-Maya-

I was right about regular high school. It was terrible. It was all about everyone bringing everyone else down and there was drama practically twenty-for seven. It was a living, breathing Hell that was enclosed by brick walls and strict rules. A place everyone seemed to want to be.

It was a place I didn't belong. I wanted to be with people more like me. Musicians, artists, people who knew that Beethoven was more than just some deaf guy—or even worse were the people who thought he was just some dog with hundreds of movies where he was always the hero.

I didn't belong in regular high school because of the fact that my musical abilities were the only things about me that were at all "special," and they were hardly something that would stand out and be appreciated in a high school. Especially in a high school that contained a majority of students who only cared about the latest gossip. I wanted to be in a high school for the arts.

That's why I normally spent lunch in the music room, playing my cello and forgetting about everything and everyone else in the world. Except today, today the music room was filled with students of random sorts, trying to make up last minute band lessons or composition assignments. So, today, I sat in the foyer, iPod turned all the way up, listening to the classics: Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, and Brahms.

I was minding my own business and trying to get lost in the music when I was approached by a guy in a red polo, which notified me that he was a junior.

I looked up at him and his lips moved but I heard nothing, I popped an ear bud out of my ear and looked up at him, "Sorry, what?"

"I was wondering if I could sit here?" He asked and smiled hopefully.

"Oh, yeah, sure, I'll just move, sorry I was in your way," I scrambled to try to pick up all my books and papers I had beside me.

He chuckled lightly, "No, no. I wanted sit with you. The foyer's kind of packed today and you don't look like the type that bites…" He chuckled lightly again.

I found myself responding without care, and actually with ease, "But you don't know, are you willing to take the risk?" I moved over slightly, giving him a little more space to sit down.

He smiled and sat down, "You don't know me, huge risk taker right here." He stuck out his hand for a handshake, "I'm Adam."

"Maya," I smiled back and politely shook his hand.

"So what are you listening to?"

"Oh nothing," I popped out my other ear bud and turned off my iPod. He reached out to take it from me, but I promptly pulled it away from his grasp, "Hey, that's mine."

"Come on, what terrible secrets could you be hiding on there? Are you secretly in love with hardcore rap? Lots of swear words and slurs no one can really comprehend?"

I rolled my eyes and laughed slightly. "No, I'm a classical listener, thank you," I looked at him and waited for a quirky response.

"Well, that's… Original," He looked at me and shrugged, "kind of cool though, if that's your thing, stick with it."

"I'm a cellist," I shrugged, "so I guess you're right, it is my thing."

"Ahh, you're making me feel so overrated. I play videogames and am, for the most part, a very mainstream listener," He said.

"I never said that that kind of stuff was overrated, it's just not my 'thing,'" I retorted, using air quotes around the word 'thing.'

"So, you don't think you're better than us normal, can't-keep-a-beat folk," He smiled jokingly.

"I never said that," I smiled, finding it easy to joke back with him, "I'm so much better than all of you, I might as well take Katie's presidential status as my own."

"I'd watch what you say, Katie Matlin's pretty vicious."

"I would know, she's my sister."

His eyes widened slightly, "I thought you looked familiar," he shook his head, "Her boyfriend, Drew, is my brother."

"O-oh! I didn't know," I blushed slightly, not knowing why I felt embarrassed, but feeling it anyway.

RIIIIINNNG.

"Saved by the bell," Adam chuckled nervously. "Thanks for letting me hang out with you, it was nice…"

I smiled, finally feeling as though I connected with someone within this Hell of a school, "It was nice…"

"So are you busy after school? Maybe you would want to meet at the dot and pick up our conversation?" He looked nervous and I blushed again, nodding a 'yes' and watching a look of calm wash over his face as he smiled brightly. "Alright, 3-ish, I'll see you then," and just like that, he was up and walking off to class.

I got up and rushed to my next class, letting my heart flutter and my mind feel elated, ecstatic, and free.

-Adam-

I knew I fell for girls a little too fast, and it was the same every single time, I'd get my hopes up a little too high, just so one girl after another could knock them down. They were knocked a little lower every time it happened.

Let's just say relationships weren't my forté.

So, why was I sitting here, at The Dot, letting myself feel happy and just so hopeful. It felt like a stupid and serial heartbreak thing to think, but maybe Maya was different. Even if that was so, I still shouldn't have been developing feeling this soon.

I looked at my watch, 2:55, Adam, you shouldn't have shown up so early, you look desperate. I mentally shook myself and tried to relax back in my chair. When I couldn't relax, I settled for nervously tapping my fingers on the table and whistling to myself.

"Mozart's Marriage of Figaro," Maya said from behind me. I turned around to see her there, smiling. She changed out of her school uniform and was wearing a gray shirt that slung over one shoulder and slightly revealed the other with white skinny jeans.

She looked stunning, "Huh?"

"That's what you were whistling; it's one of his most famous pieces. One of the most vulgar pieces ever written, too," she walked over to the other side of the table and sat across from me.

"Hmm, I didn't even notice," I shrugged and looked at her, all my nerves disappearing, replaced with ecstasy and happiness that seemed to spark from nowhere. "I'm not even sure where I've heard it before, to be completely honest."

"It's everywhere, movies, tv shows, probably even video games," she shrugged back, "did you already order something? I could really go for a hot chocolate." She pulled some money out of her pocket, "How much is it? Do you know?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll pay. This can be my treat," I smiled warmly placed her money in her hand and closed it for her, letting my hand linger there for a few seconds before pulling away.

She smiled and blushed lightly— which looked adorable on her, "Thank you, Adam."

"Anytime," I smiled and then went to the counter to order our drinks.

-Maya-

Is this a date? I've never really been on a date. No, it's just two people hanging out. Calm down, Maya. I sighed and looked across the table at where Adam was previously sitting.

I let the elation of when he touched my hand to stay with me while he was gone. I smiled to myself, feeling myself start to fall for him. Falling for a guy you barely even know anything about, smart.

He walked back over to the table, gently placing a cup in front of me and sitting down holding his own cup, "Two hot cocoa's," he smiled and took a sip then made a face, "very hot, that is. I think I just burned my tongue."

We both laughed a little and I smiled at him before taking a cautious sip of my own hot chocolate. "So why don't you tell me a little more about yourself? I mean, all I really know is that you're a gamer who likes mainstream music. Tell me your secrets, gamer-boy."

His eyes flickered nervously, as if he was mentally fighting himself about what the next words of out of his mouth would be.

"Uh, you don't really have to tell me your secrets. I'm more interested in you than I'm interested in your gossip, sorry," I said, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks while I took a tentative sip of my drink.

"Sometimes, gossip and things people should know are one in the same," he bit his lip nervously before continuing to speak, "Maya, please don't run away when I tell you this."

I set down my hot chocolate and put my elbow on the table, stretching out my pinky-finger towards him, "I pinky promise I won't, Adam Torres."

He smiled and hooked his pinky-finger with mine, his touch giving me another bubble of elation.

"So, out with it."

"I'm transgender," or pinky-fingers were still connected and the grip on his tightened slightly as he said it.

I let go, but not out of disgust, or because I wanted to run away from him. I pulled away just because I was shocked, there wasn't much more to the thought. It was shocking, but it was okay.

"I'm not going to run," I shook my head and smiled encouragingly, "It's okay, I don't mind. You're a great guy, Adam. I mean it."

He smiled and held out his pinky-finger, "You promise?"

I hooked my pinky-finger with his and smiled brighter, "I promise."