"Did you guys get that fucking letter in the mail about dress code this semester?" Jordan asks.

I chuckle, "yeah, they said they're cracking down."

"They can try," Danny scoffs before taking a drag of his cigarette and passing it to Jordan.

"They'll try alright," Jordan smirks, "maybe the headmistress will pull some dominatrix shit on you as punishment."

"That's not what that title means, Morano," I shake my head and laugh.

"Keep saying that," Jordan shrugs, "she could've called herself the principal, but no, she wants to be the top mistress," he taps his head with his pointer finger as if he said something enlightening.

"I don't care what she calls herself. I'm not putting on a monkey suit for her or anyone else," Danny states.

"You put one on for Val," I argue.

"Val touches my dick," he shrugs.

Fair enough.

"Let's go inside. It's brick cold," Jordan suggests, stomping the cigarette out on the ground.

"Yeah," Danny adds, "the biggest pro of going here is working heat and A.C. year 'round."

"Sure as hell didn't have that at Miller," I concur.

"When it was hot out, only the smart people classes had air conditioning, you know?" Jordan says in contempt. "I walked into an honors history class by mistake and nearly froze to death."

"Well, all Addington classes are smart people classes," Danny says.

"Then why the hell are we here?" Jordan puts his arms out in question.

"Speak for yourself, 1.4 GPA," Danny teases.

Jordan glowered at him before flipping us both off.

"Guess I was right," Danny says in amusement.

And, I guess Jordan is heading to Chester High next year after being kicked out for bad grades.

I know a good tutor...but she's mine,

and from the way she's holding onto that butterfly charm and tracing her fingers over it, I'd say she's okay with that.

I continue eyeing her until she glances back at me. I nod to say 'hi' without making a scene...man, I wish I could at least hug her.

"I've gotta go collect, I'll catch up with you guys, okay?" Jordan says rhetorically as he backs away from where we are.

"Centrals buy a lot of Adderall. Maybe he should try some, might do better on tests. Damian did it in college before he dropped out. It's probably good then, right?" Danny asks, but I'm too distracted by Heather. "Leo..." He nudges me before following my gaze to what has my attention. "Oh," he says slyly, "Moment of truth, huh?"

"Nah...she doesn't have to do anything," I sigh and lean back against a locker.

"Do you want her to?"

Does that matter?

And it's not like I'm not the only one distracted...

I smile to myself whenever she looks past her friends to see me.

"She sits next to me in homeroom, it's fine."

"Yeah?" He says, "maybe not to her." Danny nods to where Heather is walking toward us.

"Hey," she smiles sweetly at me, her arms wrapping around my waist.

"Hey, butterfly," I say in surprise.

Heather lifts up and slowly leans into me. I smirk and meet her halfway, feeling her hands move up to my chest once our lips touch.

I hear gasps and quiet chattering, it feels like the entire hall went still just to stare.

So...I grab her by the waist and press her body to mine— kissing her slower and with more heat.

Now they have something to watch.

"I'll...see you later," I hear Danny say, but I'm too busy to respond.

Heather starts gripping my shirt in her hands, which is something I've come to know as a sign that she's getting worked up...

But God, we're in school, aren't we?

I pull away and peer past Heather for a second. Audrey is standing with her hand over her heart and her jaw on the floor. Alison is next to her, wide-eyed and possibly hyperventilating.

"Your friends are like...going into cardiac arrest or something," I say jokingly.

Heather laughs, "they'd do the same thing if I wore the wrong heels."

"You know you didn't have to do that, right?" But, I'm fucking beaming now that you did.

"Well, I didn't want to wait until we were in a dark hallway just to say 'hello' to you."

"You realize people know about us now...you're going to get a lot of questions."

"Like?"

"Like...is he your boyfriend?"

"Ah," Heather nods. "Well, what should I tell them then?"

"That you kiss me too much for me not to be your boyfriend."

"I do, don't I?"

"I'd say so...plus, we'll never be able to be just friends...and I don't want to be."

"So, what do you want?" She says playfully, knowing that the answer is her...a million times her.

"I thought relationships were pointless before, and I made fun of anyone who couldn't deal with not being tied down. But, I get it now...if I'm single, that means we're not together, and I don't want anyone else to be tied down with you. I want it to be me...but only if you're sure that's what you want." Because your friends suck, and you can't help but care what they think of you.

"I want to be your girlfriend," she says without hesitance, her eyes locked in on me so that I can see the sincerity.

"Then you are, butterfly."

Mr. Spinner blows his whistle before crossing his arms into an X, "you're out," he tells the kid. "Okay, um-" he turns to look at all of us who haven't played yet, "Zach, you're up."

"Crap," I sigh.

"Jump in," he waves me over hurriedly, obviously super eager to see me hit in the face with a dodge ball.

"Actually, I don't feel good..." I clutch my stomach, "cafeteria food."

"Teeling," he narrows his eyes at me.

"I should go to the nurse...before we have to see that strawberry milk and beef casserole a second time."

"I can take him."

And now I really do feel something in my stomach.

"Alright, Andrews. Grab a pass," Mr. Spinner agrees, still sending death glares my way.

Evan nodded before looking over at me. I stared blankly...like an idiot, but he smiled and motioned for me to come with him.

I was hesitant...and nervous, but I got up and trailed behind him a couple feet as we left the gym.

"Uh..." I start to question when he turns the wrong way, "I can go alone if you just want to skip."

"What?" He furrows his eyebrows. "You're not sick, right? You just didn't want to play."

