I wake up and slowly come to the realization that there's something laying across my face. I slowly sit up and stare at it. Before I look up from what I guess is a backpack in my lap, I check my eye-patch, making sure it's still firmly in place.

The blanket had fallen off of me during the night, leaving it caught on my foot. I catch a glimpse of Allen's white hair from inside the kitchen, and I notice I'm still just in my boxers. I smirk, and walk in towards him.

Once I'm in the door way and facing Allen, I give a great yawn and stretch out until my fists are caught on the molding. I can't see how he reacts, but when I'm finished, he's not looking at me. I chuckle, my voice a bit hoarse from sleep.

"I found you an old backpack of mine. You can use it, but you might want to get a new one; it probably has some holes in it."

I look back at the couch where I left it. Oh. That's nice of him. Even after I've been busting his chops this whole time.

"Oh, thanks. You got any breakfast?" I waltz over to a counter and lean over, cocking one leg as I fiddle with my nails. "Oh yeah, we don't, do we?" I laugh, completely genuine. I had forgotten about our great food shortage. "Nevermind. I'll go get dressed." I glance at Allen, and see him staring, but that's fine with me.

Back out in the living room, I don't bother hiding while I get dressed. I throw my clothes on from yesterday and hold up the backpack to inspect it. Not too bad, I deem, and, even though it's empty, toss it over my shoulder.

Allen is out of the kitchen and nods at me, telling me to follow him out of the door. I can see that he his scar covered up again, but I don't say anything. Why doesn't he just loosen up? Either way, I'm on his heels, and we walk to the corner, waiting for his bus, I assume.

The silence is so awkward and so thick I could cut it with a knife. "So you're in eleventh grade?" I ask him, trying to end our suffering. He nods and turns to me. "Twelfth?" I nod this time.

He's still wearing that glove.

I look across, trying not to be obvious, but I try and get an understanding of what he could be hiding. Probably not an embarrassing manicure. Maybe he has a scar, or scars, and doesn't like people looking at them, but that didn't answer why he would only ever wear long-sleeved shirts. Could they really be that large? Or maybe it was something else. Like maybe he had lost the arm, and he doesn't want anyone to know. Honestly, he doesn't use it that often.

The bus came and left us to our thoughts. I stepped up first, and sat in one of the first seats and Allen sat far behind me. I held back a sigh and the rest of the bus ride was calm.

When we arrived at school, I headed to the principal's office. I told him my situation, as much as I could seeing that we don't really have a parent and/or guardian, and he called together the guidance councilors. They spent the next hour asking me about my plans after college and what classes I still needed to take. They throw together a new schedule for me and say it will be affective immediately.

I spend the rest of my day hanging around campus, mostly watching Allen from a distance.

I catch him at lunch, and sneak into a seat next to him.

He's sitting next to a girl who looks a bit older than him, probably only because he looks so young. She looks at me, confused. Allen smiles at her lightly and introduces us.

"Lavi, this is Lenalee. Lenalee, this is Lavi. He's staying with Cross and I for a bit."

She looks at me strange, and I wrap my arm around Allen's shoulders. "That's right. We're living together, so don't get any ideas, Sweetheart."

Allen scoots over and huffs at me, obviously trying hard to hide a smile and he swats my arm away. I laugh and see Lenalee glaring knives at me. I laugh at her, but she doesn't let up.

"Who do you think you are?"

The glee leaves my eyes, and my hands lock behind my head. "I'm your and Allen's new best friend!" She crosses her arms and huffs. I cup my hand around my mouth and whisper to Allen, "I don't think she likes me."

Allen smiles and tries not to laugh, looking over at Lenalee, who calms down, seeing his expression. She uncrosses her arms and lays them down on the table, before she gets up and joins the lunch line. I turn away from Allen by force of habit, so I can see what's going on to my right, and still see him on my left. He doesn't seem to mind it.

"I got my schedule this morning." I tell Allen, "I'll be starting officially tomorrow." He nods, and suddenly seems very solemn. I tilt my head at him, wondering if I said something wrong. He gets up and joins Lenalee in the lunch line.

I sigh. What is going on with him? I'm so confused as they return to the table. I steal something off his tray and stand, and head out of the cafeteria. I lean back against a wall away from everyone and prop my leg up on the wall. I'm not looking at anyone, but there's suddenly a girl at my left.

