I looked down into my Frosted Flakes and stirred it with my spoon as I chewed a piece of turkey bacon. My mom hadn't said anything to me since I finished telling her what happened at school. I could tell she was still taking in the information and that she felt sorry for yelling at me like she had last night. I knew she was still disappointed that I had resorted to hitting someone but wasn't mad at me for doing it.

"I'm sorry baby." She started. "I had no idea that's what happened. The way the principal sounded it was like you just walked up and punched the boy."

"Well, I don't think he was listening to me when I told him what happened." I said rolling my eyes. "All he heard was that Zane had a bloody nose and that I was the cause of it. I think that because I'm the one who did the physical act he felt like I was the one who deserved to be punished more."

"Do you want me to go up to the school and talk to them for you?" She asked. "It's not right that you are the only one who has to suffer."

"No it's fine." I said shrugging finishing off my food. "I figured I'd just use the time to get my homework done. No big deal."

"Okay then." She said as she cleared the dishes from the table. When she came back into the room she smiled at me and said, "Better get ready to go baby. I have to go into town early today."

"It's okay mom I don't need a ride." I said with a smile.

"Oh? And whys that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"My friend is giving me a ride."

"Which one?" She questioned getting a mischievous look on her face.

"Why does it matter?" I asked looking at her strangely.

"Well, it's clearly not Zoe or Zane, because of obvious reason. Unless you've made some other friends that you didn't tell me about it's one of the gorgeous boys' isn't." She said smirking. Her smirk seemed to get even bigger when she saw me look away from her. "I knew it!"

"I didn't say yes!" I argued.

"It's Paul isn't it?" She said clapping childishly. "I'm so happy for you! I saw him drop you off last night. You're growing up! I'm so happy but sad."

"Don't you have somewhere to go?" I grumbled.

Realization came to her eyes and she looked at her watch, "Oh you're right! I better get going." I watched as she hurriedly grabbed her bags and ran to the door. "Tell me how it goes, okay?" Then she slammed the door behind her and she left.

I shook my head and went to the living room to watch some T.V. and wait for Paul to come.

Xxx

And I waited and waited and waited and waited. Finally by nine-thirty I figured he wasn't going to show up. It's true that I knew he probably wasn't going to show up before then but I really wasn't in any hurry to get to school.

Aside from the fact I was incredibly lazy I was also incredibly pissed off. No call, no text, no nothing. I'm extremely late for school and I don't even have my bag with my stuff in it. I could feel my face heating in anger. I was probably more mad that he didn't show up or tell me that he wasn't coming, then that fact that I was missing school.

I looked at my phone and still saw that I had no messages or calls. And that seemed to piss me off even more because I had been angrily texting him for the better part of the last hour. I looked at the clock again and then decide that I wasn't going to school. Starting off a school day late angry were not two things that I wanted to do.

If I wasn't going to school I needed to tell my mom at least. So a sent her a message.

'Hey can you call the school for me? I didn't go because I don't feel well.'

About five minutes later I got a reply.

'Wats rong?'

I glared at the phone and the crappy text writing in front of me. 'Am I the only person in the world who spells out every single word when texting' I thought to myself shaking my head.

'Nothing, my stomachs just upset, that's all.'

'Ewwwww, u got da shits don u!'

'MOM!'

'LOL! Don worry ill call'

'Thanks'

I sighed and shook and shook my head, even over the phone she was ridiculous. Looking at the time I saw it was nine-forty five. I went upstairs, put my hair in a clip and changed into some sweats. A day full of Law and Order marathons and Maury episodes is what was in store for me today.

Xxx

At around two I woke up from my cookie dough ice cream induced coma to hear a frantic knock on the door.

"All right all right!" I called running down stairs using the sleeve of my shirt to wipe away some drool on my chin.

I opened the door curiously then slammed it when I saw Paul standing on the other side.

"Come on Maya, open up!" He whined.

"Why should I!" I yelled back leaning my back against the door. "I missed a day of school because of you! This means I'm probably behind now thanks a lot!" Even though I really didn't care I wanted him to feel guilty about making me miss vital parts of my education and impeding one my chance for a higher education. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that serious, but still he should feel guilty about me being a day dumber.

"I'm sorry." He said pitifully.

"Then, you don't even call me back after I call you like twenty-times." I snap "What about that part? Were you, just ignoring me?!"

"No." He started hesitantly.

"Oh?" I start. "So then what were you doing?"

"Nothing just open the door." He said all hesitation leaving his voice as he was seemingly starting to get annoyed. "I've got your bag."

"No I'm mad at you!" I said childishly.

"Are you really?"

"Yes!"

"I don't believe you." He said flatly.

"And why is that?" I asked flinging open the door.

"Judging from your outfit I'd say you're happy about not having to go to school." He said with a smirk.

