AN: So this is where it all heats up! Where we find out some interesting things... And where I shut up and let you read!

*McKynleigh*

"So, Damian's pretty cool, huh?"

I took a moment to blankly stare at Ellis before slight panic set in. "Wait, you don't mean–"

"No!" she cut me off quickly. "God, no." She laughed a bit. "He's just really nice."

"Sure is," Emily chimed in from where she was leaning against the school hall window, smiling.

"Like, yesterday he walked me all the way home," Ellis continued, shrugging.

He did? I thought, worrying a bit.

"I always thought of guys as, well…" she trailed off for a moment, searching for the right word, "dicks, but Damian's really nice."

"Oh… good," I said, nervously running a hand through my hair. "That's great."

Doesn't this mean I'm in trouble? I thought, worried. I mean, if Ellis winds up liking Damian, too… I don't stand a chance.

"But it looked like you and Matheus were getting along pretty well, too," Emily pointed out.

I automatically perked up. "Yeah! He's okay, too, right?"

Ellis nodded. "Yeah. He was really easy to talk to. I guess it's because he's so short. I don't even really think of him as a guy."

My jaw hit the floor.

Oh, dear, I thought, trying to close my mouth. Matheus, you're in trouble, dude. God, if he heard that…

I heard a crash and turned around. I wasn't biting back a scream because of the girl sprawled on the floor halfway down the hall; the source of the noise. Instead, it was for something much closer.

"Good morning," Matheus said, now standing in front of me, his smile not reaching his eyes.

"M-Matheus," I managed to choke out, shocked. "How long've you been standing there?"

"'Morning," Emily said, smiling and ignoring me.

"Hey, Matheus," Ellis said, doing the same.

"Good morning, Ellis," he said, his empty smile making him look more like a figurine than a person. "Yesterday was nice, wasn't it?"

She looked at him like he was crazy, but laughed a little. "Yeah."

"Matheus…" I started.

He looked up at me, his expression not changing. "I'm sorry, what? I'm so much shorter than you that I can't hear you."

I grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Dude, snap out of it!"

His empty smile stayed in place, not wavering a bit. "What'd you say? Never mind, will you please tell Mr. Woodlee that I'll miss class today? I'll be…"

He trailed off, tore himself out of my grip, and sprinted down the hallway.

"Ma-MATHEUS!" I yelled after him.

"Uh, Miki," Emily said behind me.

"You guys go ahead," I said, taking off in his direction.

"Miki, you'll miss class!" Ellis pointed out, half-yelling.

I ignored her and picked up my pace, disregarding the pain from my high heels.

"Matheus!" I said as soon as I could see him again. I reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him. Instead of struggling like I'd thought he would, he stiffly turned toward me. He glared up at me, fists clenched, but his breathing was shaky.

"Yes?" he half-growled, obviously trying to look tough.

I stared, at a loss for words. "Um…"

"I'm waiting for the pep talk," he said, keeping up the same façade, which was ruined by the fact that he was shaking.

I growled quietly. "Don't be so frickin' rude! I'm trying to show a little concern, here!"

"Maybe I'm a little upset!" he yelled, his knuckles turning white.

"So she said you're small, big deal!" My 3-inch heel-clad foot stomped against the ground. "Be a man about it!"

"She's saying I'm not a man because I'm small!" he retorted.

"You idiot!" I cried. I let go of his arm only for the same hand to ball into a fist and connect with his face. He hit the ground, letting me loom over him even more. "Big or small, tall or short, you got a dick, you're a guy!"

He stared up at me, his eyes wide. "I-I thought you didn't cuss," he managed through obvious shock.

"Who cares?" I cried. "Look, you've been called short a million times! And then a girl you like says it and you fall apart? That's pathetic!" I stomped my foot again. "If you get so depressed over stuff like this…" My fists clenched as I thought of what to say. "Don't ever fall in love again! Dumbass!"

I stomped off, fists clenched, heels clacking loudly against the linoleum. "Argh, I swear!" I grumbled to myself. "That really pisses me off! Stuff like that just really gets me!"

I glared down at the floor as I walked, clenching and unclenching my right fist. I tried to fight back the slight feeling of guilt. He'd looked so depressed, but…

I thought he said he was going for it, I thought, scowling down at the ground. That stupid shrimp. Just when I was starting to think he might not be so bad. Well, forget him! I'll go for it all by myself!

I slammed into something, my eyes still on the ground instead of where I was going. "Oh," I said quietly, surprised, stumbling back a few inches. I shook my head, trying to clear it. "Sorry." My gaze lifted until I saw the person's face, making me blink in surprise. "Damian."

"'Morning," he said, smiling and adjusting the strap of his backpack that I'd messed up.

"I, uh, think class has started already," I pointed out.

He laughed nervously, his smile turning meek. "Yeah, I'm late."

"Weren't you late the first day, too?" I asked, trying not to be distracted by how cute that expression made him look.

He nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I can't get up in summer."

I raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh."

"Or, um, winter," he said, blushing a bit. God, he looked adorable.

I tried not to laugh. "Oh."

"Aren't you late, too?" he asked, trying to regain his composure.

