Disclaimer: Don't own it, pal, believe me.

A/n: I wrote this ages ago, probably circa mid-S4, posted it on a different site under a different name, and recently rediscovered it buried in an obscure place on my flash drive. My ideas of these two, Charlotte especially, have changed a bit since I wrote this, but I figured it was worth sharing none the less.

Guys Like Him and Girls Like Her

He was the guy you picked on in school. The guy who was always nice and helpful, kept more to himself about his personal life, a little neurotic, and generally ignored when he wasn't the butt of tje joke. The guy who won science and math awards, who had little or no friends. If he wasn't going to Science Club that night, he usually went straight home and did his homework. He didn't simply go to school, he survived school. His IQ gave him the crazy high grades and the lack of social skills gave him the cruel nick names from the other kids. He grew up and went on to a prestigious college, made a small name for himself, made breakthroughs in the science and physics world if not more friends.

She was the girl who ruled the school. She was "in" with the popular kids - hell, she was practically their leader. If she thought it was cool or worth paying attention to, so did everyone else. It was pathetic but true. She was the queen bee, the witch with a capital B, the one who people simultaneously looked up to and hated. She was not afraid to make people feel horrible. She wouldn't look twice at guys like him unless she wanted something from them. She was smart - actually smart. She downplayed her grades in middle school because it wasn't cool to be that smart. It wasn't until after high school that she found some maturity and her passion for science. It didn't particularly change her as a person - her focus simply shifted slightly.

They were pulled from different areas of the world for different reasons. They were put on the same retrieval team. Quickly, inexplicably and most of all unexpectedly, she started to feel something for him. He was so sweet and nervous, so smart and interesting; she'd never met anyone like him before. She was quite sure he had a crush on her and even though she felt something for him in return, she did not encourage those feelings or that crush.

Girls like her simply didn't go with guys like him.

Every once in a while when they were alone, she would let her guard down enough to be friendly. She'd smile widely and she really enjoyed being with him. He grinned in a sort of goofy sideways manner, his eyes sparkling and his ever-messy hair sweeping across his forehead.

When there were other people around, however, her guard was completely up. She treated him with a certain amount of respect but was mostly cool and indifferent. It hurt him, she could tell, that she would change her personality like that. She felt guilty about it yet didn't try to change. She didn't want people to think she would go for a guy like him because she still had the mindset that she was a certain girl and he was a certain guy and the two simply didn't mix. Worse still, she was teased by Miles about Daniel's infatuation with her. She would laugh and make fun of Daniel too. Only once did she make the mistake of doing it when he was in earshot.

"Did you hear him going on about the time issue?" Miles sneered.

"Oh my God, he wouldn't stop." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"I know!" Miles laughed. "He's completely nuts."

"You get him going about science rubbish and he doesn't bloody shut it." continued Charlotte. "I mean, it was one thing when he was rambling to his mates at the college or whatever, but we seriously don't care."

"I don't think he even owns a freaking hairbrush." said Miles unkindly.

"And he always looks so ridiculous with his shirt half untucked. Complete slob!"

Miles chuckled and agreed, but stopped when Daniel brushed past them looking all kinds of hurt.

"Pretty sure he caught all that, Charlotte." Miles shook his head and glared at Charlotte as if she had been the only one to say anything mean.

Charlotte felt instantly guilty and for a moment she dropped her guard and ran after Daniel, for once no longer caring what anyone else thought.

"Dan, wait, I didn't mean it - "

"Yeah, you did." he said quietly.

"No, I swear I didn't, I was just - "

"Talking with Miles. I heard." His voice was low and his eyes were full of pain. She hadn't realized until that moment just how much he deeply cared about her.

"Dan, I'm so sorry." She said genuinely.

He didn't reply and walked a little faster as if trying to get away from her.

"Dan, please, I truly didn't mean it."

Daniel stopped walking abruptly and faced her. "If you really felt that way, you could have just said it to me, Charlotte. I can handle it. You - you don't need to go spouting it off to - to Miles." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I just thought - I thought..."

Charlotte bit her lip. "Dan," She put her hand on his arm.

He pulled away as if he'd been scalded and it startled her. Before, he'd seemed to glow a little when she touched his arm.

"Don't. Just... don't. Probably should have known you felt that way." He paused. "I mean, look at you..." He gazed at her softly and she couldn't help but smile just a little. Then his eyes clouded with hurt again as he added bitterly, "And look at me."

"Appearances don't mean anything, Dan."

"Apparently they do." He said quietly. "I'll try to keep my shirt properly tucked in next time I'm in your presence. A-and comb my hair to your perfect standards." He began hurrying away again.

"Wait, Dan!"

He waved her off angrily and she watched him go, guilt burning in her gut.

So it was like she thought. Guys like him and girls like her simply didn't mix.

-end-

A/n: Thanks for reading! Reviews appreciated. :D