Mom nor Tom were Home when Ace dropped me off there for the second time. It was a little concerning, considering my mom was always home after a school day, preparing supper for when Tom finally arrived. However, I considered this a blessing, as I didn't know what I would tell my mom, after seeing me dropped once again in Ace's car.

Especially since I was so sure my face was completely red. After teasing Ace about calling me hot, he was blunt about it his reasoning.

"Yeah, you're a babe, why else would everyone be acting like idiots around you." He said nonchalantly, his face completely calm, and still focused on the road, as if what he said was just a natural fact of life.

It wasn't a confession by any means, but my heart apparently didn't care. Even if it was immediately followed by it being the only possible explanation as to why his boys acted so goofy around me, my heart pounded a million miles a Minute.

It wasn't exactly what I hoped for, but what I hoped for was only heard of in fairy tales and movies, so I couldn't really be disappointed.

I did take one thing away from it though. Throughout the Weekend I finally admitted to myself that maybe what I was feeling towards Ace was more than just a small crush. I mean it did feel deeper than that, and it has possibly grown stronger.

So I decided it wasn't a tiny crush… it was a big crush, but still only a crush!

Give it a few months, and it would eventually fade out like normal; and so that was what I was planning on. The next few weeks of school went by much like the first, but the second month of school brought on something new.

I was eating lunch with Judy and the witches, when a girl walked on by us. She had this faded orange sweater, and black pencil skirt on, and scuffed black shoes. The outfit was pretty, but I think it was clear that she didn't have the money these girls had, since they are used to trashing any article of clothing that starts to fade, nor would they be caught dead wearing shoes that were over just a year old.

The girls was undeniably pretty even if she wasn't up to date on the newest trends. Her hair was auburn, just a few shades darker than Judy's and it had these curls in it that almost pinup perfect; It framed her face very well.

"Oh, what is that smell?" Ruth asked loudly, causing the girl to pause her step and look over her shoulder to our table.

"Smells like week old trash." Helen added loudly as well, then looked back over her shoulder, shooting the auburn-haired girl a shark like grin.

"Oh it's just Trashy Beverly."

Beverly looked as if she was starting to tear up, and her hands were trembling, shaking the tray ever so slightly.

To say the least I was more than a little shocked. I looked wide eyed over at Judy who was staring at her plate; she looked up at me but didn't a single word, just looked back to her plate after a few seconds.

I knew that she wasn't going to be any help, but I couldn't stand by while these pampered snobs threw lame insults at some poor girl.

"What is wrong with you two?" I asked, glaring at Ruth and Helen with as much heat as I can muster. I think they may have even forgot I was there for a while since I hardly ever spoke a word during lunch. Judy placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered my name, but I shook it off.

"Excuse me?" Helen asked, her wide eyes now narrowed in on me, daring me to continue.

"Yeah, Excuse you for those lame ass insults." I told her, lifting myself out of the seat, to look down at them.

"You can't just talk to people like that! What makes you think you have the right, to speak to anybody like that?" I asked, watching their faces struggle in their confusion, lips moving but no words coming out.

"I have had to sit here for a month and listen to you girls say nothing but hurtful crap about every single girl in this school. You have absolutely nothing nice to say about anybody that crosses your path! Has it ever occurred to you that maybe the problem isn't with every other person in this school, but rather the problem is with you two?" I continued, glaring them down.

Helen and Ruth gasping at the insinuation that something was possibly wrong with them or their attitude.

"God it must be so damn hard to be so perfect all the time." I huffed under my breath, stepping out from the table, and walking up towards the Beverly girl. I stopped right beside her, turning around to face the shell shocked girls one last time.

"Word of the wise, if you aren't going to be nice to anyone but yourselves, you're going to end up living sad lonely lives, because no one will be-able to stand you. And Judy,"

The red head looked up to me with large eyes, and my stomach twisted a little. Judy wasn't necessarily a terrible girl, she just hung out with terrible girls, yes she wasn't fixing anything either.

"If you stay near them and stay silent in times like these long enough, you're going end up just as lonely as they are."

With that I placed a hand on Beverly's back and started to guide her towards the glass doors of the school lunchroom. She was silent at first, but she couldn't completely hide her soft sniffles from me.

"Hey, don't listen to girls like that. Helen's just mad at the world cause she hate's her own nose, and Ruth has no personality of her own, so she has to follow others."

Beverly gave a small laugh between sniffles and nodded, using a hand to wipe the few tears away from the corners of her eyes. I watched her out of the corner of my eye, to make her feel more comfortable. I wouldn't want someone looking straight at me while I cried anyway.