"Um, no…" I started, searching for an explanation. "I just… Um…"

"Hey, thanks for inviting me along yesterday," he cut me off, seeing my awkwardness. "I had a great time."

He'd caught me a bit off guard. "Oh!" I said, pleasantly surprised. "Good! Me, too."

"Um…" he started, scuffing his heel against the floor.

"Yeah?" I asked, my interest peaked by his sudden change in mood.

"Am I… nice?" he asked, scratching at his neck again.

I raised an eyebrow, confused. "Huh?"

He shrugged. "Ellis kept glaring at me yesterday, like I was a jerk or something."

"So, Damian's pretty cool, huh?"

"Oh…" I said, remembering. "She's got a grudge against guys in general. So I don't think it's you."

"Okay," he said, looking a bit relieved.

Maybe she has a bit of a crush on him, I thought, and just hasn't realized it yet. But still… What if I got him?

"I don't usually get along with girls, either," he said, snapping my attention back to him.

"Really?" I asked, surprised. He seemed like the type of guy who got along with everyone.

"Yeah," he said, nodding slightly. "But with you it's… different."

I felt my heartbeat speed up just a bit, my face reddening. "Oh…"

"I think it's because our eyes are at about the same level, so I don't feel like I'm talking to a girl," he continued, using his hands to point out the gap between our heights, which was noticeably bigger because of my heels.

I slumped, trying not to gape. "Oh. Okay."

Gee, why did that sound familiar?

What if? I thought bitterly. Yeah, right. What an idiot.

"So…" he started, "it's not like she has a problem with me, really."

"Right," I sighed, running my hand through my hair. I froze, realizing what he's just said. "Wait, what?"

Huh? was the only thought I could process for a moment as I stared at him. Was he blushing?

Excuse me? I half-screamed in my mind. What did you just say?

I coughed, trying to clear my throat. "Don't tell me you have a crush on Ellis."

"Of course not!" he said quickly, his blush deepening, his eyes wide with fake surprise.

"But your blush–" I managed to get out while keeping myself from panicking too badly.

"No, I'm not," he cut me off in one of the least convincing ways I'd ever seen. "I'm just hot. It's hot out." He coughed awkwardly. "Well, I… better get to class." He started walking only to stop in the middle of the hall, turn back to me, and say, "I don't, okay?"

As soon as he was out of sight, I crumpled to my knees, expecting tears. The fact that my eyes were dry didn't stop my self-pity. No way. I don't believe this. He totally has a crush on her! It's so obvious!

"Hey, Miki."

I looked up and saw Matheus standing a few feet away again.

"Look at you," he said, smiling bittersweetly, "all crumpled in a heap after yelling at other people and calling them pathetic."

I sighed, moving my eyes to the floor again. "Sorry. Forget I said that."

"What!" he cried, obviously surprised. "Hypocrite!"

I kept staring at the ground, feeling that my expression was almost blank, but not caring as much I should've. "It is depressing. Even if you think you're used to it, it hurts when the person you like says it."

Probably should've known he'd like a cute, small girl, I thought, thoroughly depressed. Everyone does. An Amazon like me doesn't even count. I don't even–

My train of thought was cut off by a fist connecting with the side of my face. "You idiot!"

I jumped to my feet, holding my cheek and gaping at him. "Did you just freaking sock me?"

He half-smirked. "Payback's a bitch." He took a deep breath and put on a determined face. "Look, I'm not giving up on Ellis. Got that? I'm still going after her."

"Matheus…" I said quietly, my surprise coming through in my words, my hand slowly lowering from my still-throbbing cheek.

"I mean, I haven't even done anything yet," he continued. "'If you get so depressed over stuff like this, don't ever fall in love again.' That's what you said, right?"

I smiled a bit and nodded. "Yeah."

He grinned, his hands in his pockets, and this time the smile reached his eyes. "You know, I'm glad I had you around today. If I didn't, I would've just stayed really bummed out."

I stared at him, shocked at his sudden change in mood. You know, I thought, slowly processing everything that had gone on between us for the last couple of days, this guy really ticks me off sometimes, but I probably understand him more than anyone else. Our problems are the exact opposite, but we have the same complex. Our height. So when he says he's going for it, it kinda makes me feel like I can, too.

"And I'm going after Damian," I said, finally smiling at him.

He held up his hand for a high-five that I happily delivered, finally thanking him.

In my mind, at least.

"Sorry for being late," I said, stepping into the room after Matheus.

"Late?" Mr. Woodlee asked skeptically. "The class is half over, guys."

"Sorry," I repeated, smiling meekly and going back to my desk.

Damian's eyes met mine as I sat down. "I don't," he said, blushing again. "Really."

"Okay, okay," I said, waving it off and turning back to the front.

"Uh, Matheus?" Ellis got his attention from her spot behind him. "Why is there a huge red mark on your face?"

He laughed. "Long story. I'll tell you later." He looked over, noticed me looking at him, and smiled. I smiled back.

So, ladies and gentlemen… Where is the story of this lopsided duo going to lead?

AN: Oh, the drama... XD

Brittney (or however she spells her name), aka my rl reader enjoyed the "I can't hear you" line... It was originally a name joke, but they don't have the same names, so... ^^;

Any guesses on ships?