"Do I know you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, keeping my panic under control.

The best thing I could do was to pretend Oliver had mistaken me for someone else. Keeping my expression calm and confused, I pulled his hand away from my face and took a step back. Oliver rolled his eyes at me, pulling my license away as I tried to grab it from him.

"I'm not stupid. I know it's you."

"I don't know what you mean..."

"I'd recognize your baby face anywhere," Oliver commented dryly. "Even if you wear those glasses in class, it's obvious you're younger than you claim to be. Now I have proof."

"I-I don't..."

"Save it. I know it's you, 'Ms. Allen'."

I glared at the floor. Why, out of all of the students in my classes, did it have to be Oliver who found out? And so quickly! It was so unfair! I looked at him with a hard look. "You can't tell anyone!"

"Why not?"

"I might lose my job!" I told him, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Please, you can't tell anyone!"

"Why do I care whether you have a job or not?" Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow. "I could really care less."

"Oliver, please!"

"Care to explain why you're lying about your age then?"

"I need the money."

"Why?"

I set my jaw, narrowing my eyes at him. "None of your business."

Oliver looked surprised for a minute, but he quickly rearranged his features into a scowl. "Well then, it might just get around that you're actually only seventeen..."

My hands shook from anger as I glared at Oliver. As soon as my life actually started to work out for me, he had to ruin it. Tears stung at my eyes, and I blinked furiously to keep them spilling. He had no right to threaten me. He had no right to know about my past! I didn't want to tell him my parents were dead and that I had to care for Elliot and myself alone! That was for me to know about, and only me.

"Fine," I finally said, my voice shaking. "Tell everyone. Let them all know my true age and get me fired. Is that what you want? Since you hate me so much?"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Spare me the dramatics."

I opened my mouth to shout at him, but before I could say anything, a new voice spoke up.

"Leave Pig alone!"

Oliver's eyes snapped down to Elliot, who was standing in front of me with his chest puffed out. Elliot glared at Oliver, clenching his little fist.

"Who's Pig?" Oliver asked, looking at my brother curiously.

"My sister!"

"Her?" Oliver pointed his finger at me.

"Yes! Leave Pig alone!"

"Eli, it's fine," I told him quietly, putting a hand on his head. "I'm okay."

"No! Pig is not okay! Pig is crying!"

"Elliot, it's fine," I reassured him. "I'm not crying. We're just having a small argument."

"Olive, go away!" Elliot cried, pushing on Oliver's leg. "Leave Pig!"

I almost laughed. Olive? Oliver looked down at Elliot with a blank expression for a moment, and then, to my surprise, Oliver started laughing. He squatted down to Elliot's level, putting a hand on his head. Elliot moved out from under it, still glaring at Oliver.

"Does your sister cry easily?" Oliver asked Elliot.

"Yes! Leave Pig alone!"

"Elliot," I said with a grimace. "I don't..."

"Do you know why she's working at my school?"

I stared at Oliver with a deadpan look. Was he kidding? He was going to ask my little brother about me? Elliot didn't know anything!

"She caught on fire at her last job," Elliot told Oliver, a very serious expression on his face.

I held in my laughter, and put a hand to my mouth to keep it from escaping. Oliver looked at me, his eyes showing surprise.

"Really?"

"Really!" Elliot insisted, pushing Oliver's leg again. "Leave Pig alone!"

"What does that have anything to do with needing money? Obviously it isn't medical bills since you look fine to me," Oliver said, addressing me now.

"I didn't catch on fire," I told him with a sigh.

"Yes, Pig did!" Elliot cried, looking at me in surprise. "Pig! Don't lie!"

"No, Elliot, I was fired. Not I caught on fire."

Elliot stayed quiet, confusion on his face. A small chuckle left my lips as I shook my head. I should have explained this to Elliot before. Oliver watched me for a few moments before turning back to my brother.

"Okay, Elliot, I'll leave... Pig alone," he told my brother, mussing up his hair. "On one condition."

"Condition?" I repeated, staring at him in disbelief. "A condition? What condition?"

"You have to do anything I say for as long as I have to keep your secret for," Oliver said simply.

I stared at him incredulously. Was he crazy? Why would I agree to something like that? I finally shook my head, furrowing my eyes brows. "No..."

"No?"

"No! That's unfair! I'm asking you to keep my secret because I desperately need you to! There shouldn't be any conditions! You should just be a good person and keep my secret."

