The next day, I got to school early because I had wanted to discuss some of my options with the counselor. Because of this, I also got to class early, beating the rush.

When lunch rolled around, Jason popped up beside me again, along with some of my new friends.

"We're going to the taco place across the street, care to join us, my lady?" Jason offered, bowing down to kiss my hand.

"Sure," I grinned, giving a mock curtsy in return.

"Great! I'll meet you at your locker in a few," Jason told me, skipping off to his locker.

I smiled and went to my locker too, fishing out my purse. I was wondering how much a taco would cost when Jason arrived beside me.

"Holy crap, you were fast," I commented with a laugh.

"I haven't eaten in 4 hours!" Jason exclaimed. "I'm about to drop dead from hunger!" I laughed and shut my locker.

"Uh, hey," Bradin's silky voice greeted me from behind.

"Hi hi," I smiled, putting my coat on.

"Ready for lunch?" Bradin asked me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, me, Jason and some other people from my class are going over to the taco place right now," I told him. I glanced at Jason who was giving Bradin a peculiar look. "Unless…Jas, can he come with us?"

"Nah, don't worry about it, I'll catch you later then," Bradin waved it off. He did look slightly upset, though.

"Bye then, if you're sure," I said. He nodded and gestured for us to go on ahead. I cast him an uncertain look before Jason and I strode out.

"The others are meeting us there," Jason informed me.

I gave Bradin another look behind my shoulder as we walked out the school doors and saw that he was still looking at me. He was so sweet…always looking out for me, making sure I wasn't alone.

"Wasn't that a senior? Bradin Westerly, right?" Jason questioned me.

"Yeah," I said, cocking my head to the side, "Oh my God, is he actually so popular that after one day in a new school everyone actually knows who he is already!"

"Some people have that flare," Jason muttered. "How do you know him so well?"

"We grew up in the same town," I shrugged. Jason said no more as we entered the restaurant and didn't say much more to me for the remainder of the day.

After school, I was just starting to walk home when Bradin caught up to me.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked me.

"No…why?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You've kind of been avoiding me," Bradin stated.

"Where'd you get that idea?" I chuckled.

"I stopped by this morning to walk you to school and you had left already. You weren't at your locker in the morning and at lunch you brushed me off." Bradin listed.

"You're a little touché," I told him, "And paranoid, too! I wasn't avoiding you at all. I had to get to school early, which is why we missed each other. I'm sorry, I didn't know you wanted to walk to school with me again or I would've called… and I did invite you along for lunch."

"So you're not pissed?" Bradin asked again.

"No, I'm not pissed," I smiled. "Besides, I'm really hindering you at lunch. You've got tons of people already lining up to eat with you, I wouldn't want to take away from that."

"You're my closest friend in Playa Linda, and the only one I actually want to eat with," Bradin told me, face serious. "And I have no idea how I already have a flock of people around me. It's only the second day of school!"

"A) You're a senior. B) You're hot. C) You're half-decent and finally, and most importantly D) We're surrounded by masses of horny girls." I laughed.

"Really, you think I'm hot?" Bradin grinned.

"Any body with eyes thinks you're hot," I answered, rolling my eyes. "Don't read too much into it or your head might inflate more than it already has."

"I am so not conceited," Bradin protested, though he had a pleased smile from my earlier comment.

"You've had years of every girl in Kansas praising you, no, of course your not," I answered playfully.

"Not every girl…" Bradin said. "…Just the straight ones!"

I laughed and gave him a light shove. He grinned and we passed a few minutes in a relaxed silence.

"How's grade 12 going, anyways?" I asked finally.

"Pretty much the same as grade 11." Bradin shrugged. "What about you? Liking high school in Playa Linda so far?"

"I have to admit, here in Playa Linda there are more guys to ogle at… and the popularity of water sports here allows the eyes to see a bit more than in Kansas," I stuck my tongue out.

"Found anyone specific to ogle at?" Bradin asked, noticeably stiffening.

"You really don't have to be all protective and big brother-y, Bray," I smiled.

Before he could respond, my dad stuck his head out from the door to my house, which we had reached, and called for me to hurry up.

I acknowledged the summons and added to Bradin, "…Although, it is sweet."

I gave Bradin a kiss on the cheek and ran up my steps into my house, smiling privately to myself when I caught Bradin's look of surprise. He looked so cute when I caught him off guard.


A/N: Yes, short again, but I'll probably update tomorrow. Lolol, life? What life? I'm like addicted to writing now(: P) Thankies to my reviewers, thankies!