Kota opens the door and I walk out of the nurse's office with him and Paprika. The halls are quickly emptying of students.

Paprika says a mean word and runs off down the corridor. I look to Kota confused with his strange friend.

Seeing my unspoken question, Kota says, "Nathan's class is on the other side of the school."

Why does he keep calling him Nathan?! I already know how real name! I huff and blow the hair out of my face. Or at least I try to. It just falls back in my face. Kota looks amused but doesn't say anything. His attitude is making me grumpy. I stick my tongue out at him and his darken before he looks away. Good, now we are both grumpy. That is what darkened eyes mean, right?

I walk stiffly because I don't want to bleed all over my clothes and stain them. Good thing I am super sneaky about it and Kota doesn't notice.

I smile at how sore my back, belly, and throat are. I follow Kota in the classroom and sit behind a stunned Corey. Oh no. I hope he isn't a zombie too. Take my notebook out and a large pencil set. I came prepared. I am my notebook and Corey turns around slightly red in the face.

"Hi Sang," he said smiling.

I quickly write down on the paper,

Hi Corey! My voice is gone today, sorry.

I point at the paper and he reads it quickly.

"Are you okay?" He asks distressed.

I nod with a big smile on my face. He can be my pretend friend too! Now I have three pretend friends: Kota, Paprika, and Corey.

The teacher starts the science lesson. Apparently, it is difficult or something because everyone is focused and asking questions and have confused looks on their faces.

I begin to draw a picture of my planet. I named it Triopolis because it has trio in the name and Sarah and Star and I are a trio. The sky is a beautiful magenta color and the plants and animals unlike ours. I am so glad a brought my pencils!

I take my time and go into tiny detail and blend the colors carefully. I am drawing up a storm and working myself into an art-crazed fervor.

I draw until, twenty minutes into the class, the lead of the magenta pencil breaks! I need it for the sky! I frantically search my pink backpack for a nonexistent pencil sharpener.

"What do I do?!" I shriek frantically in my mind. I must finish my masterpiece! It is important! More important than life! More important than candy! More important than—wait. No. Nothing is more important than ice cream. Nothing.

"Calm down, darling," Sarah cooes. "You're okay. Just ask that blonde haired boy, Luke, if he has a sharpener. Slip him a note. Star will help you so no one notices."

I do as she says and write,

Luke,

Please help me! I have a pencil emergency! My pencil broke and this picture is important!

Thank you so much, Sang

I fold the paper into an origami unicorn and have Star send the note over. She flies it over and lands it so that it is standing on his notes. I wait impatiently for him to notice and fidget as it takes him longer than a second.

***

Luke's POV

I scribbled notes down angrily. I was so annoyed. My candy stash was missing and it wasn't even North who stole it! This confusing AP science class wasn't my idea either. Kota somehow talked me into it. I'll never let him do that again!

Sure, I am smart enough to get it, but I don't want to put into the effort. If I weren't at least a little intelligent, I wouldn't be able to survive the mafia. Raven can manage even though he isn't fluent in English because he is such a good fighter and so strong. However, I am a thief so I need to be a little book smart and street smart.

My eyes flicked up to the teacher and I went to write on my paper again, but a ****ing unicorn was standing on my paper! What the ****?! I noticed the writing on it and it seems to me that someone sent me a note. I reluctantly went to open it, not wanting to ruin the unicorn, but stopped myself just in time. I noticed that the writing is all on the outside, just sort of twisted.

I read the note. And reread. A pencil emergency? I looked for a name but don't see one. I twisted it around and look carefully. There! Sang wrote this? I smiled, happy that Sang wrote to me. I know that I just met her, but I was kind of sad that I didn't see her at all yesterday after this class. I looked up and saw Sang fidgeting in her seat.

All I could was stare. Yesterday we could all see how beautiful she is, but today is something else. Instead of the adorable and slightly immature clothes, as she was wearing a mature and hot outfit that looked sexy without being or looking slutty. It highlighted everything it was supposed to and her long pink hair is down.

Sang looked better than chocolate.

Sang noticed my staring causing my ears to turn red. However, she just pointed at a broken pencil looking slightly frantic.

This jarred me out of my Sang-induced daydream and I remembered the note. I dug through my light blue backpack and tossed her the black sharpener that I stole from North.

Sang caught it easily and beamed at me sending me into another daydream...

