Amy's POV

The next morning I made sure to pick out a shirt that would cover the cut on my arm. But the bruises that had blossomed up around my collarbone proved harder to conceal. In the end I just threw a hoodie on and hoped I wouldn't have to take it off.

I was used to hiding minor injuries after a fight, I'd been doing it for years now. It was always hard enough to hide it from kids at my own school, but it was damn near impossible to hide them from Colin and Lily. I still try to keep the cuts and bruises a secret but every now and then there'll be one I just can't cover up and my brother and sister are tactful enough to pretend not to notice.

If only the same were true for everyone...

School was pretty much the same as it had been the day before. Except this time I had gym instead of study hall before history.

Luckily half my worries were assuaged when everyone seemed to ignore me in the locker room as I changed, but the second half of my worries hit me full force after I changed.

JQA had gym uniforms, after my initial awe that the school had enough money for gym uniforms for all their students I remembered my injuries. The T-shirts left my battered arms and collarbone totally exposed. The last thing I needed was someone looking into my injuries. I paled at the thought.

of someone figuring out I fought like I did, if they found out that my mother only stayed with us a few days every couple months, if they found out about whatever my mom was so hell-bent on hiding from us...There's no way Lily, Colin, and I would stay together. We'd be separated. Spread across the country; just more faces lost in the system.

The bell jarred me out of my thoughts, all the girls were filing out of the locker rooms and into the gym. I swore loudly, earning reproachful looks, and I threw on a long sleeve under my gym tee. I was the last one out of the locker room.

The gym was much larger than what I was used to, it was also cleaner, and probably newer. However, I was perfectly accustomed to the students. Apparently it didn't matter how nice the school was, kids were kids. They had already separated into their own groups, talking and laughing loudly, basically throwing it in the face of everyone who was unfortunate enough to be standing alone. After a quick scan, I scowled. Today I was the only unfortunate one.

The gym coach was on the other side, eyes glued to his clipboard, not wasting a second thought on the students.

I couldn't help the nerves that set in. I was alone, friendless, a new kid, and, as far as any of these kids know, a criminal. I eyed the crowd of teens apprehensively, just waiting for someone to step forward, for someone to be the first to start the inevitable crusade against me.

I felt an hand on my shoulder, I jumped. Fist clenched and arm set to swing, I spun around to meet Riley's startled brown gaze.

"Hey, Amy!" She gave me a wide smile and a cheerful wave. She seemed happy to see me, I felt pretty guilty when I remembered I had been moments away from punching her in the face, reflexively of course. "Hi, Riley." I gave her my best attempt at a kind smile, while unclenching my hand and relaxing as much as I dared. "Come hang out with us." She nodded her head towards the rest of her friends, all standing in another group away from the general crowd. "I don't know Ri-" Before I could finish she grabbed my arm and tugged me along, she was surprisingly strong for a tiny girl. I felt all eyes on us as we approached and I couldn't help the heat that crept up my cheeks. I hated being the center of attention.

I waved awkwardly in lieu of a hello. Bad decision. The others waved back but kept their eyes on me. Just great.

Silence. Heavy and awkward. I turned to Riley for help, but she was positively beaming looking expectantly at her friends. Her expression was clear, I'd seen it on Lily and Colin after they'd brought home stray animals. Her face clearly said, 'Look what I brought home! Can we keep it?!'

I turned to Lucas instead, but he was trying hard not to smile, his eyes shone with amusement. Oh, so my struggling in the limelight was funny was it? Before I could tell him off and wipe that stupid smile off his face, one of his friends talked. Farkle I think it was. "The coaches aren't going to be pleased that you're out of uniform." I looked down at my shirts, forgetting I was wearing the long sleeve. I shrugged, whatever the coaches thought was the least of my worries. "I'm cold." I said simply, hoping they'd let it be.

"I like a girl who has a certain disregard for rules." Zay? said with an over exaggerated wink. I rolled my eyes, my natural defense of sarcasm stepping in. "Oh yes. Because I woke up this morning and thought, 'how am I going to impress that one kid from gym class?'"

"And history class, and lunch." He added, mock offended. I gasped. "Am I going to have to impress you twice more then?" Zay smiled. "I'm actually spoken for. So is Farkle. But Lucas here-" Zay turned to his taller friend smiling. Lucas however gave him a dark look, and Zay faltered.

Now I may not be the most socially perceptive person, but even I could see the tension that had suddenly settled over the group.

"Alright." The gym coach clapped his hands together loudly, drawing our attention but not quite alleviating the awkwardness. "Today is dodge-ball. Now I assume you're all bright enough to remember the rules. So, captains..." The coach examined the students critically. "Emerson, you're a captain." Emerson emerged from the largest group of students to stand by the coach a smug look on his face. "Friar. You're the other captain." Lucas went and stood on the coaches other side, calmly studying the students. From the looks of things, this was a regular set-up.

Emerson picked first; a big burly guy who looked like he could throw a concrete block as easily as any of the dodge-balls. His name escapes me.

I scanned the students, wondering who would be next. I was so absorbed in my mundane game that I didn't even hear Lucas' pick. Zay nudged me, then nodded in Lucas' direction. Lucas was looking at me expectantly. "Amy." He motioned me over. I walked over.