"Thanks." She said quietly. I blinked a few times, realizing this was the first time I heard her speak a word. I gave her a smile and patted her back a couple times.

"Don't mention it, I was thinking this school was full of nothing, but girls like them." I said honestly, looking around the lunchroom as we made our way through it slowly, looking from table to table.

"Well, there is a lot it seems." She spoke louder, more confident.

"I used to think it was Tammy and I against the world. Well until this year, it's been rough being on my own." She deflated again, looking down casted towards the old, stained floors of the lunchroom.

"Tammy…" I mumbled more to myself, thinking the name sounded familiar, but not well enough to place. I had to really search the confines of my mind to put a face to the name, only to realize I wouldn't be able to. I never saw her in person, she was just what a lot of the gossip circled around in the past few weeks.

"Oh, Tammy." I mumbled, thinking back to the first time I sat with Thing 1 and Thing 2, and how obsessed they were with a girl who apparently was pregnant right now. Beverly nodded, her nose crinkling with what I was assuming might be anger at the rumors surrounding her friend. I didn't feel right inquiring about her, since it seemed like a sore spot for Bev right now so I decided just to walk in silence for a bit, to let her calm down.

"Are you not going to ask me if the rumors are true?" She asked it a bit snottily, but I took no offense to it. I am sure she was getting a lot of shit right now from the jerks in school just wanting more details and dirt on the poor girl. They had nothing else better to do with their lives it seemed.

"Nah. It's none of my business." I said, giving a shrug of indifference. There was a pregnant pause.

"Sorry."

I looked over to see her shoulder's slumped again, eyes towards the floor.

"Hey, it's fine, you're tired of the bullshit directed towards your friend from people who don't even know her. It's commendable. Just know that I don't care for the gossip. Accidents happen and I'm sure Tammy is a wonderful person, and she has a great friend."

Beverly smiled at me and then back to the ground, and I was happy to cheer her up.

"I have actually seen you around, we have Home Economics, Gym, and Choir together."

I looked back at her, eyes wide. I don't remember seeing her in any of those classes. She blushed and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I've been pretty quiet in most of my classes, and I saw you around with those girls before, and Ace… I thought you'd be totally different. I'm sorry for making assumptions." She admitted, directing her gaze at the brick walls instead of facing me.

"That's alright, I don't blame you, everyone's been avoiding me." I whispered, trying to remember her face in any of the classes mentioned, before my brain focused on a specific name she mention. I bit my lip, not sure if I really wanted to know, but soon gathered up the courage to ask anyway.

"Is there a problem with being around Ace?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

She shrugged, looking up at the ceiling slightly as if thinking of her reply carefully.

"Not necessarily. Everyone knows Ace is the leader of the cobras, and normally any girl around him is his current fling. Usually, they aren't the nice type." She answered carefully and watching my expression. My nose wrinkled at the thought of just being seen as some bitchy bad-boy chaser.

"Ace and I aren't like that. He just was one of the few people who has actually talked to me when I got here, and he isn't so bad." I confessed, knowing that though that is the reason I became open to being a friend of sorts to him, it wasn't entirely the only reason I continued to talk to him. She gave me a look that said she didn't believe me entirely, and I laughed awkwardly.

"Alright I like him a little, but I was telling the truth, the reason why I hang out with him and Eyeball so much is because everyone else avoided me."

She gave an odd look, for a second it looked like she was absolutely smitten with something, but it was gone as fast as it came. Replaced with a laugh, and a nod in agreement.

"That explains a lot, and please don't take it personally; this town is shit when it comes to accepting new people."

"You can say that again." I huffed, thinking back to all the people I have come across thus far.

The bell finally rung to end lunch and I told Bev I'd see her later, as It was time to head to English, but seeing as she now knew where my locker was, I figured she could walk with me to our last two classes together if she wanted. However, I usually walked with Eyeball and Ace, and I wasn't sure how comfortable she'd be with that, so I left the ball in her court so to speak.

During English I thought about what she said about Ace, and the only time there is a woman seen near him. Maybe it was too early to tell, but so far, I haven't seen him show that much interest in any girls. There has been a couple that have shown him interest, and the way Beverly described him, I feel like he would have jumped at the opportunity to sleep with them.

He barely seems to notice them in fact.

'Maybe he already slept with them, and he has a thing against being with the same girl more than once?'

The thought brought up that uncomfortable feeling inside my chest again, whenever I thought of Ace being with another girl. It was frustrating how attached I was to him, despite having no reason to be; he wasn't my boyfriend, I had no claim to him at all really. Even worse than that, this came up thinking he slept with them in the past! Who care what he did with who years back?!

