Summary: Owen is bored in class. And the teacher points out a piece of paper that he supposedly dropped.

Check Yes or No

He slouched forward in his seat, practically laying on his desk. His hand was holding up his head and he swore every second, it felt like it was getting heavier. It really shouldn't have stayed up half of last night playing Call of Duty. He stifled a yawn as he picked up his pencil. He really should be taking notes. Mr. Masrani said this shit would be on the final exam. But he just couldn't wake up enough to pay attention. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. Okay. Wake up. He really needed to wake up. He glanced at the front of the classroom.

It wasn't that Mr. Masrani was a bad teacher. He was actually kind of fun to talk to. It was just that it was a boring class! Really boring. Why on earth he decided to sign up for business economics, he had no idea. It sounded like an easy A. It was economics. How hard could it be? But it was boring. So boring. And he was going to end up falling asleep. He couldn't help it as a yawn overtook him.

"Mr. Grady."

The whole class turned to look at him. His eyes widened. "Uh..." He stammered for a minute. But he had no clue why the teacher was calling on him. Did he ask a question? Had he caught Owen falling asleep? Was class over? He glanced around at the prying eyes. But none of them could answer. "What?"

Mr. Masrani smiled at him and pointed to the floor. " You dropped something. Wake up and pay attention."

"Sorry, Mr. Masrani." Owen glanced down at the floor by his feet. There was a folded up piece of paper. He frowned at it for a moment. He'd not been taking notes in a notebook. Not a single sheet of paper. But Mr. Masrani and half of the class was still staring at it. He reached down and picked up the paper quickly. He stuffed it under his notebook and leaned back.

Mr. Masrani smiled again and turned back to his blackboard. He picked up a piece of chalk and started scribbling again. "Now, back to work before Mr. Grady falls asleep again..."

Owen tried to pay attention. He really did. But his eyes kept drifting down to his desktop. And the corner of the folded paper that was sticking out from under his notebook. It wasn't his, he was sure. But he had no clue whose it was. Or even what it was. He glanced up at the front of the classroom. Mr. Masrani was still scribbling something on the board. Owen glanced around the room quickly again. No one was looking at him. He dropped his gaze back to the desktop. He pulled out the piece of paper and unfolded it. He brushed his hand over it, uncreasing it and laying it flat. There wasn't a name on it. No way to tell who it belonged to. But that wasn't what was interesting about it. It was the words written on it.

I like you.
Do you like me?

Check Yes or No?

There were boxes drawn beside each of the words, yes and no. Owen stared at the words, at the handwriting, the letters large and lazily written. He smiled. He wondered who it was meant for. It was such a silly thing, passing notes in class. Maybe it was meant for his friend Barry, sitting on his right. Or the pretty girl, Zara, sitting two seats in front of him. Maybe it was actually got him. He turned the paper over, looking for any other signs. But no other words were scribbling anywhere. He frowned for a moment. How was he going to figure out who it was from? And who it was meant for?

Owen folded the paper quickly and shoved it in his notebook. He breathed out a sigh and leaned back in his seat. There was a kid at the blackboard now, scribbling some answer or something.

Mr. Masrani was sitting in his desk, smiling and nodding. "Yes, Mr. Mitchell! Excellent work! At least someone is staying awake in my class."

Around Owen, there were laughs and snickers. Barry reached over and slapped him on the arm. Owen smiled and leaned forward on his desk. He watched the kid at the front, Zach was his name. Zach turned back, looking a bit sheepish.

"Take a seat." Mr. Masrani said.

Zach nodded, looking grateful, and slunk back into his seat. He crouched down in his seat, looking miserable for a moment. Owen watched him, wondering why. Was it being put on the spot? Being called on to answer? Zach had gotten it right. If anyone should be sore about it, it should be Owen... Owen stared at Zach, sitting in the next row over, two seats in front of him. It was something Owen actually did a lot in the class, stare at Zach. The kid was a Sophomore, two years younger than him. Owen always wondered why he was taking the elective class. If he had some interest in business or something. Owen had never really gotten to talk to him. They were in different grades. They didn't run in the same circles or anything. This was their only class together. He'd seen Zach in lunch a few times.

Zach breathed out after a few moments, after Mr. Masrani had stood back up and stepped to the blackboard again. He straightened up a bit in his seat and glanced around. His eyes met Owen's and they widened. His face reddened a bit and he turned forward in his seat again.

Owen kept watching him. He should have been the one embarrassed at being caught staring. Not Zach. Owen kept his eyes on Zach and every few moments, Zach would glance back. His blush only seemed to spread, up his neck and to the tips of his ears. It was rather cute.

The class kept going for a bit longer. Mr. Masrani droned on and on. Then he assigned homework, smiling as he did so. "Oh good, Mr. Grady."

Owen finally tore his attention from counting the freckles on Zach's neck.

"You managed to stay awake." Mr. Masrani clapped his hands together. "That's real progress today."

Owen smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Yes, sir. Excellent lecture today."

Mr. Masrani shook his head, a smile still on his lips. "Smartass."

The bell run seconds later. Everyone began scrambling up from their chairs, grabbing their books and stuff and heading for the door. Owen quickly unfolded the piece of paper. He scribbled a big check mark in one of the boxes. Then he jumped up.

"Hey Owen..." Barry started to say.

"Hang on a minute, Barry." Owen said. His eyes searched the class and Zach was just standing up, his books in his hands. "Zach." He called, walking around the desks.

Zach turned to look up at him, his eyes wide.

Owen smiled and dropped the unfolded piece of paper on top of Zach's stack of books. "I think you dropped this."

Zach's eyes seem to widen more as he looked down at it. His face was suddenly red again.

"Owen, you coming?" Barry asked.

Owen glanced over at Barry. The three of them were the last kids left in the room. "I'll catch up with you."

Barry shrugged and turned for the door.

"Hurry up, boys." Mr. Masrani said, heading for the door himself. "Don't want to be late for your next class." He slipped out, leaving the two alone.

Zach breathed out slowly. "How... did you know... it was me..." He asked softly, his voice barely a breath.

Owen's smile only seemed to grow more. He really hadn't known. He had no clue who the note was meant for. But it was cute. And he had the sudden urge to give it to Zach. "Had a feeling."

Zach breathed out and pressed his books to his chest. "I thought I was going to die when Mr. Masrani saw me drop it..."

Owen tilted his head slightly. "He saw you?"

Zach nodded. He held his books tighter, like he was holding on to them for life. "It was silly... I know it was silly... it was my brother's idea... I'm sorry..." He started to take a step back.

Owen quickly dropped his books on the nearest desk. He reached out and grabbed Zach's arms before the younger boy got farther away. "Hey." He pried Zach's arms apart and pulled the books out of his hands. He set them with his own and grabbed the paper. He held it up. "Did you even look at it?"

Zach glanced at the silly note and noticed the large checkmark in the yes box. "Oh..." Was all he managed to say.

Owen rolled his eyes. He turned and grabbed both of their piles of books. "Come on. What's your next class?"

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Author's Notes: Meh. Sorta a writing exercise. Set a timer for 10 minutes and made myself write. Then 10 more minutes after that. And 10 more. Until this came out. XD Sorta based on the old country song by George Strait.