"Hey, have I seen you before?"

I keep the shock from entering my face and shake my head at her. "Nope. Say 'Hello' to the new kid," I say, giving a salute sort of wave and she smiles. "Well hello. Does this new kid have a name?" She looks at me seductively, and I pause. Ugh, please make her go away. "Lavi. And yourself?"

She smiles, showing her teeth, and it seemed more like she wanted to eat me than flirt. "Road Kamelot." She winks and I instinctively back away, putting my hand on the wall we're now both leaning on. "How about we meet up later this afternoon?"

I shake my head, finding my escape. "I'm busy tonight, sorry. And, I don't think it's a good time for me." For a relationship, I leave out. That would be too awkward for me, and I don't feel like losing an arm today. Or my other eye.

Road scoffs and twirls around, and her short skirt follows. She faces away from me and bows her head back to wink at me one more time. "Whenever your ready, good-looking."

She leaves and I do all that I can not to slump against the wall as I watch her walk away. The bell rings shortly after, and I leave the campus all together. Toying with my phone, I set the built-in GPS to my new house, and walk home.

ooOIOoo

W-who is that Lavi's talking to?

As Lenalee and I leave the lunchroom to wait for the bell to ring in the hall, I see Road circling Lavi like a hawk. Is she... flirting with him? I tell myself that it's okay. I've known Road for a while, and although we're not friends, I hear a lot about her. She's one of the most popular girls in the sophomore class. I shake off the feeling that it's giving me, seeing them together. Lenalee pokes me in the side and and turn and glare at her, but she laughs and brushes off my pointed look of steel.

"Are you okay? You've been acting weird today."

I shrug, "Yeah. My stomach's been acting up lately," I tell her. It's not entirely a lie... She snakes after me, laughing like a little kid, "Ooohh, does someone have a crush? Is that why-"

"No! What? Ugh, c'mon Lenalee. I seriouslly think I'm coming down with something." Her accusation catches me off guard, but I hope I covered it up well enough. I certainly do not have a crush on a guy that I met hardly a day ago. That's crazy. Plus, he's straight...

I can't get close to him...

When the bell rings, we say our goodbyes and go to our separate classrooms, but I have a hard time focusing the rest of the day; it's my stomach again.

When school is finally over and I find my bus, I see Lavi is no where around. Maybe he can't find where the bus is parked? I tell myself to shrug it off and to stop being worried. He's just a room-mate, nothing more and nothing less. I have no obligations to care about him, but that doesn't stop me from do just that.

The bus stops where it always does and I walk home quietly, lost in my thoughts, mostly ones about Lav-

"Lavi? What are you doing here?" Only seconds into my walk home, Lavi appears in front of me, which I find curious. Why can't he just leave me alone? But the other half of my head can't be happier and more sad at the sametime.

"I wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood. Learn my way around, and I guess I was just in sync with the bus. Go figure."

Even though that's what he says, something in his eye makes me feel like he did this on purpose, but I shake it off as a trick of the light. "Oh. Well that's weird."

Lavi shrugs and assumes what I guess is his normal position; his hands wrapped around the back of his head, elbows in the air. He does it quite enough, not that I'm paying any extra attention.

As we walk home, I force myself to drift away from him until we're on totally different edges of the sidewalk. Either Lavi is letting me, or he doesn't notice, and I don't know which choice makes it easier on me. Probably the latter.

"So is that Lena person your girlfriend?"

Like this couldn't get more awkward.

I shake my head, staying casual and shrug. "She's a friend. I've known her since eighth grade, so I guess she'd be my best friend."

Lavi stops walking and his arms fall to his sides. "But-!" He's feigning tears, "I thought I was your..." sniff, "best friend?!" I turn back to look at him for a moment, only before rolling my eyes and dismissing him with a wave of my hand. "I've known you for a day. I think I'm better friends with Road than I am you."

Oops.

Does he recognize the meaning behind that? Did he see me watching them earlier at lunch? I sure as hell hope not, but if he didn't, he probably understands now.

