I wanted to cry.

I thought Santa Martina High School would be a dream come true - I was beyond excited. I had even laced my sweet horseshoe onto my brand new tie dye wedge high tops. Imagine the look on my face to realize that this was all for nothing. Casey Acosta was completely ignoring me.

It started when I walked in and spotted him next to his locker. We had barely been able to make time for each other over the summer - Casey's totalitarian mother had ostracized him from the world. He was practically always grounded. The last time I had heard from him was a text a few weeks before school started, saying how much he missed me.

One time, I remember feeling beyond terrible when I realized that a text from me had earned him a slap across his face from his mother. She was downright ABUSIVE to him, and I couldn't stand it. I guess the pain at home wasn't worth me. Because he looked straight at me on the first day of school, looked behind me with worry, and turned his back and walked away.

I was shocked. In all the years that I've known him, Casey has NEVER turned me away. I didn't know what to make of it. I tried to assure myself that he hadn't see me, or he just had to get to class, but a large part weighing down my heart told me that it wasn't true.

I tried to connect eyes in another passing period, which only affirmed my hypothesis: he was indeed avoiding me. He gave a slight shake of his head when we passed, and then immediately averted his eyes. From then on, a distant cloud surrounded me; not even the jabbering Marissa could shake me out of this confusion. I just wanted to be alone, and when Billy and Dot came to join the group, for the first time I wanted them to leave.

Billy gestured for me to come over. "Sammy, can I talk to you?" He then noticed the lack of color in my cheeks. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head violently, trying to beat out my trance-like state. Dang hormones.
"Sorry. I'm just...distracted I guess. What's up?"

"After school could you go behind the lunchroom? Where the dumpster is?"

I have to admit I was a bit suspicious. But then again, it's Billy Pratt. He's the most random person I've ever met. I was about to ask him why, but Billy had already gone to catch up with Marissa and the others.

After school, all I wanted to do was to curl up on the couch and sob. Pathetic, right? I had tried in vain to figure out what was going on. Heather even walked up to me with a toss of, "Awwww, is someone ignoring wittle Sammy? Poo. That's just too bad. I guess those upperclass girls finally caved my brother in. It's about time."

I was getting ready to move out of the country, when I remembered my promise to Billy. He probably just wanted to copy down my assignments for the day or something. I was starting to regret making this deal with him. Nevertheless, Billy's been through a lot with me, and I could always count on him. I choose to reciprocate and walked around the corner of the lunchroom. Why did Billy have to ask there?

"Hey, Billy, could we go somewhere that smells better? Like maybe the- "

I froze. Billy was not standing six inches away from me. It was the ditcher himself. Mr. Casey Acosta. The source of my insanity. Yearning. Hate. Love. My emotions were all overwhelming me at once.

I spun on my heel, ready to icily storm out of there with nothing but a "Good day", when a warm, strong hand grabbed my clenched fist and dragged me back behind the concrete wall. I avoided his eyes, instead settling mine on the unattractive plastic cans behind him. His face looked exactly like it was going to give out some explanation. He opened his mouth, buy I really did not want to hear it.

"Sammy, please listen. Don't leave. I owe you an explanation."
"I don't want to interrupt what would otherwise be a well-rehearsed alibi, but I really have other places to be."

That was bull. The only thing I would be doing that night is distinguishing the difference between Mrs. Wedgewood's butt and the toilet seat.

"Heather found out about our meeting spot at the graveyard. Don't ask me how, but she did. She got a photo of us together, and my mom went ballistic." He gestured to his cheek, which I noticed was slightly red. With a faint fingernail indentation. Ouch.

In spite of myself, I reached out and stroked the bruised area with my hand. I still had feelings for him.

"Believe me, I felt so awful to avoid you. But Heather was stalking me like a hawk the entire day. She wants a photo of us together in order to get me in hot water again with mom. So now I'm the bad child; whenever Heather will get in trouble from now on, it's always trivial compared to the 'offspring that flirted with Satan.'"

I snorted at these words. Only Candi would dramatize this. And only Heather would blackmail her sibling like that. How the hell is this perfect boy in front of me related to those flesh eating demons?

We were quiet for a few moments until I said slowly, "So, what's going to happen with us now?"

"Well, I plan on staying together. My mother's insane. I don't think I can count on her judgment. But maybe you could start by joining me for frozen yogurt? And thinking of ways to get back at Heather?" He offered me his hand to pull me up from the curb. He led me toward the back wall, as far away from any potential onlookers as possible. He then proceeded to give me the best apology ever behind the school. My back pressed against the cool concrete.

DUH I accepted his offer for yogurt. With James Bondlike stealthiness, we crept the long way around the softball field, arm in arm. Within a range of half an hour, I had completely changed my outlook on high school. We had to walk half a mile to get to an amazing little frozen yogurt shop, as far away as possible from Casey's house. And Candi and Heather can't do anything about it.

That was the best revenge we could have possibly dished out.