"nnalyn!" I hear mum yelling from downstairs.

Crap, she used the full name.

"Do you think I'm in trouble?" I ask Molly and she covers her face with her paw.

"Thank you, Molly," I say sarcastically.

"Coming, Mum!" I yell back, closing the textbook and going downstairs.

"Um...mum?" I look around for her in the empty living room.

"In the kitchen," her loud voice comes from the other room and I walk to the kitchen, then I peek inside to find mum waiting for me with her arms crossed.

"Hi, Mum," I smile nervously, walking further inside.

"I got a call from Principal Collins today," she tells me.

I gulp. "You did?"

"She said that you punched a boy at school," her eyebrows raise in question.

"I did?" I let out a nervous chuckle.

"Annalyn," she states firmly.

"Okay, so I may have kinda sorta punched Seth," I tell her truthfully.

"Oh...well in that case, I'm proud of you, sweetie," she smiles at me.

"You are?" I grin.

"Yes. I mean, after everything that boy did to you, he deserved it. Tell me what happened," she grabs a stool chair and takes a seat on it, clutching the mug of tea in her hands.

I explain everything to her in detail and when I'm done, she gives me a smile and sets her mug down. "Something is going on with Luke?"

"What do you mean?"

"You seem to be, I don't know, attracted to him?" She guesses.

"It's that obvious, right?" I say, drawing random invisible shapes on the kitchen island with my finger.

"Well, anyone could tell, honey. The way your eyes light up whenever you mention him and the way you talk about him, I'd say you are really attracted to him," she smiles.

"He's dating Jennie though, Mum. I don't think he will ever like me back," I mumble, looking down.

"Maybe he's dating Jennie now, but there will come a day when he realizes that you are the right one. I'm going to give you a small advice, sweetie. The more that a person hides his feelings for someone, the more that he falls for them," she tells me, emphasizing 'he'.

"I really dislike feelings," I complain.

Mum laughs. "Feelings do suck sometimes, but they are one of the most beautiful things in this world, just like you."

I smile at her and get off of the chair to hug her. "Thanks, Mum."

"Anytime, baby," she kisses the top of my head.

She holds me out at arm length. "But you're still grounded."

"What?"

"It's not right to punch someone whenever you feel like it, even if you don't like that person," she says.

"But, mum," I whine.

"I'm just trying to be a good parent, sweetie."

"You can be a good parent without grounding me," I smile innocently.

"It's only for a couple of weeks," she insists.

"But I have that fundraiser thingy next Thursday," I inform her.

"You can go to the fun fair, but you have to come back home before ten in the evening," she replies.

"What about the camping trip on the twenty eighth?"

"You won't be grounded anymore then," she grins.

"Fine," I sigh.

"How hard did you punch Seth?" She asks, taking a sip from her tea.

"I broke his nose," I smile cheekily.

"That's my daughter," mum smiles back.

| | | |

It's Valentine's Day.

I wasn't expecting the school to go overboard with the whole lovey-dovey day thing, but boy, was I wrong. There are hearts. Everywhere. Red and pink. Everywhere. The cheerleaders usually take care of the decorations in school and they did a pretty good job in decorating the hallways, but this is a whole other level.

"Why is it so...gross?" Colette grimaces as we stand by her locker. Colette is a huge hater of pink. She despises it. She thinks that it's a blinding color with no importance.

"Valentine's Day," Sophie tells her.

"I know that, but was the unicorn barf necessary?" She gestures to the decorations.

"This school should celebrate Single Awareness Day more than Valentine's Day. It's only fair," Riley pitches in.

"I don't think anyone cares about that day, except us," I say.

"Yeah," the three of them sigh.

"I'm guessing there will be a gig today then," Sophie tells us.

"About that..." I trail off and they turn to me, frowning.

"I got grounded," I inform.

"Why?" Riley asks.

"Because I punched Seth and my mum is trying to be a good parent," I reply.

"She is a good parent though," Lottie points out.

"She's not convinced by that. She thinks that because she started attending zumba classes, she will become a bad parent."

