A/N- My very first TVD fanfic. I am a huge Jyler fan. They are my favorite couple that never was and most likely never will be. I hope I do the characters justice. Please leave some feedback. I love to hear every kind of criticism.

Jeremy Gilbert was different. He knew it and so did every one else. It was hard for him to make friends and connect to people. Because of his standoff-ish demeanor, he came across as detached and unemotional, but in reality he was the most connected and emotional human being among his peers. He had so much bottled up feelings he thought it best to keep them locked away instead of unleashing them on the people he cared about. The last thing Jenna and Elena needed was his problems to deal with.

So, he did what anyone else would do if they had the type of problems he did- he got high. He wasn't proud of it, but it was his escape. It took the pain away and helped him forget. He wasn't hurting anyone, but himself, so, he didn't see the problem.

"Watch where you're going, asshat," Tyler Lockwood said as he and Jeremy collided in the school hallway.

"Whatever," Jeremy wasn't even phased. He wasn't going to give a jerk like Tyler the satisfaction of acting out. Jeremy knew Tyler was always looking for a fight and that wasn't Jeremy's thing. Sure he liked to push people's buttons, but he was not in any way a confrontational person.

"You are so lame, Gilbert."

Jeremy stopped walking and turned to face Tyler. He was holding his backpack on one shoulder and surrounded by his posse of meat-heads.

"Got something to say? Come on Gilbert, say something. Give me an excuse to pulverize you into the ground."

Jeremy cocked his head to the side and smirked. "Pulverize, eh? That's a big word, Lockwood. Sure you know what it means?"

Tyler stopped gloating and stared at Jeremy. "You're about to find out just how well I know it. Keep talking."

Jeremy let out a little laugh. "You'd like that wouldn't you? That's your thing. Preying on people. It's sad." Jeremy turned and started walking away.

"This isn't over, Gilbert. Get back here!" Tyler yelled, his voice echoing throughout the hallway.

Jeremy just kept walking.

Tyler turned to his friends. "Such a pussy baby."

Jeremy thought about going to class, but it just didn't seem like the thing to do at the moment. Instead he went out the side door and walked out to the football field. There were no gym periods in session so he had the freedom of hanging out on the bleachers without having to worry about getting written up for detention.

He took a spot on the very top bleacher and lit up a cigarette. He really hated the way they tasted (and smelled), but he had nothing else on him.

Jeremy inhaled deeply and blew out slowly. He slouched back and closed his eyes. He thought about what his life was life before his parents died. Excitement. That's what was missing from his life now. Fun. Getting high and laid every once in a while were not Jeremy's idea of excitement or fun. They were ways of passing the time. Things to keep him busy and take his mind off of things. But not exactly fun.

He blew out some smoke and laughed. He didn't even know what fun was anymore.

... ... ... ... ...

Gilbert. That annoying little prick. That's all Tyler Lockwood could think about while in Biology class. Why Jeremy got under his skin so much, Tyler had no idea. Jeremy knew what buttons to press. When Tyler would throw out insults Jeremy made sure he caught them and hurled them right back at him. He didn't let Tyler win at his own game.

"Mr. Lockwood? Mr. Lockwood are you paying attention?" Mrs. Kline asked the dazed boy.

Tyler shook out of his thoughts, "Huh?"

Mrs. Kline rolled her eyes. "I'll take that as a no?"

"I guess?"

"Lovely, you have detention."

Tyler half smiled and turned to face the window. Good, I don't wanna go home anyways. Not in the mood for dad and his shit. Tyler thought to himself.

... ... ... ... ...

The last bell had rang which meant school was over and detention was beginning. Tyler went to his locker and picked up his copy of Romeo & Juliet. He needed some way to pass his time and there was no way he was doing homework, so, he might as well read his favorite book.

He walked into the detention hall and noticed the one and only other student there- Jeremy Gilbert.

"Great." Tyler said as he sat down at a desk in the back of the room.

"I'm so happy to see you too, Tyler." Jeremy shot Tyler a cheesy grin.

Tyler clenched his teeth hard. Just ignore the little douche.

Mr. Bell, the detention coordinator walked to his desk. "So, out of the fifteen kids who have detention you two are the only ones who showed up?"

"I guess so." Jeremy said.

"Well, I have to run to the cafeteria for a bit. Can I trust you two to behave?" Mr. Bell eyed both the boys.

Both boys nodded yes.

"Great. I'll be back in fifteen minutes tops." Mr. Bell grabbed his wallet from inside the desk and before leaving said, "I'm trusting you boys. Please don't let me down. If you cooperate I'll let you leave when I get back. Deal?"

