Author's Note: I'm glad that you like the story so far. I am excited for your reviews. Please continue to R&R...Enjoy!!!

Chapter 3

The next morning after making sure Ben got on the bus again, and having had missed her first day, Faith got on her later bus to her school. This year would hopefully go well for her, and she hoped to make friends, but with her family problems things were going to be tough. Sophomore year was hopefully going to a little easier anyway. She was looking forward to history, which she had always liked, and this year she was finally able to take World History as apposed to American history, so she was fairly excited..

As the day progressed she realized how much it was already becoming the same as her past two years at Red Oak Middle School. She hadn't made a point of conversing with anyone and she didn't like to make eye contact for fear of making friends and them finding out about her mother. But she had finally made it to World History, and was excited to begin this new class.

In the middle of the class Faith dropped some papers on the ground and hastily made to pick them up. At the same moment the new guy next to her reached down and scooped them up for her pausing a second as their eyes met. His gorgeous grey eyes seemed to see right inside her soul.

"Thanks." Faith mumbled as she very quickly averted her eyes back to her notes.

"Hey I'm Danny. Have we met?" He asked. Faith looked at him for a second as he brushed his dark brown hair out of his eyes. She quickly looked back at her desk.

"Um no I don't think so." Faith said quietly.

"And your name is?" Danny said with a grin.

"Faith." She answered quickly feeling her cheeks burn slightly.

"Hey I don't bite yah know?" He said grinning again.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just really out of it today." Faith said smiling weakly at him as his eyes caught hers again.

"I'm sorry. I am new to the school and I haven't really met anyone yet, so I am kinda out of the loop too." Danny said, "I just moved here from California."

"Geez, that's a long way from Boston." Faith said initiating eye contact again, only to keep it this time.

"Yeah my dad moved to a new company here. I like it though, it's so busy, yet you can go to the Westerfield Park and feel like you're in a whole new place." He said.

"Yeah that's my favorite spot in the city." Faith said, surprising herself, "I love being in the trees."

"Hey we should..." He began.

Suddenly the bell rang and cut his sentence off. Faith had a feeling she knew what he was going to say so she quickly grabbed her things.

"Well I got to go. Nice meeting you." Faith said quickly as she hurried out of the class. She hated to be rude, especially to him, but she was terrified to make friends in case they found out about her life.

As usual at school Faith brought her lunch and went into the courtyard under her favorite tree. She got out her History book and began the homework. It hadn't been even five minutes before she was interrupted.

"Hey there, what was the rushing about?" Danny asked grinning again.

"Um I don't like to wait for the lunch line." Faith lied.

"Well can I join you then?" He asked.

Geez does he ever give up? She thought to herself. "Sure." Faith answered scooting over a little.

Danny sat down and set his stuff down next to hers. "So you're not much of a talker are you?" He asked.

"Um well sometimes." Faith said brushing her dark brown hair out of her face, glad that her bruises always seemed to heal unusually fast.

"Well you don't have to worry, I think of myself as a pretty safe guy." He said smiling. "So do you always sit here alone?"

"Uh, yeah mostly." Faith said blushing.

"Why? I mean you're nice, and pretty. You don't seem like the lonely type." Danny said.

"Um, thanks. I dunno I just like to be alone I guess. I have a lot of stuff going on in my life right now." Faith said surprised by how open she was being.

"Yeah I know how that is." Danny said.

Yeah I wish you could understand. She thought. She suddenly had the desire to tell this stranger all about her mother and her life, but she stopped herself.

"So you must have a boyfriend or something right?" He asked nonchalantly.

Faith, surprised by this comment didn't know how to respond. "Nope, I don't have a boyfriend." She said.

"Oh that's a surprise." Danny said grinning. "So in that case if I asked you out you might consider it then."

"Well I might." Faith said grinning and raising an eyebrow. She felt relieved to have someone to talk to and yet surprised by how normal she was acting with Danny.

"Well do you want to go out tonight?" Danny asked.

Faith's mind began to race with excuses. Ahh what do I say. Faith could not for the life of her come up with an excuse, so she decided to just open her mouth and let words out.

"That'd be cool." She said. Oh God I just agreed. She quickly stopped herself from panicking.

"So I'll pick you up at seven?" Danny said.

"Sounds good." Faith said and she gave him her address.

But Faith had to make sure that her mother didn't know about Danny. She was allowed to go out with guys, but since Danny, being 18 and a senior, was considerably older it would not go over well with her mom.

It took Faith ages to pick something decent to wear, which made her glad her mother was out of town for the weekend with her lame boyfriend Ronny. And that Ben was at their grandmother's. After much trying on and tossing out Faith decided on her red spaghetti strap and black jeans with her favorite boots. She grabbed her leather jacket and headed downstairs as she heard the doorbell ring. With her make-up and hair done Faith looked considerably older than fourteen anyway.

"You look great." Danny said handing her flowers when she opened the door.

"Aww thanks." Faith said blushing, but smiling nonetheless. She quickly put the flowers in water and then they left.

TBC...