Sorry that I didn't mention this before but, unless I specify their age, all of the characters are seniors in high school. Besides the teachers and parents of course. Chris is a senior too but he was kept back at one point in his schooling life so he is a year older than everyone. I'm thinking of making Piers a junior. Maybe Helena as well. Thank you guys for all the support! Every time someone reads or reviews I get all giddy!

I'm Australian so I might get the schooling system wrong but, oh well. It's just a story. The schooling system in this is a strange mix of my knowledge of American schools, Australian schools and random things I wish school had.

I don't know about other countries, but in Australia, the legal driving age is sixteen and the drinking age is eighteen. I'm applying those rules to this story. XD I talk about Australia too much! What state do you think Tall Oaks would be in – Washington? And out of these states, which one would you rather Racoon City be in – Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio or Illinois? Or do you have a different state in mind?

This author's comment is WAAAAYYY to long but, just to remind all of youse, Jake's singing voice is not always the way the actual songs sounds. For example, one of the songs last chapter was punkrock and the other was a sad country song. If it's a slow song, imagine him singing it slow. If it's a fast song, imagine him singing it fast. However, if I use a Taylor Swift song, don't imagine his voice to sound like Taylor Swift. Just imagine it being sweet and innocent. If a use a Metallic song, imagine his voice deep and threatening. You get what I mean? I am a bit confusing…

The songs this chapter are 'Woman Like You' by Lee Brice and '4am' by Alex G. If you haven't heard them before, check them out.

I don't own the characters in this story.

"Well well well, what do we have here?" Mr. Simmons smirked; he seemed to take pleasure in discipline. He turned his head and looked me over, making me feel uncomfortable. Jake moved and stood slightly in front of me. "Miss Birkin, I expected more from you. And as for you, Mr. Muller, remember that I am the principal of this school and you follow my rules."

"I wouldn't care if you were the Preside-" Jake started coolly before I put my hand lightly on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry sir. I know that it was wrong to have left the school grounds but we had no choice. He was practically being hunted!"

Just as Mr. Simmons opened his mouth to reply, vice principal Hunnigan stepped out from behind him. She had a serious look on her face, "You two get to class! You are off the hook for now but if you do it again, watch out. If you want a lunch pass, just apply for one, sheesh."

My mouth was hung wide open, Hunnigan was always the nice one. Mr. Simmons looked pleased as he turned around and trudged back into the school, Hunnigan trailing slowly behind. When he was out of sight, she turned around and gave us a thumbs up and wink.

Jake just scoffed and muttered, "What, she bipolar or something?"

Ignoring his comment, I gushed. "She's the best! Mr. Simmons does nothing for this school; Hunnigan does everything! She's nicer too. Oh! There was this one time when she helped me-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, good for you, but... now's not really the time. You coming?" Jake stuck out his hand, which of course, I didn't take. The jerk. I just walked past him, lightly hitting shoulders as I passed, and waved goodbye over my shoulder.

It didn't take long to get to Gym. When I entered the room, I expected to see the class setting up for dodge ball or something but no, it was much worse. Who I guessed was Mr. Krauser, was sitting on a chair in the middle of the hall. He had one leg crossed over the other and was looking at all of the students critically. I quietly joined the line at the end.

Mr. Krauser's eyes scanned the line and he squinted when his eyes landed on me.

"Late girl, what sport do you want to play?

"Uhh, I want to play baseball?"

"Say it like you mean it."

"I want to play baseball."

"Louder."

"I WANT TO PLAY BASEBALL!"

"Why?"

"I like baseball."

"Why?"

"Because it is fun."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure sir, I just enjoy it."

"What's enjoyable about hitting a ball with a stick?"

"W-Well, um," I stuttered. Mr. Krauser had a menacing look on his face and most, if not all, of the girls was terrified of him. His face suddenly twisted up into a smile and he let out a deep laugh. His voice was gruff and husky when he announced with a smile, "Five pushups, one lap of the hall, five pushups, one lap of the hall. Keep doing that until I say stop."

Gym was tiring! For most of the lesson we did netball drills, and we finished off with something our teacher liked to call 'Krauser tag'. It was like normal tag but we had to keep our eyes closed the entire time. Mr. Krauser called out random animal names and we had to make the noise of said animal until he announced the next one. That's how you found the other people; the closer the oinks or moos, the closer the person. To make it more fun for himself, he made the last five students have a commando roll race while they still had their eyes closed and were clucking like a chicken.

He was a strange one, Mr. Krauser.

The only thing that ruined the lesson was Excella's not so subtle 'fugly' and 'famewhore' coughs aimed at me. Everyone could hear them besides our teacher, who was probably off drowning in his own laughter.

