"What Duke? As in Duke Orsino?" Olivia asked in disbelief, not really understanding where this sudden endorsement was coming from. Yesterday he was a completely different guy. Sebastian had been goofy and charming, joking with her and Olivia thought they might have been flirting. Or at least had a connection; she was sure that Sebastian felt it too. And today he did a complete 180, acting as a matchmaker for Duke and her. She bit her lip and pretended to look at Duke while keeping Sebastian in her line of vision.

Maybe he really does want to study. She thought, disappointed at this very real possibility. It had seemed like such a transparent excuse to spend time with her; that Olivia took it for that, instead of what it apparently was. I guess he really is just interested in becoming a first stringer by the Cornwall game, without neglecting his grades. Olivia felt stupid because she had agreed so quickly, wanting to spend more time with him and now she didn't even know if he wanted the same thing. Especially because right now all he wanted to talk about was Duke and how wonderful he was. Making her feel like yesterday might have been a fluke and that this might be the real Sebastian.

Olivia smiled politely and answered him. "I don't know… I mean… I've had some classes with him ever since we were both freshman, but I wonder if he's even the right guy for me… what if he's just another dumb jock trying to get into my pants just to brag about it to his soccer buddies?" She tried not to sound upset about the fact that Sebastian was trying to push her into Duke's arms.

"But he's too insecure to treat you as an equal? Tell me about it." Sebastian sighed and leaned on his elbows, staring past her, lost in thought. Olivia smiled at him, amazed at how Sebastian could have it so wrong. Sure, Duke was conventionally attractive, but she didn't want him. She wanted the boy sitting across from her. Olivia liked the way he wasn't just built so delicately but he was able to drop his guard. Sebastian let her see him be vulnerable. He treated her as more than just a girl he could potentially sleep with. She felt that Sebastian saw her as she was. And Duke… well… he couldn't compete with that.

Olivia kept thinking about how Sebastian was wrong because Duke wasn't worth a shot when Sebastian was right in front of her. Mirroring her own reservations when it came to dating. They hadn't known each other that long but he already understood her on a level that she doubted Duke would. She knew Duke. He was just like every other boy… maybe not exactly like them, but she knew boys like him. The kind that played sports and wanted girls that were pretty and nothing else. All they valued was how hot girls were, as if they were just another shiny trophy they could win if they were good enough at things that impressed them. They didn't care about a girl's sense of humor, or how nice they were or even how smart. Guys were intimidated by her intelligence but liked the way she looked so they put up with her. Or at least that's how she felt.

"Exactly, you… You know just what I was trying to get at." She smiled and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ears. Olivia didn't know what else to do with so much nervous energy. How can he keep on surprising me so pleasantly?

Sebastian smiled at her and leaned in. "Listen, I'm one of those soccer buddies of his, and he's a nice guy. Trust me any girl would be lucky to be with Duke." Olivia tried to control her face, to not show her disappointment at Sebastian's insistence of Duke being a guy that was worth her time. Because she wanted to date someone that saw her as an equal and didn't feel intimidated by the fact that she was so much more than just a pretty face. Just like Sebastian said.

"Well what about you?" Olivia asked, looking directly into Sebastian's eyes and blushing. She couldn't believe that she had been so forward about something like that, but once the question was out of her mouth she couldn't help to be relieved that it was finally between them. That Sebastian wouldn't be able to ignore it anymore.

Waiting for Sebastian's response was agonizing, those few seconds that he looked away towards the other soccer player and then back into her eyes made her think that he almost hadn't heard her. Or worse, that he had but he didn't feel the same way she did. That he really did see her as just some study buddy.

"I couldn't date him, I mean; he's my captain so it might make the locker rooms a bit more awkward to navigate. But Duke and you, I can see that." He finally said and started pointing towards Duke and back to Olivia again in order to emphasize his point.

"What? No!" She laughed at his joke. Making her feel relieved that he wasn't reading too much into their conversation because she doesn't know what she will do if he suddenly put her on the spot regarding her growing feeling for him. But it was also crushing because he kept insisting on the whole Duke thing. Almost as if the possibility of them being together was more plausible than her and Sebastian. She smiled sadly at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Listen, Duke is nice and all but I don't think he's my type. Maybe more in the friend's zone if anything." Olivia told him, trying to hint at the fact that she wanted him to drop the subject about Duke and her altogether.