"Your mom takes zumba classes?" Sophie asks in surprise.

"Yes. She said that she wants to improve her dancing skills and I quote 'Even your mum needs some booty-shaking time'," I repeat mum's words.

"I mean, she's not wrong," Riley shrugs.

"She practices at home. In shorts and a top," I shudder at the image. "And I can't even watch the TV whenever she's practicing because she starts throwing her slipper at me. That is so not okay."

The three of them snort. "Yeah, laugh it off like you want," I roll my eyes.

"On the bright side, your mum is going to be a pretty good dancer," Sophie says cheerfully.

"What does that have to do anything with me?" I ask.

"It doesn't. It's just a bright side," she tells me.

"Good enough," I shrug convinced.

I let my eyes wander around. The whole place is filled couples. It's like now I'm noticing that this school has a lot of non-single people. Don't get me wrong, the school's couples are super cute and I'm a strong shipper of like 98% of them, but they give you that lonely as fudge feeling.

The bell's ringing chimes through the halls and Riley groans. "When is lunch going to come?" She asks.

"It's right after this session," I reply.

She lets out a whoop. "I'll see you guys in an hour," she hugs us before she skips to the end of the hall with enthusiasm.

"Your class is the other way!" Sophie shouts after her and I watch as Riley turns around and skips the other way, passing by us.

"Bye, guys," I hug Colette and Sophie.

"Bye, Lyn," Sophie waves at me when I pull away and I head to Biology class.

| | | |

"Thank you all for being here today, especially Lucas, thank you for joining us," Zach announces, putting his locked hands on the table.

"You're the one who dragged me here," Luke says.

"Well, I'm quite an amazing person, if I do say so myself," he smiles smugly.

Luke rolls his eyes. "What do you want, shithead?"

"Today is a very special day. It's Single Awareness Day," he starts.

"Um, Single Awareness Day is still tomorrow," I notify him.

"Yes, but we're celebrating it today because we're all single here, except you," he points at Luke. "But we're just going to pass you as a single Pringle today."

"Okay," Luke drawls out slowly.

"Anyways, I just wanted to say that I appreciate you all and I'm so glad I have you as my closest, dearest friends," Zach fake sniffs and Alex hands him a tissue with a dry look on his face. Zach blows his nose in the tissue.

'What?' I mouth to Alex in confusion and he shrugs.

"Even though, today is a day about love and all that cheesy shit that couples brag about," he waves his hand off with an emotionless expression, then he smiles widely again. "It's also a day about appreciating the people that are close to you and for that, I thank you for being one of those people. And yeah, that's it," he scratches the back of his neck and squints at nothing as if he's trying to remember something.

The girls, Alex and I start clapping to give him a bit of boost up and Zach smiles. "Thank you."

"Is that why you brought me here?" Luke raises an eyebrow.

"And to spend time with us, of course. I thought we were best friends," Zach places his hand on his heart.

"Aside from that, that's everything?"

"Yes," Zach grins, nodding and Luke sighs from beside me.

I chuckle. "Where's Jennie?" I ask Luke.

"She left to help with the carnival preparations," he answers and I nod.

"How's your face?" I point at his face. There are still a couple of bruises here and there and his jaw is a fadish blue/purple color.

"Better than yesterday," Luke smiles. "Thanks, Cherries." I smile back at him in response.

"I'm so glad you guys made up," Sophie says, smiling.

"I'm just glad that you broke Seth's nose," Colette differs and the rest nod along.

"You broke his nose?" Luke questions.

"Yup," I show him my bruised knuckle. Yes, it hurt like a female poodle. Yes, my knuckle turned numb. And yes, I was overdramatic about it and held it over my head every time I did something with my hands.

"Damn, Cherries," Luke smirks and I grin.

"Does that hurt though?" He asks, gesturing to the bruise on my hand.

"Like a female shih tzu," I nod.

"I heard that Seth got suspended for a week," Sophie tells us. "He won't be coming to the trip, but Principal Collins is letting him attend the fundraising event."

"At least, we won't see his face for two weeks," Alex says.