It was lunch again and I slowly made my way towards my locker. As I was putting my books away, I was tapped lightly on the shoulder. When I turned around, I was face to face with someone unexpected. Piers Nivans.

The only time we really acknowledged each other was when we passed each other at football training. I didn't play football but Chris did; He was captain. Chris spoke fondly of Piers and said that he would want to pass down his captaincy to him when he graduated. Anyone who was a friend of Chris was a friend of mine.

"Piers right?"

Piers shot me an award winning smile and nodded his head. He leant against the locker besides mine and crossed his arms. "And you must be Sherry." I'd never heard him speak before but voice was surprisingly pleasant to listen to, "Have you seen Chris around anywhere?"

Speaking of the devil, Chris peered around the corner and yelled, "Nivans! Birkin!" Chris jogged lightly over towards us and did something to Piers that I could only describe as 'brohug'. He then whispered something to Piers and they both turned towards me and engulfed me into a bone crunching hug.

"Captain, when's the next practice?"

"I was hoping this afternoon. We need to discuss new recruits for the team`. Fancy rounding up the boys with me?"

Chris and Piers forgot all about me and started to head off towards who knows where. With a smile on my face, I coughed rather loudly. Both boys turned around to face me and Chris' face lit up. "Oh! I forgot! Someone told me to tell you to meet up with them in the art room."

"Who?" I asked innocently. All Chris did was wink and walk away, leaving an amused look on Piers' face and a confused one on mine.

The art room was on the other side of the school so it took me a while to get there. In my head I was running through all the possible people that wanted to meet up with me. Claire? Rebecca?

But I was wrong. Low and behold it was pretty boy himself.

I opened the door to the art room and Jake's head immediately snapped to face me. A smile immediately fell on his face.

"You wanted to meet up with me?"

Jake took a large bite of a carrot and grinned, "Is it a crime to ask for some company?"

I rolled my eyes playfully and took a seat next to him. He finished the final lines of a verse and smiled in satisfaction.

"Writing a new song?"

"Want to hear?"

Hearing him say that got me all happy inside. I don't know why but it made me feel special. This song could become famous one day! I nodded a bit too eagerly.

'Last night, outta the blue
Driftin' off to the evening news
She said, "Honey, what would you do
If you'd have never met me"
I just laughed, said "I don't know,
But I could take a couple guesses though"
And then tried to dig real deep,
Said, "Darling honestly...

I'd do a lot more offshore fishin'
I'd probably eat more drive-thru chicken
Take a few strokes off my golf game
If I'd have never known your name
I'd still be driving that old green 'Nova
I probably never would have heard of yoga
I'd be a better football fan
But if I was a single man
Alone and out there on the loose
Well I'd be looking for a woman like you."

I could tell that got her attention
So I said, "Oh yeah, I forgot to mention,
I wouldn't trade a single day
For 100 years the other way."
She just smiled and rolled her eyes,
Cause she's heard all of my lines
I said, "C'mon on girl, seriously
If I hadn't been so lucky, I'd be..

Shootin' pool in my bachelor pad
Playing bass in my cover band
Restocking up cold Bud Light
For poker every Tuesday night, yeah
I'd have a dirt bike in the shed
And not one throw pillow on the bed
I'd keep my cash in a coffee can
But if I was a single man
Alone and out there on the loose
Well I'd be looking for a woman like you."'

When Jake was finished, I was left speechless. I started clapping and spewing out unintelligible compliments.

"Woah, slow down Supergirl!" He chuckled, before he scrunched up his nose, "I feel like it shouldn't just end right there though. What do you think?"

I put my pointer finger to my chin thoughtfully and opened my mouth to speak, before quickly closing it. After a few moments of thinking, a thought popped into my head. In my best voice possible, I started to sing.

'She knows what a mess I'd be if I didn't have her here
But to be sure, I whispered in her ear
"You know I get sick deep-sea fishin'
And you make the best fried chicken
I got a hopeless golf game
I love the sound of your name'

My voice started to drift away when I ran out of words. Then I realised, I just sang in front of a professional singer. He must have heard so many better voices than mine! A faint blush rose to my cheeks but Jake didn't realise as he continued the song where I left it.

'I might miss that old green 'Nova
But I love watchin' you do yoga
I'd take a gold band on my hand
Over being a single man
Cause honestly I don't know what I'd do
If I'd never met a woman like you."'

He scribbled down messily on his sheet of paper and looked at me with excited eyes. "That was actually pretty good." He gave me a tight hug and my recurring blush was ever so prominent. "Carrot?"

For the next couple of minutes, we chewed on carrots and chips while talking about random things, like our favourite gum flavour or smells.

"I like the colour green. I guess I just find it nice to look at."

