I've been tutoring Raye for little over a week now and today will actually be my last day. Imagine my surprise to find out that when Raye wasn't with the rest of the 'populars a.k.a. The BTEE', she was actually quite nice. We formed a small friendship that I knew I would miss after today. As for her brother, I'd seen him over a half a dozen times, each time he was either with one of two girls, both claiming to be his girlfriend. Raye explained to me that with his looks and money that he had become a major playa at a young age and that she had never known him to be with only one girl at a time, whether the girl knew it or not. Realizing that the kiss he and I shared more and likely meant nothing to him, I decided to keep it to myself. Suddenly, I heard the bell ringing, signaling that anybody in the hallway was late, I hurried and closed my locker and made my way to English class.

I was met with snickers from the back of the room when I walked into class, it didn't take a genius to realize that I was once again the butt of their jokes. It wasn't really a big deal, honestly I'd grown accustomed to it. For the last three years their attitudes and treatment towards me has continued to worsen. See, in the beginning of their torment I would just take it, not say or do anything but just ignore them, but after spending the summer of my freshman year with my cousin Lita in New York, I realized that they don't scare me. Lita's one of the toughest women I know and she taught me to fear no one, except for maybe my mother. She can be downright scary at times. I rather deal with Mike Myers or Freddy than my mother when she is in one of her moods. But like I was saying, after my summer with Lita I started to say and do what I wanted whether they liked it not, they didn't rule me.

"Beryl, I can't believe you would do that. You know Raye loves him," Mina exclaimed.

"Hey, he could have said 'no, I love Raye, I'm involved with her. But did he? No. So therefore it's not my fault," Beryl smirked.

"That's bullshit and you know it. If he would have said that shit, that would have made you more determined to get him. You always want what you can't have," Mina pointed out.

"For something I can't have, I seemed to have gotten it, haven't I. What are you anyways, the conscious police?" Beryl questioned.

"No, I'm Raye's friend and I thought you were too, but obviously I was wrong. You know it's gonna be war when she finds out, right?" Mina questioned.

"She's never going to find out. Chad's not gonna tell her and I sure as hell ain't," Beryl replied.

Mina shrugged, "Unlike you, when I say I'm friends with someone, I mean it. So if you or Chad don't tell her by the end of the day. I WILL."

"You don't wanna do that, Mina, trust me. I could do a lot to make your life a living hell," Beryl warned.

"Was that a threat, Beryl? See... that's the difference between me and the rest of this school. You don't scare me, I could care less what you or anybody else think or say about me because at the end of the day, I'm still gonna be me. As for you though, I think YOU may wanna rethink that threat because all the shit Raye and I know about your social and personal life, we could write a book. And that oh so perfect reputation you created for your father's benefit would go down the drain, in a heartbeat," Mina explained, ending the conversation.

I sat in my seat eavesdropping on the whole conversation. I suddenly realized that things were about to change in a big way. The BTEE was clashing within itself and it wouldn't be long before they broke up. After that, my day became relatively quiet and none of the 'populars' bothered me. I guess the rising situation between Raye and Beryl was more important than messing with me.

As soon as I walked into Raye's room I knew immediately that someone had already told her. Her room was dark and held a gloomy look. I put my books on a table I knew to be near her bed and reached for her drapes. I heard a faint whisper of, "No...don't." I turned around and saw a shadowy figure sitting on the bed. Suddenly the light clicked on and the figure was shown to be Raye. Tissues surrounded her and her face was red and puffy from crying.

"What's wrong?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's that bitch Beryl," she spat and before I could even ask she went on.

"There's this guy named Chad, he goes to that college up the street from our school. About 9 months ago the girls and I went clubbing and Beryl came on to him. He turned her down and came to talk to me and a week later he was my boyfriend. And today I find out that for the last 3 months he's been fucking that bitch on the side," she completely broke down after that.

"I'm sorry Raye," I whispered as I sat down beside her. To my surprise she leaned on me and cried on my shoulder.

