Evan laughs, "No, it was pretty funny to me."

"Your cousin, though. That's so embarrassing."

"The best part is that the so-called 'woman' he was chatting with online was sending him nudie pictures out of playboys. He really thought he was pin pals with Ms. December."

"No way."

"Yeah, I recognized the shoot, but I didn't want to make matters worse by telling him. My aunt was already yelling her head off about it."

I furrow my eyebrows, "...You have playboys?"

"A couple," he shrugs, "but I'm not scanning them to send to preteens online. I think he was talking to a man who probably works at a publishing house."

"Have you ever been in one of those chat rooms?"

"Yeah, I tried it out. It's fun when you're bored and trying to kill time."

"Do you know who you're talking to?"

"No, and neither do they. You don't give them your real name or anything, but they'll ask. I usually say I'm a college guy named Josh."

"Josh Andrews," I nod. "I can see it."

"A secret twin. Come by one day and you can meet him."

"Zach!" My attention is called forward.

"Who is that?" Evan asks when we see Aaron leaning against the outside of his car.

I walk toward him, still surprised that he's here. I told him where I'd be today, sure, but I didn't say to meet me.

"You came all the way here?" I ask like it isn't obvious.

"Yeah, thought I'd pick you up," Aaron said with a smile, and then he went above the territory marking of giving me his jacket and further than the possessiveness of drinking from my straw— he kissed me in front of Evan.

I couldn't even enjoy it, I felt like I was just superglued to the ground in the middle of a rainstorm.

We pulled apart, and I turned around, "...Sorry, Evan." Double meaning.

"It's okay, not my first time taking the train by myself."

"Okay— see you at school, then?"

"Yeah, see you."

"Hey, you can hop in the back if you want. I'll take you home," Aaron offers.

"I think he'd rather-"

"Cool," Evan says and eagerly heads toward the car.

Sure, this won't be awkward at all.

Maybe we'll just stay quiet. If no one speaks, no one feels uncomfortable.

I get into the car...and sit in silence.

"I bought you a slushie," Aaron says once he slides into the driver's seat. "Red, your favorite color."

"Ah, great, thanks," I smile when he hands it to me.

"I thought your favorite color was blue?" Evan questions.

"It was but it changed. Both are nice though..." I awkwardly start drinking the slushie. I probably shouldn't put it down, though...everyone wants a drink from my straw all of a sudden.

Aaron looks through the rearview mirror, "Evan, where am I taking you?"

"Just keep going straight."

Yeah, none of us are doing that, Evan.

He clears his throat, "So, Aaron, right?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks again for the ride."

"Don't mention it. I could tell Zach felt bad about leaving you hanging."

"How'd you two meet again?"

"I work at Spencer's, he came in one day, and the rest is history."

"You must've really hit it off. Zach wouldn't shut up about you."

"Wouldn't shut up, huh?" Aaron glances at me with a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, we were together about a week before Christmas and he was just going on and on."

"Really?" Aaron raises an eyebrow.

Thanks for that, Evan. I didn't even call him until Christmas Eve.

"He bragged about how you were tall and older and how he had a condom for when you hung out."

"A condom, huh?"

"Zach's just so cool." You're doing this on purpose...

"Alright that's enough about me," I interject.

"Do you want to carpool with me?" Audrey asks.

"Oh, sure. I just need to put this stuff in my locker first."

"I won't wait all day. I still have to talk Headmistress Sanderson into letting us hire a band."

"She'll say 'yes,' she likes you."

Audrey shakes her head, "that doesn't matter. Headmistress thinks DJs are more agreeable among the students due to 'the versatility of their music selection' she's so annoying."

"Very," I say distractedly as I look down the hall. How lovely, this day wasn't a complete waste. "Hi, Mr. Faust."

"Good afternoon, ladies," he greets us, "what a surprise to see you here, Alison. Don't you girls have plans outside of school?"

"We're apart of the decorating committee," Audrey replies.

"Sounds fun. See you in class tomorrow, Alison."

"See you, Mr. Faust," I smile and watch as he walks toward his classroom.

"Come on, Alison," Audrey huffs.

"Actually, go without me. I have to make a stop before I go home."

"Whatever," she sighs.

I open my locker, and a rose falls out.

I pick it up and smell it before grabbing the pink envelope that is also in my locker.

'From your secret admirer, admiring from afar. I'll think of you forever, no matter where you are. Your lips will taste of sweet cream, in your eyes there lives a daydream. So a rose from me to you, and to our love, I'll be true. Sincerely yours...

I read aloud, "A.F."

I smell the rose again and look around.

Mr. Faust is standing by his door talking to the dean...

A.F.

Alex Faust?

He catches me staring and waves before going into his class.

I'll take that as an invitation.

