"Why don't you ever drink coffee?" It was the next week, and Tyson and I were still playing the Question Game. It could get very annoying at times but I had learned a lot I didn't know about Tyson. Now Tyson looked down at his cup which was filled with soda.

"Because I hate it." He replied

"You what? How can you hate coffee?" To me this was inhuman. I had lived on coffee since I was 12 years old. The fact that someone could hate it seemed crazy.

"I just do. I think it taste terrible. I just can't stand it."

I blinked at him. We were so different it wasn't right, but yet here I was still playing his game.

"Well, I can't say I understand but whatever. Your turn." I took another drink of my coffee bracing myself for his next question.

"Why do you have such a ridiculously early curfew?" Tyson was smiling as he said that, obviously expecting this to be a joke question. But I took it seriously.

"My dad… he can get a little over protective. It's nothing too serious, but he likes to know that I'm safe." The thought of my dad's dark face made me flinch.

"Oh. Are you, are you ok?" I looked up quickly at Tyson who was watching me with a look of concern.

"Yeah." I said managing a smile. "What does your dad do for a living?" it was a lame question, and most of mine were, but I wanted to change the subject.

"My dad?" Tyson said frowning. "My dad is a mechanic. He works at that car place down the street from Degrassi."

"Really?"

"Yep, although I don't see much of him. So he might have quit since the last time I saw him, you never know."

I wasn't sure what to say to this. So I just kind of looked down and nodded.

"My parents are divorced. They had me, and tried to get married, but my dad had this problem of cheating on my mom constantly." Tyson rolled his eyes. "So now I live with my mom, and I see my dad like once a month."

It was odd that Tyson trusted me with this, but it was actually kind of nice to have someone trust me.

I nodded again "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My mom's great, and I mean it could be worse. Anyway it's my turn. Why don't I go with a question that probably won't spark some deep emotion?"

I laughed "I think that would be a good idea."

"What is your favorite song?"

"Well… it would have to be Marchin On by One Republic."

Tyson looked at me confused and I had to admit I was a bit disappointed. I don't know why I had expected him to know One Republic, they were an old band from my parent's time, but I loved them more than any of today's bands.

"One Republic?" Tyson finally asked.

"Yeah, they're an old band. They weren't much back then either, but I don't know I just love them." I actually found myself feeling embarrassed about my answer. I wish I would have just said some random new band that all the other kids at Degrassi loved. But I guess that would have been breaking rules. I guess my embarrassment showed because Tyson gave me that sympathetic smile that always irritated me.

"Well I guess I should check them out. I bet my mom knows about them, she's really into music." I could tell Tyson really cared about his mother by the tone in his voice. I guess it had something to do with what he had said about his father earlier.

I nodded "Really?"

"Yeah, she's a singer. She's taught me everything I know about music. She even taught me to play guitar." Tyson was smiling looking over my head out the window.

"You play guitar?" I asked. I had never thought about Tyson being a musical person. I had always just seen him as the sports star.

"Yep, I sing a bit too. But I just I don't really tell people about it."

"Why not?"

"I don't really like to sing in front of other people. It's just not really my thing." Tyson was focusing on moving his straw around in his drink, obviously uncomfortable with the subject. So I decided to change it.

"Well I think we should get this math homework finished." I said. My grades had been improving immensely since Tyson started tutoring me. And I actually knew what I was doing when we got a homework assignment. I knew our tutoring sessions would be coming to an end soon and I really didn't want them to. But I knew I had my place, and he had his and that these meetings made no sense. So when they could be, they would be, over. And the truth was, I wasn't really sure what I would do with myself after I went back to my normal life. The day I had to figure it out came too soon, it was a Friday. Mr. James put my benchmark in front of me. There were no red marks at all. 100%. I couldn't believe it.