"The trip is a whole week?" I question.

"Yeah," he answers.

"Interesting," I mumble.

"We should go somewhere today," Zach declares.

"I'm grounded," Luke and I say.

"You guys can go somewhere without us though," I offer.

"No, Leni, we have to all be together," he reaches out and places his hand on my shoulder.

"Not necessarily, no," Luke disagrees.

"You're a mood killer," Zach sighs, retracting his hand back. "You guys are up for a movie night?" He asks the rest.

The girls look at me hesitantly. "Would you stop looking at me like that and live your life? I'm grounded, not prisoned," I tell them.

"But-" Riley starts.

"They're going," I answer Zach for the girls. "Without 'buts'," I look pointedly at Riley.

"Fine," Colette, Sophie and Riley mutter and I smile.

| | | |

Bark! Bark!

"Molly, wait up!" I shout after her as I run down the stairs. I miss the last stair and slip down, my back landing on the stairs. I groan and lay my head back.

It's official. This world hates me.

Molly stops for a moment and turns around to look at me, then she continues running to the door that wouldn't stop ringing.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" I yell. "Geez, people."

I stand back up and rub my back before I go and open the door to find Luke standing there with his finger hovering over the doorbell.

I take notice of the circular glasses resting on his nose. "Since when do you wear Harry Potter glasses?" Is the first thing I ask him.

"I don't know. Ask my mother," he shrugs.

"You're annoying, by the way," I tell him.

"I know," he responds.

"What do you want–wait, aren't you grounded?"

"I am," he replies.

"So, what are you doing here?" I squint my eyes at him.

"I got bored and you're the closest person that lives near me and I know that my mom wouldn't mind, so here I am," he answers. "Can you let me inside? I'm kind of freezing here."

"Sorry," I step aside and he walks inside, then I close the door. Molly barks happily and hops up and down as soon as she sees Luke.

"Yup, she's definitely in love with you," I laugh, locking my hands behind my back as I watch Molly stand on her hind legs and place her paws on Luke's leg as her own version of a hug.

Luke lets out a chuckle and crouches down to scratch her tiny head before he stands up straighter. "Let me guess, nobody is home?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"And nobody will be," I say. "Mum's staying at grandpa's, my brothers all have their own thing and you know my dad."

"You stay alone?" He questions.

I nod. "It happens a lot," I tell him.

"Don't you feel lonely?"

"Nope, I have Molly and you kinda just get used to it after many times," I respond. "You never stayed home alone?"

"I did, but not that much," he replies.

I notice Luke's attire which is a pair of grey sweatpants and a white t-shirt. "Did you seriously walk here in that?"

"If you're expecting me to get fully dressed for a thirty second walk, then you're deadass wrong," he snorts.

I take a step closer to Luke and place the back of my hand on his cheek and notice how cold it is. "You're really freezing. I should get you something to drink."

Luke takes my hand off of his face, but he doesn't let go of it. "I'm fine, Cherries. Don't worry."

"Nope. I'm going to make you some hot chocolate," I decide, letting go of his hand.

"I'm allergic to chocolate," he informs me.

"Oh," I simply reply. "Well, I'll make you some tea then."

"Sounds great."

I let go of his hand to walk inside the kitchen with Luke following me and Molly's paws' patting against the floor behind me.

I open the cupboard and grab two mugs, placing them on the counter along with a pack of marshmallows. I start making the hot chocolate by heating up the milk and melting the chocolate bars. I also start heating up water and get out a tea packet.

"Do you want something to eat?" I turn to Luke to find him gobbling down the marshmallows that I placed on the kitchen island.

"I'm going to take that as a no," I answer for him and he nods, stuffing his face with more marshmallows.

"Okay, that's enough. Leave some for my hot chocolate," I take the bag from him, laughing.

"There are only six left," he points out. "I'll just eat the rest."

"No, you eat two and I get four," I determine.

"You get two and I eat four. Ever heard of generosity, Cherries?" Luke questions, teasingly.

"Ever heard of 'ladies first', idiot?" I challenge him.

