I keep thinking about Joey. Is that weird? I mean not creepy stuff, just like friendly thoughts... I'm happy okay.

I know it seems lame to be this happy over a fifteen minute walk, but I really liked talking to him. I don't get to talk to anyone. Once Brett and Chase targeted me as their prey, everyone in the school avoids me out of fear of becoming a target too. So, like I said - I have no friends.

My mom and Annabelle can't understand this either. They ask me all the time why I'm having so much trouble making friends. Of course, I can't tell them about the bullying or my mom will go down to the school and make everything worse. So, I lie or shrug it off and say it doesn't bother me.

Befriending Joey soon becomes the greatest thing to ever happen to me. He can't do much for me in gym class, as he still needs to help me secretly so the jocks don't see us together. But in math class, he tells me any spots the jocks never think to look for me. He suggests good hiding spots or tries to strategize with me to help me escape.

The best part is he waits for me, in front of the school, everyday to walk home with me. Of course, by home I mean his house as I still haven't confessed that I live in the complete opposite direction, but he doesn't need to know that. And I don't mind the extra walking if it means I have a friend.

One day, we are strategizing my escape route and we decide to circle back to the auditorium idea. We haven't used that in a few days and we believe they still don't know about it anyway.

So, when the bell rings I run through the auditorium and out the emergency exit door.

I'm climbing the short fence when my leg is suddenly yanked down and I'm on the ground.

They figured it out.

By the time I finally get up and drag my feet around the building, it's much later and I'm not expecting anyone to be around. I look up and with my one good eye I see Joey still waiting for me.

I can't believe he's still here.

He spots me and quickly runs over to me. He looks crushed when he sees my black eye.

He doesn't know what to say while I'm still in disbelief, realizing he actually cares about me.

He raises his hand softly by my eye and I flinch instantly.

"It... doesn't look that bad," he tries to make me feel better.

We start the walk to Joey's house and he begins by going on and on trying to think of a new plan for tomorrow.

I stop him when he's been going on for ten minutes straight.

"Hey, it's ok," I interrupt him.

He stops and looks at me. We both pause for a moment.

"We can't win every time," I state.

Joey only frowns at this and looks genuinely upset.

"Don't say that, you can't give in," he presses.

"I'm not, I'm being realistic. Don't worry, I can handle a black eye here and there," I tell him.

He shakes his head.

"It's not fair," he sighs.

"I know," I shrug.

I have an urge to tell him that he makes everything better, that having someone to talk to, knowing someone else cares changes everything. But I know how lame and cheesy that sounds and I don't want to scare him off. So, I change the subject instead and we finish our walk to his house.

Football season is coming to an end and Joey and I fear this will make things even more difficult. This means the timeframe for the jocks to chase me will only grow. They can take all day if they have nowhere else to be. This takes hiding almost entirely off the table.

"I have an idea," Joey expresses one day in math class.

"What?"

"You have to join some after school clubs, then you just have to make it to one room and you're safe till four," he says.

All the clubs and after school activities are until four pm because there are late buses for these kids that leave at that time.

"But then I have to socialize," I kiddingly whine.

Joey can tell I'm joking and slaps my arm.

"Suck it up, Bing," he teases and I laugh.

Joining some clubs is actually a great idea except that there aren't enough clubs for me to join. So, I end up joining chess club on Monday, environmental club on Wednesday and mathematics club on Thursday. The rest of the clubs are full or on those same days. That leaves only Tuesday and Friday for me to try and escape the jocks, but I have to say this is a huge help. These classrooms are easy to run to and after a couple of weeks, once the jocks figure out that I had joined these clubs, they stop even bothering chasing me on these days, since they know they won't get to me in time.

Unfortunately there is one huge downside, I don't get to walk home with Joey three days out of the five now and that's honestly worse torture than being punched in the face or thrown to the ground.

After a few weeks of my clubs, I realize that the only thing I am getting out of them is my safety. I don't actually enjoy the activities and everyone in the clubs still avoid me as much as they can due to the jocks still hating me.

I think of a genius plan on Thursday afternoon. I decide that after I race to the classroom and can assume the jocks have left for the day, I can leave. Why wait until four? It's a waste of my time.

Before math class ends, I tell Joey to wait for me by the front of the school.

"Don't you have math club?"

"Just wait an extra twenty minutes okay, I'm leaving early," I tell him.

"Okay," he shrugs.

Everything goes according to plan and twenty minutes later, I'm walking out to the front of the school and see Joey waiting for me. I can't help, but smile so wide when I see him.

"Hey, how was math club?" he jokes with me.

"I wouldn't know!"

"Man, I can't believe you do more math for fun," he quips.

"I don't want to!" I smirk.

"You totally do, you're a total nerd," he continues to tease me.

I push him jokingly, but it's hard enough he stumbles sideways.

"Woah, you been working out?" he chuckles.

He's kidding around, but I feel oddly proud that my strength could have impressed him. I want to impress Joey, all the time, I've realized this a lot recently.

I get quiet after realizing this again. I've been struggling with discovering that I always want to impress Joey and the fact that I think about him way too much. I don't want to admit my feelings about him, even to myself, so I never do.

He notices this change in my demeanor and thinks he offended me.

"I mean, not that you have to..." he comments uneasily.

We both fall silent and it's awkward, I know it's my fault.

"Sorry, I got weird...I'm just dealing with something," I say uncomfortably.

Of course, Joey takes this seriously because he's sweet, he's always sweet.

"Oh, sorry," he says.

"Well, see you tomorrow," I say as we're approaching his house.

I turn and start heading in the direction of my imaginary home before turning around and starting my thirty minute trek home.