"I'm sorry I left so abruptly yesterday." Sharon arrived early to her class to apologize to her teacher Mrs. Birch.

"Jackie talked to me about it. I'm sorry Sharon. I didn't know the topic was sensitive to you. You're not in any trouble. I understand why you reacted the way you did." Mrs. Birch said kindly.

"Thank you. It won't happen again." Sharon assured before going to her desk. In the few minutes of discussion a few people had arrived to class. Including Paul, the boy who sits behind her.

"Hey, Sharon...Everything alright?" He asked quietly as to not further embarrass her.

Sharon turned to face him. His hazel eyes stared back at her.

"Yeah, thanks for asking. I just freaked out I guess."

"That jerk shouldn't have egged you on." Paul responded passionately.

Sharon offered a smile of gratitude and then began to swivel around in her chair, but Paul grabbed her for her attention again.

"Hey so...I know this is kinda short notice but...I was wondering if you'd maybe wanna go to Homecoming with me?" He asked nervously. "Oh wait!" He reached into his messenger bag to withdraw something.

Suddenly he was holding up a single flower to her. Her heart immediately started to flutter as she noticed the purple flower wasn't just any flower. It was a rose of Sharon. Suddenly it hit her. Aunt Peggy's words resonating with her again. Her mother would send her signs that she'd have to look for. Little reminders that she was still there.

"It's a rose of Sharon. When I told my mom I was thinking of asking you, she suggested it. I'm really bad at these kinds of things..." He anxiously scratched at the back of his head.

Sharon gradually reached forward and took the rose from his offering hand. She smelled it. The sweet familial smell. Then she cast her glance back to Paul with a kind smile.

"I'd love to go with you." She assured innocently.

"Really?" He reiterated. Sharon nodded yes. "I'll buy our tickets tomorrow then."

Just then Jackie walked in and yelled playfully at Sharon for not walking with her. Paul winked at her and went back to his business to not cause a big scene with Sharon's friend.

...

"Wait, he just asked you out of nowhere?" Jackie exclaimed in the hallway as class was dismissed.

"Shhh." Sharon quieted her while chuckling.

"Yeah...He gave me this." Sharon pulled out her flower to show Jackie.

"And you...You said yes?" Jackie asked in disbelief. Sharon nodded with a smile.

"Who are you? Did the real Sharon get taken over by an android for real yesterday? Is that why you fled the scene of the crime?" Jackie interrogated.

Sharon laughed loudly, "No I assure that it is I, Sharon Carter, friend of Jacquelyn Quinn. 5'8. Knows 3 languages. Black-belt in karate. Is that enough to prove it?"

"Well shit. Was it my constant pestering that made you say yes? Please say it was. I have to know my work wasn't all waste."

"Of course. If not for you, I would've shot him done right away." Sharon said sarcastically. "You didn't hold him at gunshot to ask me, did you?"

"I swear, I had nothing to do with it." Jackie held her hands up. "Now I'm the only one without a real date."

"What you mean Jordan's not a real date?" Sharon asked rhetorically.

"Don't even joke, bitch." Jackie sneered. Just then she saw Paul walking towards them. "Oh well, I have to get to History. See ya." She made an excuse so they'd be together alone.

"Hi Sharon!" Paul waved at her.

"Hey..." She said shyly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Mind if I walk with you?" He asked with a puppy dog expression painted on his angular face.

"Not at all. I'm on my way to physics." She informed.

"Cool...Calculus." He responded. They began to walk side by side, continuing their small talk as they ambled to class.

"So what color is your dress going to be? I wanna get a tie that matches it."

"Oh, it's just a solid maroon red."

"I'm really glad you said yes. I was so nervous to ask that I almost abandoned ship." Paul shoved his hand into his front pocket and looked to the side to avoid Sharon's gaze as he admitted his nervousness.

"Nervous to ask me? I'm just a band geek." Sharon admitted in surprise to the track-star's fear of rejection from someone as simple as she.

"No way, you're just like this force to be reckoned with. You're smart and kind, strong, incredibly gorgeous. I don't think you realize how many people are in awe of you in this school."

"I find that hard to believe...Most people I've encountered just think I'm pathetic." Sharon sighed looking down at her oxford shoes.

"Are you kidding like who?" Paul asked with a furious expression, like he'd pound whomever Sharon said.

"It's nothing. I shouldn't have said anything. It's just Denise Strathmore. And some of her friends."

"Those 'popular' folks." Paul air-quoted as he said the word. "They aren't worth a second of your time. Certainly not that wannabe Denise."

"You seem rather passionate about your disdain towards them." Sharon chuckled at his outrage.

"Yeah...Well...Don't tell anyone I said this, but I mistakenly had a sort of fling with Denise this summer while her and Derek were broken up. It didn't really go anywhere and I'm really not proud of it. I soon realized she wasn't the kind of girl I wanted in my life. When I broke it off she went crawling back to Derek and spiraled even further down this path of destruction." Paul opened up as they arrived at Sharon's class.

"...I had no idea." Sharon's heart sunk. She was getting involved with a guy who was involved with Denise. What kind of luck did she have?

"You don't think badly of me because of it?" Paul inquired.

"No...of course not. Denise...She was my friend for a really long time. It makes me sad to see her like this. I just wish I could help."

"Don't bother. That woman, she's heartless. The shit she put me through. Especially when I ended it. I wouldn't wish that on even her. She takes on cruelty as a sport." Paul barked.

"I've noticed..." Sharon said softly.

"