I was the one that broke the kiss. There were just too many eyes on us, too many whispers in our direction. Julian didn't seem to mind though; his hand ran up and down my arm easily, without even a second thought. Then his face brightened, as though a plan had just formed in his head.

"You're brother's not here is he?" he whispered.

My eyes darted quickly around the hall. I doubted my mother and father would linger with the students unless they were watching me, but they were easy to spot, and it was obvious they weren't near us. I shook my head.

"Come with me" and before I had time to ask what he was up to he had sprinted to the doors and was holding one open for me. I hesitated for a split second. If my family found out I would risk the little acceptance I had gained. But if I was careful not to tell anyone where I was going, if Mel was distracted enough not to be paying attention to me… I caught up with him and he led me out into the parking lot I had just come from. He had a triumphant smile glued onto his face.

"Do I get to know what we're doing?"

"You don't like surprises?"

"Not particularly"

"Humor me"

"How do I know you're not taking me to some cave somewhere so you can take advantage of me?" I mocked.

"Me, take advantage of you? Not likely, I'm the one who should be afraid"

"Sir, you overestimate me"

"Or you just don't know how strong you are"

"I don't think so" I mumbled, but he just smirked. I hadn't realized that we had come to a stop, but now we were standing in front of a car. It was typical, not flashy but not particularly old either, maybe three or four years. He held the door open for me.

"What?" he asked when I didn't move, "you've never ditched school?"

"Never had anyone to skip with"

"At your service" he said simply, beckoning for me to climb in.

"You're just the picture of good moral structure aren't you?" my tone was thick with sarcasm

"I'm hurt; my mother thinks I'm the poster boy for morality"

"Is your mother a convict?"

"Maybe, I have secrets Nessie" he looked on the verge of laughter. I gave in and sat down in the passenger side of his car.

"They say people who keep secrets can see secrets in others" I said as he started the engine.

"Do they?"

"Maybe not, but we can test the theory"

"On you?" I nodded. He looked at me for a second before turning his gaze back to the road, "I don't think your family's as simple as you make them out to be"

I was careful to keep my tone calm, "what'd you mean?"

"The other night, I could have sworn you called you're brother…dad"

I laughed and hoped that it didn't sound as nervous as I suddenly felt, "You expected me to be thinking clearly? He had you up against the wall"

"I guess not, is you're dad around?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but it's usually the father's job to come in and rescue the poor unsuspecting daughter from a hooligan like myself"

"My brother, Edward, he kind of feels like he has to look after me. We were adopted and the family's the best, but I think he kind of feels like he should be the one to protect me"

"Sorry"

"For what?"

"You're parents, I mean losing both of them…"

"I don't even remember, another lifetime. Starting fresh ya know"

"And that's where I come in?"

"If you're up for it, I have secrets too"

"I thrive on secrets"

"You say that now…"

"I said I was up for it, that doesn't change very easily" he quoted.

It was then that I realized we had pulled into a driveway. We were in front of a house where I would almost certainly find myself alone with Julian again. A part of me wanted to be sensible, and the other part, a very large part, wanted to run to the door. Of course that part won out.

A/N: Oooh the horrors. Please review