A/N: I am aware of the fact that this story is kind of wonky as per its formatting. Sorry about that. I guess that will get better in time; this is a learning experience after all.

Gregor thought that school might not be so bad this year, as he made his way through the first day of 10th grade. Being a freshman was horrible, but this year things really were looking up: Larry and Angelina were in a handful of his classes each and Chemistry seemed like it would be pretty interesting.

He was in a pretty good mood by the time the bell rung at the end of the day. He met up with Larry and Angelina at Angelina's locker.

"Hey."

They turned.

"Oh, sorry."

He had interrupted some conversation that they had been having.

"Hi Gregor!" She smiled warmly at him. " Guess what? I tried out for the Fall play during break today."

Gregor smirked. "Well, I hope you remember that, even if you get every single part, you can only play one if you want to have time to sleep and eat."

She rolled her eyes, but she was was laughing.

Larry looked slightly disgruntled. "Hey, man. You ready to go?"

He and Larry walked somewhat in the same direction to get home.

"Sure."

They said goodbye to Angelina, and headed out onto the noisy street. They joked about their new teachers and classes for awhile. Gregor laughed a lot.

"You seem to be in an uncharacteristically good mood." Larry observed, sometime later.

This, Gregor realized, was a good point. Though he had become gradually less sulky throughout the past couple of years, it had been quite sometime since he really had a good laugh.

"Yeah..." he said, somewhat distantly.

Larry let out a laugh that turned into a fit of tumultuous coughing. He had always had really bad asthma.

"What?" Gregor asked.

Larry gave him an impish grin that Gregor thought looked slightly forced.

"Don't think I can't tell."

"Tell what?" Gregor asked, bewildered.

"You and Angelina."

"Me and...what?"

"Don't act like an idiot!" Larry grew flushed, and his eyes narrowed.

"You like her and she..." He trailed off, his face growing pained.

Oh no. That's what Larry thought? Gregor could feel his face growing red.

"It's not like that. She's great and everything, but..."

Gregor didn't know what the "but" was. Though his friend Angelina was quite pretty, smart, and funny, he really just...wasn't feeling it. Something, it seemed, had kept him from falling for any girls in the past few years.

Larry's face changed. He looked relieved for a second, but then he said anxiously; "She likes you though."

Gregor's face burned.

"You don't know that."

"Yeah, I do." Larry said bitterly.

"How?"

"Dude. She flirts with you like crazy. Did you not notice?"

"Oh." Gregor supplied rather stupidly.

Larry shifted his bag and kicked at a loose stone on the sidewalk.

"I know it's not your fault...it's just...I..."

"You really like her, don't you?" Gregor asked his friend.

Larry's eyes dropped to the ground.

"Just ask her out."

Gregor was no expert on dating. That seemed like the right thing to say, though.

"I-" Larry began.

"-have got nothing to lose." Gregor finished for him. "Look. There's your apartment, Loverboy. Think about it."

Larry shook his head, and waved, before pushing open the door.

Gregor found himself curious, and yet, a bit uncomfortable about what he found out. He thought about it all the way home and up the stairs to his family's apartment. He turned the door handle and walked inside. He was so distracted, that it took him quite awhile to notice that a giant rat was sitting at his kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea.