Busy week this week so I don't know when I'll be updating any of my stories. Sorry. So, yeah.

My goal for this story is 600 reviews. I don't know why, really since it's such a pointlessly high number to hope for but... still. It would make me SO happy. So we'll try. Meaning that I will try and write a fan- freaking- tastic story. And if I do my part (as mentioned in the sentence before) you guys will review. Sound like a deal?

I don't own Twilight

Read, Review, and as always Enjoy!


My cheeks were bright red and I didn't know what Mr. Whitmore was saying, because Jared was staring at me. Again. You would think that after I had made my grand exit that he would forget all about me, but no. The second I step back into the room, five minutes later, he's still looking at me. He's still staring.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the common sense to not look at him. So I kept sneaking glances at him and each time he smiled at me. Jared's smile was like a thousand watt light bulb, blinding and beautiful but painful to take in, so much so that you could never look directly at it. It was painful because I knew that there was no way that this was real. I had accepted that this wasn't happening.

I had accepted that this was a dream. A good one, but a dream nevertheless. It was really the only logical conclusion that I could come to.

That didn't stop me from wanting it to be real, though.

Halfway through the hour Mr. Whitmore passed out a quiz. When the white paper fell on the desk I was surprised. With one glance I realized that I was screwed.

A groan echoed through my mind like a scream in a deserted hallway.

Well there goes my grade.

I sighed quietly and scribbled my name at the top of the paper- the paper that would later be marked with a giant red F.

"Kim?" I heard a whisper; just the barest hint of a voice, the ghost of a sound. I looked up instinctively, glancing around to see who was saying my name.

"Kim." Jared whispered and I glanced over to look at him for the countless time that hour. If anything this time his smile is brighter than before, and I was almost positive that my blush reached the tips of my toes.

I forced myself to pay attention to my quiz and after a few minutes of elimination and guessing it was filled out and placed in the hand-in tray. I slumped back into my desk, my hands automatically reaching for my book. A well worn and loved copy of my favorite story.

I tried to get myself lost in the words, in the pages. I tried to get myself into the story but couldn't manage to do it with his gaze on me. I read the words but I couldn't focus; I read the words but they lost all meaning in my distracted state.

I glanced over at him. Again. He wasn't smiling this time, but his brow was crumpled slightly as his eyes flickered from the cover of my book to my face. I could see curiosity there, in the depths of his dark eyes that were riddled with secrets. Secrets that made me curious; secrets that made me wonder what the Golden Boy of the junior class had to hide. Because, as far as all of the teachers and administrators were concerned, Jared Hillman could do no wrong. He had good grades, easy laid back attitude, and a personable smile that you couldn't say no to. Why would Jared Hillman have secrets?

The corner of his mouth perked up when he noticed my stare and he extended his hand toward me. "My name is Jared." He spoke in a whisper since most people were still working on their tests.

As if I didn't know.

"I, uh, I know." I stared at his hand, unable to do or say anything else.

He waited to see if I would shake his hand and introduce myself, like a normal person would, but he didn't seem to know that I was paralyzed by my crippling shyness. I was a frozen Kim Statue in my desk. A Kim Popsicle if you will.

After a minute he finally dropped his hand and the corner of his mouth faltered in his semi- smile. He's disappointed. Why is he disappointed?

Most people would drop their hand and give me a look that says 'freak' then go on with their lives. Most people wouldn't be disappointed. But, I had a feeling that Jared Hillman wasn't 'most people'.

He continued. "It's Kim, right?"

I nodded mutely, casting my eyes back toward my desk. I sighed quietly because I guess I had been wrong about Jared not talking to me again. How many times can I be wrong about one person?

"That's a nice name." he said conversationally.

Ugh, small talk.

I had never been really good at small talk. Never had that knack for talking to someone about the weather or anything along those lines. I had plenty of practice though, with my father, but I really didn't like small talk. It's pointless and degrading, in my honest opinion. It's the conversation you have with someone when you really don't have anything to say. It's the conversation you have to force yourself to have. It's the conversation you don't really want to have.

This made me frown. I hadn't pegged Jared as the type that enjoys small talk, like businessmen in suites at luncheons. Like old men at coffee, sipping and talking, spreading more gossip than old women playing cards.

"Do you not like your name?" he asked leaning forward a little in his seat, restlessly. Almost as if this small fact didn't sit well with him.

I didn't like my name and was surprised by his question. Who asks questions like that? And, more importantly, who answers questions like that?

Well, me.

"I, uh… no. I don't." I muttered. His brow crinkled at this, almost like he was frustrated with my answer.

"Why?" By this time most of the class was talking, so he didn't lower his voice.

I didn't like my name because it was so plain, so boring. So very me it was ridiculous. But, I wasn't going to tell Jared this.

Instead, I shrugged. For it was, by far, the simplest answer.

"You don't know?" his voice was incredulous.

I never said that.

"You're right, you never did." he nodded. I froze, because I hadn't realized that I had said that out loud.

"So why don't you like your name? I think it's a good name, simple at first but the closer you look at it, the more beautiful you realize it is." he leaned back suddenly, relaxing.

Odd, he was so tense a minute ago.

"It's just a name." I played with the side of my book as I spoke, lifting the pages and letting them fall back down. It helped my anxiousness to do something with my hands. It helped me think that I had control over something, unlike everything else in my life.

"No, it's not." he shook his head. "It's your name. You should be proud of your name. You should like your name. I like your name."

I shrugged again, because I couldn't think of anything to say to that. He was right, of course, I should like my name. But, I don't, and I doubt that's going to change anytime soon.

His next question threw me so off guard and so out of my comfort zone that I stared at him like he was crazy. Because, at this point, I almost believed he was.

"So, Kim, what are you doing this weekend?"

(A/N: What will Kim say? Something witty? Something stupid? Something that makes her sound like a babling spaz? You'll have to review to find out. And btw her favorite book is going to come into play later on. Just so you know.)