"What did you and Gilinsky talk about?" Ethan asked, leaning up against a locker next to mine, chewing gum in his mouth.

"He just wants to talk with me in his office," I explained and paused at the remembrance of my teacher's request. "Now that you mention it, I gotta meet him first before I get to join you for lunch."

Ethan pushed himself off the locker and stood a a few inches from me, one hand raking his dark brown hair back. "I'll come with you," he offered.

My heart thumped when I noticed how little the space seperating us was and I couldn't stand straight. At that time, I started to have ideas about how supremely huggable Ethan was, that if hugs were food I would live just by hugging him. It was weird, wasn't it — to fantasize about hugging your best friend?

I flung the thoughts away into my brain's dumpster and hastily closed the locker after putting in my books. First daydreaming about doing the deed with him and now I'm wishing for random hugs? I could tell it was time for me to go incognito for a bit as I needed to rewire my brain.

"You don't have to. It'll be just a quick meeting," I answered back, hoping it'd make him break off the conversation.

"I can wait outside," he insisted, eyes pleading back at me and I felt like putting something over his mouth.

But instead of denying his request, I quirked up my eyebrows and leaned my head to the side at his suggestion. "Okay then."

Ethan furrowed his eyebrows in doubt and with a teasing smirk, he said, "You're making your fake agreeing face."

I was thrown off by his remark. "No, I did not," I fibbed.

Ethan scoffed at my answer, appeared dubious. "You can't fool me. I notice every little thing about you more than you know."

"There you are, my favorite boys!" Elle exclaimed, appearing suddenly and startling both of us.

Ethan jerked away from me and went to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling his girlfriend towards him in one smooth motion before he planted a kiss on her forehead. Elle reciprocated by grabbing his face down and pressed her lips against his. I felt like I was interrupting their PDA moment so I looked away.

"I'm starving. I feel like I could eat an entire buffet of whatever right now." Elle chuckled, panted hard between words while chewing on the bubble gum that Ethan had passed into her mouth.

Despite being a little grossed out, I returned her chuckle. Her boyfriend, however, didn't make any comment about her craving but I could sense his body tensing beside her.

"You two go ahead. I'll catch up with you guys later," I told the attractive couple. "I need to schedule an appointment with Mr. Gilinsky."

"How lucky. Let's go, sexy," Elle responded and delivered a slight slap on Ethan's butt causing him to jolt with green eyes going wide.

"You're going to regret that," Ethan grumbled in annoyance at her who had already sashayed away, giggling.

Ethan turned back at me and positioned his hands on both of my shoulders. "Don't be long, okay? I'll save you a seat," he said with a hopeful look in his eyes.

At my nod, Ethan pursued his girlfriend leaving me alone to comfortably exhale a chest-heaving sigh. I turned on my heel and headed toward Mr. Gilinsky's office in the teacher's office building.

Being a social failure, the thought of me and him in a room, protected from the eyes of the public got me overwhelmed with anxiety. What if I say something stupid and things get awkward between us?

It was fourth-period lunch, the students were all hurrying towards the cafeteria and soon the hallway was dead quiet. As I strolled down the corridor, I gripped the shoulder straps of my backpack tightly, and to break the eerie silence, I began humming a song under my breath.

My steps came to a standstill when out of the blue, somebody popped out in front of me. "Kaden?" I blurted out his name.

"So sorry for what we're about to do to you, man." He grinned down at me and I was totally lost at his unexpected apology.

At that, I was being hoisted into the air after two guys grabbed me from both sides of my arms. Shocked and confused, I tried to free myself at the same time, I snatched a look at the attackers. Just what I thought, both were football players.

"Where are you taking me? Put me down!" I fiercely demanded while they carried me to god-knows-where.

Kaden, who was currently leading the way spared me a glance. "If you keep your mouth shut, we might hurt you less," he said and I reluctantly did as I was told.