I sighed and tried to refocus my attention to the words in the book in front of me. There was a familiar tug to a strand of my hair, and I slowly turned to the blonde behind me, trying to keep my face clear of any signs that I was just thinking about him.

"What's with the sighing?" He asked, as if my inner emotional whirl wind was annoying. I had a feeling it was a coverup for him though, He didn't want to seem like he cared, but we both know he did a little. The icky feeling in my chest was instantly replaced with these small fluttering butterflies, as I thought about how he was concerned for me.

"Nothing just a particularly frustrating part of the story." I lied easily lifting my book up to his view. He furrowed his brows, in return.

"You're all upset over a book?"

"Well, it's a rather compelling story, you feel the character's pain and frustration. Sometimes you see the entire plot, while the characters stay in the dark and make some awful decisions, it's agonizing." I defended myself.

Though the book wasn't my reason to be confused now, I do happen to love stories, so I have been frustrated, sad, delighted, angry, and more, over something that happened in a novel before.

"You would know that feeling if you bothered to do your assignment as well." I quipped looking across his desk to see he has once again, no book in hand or anywhere near him. He rolled his eyes, and moved the toothpick between his teeth, from one side of his mouth to the other. Something I shamefully watched intently wondering what it would be like to feel his lips.

I immediately realized what I was doing and took my eyes back off his mouth that instant. That's the last thing I needed right now, false fantasies of Kissing Ace Merrill. That won't be making this stupid crush leave me any time soon. Lucky for me Ace seemed to miss my stare completely and I was able to avoid the embarrassment that would have brought me.

"Not going to happen anytime soon, I don't like reading, it bores me." He said leaning back in his chair and lifting his arms to cross over his chest. I looked at him curiously.

"Do you struggle with reading?" I asked innocently but it seemed to just offend him.

"I'm not stupid, I can read." He growled out, his eyes ablaze. It would have scared many people I was sure, but I saw it for what it was easily, though I can see a few students close by us jump in their seats slightly. It was only a defense tactic, I was sure, so I didn't shy away.

"I don't think you're stupid Ace. That wasn't what I was asking." I whispered sincerely. That seemed to calm him down a bit, his hands loosening their grip on his arms, and his defensive position loosening up a bit as well. I felt good that he believed me as soon as I spoke it, cause I don't think I can handle having Ace angry with me.

"Maybe you just haven't found a story you were interested in?" I asked, watching as his just shrugged in response.

"I use to dislike reading till a couple years ago. I couldn't retain any information, and it bored me to my core. Until I found my first book that I actually enjoyed. You'd be amazed by how easy it is to get into a story and remember what you read if you simply enjoy what the contents."

Ace didn't look convinced, but he didn't deny my claim either, giving another shrug as a "maybe". I thought of asking him if he wanted to go to the library with me some time to look for such a book for him, but I was sure he'd pass if I asked him at this moment. Besides we didn't have much time to go do it, and I doubt he'd want to come back to school after he was done at the Mechanic shop to scour the library.

I'd have to ask him to join me some other time, possibly tomorrow if I can figure out what kind of story he might enjoy.

The bell rung soon after and Ace and I started to make our way over to Eyeball's Locker, ready to walk together like we did every day. However Just as Eyeball shut his door and we started to head down the hall, I heard the call of my name. The boys looked over my head easily as I was rather short, and I looked to my right to see that Beverly took up my offer to walk with us to our next class.

I gave her a bright smile, hoping it would be inviting enough for the boys beside me not to scare her off.

"Hey Bev." I greeted her, the boys didn't seem to care at all as they went back to their own conversation about whatever project they had going on in Shop, I guess they were making ashtrays or something else lame.

Beverly chirped a hello back, and I asked her how her last class was. Though she did answer vaguely, I noticed that she didn't seem all there, and kept shifting her gaze from the hall in front of us, to right above my head. I looked over once, just seeing Eyeball's profile and not understanding what was so distracting to her until, I realized her cheeks were starting to turn the ever so brilliant shade of pink.

I couldn't control the grin that crossed my lips, as I looked back at her. She must have realized her mistake, but she tried to play it off coolly.

"What?"

I shook my head, "not yet", and bid the boys goodbye when it came time for us to depart, before pulling Bev closer to me as we entered out next class.

"You like Eyeball." I whispered to her confidently. She went bright red and started to shake her head in denial, but I made it clear that I wasn't buying her bullshit. She sighed realizing I wasn't taking her "no" as a legitimate answer and bowed her head.

