YIKES! LATE LATE LATE SO INCREDIBLY SORRY SORRY SORRY!

You can skip the next few sentences if you don't want to hear an excuse. ARRRHHHH FINALSSS! I will strangle you one day! But…I would never strangle the new puppy we got! I'm so happy! The nine week old keeps us up all night!

I tried to make this extra long for you.

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Chapter 3: Sighing

"Sophie Mercer, welcome to second period World History. I'm Mr. Homer, call me Mr. H. You may sit in any one of the empty seats." Mr. Homer, huh, interesting name. The fit middle aged man told me this with a sparkling twinkle in his eyes and a firm handshake. I wonder what kind of class this is until I look for a place to sit and see Archer Cross. My mind thinks What the heck is he doing here? while my belly is busy doing triple backflips.

Catching my eye, he winks and I am yet again blown away by how handsome he is. My mantra continues, Sophie will not like him, Sophie will not like him, Sophie will not like him, but to no avail, because Sophie likes him.

"Thanks Mr. H." I say politely before following his suggestion. There are two empty seats, one in front of Cross, the other in the back corner. The pros and cons of the former include me being near the guy, and not being able to pay attention. Also, I would be in danger of becoming bipolar due to the fact that I like and hate Archer. The other seat looks disgusting. Even from the front of the class I can see the numerous pieces of colorful gum stuck to its surfaces, making the innocent desk look like a Skittles commercial.

"Hey Soph, sit here." Archer Cross suggests throwing around my name in his mouth as if he's said it a hundred times, and gesturing to the chair in front of him. The fact that he has to voice my actions before I act puts my nerves on end because I was going to sit there anyway. Even sitting in front of the crush you hate is better than sitting on old gum that was inside somebody's mouth that's had who knows what in it. Reluctantly, I slowly make my way to the seat with all eyes on me.

"For the record you're only barely better than gum." I inform him tactfully.

"Believe that all you want Sophie…" He smirks back.

While Mr. H goes on to talk about what's happening, I space out but not enough to be totally oblivious of the guy breathing down my neck behind me. I shift my weight uncomfortably forward, to stay away from the horribly non-rancid breath that smells sweet like peppermint and clean soap. Damn him.

"Damn you." I whisper over my shoulder.

He just raises one eyebrow infuriatingly, "What Sophie? Are you uncomfortable?"

I glare at him, "Only because someone decided to start breathing down my neck."

Before he can fire another sarcastic remark back, Mr. H interrupts, "Sophie, Cross, I like that you are getting acquainted but can either of you tell me what I just said?"

We stare at him, neither of us willing to own up to the fact that we weren't paying attention. I would expect Archer Cross to say something, anything but he doesn't. I feel my heart deflate in disappointment; I was really looking forward to a laugh.

Mr. H raises an eyebrow in amusement, reflecting Archer's earlier expression, "I was your age once, don't worry. But at least listen in on the important things, please." He smiles at us, and I smile back, "Will do Mr. H."

The teacher who I have now decided is pretty cool continues on with explaining the syllabus while Archer Cross taps me on the shoulder.

I snap at him, "What?"

"Do you want to be partners?" he asks me and no kidding, my first thoughts are: Gay. Partners. …What? My second thoughts are: You thought that? Close your mouth.

And so, I close my mouth and stare at Archer Cross in confusion, "What?"

"Ok, maybe not. You obviously don't pay attention and can't get any work done. I need someone who can stay on task." He muses dubiously.

"Excuse me? Stay on task? Pay attention? Get work done? If my memory serves me right, I think you're the one who started talking to me," Which isn't true, but I'm so mad I actually like the guy that I'm grabbing anything in reach, "And you're the one who can't control one single dog, plus Mr. H busted both of us, Cross." My cheeks are red and though I whispered the whole thing, it feels as if I screamed it. Nothing infuriates me more than a handsome, sarcastic know-it-all who I'm starting to like…

He looks at me, probably enjoying my troubles and I brace myself for an insult but he just explains, "We have to partner up to finish a worksheet. You know; the usual nuts and bolts. You're my partner." With that he dismisses me by leaning back in his chair and stretching his arms above his head allowing me a glimpse of his flat, tan stomach.

I snort and turn back facing forward, intent on ignoring him, forever. Childish? Yes, what can I say? I'm a child at heart.

