Dressed in her gym uniform, Carter walked out of the locker room and into the cool, spring air. Weak sunlight bathed the track and field in a whitish light. Clusters of students stood gathered on the track, their arms crossed against the chill breeze. She moved off to one side and started stretching. She was bent over her feet when a shadow appeared beside her.

"Owens, it's adorable how you always bow when I approach," Lucas said.

Carter rose, a hard look already dominating her features. Lucas smirked. She curled one fist and took a step forward.

"Miss Owen please refrain from assaulting your fellow classmate," her gym teacher called out.

Carter took a step back and raised her hands. Link and Donovan walked over to her, both glancing between her and Lucas. Carter dropped her hands as Lucas gave her a smug grin and moved away.

"What did he do this time?" Link asked.

"Nothing," she said. "I just don't like the way his face looks."

"That's usually why I get into altercations with people too," Link said.

Carter laughed, her dark expression vanishing.

"Alright class!" Mr. Danes said, cutting through the multiple conversations.

The class quietened and reluctantly turned towards their teacher.

"Today," he said. "You are running a mile and then playing a friendly game of flag football."

The class let out a round of groans.

"Okay, get to it!"

Mr. Danes blew his whistle and the class sluggishly moved into action. Carter slapped Donovan's arm with the back of her hand and nodded to an eager group of girls.

"Might want to watch out," she said. "They have a crazy look in their eyes."

Donovan glanced back. The girls all waved and giggled. He looked back at Carter and she smiled.

"Better get running," she said.

She broke away from the trudging pack of students and took off. The voices of her peers slowly faded as she gained distance from them. Around the track the first glimpse of spring's arrival appeared in the blossoming trees and the dots of green peaking up through the deadened leaves. From a distance could be heard the faint sounds of traffic.

Before long Carter was lapping her classmates. She weaved in and out of the gossiping groups of girls. The guys all looked at her, some impressed, other's petulant. As she neared where Link and Donovan ran side by side, she slowed. She spun around and continued running backwards.

"That's really all you got?" she asked, looking Donovan up and down. "Based on your muscle tone I expected a better display of physical endurance."

Donovan didn't respond except for a subtle flexing of his jaw. Carter grinned, noticing it.

"Come on Donovan," she said. "Scared for the first time in your life a girl might actually be better than you?"

Donovan met her gaze with cool, indifference. Carter shrugged and held her hands up.

"Alright, later slow poke."

She turned and increased her speed, outdistancing them. As she was coming around the curve she heard the sound of pounding footsteps racing up behind her. She laughed and pushed harder. Donovan inched closer to her. Carter forced her muscles to work faster keeping ahead of him.

They cut through layers of dawdling groups, dodging around them. They were neck and neck as they entered the last lap. As they raced towards where they had started Donovan pulled ahead. They bolted over the starting line and staggered to a halt. Slightly breathless, Carter moved closer to Donovan, grinning.

"I didn't think you had it in you," she said. "That's me wrong for once."

Donovan looked at her, the barest hint of sweat starting to form on his brow.

"I didn't think you would be able to keep up," he said, the first ever smile breaking across his face.

Carter shrugged and started walking, Donovan beside her, his composure returning.

"You wouldn't be the first male to think that." She twisted to Donovan. "You know something Donovan?" she said.

He looked at her, nothing but his eyes showing his curiosity.

"You're kind of cute when you're flirting."

The tiniest flash of surprise darted across Donovan's face. Carter laughed and started jogging.

"Come on," she called back. "Link must be lonely."

Donovan caught up with her, his face reverted to it's normal blank expression. Carter glanced sideways at him and he glanced back. When they reached Link, he gave them both a bored look.

"Did you have fun?" he asked.

Carter slowed to match his pace.

"Yes," she said. "I've been curious to see if Donovan flirts and now I know. Totally worth losing the race for."

Link laughed and Donovan flexed his jaw.

****************

The shrill sound of the whistle punctured the air. Carter, Link and Donovan already sat on the field as the rest of the students trickled in.

"I'm going to break you up into teams," Mr. Danes said.

"This should be interesting," Carter said.

The process was slow as students had to be told twice which team they were on. When the class was finally divided, Carter was on the team opposite Donovan and Link.

"Be careful," she said, heading to her team.

"Why?" Link asked.

She pointed to Donovan.

"I was talking to him," she said. "Mr. Danes might have said flag football but that doesn't mean some of these girls haven't been looking for the opportunity to tackle Donovan."

Link laughed and Carter grinned at the hint of a frown on Donovan's face. She jogged over to her team. A girl with a made up face and her black curls back into a high pony tail stepped over to Carter, a manicured hand resting on her narrow hip.

"Owens, do you honestly believe that Donovan will ever see you as anything other than a pathetic excuse for a girl?" the girl asked.

Carter turned a bored expression onto her.

"I don't know, Amber," she said, her voice mocking. "But has he even looked twice at you?"

Amber flushed under her makeup.

"You think because he hangs out with you that he likes you?" she hissed.

"No, but I don't care either way. Because unlike you I'm not desperately searching for some guy to make up for the fact that my dad ignores me."

