must have left it at home, it was nowhere to be seen. He nodded his head but I could tell he knew I was lying.

I finished off the class then it was lunch, I get to see Hadley, she said she should get her mark back for that test she had, I was excited to know what she got on it.

I meet the guys and Jess at our table, not too long after I sit down I see Hadley running towards the table, she excitedly sits beside me. She looks up at me and her face is shinning, her smile is bright and her eyes are lit up.

"So...? How'd you do?" I ask unable to remain in the dark any longer. She ruffles through her bag and pulls out a paper. She hands it over to me. I take a second to look at it, it's her test, there are check marks everywhere. I glance to the top to look at the final grade. 40/40. "Oh my god Hadley!" I say way to excited.

She nods her head quickly." I know!"

I throw the paper on the table and kiss her then and there. I love a smart girl. "Thad my girl! A damed math prodigy!"

"I wouldn't go that far."she laughs and leans on my arm. "You did help me out like a lot."

Jessica grabs the paper off the table and looks over the pages of math." Nice work Hadley." She says with a smile towards Hadley handing her the test back.

"Thank you." She says taking the test back. "I got the top mark of the class, according to my teacher the rest of the class really struggled with the test, the second highest mark was a 71%!" She says a little too excitedly. " not that I'm glad they didn't do well, I'm just so happy that I literally aced it!"

Hadley steals half of Jessica's sandwich as well as a few sips of my gatorade. I on the other hand steal a few kisses from Hadley.

About halfway through lunch Hadley's name is called over the P.A system, calling her down to the office. She said bye and left us on our own.

"I'm gonna get going, I have to print my essay off in the library before my English class."

She left and it was just me, Jason and Eric, the three musketeers. "You know I've got to give it to you Dustin, you're really making a good couple person." Eric says to me.

"Yeah and to think you've lasted this long without any action." Jason laughs looking at me. I don't want to tell them that Hadley and I already took that step.

Unfortunately i think they can read it in my face. "Seriously? Score dude!" Jason says shutting me on my back. "When did you finally convince her?"

I roll my eyes at his assumption. "Actually she convinced me, I didn't want to pressure her into something that she don't want to do, to be honest, I don't think we'd hit that step for a while." I smile lightly thinking back to that night.

"Well how was she? Jason asks furthers, this guy.

"Perfect." It's the only word I can think of to both describe it and still keep things out of their minds.

~ ~ ~

I spent half an hour outside waiting for Hadley, her car assent in the lot so I assumed she must have gotten to school some other way. I get tired of waiting for her and finally just call her on her cell. It rings a few times then goes to her voicemail, I try another three times and she never answers.

I start to panic so I jump in my car and drive straight over to Hadley's apartment. He car is parked outside. I get out of the car and slam the door close. I walk into the downstairs store, her dad and Oliver are both standing behind the counter. All her dad does is point upstairs.

I walk up the stairs and open her door, I hear a soft sobbing coming from the room that she must be in. I monomer my way to her door and knock softly. When I open the door Hadley is balled up on the bed face stained with tears. I rush to her side and kneel beside her bed.

I stricken her head," doll, what's wrong"

She lets a another few tears slide down her red cheek. I wipe them away with my thumb.

"Hadley you've got to tell me what's up or I can't help." She covers her face with her hands and cries softly. I continued to play with her hair in an attempt to calm her down.

"I was kicked out." She whispered between light sobs. I don't know what she was talking about. "They claim I cheated on that math test, I lost my scholarship and they kicked me out." She lets out and her crying gets harder.

"How could they ever think you cheated?"I couldn't even believe they would accuse her of that.

"I ... I don't know, they su... suspected because I got 100..., rather then 60 like the rest of ... of the class." She stuttered.

I motioned her to sit up so I could slip onto the bed. She lay on me and I cradled her in attempt to protect her from the harm of the world, I could feel her sobbing, as she cried her whole body shook. I continued to run my hand through her hair and massage her arms and back.

"It's okay, we'll figure it out. I'll get you back in that school." I tell her. She burrows her face into my chest and I kiss the top of her head.