"Yeah, so?"

"If you go to the nurse, she'll give you water and then send you back. You're better off hiding out."

"...with you?" I say cautiously, pushing back the part of me that hopes the answer is 'yes.'

"...if that's cool with you."

"Oh, sure, whatever," I shrug nonchalantly.

Evan laughs a bit and nods his head, waiting until I'm next to him before he starts walking again...straight toward an exit.

Of course, this is where we're going.

"Sorry we had to take the long way. Mr. Spinner would have been suspicious if he went through the locker room," Evan opened the door that leads outside.

"Isn't it like...20 degrees out there?"

"I'll keep you warm," he smirked.

I bet you will keep me warm since blood is rushing all over my body from you making my heart beat out of my chest.

I nodded and gave him a small smile just to show I heard his weird comment, and yes, I am overthinking it.

The crisp grass crunched loud enough beneath our feet that we didn't feel the need to talk.

Whenever we're out here, something happens. We kiss and fight like we're on a teen soap opera, and I never signed up for that. There's just something about this stupid grass...

"I saw your mom yesterday," Evan decides to speak.

"Really? She didn't mention it."

"I asked her not to," he admits.

"Why?" I say like it's funny.

"I didn't think you'd want to hear my name. You know...since I made you hate me."

"You think I hate you?" My voice falls faint.

"Don't you?"

I wish.

I sigh and walk over to the bleachers, taking a seat on the second to last one. "No," I say truthfully.

"I saw the way you looked at me at the dance."

I shrug, "I saw the way you looked at me."

"I wanted to make you mad," he confesses.

"I know. That's why I left."

"I wanted to call you," he continued.

"But you didn't."

"Because I thought you hated me," he huffs.

"But I don't...so stop trying to make me."

He keeps his head down as he sits next to me.

"When you told me about that other guy...Aaron or whoever...I got jealous, and I wanted to hurt you too. Even though I've already done that before...this time I wanted to do it on purpose. So that you'd have a reason to be jealous."

"Well, that's not nice," I reply...and for a minute it's silent, but then he laughs.

Evan looks over at me, and I smile automatically when I see his face.

"No, it's not," he agrees. "And I know I say it a lot, but I'm sorry."

"You do say that a lot..."

I feel his eyes on me again, but I don't acknowledge him.

"You wanna know something?" He asks.

"What?"

"I play football...and yet, whenever I see a field...I think of you first."

Funny...I don't like football.

but I think of you too.

I shrug it off to keep from caring, "that's probably because you like baseball more."

"No, it's because-" Evan pauses, "never mind."

"Okay," I stare down at the dingy silver bleacher below us.

"Hey, Zach?"

"Yes?"

"...can I buy you some pizza?"

"Another one," I lift up her chin and give her a peck on the lips.

"More?" She giggles and kisses me again.

"Mhm," I bite down on her bottom lip.

"Well isn't this a pretty picture?"

I roll my eyes and huff before even bothering to turn toward the cockblocker.

"I don't think voyeurs are supposed to interrupt the couple," I raise an eyebrow at Trevor and Ethan.

"I don't think he's heard yet," Ethan shakes his head.

"No, he's far too calm," Trevor agrees.

"What are you talking about?" I sigh unamused.

"Evelyn, my dear, would you please excuse us?" Trevor asks in false politeness.

She scoffs, "why? Is this about Heather going at it with that burnout in the hall?"

"You saw?" Ethan furrows his eyebrows.

"No, but a friend of mine did, and she let me know," Evie replies.

"Wait," I chuckle confusedly, "what do you mean by going at it?"

"I've never known you to keep your mouth closed, Evie," Trevor teases.

Evelyn glares, "There was no point in saying anything. I knew he wouldn't care."

"Come on, guys," I smile, "what don't I know?"

Ethan gives in with a shrug, "Leo Rylin is fucking Heather."

"...what?" My eyes narrow immediately.

"They had their little coming out party earlier...with tongue, I think."

"And I'd say they're doing more than just fucking..." Trevor says reluctantly. "You don't interact that way with someone you're simply having sex with. Why go through the trouble?"

"So, what if she's playing in the dirt?" Evie interjects. "I told you he doesn't care-"

I stand up from my seat and start heading toward the door.

"Jace!" Ethan calls for me.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," Trevor adds with smug laughter.

"Are you kidding? He's going to get himself suspended," I hear Ethan complain before he chases after me.

"I don't need a babysitter, Carey. I'm just going to find Heather and let her know the saying isn't riches to rags."

"The bell already rang, you're going to be late to class."

I scoff, "who cares?"

"So, you're just going to storm in guns blazing and embarrass yourself in front of everyone because you're the jealous ex-boyfriend who can't handle another guy ruffling her feathers?"

"Ruffling her-" I turn around in disgust, "Heather's not that fucking stupid," I seethe.

"Looks like she is, man. I'm sorry, but she was well into it when I saw her," Ethan says empathetically. "On the bright side, she downgraded...and I mean way down...bottom of the barrel...can't afford cab fare."

"No, there has to be something else going on," I say in denial.

"Such as?"

"Well...he's a dealer...they all are."

"You think she's on drugs?" He says in disbelief.

"She has to be," I huff in frustration. "And you know it's just like that Rylin kid to get her hooked on some shit and take advantage."

"Heather doesn't seem like that kind of girl..."

"I bet she didn't seem like the kind to sink low enough to even touch one of those guys, but you saw it yourself."

"Then what are you going to do?" Ethan asks.

"She needs help."