The piece of ciabatta bread fell apart in my hand as I angrily crushed it in my fingers. There in the far corners of the lunch room, as far away from myself as possible, sat Alex and Joe feeding each other pasta and other food items that I shall never eat.

I've never wanted to punch someone so much, and trust me, I've punched many people. Just as I had enough an was about to stand up and walk away, Nate sat down across from me. He hadn't talked to me since I'd snapped at him in the parking lot two weeks ago and I had to admit - I felt pretty bad about that.

"Hi," he said quietly, he didn't look smug as always. He just looked normal and genuinely concerned, "are you ok?" he asked. Now I was worried.

"Um.. Yeah," lie. "why wouldn't I be?" I asked glancing over at the happy couple again then back at Nate.

"Cause of them," he pointed over at Alex and Joe.

"Pft.. I told you.. I'm happy for them.." Why could this boy read me like a book? It was starting to get on my nerves really. "Really.. Really.. Happy." I said wiping a tear that had not yet fallen from one of my eyelashes. I wondered if he believed me or if he even cared for that matter.

He sighed, "I can tell," he said a small smile playing on his lips.

I rolled my eyes, Nate was possibly one of the most annoying people I knew, he was a jerk but when he was concerned he was too concerned. When I didn't answer he looked at the two other empty seats beside me, "Why are you on your own?" he asked.

"Cause I'm independent," I muttered.

He smiled again, "no really.. Why?"

"Be cause I want to be alone but I guess I can't be right now.."

"Why?"

I rolled my eyes and stood up, "I have to go," I mumbled picking up my tray and dumping it in the trash can and then stalked out of the cafeteria, Alex and Joe not giving me a second look.

---

I sat in my room for what felt like a lifetime in total silence, tears were rolling down my cheeks and I was staring at a picture of Joe, Alex and me. I hadn't talked to them in two weeks. Two weeks. This was getting harder and harder. I threw the picture on the floor cussing when I heard the glass smashing on the ground. I ignored it and lay down on my bed and let my eyes close, I hadn't realised how tired I was until I lay down…

I awoke to the sound of glass cracking and someone saying "shit!" I sat up quickly and saw that Nate had crawled through my window and into my room and stepped on some glass. That boy just couldn't stay away.

"Why is there glass on your ground? I think I'm bleeding," he moaned.

"Serves you right! What the hell are you doing breaking into my bedroom?" I yelled.

"I wanted to see if you were ok," he muttered, "and you're obviously not," he pointed at the picture surrounded by shards of glass.

I rolled my eyes ignoring his accusation. "Stay here," I said walking into my ensuite and grabbing a first aid kit and walked back into my room. "Sit," I said pointing to the bed.

Nate nodded and obeyed and walked over to my bed and sat down. He rolled up his jeans to his knee where a shard of glass was sticking out of the skin. I sighed and looked up at him, "This will hurt." I said going to take out the glass.

"I can take it," he said uncertainly. I smiled to myself and nodded then slowly began to take the glass out of his knee. He squealed and grabbed onto my free hand. I rolled my eyes - cry baby. Before he could object I quickly pulled the remaining piece of glass out of his leg. He yelled and squeezed my hand tighter.

"Could you not squeeze so hard? I think I'm losing circulation," I muttered looking from some disinfectant.

"Sorry," he said biting his lip as he looked at the blood covered glass that lay on my bed. I picked up the disinfectant and put some on a cotton bud and dabbed his knee with it, he squealed again and I rolled my eyes again. Then I grabbed a bandage and wrapped it around his knee and he finally let go of my hand. "Done," I said with a smile and picked up the glass and the rest on the floor and dumped them in the bin. "It didn't hurt too much did it?" I asked winking at him.

"Psh.. No.. I was just… fine." he lied examining the bandage on his knee like any kid would. I smiled to myself, "You're quite the baby Nate," I said picking up the photo and throwing it on my desk.

He rolled his eyes, "You look like you were crying," he pointed out.

"no .. I was sleeping, my eyes look like this when I've slept." I lied.

Nate nodded but he didn't look convinced.

"So.. why did you break into my room?" I asked him realising I had taken so lightly to him crawling in my window and getting his blood all over my floor and bed.

"Oh.. I uh.."

"spit it out Nate." I rolled my eyes.

"I just .. wanted to see how you are," he mumbled running a hand through his curls.

"Since when do you care about me?" I asked him crossing my arms, restraining myself from running over to him and running my hand through his hair myself.

"Hey. I thought you and I were buds," he said lying down on my bed.

I narrowed my eyes at his assumption and walked over to my bed and hit his legs making him sit back up and then sitting down beside him. "What gave you that impression?"

"I unno," he shrugged, "I just thought it.. are we?"

"Not that I know of," I sighed.

"oh,.. can we be?"
Nate was even more annoying than I thought he was, but it seemed kinda sweet that he even wanted to be my friend even though I was a major bitch to him sometimes.

I shrugged, "I guess we could."

Nate grinned, "Really?"

"Yes," I rolled my eyes, "Now get outta my house," I said pushing him toward the window.

He opened his arms for a hug, I sighed and allowed him to embrace me, "Bye," he said with a stupid smile on his face.

"Bye," I said. Maybe Nate wasn't such a jerk after all.