"Why'd you pick me first?" I asked, while Emerson took his time with his second pick. It was against the rules. You don't pick the new kid first, you just don't. Lucas shrugged. "Intuition." Was his only reply.

I was intrigued after that. Emerson followed all the rules when it came to picking gym teams. He picked the kids that looked strong, fast, and mean. Lucas, on the other hand, was a different story. He picked the small kids, the ones hiding in the back, basically all the ones that you expect to get massacred in a game like this.

I sighed, this was going to be ugly.

The teams lined up on opposite sides of the gym while the coach set the balls on half court.

He waited a minute before blowing the whistle. Instantly, the gym exploded with activity. People rushed forward to get the balls, some ran to get out of the way, and still some others stood completely still, just hoping not to get hit.

I was one of those who ran towards the balls. I couldn't help it. I loved this game.

I narrowly dodged a red rubber ball barreling towards my head, I chucked my own ball at the thrower's feet. One out.

However, my small victory was short lived. The opponent was picking players off our team effortlessly. One by one kids were struck and retreated off to the side lines, most of them relieved to just be out of the line of fire.

One kid in particular took a nasty hit right to the face. When Lucas turned to ask him if he was okay, he himself was struck in the back of the head. He sighed and followed the other kid off the court.

I scowled. Just great. Lucas was the only other person that wasn't just cowering in the back. Shit. I was definitely the next target.

Sure enough, a ball flew dangerously close to me head, with much more force behind it than what was necessary. I whipped my own ball at anyone I thought I could hit, unfortunately I missed, and now I didn't even have a ball. My only stroke of luck was the fact that the other team may have been huge and athletic but their aim was shit. None of their balls never came close to me or the other two still left on the team. I starting to feel pretty good when a ball came close enough and slow enough for me to catch it. Hell, I might've even been having fun. But, of course, that can never last.

Out of the clear blue, something struck me hard on the side of the head. So hard in fact that I lost my footing and hit the gym floor roughly. The hard landing didn't agree with my already bruised body.

I vaguely heard the coach blowing his whistle through the ringing in my ears. Blinking my eyes open I saw him telling Emerson off from the sidelines. Groaning, I allowed the other two on my team to help me to my feet.

"You alright?" The coach approached me, sounding much kinder than he had at the beginning of class. I nodded. Bad idea. "You sure? You should go to the nurse."

"No." I said automatically. "It's not a concussion. I'm fine." He looked at me skeptically for a second, then he conceded. I walked slowly to the sidelines, feeling everyone's eyes on me yet again.

Way to lay low.

"Are you sure you don't have a concussion?" Farkle asked me when I stood next to him. "Trust me. I know what a concussion feels like. This isn't one." Hurts like a bitch though, I added in my head.

I certainly wasn't having fun anymore. Go figure.

My head ached as I sat my stuff down in history. But I meant what I said to Farkle. I had gotten a nasty concussion from an angry fighter before, this sucked but it wasn't that bad.

"You okay?" I heard the familiar voice as he took the seat next to mine. I sighed, irritated.

"Yes. I'm fine. Why is everyone asking that? I can take a hit, you know." He put his hands up in surrender. "I'm not saying you couldn't. Just asking a question. I'm being friendly, you should try it."

"I'm perfectly friendly." I told him.

"You're bitter."

"I'm not bitter." My argument wasn't being helped by the scowl on my face. A scowl which deepened when I saw just how amused Lucas really was by the whole situation.

I fell into my usual defense of silence. "C'mon, this is the longest conversation we've ever had, don't go silent on me now." I didn't bother answering.

My head still throbbed, and silence between the two of us really wasn't helping us when everyone else were conversing loudly. I dug around in my bag looking for the bottle of Advil I had thrown in there this morning. I groaned as the medicine bottle eluded me. Finally having enough I shoved my bag to the floor. I groaned again as my stuff spilled out.

One day. Was it too much to want one fu- freaking day to go half way decently.

I angrily shoved my stuff away, I almost yelled when I felt a hand on my shoulder. However the harsh words died in my throat when Lucas offered me a small smile and my bottle of Advil. "You looking for these?" I nodded. "Thanks." I was maybe a little bitter, but I wasn't rude.

He gave me a few more minutes of silence before talking again. "Are you... doing anything tonight?" I was taken aback, but not so much as to lose my head. "Sorry, I'm busy. I've got stuff to do at home. Chores and such." He looked at me curiously. "How about tomorrow? You never seem to want to talk to me in the classroom, and that's kind of the assignment. How about you come over to Topanga's with me after school?"

I weighed the offer for a minute. I really didn't like leaving Lily and Colin with anyone, there was just too big a risk that they could accidentally say something that would raise suspicion. Then again, I can't even remember the last time I'd hung out with anyone I could consider anything other than family. Plus Lucas has put up with me more than most others, and he shouldn't flunk the assignment because of me. I sighed. "Sure why not?"

He gave me a wide smile, I couldn't help but return it with my own, albeit smaller.

I'll give him this, he is cute.