"I'm not a good person," Oliver told me, a short bark of laughter escaping his mouth.

"Obviously," I retorted before I could stop myself. "You're an insensitive jerk."

"Oh, that hurt," Oliver responded, putting a hand to his heart in mock pain.

I glared at him angrily again, clenching my fists. I really hated this guy. Why did he have to make my life so much harder? Maybe if I told him my conditions... No, I shook my head. Pity wasn't something I wanted.

"What kinds of things would I have to do?"

Oliver smirked at me. "I'm not sure yet. Whatever I need you to do. But don't worry, I don't like younger girls."

It took me a second to realize what he meant and I blushed, glaring at him again. "I wouldn't do that anyway!"

"Well you don't have to."

I glared at him again. "Fine. But you can't tell anyone!"

"Here, Pig," Oliver said, handing me my license. "From now on, I suggest being more careful when you go out in public. If someone else finds out, I doubt they'll be as accommodating as me."

"Anyone would be more accommodating than you," I rejoined. "And don't call me Pig!"

"Whatever, stupid."

"You-"

"Answer me this; Do the faculty know your true age?" Oliver questioned, cutting me off.

I hesitated for a moment, pursing my lips. "Just my uncle..."

"He's the principal, right?"

"Yeah..."

Oliver nodded, shaking his hair out of his face. "That's good."

I gave him a flat look. "Oliver, I can't help you get out of suspensions or detentions, or let you skip class. So if that's what you're thinking-"

"I know that, stupid," Oliver interjected, rolling his eyes.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I could tell this guy was going to give me a lot of stress. Why couldn't it have been Arden, or Zak, who'd found out? Heck, I'd even settle for Tucker. I could promise Tucker I wouldn't talk to him and that would be that.

"Oliver?"

My head snapped up to see a familiar blonde looking at me in surprise.

"Ms. Allen?"

My eyes widened in shock. "M-Melissa?"

"Get this Mel," Oliver said, turning to the blonde. "Our teacher is your age."

"Oliver!" I cried, looking at him in horror. "You promised-"

"Relax," he said, cutting me off. "Melissa's my sister. She'd find out soon enough anyway."

I stared at him for a minute, than to Melissa. They were siblings? They looked incredibly different. And if I remembered correctly, Melissa's last name was Moore, and Oliver's was Fox. "You two are related?"

"You're seventeen?" Melissa asked in shock, ignoring my question. "I thought you just looked young!"

"I'm sorry for lying to you." I really was. I could care less about lying to Oliver, but Melissa was a nice person. It was hard to believe they were related. "But I need you to do me a huge favor and not tell anyone. Please."

"I won't," Melissa promised immediately, holding up her hand. "I promise. But... Wow. How'd you even get hired?"

"Connections," Oliver responded for me, a smirk slipping onto his face.

"Connections?" Melissa echoed.

"My uncle," I told her. "He's the principal."

"Oh! That makes sense..."

"Pig," a new voice spoke up. "I'm hungry..." Elliot tugged on my jacket, looking up at me. "Can we go home? Will is hungry too..."

"Oh crap! Will!" I cried, my eyes widening. I forgot I was coming here to get dinner so we could eat! "Crap!"

"Will?" Oliver and Melissa recited.

"I've got to go," I said, ignoring their questioning looks. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, Melissa. And I'd better see you, Oliver. Otherwise I'm telling my uncle you've been skipping."

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Are you really in the position to threaten me? I could easily tell your secret-"

Melissa jabbed her elbow into his side, making him jump and scowl at her. Melissa turned to me, sighing. "Ignore Oliver. We won't tell."

"Thank you so much," I responded, sending her a grateful smile. "I owe you."

"Don't worry about it!"

"Pig!"

"We're going," I told Elliot, grabbing his hand. "C'mon."

"See you tomorrow, Pig."

I threw a scowl at Oliver from over my shoulder. He smirked at me, and waved once. A sigh escaped my lips and I shook my head at Elliot.

"You really need to stop calling me Pig."

"Pig is Pig."

"Do you even know my name?"

Elliot stayed silent, his mouth pressed in a straight line. I raised an eyebrow at him, stopping in one of the checkout lines. After a few moments Elliot started grinning at me.

"Pig," he stated.

I laughed, mussing with his hair. "No, Harley, remember?"

"Pig," Elliot said stubbornly.

