[Adam]

Max didn't pick me up the rest of the week. I was almost late for my first period the first time he didn't show up because I waited on him. This made me upset then I realize I had no right to. He wasn't obligated to do that for me.

Which begs the question, why had he?

I ignored it, in between school requirements and scouting colleges with scholarships (my benefactor sent me a brochure of Hollywood University and unless something else comes up I'll be going for that. But I hope I wouldn't have to rely on him forever.) I couldn't afford to be distracted. But now, with things calming down for a bit till exams, I thought about how Max was acting towards me lately.

We had a feud for so long, this sudden change was... well, sudden. There really was no other way to put it. I wasn't sure how I felt about it and I'm still wondering if Max was for real. I mean, sure he flirted with me, but I wasn't sure if he was playing or if he was being serious.

Well, I guess that was answered now.

I didn't know how I felt about that. At one point, I realize I enjoyed his pampering and being spoiled by Max. At one point, I hoped this was Max being sincerely affectionate.

I shook my head. I already have to rely on a stranger for my needs, I don't need that thinking. Right now, I need to focus on exams coming up two weeks from now, projects to pass included as alternative exams. Tyler and I had to work on a scale model of a steam engined train, illustrating the law of accelaration, interaction, friction and inertia to develop for physics. We've got the toy train and tracks. We just need it to function by burning coal. Not to mention additional items for scenary like the boom gates and train station.

Payton and Mia wanted me to come with them look for new dresses since the homecoming dance was up next after the exams, wanting a guy's preference factored in on their choices. But I mentioned needing to study.

That, and the fact that I may be pan but I'm not gay enough to go shopping in a heart beat.

Not always at least.

The boys, Nishan along with Wes and Julian were at his place playing video games so Nishan can tutor them after.

Autumn had studies in her mind too, not to mention the yearbook committee she was part of. Which reminded me, I had to take a look at progress this Friday. And I need to have that meeting with the school board for the budget of the school clubs and varsitites. Which was tonight, but at least it was online. Still, being a student while also being the student body president is a lot of work, even for the Adam.

I sighed, my birthday was tomorrow too but there's no time for celebrating. I have to keep my grades above average for more open oppotunities. So here I am in the library while most of my friends were taking it easy, or at least easier than I am. Autumn for sure had a lot to deal with, too.

I groaned, thinking about how much I wanted a chance to unwind.

"Excuse me," a voice suddenly spoke behind me. "you're Adam Sanchez, right?"

I turned around, and see it's a freshmen, by her height and the way she has to ask who I am. Not to sound arrogant, but it doesn't take too long for people here to know about me so the only way I'd be unrecognize is if someone was new here, like a freshmen or transferee.

I guess Max was right about me being the school alpha; you can't be a student here for long and not know about me.

"Yeah, that's right. Do you need something?" I smiled politely.

Her eyes shone brightly. "Wow, I can't believe it's really you! I-I saw you give that speech in the general assembly for freshmens, it really curtailed my nerves on being new and I heard a lot about you from Nishan of the science club I'm in a-and my twin brother heard other awesome stuff about you from tweets online of the Pixelberry community b-but wow! They weren't kidding about how calming your smile is, so the other rumors of how cool you are must be true. And Payton's blog of nice-ies hotties... But you're a lot hotter than the photos give credit for! No wonder he has a man-crush on you!"

I turned red. I should really tell Payton not to over-dramatize my reputation in her blogs. The attention is flattering, but also embarrassing.

"Er, thanks, I guess." I rubbed the back of my head.

She blinked, as if realizing what she said. "O-oh! I'm sorry, I got carried away there!" she apologized, flustered.

"It's all right," I chuckled dryly. "Uh, is that all? Because I'm kinda a bit busy, as you can see." I gestured to the papers and notebooks sprawled on the table.

"Ah, yes, I almost forgot." She held out a letter that I only noticed now. "Here, your boyfriend asked me to hand this over to you."