***

Sang's POV

I am so happy he had a sharpener that I could borrow. I giggle silently at his daydreaming look. I know that look from wearing it myself. Whatever daydream he is in, it's a good one.

I sharpen my magenta pencil with a smile and take my time and finish my masterpiece. I sign my name in the corner and gently close my notebook. I stuff it and the pencil set into my backpack. I set Luke's sharpener on the corner of my wooden desk, planning on giving it back at the end of class.

I follow Luke's example and lose myself in a daydream as I finger the carvings that students have put in the dark brown wooden desk over the years until Ms.Smith passes out a worksheet.

I have Sarah take over and she fills it out quickly. Sarah and Star are both geniuses and they pay attention to every little detail. They are super helpful, and not just for schoolwork. I slip the paper in the metal basket for homework and make my way to my seat once more. Corey turns around to face me as students begin to quietly work together.

"How do you get done so quickly? You did the same yesterday. And where did you go for the rest of the day?"

I give a small smile and a shrug. What can I say? The voices in my head control me? I know I'm a little crazy, but not that crazy or stupid.

Corey looks at me suspiciously before dropping it. I write on the paper from my sparkly pink notebook, I like your shirt! But but are you really a geek?

His shirt is cool! It is bright yellow with black 1's and 0's spelling out 'geek' in binary. Corey reads the note and looks at me with wide eyes.

"You can read binary?" Corey asks in an awed voice.

I nod. Luke I said, Star and Sarah can be very helpful. Corey just sorta stared at me with a distant look in his eyes. I take it you like computers, I write.

Corey blushes and nods. "I'm pretty good with computers." I smile. We pretend friends found something in common with each other! I love messing with computers with Star and Sarah! At home, however, we have to settle for just messing around with clocks and any broken appliances and pieces of technology that don't work at all.

The bell rings making Corey jump. I once more slide my notebook in my backpack and pick up Luke's sharpener. I walk over and give him a smile and hand him the sharpener and a thank you note. I walk out into the hall behind Corey, Luke, and Kota.

"What class do you have next?" Kota asks.

I point to the math class that I will be in.

Kota looks disappointed, but I don't know why. "Oh, with Mr. Weiland?"

I nod. So that's how you say his name. Not that I will be talking today. Luke beams at me.

"We have math together!" Luke announces buzzing with excitement making me wonder if he was able to sneak eating candy in class. "Do you pay attention in math?"

I shake my head with fervor. I hate school and learning and other boringness. I am so grateful that Sarah and Star so that for me. They all laugh, especially Luke, his chocolate eyes twinkling.

"Oh good, we can not pay attention together, Cupcake!" He laughs.

Did he just call me cupcake?! I love cupcakes! He must be my pretend friend too! I feel popular!

I wonder what kind of cupcake I am. I have only had two kinds, I once had a carrot cake one and a red velvet cupcake. Both had delicious frosting on top.

I beam at him and they all seem dazed again. I huff. Is this going to be a regular occurrence?

"Why do they keep doing this? I am not sure anymore that they are zombies."

Sarah thinks and carefully suggests, "Maybe it like the animals. You know when you sing? And when they listen to your orders? And how they will do almost anything to find you?"

I think that over making sure to not strain my brain. (Hey! That rhymed!)

We finally get to the AP math class after pushing through the hallway. Kota and Corey say goodbye and continue on.

Luke opens the door for me and wiggled his eyebrows and says while bowing, "After you, my Cupcake."

I giggle causing a proud grin to spread across his face. I curtsy and walk through the door still giggling. Just like on the bus, silence falls in the room, but I don't really notice, I am too busy looking for an open seat.

Noticing this, Luke points at two empty seats right next to each other in the far corner at the back of the classroom. I walk to them and take off my backpack. I pull out my notebook and the teacher comes over.

He is super handsome and way younger than I would have thought. He has two different colored eyes—one is blue and the other green and both have yellow in them. His soft brown hair is neatly combed to the side and he has a strange a smile splitting his face.

I want to groan. Everyone that I have met today is way taller than me!

"Hello, I am the teacher for this math class. My name is Marc Weiland. Let me knowing there is anything at all that I can do for you," he greets me.

Oddly enough, I see that Luke is glaring at him.

I smile and write down as fast as I can without Star's help, Hi, Mr. Weiland! I'm so sorry, but I lost my voice so I cannot speak.

He reads it and looks to Luke. Concern is written in his face. He gives Luke a look that says, Is this true? Is there anything I can do?