As Mr. H passes out the worksheets and I hear Archer say that he and I are partners, my eyes narrow. They are at the pint of being beady when I hear MR. H's approval, "Good Archer, make Sophie feel at home, yeah?"

"You betcha Homer." Archer says all buddy buddy. I can just imagine the kid winking and I can't see anymore.

I remain frozen when Archer Cross taps my shoulder and sing songs my name, "Sooo-phieee, hey Soooo-phieee." Everyone else in the room has already started discussing early American Colonial culture so I turn around.

"Okay, let's start then Cross." I say intensely.

He stares at me in open amusement, "Ok," he returns, "Let's start then Mercer." He looks down at the worksheet, "Question number one…"

We work our way through the ten questions that we have to answer in paragraph form quickly with Cross occasionally having to explain things to me on subjects we hadn't touched at my old school. We switch off writing the answers on a piece of binder paper and once when he was proving a point to me and writing at the same time he smushed a period in another line, earning an oh so very nice compliment from yours truly, "Nice shot, Archer." I smirk. He just erases the period and puts it where it's supposed to go, "Shut up Sophie."

With no big run-ins between each other asides from the here and there insults, we finish and Archer leans back stretching, giving me another delicious glimpse. Crud, Sophie will not like him, Sophie will not like him, Sophie will-. Uh oh, I'm staring, and he notices.

Smirking, gosh he's got a hot smirk, he says, "See something you like, Mercer?"

"Actually, I see a big fat ugly something that I really don't like."

"Really? What's that?"

"Your ego Cross."

"My what? My eggo? Leggo my eggo, Mercer!" He smirks again.

"Yeah. Right." I roll my eyes then realize what he said. I stare at him in shock.

Staring back in confusion, he exclaims, "What? Something in my teeth?" Deciding to give him a few seconds, I watch as it dawns on him. I laugh and think about how he might not be that bad after all.

He raises an eyebrow, "Really Mercer?"

"Yurp. Wow, Cross. I didn't know you could be so mature!" I reply sarcastically, still laughing then, unexpectedly he joins in. His laugh doesn't sound like his previous laughs, it's, and sorry if I sound like a Jane Austen novel, but it seriously deserves this. Cross' laugh sounds melodic but down to earth at the same time. It's loud but intimate and harsh yet kind. I think I've fallen in love with it faster than I decided he was hot and let me tell you, that's pretty darn fast. I can't help what comes out of my mouth next, "Wow," this time it's a small exclamation of awe, "Your laugh…wow." I regret it the moment it comes out. Blushing I wait for the tease, the smirk, the cold shoulder, the snarky comment, everything except what he does do. His cheeks flush slightly, eyes shifting away from me and he coughs in-is it really?-embarrassment.

It's gone as quick as it came, replaced by his previous light and care free expression, the, I'm-King-Of-The-World look. His playful tone makes me question what I saw, "Mercer." Cross says, threateningly teasing me. I gulp. "I'm mature all right." He pauses and his lips turn up once more, eyes twinkling as he leans in closer, peppermint breath caressing my face, "You on the other hand…I think you're the one who has to worry about maturity. There was the bad dog." He ticks off one finger, "Now there's the swooning?" There goes the second, along with my pride, "Come on Mercer, really?" He laughs and this time it's sadistically.

His words hit me in the gut and I pull back quickly, glaring at him, "At least I'm not an egotistical, rude jerk who can't tell his right from left with a name like Archer Cross. What were your parents thinking? You're no archer. You can't even place a period in the right place!" I've given him exactly what he wants, a rise out of me. I don't care though, the idiot hurt my ego and I'm as mad at myself for letting my guard down as I am at him. Forget what I said, he's as bad as I thought. Turning forward and crossing my arms, I flame in humiliation, not bothering to find out what Cross' reaction is.

For the rest of class, Archer Cross stays quiet and I am vigilant with my mantra.


Third period is pre-calc with Ms. East and Pink Girl is in the class. Another cheer for Sophie, I get to sit next to Pink Girl again.

"Hey." That is my pitiful attempt at starting conversation with the girl, because this girl has been embarrassed way too many times today. She who is pink surprisingly responds.

"Hey. Look, about last time, I'm sorry I was so rude. It's just that I don't do new people that well, if you know what I mean." She spits out looking at me across the space between our desks with big brown eyes behind thick, black-rimmed glasses that don't look bad with her pale skin and pink streaked snowy white hair.