I blinked, staring at the note. Was it scented? I suddenly smell roses. "Uh, I don't... have a boyfriend, you know, not presently at least."

"Oh! I just assumed, since he was holding a bouquet of roses and looked nervous asking me to hand it over." she giggled. "He's kinda handsome, too. Maybe he's a secret admirer. That might not be a first for you, huh?"

I took the letter, a little chagrined by her comment. My admirers were always rather blunt, never secret. But it definitely wasn't a first, if this was, indeed, a love letter. "Er, thanks."

"Your welcome! It's nice meeting you officially, Adam!" she beamed, before rushing out, squealing like some fan girl, and I swore I heard her scream. "They would look so good together", "ah, my fujoshi feels" or something along the lines.

Pixelberry High, where anything can happen.

I looked at the letter, more of a small note actually, before unfolding it and reading it over. I blinked at who I saw as the sender.

Adam,

I know I haven't gone to see you these pass days. But you'll learn soon why and how it was necessary. Please meet me at the Parking lot of your school as soon as you're ready to head home. I'll be waiting.

Max

P.S. sorry it took all day to get this to you, had to find a freshmen to deliver it but most ran off cause I was probably too cool for them to handle.

I raised a brow after I finished reading it. I wonder what was up, and he couldn't simply text me to meet up with him and instead went through the trouble to find someone to hand me a note. For sure, if it weren't a freshmen anyone else wouldn't have gone and delievered it, knowing the blond well enough and his infamous reputation.

Well, Max always did have a flare for dramatics.

But now, I'm wondering if I should go over to meet him. Maybe if I make him wait long enough, he would get impatient and leave. I shook my head. Then I would have ignored the letter he went through the trouble getting to me and for no good reason.

Besides, I shouldn't feel apprehensive on seeing him, right?

I sighed, collecting my stuff and deciding just to do it at home in favor of going over to see Max and not keep him waiting. If he was going to explain himself, I wanted to know and get my questions out of the way.

I ignored the butterflies in my stomach at the thought of seeing him again.

~o~

The sun was starting its descent when I made my way outside the library building and towards the parking lot. As I got near, I noticed a small crowd gathered around in semi-circle fashion, but still in a mindful distance, of a porsche with one blond and a red head beside it.

Max and Lacey.

"Hey," I stepped beside a spectator. "What's going on here?"

The student representative for the Sophomores, Candy, turned to me. "Ah, President, it's you. These two are arguing with each other but we can't interfer since they're not students here. What do we-"

I stopped hearing her speak as Lacey suddenly pushed forward, and kissed Max right in the mouth in front of everyone.

In front of me.

I froze at the spot. A bouquet of roses fell. There was a collective gasp by everyone present. Internally, I felt an uncomfortable feeling making itself right at home in the pit of my stomach, as if I've been punched in the gut.

"Lacey!" Max gasped, pulling her away from him forcefully. To hear his voice again, it gave me a vague idea what this feeling was. "The hell is wrong with you!?"

Lacey, however, didn't look defeated. In fact, there was a determined gleam to her eyes. Then, she caught sight of me. "See that, Adam! Max will never be yours, because he only ever knew the appeal of a woman! I won't let you have him!"

Max jolted, turning towards me. "Adam!" he blanched. "How long were you standing there?!"

"Long enough," Lacey scoffed, crossing her arms. "If not, let me enlighten you, everything Max did with you is simply to get back at me for missing a practice match of his. Maybe even to get me jealous, which was well played I must admit using the person we both despised the most. But it remains that you're of no consequence to him."

I frowned. I knew the feeling now; jealousy, and most of all, rejection.

"Lacey! You bitch, don't make stuff up for your benefit!" Max glowered.

I ignored that. Instead, I put a fake smile on. "Well, Max, all this time I've been wondering if you were for real." I shook my head in mock disappointment. But maybe it wasn't much so. "But I guess I know now that you never were, at least, not towards me." I turned on my heels and started to walk away.