Jake raised his eyebrows and stated, "I thought you were more of a blue girl… Anyways, my favourite colour is orange. No reason in particular."

Just as I was going to reply, a sound played on the radio. A very familiar song. Damn, this boy was everywhere!

"I like this song." Jake added, "Heard the singer's a real hunk."

He started humming to the song and then began to sing the opening lines. He wasn't singing in his normal voice though, he put on his best British accent, which wasn't very good, and sang along goofily.

'It's pouring rain at 4 a.m.
I feel so close to you right now
But have you fallen for me yet?
I'd let you go but I don't know how

And I know it's just another night
But I fell for you again
And I remember when'

Deciding to join along at the chorus, I threw on my best British accent as well.

'You didn't wanna waste a moment
You were captured in my arms
And stolen by my eyes
It's still your heart that lifts me
And your words that can kill me
But still I'd run for miles
Just to be near you'

I was laughing pretty hard by now and laughed even harder when Jake screeched out 'Oh ohhh…'. That was so high pitched that if anyone heard, they probably went deaf or wished they were deaf. He stuck his hand out to me, like before, but this time I accepted. As the rest of the song played, we clumsily danced together across the art room floor. Jake mouthed the words the entire time.

'Your presence lingers on my neck
I can't let go of you right now
I'm kinda scared of what comes next
I might just die if you forget

You cut me open
And you fill me with this hope
When you know this whole thing's hopeless
And I'm hopelessly hoping
That you will see
What lies inside of me

It's pouring rain at 4 a.m.
I feel so close to you right now

And I don't wanna waste this moment
Captured in your arms
And stolen by your eyes eyes
It's still your heart that lifts me
And your words that can kill me
But still I'd run for miles

So close so close now
Don't let go let go now
Won't you fall for me tonight?

It's still your heart that lifts me
And your words that can kill me
But still I'd run for miles
Just to be near you'

"You're not that good live. I'd stick with the auto tune if I were you," I teased, which earned me a playful scoff. I tilted my head upwards so we were facing each other. Our eyes met and his gaze slowly drifted from my lips to my nose and back up to my eyes.

"We better start heading to class. Wouldn't want you to be late again." We walked in a comfortable silence to our next class. Turns out that we both had English together with a Miss Prospero.

"Sit next to me."

So I did.

English was pretty fun. Probably the highlight of my day. Jake and I passed notes back and forth the whole lesson and didn't get caught once. Our conversation started off about Lhasa Apso puppies and ended off with butterfly mating. How did they have babies anyway? Chris was also in my class but he was busy in the corner with Jill Valentine.

Jill and I were friends but we never actually hung out after school. Excluding that one time with Rebecca, Claire and Leon. It was painfully obvious that she found Chris to be more than a friend but Chris didn't like her back, or he was frustratingly oblivious. Jill didn't throw herself at Chris but everyone could tell she liked him by the look in her eyes whenever she saw him. Her face would light up and her mood would improve by one hundred percent. Even the best of actresses can't help the way they felt and acted when near the guy they fancied. And Jill definitely wasn't a great actress anyway…

Class was over all of a sudden. As the saying goes, time flies when you're having fun. Miss Prospero gave us a sheet of homework, but they were only spelling words we'd have to learn for our next lesson. All of the students filed out of the room, excited that the day was over. Jake and I were the last to leave the room. Chris and Jill were just in front of us.

"Ladies first. Go first, Jill. Give me a chance to play nice guy."

When we were all out of the room, Chris turned around and looked at Jake, then back at me. The tips of his lips turned up slightly and he directed a question at Jake, "We have a few spots left on the team. You interested in joining?"

Jake grunted and shook his head slowly, "You really think that I'd want to play pansy high school rugby with you?" He walked down the school corridors until he was out of sight.

"What's his problem?" Chris muttered to himself. I don't know why, but I felt the need to apologise on his behalf.

"Sorry about him, he's an idiot."

Instead of driving myself home, I drove myself to the local ice-cream parlour. I made my way to the counter and ordered the usual – Butterscotch and Hazelnut. Just as I was making my way out of the store, a soft hand clutched my wrist.

"Sherry, Sherry, it's me," Jake whispered in a hushed voice. He was looking suspiciously around the place as if a fan was going to pop out of nowhere and kidnap him.

"Nice disguise," I commented sarcastically. He was wearing big black sunglasses and a San Francisco 49ers cap.

Jake didn't note my sarcasm and smiled triumphantly, "I know! My fans know that I don't root for the 49ers."

When I sat down, a group of four huge guys walked up to our table.

"And what's a gorgeous girl like you doing sitting with a shithead like him?" The tallest one asked, shaking his blond head.