"Deal, Mr. Bell." said Jeremy.

"Yeah, okay." Tyler agreed.

Mr. Bell walked out of the classroom and Tyler opened up his book. He had read Romeo & Juliet at least ten times, but no matter how many times he reread it, it never got old.

Jeremy let out a smothered laugh. He had his mouth up against his sleeve.

"Something funny, Gilbert?"

"You're reading. And not only do you have your eyes in a book, but the book is Romeo & Juliet."

"And?"

"Dude, you're Tyler Lockwood. Mr. Jockface. And you're reading a timeless romantic classic. I'm in awe." Jeremy grinned as wide as his mouth would allow.

"Shut up." Tyler went back to reading.

"That has to be for an assignment, right?"

Tyler put the book down on the desk and glared at Jeremy. If it wasn't for the deal he made with Mr. Bell he would have pounded Jeremy into the floor, but instead he decided to converse with the boy. "No, it's not. I like it."

Jeremy's face turned blank. "Seriously? Why? It's so boring."

Tyler huffed. "They're rebels. They didn't let anyone tell them what to do. They were going to be together no matter who or what tried to get between them. I like that." And that was the truth. Both Romeo and Juliet stood up against their families. Something Tyler desperately wished he could do.

Jeremy nodded his head. "When you say it like that, they do seem like badasses, but the dialogue is terrible, you can;t even deny that. It's so hard to understand!"

"At first it's tricky, but once you've read it five or six times you know exactly what they're saying, and then it's easier to enjoy it"

"You've read Romeo & Juliet six times?"

"Ten, actually."

Both of them laughed.

"I can't believe it, but I think we just had a civilized conversation." Jeremy said.

Tyler snapped back into his old self, "Don't get used to it, Gilbert."

Jeremy got a defensive look in his eyes. "Yeah, cause we could never be friends. I mean why would someone like you want to be friends with someone like me. I get it," he turned around, put his arms behind his head, and leaned back.

"Look, I'm sure you're cool in your own way, somehow, but me and you just don't click. We're too different." Tyler was surprised by him feeling bad for Jeremy.

Jeremy turned around and faced Tyler. "You're not telling me anything I don't already know, Lockwood. I mean you're the rich jock who has EVERYONE wrapped around his little finger while I'm the marginally less wealthy screw-up who does drugs. If that doesn't spell different I don't know what does. It's just the way things are."

Tyler thought about what Jeremy had just said. "Just because I have money and know a lot of people doesn't mean I'm above anyone else. And just because you have less money and some issues doesn't mean you're below anyone. There are a lot of people better than me and there are a lot of people who are worse than you."

Jeremy was shocked. Who would have thought Tyler Lockwood actually had brains.

"What?" Tyler didn't like the way Jeremy was staring at him. It made him feel uncomfortable.

"I wasn't expecting that."

"I may be a jock, but I do have a brain."

"I guess you do." Jeremy turned around and put his head on the desk.

Tyler tried to get back to reading but his mind was elsewhere.

"You wanna come over after this?" Tyler asked Jeremy without even thinking. He really didn't know why he asked that. He felt so stupid after the words spilled out.

Jeremy lifted his head and looked at Tyler like he was a green-eyed monster. "You talkin' to me?"

Tyler rolled his eyes, "No I'm talking to the imaginary kid sitting in front of me."

"Why would you ask me to hang out?"

"Nevermind, just forget it. It was a stupid idea." Tyler raised his book to cover his face. Behind the mask of his book he felt himself blush.

"I was just going to get high after I left here. If you have a better idea of how I can spend my time, I'm all ears."

Tyler lowered his book slowly. "I dunno. I have a huge house. We could swim? Play video games?"

Swimming. Jeremy absolutely loved to swim. He used to go swimming all the time before his parents died.

"I could go for a swim."

Tyler shook his. "Yeah, me too."

"Cool."

Mr. Bell waltzed into the classroom. "Ah, I see you two are both without physical harm, so, I'll assume you got along?"

They boys nodded.

"Great, then get your behinds out of here and enjoy the rest of the day."

Tyler and Jeremy gathered their things and walked out into the hallway.

"I'm parked in the back of the school."

Jeremy nodded and followed Tyler towards the exit. This was going to be an interesting evening.

... ... ... ... ...

A/N- I'm sure there are gramaticle errors all over, I'm so sorry. It's past 3am here and I am half dead lol. Please forgive me.

And please Review :)