"Adam, no please!" Max cried out after me, and the next thing I knew, he had me in his arms. "Please wait, let me explain!"

I struggled, and noticed everyone present started to whisper among themselves. Rumors will spread like wildfire in no time.

"Max, you idiot, let go of me!" I grunted, squirming in his hold.

Lacey ran forward and pulled at Max's arms to release me from his hold, scratching my face in the process enough to draw a little blood. "Really, Max, stop it with this joke, it's not funny anymore!"

"I'm not joking around, Lacey! Not this time!" Max glowered suddenly. "And I'll prove it to you, since you're so hard headed to take the hint."

Then, my chin was caught between a thumb and index finger, tilted up so that my lips were open to receive a hard kiss from the blond.

"Mmph?!" I widened my eyes, his free hand cupping on my bottom.

In the background, Lacey shrieked.

"What is all the commotion abou- Sanchez!"

I was pulled away from Max by Professor Edwin and a security guard helped push Max and Lacey off me. I gasped for breath. I didn't realize I stopped breathing.

"You two are not from this school, you are to report to my office immediately for questioning!" Professor Edwin mandated.

Max protested. "Hey, hang in there, I did nothing wrong here! It was all Lacey's-"

"NOTHING WRONG?!" I interrupted heatedly, glaring at Max. He stopped speaking immediately, shell-shocked. Infuriated that he had the gall to make such a declaration, I pushed forward and punched him across the face. "Next time you try pulling a stunt like that, I'll be hitting some place lower. Stay away from me for now on, you creep!" I glowered, before stomping off.

"Adam, wait!"

I didn't stop, knowing full well Professor Edwin wouldn't let him near me, that she had this covered. Instead, I just kept walking away in blind rage.

Somehow, I still managed to make it home where I crashed into bed almost immediately, drained from the emotional strain of the day.

I woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sound. I groaned as I sat up. My eyes adjusting to the dark, I saw my disregarded back pack dumped by the door way and remembered the paper works I still had to finish. Well, at least it was ditch day tomorrow.

There's that sound again, and I hear it clearly towards the general direction of my window. I bit my lip. Was it a burglar. I turned on my night lamp, and grabbed the nearest object for a weapon; a frying pan (yes, very original. I know.)

I made my way towards the window and pushed the curtain aside to see a face right on the other side.

"Max?!"

[Max]

This is the worse day of my life. I'm grounded tomorrow and for the first time in my life, plus it's also ditch day. It means I'll have to sneak out to attend to my date.

That is, if Adam would still be up for it.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Lacey was absolutely furious once she finally acknowledge that I wasn't just playing around. But right now, I couldn't care less.

Adam... Now that the idea of actually losing a chance with him feeling more real, I've never felt so scared and unsure of myself.

"Max," Mia came into my room, looking cross. "I heard about what happened earlier at the Pixelberry blog. Thankfully, no awful rumors started and most are supportive of the assault you did to Adam."

"I didn't assault him!"

Mia snapped at me. "You kissed him without his permission, Max!" she said. "Sensible people don't do that, especially to someone they supposedly cared about."

I bite my lip, growling, but having nothing to say to that. Except. "I... I do like him, though. I don't expect you to believe me, but that's the truth." I grumbled.

Mia was silent for a while before she sighed. "I never said I didn't believe you."

I raised my head, blinking.

"I'm a girl, Max. We deal with emotions, especially the romantic kind." Mia rolled her eyes. "Not to mention, I know dad grounded you for kissing a guy, not for trespassing another school. He could care less for that. But he's not gonna have his pride and joy be gender-confuse."

I stared at my sister like she grew a second head.

"Now if he also knew that the guy was the same Adam Sanchez that got him suspended, now he would really blow his top." Mia added, before looking back at her brother. "Don't look so surprise, brother. I know you're serious about him. For one thing, you never kissed anyone by initiative. Your ego usually require them to beg for it." Then, she switched to a glare. "That doesn't mean I approve of you kissing him by force."

