If there was one thing I would never be able to get used to, it was how nice Julio could be every once in a while, when he felt like it.

We were currently in Physics class and he had wordlessly handed me a granola bar for the fourth consecutive day.

I never ate breakfast; it just wasn't a habit that I'd had since I was a kid. But, these days, I was oddly hungry and my morning granola bar, courtesy of Julio, tided me over till, sometimes, dinner. He was a godsend.

"Thanks." I said, taking it from his outstretched hand. A small smile took over my face, and I struggled to control it.

"You're welcome." He said, gruffly. He still wasn't used to someone being nice to him, just like I wasn't used to him being nice to me.

Mr. Barker began teaching, and I pouted dramatically, knowing I had to listen, earning a short chuckle from Julio. I made no effort to hide my surprise as I looked at him, as he hardly ever showed attention.

He cocked a questioning eyebrow, and I quickly shook my head, smiling to myself.

Class passed by as quickly as could be expected, and I was as glad as usual when the bell rang. The second it did, I didn't even wait for Mr. Barker to finish his sentence before I shoved my books into my bag and waited for the first person to stand.

It was Julio, and I quickly followed him, poking him in the back to make him move faster. He glared unmeaningly at me and I just shrugged, motioning for him to move. I was also perfectly aware of everyone's eyes on us, but I chose to ignore them.

"You were enthusiastic to get out of there." Julio remarked the moment we were in the hallway, with people streaming out behind us.

"Yeah, I'm just so done. I don't think I can deal with the rest of today, either." I complained moodily.

"What's wrong, princess?" Apparently, that nickname was here to stay. He sounded a little concerned as he frowned, his eyes darkening.

"I'm just so.......done. I don't know what it is, but I'm just not in the mood for any of this." I gestured around me, frustrated for no reason.

Julio looked at me worriedly for a second, as is concerned for my mental health.

"Come on." He said, after a moment's silence.

"Where?" I asked, wondering what he had in mind.

"I was thinking the warehouse. It sounds like you need a break." He informed me and his offer was much too tempting.

"We shouldn't." I lamented sadly, considering it, "The day literally just started."

"Who cares?" Julio spoke callously, shaking his hair out of his face. I really needed to ask him what kind of conditioner he used.

"And if they call my mom?" I demanded, hands on my hips.

"Again, who cares?"

I let out a short laugh. While he didn't know the truth about how much of a bitch my mother actually was, he did know that we did not get along.

"Alright." I sighed, conceding. Arguing with him when he was in one of these moods was pointless, and I was tired of all the shit that was going on anyway.

I made straight for his motorcycle when we got to the parking lot, rather used to it by now. He gave me the helmet again, despite the number of times I'd protested it.

"I really wish you'd use the damn helmet. It's yours, you know." I grumbled, my words muffled by the shoulder of his leather jacket, which felt oddly cool against my cheek.

"Exactly. It's mine so I get to choose what to do with it." I could practically sense his smirk as he said it and I was almost awed; a mere month or two ago I'd despised him and now I cared for him more than I probably should.

"Whatever." I huffed, settling against his back and making myself comfortable while he started the vehicle. I was a lot more at ease about doing things like that now but, judging by the way he stiffened, Julio probably wasn't. He wasn't exactly a touchy-feely person, really.

We reached, again, in about twenty minutes and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of the building. I'd only been here once before, but I already loved it better than anything else in town. I was glad Julio had decided to share it with me, in spite of it seeming important to him.

This time, I didn't complain or make a nuisance of myself while climbing up and I could tell that my companion was grateful. If I had, he would have had to resist the exceedingly tempting urge to strangle me for all my antics.

When we got to the roof, Julio not two steps behind me, I immediately went to the edge, enjoying the sudden salty taste on my lips from the breeze that blew from the sea.

"I can't get over this place." I informed Julio, not bothering to turn around and face him, knowing that he'd come and settle himself beside me anyway.

Sure enough, he did. He stopped to my right, taking in the view for a moment, not speaking. He was standing close enough for me to feel the heat of his skin. Surprisingly, the warmth made me shiver.

That's odd.

Julio cast a cursory glance in my direction before leaning against the short, decaying wall that separated him from certain death. "Why does this spot affect you so much?" He questioned, sounding genuinely curious.

"I have no clue." I admitted honestly, "It just feels so separate from everything and everyone down there."

I gestured vaguely downwards, in the general vicinity of the town, before signing softly and continuing, "It's like an escape from reality, like a dream. I know I've only been here once, but that one time was enough. You probably think I'm being stupid, though, don't you?"

