Disclaimer: I do not own 10 things I hate about you.

"What the heck!" Cameron sighed, staring at the soda stuck in the machin e. He stood back and glared at it. Cameron could tell that someone was standing behind him; he slowly turned to his side to see who was there, and he automatically regretted looking.

Patrick Verona was looking at him with a questioning, annoyed look. "It won't drop." Patrick stared blankly, "Your testicles or the soda?"

Cameron laughed nervously; he didn't want to piss Verona off. Patrick rolled his eyes.

"Move." Cameron quickly moved out of the way. Patrick walked in front of the machine and kicked it with the side of his boot, which made the machine shake and the soda fall.
He leaned down and picked the soda out. "Here," Patrick threw the soda in Cameron's direction; he barely caught it.

Cameron yelled, "Thanks!" at Patrick, who was now turning a corner.

---

Lunch had ended, and Cameron decided to head towards his next class; on the way, he ran into his friend Michael who was absent from lunch for some reason. "Where were you?"

"I was talking up some chicks."

"You were on the phone with your mom, weren't you?"

"Yeah... she wanted to know if I used my inhaler, and I told her I didn't need to, and well then she asked to talk to the school nurse, and the story goes on and on. Anyway, how was your lunch, any Bianca time? Huh, huh?"

Michael nudged Cameron annoyingly.

"No... I didn't even see her. But, surprisingly I...," Cameron trailed off uncertainly.

Michael quirked an eyebrow questioningly.

"You surprisingly what?"

Cameron pulled Michael over to the wall and then lowered himself down to Michael's level, whispering, "I surprisingly got help from Patrick Verona."

Michael laughed, "Yeah and I got to bang Chastity Church in the girls' locker room."

"No I'm serious! In the quad, he helped me with the stupid soda machine."

M ichael started to walk down the hallway again, with Cameron catching up. "Cameron, let me inform you about Patrick Verona again. He doesn't help people; he doesn't even talk to people, unless to yell at them for being in his way. His day consists of most likely harvesting organs and selling drugs with his Mexican drug lord mother. Not helping people like us with busted soda machines."

Cameron sighed with aggravation and headed into class after Michael.

---

Cameron's last class ended, and he was standing at his locker getting his stuff when he saw Verona walking down the hall; Cameron was unsure why he was all of sudden shutting his locker and trying to catch up to him and to talk to him, but he was. "Hey."

Patrick continued to walk. "Verona!" Cameron yelle d down the hall. Patrick turned and quirked an eyebrow, as if "What the f***" was about to come out his mouth.

"Uh.... I..." Cameron was freaking out; he wasn't even sure why he was talking to Patrick Verona; he was truly terrified of him, so what had led him to this he had no idea. For crying out loud, Cameron, he knows the taste of human flesh and his parents are CRAZY; at least that's what I've heard. Michael was right!. "I just wanted to thank you again for helping me earlier."

"I kicked a soda machine." Patrick seemed irritated.

"Yeah, and you didn't have to, so thanks."

"Trust me, if this is what I have to deal with every time I kick one, I won't be doing it again." Patrick continued to walk towards the exit.

"Yeah." Cameron continued to follow behind Patrick.

Patrick turned back and gave a pissed off look towards Cameron.

Cameron froze and then remembered how to speak. "See ya."

Patrick swung the school doors open and walked out of the school with an annoyed look left on his face. Cameron was frozen in the middle of the hallway awkwardly; he felt like he was about to faint from fear. Luckily, Bianca came up behind him and got him out of it.

"Cameron, hey."

"Uh.. oh hi," Cameron smiled.

"You ok, Cameron?"

"Yeah.... Yeah! Fine."

"Alright…"

Cameron started walking slowly to the doors leading out to the school parking lot with Bianca, unsure of what made him start talking to Patrick Verona, the loony bin of the school; he assumed maybe Patrick helping him earlier meant they were...cool or something, but he saw that as a very stupid thing to think now, considering the guy would probably sell his organs on eBay.

A/N: If you enjoyed the story I'd love to hear why. Thanks for reading!