I looked down and felt my face flush. I did look like I was quite relaxed. Slightly wrinkled sweats with an ice cream stain on the right pants leg and the bit of drool on my left sleeve. Paired with a head full of what I'm sure was messy hair, I probably looked like I wasn't setting foot out of the house anytime soon.

"Fine you got me." I said sticking my tongue out at him.

"Didn't I tell you about that tongue before?" He questioned slyly.

I rolled my eyes and stretched out my hand, "Give me my bag."

"Not until you invite me in."

"How about don't I and you just give me my bag and just go home?"

"How about you invite me in and we watch a movie?"

"Look just because I'm not pissed off about not going to school doesn't mean that I'm not pissed off that you ignored me all morning." I said plainly.

"I didn't know you cared that much." He said smirking.

"I don't!" I snapped. "And stop trying to change the subject."

"I'm not." He said with another shrug and smirk. "I'm just pointing out something."

"Look I'll let you in if you tell me why you were ignoring me."

"I wasn't ignoring you; I just didn't hear the phone." He said with a shrug.

"Oh really?" I said with a raised eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"I was sleep."

And with that I went to slam the door in his face, but his foot stopped that.

"Don't be mad." He said coming inside. "I'll make it up to you, and we can spend the rest of the day together."

"I really don't see any good in that for." I said closing the door and watching him flop on the couch and turn the television on. "Just make yourself at home why don't you?

"Thanks I will." He said with a smirk. Then he patted the spot next him. "Come watch T.V. with me."

"No I'm going to go change then call the police and tell them that there's a giant bear man in my house."

"You don't have to change you look fine." He said looking at me once again.

"You must be really excited to experience an encounter with the police."

"Like they could take me."

"So you admit that you were grown in a lab and mixed with bear DNA, good to know." I said coming to sit next him.

"Not bear." He said smirking.

"Walrus then?" I said snatching the remote from his hand.

"Why a walrus?" He questioned as he succeeded in taking the remote back from me without any trouble. He chuckled as I pouted and threw his arm behind me.

"Because you are massive, extremely loud and you snort and growl, all characteristics of a Walrus." I said smiling at him.

He glared at me and I laughed a little. He shook his head and used the remote to flash through the guide on the television screen.

"What do you want to watch?" He asked.

"I don't remember ever agreeing to watch anything with you."

"You let me in."

"You forced your way in." I corrected him quickly.

"You're sitting on the couch with me and don't seem to mind much."

"That doesn't mean anything." I mumbled feeling my cheeks.

"Pirates of the Caribbean is on, want to watch that?" He said completely ignoring me.

"I guess that's fine." I said leaning back and making myself comfortable. I flinched a little when I felt Paul's hand fall on my shoulder but I relaxed a moment later. That seemed to make him happy because I could practically feel him relax when I didn't push him away.

By the time that Elizabeth was brought to Barbosa's ship I could feel myself falling asleep. I wasn't particularly tired but the oven like temperature that Paul gave off was making me sleepier by the second. I felt myself snuggle into his side and a chuckle rumble through his body when I did.

"What?" I almost whined out.

"Nothing, you're just cute is all." He said chuckling.

"Tell me something I don't know." I said teasingly.

"Cocky are we?"

"You're one to talk." I mumbled into his side.

"Just go to sleep."

"Okay."

Xxx

I woke up to hushed snickering and the sound of a flash then more snickering. I groaned and rubbed the back of my head before flipping over trying to block out the sound. When that didn't work I moved my hand around looking for a pillow just as comfortable as the one as I was lying on.

My eyes snapped opened when I felt my pillow had arms. My blurry vision was clear enough for me the tight gray shirt stretched over its chest and the khaki shorts that all pillows wear.

I sat up quickly and almost squealed when I heard Paul give a groan. My elbow had hit his throat and he was now sleepily rubbing his eyes and now sore throat.

"You guys are so funny." A chipper voice said from behind me.

I jumped and glared at the woman. "MOM!"

"Smile baby!" She said as she snapped another picture. "I'm so sending this to the family."

"MOM!"

"What's with the yelling?" Paul sleepy voice called out his eyes fully opening as I moved off of him so we both could sit up properly.

"God, you're even cuter than I thought you were." Mom said in awe as she snapped another picture.

"What time is it?" He said standing up stretching.

"Eight." Mom said casually while scrolling through the pictures she took of us.

"Shit." He mumbled and ran a hand through his short hair.

"What's wrong?" I questioned.

"I'm late for work."

"Oh," I started. "Well, you should get going."

"Yeah. I'll see you when I pick you up tomorrow okay."

"Will you show up tomorrow?" I said looking at him skeptically.

"Yeah, I'll even be early."

"Fine. See you tomorrow then." I said watching him walk to the door.

"Bye Maya. See you later Mrs. Ross."

"Bye sweetie." She called after him.

I let a breath out after he left and picked up the remote to start flipping through the channels.

"So," I heard mom start. "Where stomach troubles the only reason you stayed home today?"

"Well you see…"