the song in chapter 8 was One In a Million by Run Kid Run. it's a good song. (= anyways, i might actually get up 10 before i go to bed, but no promises though. lol. i'm getting somewhat tired, and when i get tired, my writing sucks, so...yeah. lol. here's what is equivalent to chapter 5 in the previous story but chapter 9 in the new and improved one.

**EDIT** Caleb is now back to being Seth again. Yay. lol.

**EDIT (again)** Taylor's name has been changed to Alex, because somebody I know named Taylor has done something that pisses me off, to the point I want him to fucking disappear. now every time i see his name, i get pissed all over again, so i had to change it. sorry.

Don't bury me I'm not yet dead...

...I'm alive, I'm alive
That's what I say
I'm alive, I'm alive
And I'm gonna live that way

*Ari*

The next week of school didn't help anything. Seth became more and more and more and more and more and more—you get the point—perfect, and his girlfriend kept getting in the way of even our friendship. He didn't know it, because whenever he was around, she backed off of me and pretended not to even notice I exist. When it was just me and her though, I got the lame threats and "hurtful" name-calling.

It was like Daddy had cursed me. Nothing was working out, and I didn't have time to dwell. It's only been a week, but nothing has changed, at all. It was just a sign that things weren't gonna change and I was gonna have to move on soon.

But I really didn't want to.

I also found out he's the star football player. His old Chemistry partner, Elli, is in my history class, and we were partnered up for a group project to do in class. She's a junior too, but her birthday is in July, so she's freshly sixteen too, unlike some juniors, who are gonna be seventeen soon—some of which already are.

She told me all sorts of things about Seth, like sometimes he acts like he hates life, and even though most of his friends are jerks, he's different. Even though his girlfriend is a witch, he's one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet.

Yeah. I melted, completely.

From him, I found out, he likes playing football for fun more than he does on the team, he loves to be himself, he's sarcastic, two of his favorite bands are Skillet and Three Days Grace, his favorite food is spaghetti, his favorite drink is Mountain Dew Voltage, his dream car is a convertible 2010 Lamborghini Spyder, he loves being outdoors, and lots of other things.

Like he's always wanted to know what it'd be like to fly.

IRONY! Does anyone else see that?

Sorry. Of course you do.

I sat down in my seat in front of Elli in history that Friday with a bright smile on my lips, a confident one. "Elli? You wanna come over tonight? We could hang out, have fun, watch movies, do makeovers, go shopping, and stuff like that. What do you say?"

"Makeovers?" she asked warily, eyebrows furrowing a little. "I don't know. I'm not pretty, as every guy in the school basically, will tell you."

"Well, they're not looking past the serious clothes or the glasses," I said firmly, scowling at her a little. "Give me just an hour, and you'll see what I mean, if it even takes that long. Please, please, please? If you don't like it, you can go back to the old you. What do you say?"

For a minute, she sat there watching me, eyes doubtful and curious. She wanted to come out and be herself, but she was scared. She was scared of rejection, and she felt like that if she was herself, people wouldn't like her.

That was her biggest fear, as far as I could tell.

She shrugged, though, before smiling a little. "I guess. It sounds like a plan to me." I think she liked the fact that until school Monday, she could always switch back to herself. So, she had more time to decide

"Cool," I practically squealed right as the bell rang to start class. After making a face at her, which made her laugh a little, I quickly turned forward.

Spanish was…odd. When I walked in, Seth was already there, with a really bright smile on his lips. He looked like he was glowing, literally. It was rather blinding, but it made me feel so amazing and alive inside.

I sat down with furrowed eyebrows, snorting a little. "Wow. You're lighting up the room with your happy glow."

Or your dazzling smile, your flawless face, your gorgeous eyes…

The list could go on, to be honest. I'll just stop there, though, for the sake of time.

He laughed blissfully, eyes still brilliant and bright as he looked at me. "Well, I'm having a great day, and it's all because of you."

My head snapped over to look at him instantly. Shock and joy were the only things I could feel at that moment. Actually, at that moment, I didn't know what to say, so I could only stare at him in shock.

But, of course, I'm me, so I finally got over it. "Me?"

This made my heart flutter with excitement, something I couldn't deny. I also couldn't deny that I loved the fact that I was the reason he was having a great day.

"What did I do?"

"Well," he started, his smile turning into the brilliant, long described one I got the first day in Chemistry, the one I've grown to adore. "You've done multiple things, none of which you're aware of. You've helped me realize who I am, who I don't want to be, who I want to be, what I want, and how I want to act. You've helped me figure out my life, without even knowing it, and for the first time in my life, because of you, I'm truly happy."

My heart fluttered in my chest some more, more excitedly than before. I made him happy? I thought that was just me with him. I had no idea it was vice versa too.

I blinked to clear away my thoughts, but the reactions and feelings his words and smile brought me were still carrying on inside of me. "Oh. Well, it was nothing, literally. I don't really even know how I did that."

As the bell rang, he continued smiling, and he showed no sign of being quiet, especially since Ms. Andrews wasn't even in the room. "You showed up, came into my life, and you were just yourself. That's it, and that, Ari, has been more than enough for me."

Oh, if he only knew how he made me feel right then, how I was struggling to breathe, how my heart was racing, how I was tingling inside, how I couldn't get over his perfect face, how I was just an incompetent pile of mush right now, how just absolutely…unable I was to think.

He continued smiling and making my world perfect all through Spanish, and the only time I could force myself to look away was when we were doing work or she called on me. Whenever I didn't know what she even asked, I cheated and looked through her mind.

It was something I did in every class when I didn't know the answer to a question asked too. I feel really stupid when I'm called on and I have the right answer. So, I mean, seriously? You would do it too if you could.

When the bell rang to go to fifth period, I didn't jump, because I was ready for it. I just stood up, basically lifeless. I was like a melted body walking through, jumbled up at something just one guy said.

Just one perfect, sexy, amazing guy…

"So," he said conversationally, still smiling blissfully at me as his eyes studied my face and my emotions.

My eyebrows furrowed again as the two of us walked out and towards the Chemistry room. "What do you mean, who you really are, or who you don't want to be, or who you want to be, or—"

He put his finger softly on my lips in the doorway of the Chemistry room to stop me from finishing, and he was still brightly smiling the smile I adored. "Trust me, Ari. You'll see really soon."

Lindsey was behind me, and once Seth walked past me and over to his desk, she "accidentally" elbowed me in the ribs.

It hurt her more than it did me. I mean, it would hurt you too if you elbowed steel.