I turned my head towards Jake to see his reaction. His left eye twitched and he was getting ready to stand up. I shook my head slowly as if saying no.

A black haired one stuck his elbow out, "Come on babe, your leaving with us."

I shook my head shyly and said quite bashfully, "Thanks for the compliment but I was just about to leave anyway."

The guys looked at Jake and rolled their eyes, before the tallest one spoke again. "Alright, alright. But make sure you get a better man. Chicks like you deserve better than that."

Jake's expression remained quite calm, but underneath he table his left hand was curled into a tight fist. The four guys started to walk away and Jake had his eyes firmly planted on their backs. "Damson Lakes High."

"What?"

"Their football jerseys. They attend Damson Lakes High."

"Oh…"

"I'm joining the school rugby team."

"Just because they called you a shithead?"

"Yep," Jake shrugged with a serious face.

"And they call girls drama queens." For some reason, that make Jake smirk. He reached into my front bag pocket and grabbed my phone. I watched him curiously as he typed his number into the phone. He then got his phone out of his pocket and put in my number. He held his spare hand up so I couldn't see what he was doing so I just sat patiently. His hand lifted up just in time for me to see 'Confirm Supergirl's number'.

"Still sticking with that nickname?" Jake didn't reply, he just continued to eat his mint ice-cream. He was smart enough to get it in a cup. It was so hot today that the ice-cream in my cone was melting onto my fingers. I wiped my left hand checked my phone. He entered himself as Hot stuff. Typical. I changed the name to a simple Jake. When I looked up, I saw the man himself pouting like a sad puppy.

"Why'd you change it?"

Even after we finished our ice-creams, Jake and I sat at the table and talked. We continued our conversation about butterfly mating before I asked a question I've always wanted to ask him.

"What's your favourite song that you've written?"

He cupped my chin in his hands and titled my face so that it was looking directly at his. "Without a doubt the one we wrote today." The close proximity of our heads made my face go from a rosy tint into a fire truck red. Jake let out a heart-warming chuckle. He let go of my chin and gestured towards my face, "I take back what I said about blue; red is definitely your colour." Of course this made me blush more furiously. I think my head was going to explode.

Jake let out another chuckle before reaching into his back pants pocket. His face fell and he blinked a couple of times. "You know when we left my home, where did I put my house keys?"

"I don't know," I replied worriedly. "Don't you have a spare key? Like under the garden gnome or something?"

"That was the spare key."

"When does your father get home from work?"

"Not for a long time… Around dinner time maybe."

An idea quickly formed in my mind. Just say it Sherry. Just say it.

"Want to stay at mine for a while?"

"Sure."

Jake followed my car to my home and I waited outside my front door for him to get out of his Ute. He scanned my house and a small smile stretched across his face. "Small but pretty. Looks very homely."

I didn't reply, I just opened the door. When I stepped inside, I was greeted with the sound of bare feet pattering down the hallway. Reed, my little brother, was running as fast as his four year old legs could go towards me. I spread my arms out as far as I could and pulled him into a giant hug, careful not to hurt him.

"What are you doing home little man?"

His big azure coloured eyes stared back into mine and he had the biggest grin ever on his face. "The hospital is letting me stay home for two days." I saw that Jake's faced turned confused but he decided against questioning it.

Reed slipped his small hands into mine as I stood up. He dug his face into my leg and looked up timidly at Jake.

Jake knelt down so that his face was level with Reed's and shook his hand. "My name is Jake. You're quite a handsome man, is Sherry your girlfriend?"

This made Reed stick his chest out and stand up straight, "I'm Reed. And nah, she's just my sister. The bestestiest sister ever!"

Reed's spare hand grabbed Jake's and we both lifted our arms in the air so that his feet were off the floor. He was swinging back and forth until we put him down on the kitchen floor, which is where my mother was standing.

Jake let go of Reed's hand before shaking my mother's hand and introducing himself. One thing that I noticed about Jake was that he was pretty formal with his hand shaking and stuff. Reed tugged on Jake's pants lightly and pointed to some toy cars on the floor. They walked over to the cars and sat own on the cool tiles, racing each other.

As I helped my mother with the dishes, I told her all about my day. We were pretty close and I usually told her everything. She was like a best friend to me.

We finished up the cleaning and the only thing in the room that you could hear was Reed making dinosaur noises. I looked over to see him holding a plastic T-Rex in his hand attacking the triceratops in Jake's hand.

Then I realised something. If you told me yesterday that the Jake Muller would be sitting on my kitchen floor, playing with my little brother as if they knew each other for centuries after we spent virtually the whole day together, I wouldn't believe you.

I smiled to myself; this year was going to be different. A good kind of different.

I hope you liked it!