I was sitting at my desk table catching up with my homework like the good girl I was. But it felt different this time.

I wanted to be at the football game and not here.

I hadn't gotten around to asking my dad for permission because I knew what he was going to say.

'No you have to keep up with your studies. What if you went to a game and something happens to you and I can't reach you? The answer is no Octavia. Go finish your homework.'

It was always the same line since ninth grade. And since ninth grade I've never once gone to a football game.

I wanted to go so badly but how can I?

I tried to focus on my homework but it was pointless. I couldn't get the game out of my head.

I set my pencil down in frustration and picked up the game ticket on my desk.

That's it! I'm going to that game!

But I can't call Ernest inside, because my dad will hear me. I'm going to have to sneak out and call a pay phone. But how am I going to sneak out?

I turned to my window and sucked a breath and realizing what I had to do.

~30 minutes later

After a lot of effort I finally managed to climb out my window and jogged across the yard to the closest pay phone.

It took me a few minutes to find one and I quickly inserted some change and dialed Ernest.

A bubbly female voice answered on the other end.

"Hello Kim residence. Who this?"

"Hello my name is Octavia Spencer. I'm calling for a 'Ernest Kim'?"

"Ah! My son finally made girlfriend! Hold on! Ernest there's a girl on the phone!"

"Coming!"

I heard Ernest's voice chattering to the woman in the background for a minute before he answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi Ernest it's Octavia."

"Octavia! I hope my mom didn't say anything embarassing to you."

"No not really."

"That's a relief. Anyways is the reason your calling about the game?"

"Yes I wanted to accept your invite."

"Okay, where do you want me to pick you up?"

"Do you know the bookstore called 'Books New and Old', beside the icecream store in the main square?"

"I think so. I should pick you up in about 10 minutes."

"Okay I'll be waiting outside the store."

"Alright bye."

"Bye."

When I hung up I realized I won't be able to call his number after I give away my ticket. I quickly wrote on my notepad his phone number while I was waiting for him.

A few minutes passed before I saw his familiar white car approaching.

"Hi Octavia."

"Hi Ernest."

I pushed aside my hair before shyly sitting beside him in his car. His car radio was playing Everlasting Love by Howard Jones.

"Is anyone else going with us?"

"Sure if you know anyone that could come."

"No actually I don't really know my class that well."

"Oh. Same goes for me."

I'm not much of a good conversationalist. But luckily he didn't seem to mind.

"The best part about the tickets is that were getting front row seats."

"Wow, how did you manage to swindle two for you."

"From my basketball friend Tom. Do you know him?"

"Yeah..."

Only too well.

Tom was the highschool definition of someone that doesn't like being told no and is a complete jerk. I rejected him for a week last year and let's just say it took lots of uncomfortable moments before I had to report him to the Principals.

But if he's talking to someone as nice as Ernest hopefully he's not the same as he used to be.

"Is he going to be at the game too?"

"I don't know maybe. He told me he might be going if he had a date, but if the short time I've known him tells me anything. That's probably a no. The guy does not know how to respect women."

"Well I guess we'll see then."

"Yup."

After ten minutes of talking passed we reached the school stadium.

"Do you know whose playing today?"

"Bennington Llamas vs Covington Cougars I think."

"I heard their tough."

"Hopefully our school team is tougher or they won't stand a chance."

Ernest parked and we exited his car.

"Let's try hurry to our seats before they give them- Octavia?"

All the people around suddenly made me feel anxious and uncomfortable and I lost my breath.

"Are you okay?"

My throat tightened up and I couldn't speak so I just nodded.

Ignoring all the pushing students was hard as they tried to barrel inside and we tried to show the teacher our tickets. We barely managed to show it to them and when we tried to squeeze through I got pushed to the ground.

"Octavia? Octavia!"

Ernest lost sight of me for a minute when I fell on the ground and I did my best to keep my heart steady which was almost impossible.

When he spotted me he pushed through the rowdy crowd until he reached me and picked me up.

I stiffened up as I realized what was happenning. I calmed down and felt safe in his strong arms.

He carried me until he reached a spot safe enough to put me down.

"That was intense. Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine."

I laughed nervously aware of the fact that I was blushing hard.

"At my old school things never got that crazy. Is it always like that?"

"Umm this is actually my first football game."

"Get out of here."

"No seriously it is."

"Oh well I guess that was not the best first time experience for you."

"It could've been worse."

"Hey Ernest! Whatcha doing talking to the Plague?"

Oh great. Not Tom.

"The Plague? This is Octavia I don't see any plague."

"What? Wait don't you know? Octavia is the- Hey!"

A guy snuck up from behind Tom and playfully tackled him down.

"Tom you're not being a jerk again are you?"

"Argh! Kevin! Get off!"

"Umm Ernest what number is our seats?"

"LU12?"

"Let's go."

"Hey dont go with her Ernest! She's a stick in the mud!"

"I'll be the judge of that."

Ernest responded to him and we headed to our seats.

When I stepped out see the fairly lit stadium it's like I went through a tv screen. All this didn't feel real but here I am standing here, and I couldn't be happier.

I sat on the hard wooden bench too happy to care if it hurt when I was having the time of life with my new friend Ernest.

"So how does your first football game feel?"

"Surreal."

"That's a fancy way to describe it."