He catches up and returns to normal, "Road, huh? You know her?" I gulp, and nod, and he just seems to shrug. "I met her today. She's creepy, but not too ugly, if you know what I'm saying." He leans towards me, waggling his eyebrow, and I think I can see his other one moving from under his eye-patch, and it looks too funny not to laugh at. I think he takes it the wrong way, because he leans back, exaggerated, like he's trying to take in all of what's just happened at once, and he looks me over, and I feel my face heat up, just like before. I turn away from him quickly to hide it but I know it's no use by now. He's seen it one to many times, and now he knows that I get crushes on straight guys that I have no chance with.

But I hear Lavi laugh, and I feel like all is well anyway. No. This is terrible. This is worse-case scenario. We get back to the house right about now, and we both enter. The door isn't locked, and we simply head towards the couch. Suddenly there's a green hoodie over my head and I swat it off, faking panic. More laughter and I toss it back at it's owner. I march into the kitchen, frustrated with myself, because if I loose sight of my intentions for even a moment, I fall right back into my feelings, instead of reality, and that's no good.

There's no food left from yesterday, and we don't have any food of our own, so I head back out to the living room empty handed. I sit down next to him, with him at my right side and me at his left, like it should be. With the back of my left hand, I wipe away the makeup over my scar. The skin rubs the inside of the glove and it irritates me to the point that I tuck my legs into my chest and I practically sit on it, hoping it will lose all feeling soon enough. Lavi gives me a strange look, but I act like I don't notice. He must buy it, because he looks away like nothing happened.

"So, Road?" I ask him, against my better judgment. He smirks at me, "Yeah. Isn't she a hottie?" My face becomes shriveled with disagreement, and he laughs at me. "I know. She freaks me out. Like if she asks me on a date, I might become the main course." We both laugh, but my mind is stuck on the idea that they might date, and it doesn't reach my eyes. Sure, it was suppose to be a passing remark, a joke, but I can't get rid of that image in my head.

"You should get to know her. She's pretty popular." I turn towards him, and he raises his eyebrow at me, like I couldn't be more insane by suggesting that. "I really rather not. I'd like to keep this eye, thank you."

We face forward again, glance at the TV, and then towards each other.

"It's your turn," we both shout. "Nuh-huh, it's your turn," again, at the same time. "Rock, Paper, Scissors?" This time settles the deal.

We both play scissors, trying to anticipate each other's move. Next round, and my rock beats his paper. I smile triumphantly as he stands and flicks on the television. He sits back down at the end of the sofa, and kicks me, but I'm laughing. Maybe at how weak it was? He must have not been trying, or else that would have been sad.

What comes on after is so boring, we both fall asleep.

ooOIOoo

I'm in my old house, and everything seems normal, except the fact that Allen is there. He's sitting on the couch when I walk in, which faces away from the door. He hears me enter and is immediately standing and is briskly walking to my side. He touches my face, on my right eye and instead of getting tripped up with my eye-patch, I feel him under it; my eye-patch missing. I jerk my head back from him, and he cocks his head; looking worried. "Don't be acting like me, now."

I wake up and Allen seems to have dosed off too. And Cross is standing over us, watching in amusement as I struggle and panic to get our legs untangled without waking Allen.

Cross puts his hands on his waist and bellows in haughty laughter. I glare at him and he walks away. He's not dunk, is he?

I finally get out from under Allen, but his legs are on top of my lap. I stand and move around them. Cross is already in the kitchen, and I follow him. "There isn't any food in here, if that's what you're lo-"

"Wake up Brat Number One and go get some." He's straining his last few words, like he doesn't want to say them, but does against his better judgment. He's dangling his keys in my face.

Is he really trusting me with his car? Even after yesterday?

I don't argue. Slowly, I'm reaching up to grab his keys, just in case he changes his mind. Getting impatient, he throws them at my chest, and catch them before they slide down all the way to the floor. I click my tongue aiming a finger gun at him. "Thanks, Cross." It's dripping with sarcasm.

I leave the kitchen to see Allen waking up. He's trying to flatten his bed head, and I stare at him, one eyebrow cocked and grinning like a predator. He lowers his hand and turns away from me, glaring. My expression changes to one of confusion and worry. "Cross gave us his car keys to go shopping."

He looks back up at me, but I'm not satisfied with the reaction I'm earning, but I won't give up.

