That morning I woke up and looked down at the spot that Jake once laid, but it was empty, only the neatly folded blanket, and pillow lay there with my folded sweatpants on top.

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I'm walking down the school halls with my green and black weirdly designed leggings and a black t-shirt with "Zombies eat brains, don't worry, you have nothing to worry about" written in green letters, when suddenly a hand smacks me across the back of my head "hey! What's your-" I look over to see Abigail looking at me with folded arms and a stern face. "What? What did I do?" I ask, knowing there's a reason that she's mad at me, just not sure what the reason is.

I start to read her mind to figure it out but before I get the chance she speaks up "Oh gee, let me see, hmm what could you have done? Oh yeah! First you didn't answer any of my calls or texts yesterday. Second you didn't pick me up today so I had to ride the stinky, loud bus. And third,...actually there is no third but only saying two sounds lame." She admits.

Oh frick! I was so busy dealing with Jake yesterday I forgot all about calling or texting Abi, and today I was so distracted by thoughts of things that have been going on lately that I must have forgotten to get her. "I'm really sorry, I'll make it up to you today okay?" I offer apologetically. It doesn't take Abi long at all, a smile spreads across her lips and she wraps me into a hug.

"I have to go to the bathroom now, and since I already know you won't come with, talk to you later okay?" She says "I will if you need me to" I tell her she just shakes her head no and walks off towards the bathroom. I never go into the bathroom with my friends unless they need me to. I think it's a really weird-normal thing between girls. Hey let's go to the bathroom together and listen to each other pee! Yeah, no thanks.

When I get to my locker, I spin the combination in and set some random junk from my bag into it. Random junk that I won't ever use. I really gotta clean out this bag, and this locker... i look into my small mirror on the inside of the door of my locker to see Jake and Cassandra sucking face.

They were going at it so rough that I jerked back at the sight. His hands were groping her butt and her hands were grabbing onto his muscular arms. How the hell were they not getting caught doing this by any of the adults literally walking right past? I felt my stomach drop as a horrible feeling casts over me. This was ridiculous, I shouldn't be feeling like this. Even though I knew Cassandra couldn't hear what I was saying, In my mind I imagined yelling "nasty slut". It's stupid, I know, I have no idea why I feel so sick...probably just because they were so disgusting looking.

Blue eyes snap open and instantly lock with mine in the reflection of the mirror.

We stare at each other as he kisses her hungrily. I can see their tongues as they went all around each other's mouths. My nose instinctively scrunches up in disgust.

Jake pulls away from Cassandra for a moment to give me a smirk and wink. Then his eyes close once again as they make out some more. I slam my locker shut and walk as quickly as possible to the girls bathroom. I find Abigail and we start talking about whatever that really has nothing to do with anything. Once the bell rings for classes to start, I say bye to Abi and go off to start my day with annoying, confusing, frustrating math.

The day goes by pretty quickly, Brandon keeps winking at me and calling me beautiful which I simply blush at, unsure of what to say and still completely amazed that somebody as hot and popular as him likes a quiet, random nobody like me. And then finally, my favorite part of the day is here, lunch.

Abi and I grab our food and sit at our usual table with the cheerleaders next to us and the dancers sitting with us, though I found sitting with some of these dancers difficult considering some of them sat there laughing at me when I had the smoothie dumped on my head.

"Yeah but I heard that Amanda told Nella that if she ever flirted with her boyfriend again, she'd stab her in her sleep, then Amanda's boyfriend Caleb heard and instantly broke up with Amanda for being a 'total psycho' and then, get this, he started dating Nella! So don't be surprised if Nella doesn't come to school anymore" Ally informs all of us so seriously as she looks around the table nodding her head.

I roll my eyes at the sound of gossip. "Oh come on. You don't actually think Amanda would stab Nella" Chloe objects. "I don't know, she's kind of going insane, did you see what she wore today? She had a black shirt with a brown belt and brown boots. Black and brown! Before, she knew that that's fashion suicide, you never wear black with brown. And, even more crazy, I didn't even see her brush her hair in first hour or third hour, and everyone knows that Amanda constantly brushes her hair. Coincidence? I think not" Ally acknowledges, using that strange voice she has when she's talking about gossip. It's like her voice goes all super dramatic and girly, it's really weird.

I just sit there staring at my table of friends. It's like my squad I guess you could say, but it's almost as thought we were some type of movie cast, each friend is just like a character from a tv show that would add them up to be the perfect group of friends.

Ally is the gossipy, really popular girl.

Chloe is the bubbly, sweet, adorable girl.

Tess is the mature, kind one.

Abigail is the outspoken, funny, boy crazy one.

And I'm the...I don't really know what I am. I'm like the sarcastic, annoyed, quit but also not quiet, mind reading one. Yeah i don't really fit in with this group yet somehow we all became friends.

