7th grade seemed to go the same as 6th, as did 8th and 9th. Sophomore year of high school Jeremy was still the geek of the school and Kate, Shelley, Paige, and Lily were still the popular ones with Dorothy as their friend but with less attention as the others. Jeremy was the same as ever and was still very much in love with Kate. Every day in homeroom he would sit and stare at her while he drew portraits of her in his notebook. He would also offer to help her in any classes that she was having difficulty with.

Kate appreciated his help and remained the kind person that she had always been but the others found him more annoying than ever. Dorothy tried to get her to stop talking to Jeremy always referring back to the time when he attacked her but Kate would then remind her how he kept apologizing for it. Dorothy though didn't seem very willing to accept his apology. Though underneath she knew it was actually him that should be seeking her forgiveness.

Friday morning when Jeremy walked into the library he found that Kate was sitting all alone instead of with her four friends. He smiled happy that he now had a chance to talk to Kate without her friends around to bug them. "Hi Kate," he said as he sat down next to her.

"Hey Jeremy," she said.

"What you doing," he asked.

"Oh just trying to get ahead on work since the girls aren't here. They decided to ditch today," she said.

"Ditch…and you stayed," he said a bit quietly.

"Yea I have a test today and I didn't want to miss it especially since I've been studying for it all week,"

"Well, since your friends aren't here, would you like to hang out with me today?" he asked. Kate took a minute to think and for a second Jeremy thought she was going to say no but his frown was turned upside down when he heard her say yes.

The two spent lunch together in the art room and after school they walked together to the ice cream shop. They talked and laughed so much Jeremy's eyes began to water. He couldn't believe he was hanging out with the girl he had loved since the 3rd grade. Kate also couldn't believe how funny and caring Jeremy was. She was now glad that the girls had decided to ditch. Though it would be a storm later when they found out she had hung out with Jeremy she didn't really care. She hated the fact that her friends had always picked on Jeremy when he was one of the sweetest guys she had ever met. She had had lots of fun with him and wasn't planning on pretending that it never happened.

While the two walked home together it slowly began to rain. Kate took out her umbrella and covered both her and Jeremy who unfortunately didn't have one. "Silly Jeremy didn't you know it was going to rain," she said smiling. Jeremy looked away and blushed and Kate laughed and wrapped her arm around his pulling him close. Jeremy heart began to pound loud and his nose began to bleed. Kate noticed from the corner of her eye and stopped and pulled him into an alley where it was dry. She set her umbrella down and took out a napkin that was in her pocket. Jeremy watched her fascinated as she gently wiped his nose clean.

The speed of his heart increased as he felt her breath and his body shivered when her finger touched the top of his lip. Unable to control his urge he quickly took her hands in his as she finished cleaning the blood. The two stared at each other and Jeremy took his right hand and softly caressed her cheek. Kate closed her eyes taking pleasure in his touch and the heat of his hand. Jeremy saw this as his chance. He leaned in and touched Kate's lips with his. She responded to his kiss and moved closer closing the gap between them.

Just about ten seconds into the kiss the two broke apart when the y heard voices behind them. A couple of guys made their way over to them whistling at Kate and taunting Jeremy. They looked to be around their age and they looked liked they had just been smoking with the smell of cigarette flowing around them. Jeremy moved Kate behind him as if to defend her and the guys laughed.

"Hey baby, why don't you leave this loser and come hang out with a real man," one of them said.

"Sorry I don't see any," spat Kate.

"Oh so you got a mouth on that pretty little face of yours,"

"Yea and a brain so get lost creep. Come on Jeremy," she said taking Jeremy's hand. As soon as Jeremy turned the same guy grabbed him and pulled him back forcefully. Jeremy fell to the ground and when Kate tried to help him another guy came up and grabbed her pulling her away. Kate screamed and when Jeremy tried to get up he was kicked in the face then in the gut. His glasses fell off and the guy that kicked them stomped on them and kicked the broken pieces aside.

As the guys kept beating Jeremy, Kate struggled with the guy holding her trying to break free so she could help Jeremy. She repeatedly stepped on his foot and tried to elbow him in the gut. She got him to loosen his grip and she quickly run out of his arms and shoved one of the guys kicking Jeremy into the wall. One of the other guys then punched her in the face and Kate fell to the ground unconscious.

Jeremy's eyes grew red and in that second something snapped in him. As quick as lightning he got up and started fighting each of the guys. He got a broken beer bottle and swung it scratching the guy who hit Kate in the face. The two boys grabbed their friend who was now bleeding and ran off freaked out by Jeremy who had murderous eyes on his bloody face. Once they were gone he ran to Kate and took her in his arms protectively rocking her back and forth.