I pouted. Can she really blame me? "I was angry, and guys are more hormonal when they're angry. Plus, Adam's face was right there." I justified. "It was an opportune moment!"

"Quoting my Johnny Depp to me won't make you sound any right, at least, not this time Max!" Mia snapped. "Look, the others saw the blog and want us to forget you and plan a feel-better party over at Adam's place tomorrow. You better tell me here and now if your plans are pushing through tomorrow so I know how to respond to them."

My shoulders sagged. "You mean talk to Adam." I grumbled. "Like he's gonna want that. Why don't you just leave me hanging and go do whatever you and your loser friends want?"

"Duh, like that's any question: you may be a pain, but you're my pain of a brother." Mia said, matter-o-factly. "I believe you're still capable of doing the right thing. And if there's one thing I learn from a very inspiring person since I attended Pixelberry High, is that you never give up on what you believe in."

I snorted. "Jeez, who taught you to be such a sap?"

"A wondeful person by the name of Adam Sanchez."

I didn't know whether I wanted to hug her or mess with her prized possession. I chose the latter and ruffled her hair wildly before escaping out the window, leaving my complaining sister behind to cover for me.

~o~

It was no small task to climb a tree up to where I guessed Adam's room window was. His floor was just one higher than the ground floor, that didn't make it any less dangerous if I happen to, say, lose my grip and fall.

When Adam found me in my attempt to break in, I actually did lose my nerve and slipped up, my fingers barely finding a handle on the ledge.

Adam freaked, but that didn't deter him long enough from opening his window and started to pull me up to safety, despite what I put him through.

I swear, the guy must be a saint.

After which, now we're both inside his room, me sprawled in the floor and Adam sitting on his bed with his elbows to his knees, catching our breaths. Me, from almost falling to my death and Adam, from finding me just outside his window at this hour.

"You better give me a damn good reason not to regret letting you fall just then." Adam spoke first, and with the low lighting of his lamp casting a shadow at part of his face, made me think he had a demonic side too, if provoked.

As if that punched earlier was any less an indication.

I paused for one more breath, and admittedly for effect, before coming out and say it. "I like you. Come celebrate your birthday with me tomorrow."

Adam stared at me the way I had with Mia earlier; like I've grown a second head. He pointed at the window. "Out." he deadpanned.

"What?!"

"You heard me. Out from where you came. Let's reinact what just happened, this time without me saving you." Adam growled. "I'm tired of your games, Max."

"I'm not playing games, Adam! I'm serious, I really am!" I got on my feet. "Look, I wanted to ask you about this earlier but Lacey followed me and mess things up!"

Adam got to his feet, too, and jabbed his finger to me. "Don't act so innocent and pin this all on her! You played her, too!" he snapped. "If you can't even offer a single ounce of respect to someone who was your girlfriend, how do you expect me to trust you won't do the same to me?"

I winced. I couldn't argue that, but I refused to back down. "Okay, so I made a few mistakes..."

"A few?" Adam crossed his arms, raising a brow.

I groaned. "Okay, so a lot of mistakes." Ouch, my ego. "And I-I'm s-so-sorry."

Adam widened his eyes. And looked maybe even a little impressed. He damn better be, too. I never apologize to anyone in my life.

"But I like you, Adam, I really do. I admit, I never really took anyone seriously. You were there when I broke up with Kara, and you saw clearly how I treated her. Not to mention Lacey." I looked at his eyes, straight at them. "But you're different."

Adam frowned, dropping his arms, "I don't know if I should trust you, Max. This whole thing has been crazy to begin with."

Determined, I stepped forward and took him by the arms. "Please let me prove it to you. Adam," I swallowed thickly. "Can I... kiss you?"

"What?!" He gawked, pulling away but I held on to him firmly. "What are you saying all of the sudden?!"

I rushed to explain. "Earlier, I kissed you at the heat of the moment. But you have to know I've been dreaming about kissing you since that night at Hearst."

