On Monday, Mia linked arms with me as we walked to English.

"What are you so happy about?" I laughed as she tried to get me to skip with her.

"I'm just glad you finally came to your senses!" She smiled, gave up and just tugged me along.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, trying to keep my backpack on my shoulder.

"About Jay!" She said happily and I stopped.

"What?" I asked.

"Jay. You told him no, right?" She grinned.

"Why?" I asked.

"I saw him driving into school with um... What's her name? Oh Megan! From volleyball. She's also in a band?"

"What?" I could feel my heart speed up. I was wrong. Whatever happened on Friday was a fluke.

"Yea... I though you would be happy? He isn't bothering you anymore." Mia said happily and pulled me towards the English class room.

"Yea. Thrilled." I swallowed the lump in my throat and headed into the classroom.

Jay, late as always, walked past my seat on the way to his and winked. I just looked away.

He scoffed and plopped down behind me.

Half way though class, he passed me a note.

What was this, fourth grade? We had phones.

But, it gave me the opportunity to get up while my teacher was talking and throw it out. It didn't seem like much; people did that all the time. But when I looked at Jay after I did so, the tension was so thick between us you could cut it with a knife.

After class, he pulled me to the side of the lockers to talk without being seen.

"What the hell?" He asked.

"What?" I asked innocently enough. I looked up at him though my lashes. He brown eyes pierced mine.

"I texted you and sent you notes. You threw them out?" He asked.

"Yea, so?" I spat.

"What's your problem?" He made a face at me.

"Megan." I replied and pulled away from him. I ran down the hall before he could stop me.

I was stupid to think that Jay had changed. It was too good to be true.

That afternoon, after school, Jay grabbed me half way through my usual route to the bus and pulled me behind the portables.

"Megan is dating my neighbour. She asked for a ride. I gave it to her. Yes, she was flirting, but I didn't make any move on it. She was dating someone and I hope I'm dating someone too?" He asked looked over my shoulder and scratching the back of his neck. He was no longer angry, almost... Pleading.

"Really?" I asked looking up at him.

"Yes." He smiled and pulled out the extra helmet from his bag. "Would you like a ride?"

"One more question first." I said taking the helmet from him. "Why do we have to talk in secret?"

"Because I don't want anyone making fun of you for dating me?" He suggested. "I only do the one night thing and that gives a boy a rap. I like you too much to have you break up with me because of people calling you a whore."

"Aw that's sweet. I think." I scrunched my face up. "Anyways, let's go."

We got my drive way, but this time he parked on the street and we sat on the front lawn.

"What's up?" I asked as he pulled me to sit beside him.

"I wanna know something." Jay licked his lips and looked at the road.

"Yea?" I nudged his shoulder.

"Girls just submit and give up when it comes to someone, I don't know, nice looking and a rebel or whatever. But not you. What's up?" He asked looking at me.

"A lot of girls are like that. You just happen to get the preppy end." I puckered my lips and held up my fingers in a peace sign.

He laughed. "This long after dating, if you were like them, we would have already made an Instagram post in that position."

I laughed too. "See? Worst end. You gotta climb the tree a little more."

He nodded.

"But... Why did you choose me as the new one?" I asked.

"I don't know. You were just interesting from the beginning. The way you talk with friends, the way you act in class. It's different. Being around it is... refreshing."

"So, I'm a test subject?" I asked.

"A cute one?" He tried.

"Lucky thing you are clueless." I shook my head.

"Hey!" He said and poked my sides.

"What?" I asked and poked back.

I poked his sides, he poked back and I fell backwards with laughter and he looked down at me. He leaned down to kiss me but, I put my hand up so he kissed my hand instead.

"What?" He's voice muffled against my skin.

"Learn to work with women the right way. Then we can talk about kissing."

"Awe." He frowned and fell on his back beside me. "So what do you wanna do tomorrow?"

"Library?" I asked. "I need something new to read."

"Ew no-"

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Okay I'll give it a chance."

I nodded. He laced his hand with mine as kissed my hand.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

I sat up and watched him leave.

The next day, after school we walked to the library and I immediately started scanning the shelves for new books.

Jay however, found a place on the floor and fell asleep.

After about an hour of reading and browsing, I decided it was time to teach Jay how to behave with a girl.

I walked over to him and kicked his boots. He woke up with a start and glared at me. "What?"

"Get up. I want your help to find a book."

"Fine." He grumbled and stood up.

I thought this was going to be a lot easier than it turned out to be.

"This one was so good." I said as we walked down the aisle. I picked up a book called "Beloved Dearly"

"Dead animals?" Jay asked. "Kinda lame."

"Okay. What kinda books do you like?" I asked.

"I don't really read." He shrugged.

I pretended to be offended. "That's it, I can't hang out with you."

"Over books?" He laughed.

"Yes!" I smiled. "Okay I'll give you one and you have to promise to read it."

"Fine. I have to approve it though."

"Done." I said and raced off.

30 books later he finally settled on "The Egypt Game"

"Promise to read it." I said.

"Fine." He replied as we checked out.

The next few days didn't go any better.

He didn't know that girls like when you hold the door for them? I learned that the hard way.

Also, apparently even they hear things wrong on their periods. Good lord, this boy has a lot to learn. Really? Periods affecting their hearing? Come on.

I was just about to give up on this boy, when I realized something that day at the mall.

First off, he seemed thrilled not to be going into any of the clothing stores when I told him I actually had to get some things that were not clothing.

Next, every store I went into, he asked if I needed someone to hold my purse.

I stared at him. I was wearing a shoulder bag.

"Um, right." Jay said after an uncomfortable moment.

When we got to the record store, this is where I discovered something new.

"Oh man." I said as we walked in and I let go of his hand. I walked over to the pop/rock section and picked up the Breaking Free CD. "This band is my favourite."

"Really?" He asked as he walked over. "Me too."

"No way?" I laughed.

"It's true. It's up there with Rain, Two Doors Down and Forever and Always." He said turning around to look at something behind us and picking up a Two Doors Down album.

"You're lying." I said taking the album from him. I didn't believe him. He has the top 100 songs on his phone. Really crappy music.

"I swear! I really like them. Just I don't like when people go though my phone going 'who the hell are these people? You know what you need more of? Ricky, or Mina or...' I don't like it." He ran his fingers though his hair. "But my iTunes is a different story. None of that crap is played much on there."

"Okay Mr. Double Life, name three songs off of Breaking Free's sophomore album, because no matter when you became a fan, everyone knows that album!" I exclaimed.

"Easy." Jay shrugged. "Free, Taking Off and Ignition."

I nodded in approval. "Nice, nice."

"Okay you," he said looking at the featured CDs. "Who was the first drummer of F&A?"

"Easy. He was the best on. Georgie Rider." I replied smugly.

"You are good." He nodded.

I laughed and we continued shopping.

When we finished, we headed towards the exit, swinging our hands between us.

We were having a cheesy joke contest, which one of us could make the worst joke. He had me stumbling over my feet, falling on to his shoulder, laughing. I think Jay was laughing harder at me than at the jokes.

Half way though his next joke, Jay was interrupted by someone calling his name.

"Jay!" The voice called again.

He reluctantly turned around to locate the voice.

It was one of his friends from class. Ricky.

"Hey man." He said walking up to us. "What's up?"

"Hi." Jay said and pulled me behind him.

"Who is the chick you're trying to hide man, she can't be that ugly." Ricky said and peered over Jay's shoulder.

"Hey!" I said and came out from behind Jay and starred at Ricky.

"Oh snap." He said backing up.

"Rude much?" I said crossing my arms.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked, shifting quickly between the two of us.

"Why does it matter?" I asked.

"Excuse you." Ricky replied.

"Ellie just go outside." Jay whispered to me.

"No, he's being a dick!" I exclaimed.

"Go." He gripped my arm, eyes pleading.

"Fine." I stormed off towards the parking lot.

15 minutes and a Timmes run later, Jay came out.

"What the hell?" I asked when I saw him.

"Look, forget it happened." He replied and pulled me towards his motorcycle.

"No, tell me." I demanded.

"Look. He kept harassing me on why we were at the mall together." He said and handed me my helmet. (Yeah mine, one night we were board and we ended up decorating the helmet with pain splatter and finger pained our initials on it. Alcohol may or may not have been involved.)

"And what did you say?" I pushed.

"It doesn't matter." He shrugged.

"Jay, just tell me."

"I told him I was giving you help with English and you started flirting with me." He said quickly.

"You did what?" I pulled away from him.

"I'm sorry, I don't want anyone to know about us."

Something flipped in my brain. "Fine. You don't have to worry about me flirting any more. I'm done."

I pushed the helmet back into his hands and started to walk towards the bus terminal.

"No, no Ellie come on." Jay threw the helmet down and ran after me.

"No. Now I feel like a sucker that's chasing a boy I can't have." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Okay. I'll call him tonight okay? I'll make it right. Just don't leave yet." He pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head. "Please."

I sighed into his chest. "Fine. I'm really tired of having doubts about you because of who you and your friends are. It's hard and I'm the jealous type that doesn't like to be treated like a kid."

"I'll sort that all out, I promise." He mumbled into my hair.

"Okay, you dork. Good luck."

He laughed and pulled me back to the bike. We drove back to his place and we played some more video games.

After a few round in, he stopped to get some food. A few minutes later, he came back with nachos for both of us.

"Do you wanna watch a movie?" He asked.

"Sure." I shrugged and he put on some Tom Cruise movie. About an hour in, I fell asleep.

When it finished, he gently woke me up. I woke up with a start, sitting up, my necklace falling from my face, revealing that brand marks it left there.

"Whoa, whoa there." He smiled and sat up. "Time to go."

"Do I have to?" I rubbed my eyes and then put my head back down on his lap.

"Yes, I gotta get up to head to my mom's tomorrow for the rest of the weekend." He whispered.

"Finnne." I groaned and stumbled up. I got my jacket and purse and I leaned against the door.

He got his helmet and walked over to me. He poked my sides. "Wake up, wake up wake up wake up..."

I giggled, batting his hands away. "Okay, Okay, okay. I'm up, I'm up."

"Good." He said and pulled the door open.

I got home and I slipped past my family to go take a shower.

Then I got into bed and looked on my picture feed. When I looked at it, there was a picture of me and Jay on it, he had his hand around me as I was sleeping, curled up agaisnt his chest. It was tagged "doesn't my girlfriend look adorable asleep? Tom Cruise will do that to a girl."

I laughed out loud. Underneath it, comments were mostly just "no way? You and Ellie?" "Awww" "wow didn't see that coming." "If she leaves, gimme a call."

I bit my lip and buried myself in the blankets, my entire body feeling all mushy, despite the comments. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me.