Making this chapter was HELL, and I think it sucks.

I am stuck in a creative rut and still I am churning this out so you'd better be thankful!

I can't continue any of my other fics, that's how bad this stupid writers block is! Well, that and the fact that each chapter I make is more or less on the fly, therefore keeping my story entirely random.

*exhausted groan/moan/sigh/exclamation as I collapse on my bed*

-Y.A.R.N.

I pulled myself out of Ruby's grasp, "Where do you get to decide what I can and can't do?!"

"You're too childish to make the right choice!" She said.

"That's rich coming from a pint-sized kid like you!" I retorted.

"Hey! I am not that young and I'll get taller!" She argued, hands on her hips.

"That's exactly my point! If I am childish, then you're practically a toddler!" I yelled.

"You take take that back, you jerk!" she growled, stomping her foot like a child.

Hm... It seems she sensitive about her age and height.

Strange weakness, but I'll take it.

"Why don't you make me, short-stack!" I challenged.

She leapt at me and I began to run away as she tried to catch me. To any normal person, I probably looked like I was being molested or attacked.

Sure as hell felt like it, except not really as creepy and more annoying than anything else.

I tripped on a root (dammit) and she perched herself imperiously on my back, "Ha! Caught you!"

"Get off me you crazy brat!" I yelped, flailing and accidentally jabbing two fingers in the side of her ribs.

She squeaked and grabbed my cheek in retaliation, "I'm ticklish you idiot! Don't do that!"

"Whud 'id y'u grad hy 'heeks?!" I managed to mumble indignantly and drilled my knuckles into her ribs in an attempt to make her let go.

She shrieked indignantly and began to pull on my left cheek even harder. I grabbed her wrist and pried off her hand before shoving her off my back, "Ha! Now the shoe is on the other -eep!"

I squeaked as she poked my ribs. She quirked a grin deviously and began poking my sides. We wrestled and tumbled (yelping [her] and scowling [me] and laughing [her] and yelling [me] like crazy idiots) in the dirt until we both realized exactly what we had been doing.

We stared at each other for a brief moment before our minds caught up with each other.

I blanched and pushed her off me, "Gah! Enough! Don't do that ever again!"

She leaned back on her hands and scooted away, cheeks red, "Right, sorry."

"Crazy brat." I grumbled embarrassedly while brushing my clothing free of dirt, "You're just as violent-prone as your sociopath of a sister..."

She snorted and threw a clod of dirt at my head which I ducked.

"Dummy." She said, rubbing her sore sides as she tried not to wince.

We sat there in silence while trying to clean our clothing of the dust and dirt. I stood up and brushed some more dirt off my shoulder.

"My point still stands." I grumbled, "I am not going to be your friend. It's not fair to you or me."

"My point still stands," she replied, throwing my words in my face, "I don't care."

"I am not going to deal with this, this is my week off and frankly I can do my runs in my yard or on my treadmill." I growled.

She hopped to her feet as I began to stalk away.

"Oh by the way, Jaune." She said, "You know the coach?"

I felt a sudden foreboding feeling.

It was somewhere along the lines of despair.

"He really wants to talk to you."

Dammit.

"Ruby," I growled, "would you stop following me!"

Seriously, if nothing else than I would have to give the girls props for persistence. I had begun walking my way back to my house, considering to maybe buy a soda from a convenience store or vending machine when I noticed she was walking behind me.

Upon further questioning/discussing/arguing it led to the conversation I was having now.

She gave me a half-amused/half-teasing look, "Nope."

"Stop it."

"Nope."

"Listen to your senior, brat!"

"Nope."

"I can outrun you."

"Care to test that?" She said, looking already pumped for the contest.

"You couldn't handle it shorty." I quipped.

She tried to cuff my head but I deftly swayed out of her reach and she only swiped at the air. She huffed in annoyance and pouted. I decided to change the topic to something I was genuinely worried about.

"So why does the coach want to talk to me?" I queried.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I am not saying it isn't, but I am really hoping I am wrong and maybe he is saying I am somehow failing gym class." I sighed.

"He wanted you to join the track team, he saw how fast and long you were sprinting and he was wondering why you haven't ever signed-up." She said, gesturing, "He wanted to see if he could get you to join the track team this year."

"He's going to be disappointed." I sighed.

"Why not join? Then we could be on the same club and even the same team!" She looked excited.

"No." I shut her down, "I refuse, besides we aren't even friends."

She opens her mouth to retort but I cut her off, "Ruby, I am really not interested."

She pouted but placed her arms on her hips as her expression became more resolute, "One: Doesn't matter. Two: Don't care. Three: I still am going to be your friend."

