A/N: I know, it's been awhile. But this weekend has been so busy. Our school jazz band sponsored a Big Band Dance! I volunteered, and it was so fun! Anyway, I have no excuses. Thank you lovely reviewers that rock my socks! On with the show…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Oh, CeeCee this is going to be so much fun! We can stay up late and give each other makeovers! I seriously can't wait until we get there, can you?" I asked rather enthusiastically.

CeeCee didn't answer me.

"Earth to CeeCee! We don't have to do the makeover thing if you prefer…"

She still didn't answer me.

"CeeCee?" I asked, poking her in the arm. She still didn't stir. I leaned over and noticed that she was asleep. Her head was rested on the bus window, bobbing up and down with each bump in the road.

Was I that boring?

I sunk down in my seat. Talk about embarrassing. Kelly and her group of heavily made up goonies began laughing at me. "Oh look!" Kelly exclaimed in false shock, "Simon can't even keep a decent conversation." The goonies laughed incessantly.

"Yeah," Debbie giggled, "I guess she'll have to resort to talking to herself like she always does!" That comment sent all of them into fresh peels of laughter.

That was so not fair. Ever since that party, I had been getting similar remarks just like that one. I wasn't talking to myself, I really wasn't. But I don't think there was a way to convince them otherwise.

"No," I said, trying to convince myself that their words had no effect on me, "I'll have to resort to my fist if you don't cork it."

I tightened my hand into a fist and showed them my knuckles, so they got that I was serious. The goonies all scoffed at me and turned around in their seats and continued chatting about some party they went to over the weekend. I heard some applause behind me…

"That sure shut them up," Paul commended me.

I turned around and rolled my eyes. Was it too much to ask to be left alone?

"You can talk to me," Paul offered with a grin, "I promise I won't fall asleep."

"Okay, sure, whatever," I said cooly. Why not? I mean, I had nothing better to do. Plus it was kind of hard to say no with the Californian sun shining on him through the window, making his features more defined.

"So, anything good happen while I was gone?" Paul asked casually.

"No, not really," I replied boredly. Paul nodded his head in understanding and said nothing for awhile. I was convinced he was going to say nothing more so I began turning around…

"Suze," Paul said my name softly, almost soothingly.

"What?" I asked, forcing annoyance in my tone. He didn't answer me right away. He only leaned in closer to rest his head in the space in between CeeCee's seat and mine. His face was isolated from the rest of his body, making his blue eyes stand out more.

"I missed you," he told me quiet enough so only I could hear it.

I blinked a few times in shock. I opened my mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Why couldn't I form a sentence? What happened to my witty words?

Cool it, Simon. No big deal, he was probably really lonely while on suspension. Of course, no matter what I told myself, it really was. A big deal, I mean. Because no guy in the sad history of my love life had ever told me that. Well, except for Jesse…and he said he would miss me, not that he did miss me. Plus, he kind of diminished the effect of those words by asking me not to be stupid…

I didn't know why I was freaking out. I missed you…that was all that he said. It was just…they way that he said it. He said it suddenly, but with sincerity…like I was all he thought about when he was not at school. Oh wait, that's not a good thing…not a good thing at all.

"Well?" Paul asked me with mild impatience, "Aren't you going to say anything? Didn't you miss me, Suze?"

I finally snapped out of my trance. I just glared at him for a moment and said, "Truthfully? Um, how about…no!"

I think it was Paul's turn to trip over his words. "Well…It figures. You were probably too busy with Rico Suave…"

"You know what, Paul? I think CeeCee had a good idea," I said as I faked a yawn. I turned around in my seat huffily and squeezed my eyes shut.

"Oh, so that's how it is Suze? You may be able to avoid me now, but you can't ignore me the whole trip," Paul said.

With that I pushed a button on my chair and leaned the chair back as far as possible.

****************************************************

Mr. Hottstuff's POV (err, I mean, Paul)

'Well, it was nice seeing you too, Suze,' I said to myself as I crossed my arms. Gosh, she was so difficult, but that only made me like her even more (if that was possible).

The top of the reclining chair was about an inch and a half away from my chest, making it pretty hard to breathe. But no matter, she had only made herself closer to me.

And to think, little Suze was trying to tick me off. Well, two can play at that game…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: gosh this chapter was disgustingly short. And pointless! I'm so sorry, I'm just having a dilemma. I wanted to get something out before you think I forgot about ya'll. Good News is, I lettered in Band! Bad news: I heard one of my friend's mom shot herself…not cool. So I'm taking a bit off to sort all of this out. It's really creepy…

Love ya lots,

Hayley