I go over and knock on his open door.

"Mr. Faust?"

He smiles, "Hello, again, Alison."

"Do you mind if I wait in here until my father can pick me up?"

"Did your friend leave?"

I shrug, "she's impatient."

"Well, then, feel free to have a seat. I don't mind the company."

"Great." I don't mind your company either, Alex.

I twirl the rose around between my fingers.

"That's a pretty rose."

"It is," I smile at him, "thank you."

"Did someone ask you to the Sweethearts ball?"

"Not exactly...not directly." I smirk, "Will you be there?"

"I'm chaperoning."

"I suppose I'll see you then."

He chuckles, "I suppose you will."

I grab a bag of cheese puffs, Doritos, sour cream and onion chips, and— watch a girl duck down on the other aisle when I almost catch her staring.

"I saw you," I say aloud. "I recognize you too."

Are you following me around, freshie?

I turn the corner and she gasps before pretending to be distracted.

"Hey," I rest my arm on top of the shelf she's looking at.

"Hey, me?"

"Yeah, come here." I motion for her to get closer to me. "Got any cash?"

"Yes," she nods and frantically pulls out her wallet.

"Well, don't just give it to me," God, I hope you're not like this with every guy. "Do you smoke?"

"Cigarettes?"

"No, weed."

"Oh, I've never tried."

"You should, it's good for you."

"Okay," she nods happily.

"I can give you a dime bag for ten bucks or a dub for twenty."

"All I have is fifteen," she shows me the money.

"That's cool," I take it and slip it into my pocket. "I'll still give you a dub..." I drop the baggie into her hand, "but you have to do something for me."

"Okay," she says without hesitation.

"Tell your friends they're not going to find anything better around here, alright? I'm the guy to come to."

"Alright," she agrees.

"What's your name?"

"Bonnie."

"I'm Matt," I reach out to shake her hand.

Bonnie holds my hand longer than she's supposed to, "I know who you are."

I pull my hand back, "Yeah, well, say 'hi' sometime."

"I will."

"And stay in school, sweetheart."

Her eyes practically bulge out of her skull at the pet name, and she nods so much her head might fall off.

I'm going to get tons of candy tomorrow.

"Get your dirty boots off of the couch," Angela pushes my feet off of the arm.

I sigh and sit upright, "do you know how much shit is already on this couch? If you want it clean, burn it."

"Do you know how long I spend scrubbing this couch after one of your dumb friends has sex on it?"

"Not my dumb friends, Angie. Jordan's dumb friends because this is Jordan's house."

Jordan leans up against the wall, "Since when do you two fight?"

I grumble, "Fucking girls, all they do is complain."

"Shut up, Danny. I wasn't the one who dumped you," Angela sneered as she left the room.

"You told her?" I glared at Jordan.

"I didn't tell her. Girls talk," he shrugs.

"Val hates Angela."

"Yeah, but Val told Cherry, and Cherry told AJ, and he told Amanda who told Kat who told Angela."

"All I got from that is AJ's a girl, and I fucking hate Kat."

Jordan laughs, "It's her fault you got hard for another chick and couldn't hide your boner?"

"Fuck you."

"No, fuck you. It's the number one rule for dudes in relationships."

I scowl, "Hide your boner?"

"Yeah," Jordan looks down the hall to make sure Angela isn't near. "You think I don't look at other girls?" He says in a hushed voice. "I'm not blind, if I see a hot girl in a mini skirt or a tight shirt, I can picture myself doing her— but I'd never let Angela know that, and I wouldn't actually do it."

"I wouldn't have cheated on Val either," I say defensively.

"You did a bang-up job showing her that."

"I did a bang-up job not banging anyone else."

Angela enters the room again and rolls her eyes at the conversation. "Clearly."

"Fuck you," I reply.

"Fuck yourself," she spat. "Emotional cheating is worse than physical cheating, that's why you're single, whore."

His mother opens the door and I put on my nicest smile, though I was hoping she wouldn't be here.

"Hello, Isabel."

"Heather, hi," she hugs me, "Leo did mention you were coming over."

"Yes," I show her the textbook and notebooks in my hand, "we have a lot to cover, actually. The exam is in a week and a half."

"Good, he can spend the entire duration of his punishment studying for it. He's grounded, and I'm glad I don't have to worry about him acting out if you're here."

"Mhm," I nod, "no worries, just physics."

"Thank you, Heather."

"You're wel— oh, I almost forgot," I hand her a magazine, "I remember you said you like these. It's not officially out yet, but my mother let me have it."

She looks at me in surprise and tries to give it back. "I don't think I can take this."

"Of course, you can. I want you to."

"You're a sweetie," she says endearingly. "Thank you."

"It's nothing," I wave her off and start backing toward Leo's room without looking too eager.