Suddenly the entire room fills with the beat of "can't help-Parachute"

Brandon's voice sings with the beat of the music.

"Woah oh woah oh"

And just like that the entire room becomes silent to watch Brandon as he appears to be serenading somebody.

"Well I tried to fake it, baby I tried to break it. But that's some kind of spell you got over me-e-e."

Brandon's voice is actually really nice sounding. He's perfectly on tune, and honestly that voice could easily serenade any girl.

Everybody watches as Brandon-who's wearing a buttoned up letter jacket with the school colors purple and maroon-sings into the mic standing on top of a table staring at...me?!

And just like that the realization washes over me, he was serenading me, I thought I was watching him serenade some cute, cheerleader, not me. I never would have thought I was being the one that he would ever be singing to. I honestly had figured he'd either given up on me or was just flirting around with me just to flirt around.

"You're a heavenly vision, gonna make it my mission" without hesitating Brandon does a back flip off of the table and starts walking towards me. The whole place erupts in applause but he isn't finished.

He walks a few steps closer to me and sings "do whatever it takes to get you with me-e-e" pointing directly at me. At this the whole place fills with whispers I take a second to read a few minds

Oh come on! Her? Seriously?!

That little hoe is luckier than she'll ever know HEY THAT RHYMED!

I wish he would sing to me like this.

OMG I LOVE PARACHUTE!

"Everywhere I go, yeah no one else I know shines as bright as you in my telescope. I tried to let it fade, but I can't get away. I really hope you're listening cause I never thought I would say-ay-ay" Brandon's voice is so pure and beautiful I actually find my fingers pinching myself to make sure this is real.

"I can't help myself from falling in love. From falling in love with you, yeah-yeah.I can't help myself from taking the drug, from taking the drug, it's you yeah-yeah"

The whole song goes by with everybody watching his every move as he slowly makes his way closer to me.

By the time the last verse came, he walks over to me and grabs my hand, pulling me up to stand in front of him.

"It happens every time, can't get you off my mind.And anybody else, better wait in line

I can't help myself from falling in love

From falling in love with you yeah-yeah" he sings this part kind of quietly, as if it's only meant for me.

I feel my cheeks burn red as the whole school watches my reactions.

As the song plays on a little longer only playing the beat, Another guy from the

Football team hands him a bouquet of red and white roses. Five guys walk up behind Brandon and one by one pull of their shirts to reveal their painted on abs. The first one has a big bold letter P standing next to each other they spell out PROM? Brandon hands me the roses and in one swift move, hands the mic to his friend and pulls on both ends of jacket, unbuttoning each button and pulling off his jacket, revealing "WHAT DO YOU SAY?" Written in neon pink letters on a tight black shirt.

I watch it all happen with wide eyes. Amazed that anybody would go through all of this thought and work for me.

He grabs the mic back "Bethany Hibbler, I've had a mad crush on you since freshman year. I never had the nerve to ask you out, you just always seemed too cool for me, but this is senior year and it's now or never. Please, will you go to prom with me?" He asks, his voice booming through the whole cafeteria. Aww's and ooh's erupt from the audience-students, whatever.

He has liked HER since freshman year?

He thinks she's too cool for him? Yeah right!

Awww this is tots adorbs

Omg Jason's abs are soooo hot! I think his are real!

It only takes me a moment to decide what to say, sure I'm not into big gestures, and yeah I don't really want to go to this prom, but after all the trouble he went through, and standing here in front of all these people, how could I ever say anything except-"I'd love to" I say as he directs the mic at me. Even though I didn't say it very loudly, it echoes around the room

What is he doing? He knows we can't have relationships with girls like her. I hear the thought as I read around the room. What the? I look around for somebody who could have thought it but there's too many guys. I kind of recognize the voice but not really. Not enough to figure out who said it.

The whole cafeteria stands up cheering and whooping. Abigail being the loudest of course. Brandon's whole face lights up from my answer and he wraps me into a hug which I accept with a blush.

She said yes! I can't believe she actually said yes! Brandon thinks making me smile, still not able to fully believe everything that just happened.

After a while the cheers calm down and Brandon and I stop hugging. I sit back down at my table and immediately all of my friends and fellow dancers start talking all at once.

"Omg that was so cute"

"You guys are adorable together"

"Ugh look, I'm crying"

"Awwww"

"Are you guys going to date? Please say yes"

"Wow..just wow"

"You guys are totally going to have a prom-night-dumpster-baby"

"That was the cutest thing ever"

"How do you feel?"

"Just get married already"

"I call being the godmother"

"Woah guys! Call down. He just asked me to prom." I interject, laughing.

I glance up and search the room as everybody whispers urgently. My eyes glide over the cafeteria before landing on a pair of bright blue, angry eyes filled with annoyance looking directly at Brandon. Jake. I try to read his mind but just like every other time there's a strange buzz and then I'm kicked out. I really don't know why I keep trying. His eyes look away from Brandon for a moment to lock with mine. He's frowning deeply and by the look in his eye he's ready to murder. What was his problem?