I smile, "No problem. I know exactly what you mean, trust me, after going to 19 schools, new people become old people."

She laughs, "Nineteen schools? Mind if I ask? It's Jenna by the way."

"Cool, I'm Sophie. I don't mind," I say even though I do mind but I'm not the kind to say that, "We, my mom and I, we move around a lot. My mom hasn't been able to find a very good job so we don't really settle down much." I try to explain as nonchalantly as I can. Still, she picks up that it's a touchy subject and I see pity in her eyes, causing the hatred I have towards my dad grow bigger because ultimately, it's him who got us in this mess.

I try to quickly change the subject, "So, what's the scoop on…um, Cross?" I shudder internally. You can't stay away can you Sophie? Even after he laughed in your face?

Jenna cocks her head and a smile slowly stretches across her face but, oh my gosh, I will never love a teacher more than I do now. Ms. East fortunately starts class with three loud claps before Jenna can say anything.

I sigh in relief.

After class, Jenna and I exchange phone numbers, "Hey Jenna, you mind telling me where the girls' locker room is?" I ask, smiling and looking down at my schedule that tells me I have Ms. Vanderlyden for 4th period P.E.

"Oh and what kind of name is Vanderlyden?" I tag on, horrified.

She gives me an innocent but mischievous smile, "Ooh, you got the Vandy!" I try raising an eyebrow, and fail…again while Jenna ignores my humiliation and pout, explaining, "That's what we call the witch behind her back. I am positive she's 98% evil, just saying. Oh, and she's also the disciplinarian," Jenna makes air quotations when she says disciplinarian, "More like Ms. I-Fell-Into-A-Pile-Of-Dung-So-I'm-Going-To-Punish-These-Students-By-Torturing-Them, ha disciplinarian my ass, all she ever does is lock us in the basement, the dungeon as we call it and makes us organize all this junk. She's an ugly cranky old lady with a gazillion tattoos. I'd keep my mouth shut when you're in her class Soph. Oh geez," the previous silent and doodling girl turned hyper checks her watch, moving a pink bang behind her ear, "Sophie! We're going to be late for class! I'll see you later!"

The girl runs off with a little wave leaving me with a good look of her small retreating pink figure. That's when I remember that she never told me where the locker room was. I sigh…yes, again. Don't judge me, sighing is good for the soul, it lifts off a lot of weight and it's doubly satisfying.


Turns out that Jenna read her watch wrong and there was actually three minutes left before class started and since it's P.E., we have time to change. Being smart, I find the locker rooms all by myself. Can we hear a cheer for Sophie?

"Sophie!" Speak of the devil. Turning around I see Elodie, Chaston and Anna walking towards me with wide, creepy picturesque and identical smiles. Shoot, I totally forgot about the Barbie dolls.

"Sophie!" They all say again, yes, at the same time too. Resisting the urge to do the eye roll, I smile. Look, I have nothing against them, at least not particularly. It's just that I normally don't hang around girls like them even if they are nice and also, something's off.

"Hey! Do you have the Vandy for fourth?" Anna Gilroy, the short pretty African-American asks.

"Yeah, I do. You guys-" Before I can finish my question, Anna and Chaston cry out in joy together, "Yes! We have it too!"

"…have her too? Guess so." I say quietly.

"So, a few things to know about Vandy," Chaston Burnett , a typical Cali girl, tan, straight blonde hair, and blue eyes, starts to say but I stop her before I have to get another huge talk, "Yeah, I heard. She's a witch and sends kids to the dungeon."

Elodie frowns, "Where'd you hear that from?"

I start walking towards the locker room, "Jennifer Talbot."

"Ok, Sophie. You have got to stay away from her." Elodie says urgently, stopping me in my tracks, "What? Why would I do that?"

Elodie Parris's eyes shine with concern and they stare into mine seriously, "Because, Sophie…her dad's a murderer."

Long enough? It's a little over six pages long on Word!

How'd you like the Soph/Arch (What's that supposed to be? Sopher? Archie? Haha, Archie)? Am I getting into Archie too fast?

Tell me how you're liking it. Read, love, review, constructive criticism, tell me about your day…might I go on?

Do you guys have any pets?

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