(´ ▽｀).。ｏ

The girl didn't notice I was watching her. She just kept moving around silently, running her fingers over the spines of the books until she came across one and stopped. She slid it out of its shelf, opened it to a random page, and tucked it under her arm once she found what she was looking for. She moved closer to the back of the library, where I was sitting, and started looking again for another book.

I clenched the book in my hand until my knuckles turned white. I had been sitting in the back of the library, where no one was likely to find me, waiting to make a move but for some reason I couldn't so I sat in the back for an hour or more, trying to find the right moment to talk to her. But when I did find the right moment, what was I going to say? I couldn't just go up to her and say 'Hey, I've been watching you for a while. My name's Gilbert. How's it going?'

With a sigh, I stretched my arms and leaned back in my chair. The girl moved past me, keeping her eyes looking straight ahead but mine followed her. She stopped at a shelf, reading the titles carefully, and I took a deep breath. Now's your chance, Gilbert, I thought as I set the book down. I started walking towards her, feeling awkward, when she glanced up at me. Panicked, I made a sharp turn and stumbled directly into a table, causing other students to look up and snicker.

"So un-awesome," I muttered as I put the chairs back into their places. I paused and snuck a glance at the girl but she wasn't looking at me anymore. She had her back facing me as she started walking away, keeping her eyes on the bookshelves.

I sighed. Since when had I been so…un-awesome around girls? I turned from a cute adorable little boy into a hunky awesome man when I hit puberty and the ladies couldn't take their eyes off me since then. I was always surrounded by girls even if I had five older brothers and a younger one. I was just so damn hot and irresistible and awesome. And yet, I couldn't talk to this one cute girl who I've been watching for days. This one girl…

"I found him!" Antonio's voice yelled.

"Hey, Gilbert!" shouted Francis's voice.

I turned around in time to see Antonio jump on me. The short Spaniard threw his arms around my neck, choking me, while Francis grinned creepily at me. "Hey, guys," I said, prying off Antonio's arms. "What are you up to?"

"We've been trying to find you, duh," Francis said.

"Wow, Gilbert," Antonio said, looking around the library. "I never thought you'd be in a place like this."

"I was studying," I growled. "Got a problem with that?"

"That is the problem, mon ami," Francis said, smirking. "You never study."

I rolled my eyes and searched the library for the girl in a quick glance. "So what are you guys doing here?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. The girl wasn't in the library so I suppressed a groan and I looked back to my friends.

"Nothing," Antonio said. "We were just thinking that we'd go get something to eat at the diner afterwards."

"Sounds great." My voice sounded annoyed but mostly disappointed. I had a chance to talk to the girl but I ruined it because of a stupid chair.

We left the library and headed to a nearby diner that was popular with the World W Academy students since it was within walking distance of the school. When we got there, the diner was empty except for the few workers and a couple of customers who were scattered around. The three of us were seated by a waitress, who Francis immediately started flirting with, and ordered food. When she left, Antonio and Francis turned to me and started the interrogation

"So what were you really doing at the library?" Francis asked. "Is there some girl that comes there?"

"I was seriously studying, guys," I said, trying to resist punching the Frenchman in the face. "I have to get my grades up or else my parents will murder me."

"You are kind of failing algebra," Antonio said. "And language class. And science. And—"

I glared at the Spaniard. "Thanks a bunch, Toni."

Antonio raised both his hands in surrender. "I'm only trying to help," he said. "But if you need tutoring, why don't you ask Ludwig?"

"Might I remind you that Ludwig's a year younger than me? He's a sophomore."

"But he's a straight A student."

"He's a sophomore," I repeated.

"No, no, no," Francis said. "Gilbert needs tutoring, and that is why I shall do it myself!"

"Hell no," I growled. "The last time I asked you to help me we ended up throwing a party."

Francis smiled dreamily. "Ah, I remember that. We got drunk and I had one of the best nights of my life with—"

"Here are your orders," said the waitress, reappearing with our food. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No thank you," Antonio said before Francis could say anything. "We're good."

I glared at my two friends and started digging into my food. She left but not before slipping Francis a piece of paper. The Frenchman grinned and showed us a set of numbers written on the paper with a signature and a heart below the digits.