"Alright I always thought Richard was sort of cute. My mom would never allow it though. She says he's a no-good hood and will end up just like his daddy." She confided in me. I nodded in understand, I mean my mom said pretty much the same thing about Ace the first day he drove me home. Even if I didn't even realize I liked him that much then.

"Well, I think Eyeball is a great person, even if his dad is an abusive drunk." I muttered under my breath. I knew a thing or two about abusive drunks after all, and it angers me that people know what is going on in their house, and yet no one will dare stick up for the abused. I mean, this whole town knows what this man is like to his family, and they just ignore it. Then they have the audacity to say, the kids will end up the same way, and judge them based on the actions of their father.

"Maybe the reason the kids rarely turn out better than their parents, is because jerks like the ones in this town treat them like they are diseased, and not worth their time." I spat out. I didn't mean to say that out loud. Beverly was taken back; looking at me cautiously, as if I'd snap at any moment.

"Sorry, not angry with you." I apologized as we took a seat somewhere near the back of the classroom.

"No, no, You're right actually." Beverly said petting her skirt down in her lap.

"Ri- Eyeball, has always been kind to me the few times I have been around him." She said, the tint to her cheeks darkening again at the thought of the oldest Chambers kid.

"I bet he was." I said, with a laugh, knowing full well that Eyeball had a thing for redheads, and Beverly was also very pretty to boot. Big doe eyes, and little button nose, I'd bet many guys found her attractive, though in this small town it doesn't shock me that her family status would be the only thing holding her back from many suitors.

Having a friend in class certainly made being there much more tolerable. Even though we ended up having to practice patching a jacket sleeve, Beverly was there to give me tips to improve my stitch work. That at least helped me get a little bit better than a passing grade for the in-class assignment.

I was smiling like a fool when Mrs. Vaughn gave my work an acceptable nod for the first time. She said it wasn't the best, but much better than my last few attempts. It was the nicest thing she has said about my work so far, so I was proud even if it wasn't really a compliment.

I carried that pride with me for the rest of the school day, and all throughout my walk home that day. I was humming as I entered the front door, and was just about to kick off my shoes when my mom came speeding up to me.

"Hun your Home! Hurry get redressed in something presentable!" Mom spoke quickly, almost shoving me towards the stairs to go up to my room. My head was practically spinning at the sudden change in pace. I looked back at my mom, as she pushed on my shoulders to guide me towards the stairs.

"Why? Are we having company?"

Mom huffed and gave me another push to climb up the first step.

"Yes! Tom invited a coworker and his family to dinner and I want you looking presentable; now go up and Change!"

I rolled my eyes once I turned back around so she wouldn't see the action and decide to go on a rant about giving her attitude, and started to climb the stairs begrudgingly.

"Wear one of the new dresses we got you!" Mom yelled up at me from the bottom step.

"But they are so stuffy!" I whined back instantly, hoping I could have gotten away with a comfy sweater and some skirt. Looking back at my mom though I knew I wasn't going to be winning this fight.

"I don't care, you're wearing one of them! You have been getting away with not wearing them to school, but I am not budging on this matter!" With that she rushed back through the archway that led to where the dining room and kitchen would be.

I turned and trudged back up the stairs, slowly moving to my room to look at the options I had. I really did not want to wear the powder blue monstrosity she called a dress, with that neckline plus the jacket, I'd feel like I was being suffocated. Instead I looked at a few others I had.

There was One dress that was a warmer color, burgundy, with pleats in the chest, and a neckline that allowed just a smidge more breathing room. It also came with a black thick belt to cinch my waist in. It was a little more on the plain side design wise, but it was a nice dress they bought me, so I figured it would be my best choice.

After freshening up and changing outfits, I was about to head right back down, but mom met me at the top of the stairs and nearly dragged me to the bathroom. She quickly took out a little makeup case that I kept in one of the cabinets.

"I could have touched up my makeup myself." I told her as she grabbed my chin lightly and inspected my face.

"I wanted to make sure it was perfect, can't have you coming down looking like a jezebel." She muttered, dusting my face with powder, and then a bit of blush to my cheeks.

"Wow thanks mom." I mumbled, rolling my eyes, at her so kind comment on my possible makeup skills. She ignored my sarcasm though and continued doing what she wanted, some more mascara, some lipstick, and whatever else she thought I needed.

It was way more makeup than what I was used to anyway, so why she thought I would make myself look like a "Jezabel", was beyond me.