"I know a lot of fancy words."

"Oh like what kinds?"

And that was pretty much how I spent my first game. Chatting. Around half time our team was winning 7-5, and Ernest got up and asked if I wanted anything from the concession stand.

"Nachos. I've always wanted to try some."

"Okay. Two drinks, nachos, and a hotdog coming up."

I laughed as he got up like he was taking an order and headed down to get our food.

"Is that Plague Octavia I see over there?"

I sighed when I realized Stacy was sitting a few rows behind me. At the mention of the 'Plague' a few students looked around nervously trying to spot who she was talking too. She walked down from her bleacher and sat down behind me.

"Are you going places by yourself now? How sad but I guess it's only fitting for someone as weak and pathetic as you."

"Go away."

"Ooh does the Plague have a mouth now? I don't think you know who your talking to."

"And who is that?"

She suddenly grabbed a fistful of my hair and I yelped in pain.

"Stacy fucking Landgraab! That's who! It's time you learned that and who you respect!!"

"Let go!"

"Why? I wanna see you beg me to let go of it."

"No!"

"No? Then tell me who did you come here with? That Ernest guy? Well sorry, but he's not here to protect you. And besides he probably won't be able to for long when he finds out who you are. How long will he be your friend? And is he even your friend or are you just telling yourself that? He probably just pities you."

I heard enough. Something inside me snapped and before I knew it I had turned around and socked Stacy in the face.

She fell back but didn't take long to recover. She charged at me but slipped on her own heels. The people around us laughed and looked eager for us to start a fight, but I wasn't going to stay here any longer.

I got up from my seat and ran. I nearly bumped into Ernest who was coming back with our food.

"Whoah! Octavia?! Why are you run- Hey!"

I grabbed him by his arm and ran away with him.

"Octavia! Why are we running?!"

"Don't stop! Just run!"

"But why-"

"WHERE DID THAT BITCH GO?!"

I ran as fast as I could my heart beating faster and faster with every step.

We reached his car and I practically barreled into my seat. Ernest barely had time to put the food down and buckle in when something crashed on the front window.

Stacy had tossed her drink and was running fast towards the car.

"Ernest drive!"

"Hold on!"

Ernest quickly buckled in, turned on the key ignition, and reversed us out of our parking space.

I nearly bursted out laughing as Stacy angrily shouted at our retreating car. A few minutes passed before Ernest finally came to a stop and he sucked a breath.

"Okay what did you do to make Stacy so mad?"

"She said some things to me after you left and started pulling my hair. I couldn't stand it and I punched her. I normally don't punch anyone but I-"

Ernest suddenly spat out and bursted out laughing. I looked at him in confusion.

"What's so funny?"

"Hahaha! Well if that's what happenned she deserved it. But I don't know why it sounded so funny to me! Hahahahaha!"

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Hahaha! Well if a dirty window was all I got out of it all than it's fine by me! Hahahaha!"

I seriously didn't understand why he was all so cool about it but before I knew it I was laughing too. We laughed for a while until finally we just sat there in the car.

"You said Stacy said things to you. What did she say?"

I really didn't want to repeat that conversation, but since it was about him I couldn't stay quiet.

"She said that you're not really my friend and your only hanging out with me because you pity me."

When I said those words his smile faded and all the postivity had suddenly left.

"And do you believe her?"

I opened my mouth to answer but nothing came out. I didn't know what to believe.

Earlier I felt like he was my friend but I realized I barely knew him. I didn't know why he wanted to spend time with me. Did he really pity me or was everything genuine? I couldn't believe it being the second one. And he doesn't even know I'm the 'Plague girl' everyone is talking about at school. So who am I fooling?

Myself?

My silence answered that question, but to my surprise he wasn't even upset. He looked like he had something to say in fact.

"I don't really know how to respond to that. Do you really believe I want to be your friend because I pity you?"

"I don't know."

"Do you believe I'm your friend?"

"Maybe."

Ernest sighed a bit at my responses, but still wasn't upset.

"Well I don't. I think you're a smart and just misunderstood."

"You won't say that when I say something else."

"And what is that?"

"You know those rumors spreading around about a Plague girl?"

"That they're about you?"

I froze as I realized what he said.

"You knew?"

"It started to make sense in Anatomy class. I sat next to you in the morning because I wanted to show everyone that your a person and not a illness. A person that has more personal problems that no one even begins to try and understand."

"Why? Why are you being so nice to me?"

I said nearly tearing up in my seat. Ernest looked at my sad expression with sympathy and smiled back at me.

"Because I want to be your friend. Can we try to be friends at least?"

"O-okay..."

I said as happy tears came down my face.

"So do you want to share those nachos?"

"Hehehe alright fine."

We ate and chatted in the car for a bit before he drove me back home.

"Thanks for inviting me Ernest I had a lot of fun."

"My pleasure Octavia."

"I was wondering could we-"

"OCTAVIA! IS THAT YOU?!"

I muttered a quiet oh no as I turned to see dad walking over to us.

"Hi dad."

"You had me terrified young lady! I almost called the police! Whose this?!"

"Uh Ernest Kim. Nice to meet you sir."

"Nice to meet you. Octavia go inside now!"

"Okay..."

I waved bye at Ernest as I nervously walked back inside. Hopefully he doesn't scare him off.