Chapter 3

"Just wait here." Landon told her. Then, he went into the kitchen to get some kleenex. He thought of toilet paper but it was just too rude or too something to hand them a toilet paper when you knocked them out. He had to get a new box from the cabinets. When he walked back into his living room, she wasn't there. Although, he had found a note on the coffee table. It read, 'Landon, Gone out to shop. Be back in an hour or so.' He placed it back on the table and started to look for that girl. Come to think of it, he didn't even know her name.

Soon, Landon found her, in his room. His room wasn't all that clean but it wasn't something to hide over. She had her back facing him. It looked like she hadn't quite realized that he was there. When she did turn around, he found her with some tissue up her nose, not a very attractive sight. He laughed to himself a little, trying not to be rude. She didn't quite understand the meaning of this but she got it soon enough. Turning her head the other way, she took them out of her nose and threw them in the trash can nearby.

"How do I look?" She asked, showing off her healed nose. He smiled and said, "Better, I guess. Wait, but how did you?" He asked as he held up the box of kleenex. "I found the bathroom." She simply said. "Oh, hmm. Yeah." Landon placed it on his desk. "So, you still don't know who I am." She stated. He turned to her and said, "Yeah." She took the yearbook which was nearby and opened it. After flipping pages and pages, she came across a page and he saw her picture. He never saw her in school before, or has he? "I've seen you like a bunch of times in the halls and all that. Practically everyone knows you, Landon Carter." When he heard this, he never knew he was that, known. "Well, how about you?" Landon asked. "I was only a junior. Seniors don't really look down on people younger." She said as she flipped some more pages. "So you're going to be a senior this year?" Her head just nodded, still eyeing on the yearbook. "I should get going." Finally turning away from the yearbook, she headed for the door. Though before she even got to the door, she turned around. "Can I get a ride?" She asked.

"I still don't know your name." He asked as he started the car. Landon said this thinking he doesn't even know where she lives. "Why is that important?" She asked, bluntly. "Well, I did just knock you out, brought you to my house, and driving you home." He stated as he drove. "It's not like I'm going to see you again. Which is highly unlikely." She was looking out the window now. "Well, you never know." Landon said. "Turn right here." She said. "Why were you jogging this, far?" He wondered since this was a pretty far for jogging. "Um, I needed to run." She said. "So, is there a reason for that?" He asked bluntly. There was quite a silence after but she managed to speak. "My, boyfriend. We, umm, kinda broke up."

"Oh, sorry." He said, his smile turning into a semi-smile. "It's okay." Another silence followed. "Do you want to talk about it?" He felt kinda sorry for her, assuming that both of them were in a good relationship. "No, not really. This is my house, right here." He nodded at the answer as he parked in front of a white house with a wooden door. He expected her to get out of the car instead it seemed like she was thinking. Suddenly, she turned to him. "I just don't get it. If he broke up with me for some other reason, I wouldn't be this upset. He won't even listen to me." Few tears dropped from her eyes. "What was the reason?" He asked. She wiped the tears off and said, "Never mind. I don't really want to talk about it." She turned to open the door but then she turned back suddenly. "He said I was cheating on him, but I wasn't. He called me a lier and that he didn't want to and.. I'm annoying you, aren't I?" Landon didn't say or do anything. The girl was in a real need of help. "I'm in a bad relationship myself. Don't worry. I bet it'll turn out fine." He said, giving her a smile. Her expression looked better, as her feelings did too. "Thanks. How about yours? Do you think it'll be fine with you and your whatever?" She asked, calming down a bit. "Who knows?" He replied though he thought differently. 'Hope so.' His mind told him.

"Well, I gotta go. Thanks.. for everything." She gave him the first beautiful smile since they met and then left the car.

One year Later..

"LANDON! HERE!" In the front yard of the school, there stood a senior, waving her hands to gain attention. She was pretty with her hazel eyes and her silky black hair which was below her shoulders, covering half her backpack that she had on her back. Her physical features were pretty even without makeup. She didn't believer in makeup but rather preferred natural beauty. Besides her were a group of friends, possibly the "in" crowd but like I said, "possibly".

Landon made his way across the grass. He was still the same, more mature I hope. Besides, it was just a year later. As he got closer, he lifted his sunglasses. "Hey." He said. "FINALLY! I had to wait like forever. Well, just glad that your here." She gave him a warm smile in the warm summer weather. She turned to her group of friends to say that she had to go now.

"Look, I got this thing for ,what do you call it? The award for the most gifted student in the whole school!!" She said, half screamed, as she showed her "thing". "Wow." Landon seemed impressed, not knowing that much that she was an honor student. They reached his car and got in. "So, how can you manage, all this? Cheerleading, all these clubs, volunteers, drama class, band, and now this?" Landon said as they set off. She just chuckled to herself. "Well, the reason I can do all this is because, I guess, I'm just happy all the time." She said, smiling. "I mean, most people can't do everything because they're stressful. Think about it, all that stress." She continued, acting out like she was some person with major stress.

"So, which college are you going to?" Landon asked. "Not mine I hope" he added under his breathe. "Hey! I'm not that bad to have around, geez." She said. Landon laughed. "I guess somewhere good. I've applied to many, just pray I get accepted." "Well, start praying." He joked around again. "You really have ways to make my happy day into a very not happy day." She said as she turned away from him. "I'm just kidding, you know that."

"Yeah, whatever." She said, as she loosened up. "So, are we still on for our date?" She asked, rolling her eyelashes back the cutest way ever. "I told you, it's not a date. It's a.." "A what? Huh?" "An outing. It's not like we're dating." Landon told her straight on. She just said "Yeah." and avoided his eye contact. He parked his car and got a suspicious feeling. "How many people have you told?" He asked. "Told what?" She quitely got out of the car. He too got out. "That we're dating." He answered from across the car hood. "Umm. I don't know. Everyone? Well, nice talking to ya. Thanks for the ride. Bye, hon." She ran to her house front door. Landon shook his head and got back in his car. As he started the car, he sighed and whispered a name under his breathe. "Andy"

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