"You see," I said through a mouthful, pointing my fork at Francis, "that is why I can never get my grades up. We try to study and we end up partying or slacking off."

"What about me?" Antonio asked. "I can help you."

"You can," I agreed slowly. "But then you start talking fast in Spanish and I have no idea what you're saying."

"How about Arthur then?" Francis asked. "He's in our grade and he's at the top of the class."

"He's weird," I added. "No, I need someone…normal."

"Well, Gilbert," Antonio said. "Good luck in finding someone normal because this town is full of weirdoes."

"Yeah, I noticed," I muttered. I set my fork down, feeling full, and stretched out my arms as I glanced around the diner. It was still empty except for those few customers. I glanced at each of them until I saw a girl sitting in a corner by herself. I instantly recognized that wild, weird curl that stood out from her hair and saw that she was the same one from the library. My heart started beating faster. Out of all the places to meet her, I see her in the diner—but that didn't surprise me. The place was popular with the students…but then again, the girl wasn't exactly well-known. She just kind of blended in the background like a wall flower. But there she was. She sat in the corner of the diner with a book propped on her bag in front of her, opened, as she drenched maple syrup on her pancakes. As she cut up her pancakes, she read along silently to the book, mouthing the words. I wondered if I should go over to her, and introduce myself or something. But then what was I going to say to her? Did I want to ask her out? Did I want to say, 'Hey, this is crazy and I just met you but do you want to go out sometime on a date?'

"Hey, Gilbert," Francis said suddenly, snapping his fingers in my face. "Toni and I are leaving. Are you coming?"

I glanced at Francis and Antonio. Francis was standing up with an impatient look on his face while Antonio was tossed money on the table for tip. I shook my head. "Nah," I said. "I'll stay back for a while."

"Are you sure?" Francis asked. "We're going to my place for a drink."

"Actually I'm going home to study," Antonio said. "I have a test tomorrow and I can't afford to fail it."

Francis glared at Antonio. "Fine. I'm going to my place for a drink. Want to come, Gilbert?"

"No thanks," I said. "I don't feel like drinking tonight."

Francis shrugged. "If you say so," he said. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay, Francis," I said. "See you guys later."

When they left, I paid for our food and leaned back in my seat. I was itching to go up to her right then and there but I just couldn't make myself do it. I couldn't even remember the last time I felt this way about a girl. I felt crazy…and I didn't know why. Why was I feeling this way? Why? Why? Why?

I stood up roughly, accidentally hitting the table with my knees, and cursed myself in German as I stormed outside the diner. When I climbed into my car, I banged my head on the steering wheel, causing it to honk and also causing a few stares casted my way.

"Depp," I muttered, calling myself an idiot in German. I started to jam my keys into the ignition but when I looked up, I saw her exiting the diner. I stared at her as she walked across the parking lot and stopped at the bus pick up area. I dropped my keys, slowly got out of my car, and headed towards her.

"Hey," I said, tapping on her shoulders, "do you need a ride ho—"

She spun around and her bright violet eyes flashed before me. I stood there, staring at her face—her adorable, cute, pretty, shy face framed by brown hair pulled into pigtails with bangs pinned to the side with a clip shaped like a maple leaf—and that was probably why I never saw the can of pepper spray coming. The next thing I knew I was blinded and staggering towards my car. Somehow, I got back into my car and rubbed the spray out of my eyes. When my vision was clear again, I looked back at the bus stop and saw that she was gone.

"Unglück, Gilbert," I mumbled, reaching for my keys. I found them and started my car. Then I drove myself home. Today was just misfortune.

But, then again, I guessed that's the way it goes.

A Note from your Author:

Hello there ヾ (＾

＾) and welcome to my second (or third?) Hetalia Axis Powers fan-fiction: Deer in the Headlights! I decided to write this based off Owl City's song, "Deer in the Headlights"…henceforth the name. Sorry if it seems boring. I just went along with whatever popped into my head at the time. But if you as the reader don't think so, thank you very much for taking your time! Again, thanks for reading! Reviewing would be helpful if you'd like this story to continue! Bye! ー( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ

On another note for translations

French:

Mon ami—my friend

German:

Depp—idiot

Unglück—bad luck