Luke nods and gives a look that means, There is nothing you can do now. Ask doc if you want to learn more.

I huff again. Why don't they just say their stupid conversation out loud?!

Luke and Mr. Weiland give me a confused look. I roll my eyes and plop down in my chair.

A deep voice behind me asks, "So Luke, are you going to introduce us?"

Luke rolls his eyes. "Cupcake, this is North Taylor, my little brother. North, this Sang. She lost her voice so don't expect her to talk."

I turn and see his little brother. Tall, dark, muscular, and handsome, he was probably intimidating, but I don't think that I have ever been scared of someone. I give him a grin and notice the calluses on his folded hands. So this is the North that is going to fix the car problems that made Paprika and Kota take the bus.

He is strong and obviously strong. He has dark brown hair and !watching eyes. He is wearing all black and a small scowl.

He seems surprised and a little stunned, but I don't understand why. I hate this! I hate not knowing what is going on and it feels like I am missing something big.

Luke seems surprised as well and sits down next to me as Mr. Weiland starts the lesson, warning us that we will have a quiz at the end of class.

Mr. Weiland starts teaching, and I start writing.

So, how long are Kota and Paprika going to be riding the bus?

I hand it back to North Star without looking and talk about my schedule with Sarah and Star until the paper lands on my desk.

Under my question is not an answer, but a question, Who is Paprika?

I answer him, Kota's redhead friend. I thought you were friends with him too.

You mean Nathan?

No. Duh. Paprika is his real name.

His reply takes longer this time.

Moving on... What makes you think that I have anything to do with me? Did they say anything?

No, but I overheard the words "car problems" and your name.

So you just assumed?

No, I know. Especially since you are avoiding the question. Plus, the calluses on your hands show that you work with cars. Not to mention you have a spot of grease on the shoulder of your shirt.

Again, North Star takes his time writing.

Normally, I just work on bikes, but our friend who does the cars has been pretty sick lately.

Aren't you going to ask how me and Luke are brothers and how he is older than me?

I scoff internally. Finally! He admits it.

I write, No, it is obvious that you are have brothers and he is six months older. Just because you are bigger doesn't mean you are older.

As impressed as I am, I am also confused. How the **** is this obvious?

I narrow my eyes. How dare North Star write a mean word on my paper?! I scribble it out angrily.

His skin is clearly six months older than your skin and you guys are like light and dark opposites, but not quite. Your dark eyes are the biggest giveaway that you guys share blood, but not that much so you are most likely half brothers.

I pass him the paper and he reads it before stuffing the paper in his bag because there is no space left to write anymore.

Mr. Weiland announces the time and passes the quiz out to the rows. When the girl in front of me hands me the last two for our row, I take one and hand the other back to North Star.

Star fills out the two pages and the extra credit question on the third quickly. I flip my quiz closed eyeballing the staple. One of the ends is sticking out and will probably poke someone. Oh well.

I make sure my name is on it and add some leaves to the letters making my name look like a vine. I eye my artwork and give a pleased nod.

I stand and walk up to Mr.Weiland who is texting and hand him my paper. He looks startled and takes it and starts to grade it as I walk back to my seat. I start talking about songs with Star and our favorites until the end of class.

North Star and Like stand as I do and they look at me.

"Why did you not pay attention and not even try on the test?" North Star asks with his deep voice.

I feel myself getting annoyed again. What do they not get about the fact that I. Can't. SPEAK! It's not like I have to try either. North Star is just assuming that I failed. I know for a fact that I got a perfect score because of Star.

Luke notices my frustration and asks, "Hey, Cupcake, what class do you have next?"

I point to the class down the hall.

"Literature? Government? Economics? History?" Luke guesses since he can't tell which class I am pointing at, stopping when I nod my head yes about history.

Him and North Star exchange looks once more, but I don't pay attention. I am too busy pushing through hallway crowded ocean of students and avoiding letting anyone touch my back. I don't want to stain my pretty pink shirt with blood. Pain races throughout me with every step I take.

I kick someone in my way with boots and a smile as they help and move out of the way.

"Well, I guess we'll see you later, Cupcake," Luke says disappointed.

North Star grunts out a goodbye.

Luke goes to leave but stops and turns around with hope in his eyes.

"Will you sit with us at lunch, Cupcake?" Luke asks.

I nod happy that he thought to invite me and he gives me a huge smile that makes my heart flutter.

I open the door to my next class as North and Luke head to their class.