I walk in and see him on his bed with his headphones on. I lean back against the door to close it, and the noise makes him look up.

"Butterfly-"

I smile and let the books fall to the ground before I rush over, climbing into his bed and on top of him. I kissed him so hard you'd think it had been weeks since we last saw each other.

His hand moves to the back of my neck, his thumb rested against my cheek as he kisses me back.

Grounded means this for weeks. And indoor dates that lead to...this. And me sleeping over here so that we can do this all night. And lots of alone time just to do this and—

Leo starts to undo his jeans, but I grab his hands.

"Your mom is here!"

"Who cares?"

"I do!" He laughs and lays back against the bed. "I don't want her to hear us."

"Then we'll be quiet."

"I doubt that, and I want her to like me. I brought her an unreleased Vanity Fair to bribe her into keeping me in her good graces."

"She has no reason not to keep you there. And what is with all the magazines lately? Wasn't Vanity Fair the idiots who thought they could make grunge profitable by pretending a flannel should cost $100? They're cheap and warm, and Seattle wasn't trying to make a fashion statement, it's just fucking cold there and full of lumberjacks and fishermen."

I smirk, "It's a coincidence you dress the same as the west coast grunge capital of the world?"

"Yes."

"I like this one," I rub the fabric of his flannel between my fingers.

"I figured you didn't since you had your hotel worker people give it back to me."

"This is the one you let me keep?" He nods. "I knew it looked familiar, but my mother threw it out...I thought it was gone."

"Not gone, just back to my closet."

"Back to mine..." I say slyly and start to pull the flannel down his shoulders. He chuckles and takes it off for me.

"So you can pose in Vanity Fair to prove grunge didn't die with Kurt Cobain?"

"Hush," I put it on and relish in the fact that it smells like him. "And what do you mean 'what's up with the magazines lately?' Did you accidentally subscribe?"

"No, I was at Zach's yesterday and the girls were all into these teen magazines talking about love and— maybe Shawn Hunter, I don't know."

I tilt my head, "what girls?"

"Oh, just Peyton and some of her friends."

"I've met Peyton before, haven't I?"

"Out in the hall, yeah. She's cool."

"I can imagine."

"...this bothers you, doesn't it?" Leo sighs, "I knew I should've talked to you first."

"It doesn't bother me. You don't need my permission to do anything."

"It's not about permission, it's just making sure you're comfortable."

"Do I have a reason not to be?"

"No...but you seem like you aren't."

"Well," I hesitate, "Peyton gave off a sort of impression when I met her."

"Like?"

"Arrogant, as if something was going on with you two, and I was stupid for being there."

"Nothing was ever going on between me and her," he says assuringly. "I mean, yeah...I liked her at one point, but it wasn't a serious thing because she's older and had a boyfriend for a long time."

"You liked her?" I shouldn't care.

But I do.

"I stopped when I got feelings for you. I couldn't even remember why I liked her anymore. So when she tried to kiss me, I moved-"

"She what?"

I get off of him, and instead, sit on the bed.

"Heather," he turns to me, "this is why I didn't want to tell you. It was nothing, she only wanted to because she was sad and thought that if I still liked her— it would make her feel better."

"But you didn't want to lead her on," I nod.

"I didn't want to kiss her," he says sternly. "It was New Years, the day I gave you this necklace," he touches it, "the day you called me baby for the first time, and it was one of the best things I've ever heard in my life— which is saying something since 'Dirt' by Alice In Chains exists."

I look away to avoid laughing at that stupid sentiment, but he catches my smile anyway.

"I'm not a fan of Peyton, but I like Zach and your relationship with him, so I won't allow myself to be uncomfortable because of her." Easier said than done.

"You shouldn't since nothing in a million years will make me see her the way I see you. My butterfly..."

He pulls me down with him, and I smile when his nose brushes over my cheek. Our eyes close when he moves toward me, parting my lips with his. He holds me by the waist, bringing me closer until we're chest to chest.

He feels so soft against my mouth, yet he's kissing me wildly, applying pressure not just with his lips but wherever he felt like groping me. Shocks of pleasure waved through my body and I let out a sound that mirrored them. He moaned back, satisfied that he's taking me further and further from when I said 'no.'

"Leo?" I break away, desperately needing to distract myself from giving in.

"Hm?" He kisses me again.

"Why do you call me that?"

"I think I want to leave that up to your imagination."

"No, tell me," I prod.

"All of your guesses will probably be right. Is it because you're beautiful? Soft? Or because everyone's always happy to see you...and I'm lucky that you landed on me..."

Oh, my god, you're perfect.

And I'm giving in.

"But," I breathe out, "you called me that before we really knew each other."

"Well, yeah, because I thought you were a monarch of society...but still beautiful."