"Looks like the tutoring really helped. Keep it up." Mr. James said smiling at me, and then he moved on down the row. I stared down at my paper in disbelief. My grades had been improving, but I had never gotten 100. The best part was that this was my last test for the semester, it had been what Tyson had been preparing me for, it counted for half my grade, and I had passed. I looked over at Tyson who was smiling at me like a proud parent. I smiled back, and then I remembered that this, whatever it had been, was now over. I mean it had to be. Or maybe it didn't. Tyson was so sweet and he was better than I gave him credit. Maybe we could still meet after school and play the question game, and argue over stupid things. And maybe our friendship could become something more. But I couldn't get ahead of myself. Finally the bell rang and the announcements came on.

"Degrassi's end of semester dance is next Friday from 8-11! And remember its girl's choice! All the profit goes to the Degrassi student council! Have a wonderful weekend!" Stephanie Stevenson, the school's president, and head cheerleader, finished in her unnervingly chirpy voice.

"So, thinking of asking anyone special to the dance?" Tyson asked smiling as I was getting my books together.

"Please, dances aren't really my thing." I had only been to one Degrassi dance when I was a freshman. It was so full of drama that I decided not to go to one ever again. It just seemed like a waste of time.

"Oh come on you have to go to the dance! It'll be fun. And I'll be there."

"Try all you want, I am not going. I hate dances."

"I bet you haven't gone to a single one."
"I went to one, my 9th grade year, it sucked. So I am never going to one again."

"You are always so negative. That was forever ago. You're a junior now! Just at least promise me that you'll think about coming."

"Alright… I thought about it. No."

"Aw come on Sophie. You'll love it."

"You only love dances because you are super popular and everyone loves you, and you always win prom king, and all the girls want to dance with you. I'm not you Tyson. Everybody will be happier if I just stay home."

"I won't be." We were at my locker now, just looking at each other. And at that right at that moment it hit me how beautiful Tyson was. He was so beautiful in every way. His green eyes, and his dirty blond hair. Not only that but the way he always had a smile, and the way he managed to see the best in everyone. And the way he trusted me, and got me to trust him in a matter of minutes. I never wanted whatever was happening between us to end. No matter how crazy it may seem, I wanted Tyson Guthrie to be mine. Tyson was looking back at me and I wondered what he was thinking. I didn't have much time to wonder.

"Just think about it ok." Tyson said finally, and then he gave me one last smile, and walked away.

The whole weekend I thought about it. I thought about how wrong my feelings for Tyson were. I thought about how crazy it would be for me to go to the dance. But mostly I thought about going to the dance with Tyson. All I had to do was ask him, and if he said no, well I don't know what I'd do. And if he said yes, well I still don't know what I would do. And how would I even say it anyway, without looking stupid. This was crazy, I had always been so dark and against anyone like Tyson, and now I wanted to ask Tyson Guthrie to the end of semester Degrassi dance. I was going insane! By Sunday night I decided I just had to do it. I would just walk up to Tyson and ask him. If he said no, I would just laugh it off. It would be fine, and I would deal with any consequences later. But on Monday morning I was sure Tyson would say yes. Why I couldn't tell you, I just had a feeling. I woke up, strangely, in a good mood. I put on my favorite outfit, and took an extra 20 minutes doing my hair. This wasn't me at all. Just a month ago, I would have grimaced at my happiness. Now here I was ready for school, preparing myself to ask Tyson Guthrie out. What had happened to me?

I let my mom drive me to school, I wanted to be early. I hoped Tyson would be early too so I could ask him while not too many people were around. And if he wasn't early, I could catch him as soon as he got here. I had to do this now, or I never would. Tyson wasn't early, and the wait seemed to take forever. I was already starting to realize how dumb an idea this was, when finally Tyson arrived. He pulled up in a beat up old pickup truck that seemed very unfitting for him, but at least he had a car unlike me. I decided to wait for him to come to me, if I ran over to him that would seem really creeperish. So I waited, finally after what seemed like forever he got close enough. I stood up and met him at the bottom of the steps.

"Hey."

"Oh, hey Sophie."

