Damon's POV

I waited outside the school for Josie. She wanted to start working on that project. I'm fine with it, but a part of me wonders if she wants to get started now so she can make sure she isn't the only one doing the work. How do I know this? It usually ends up being me doing all the work at my other schools, I had no problem with it because I got stuck with whoever didn't have a partner or I just worked alone. I'm used to being alone, so I guess it works out better. And it keeps from others telling me what they think of my ideas—they can't say it's dumb if I do the entire thing; or else they'd get no credit.

I like Josie, but working together on a project scares me. She seems very smart and hardworking and I have a feeling she'll regret working with an idiot like me after today's session. I sat on the stairs outside the school and just started writing in my notebook—I never bring my journal to school because one time I did, someone took it and read everything aloud to the entire school. I am not letting that happen again, so I keep it at home; I'm already a freak here, I don't need any more help. I now would just transfer this stuff to it later, if I remember.

"Hey." I jumped when I heard Josie—I looked over my shoulder and saw that girl Claire hanging around her. I quickly closed the notebook, put it in my bag, and closed it. "You ready?" She asked me and I nodded as I put my backpack on and stood up.

"See you later JJ." Claire said, shooting her a wink before she left. What did that wink mean? I guess it's something that Claire just does. I wondered something—why did everyone call her JJ? I mean I know why, but I think she prefers being called by her actual name than the nickname. I wonder why she never says anything to anybody.

"So do you want to go to your house or mine?" Josie asks. Definitely not mine.

"Yours." I said—maybe a little too quickly.

"Why is your room messy and you don't want me to see it?" She asked and I shook my head. "It was a joke. Anyways, it's fine. It doesn't matter to me."

"Okay." I said and I followed her to her house—well it was an apartment. It was a maroon red building with a few small windows and the front door was a black color. It didn't seem that big, so I guess she didn't live with too many people. She unlocked the door and we went inside.

"Take off your shoes." Josie told me and I did—I guess some people actually did have that rule. I followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom where she shut the door. I looked around, it was a nice room. The walls were painted a light blue and had a few posters on the wall—one of Divergent and then the other is for a show called Doctor Who. Her bed had blue sheets and in the corner was a desk with a laptop and a pile of books. It was a nice room—way better than mine.

"Sorry it's small." Josie said, but it didn't matter to me.

"It's fine."

"Claire always asks me how I can live with a room without a walk-in closet." Josie said and I grinned a little, but I am probably not the best person that would understand the joke enough for it to be funny. "Anyways, we can sit on the floor and go through ideas." Josie said and I nodded. We got on the floor and she took out the paper we got from Mr. Hummel and then Josie brought her laptop over and I took out my notebook.

For the first five minutes, it was dead silence between us and I decided to write a little bit more in my notebook.

"Can I make something clear?" She asked and I nodded—why did I have a feeling this was going to be about the amount of split work? "I don't want to do all the work." She told me. And we have a winner! "You understand you have to do your part, right?" She asked and I nodded. Strange thing is that usually I am the one doing all the work. I have no problem with doing work, it's just showing it to her and then to the class that I have a problem with.

"You understand what the story is really about, right?" She then asked. Of course I do, but everyone should know since Veronica Roth has explained it multiple times in interviews. Now thinking about this whole topic, I found a way to finish what I was writing, so I turned to the page and wrote a few more lines. "Damon…DAMON!" She finally yelled and that got my attention.

"S-Sorry." I said.

"What are you writing?" She asked me, but I held onto my notebook. She didn't need to see that stupid stuff I write about. "Does it go along with the project?" She asked and I held it tighter. "Let me see." She then took it—I guess I should have said something. Oh god, now she is going to read my crappy writing. Oh god, she's reading it aloud.

You bring me pain,
and I am stuck in your chains.
I am outside,
because I tried.
You tried to break me,
I want to be free.
All of you say,
that I should go away.
But I won't back down,
I will fight,
for what is right.
And what is right,
is being who I am.

I buried my face into my hands, turning away from her as she turned to me after finishing after what I had written. Oh god—so stupid! How could you be so stupid Damon! Writing and having all it all out in the open! Now she is really going to know how stupid and worthless you are!

"Damon…" Josie started to say and I was prepared for the worst. "…you wrote this?" She asked me and I nodded, not showing my face. Oh god, was it really that bad. I need to stop doing this—I should stop doing stupid things. My dad's right, it's not going to work out.