I was reminded of a passively irate Yang.

Time to make my escape.

I let my mouth drop open and then pretended to looked shocked, "My god! Is that Yang?"

Ruby whirled, eyes wide, so I did the best thing in that situation.

I ran for it.

I skidded to a stop around the corner of my usual convenience store and threw myself inside. I quickly ducked behind a rack of chips and crouched.

'Good Lord,' I grumbled in my head, 'Why am I running from that girl?'

I was a 18 year old man for god's sakes!

She was fifteen!

I ignored the clerk giving me a confused look in favor of making sure Ruby wasn't following me. She didn't show up for five minutes and I let out a sigh as I slumped onto my ass.

Christ, when the hell did my life lose the normality and rhythm I had so meticulously planned? Where had it all gone so wrong?

Ah yes. I remember now.

It burned into nothingness the moment Goodwitch took interest and Ruby Rose stepped into my life.

I sighed and brushed the dirt that was probably on the seat of my pants and strolled over to where the soft drinks were to pick up a soda before paying the cashier. I strode outside and took a gulp, the cold iciness washing down the length of my spine before I blew out a breath and recapped the bottle.

Today was just not my day.

Then - out of freaking nowhere - a fist crashed against my cheek and I hit the floor. I shook my head like a wet dog as I pushed myself to my hands and knees while my head was ringing. My soda hit the floor and rolled away from me.

Ow.

Fucking OW.

"The hell?" I growled, hand on my cheek.

"So how was your chat with my sister?"

Fuck.

Bloody. Freaking. FUCK.

I scrambled to my feet and lunged in the opposite direction of the voice. I spun on my heel and quickly began backing away to show I was ready to run. Yang was standing there, placing one hand (presumably the one she had used to clock me) in her pocket, a chocolate bar half-eaten in her other hand, and sunglasses on.

"Oh fuck me..." I groaned, jaw aching, "Of all the people, you?"

"I still owe you for trashing me at school." Yang said simply.

I immediately poised myself to run, "You're gonna have to catch me and I can guarantee you won't, besides decking me just now more than made up for it."

She snorted, "Yeah I know, you're faster than a bat outta hell, so I don't think I'd catch you. I am sure Ruby told you, but I'll tell you anyway. Ruby said your counselor was at fault for your attitude. I believe her, besides Ruby is good at reading people and won't chase after something if she doesn't think it'll work. You really should have just accepted it when I told you she would stick to you."

I griped wordlessly under my breath and prodded at my cheek, "Your sister needs to take a goddamn hint."

Yang smirked, "Oh she gets them, but she just doesn't care. Either way, you're lucky Ruby is my sis, anyone else and nobody would believe her. Everyone was right pissed at you for your little stunt and are out for your blood, I can be satisfied with clocking you right now though, so be thankful."

I scowled, "One, screw you. Two, Just my luck, what the fuck is it with you people?"

Yang chuckled at me and I glowered at her.

"Ruby picked up how to be stubborn from yours truly." Yang said, gesturing to herself, "She doesn't know the meaning of the word no when it comes to making friends."

"Maybe I should switch schools..." I mumbled, "At least no one is going to go out of their way to befriend me."

Yang laughed, "As if you're parents would let all that money they spent on you go to waste."

I scoffed, she was right, but I wasn't going to let her have that satisfaction of knowing.

"So aside from punching me in the face or whatever, why the hell are you here? I know for a fact this isn't a close convenience store to most."

Yang lifted her sunglasses off her eyes and placed them higher in her hair, "I knew you would come here, it's the closest to the park and I know Ruby met you at the park because she likes to go on runs there. Well, that and she told me."

I snorted, "Great, of all the people to avoid I have to get the ones who have common sense, can't take a hint, and are too damn persistent. By the way, tell Ruby to never sit on me again, I don't need to look like a weirdo with some girl beating me on my head."

"What?" Yang asked, looking slightly puzzled.

I sighed, "Tell her to leave me alone."

Yang snorted, "It wouldn't change anything, and I'd like to save my breath rather than ramble on about utterly pointless things. See you around Jaune, count on it. Oh, and just so you know, ever say shit like that about me again, and I don't care where you are or who sees, you'll be eating through a straw for the next few months."

And with that she turned and walked away.

I placed an ice-pack against my cheek as I lay down on my bed, hissing as the cold tingled against my bruised cheek.

"Stupid Ruby... Stupid Yang... Damn Goodwitch." I griped, "What part of leave me alone is too complicated for them to understand?"

I sighed and picked up my phone from my bedside table. I unlocked it and then tapped recorded contacts, I found Ruby's texts and added her. I briefly wondered whether I should put annoyance under her association, but it's not like she would see it and it would only be a nuisance now. I rolled over and shifted the icepack so it fitted snugly against my cheek.

Well, I had to stay inside the whole week, I might as well start planning it out.

I grumbled exasperatedly as my phone lit up with Ruby's new text.

Repetitive as the thought was becoming, the girl was persistent (to the point where I was wondering if she had a mental condition that made her totally miss out on normal social cues). I had ignored her (and her calls, texts, and emails) for two days straight and she still hadn't given up. I didn't even leave the house to run. My parents had been surprised to see a bruise on my cheek as well as a scrape (which I hadn't noticed) against my knee, but I told them it was their fault.

My phone buzzed.

"Would you shut up?!" I yelled at my phone.

I blinked for a moment and groaned and slammed my head against my desk, I was losing my mind.

I waited till it was about lunch and after finishing my homework I browsed the internet. I had forgone making an actual account and social media sites like facebook and myspace, but it was the one place where you could see the general thought process of the school group. Pardon my french, but people on online sites like this seem to release their stupidity and add anyone who sends a friend request. Ergo, I could look at practically anyone's account and keep track of the school's general gossip with a fake account. I logged in and stared at all the different posts that the system kept track of.

:Who is this Jaune Arc kid?: #WhoIsJauneArc?

Goddammit Yang.

:Isn't he that nerdy-looking dude in computer club?: #WhoIsJauneArc?

:No, that's John! Not Jaune, that guy has brown hair.: #WhoIsJauneArc?

:You're insane! He's a blonde!: #WhoIsJauneArc?

:I saw the guy! He ran like The Flash! Coach has been trying to see if he can meet him so that he can join the track team!: #WhoIsJauneArc?

:I think he's in my math class...?: #WhoIsJauneArc?

:I can't believe he said all that to Yang and her sister! RIP dude!: #WhoIsJauneArc?

I scrolled down, my eyes wide, the thread was freaking massive, dozens of people were responding and trying to unravel the mystery of who I was.

Holy shit.

I groaned and placed my head on my desk, I had expected this, but to be frank seeing it was still unnerving. I hated it when people looked for me in general but seriously there was very little merit that had to do with making me a hashtag (Yang you bitch)! I had no countermeasures for this sort of action! Well, if I could only find a source of gossip that could overshadow this, then I might have a chance to escape.

But what?

What news could possibly be my salvation?

I had to create a situation that would overshadow me, but I didn't have the resources nor did I have the contacts necessary for an undertaking of that sort.

Yang had me beat when it came to listening ears, all of the people were desperate to join her 'group', coupled with the fact that she was a ten out of ten on the attractive scale made it impossible for me beat her. Her contacts far outweighed mine and she was intent on keeping me in discomfort by keeping me in the public eye. I wasn't naive enough to believe that (when I was a normal student [even if I was inclined towards being popular]) that I would get in that group by doing anything she said for a small chance.

No one would respect you like that.

Not to mention I also had other fronts to consider, with Goodwitch and Cardin being also pressing concerns. I wouldn't be able to pull another stunt like that without a mark on the record and to be frank I wanted my papers as clean as possible. Besides Goodwitch was willing to do whatever it takes to push back against any force I could exert.

Cardin was a fool.

But stubborn.

And a stubborn fool is much more dangerous than your run of the mill idiot. They are convinced that they are right. That what they think is the only truth and nothing else will suffice. With him coming to the conclusion that I had somehow managed to curry favor to join 'the group' (stupidest name ever, for anything), then he was going to keep on coming after me to find out how. I - to be utterly frank - had no desire to fight him and no way to win if I did. I had a brief moment of wondering whether or not I could kill myself if I jumped off the top of my house.

Maybe I could start a rumor...

It needed to be good, something that had just enough truth to make it plausible and yet not enough knowledge so people would focus on it as much as they could to try to puzzle out the truth. It was a very delicate balance that needed to be maintained, the piece would have to be placed at a point where most people could see it and spread throughout the community.

"Hmm..." I hummed as I twisted my mouth in a speculative grimace.

What could I possibly type?

I blinked.

Of course.

I grinned as I typed the few things that would secure the school's attention.

"I think there is something going on between Neptune and Yang."

Then I switched accounts and added the next rumor.

"I saw someone who looked like Ren kissing Blake."

Let's rock the boat.

There.

Are you happy now?

If yes, good.

If no, fuck it, I am beyond giving a shit about it.