I dangle the keys as proof and he stands to walk out of the door. I follow him. "I wanna drive!"

I practically push Allen away teasingly to get to the driver's side door, but he doesn't pitch a fit about it, and moves to the other side of the car.

We get in and we're overwhelmed by the scent of smoke, liquor and... What is that?

I don't want to think any further into it and start the car. "Do you even know where we're going?"

I turn to Allen beside me and nod, "What do you think I've been doing all day? It certainly wasn't schoolwork."

He looks somewhat shocked, "You walked all the way to the store?" I nod enthusiastically. "Hmm."

I start up the car and back out, pausing to watch for traffic. "So how was your day, hunney?" I turn to smirk at Allen, and I'm satisfied he's blushing again, and he stares out the window like usual.

"You don't really like Road?"

We take off down the street and he's still staring at the scenery. At first I sense some awkwardness in the question, then I start to understand.

I shake my head, then remember he's not looking. I keep swinging my head around constantly to watch for traffic and pedestrians.

"Not really. And you're not friends?"

"No. I don't like a lot of people."

I glance at him and he looks like he's upset with the unfinished sentence. I keep pushing buttons, "Like who?"

I hear him mumble something under his breath, but I can't tell what it is. "Daisya. Kanda. He thinks I'm short, but he's barely taller than I am."

I laugh unexpectedly at the seemingly random addition.

"Well, you are kinda short..."

"No! Everyone else is just a bit taller." He crosses his arms, "I'm average height."

We pass the supermarket and Allen sounds like he's going to choke. "I need to stop somewhere else first." I look over and he seems increasingly worried. "Relax, it's not like I'm getting you into trouble. Maybe a bit from Cross, but we can handle him."

I watch him slump into the seat in defeat and I snicker at him. Sitting back up, I hear him murmur this time; "This is going to be a long ride."

Only a few miles out of town, I try and strike up some conversation. "So, what's your past like?" I look over and he starts to look nauseous. "Give me the short story. Just the gist," I include, hoping he'll be okay. I don't want him throwing up in the car, and I doubt Cross does either.

"I never met my parents. I grew up in a home, then got adopted. He..." Allen pauses and I glance over, hoping to reassure him, "He died, and his old friend Cross took me in. And that's how it's been almost all my life; me and Cross."

I looks over and I hurry up and pretend to cry. "I am so..." Sob, " Sorry..!"

He smacks my arm, not appreciating the joke.

"My parents were taken from me, more or less, and I lived with a friend of the family. Bookman, everyone calls him. I'm not sure why, though." I don't let him know that 'Bookman' is actually my grandfather on my dad's side. When I moved in with him, he told me straight up that no one was allowed to know that we're related in any way. I'm not sure who's safety that's protecting, but I've kept that promise anyway, seeing my parents', um, line of work.

I feel Allen looking at me. I look over and he's staring at my eye-patch, like he wants to ask about it. I look away, hoping that's enough for him to drop the idea.

"If I tell you about my eye, will you tell me about yours," he offers.

He's taken a great step forward. I'm surprised that he would offer that. On how he reacted yesterday, I'm very surprised. Although I feel that if I agree, he's going to be withholding the main things I want to know about it. And besides, I can't tell him about mine anyway. It would tell him too much about my situation, and my family. And that can't happen. Plus its not exactly a painless subject. Unless, on the off chance that his scar's history is thousands of times worse than mine is, I can't spill. And I doubt it is.

Shaking my head, I reply. "I can't."

Allen seems to understand, but I'm not sure. He gazes down into his lap. I take a turn a little bit faster than necessary and he goes to catch himself. "Sorry," I admit.

That was the high point of the drive. We chat a bit about our hobbies, likes and dislikes, and we rant about school. Apparently, Allen has a knack for drawing, but doesn't like other people seeing, and I let him know about my talent for guitar. It's nothing special, but he still seems impressed. Luckily, neither of us are big on sports, and we have the same taste in music.

When we arrive at my destination, that Allen didn't even know about, he face palms.

After cutting the engine, I climb out. "Welcome to my humble abode." Allen doesn't even want to get out of the car.

I'm honestly excited about showing him my house, along with grabbing some clothes and other belongings, but I walk in the front door and find the place ransacked.