"Damon, this is good—it's really good." Wait—did she say it was good? No, she couldn't have liked it. My writing is shit, everyone says so.

"What?" I questioned, taking my hands away from my face.

"This is really good…this is perfect for the project." Josie said—oh god no! No way am I letting the entire class know about the terrible stuff I write.

"No!" I said and took the notebook from her and this time I made sure to hold on to it as tight as I could—I'm not letting anyone see it. I just got lucky that Josie liked it, doesn't mean that everyone—or anyone else will. Especially not any of my other stuff.

"Damon, it's good and it would be—"

"I said no." I said.

"Okay…sorry." Josie said and the rest of my time there was silent. Complete silence and after a while—like ten or fifteen minutes, I decided it would be a good time to leave. So I did and glanced down at my watch and sighed at the time. My dad is probably home by now and is probably wondering where I am; I hope he won't get mad that I didn't tell him I was going to be late.


Josie's POV

I walked slowly through the halls, wondering about last night. Damon's poem—lyrics—his writing. That piece was perfect for the project and not only that it was really good. I don't know why he got so defensive when I said I wanted to use it for the project. It wasn't like I asked him sing it or whatever. I guess I could ask him, but I don't know if I should—would I even get answer?

As I was walking, Claire found me and started walking with me. She seemed happy—a little more than usual on Tuesdays.

"What's got you so excited?" I asked her.

"Nothing except that project." Claire replied. Seriously? She actually was going to work on it? And earlier than the last minute?

"You started it?"

"Well…my parents think so." Claire said and it took me a second to realize what she meant. "So this whole project and partnering with just Eli is an excuse that we both can go out like it's the weekend and do whatever we want and our parents think it's for school. It's the best!"

I guess things worked out better for her than it did for me and Damon last night.

"So how did it go with Damon last night?" Claire asked with another wink. I guess she thought I had a crush on him or something—I mean he was cute, I guess, but I barely knew him. He didn't really say anything other than when I asked about using his writing in the project.

"It was okay."

"OMG did he make a move?" Claire asked—I guess she was hoping for something dirty. "JJ, did you and Damon—?"

"Claire, shut it! I barley know him and we didn't do much of anything." I told her. "I read something he was writing, which would be great for the project, but when I mentioned using it he got all defensive. I don't understand, it was good. He acted like I was going to show it to people to make fun of him."

"Maybe that's what he's trying to avoid." Claire said—no, it couldn't be it. I doubted that, I would never do that and if I was, I wouldn't have said it was good. We looked up to see a pile of kids going around Eli—what's going?

Claire and I got closer and Eli was having some sort fight or whatever with Damon—oh god, this was not going to be pretty. I tried to get in there, but Claire held me back. I wish I could hear what Eli was saying to him, but everyone was too loud as more came towards whatever was happening.

"Leave me alone." Damon said—strangely it got quiet enough for me to hear that.

"Come on, we're having fun! Don't be such a freak!" Eli said and then pushed Damon onto the ground. Why did he think this was a good idea? Then we looked at Damon, who hadn't got up. He was on ground—no, he wasn't crying was he?

He was. He was trying to hold it back, but it happened.

"Aww look guys—" Eli started to say, laughing along with a couple of other guys, but that was when I had enough. I pushed through some guys and stopped at Eli and shoved him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked.

"Me? Look at him, JJ. He's a freak and—just wow, I barley pushed him and look at him. He's a mess—" I pushed Eli aside and went over to Damon.

"Are you okay?" I asked as Damon continued to cry. I looked up at Eli, who was still laughing with other guys.

"GET UP LOSER!" Eli yelled—oh my god, shut up! I never realized how much of an asshole he really is.

"Don't touch me." I think I heard Damon mumble in between sobs. "Don't hurt me."

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!" We all stopped what we were doing when Mr. Hummel came over and broke us up. "GET OUT OF HERE!" He ordered and everyone but me left. I can't believe they all just stood there and laughed. Even Claire.

"Damon—Damon, are you alright?" Mr. Hummel asked him, but Damon could answer.

"Damon, they're gone, it's okay." I tried to say, but I didn't look it was helping.

"Let's get him to guidance." Mr. Hummel said and we helped get him up and guided him to the office of the new counselor. I really hope this would help.


Okay so Josie and Damon worked together, but it ended on a rough note. And Eli caused Damon to suffer a panic attack. Also, that poem that Damon wrote, I wrote. :) I had been trying to write it for a little bit, which is why this chapter took a little bit of time.

Don't forget to review.