I stir awake, my eyes open and I take in my surroundings. This is not my house. I look around some more and see Hadley fast asleep on my chest. Now I remember, we must of fallen asleep on her floor after working tirelessly on her homework. I carefully remove my phone from my front pocket, making certain not to wake the sleeping beauty. I see the time is 8:39, oh no. School starts in like 5 minutes.

I shake Hadley awake." Doll," I say and she stirs, she raised her head and looked around confused. Then like the flash, she noticed the situation and bolted up.

"Oh my god, school." She gathers her books and stuffs them into her blue backpack, she runs into the bedroom and I hear her walking Oliver up. She races past me again and tries to collect herself, she's getting her shoes and putting them on, she runs her hands through her hair trying to rid it of tangles, she looks at herself in a mirror.

"Good enough." She shrugs just as Oliver is coming out of his room, messy bed head and still in pyjamas. "Oliver come on, I have to get you to school, I'm gonna be late and I have a test first period." I can see the frustration building. I stand up from my spot on the floor and place my hands on Hadley's shoulders, I move her chin so she's looking at me.

"Hadley, go to school. I've got Oliver okay?" I assure her. Okay so I've never had to get someone ready for school before but Hadley can handle it so I'm sure I can figure it out.

"Dustin I can't...." I kiss her to shut her up. She moans lightly into the soft kiss, and god if she didn't have a test to get to or a scholarship to maintain.

"Doll, please." She looks back over at a tired Oliver struggling to get a bowl for his cereal, then back at me.

"Okay fine," I release her shoulders and pick up Her backpack, handing it to her. She swings it over her arm, grabs her keys and phone and opens the door. "Get him their in one piece fox, or you'll have me to deal with."

"Get to your test babe." I smile at her, she rolls her eye and yells bye to Oliver then makes her way out he door.

I walk over to Oliver and reach to the middle shelf, picking out a yellow spongebob bowl for Oliver. "Here you go buddy." I say

"Thank you Dustin," he smiles up at me, messy hair and cowboy pyjamas. "Can you help me poor the milk after I put in the cereal? Every time I do it I spill?" I nod my head and bring the cereal forward for him to pour, I make my way for the fridge.

After Oliver ate, he walked slowly to his room to change, while he did that I took it upon myself to wash the dishes for Hadley and her dad.

Oliver finally came out spick and span ready for school. We put our shoes on, I helped him with his jacket and bag, then we were out the door.

"What about Hadley?" He asked. "She had to take me to school?"

"I'm taking you today buddy, Hadley has a test to get to so she had to leave." He nods his head but says nothing. I open the back seat door to my car and he jumps right in. I wait until he's all buckled in before closing my door and settling into my seat. "Ready for school buddy?" I ask him looking at him through my mirror.

"School!" He screams excitedly. This kid is nuts.

~ ~ ~

Jason, Eric, jessica and I are all sat around our usual table, I had a detention for being really late to my first class, not just a late detention but kinda talking back to the teacher for calling me Irresponsible. I was technically supposed to be at that detention right now but I told the guy I was busy today at lunch tutoring someone in math so he moved it to tomorrow.

"I can't believe you convinced the guy to move your detention." Jason said followed by a fit of laughter. I smile my cocky grin.

"I've always been convincing, it's the smile I've got. It's a gift really." Jess scoffs from beside Eric on the other side of the picnic table. "What's your problem jessica?"

"You're just so.... childish you know. Like fess up, you were like 45 minutes late, just do the time." She complains.

"I didn't do a crime Jess." A sigh in my tone. All of a sudden her face got

Brighter rather then more angry with me. I stare at her confused. Then my eyes were covered.

"Guess who?" I hear Hadley say from behind me.

"My favourite person." She takes her hands off my eyes and walks around me to sit between Jason and I. "Hey doll." I say just as she sits and I kiss her on the cheek, a hello.

"Hey. What are you guys up to?" She asks taking one of my fries and eating it.

"Oh you know, Dustin here got a detention for being like 45 minutes late to class this morning then he lied to get out of it. At least until tomorrow." Jessica says.

"Oh no, are you serious?" Hadley says her face dropping.

I put my arm around her shoulders. "It's okay Hadley, I've gotten detentions before. It's no big deal." I squeeze her shoulders.

"Hadley it's not your fault Dustin is irresponsible." Jess tells her. I roll my eyes at her agin and she sticks her tongue out at me. I stick mine back out at her.

"Oh you were so late because of Oliver, he's so slow sometimes I'm sorry. I knew I should have stayed and got him going." She covered her face. Jessica looked confused but I couldn't care less to explain my life to her.

"Hadley," I say pulling her hands away from her face. "It was fun getting him to school, I don't care if I get a detention. I care if you get to your test in time." I assure her. She nods her head and whispers a thank you. "Anyways, how did your test go?" I ask her

I see that smile on her face and the sparkle in her eye, I can tell she thinks she did great. "I aced it."

"That's my girl." I yell excitedly. "Math expert." She giggles at my words.

"Did Dustin help you?" Jason asked knowing my expertise in the subject of math. She nods her head.

"I just didn't get it and he's a genius." She shrugs.

We all laugh, creating a circle of smiles and laughter among us. We spend the majority of lunch talking. Halfway through lunch Jess notices the mark I left on Hadley's neck last night. When she mentions it Hadley turns a bright red and can't look at anyone straight on.

"Oh Hadley, be proud of it." I say shoving her lightly.

"How am I supposed to hide this from my dad, as much as he wants me to have a life I don't think he wants me to live that much yet." She states covering her neck with the top of her jacket.

I laugh at my work and at her, how embarrassed she finds this situation.

"Dustin, can we talk alone please," she says and I nod grabbing her hand and pulling her away to a more private area of the back yard. "Dustin you didn't break up with someone to get together with me did you?" She asks seriously.

If she has been in this school for a while then she should know I never date, except her of course. "Hadley you know I never date, except you." I tell her, her face doesn't soften. I sigh and run my hand through my hair, "we weren't dating okay, she knew what she was getting into."

"Dustin..." she starts but I speak to stop her.

"Hadley you know I'm not the same anymore right? I love you, you're different." I tell her truthfully. I want her to know.

"Dustin I get that it's just, there was some girl that cornered me in the hall. She told me that you were hers, she had you first." She rubs her palm with her thumb. I immediately think of Kate, gosh she can not get over that I don't like her.

"Doll, don't worry about her, she jealous that's all." I lift her chin so she's facing me. I kiss her softly on the forehead. "Now shall we go back to the group, if we're gone too long Jason's gonna think we're doing something that we're not." He checks turn scarlet and I can't help but laugh.