"Allen?"

"Here," I raise my hand not really paying any attention. It is 2:15 and the last class of the day. Why is high school so dreary?

Freshmen year was like a dream. More freedom, new school, new girls, but now Senior year is here and it's like wtf am I doing.

"Bueler? Bueler?"

It the first day of the last year of my childhood. Sitting in English I try not to doze as my elderly English teacher talks about Shakespeare, Fitzgerald, and Hawthorne. He is suddenly cut off as the door opens.

My head is planted firmly on my desk. I vaguely hear the teacher talk to the person interrupting his inspirational lecture. My interest is spiked as the chair next to mine is scraped across the floor.

My table is in the far back of the room. The teacher not being well in the sight department can't see back here. "Hi," a soft voice whispers to me.

My head snaps up to meet the most beautiful [eye color] eyes. I am aware of my hair sticking up in every direction, but I suddenly get a boost of confidence. "Hi. I'm Barry," I nod to your notebook, "What a beautiful name."

Blushing furiously you bend your head so that your [long/short] [curly/straight] hair falls like a halo around your face. "Thank you." You pretend to look up at the board, but the teachers voice falls flat. "Where did you move from?" Barry asks. "How did you?" You turn you gaze back to him. He is handsome. His crazy hair gives him a sort of edge causing your face to heat once again. "Well I would definitely remember a pretty girl such as yourself," he bends his head down, even through the teacher wouldn't hear him if he were shouting, so that his breath is blown on your neck.

Sucking a deep breath in you turn your eyes to him. Your mouths centimeters from each other. "[Home State]."

Looking down at the paper you picked up on your way in you read over this years syllabus. "English is perfectly dreary," Barry says beside you squirming in his seat. "With the right teacher its not," you turn your gaze on him as his eyes rest on your neck. "I guess so," he responds with a shrug. "I've always been partial to science though." You chuckle turning your full body toward him. He looks at you with an amused expression. "Now what's so funny miss [last name] ?"

Shaking your head with a huge smile plastered on your face you respond, "now science is a dreadfully boring subject." He look offended and then fakes being shot. "I'm wounded!" He nearly shouts, earning a stern glare from a girl in the third row. "You are wounded?" You mock. "What about Nathaniel Hawthorne?" You exclaim with a small playful smile. "The man was a magician. He wrote entire chapters with not one single word spoken from his characters," both of you lean in, "and yet you are drawn so far into his world you can hear the characters speak. You are taken back into there past and forward into their future. Now Mr. Allen that far out weighs and equations or organisms."

Tilting your head slightly your tongue darts out to wet your suddenly dry lips. "Hawthorne?" Barry mocks, "did he direct Easy A?" Bringing your palm to your face you let out a hopeless laugh.

"Now that was a good movie, but science is the bases of everything. It is a source used by doctors, police, forensics, and many more. With out it the world would be in utter chaos." Your heads are almost touching.

"And without authors such as Hawthorne love would be meaningless, life question less, and absolutely boring!" You exclaim.

"Lets combine them then. You teach me and I'll teach you. Together we will be unstoppable," Barry whispers in my ear. His closeness causes your breath to catch in your throat.

Pulling back he straightens his legs back under the table and stares ahead leaving you absolutely an utterly breathless.

The bell pierces the air cutting off the teacher. "What are you doing?" Barry asks me. Standing I look at him confused, "gathering my stuff. That is what one typically does when the school bell rings." Rolling his eyes he corrects himself, "no after you leave. What are you doing after school?" Smiling I respond, "just going to Big Belly Burger." Grabbing my bag I head to the door.

Turning around at the last second, "and in case your quality education has failed you Mr. Allen that is an invitation." Disappearing into the Hall way I stare through the tile ceiling. "Senior year."

________________

"Dad," I shout tossing my backpack on the stairs. Looking into the living room I pop my head into my parents bedroom. "Yes," He has his head buried in his computer with his phone on speaker, a conference on mute that he is no doubt not paying any attention to. "I'm..." looking at him I frown. His eyes haven't looked up once. "I'm going to eat Dinner out." "Okay, your mother will be late tonight too." His fingers start flying signaling his mind transferring to something else.

"Okay," I whisper turning around. Grabbing my keys and purse I head to my future.

Looking around I can't help but compare it to Pop's Diner. Finally I spot Barry. He is faced toward the door, but he hasn't spotted me yet. He is studying something in front of him. He is dressed like a nerd straight from DC Comics, yet he has a brokenness that is apparent in the way he talks and moves that can only be portrayed by a living breathing human. I can't help the small smile that befalls my lips. The broken are the most beautiful.

"[name]," his eyes notably light up as he sees me. Nodding to his booth I ask playfully, "can I join you?" "Of course you can. Who am I to turn to turn down a pretty lady offering to share dinner with me." Rolling my eyes I sit down. The thing that held his attention when I walked in was a picture, one stuck in his phone case. "She's gorgeous," I say is awe. The woman truly is. Her red hair reminds me of my neighbors and an old friend. Looking down at the picture he acts to have noticed it for the first time.

"It's my mom." Dragging a finger along her face he continues, "She was murdered when I was young." I nod, I have of course been filled in on the town gossip wheel but if anything my hometown taught me not all rumors are true. "But of course you probably know that." He looks up at me waiting. Waiting for the accusations. "No," I shake my head, "I mean I've heard, but that's not true. Those are twisted tales made up by people who seek amusement. This is your family your story and only your word is the truth." His tongue licks his chapped lips. "You are one hell of a girl, you know that?"

Smiling I fold my hands on top of the table. "That's what I have been told."

We talked for hours. Neither of us being called back home we sat and shared our stories. Learned each other's quirks. "Stop laughing at me!" I joke. Dipping my fries in my milkshake. "You eat one thing at a time and don't allow any of your food to touch yet you put your French fries in your shake?" His face is one of disbelief. "Yes , because it's delicious. Here," dipping another fry in my shake, "try it." Leaning across the table I hold the fry as he opens his mouth.

I pause as his lips close around the fry. We are so close. I can feel his breath. He leans in slightly. Closing my eyes I anticipate his lips on mine, but there is a sudden looming presence very near. "Iris!" Opening my eyes I see a pretty dark skinned girl. Sitting back in my seat I watch the conversation in silent shock.

I vaguely i hear Barry introducing us but I catch Iris's blow off. As soon as she moves on with a boy on her heels Barry grabs my hand and pulls me from the booth.

"Iris?" I ask as we walk down to the park. My car still parked at the restaurant. Sitting on a swing Barry stands behind me hands on the chains. "Shes my sister in a sense." Looking up I stare into his eyes urging him on. "Her father, Joe, took me in after my father was...taken in." Nodding I look down at my boots. "You know I had a crush on Iris in Elementary School and she was completely oblivious yet now it's the opposite she's the one who can't decide and I've," He pauses causing me to look back at him once more, "moved on." His eyes lock with mine.

Leaning down his lips meet with mine in a Spider-Man esk. kiss. The electricity is electrifying. Breaking the kiss for only a slight second I hop out of the swing and against Barry. Our lips once again colliding. Pulling back, his hands on my hips, "yah, totally over it." With a hand pressed against his cheek I kiss him once more.

Slowly leaning back I run my hands down his shirt until I acquire enough fabric to hold on to, "You think you can handle a girl with smarts that rival your own?" "Is that a challenge?" His eyes shoot up as I back away from him. "Yes," I then take off running with playful laughter falling from my lips. His quick feet soon follow me. Chasing me around the slide and swings he soon encircles his arms around my waist.

"Looky there Central City's very own Flash Boy."