It feels good to write at least SOMETHING after so long (a week or two just about :P)! I had a narrative essay project in English due today though, so I wrote that, but it wasn't fanfiction like the one I wrote last year, so it wasn't as fun. x) Anyway, I couldn't seem to decide on a song to listen to while writing this, and it kept me distracted, so this took sometime to write. xD Oh, and I'm having a match with two people on Draw Something, so that's keeping me busy as well. :P

Okay, I've never done this before, and I thought this story would be a great place to try it...

Hey! Thanks to clw317, Azula Malfoy (I love your username, by the way!), CuteSango07, and jaa162 for reviewing! You guys are seriously awesome! And yes, I love all you ghost readers too. :)

IV. Attraction

"This week you will be given an assignment and you're to work in teams…"

As soon as those words left the teacher's mouth at the beginning of his lecture, numerous pairs of eyes darted around the classroom, hoping to meet the gaze of a friend or a crush. No one was quite paying attention to what the actual assignment was about, but then a handout was set on each desk, which served for them to zone out even more. Andrew sat in his desk, slouching forward and head low as he absentmindedly read the paper, blocking out the teacher's voice. He'd be the one left without a partner again – typical. Pretty much anyone who he'd be paired up with felt bad more for themselves than him, but that was expected. He'd be surprised if anything otherwise occurred.

"So go ahead and find who you'll be working with," the teacher said, and soon desks were screeching as they slid slightly from the speed of some people standing up to claim their partner before someone else could. Andrew stayed where he was, eyes not even rising to see who had who.

"Mr. Detmer." Andrew's eyes shot up at the call of his name. The classroom was silent as everyone turned to the teacher. "Where is your partner?"

"U-Um…" Andrew stuttered out quietly, eyes going back down to his desk. His heart wasn't even pounding anymore like it used to whenever he was singled out like this. But now he was used to it.

"I'm his partner, sir," an all too familiar voice sounded from behind him.

The teacher's looked behind Andrew, and he smiled. "Ah, Emiri, it's so good of you to volunteer."

There were a few giggles and snickers resounding in the classroom, but the teacher looked around, and silence was once more reigning. Andrew sighed. Leave it to the teacher to make it seem like he was some sort of abomination that no one wanted to be near. Sometimes he wondered why he even came to school anymore…

Oh, that's right: his dad that would kill him if he missed even one day.

"I didn't volunteer, sir. I had it in mind the entire time."

"I see," the teacher nodded slowly. He turned to the rest of the class and said, "You have the rest of the period to work on the points on your handout. Those points are to be done by the end of this week." As soon as he was at his desk, the chattering began.

Andrew turned around in his seat, setting his arm on the desk behind him. Emiri smiled at him as if nothing had happened.

"You 'had it in mind the entire time'?" Andrew repeated, eyebrow raised.

Emiri shrugged. "Yeah, even before he let us find partners. I couldn't exactly give you eye contact since I sit behind you."

"But why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…" Andrew trailed off. He continued, but this time in a quieter voice, causing Emiri to lean forward. "You have other friends in this class, so why me?"

"You're my best friend, silly. There's a difference," Emiri's smile changed from her normal bright and toothy one to a grin that Andrew could see truly meant what she said. He found himself smiling a little too. Best friend, huh? He liked the sound of that.

"Here's my address. Just come over tomorrow and we can start working on the final project," Andrew handed Emiri a piece of paper.

Emiri looked at it then nodded. "This isn't too far from where I live. I'll walk over."

"Emiri! Get back to work!"

Said girl turned around to see one of the more snippy employees of La Boulangerie glaring daggers from behind the counter. Though Emiri was one of the children of the bakery's owners, no one was saved from that lady's cynical tendencies. She nodded frantically and turned back around to face Andrew. "I'll see you then!"

Emiri double checked the address before knocking on the front door. She backed up and waited patiently for an answer. She clutched her jacket closer to herself as the wind blew. The door then opened, and a man she assumed to be Andrew's father stood there. He stared at her, and she was too nervous to say anything because of his intimidating appearance.

"Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

Emiri frowned slightly, but tried to put on a neutral face as she sighed. "I'm Andrew's friend."

"Andrew doesn't have any friends."

There's Steve and Matt… Emiri couldn't keep the frown off her face, and it was very evident, if the scowl on the Mr. Detmer's face was anything to go by. "Well, I'm here, and I'm pretty sure I count as a friend."

Mr. Detmer narrowed his eyes and Emiri swallowed, wondering if that last sentence of hers was going too far.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Emiri looked past Mr. Detmer to see Andrew walking up.