"Nah, I know exactly what you mean. Javi brought me here for the first time a couple years ago and, I don't know, it just grew on me immediately."

Julio actually did understand.

"So, what's the deal with you and Javier?" I asked, turning to look at him, "You guys are brothers, I know, but he doesn't live at home, even though he goes to the local community college."

I was ashamed to say that I was probing. Julio's jaw tensed and his hands grasped the wall tighter, which was when I realized that I was going too far.

"I'm sorry." I began, instantaneously feeling bad, "I shouldn't be prying so much; it isn't any of my business."

"It's cool, princess." His knuckles were turning white, "He just wanted to leave home, and I can't leave till college."

"Speaking of college, where do you think you'll go?" I asked, changing the subject.

Julio looked grateful as he answered, knowing that I'd done it purposely, "I don't know yet. I've applied to a few, but nothing too fancy. You?"

"Anywhere but here." I replied, earning a small smile from him. I continued, "Well, I've applied to Penn State and a couple of others on the East Coast and only one on the West."

"Most of mine are on the East Coast, too."

"Eager to leave the nest?" I chuckled, but he only looked at me. It was almost a sad sort of look. so I knew that I had to get his mind off of it. Not for the first time, I wondered if his home life was good or not.

"Something like that." He whispered, leaning forward slightly and looking down. The people below us looked like mere toys, like the Lego ones Chase played with for the longest time. Until he was seventeen, actually, not that he'd admit it.

"What if we end up at the same school? How cool would that be?" I made myself sound more effervescent than I actually was, hoping to get Julio thinking of more pleasant things.

"Someone has to protect you from the big, bad world out there." He remarked, ignoring the pointed look I gave him.

"What?" He added, "It's the truth. You trust way too easily. Case in point, me."

"As opposed to being socially stunted and not trusting a soul?" I bit back, glaring. I regretted it immediately, expecting him to blow up, but he did nothing of the sort, and just shook his head, grinning. When he smiled, like, actually, uninhibitedly smiled, he could stop anyone in their tracks and convince the world to stop turning. Unfortunately, he didn't do it too often.

Or, if you looked at it that way, fortunately, because I didn't know if my heart could take it if he smiled more than once in a blue moon.

"Touché, Taylor, touché." It was a little odd hearing him call me by my actual name, because I was used to him either calling me 'princess' or just speaking generally.

"Why don't I have your phone number?" I asked suddenly, having an epiphany. Things would be so much easier if I just had his number.

"Because you didn't ask." He said, rolling his eyes.

"I'm asking now."

He didn't say anything, just held his hand out for my phone, entering his number into it.

"Thank you." I sang, stepping slightly closer to him, despite the fact that we were just barely touching now. Julio looked down at my arm that was touching his with an odd look in his eyes, one that was unreadable.

I was just about to awkwardly remove it when he lifted his arm and slipped it around my shoulders, pulling me to him. I smiled, leaning into him.

We were friends now. Friends. And that was what explained the warmth and fuzziness when he did things like this.

Totally.

We stood there for a while, in that same position, until my legs got tired of standing.

I shifted uncomfortably and Julio asked, "Do you want to grab some lunch? It's already 12:30."

"What? Are you serious? We've been here for almost three hours?"

"Yup." He replied, extricating himself from me and pulling me along.

We went to the same diner as I went to the week before with Chris, after the disastrous party. It was a homey place, and I enjoyed the atmosphere.

When we got there, it was empty, save for a single waitress and a burly-looking man in a baseball cap. The man seemed to be the waitress' boyfriend or husband or something, judging by the way they were talking to each other in soft tones and holding hands over the counter.

She smiled at us in acknowledgement when we walked in, and came over with menus about half a minute later.

"I'll be back in a moment to take your orders." She said, heading back over to her significant other.

"I already know what I want." Julio said, not even bothering to pick up the menu. I gave it a quick glance and decided on some kind of chicken sandwich with a chocolate milkshake. I deserved a treat at this point; I'd kept up my diet for over a month.

When the waitress came over again, Julio got some kind of burger with a side of fries and I told her what I wanted.

We got through lunch quickly, and we were done by 1:30, at which point I decided it was better for me to go home. I was displaying some pretty alarming symptoms, with the way my heart rate escalated every time Julio said something in that deep voice of his, and I felt all fuzzy whenever his hand or leg brushed mine.

So, when he dropped me back home, and I gave him a longer than necessary hug goodbye, and felt that now-familiar sensation of butterflies, I was forced to admit that I have a crush on Julio Hernandez.

That asshole.