Shaking my head, I began to pile the groceries onto the belt. Elliot was a hopeless case. I paid for the groceries, and Elliot grabbed the bag. Together, we made our way out to my car, and I tossed the groceries in the back.

When we made it back to Will's apartment, I burst in quickly. "Will, I'm so..." I trailed off when I saw Will's body lying facedown, motionlessly on the floor. "Will?"

"Harley," he moaned weakly.

Immediately I was at his side, looking at him in worry. "Will? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He turned his head so he could look at me. "I'm..."

"You're?"

"So hungry," he said, shutting his eyes. "It hurts."

Without warning, I dropped to my knees, landing on his back. He cried out in pain, immediately rolling over, making me fall forwards. My hands slammed into the floor, saving my face from making contact with it. Will moved out from under me, putting a hand to his back.

"No pity for the old?"

"You're not old, you're only twenty-seven," I said mockingly, pushing myself off the ground. "Don't play those kind of jokes! You scared me."

Will's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Harley..."

I shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"But you did take a long time at the grocery store."

"Well... It's a long story."

Will smiled slightly. "Well you can tell me... while starting dinner."

"I'm hungry!" Elliot complained, yanking on my jacket. "Food!"

"I'm going, I'm going," I said, rolling my eyes. "Men..."

Will followed me to the kitchen, where I quickly unpacked the groceries and got out a pan for the hamburgers. Will made a face.

"Hamburgers?"

"Elliot's choice."

"Should have guessed," Will responded with a sigh. "So tell me what happened at the grocery store."

With a small sigh, I began telling him about Oliver. Will's face-hardened, and by the time I was done, he looked extremely indignant. The hamburgers were beginning to sizzle, so I quickly flipped them over.

"An eighteen year old is taking advantage of you!" Will told me, disbelief in his voice.

"It's my fault for dropping my license..."

"That was an accident! Where can I find this guy? I think I should knock some sense into him."

I laughed, shaking my head at Will. "Thanks for the concern, but the only thing I'm worried about is him telling someone. I'm sure I can handle whatever he needs me to do."

"But Harley-"

"It's fine," I assured him.

"Doesn't he know how hard you have it already?" Will demanded, scowling again. "If I ever see that thick-scanned guy..."

"He doesn't know."

"What? Why?"

"Um, I just don't want to tell anyone," I said quietly, focusing solely on the hamburgers now. "I just..."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see Will smiling gently at me. "Say no more, I understand."

I swallowed, nodding my head. "I'm just not ready... To you know... Say it. If I tell someone, it just makes it more real."

"Harley..."

"Don't misunderstand me," I told Will, chewing my lip. "I know they're gone, and they aren't coming back, but saying that out loud to other people is..."

Will pressed a finger to my lips, silencing me. "Harley, trust me, I understand. There's no need to explain. I know how losing toy parents feel." He removed his finger and watched me for a minute.

"Yeah," I responded, looking away from him, my throat suddenly constricting. I took a few deep breaths, trying to shake my thoughts away. "Do... Do you want cheese on your burger?"

Will laughed. "Yes, please."

I relaxed; glad the atmosphere had become cheerful again. The last thing I needed was for Will to give me one of his pep talks. Writers and pep talks don't mix. They end up making me more confused and stressed than before since he liked to use words I had not even the slightest idea were. He did more damage than help usually, but I didn't let him know that. I appreciated the fact at least he tried.

"You still look like you could use one of my pep talks," Will said, voicing a disagreement to my thoughts.

"No, trust me, I'm okay," I responded, giving him the biggest, happiest, grin I could force out. "See? I'm as happy as a bird with a French fry."

Will started laughing and messed with my hair. "The hamburgers are burning."

I gasped, turning back to the oven and turning off the burner. Will snorted from beside me.

"If you burn hamburgers, how can you teach a cooking class?"

The mention of my class wiped away any thought of a comeback to his insult. How was I going to face Oliver tomorrow? Would he keep his promise? Would he even come to class? For once, I was thinking it'd be better if he actually didn't show up. Oliver knew now... A weight plunged into my gut as I realized just how much trouble I was in.

This year just became a lot harder.

_________________________________________________

So today I found out for the Watty Awards this story needs to be finished by December 31st. This is going to be so hard... Aiyaa. I may have to drop out =/

But oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! :D JOIN MY FACEBOOK PAGE! :D Click 'open external link' to the right ;D

[Today's Song: Worlds Apart by Silverstein]