"What ni- oh... that one." He looked flustered.

"Yes, and honestly, I've been having wet dreams lately about it." Adam looked mortified and I rushed to fix that. "P-point is, I like to kiss you, even now. But this time, I want your permission."

Adam looked uncertain, returning my gaze. "So, you're really serious about kissing me? You really want to, I mean?"

I gulped. Did his voice just get husky? Did it suddenly get hotter here? "Hell yeah,"

"Then..." Adam's finger touched my lips, and I took that as an invitation. I closed my eyes and leaned down, wanting to be gentle this time.

But just when I thought our lips would meet, Adam's hand is covering my lips.

"Then you better prove it first." Adam narrowed his eyes, taking the chance to pull away from me since I was too dumbfounded to respond immediately. "I may have dated a couple of people, but that doesn't mean I let just anyone in. At freshmen year, I steady dated Tyler but it wasn't until the end of the year did we really make it official and got to the kissing part."

I grumbled. The last thing I wanted to hear is about Tyler kissing my man.

"There, see, that animalistic possessive look," Adam pointed at me accusingly. "I didn't want to mention it, but you made that look to Tyler at the alley, at the party when that freshmen bumped into me, even on that last day I saw you before earlier's incident when my friends talked about who they preferred for me. That possessive behaviour is why Tyler and I had to break up, it was unhealthy... you're this way and we aren't even steady dating!"

I frowned. "I'll try to tone it down, then... can I kiss you now?"

"You're not getting kissed tonight, or anytime soon for that matter." Adam said firmly. I groaned. This guy is going to be the death of me. "I will, however, let you take me out tomorrow."

I blinked, my spirits rising up once more. "For reals?!" I grinned from ear to ear.

"Yeah, for reals." Adam tried not to seem amuse, but he was clearly failing since I see a crack of a smile. "But you have one chance. I'm not offering my gracious second chance on this one."

I blinked, confused at his words. "Uh, but isn't this technically a third chance?"

"No, this one is different from when I agreed to let you take me out to the mall and Mia's party. I gave you a chance, then, to prove that we could get along enough on a date." He explained with a wave of a finger. "This chance... this chance is to show me that you're serious about this... About me."

I frowned. "Is this some test of love, like in those cheesy romance themed movies Mia loves to watch? Like, do I have to take a bullet for you or something?"

"No, no. Although Julian would surely approve." Adam chuckled. "Nothing too high-brow. I just want to see how long you can put up with me." he said playfully.

I narrowed my eyes. "You really mean how long you can put up with me, don't you?"

"Bingo!" Adam laughed, and I tried not to smile but he made it hard not to. "Kidding aside... I also need the time to think on how I feel about the idea of an us." He air quoted.

I blinked, thinking on that. An idea of an... us?

That got me fired up, I pumped a fist to my chest. "Well, don't you worry! I'm gonna woo you so hard, you'll wonder why you didn't just take me earlier!" I grinned.

"There's that ego I missed." Adam narrowed his eyes, smiling dryly. "and please quiet down. I don't want the neighbors complaining on me with domestic disturbance."

I'm so happy that, without thinking, I leaned forward and kissed him... on the forehead though.

Adam jumped away, surprised, a hand to his forehead. "M-Max!"

"What, you kissed me on the cheek before."

"I-I did, but..." Adam stammered, blushing an amazing red.

I snickered. "Hey, you're blushing so hard it's like the sun's first red glow is coming up."

"Shut up!" Adam scolded, before calming down enough to ask, "so, can I know what we'll be doing tomorrow?"

I waved my finger. "Ah, ah, aaah~ that's my surprise, Just wear something casual." I ruffled his hair and made my way to the window. I blew a kiss. "See you tomorrow, my pretty."

"Please, babe was bad enough." Adam deadpanned.

I laughed, and in my elation, forgot I was too high from the ground and stumbled out, barely grabbing on a branch fast enough. From above, I heard Adam's laugh.

And like from above, it was like angels singing my praises.