"I need to talk to you, about the dance."

"Oh right. Did you decide?"

"Yes actually. I"

"Hey Ty!" A chirpy voice cut me off.

Tyson turned around as Stephanie came towards us. Great, just what I needed this morning. I rolled my eyes, and Tyson looked back at me.

"Sophie, you know Stephanie right?" Tyson said

"Yeah." I muttered

"Of course she knows me sweetie, who doesn't! We have English together." Stephanie smiled at me, a smile so fake I wondered if it hurt her face.

Tyson nodded, and I looked down at the ground. There was no way I could still do this.

"Well I guess I should let you two get back to your conversation. See you in homeroom Ty." What happen next shouldn't have surprised me in any way. If I had been smart at all I would have seen it coming. Stephanie kissed Tyson. No not on the cheek, on the lips. And he kissed her back. All I could think was what the hell?

Stephanie walked away her ponytail swooshing behind her.

"So uh what did you want to talk about?"

"Nothing, it was nothing. Just me being stupid." My face felt hot and I could feel the stupid tears burning in my eyes. I turned quickly feeling so stupid. Guys like Tyson Guthrie didn't go for girls like me, they went for girls like Stephanie Stevenson. He was the superstar jock that everyone loved, and I was just a freak. And there was nothing I could ever do to change that. I walked inside, to my locker. There were no other students around.

"Wait Sophie. Are you ok?" I heard Tyson calling after me, but I just kept walking. I was overreacting, I was so stupid, but I couldn't help it. I thought I was fast, but I should have known Tyson was faster. I felt him grab my arm gently, and I stopped.

"Sophie, really what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I said I was fine." My voice cracked a little at the end of my sentence and I hated how weak it made me sound. It wasn't just Tyson, it was everything. It was like my whole life was just crashing down on me.

"You don't sound fine. Just tell me what's wrong." His voice was so calm and gentle.

I turned to face him, tears spilling out of my eyes. I quickly wiped them away.

"What's wrong is that I let myself lose track of reality. I was actually going to ask you to the dance. I actually believed that you would say yes. But I should have known. Guys like you don't hang out with girls like me. You were just my tutor, but I thought… and the whole time you were with Barbie. I should have known. God, I am so stupid." My words came out all wrong, my voice was too loud. My head was spinning, and I was shaking. Tyson was just staring at me and I thought for a moment he hadn't understood a word I said. But I'm not that lucky.

"Sophie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on. And you're not stupid this is my fault." Tyson voice was so full of sympathy it made me feel sick.

"I am. It's not your fault. It's me, I'm messed up. I'm really messed up." The bell rang and the sound continued to ring in my ears. I turned and walked away, wiping the stupid tears out of my eyes as I went.

I went to the bathroom. I winced at what I saw in the mirror. My eyeliner was running down my face, and I suddenly looked too pale. I wiped my face with a paper towel, getting all of the makeup off. Then I considered my options. I could go back to class and feel like an idiot. Or I could take a day off and clear my head. It wasn't a hard decision. I called my dad's cell phone. It rang once, twice, three times. Then the familiar voice made me feel suddenly relaxed.

"Hello." It was the calm voice of my father. He understood me, and I knew I wouldn't have to explain much. Just that I needed a day off. He would get it, I knew he would. He was the one person I could always count on.

"Dad, can you come get me?" I tried to make my voice as steady as possible.

"Why? What's wrong?" I could hear the edge in his voice. It was his job to protect me, he had told me a million times. And I knew he was thinking it now.

"I just, I really need to go home right now."

There was a pause.

"Give me 5 minutes, I'll be there."

When I was finally in my dad's car I felt so calm. I didn't want to think about what I had just done, but I knew I would have to face it sometime. But right now I just needed to breathe.

AN: Sorry I haven't written in forever! I had band camp 9-9. But I will be writing more because I am totally getting into it! I couldn't believe tonight's episode where they gave up Tyson! More to come!