"Oh and what just puts the icing on the cake is that after Mina told me I called him to confront him about it and he breaks up with me for that bitch and she doesn't even want him. She just went after him for the challenge. I swear to God, Beryl is gonna PAY," Raye swore.

For the rest of the day, I just comforted her as she cried. There were a few calls from Chad, we never knew what he wanted because Raye would hang up on him when she saw his name appear on the Caller ID. Beryl even dared to call, but when Raye answered the phone she hung up. By the time I decided it was time to go, it was a quarter to 12 and the buses had already stopped running.

"My brother might still be here, ask him to give you a ride. His room is 3 doors down on the right," Raye exclaimed as she too noticed the time.

"Ok," I grabbed my books and walked out her room and down the hallway.

As I neared his room, my steps became increasingly slower and I started to get nervous. 'I mean, how could I ask him to give me a ride when I smacked him the week before?' When I got to his door and raised my hand to knock, the door suddenly swung open and Darien appeared.

He jumped back slightly when saw me, "Shit, you scared the hell out of me!" He leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed as a smile began to appear on his face, "what brings you to my room?" he questioned,

"Uhmm, I...I wa-was wondering if you could take me home, it's too late to catch a bus," I pointed out.

"Am I gonna get smacked again?" his grin got a bigger.

"Maybe...maybe not," I replied, putting on my innocent angel act.

"Cute. Yeah, sure I'll take you home. Come on," he exclaimed as he started walking downstairs. He retrieved his keys from the small little table by the door and escorted me to his car. As he drove me home, I noticed him repeatedly glancing at me. At first I tried to ignore it, then I became fidgety under his watchful eye, and then just irritated.

"Okay, why do you keep looking at me?" I questioned after 10 minutes of his constant glances.

"I was wondering. Do you try to make yourself look ugly or something?"

"Excuse me?" I couldn't have heard him right.

"Well for instance your hair. If you cut it and brushed it, it would actually look nice instead of this untamable ball of frizz," he gestured towards my head as he talked. No, apparently I did hear him right.

"Well, while you're at it go ahead and give me some more of your thoughts on my appearance," I suggested, sarcasm was clearly present in my voice, somehow he missed it.

"Since you're asking. What's with those ugly ass glasses? Are you trying to hide behind them or something? AND your clothes, you are aware that when your grandma sends you clothes, you're not suppose to actually wear them until she visits?" he exclaimed as we pulled into my driveway.

"Thanks ever so much for your insight into my appearance," I replied as I opened the door, got out and proceeded to my front door, already feeling tears springing to my eyes. As I opened my door, I felt Darien grab my arm and swirl me around to face him.

"Look I'm sorry. It's just that...I don't get you," he muttered, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"What do you mean?" I wiped my eyes. 'Don't let them see you cry. Don't ever let them see you cry.' Lita's words repeating themselves in my head.

"You could be a knockout and I don't understand...why you don't try to be. AND then there's the simple fact that I'm still attracted to you even when you're not," he caressed my cheek as he talked, right before he kissed me. This time when he let me go I just looked at him.

"No slap this time, huh?" he asked, a smile gracing his features.

"I don't try to make myself look ugly. I just don't have the money to be glamorous," I whispered, looking up at him.

"But you go to Westbridge. I know it costs a shit load to go there."

"And that's exactly why my mom is not home now. That's why I never see her. She's always working to pay off debt we owe. I can't even remember the last time I saw her for more than 15 minutes."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know."

I shrugged, "It doesn't matter, don't worry about it. I gotta go to school tomorrow so I guess I'll see you some other time," I walked past him and into my house.

"What no goodbye kiss?" he asked as he grabbed my hand and turned me to face him once again.

"No I do-," was all I could get out before he cut me off with a kiss. As he let me go, I got a wicked idea and I smacked him.

"Owwww, what the hell?"

"You still didn't ask for my permission," I whispered into his ear, smiling.

"Goodnight," I pushed him out my house and closed the door.