After a few minutes she deemed me good enough, letting me escape her clutches and head down the stairs. Mom followed close behind and was able to be at the bottom of the stairs when Tom came walking through the door. She placed a kiss to his lips and took his hat and jacket from him.

"Welcome home hun." She said, looking up at Tom adoringly. I could have gagged at the affection, but instead just moved towards the kitchen to grab a quick glass of water. I took this chance to also inspect the food being prepared tonight. It looks like mom went all out, with a whole baked and well-seasoned chicken, some green bean casserole, roasted veggie mix, and some delicious looking mashed potatoes.

"Hun can you set up the dining room table while we carry this all in?"

I started to open up the cupboards to grab some plates without any hesitation, but mom stopped me after I put a stack in my arms.

"Oh no hun, these are Tom's guests, we will be using the fine china tonight. We have 3 guests joining us tonight." She corrected me. I huffed to myself before returning the plates and shutting the cupboard door and moving towards the cabinet that we keep the "fancy" dining plates.

It was madness in my mind to have two separate sets of plates, cups, etc. just because we wanted to seem more sophisticated Infront of certain company, but a part of me found it funny, and wondered if a lot of the wealthy families did this as well.

I started by grabbing 6 plates and placing them around the dining room table, then went ahead and started grabbing the different silverware for the different place sets.

Mom worked her magic with the centerpiece; a rather gaudy array of flowers that she would have laughed at a few years ago, but now finds "Darling".

After that I went and grabbed some of our nicer glasses to place on the table as well. It looked nice when it was all put together, and I told mom so, to keep her from fretting over the little details. Not too long after that, the doorbell on the front porch sounded off, and mom gave a small cry of excitement.

She pulled me along with her and Tom, placing me in the archway and straightening my skirt, and patting down the imaginary dust from my shoulders. I wondered briefly why she was fussing over my appearance so much but chalked it up to first time jitters when it comes to having people over in a new house.

"Alright Hun you stand right here, the lighting is perfect." I looked at her oddly but brushed it off. She was crazy, she just wanted her unruly daughter to look as pleasant as possible to their new friends. She walked back towards the door, and took a stand by Tom's side, his hand resting on her waist. They looked like the picture of perfection, when opening the door gracefully for the people on the other side.

"Welcome, do come in!" Mom greeted the strangers at the door with a sweet smile.

Three people entered our front door, the first two being Tom's Co-worker, and his wife I was pretty certain, and the last a tall boy around my age it seemed. I vaguely recognized his face, possibly shared a few of my classes with him maybe, but I can't place his name.

"Mr. Baker, you have a lovely family." Tom said shaking the older gentleman's hand. He and his wife were both noticeably tall, just like their son. The man had salt and pepper hair, and a thick moustache but the rest of his face looked cleanly shaved. The woman beside him was tall and willowy, her Hair was black as well, and tied back in a sleek updo, with no signs of aging, but I suspected a bottle of hair dye may be the secret to that. Hey eyes were a pale blue, that would have looked lovely if not for the calculative look in her eyes.

Their son, looked like both of them obviously, a thick head of jet-black hair, and his mother's pale blue eyes, with his father's strong jawline. He was handsome for sure, but there was an air of cockiness to him that I wasn't digging so much.

"Please call me Arthur." The older man replied as he returned the strong handshake, walking further into our home.

"You have such a Lovely home." Mrs. Baker said walking further in as well, a pie delicately placed between her long fingers.

"Thank you! We just moved in, so we want to work a bit more on it, but Tom picked well here in Castle Rock." My mom replied, before reaching her hands out.

"I will take that from you Mrs. Baker, I can set it on the table with the rest of the food."

"That would be lovely and call me Norma." The woman replied, her eyes now landing on me in the doorway.

"What a lovely daughter, she looks so much like you." Norma added, her calculating eyes inspecting me head to toe. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

"Oh yes, this is Robin, our daughter. I think she is in the same grade as your Will." Mom introduced me herself. I gave an awkward short wave, trying to stay as prim and proper as mom wanted, but I honestly had no clue what was appropriate for this kind of greeting.

"Nice to meet you." I said, keeping my voice calm, and smooth.

Will made his way to me a big grin on his face, that made me feel a little uneasy.

"Robin, I believe I have a class or two with you, I'm Will." The boy said, as he now towered over me in what almost felt like an intimidating stance. He then swiped up my hand in his and lifted it high to his face, and placed a kiss to the back of it, sending me a smile.

"Pleasure to meet you."

This should have been a very romantic gesture, that sends your stomach rolling, but all I felt was a sinking rock in my stomach and the unnerving feeling of being preyed upon.