I look away and listen once again to my friends crazy remarks.

Still unable to believe I'm going to prom with Brandon Bercier.

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A few classes later, and I'm in Grammar.

As soon as I walk in all of the girls looked up and watched me for a while then started whispering to each other immediately.

I uncomfortably wiggled around in my seat at the unnecessary attention. Jake walked in a moment later and locked eyes with me, he seemed calm and perfectly normal unlike at lunch. The girl in the seat in front of me-her name is Lauren I think-turns around and smiles brightly at me.

"So is it true that you and Brandon have been secretly dating and that he got you pregnant and you had to get an abortion and now you guys are going to elope soon, that that was actually his proposal to you hidden behind a prom proposal?" She asks, as though that an entire insane rumor was actually reasonable enough to be true.

A laugh pours out my mouth at the ridiculousness of her question "um no, none of that is true at all" I answer her.

Her face falls a little and she looks actually disappointed. "Oh, well I think you two make an adorable couple" she compliments with a kind smile.

Jake next to me tenses up ever so slightly.

"Oh thanks....I can't wait to make out with him" I blurt out just to see what Jake's reaction will be. That was really stupid to say, I realize, but it's too late now. Jake had tensed up at the name of Brandon, so the point of that sentence I just oh so stupidly blurted out was to see if he's jealous of Brandon, or if he just simply hates him.

His hands start clinching and unclenching. From the corner of my eye I can see the veins in his arms bulging in and out each time he clenches.

"Eeeeeee" the girl squeals before turning back around in her seat.

I once again attempt to read Jake's mind, but of course, a buzz and then I'm kicked out.

I look over at Jake to see his hands are back to normal but he stares straight ahead.

🔹🔹🔹

After school as I'm walking to the dance room for practice, Brandon comes up and starts walking next to me, perfectly in sync with my steps.

"Hello, beautiful" he greets, smiling at me, making his cute dimples show, my heart practically melts.

I blush at the compliment. "Hey, that was quite the gesture at lunch, seemed more like a proposal than an invitation to prom" I joke "Do you wish it was?" He asks wiggling his eyebrows around playfully. "Mhmm, for a second I actually started imagining what my wedding dress would be. I was thinking mermaid style" I joke, rubbing my chin. "Ah that would be perfect" he agrees with a laugh.

"I was actually thinking more of a princess cut" the thought pops into my head, but I didn't think it...okay that sounds really stupid but that thought wasn't in my voice, I didn't really recognize the voice, it just kind of popped into my mind. Suddenly there's a door in front of my face, I reach my arms out to open it but it's too late and I smack face forward into it.

Ouch.

"Woah are you okay?" Brandon's hands grab me and pull me over to him. "Yeah, but ow my nose hurts" I moan touching my sore-probably bright red-nose.

"Do you want me to go get you some ice?" He asks, concern clear on his face. I wave a hand off "nah, it's alright, I'm going to be late to dance, I gotta go. I'll see you later" I say before turning around and actually walking past the door instead of into it.

When I get inside, Chloe glances at me quickly than looks back at Ally whom she was talking to, but not even a full second later, her head whips back to me to take a double look. she taps Tess and than Abigail and points over to me, they all look over and they're eyes immediately widen, within a second they're all rushing towards me, or more accurately, Tess, Ally, and Chloe are fast-walking, Abigail is running full speed towards me.

"What happened? It's hideous" Abigail shrieks pointing at my face.

"Gee thanks, just what every girl wants to hear" I snort sarcastically.

"Sorry, but you know what I mean" she shrugs.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asks looking really worried.

"Oml did you get into a fight?" Ally inquires, looking like she's ready for some gossip.

"Beth, are you okay? Should I get the nurse?" Tess asks.

"Geez what's the big deal?" I ask "I just hit into a door" I tell them with a shrug.

They all look at each other before Abigail grabs my arm and yanks me toward the changing room/shower room/bathroom. As soon as we're in there Abigail pushes me toward a mirror.

A gasp automatically escapes my lips right when I see my nose in the mirror.

It's swollen up so big that it looks like I got a Botox for Shrek's nose. It's completely blue and black all over, like something from a horror movie.

"All I did was hit into a door, how did this happen?" I screech.

They all start rubbing my arms and back and saying things like "it's okay" "it'll be better by tomorrow" "just put some ice on it" "we should probably go to the nurse"

"Guys stop, you all know that you're words are crap."

That immediately shuts them up, they all stand their awkwardly unsure of what to do. "I'll go explain what happened to Mrs Danica, I'm sure once she sees your nose she'll let you go home" Chloe says.

"No, it's fine, I still want to dance" I say then turn on my heels into the changing room to change into my dance uniform.

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