Mr. Detmer turned his glare down to his son, who swallowed as he stared back. He then walked back into the house. Andrew turned to Emiri, who smiled at him, acting as if nothing had happened at all. He ushered her into the house and led her to his bedroom. He shut the door behind her as she set her backpack down on his bed.

"Sorry about him," Andrew said.

"There's no need to apologize," Emiri replied kindly.

Andrew felt himself blush slightly. He looked to Emiri, who proceeded to sit on the bed, taking out the stuff she brought for their project. He sat down next to her, grabbing up his own bag from the floor and digging around in it for the things they needed. His eyes were still glued to his bag as he grabbed out things, and without turning toward the camera he proceeded to slowly lift it off the desk so that it could get a different view from around the room. But suddenly he remembered Emiri sitting in front of him and looked up, making sure she didn't notice. Her eyes were still looking down at her notebook, and Andrew breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He looked to his camera, which was hovering a few inches in the air, and gently sat it back down on the desk.

A couple of hours later…

"Hey, Emiri?"

"Yeah, Andrew?"

"Why do you choose to hang out with me?"

Emiri laughed, and Andrew frowned, thinking he'd said something wrong. "You're really something, you know? Earlier this week you ask me why I partner up with you, and now you're asking why I even hang out with you?" She laughed some more, while Andrew's frown stayed, before calming down, and said, "I like you, that's why."

Andrew stared at her for a moment. What did she mean by like? He knew what he meant by liking her, but he couldn't just assume the same would be for her. No, he wouldn't do that. She was the first friend he had that was a girl and he wasn't going to screw this up. She was everything most girls at school weren't. She didn't mind his father's mean nature, she didn't mind hanging out with the one that bullies liked to pick on, and she didn't mind that his camera was with him and recording wherever he went.

He looked down and nodded. "I… see."

He felt a hand on his shoulder and he glanced up. Emiri looked at him, a concerned look on her face. "Hey, are you all right?"

Swallowing, he nodded, and Emiri's hand slipped off his shoulder, going back to her side. He didn't lift his head again, but went back to writing. She watched him for a bit, noticing his quick writing as she heard his pencil against the paper. He didn't look all right to her, if she had anything to say about it. She felt like asking him again, to get him to tell the truth and show him that he could trust her, but she didn't want him to feel put on the spot. However, she couldn't help but frown at the stoic look marring what would've been his very handsome face.

Why was he always frowning so much? If Matt and Steve and her and their friendship were anything to go by, he had at least some reason to smile. Just once. Just… once.

There was loud knocking on Andrew's room door and Emiri jumped at the sudden interruption, trying hard not to put a hand to her chest in an effort to calm her rapidly beating heart. Andrew, in contrast, just looked to the room door calmly, his frown even more prominent.

"Hey, it's time for that friend of yours to go home now," Mr. Detmer said harshly.

Andrew sighed and looked to Emiri, who had a small smile on her face, and said, "Let me walk you out."

They walked out to the living room and Andrew opened the front door. Emiri stepped through it, but turned around. "Thanks for letting me come over."

Andrew shrugged. "No problem."

"So I'll see you on Monday?"

"I'll see you on Monday," Andrew smiled.

Emiri smiled back. "Great, I'll catch you later then!" And with that, she was walking off and down the sidewalk.

Andrew shut the door and walked back toward his room, but not even a minute later his mind went back to Emiri, and then to how dark it was outside. He ran to his desk and paused his camera, for once, and shut it off, before heading back to the front door and stepping outside.

He looked down the street in the direction Emiri had gone. He knew she didn't live far, and from what she'd told him before, it was halfway the route to the bakery from his house. Making sure his father didn't notice his departure, he flew up into the air and slowly moved along the street, looking for his friend. Once he got sight of her, he slowly tailed her from above, making sure nothing happened to her and that she was safe.

Emiri walked silently, her shoes lightly sounding against the concrete sidewalk and her breath materializing in front of her from the cold. There was a very quiet, almost inaudible, whistle of wind and she quickly came to a halt. She looked around her to see if there was anyone nearby, but she saw no one. Shrugging it off, she continued her trek back home. It must've been her imagination.

I hope to have chapter five out before this weekend because I'll be out of town for four days starting on Saturday. This story is going to be ten chapters total and knowing that I'll be halfway done by the time my trip comes around will make me feel good about myself. xD It's likely that I'll have it out by then because it's only a three day week at school. :D That's a load off my shoulders.

Au revoir! - Wolfe116 :)