"Well I'm just trying to be a friend and I see a good match, that's all." Sebastian told her, clearly not understanding.

"Just friends? As in I'm in your friend's zone too?" Olivia asked playfully, wanting to gage Sebastian's interest in her without it seeming like there was a lot hanging onto this one question.

"Exactly! I mean you understand me better than anyone here at this school and I mean I could never date you because you're the only person I feel comfortable being myself with." Sebastian told her honestly, looking down at his desk. Saddened by this realization.

Olivia's face dropped at this revelation. Mirroring Sebastian's disappointment, but for a completely different set of reasons. She hated that Sebastian could make her feel special and then, at the last possible second, he reminded her that they were friends, above all else. Even if the possibility of something more were there, he wanted her to be his friend because he was comfortable with her. Comfortable was for couches, Olivia thought, not crushes. Olivia sighed, wondering why things couldn't just be easier for her. Wishing that she could fall for someone like Malcolm. Because even if he was creepy and a bit obsessive, she was sure that he liked her. Unlike Sebastian, where she wasn't sure where she stood with him.

When he looked up again, having missed her hurt expression, he shrugged and told her. "Listen, Duke might be worth a shot… who knows, you might find love in unexpected place." Not knowing how prophetic his words were at that moment. Olivia simply nodded and angled her body away from him, not ready to listen to what he was trying to tell her.

From that moment on, time passed by with Sebastian insisting on setting Olivia up with Duke during their biology class. But completely forgetting about the other boy once they were in English, going back to being his usual goofy self. The month went by with that same dynamic, where everything was weird between them during Biology and then it was fine during English. It made Olivia feel like she was going crazy. Sebastian was so wonderful at times and so completely clueless about the fact that she liked him.

Olivia tried dropping subtle hints about them possibly being more than friends during their study sessions. In fact, she kept on "accidentally" brushing her hand against his, prolonging their handshakes, or even holding eye contact longer than she regularly would with a friend. And frustratingly enough, Sebastian remained more clueless than ever. To the point that she dreaded every Tuesday and Wednesday afterschool because she knew that Sebastian would be completely unaware of how hard she was trying to get his attention.

Since Olivia never had to actually flirt with guys, she didn't know what she was doing wrong. All her life guys always noticed her and would fall over themselves in order to get her phone number if she even looked in their general direction. She didn't know how to get the same response from the one guy she was in fact interested in. Since she wasn't getting anywhere with what she was doing, she knew she needed to kick it up a notch or with Sebastian being as thick as ever, seven notches. Except, they didn't exactly teach seduction techniques for the cute new guy in her debutant classes. They just stuck to table manners and being lady-like; and for some reason, she had the vague feeling that Sebastian wouldn't fall head-over-heels for her if she sipped tea properly in front of him. Or was able to pick out a salad fork from a dessert fork on a table.

She spent a lot of time thinking up of ways to get Sebastian to notice her. And finally, it hit her. Olivia realized that the perfect event for her to get the guy of her dreams interested in her was in fact, a debutant event after all. Their upcoming annual carnival was the perfect opportunity for her to look not just amazing, but maybe share a kiss with Sebastian. After all, she would be working at the kissing booth. All she had to do was make sure she actually put effort in her appearance this year, as a way to attract Sebastian. Sure, she still had to deal with all the other guys that she tried to avoid most of the school year, but if it got her one step closer to Sebastian, it would all be worth it.

With that out of the way, it was time to plan.

Olivia spent the rest of the time leading up to the carnival planning her outfit with Marie. She needed not just to look beautiful, but she had to make sure that even her lip gloss was the right combination of sweet and not-sticky in order to make their first kiss as special as possible. This was perfect; all she had to do now was make sure that Sebastian knew that she would be at the kissing booth at the start of the carnival. Then Olivia would just wait and he would come to her. What could possibly go wrong with a plan as flawless as that?


Author's Note: Sorry for the long hiatus, I was just finishing up school and all my fics kind of were placed on the backburner. So thanks everyone who has been patient, who has asked about the chapter. And who has kept reading and reviewing and subscribing.