Amber took another step forward, her face hard.

"I am not desperate," she said.

"No? Then why are you trying to intimidate me to get to a guy that has never shown you any interest. I suggest a therapist. At least they're paid to pay attention to you."

Amber sneered at Carter.

"Yeah, well at least I wasn't abandoned by a mother who couldn't even stand to be around me!"

Carter's eyes turned to steel as her face became terrifyingly calm.

"I would step back if I were you," she said, her voice a low growl.

Amber faltered back at the look in Carter's eyes, her own anger fading in the face of Carter's. Mr. Danes blew his whistle and the teams formed rough huddles, one of the guy's acting as captain. As he talked over the play, Carter forced herself to take a deep breath. As she exhaled she forced the images of her mother out of her head.

As the huddles broke apart, the class fell into an awkward formation. Half the students seemed distracted by their friends while the other half played half heartedly. As Carter predicted when Donovan had the ball a swarm of girls suddenly seemed completely invested in getting it back.

Towards the end of the class no one seemed to care much who won and who didn't.

As they set up for the last play, Carter was crouched down, facing Link. His team had the ball. The ball was hiked and Link took off running, moving past Carter. She easily kept pace with him. When he was thrown the ball, he snagged it and raced for the end zone, Carter hot on his heels.

As she was reaching for the flag around his waist she misstepped and crashed into him. They both tumbled to the ground, rolling over each other. When they eventually came to a stop Carter ended up on top of Link, both of them laughing. She pushed herself up and stared down at him. His glasses had come off and lay a few feet away.

Carter's smile froze as she stared at Link, her face inches from his. For the first time she could clearly see his eyes. Trapped within the hazel color were brown freckles. His face free of his glasses, Carter saw a different face entirely. Images of another familiar, famous face flashed in her mind, making Link's features take on a whole new meaning.

She blinked. A strong arm wrapped around her waist and snatched her up.

"And you said I was the one who needed to watch out for girls tackling me," Donovan said.

Still dazed by what she had just realized, Carter reacted by instinct. She brought up her left elbow to hit Donovan, but he blocked the move. She took hold of the hand wrapped around her waist and spun out of his hold, twisting his arm. Donovan countered the move and in a split second had her lock. Carter's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the move. A defensive military move her father had taught her. She looked up at Donovan, their eyes meeting.

He released her and they both took a step back. Link retrieved his glasses and slid them on.

"You alright, Carter?" he asked, giving her a puzzled look.

Carter looked between Link and Donovan, her mind reeling. Donovan stared at her, his face unreadable. After a second she nodded.

"Of course, fine. Sorry about tackling you," she said.

Link shrugged and winked at her.

"It's not the first time some girl has used that tactic to get close to me," he said.

Carter laughed, but it sounded hollow to her own ears. Mr. Danes blew the whistle.

"Class is dismissed for today. Go change," he said.

The class let out sighs of relief as they headed towards the locker rooms. Carter jogged off ahead of the group. Link looked to Donovan his expression puzzled. But Donovan was watching Carter disappear inside, a small frown dotting his features.

Girls had barely started changing back into their uniforms by the time Carter had changed into hers. She slammed her locker closed and rushed out of the locker room. Out in the hallway she leaned against the wall besides the boy's locker room. She watched as guys left, waiting.

When Link appeared she grabbed his wrist and dragged him towards the girls bathroom. She pushed him inside and locked the door. Link stumbled against a stall then righted himself. He turned to back to Carter, an amused smile playing across his face.

"You know I had a dream exactly like this," he said.

"Really?" Carter said. "Did it end with me stuffing your head in a toilet because that would be uncanny."

She moved through the bathroom, checking each stall. When she was sure the room was empty, she returned to where Link stood by the door, looking curious and lost.

"You want to explain to me why you literally dragged me in here?" he asked.

Someone tried the door handle then knocked on the door.

"Carter, let Link go," Donovan said.

Carter ignored him and stepped closer to Link. She studied his face, her conclusions solidifying in her head. Link fidgeted.

"Carter?" he asked, his voice hesitant. "You going to give me that explanation?"

Carter took a step back, frowning.

"I know who you are," she said.

Link laughed.

"I hope so, we've been hanging out for the last week and have four classes together."

Carter didn't join in with his laughter, her face serious.

"You're President Douglas's son."

**********************************************************************

Holy Talieto! 😱😱

Moment of honesty! What group are you in?

You saw it coming a mile away, it was so obvious you've been groaning at all the hints group?

You had an inkling about it but wasn't sure what the truth was group?

Or you were completely surprised and never saw it coming and the clues I put in were no where close to helpful group?

Please tell me because as an author I would really love to know!!

Okay now on to answering question time! First question I was asked was by the wonderful TheMelodyStar: How did you find Wattpad?

Answer: My sister. How she found it I have no clue. I decided to give it a shot and put up ASC, Every Second and Beyond The Barrier. If nothing came of it in six months I was going to bail. Haha, well, now I've almost been on for ten months and I'm still here with you wonderful people! So crazy how life happens!

Without further ado:

Go vote, comment and follow!

Also you can ask more questions and I will answer them in the author's note!