He shoots his hand out to take the bag from me, but I hold it up high above my head. Luke reaches up and snatches the bag from me, then I smack it out of his hand and catch it before it falls on the floor, smiling in victory at him.

He smirks and grabs my arm, pulling me towards him before snatching the bag back. If anyone saw us right now, they would think we're some kind of karate masters. It goes on likes this for seven minutes until I end up pressed against the fridge with Luke pinning my arms over my head against the refrigerator.

"How about fifty-fifty?" I offer in ragged breaths.

"We could have just done this from the beginning," he replies, breathing heavily. We chuckle breathlessly and Luke lets go of my arms, letting them drop by my sides, but he keeps his hands placed on the fridge beside my head.

I gaze into Luke's green eyes. "Your eyes are really beautiful," I blurt out before I realize what I just said and press my lips in a thin line.

"I know," he smirks.

"Are you always that egotistic?" I ask him.

"It depends," he answers, pushing my hair behind my ear.

I smile at him. "You're welcome then."

"I never said thank you."

"And I said you're welcome. Are we done, Catherine Obvious?"

"Victorious, really?" His eyebrow arches up.

"You know it?" I question in surprise.

"I used to live on that shit," he responds.

"Do you wanna watch it?" I grin.

"Sure," he shrugs.

"I will never get how we manage to divert from one subject to another."

"Neither will I."

I let out a small laugh and a low whine comes from behind Luke and he turns his head around, while I tilt my head to the left to find Molly resting on the floor with this smile on her face that every dog can do. Luke raises an eyebrow at me in question and I shrug.

I suddenly remember the hot chocolate and the heating water. "Crap." I push past Luke and I quickly get it off of the stove, then I turn the kettle off. I pour the hot chocolate in my mug and I put three marshmallows in it, then I make the tea for Luke, using the family's special 'chai' recipe.

I hand Luke his mug and he takes it with one hand as he puts up the bag of marshmallows over his face and gobbles down the left three before he throws the bag in the trash bin.

We both go outside with Molly following behind and take a seat on the couch. I place the mug on my the coffee table and grab the blanket that I got earlier, pulling it towards me and sharing it with Luke. I turn on the TV from the remote control and flip through the channels.

"Do you wanna watch something else until the show starts?" I ask Luke.

"Sounds good," he nods and takes a sip from his tea. "Wow, Cherries, that tastes really good."

"Thank you," I smile. "Are you fine with horror movies or I'll have to deal with high-pitched screams for the next two hours?" I joke.

"I'm fine with them," Luke laughs.

I find Insidious: Chapter 2 beginning on one of the channels and I place the remote on the coffee table, grabbing my hot chocolate.

"Just a small warning," I turn to Luke and he looks at me questioningly. "I laugh in horror movies, like I literally burst down laughing."

"That's scary, Cherries," he comments.

"Yeah, I know it's weird, but I can't help myself and I got banned from the cinema because of it," I tell him.

"Thanks for the warning. Now I won't have to wonder if you got possessed in the middle," he grins and I let out a laugh.

The movie starts and during the whole one hour and forty six minutes, I try not to laugh or cackle, I may have let out a couple of snorts at the demon's look and other things and Luke looked at me as if I'm crazy every time. After the movie ended, I switch the channel to Nickelodeon and I find Victorious just starting.

I don't know how do we still have reruns of that, but we have the old Nickelodeon that bring shows like Zoey 101, Victorious, Drake and Josh and ICarly. I feel quite lucky if you ask me, however we don't have the old Disney and I wish we did. I have to go to Sophie's to be able to watch The Jonas Brothers sometimes.

I begin to feel sleepy and I place my head on Luke's shoulder. "Do you want to sleep, Cherries?" He asks, his warm breath hitting my ear.

"No," I wave my hand off before I let out a yawn and I cover my mouth.

"Go to sleep," he chuckles, pulling the duvet closer to me.

"What about you?" I mumble.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry," he assures me in a low voice.

"Okay," I close my eyes and just as darkness takes over me, I hear Luke speaking up,

"Goodnight, Cherries."

| | | |

❀