Pete is annoying.

You've spent years and years completely aware of this fact and yet there are still times you find yourself actually surprised by the levels of irritating he is capable of reaching.

"Myka. Myka. Myka. Myka. Myka. Myka. Myyyyyykaaaaa."

Now is one of those times.

Your pencil snaps suddenly in your hand, folding into your palm with a crack and you fist the splinters of wood and lead tightly, turning to glare at Pete in the desk beside you.

"Pete, if you don't shut up I'm going to punch your teeth so far down your throat you'll have to drop your pants to floss." You bite out, hurling your broken pencil pieces at him across the aisle and Pete ducks the flying shards of wood with a laugh that makes you want to make good on your promise.

"That's kinda violent even for you Mykes." Pete chuckles, leaning over in his desk and across the narrow space separating the two of you to tug at a curl of your hair. "But not even the possibility of swallowing my own teeth will make me stop. Only the acceptance of my invitation to Pete-a-palooza this weekend."

"Damn it, Pete. I swear…" You start, batting at his hands angrily and drawing the attention of your teacher who glares at both of you.

"Do I need to separate the two of you." Mr. Stevens calls from the front of the room, adjusting his sweaty toupee slightly.

"Yes!" You yelp.

"No!" Pete blurts over you. "No. No. We're copasetic."

Mr. Stevens just turns back to the board and you glare over at Pete who is smiling and fluttering his eyes at you and when the bell goes off, you don't think you've ever been more grateful.

You jump up quickly, slinging your bag over your shoulder and hustling out into the hallway, in an attempt to loose him in the flood of students and you're plan would work if you weren't a giant.

"Hey, hey, hey." Pete singsongs, following behind you. "What's the rush?"

"Pete, I suggest you leave me alone before I punch your face in." You call over your shoulder, making a beeline for you locker while Pete gives chase.

"Mykes, what's up? Is it that time of the month? You PM-"

"Do not finish that acronym Pete or I swear…" You trail off with a glare and Pete puts his hands up in surrender.

"Sorry. Sorry." He laughs, watching you open your locker. "I just really want you to come to my fiesta."

"Why?" You frown at him, pulling books out of your backpack.

"Myka, you're my bro. That's why I want you there." Pete says like its obvious and you really hate when he's all sweet and stuff because it makes it nearly impossible to be pissed at him. "And besides, you need to get laid."

"Shut up." You sigh, shutting your locker.

"Is that a yes?" Pete asks, waggling his eyebrows at you and you scowl.

"No! Why can't you understand and accept that I have no desire to spend a night in a-a cesspool of alcohol and drugs and-and semen." You blurt and Pete frowns at you.

"Whoa! Whoa! Who said anything about semen?" He cries as you brush past him to your next class then stop suddenly.

It's HG and your breath does not hitch at the sight of her. No, you're sure that the annoying hiccup in your lungs comes from the sight of HG walking down the hall with your sister and her posse of glossy haired friends.

"Whoa, I didn't know HG was hanging out with Tracy." Pete says over your shoulder and you blink at the sight, sort of hoping it will disappear but it doesn't.

"Neither did I." You exhale, catching HG's eyes briefly before taking off in the opposite direction.

You have plans to visit The Louvre.

You're hopping the first plane to Paris after graduation and you're going to spend hours wandering down the halls and corridors and be thoroughly surrounded by masterpieces. Ideally, Pete will also be there if you don't kill him before hand.

But that is a year and a half away and right now, working in the local town museum is as close as you're going to get to France. And sure, there's no Mona Lisa hanging on the walls or Venus de Milo on exhibit but there is a collection of what are hopefully Sioux Indian arrowheads and not just really pointy rocks on display and what is possibly a letter written by a General in the Dakota War of 1862, though admittedly its probably someone's old shopping list.

Either way, fake artifacts or not, you still love working here…sort of…most of the time…

Not really right now, not with a ten page inventory list in your hands and the inescapable urge to be anywhere but here.

You're elbow deep in a display of 'ancient' animal bones when the front door chimes cheerfully, announcing the only museum buff of the day.

"Myka!" Artie, your boss, calls in a singsong voice from his cluttered office back office. "Greet the guests!"

You roll your eyes, rounding a statue of what is supposed to be Cheyenne Indian but looks very similar to the Jolly Green Giant.

"Welcome to the…" The words die on your lips as HG comes into sight, hands tucked into her coat pockets and lips turned into a teasing smile. "…HG."

"Myka, what a surprise meeting you here." HG declares with a thick layer of faux innocence and fake surprise. "Here I am attempting to peruse the both awe inspiring and educational history of this lovely town and I bump right into you."

"Weird." You mutter, tipping your chin upwards and eyeing her suspiciously as she practically saunters into the museum. She lets you eyeball her for a while longer before her shoulders drop and a guilty grin slides over her lips. The whole thing is ridiculously attractive, really.

"Though, I have to admit that I may have persuaded you're 'not' boyfriend Pete to inform me of your after school activities for me to better run into you unexpectedly." HG admits with sheepish grin and you smile, scratching your head. "It was surprisingly easy. It seems he will do most anything for a Snickerdoodle."

"You know you could've just asked me." You point out, watching HG walk from display to display. "I would've told you about my lame after school job. You didn't have to stalk me."

"That would've been quite forward of me not to mention far less stimulating." She says, glancing at you over her shoulder with a charming flip of her hair.

"There's nothing wrong with being forward." You offer, your eyes tracking HG's every movement as she meanders through the museum and you follow stupidly, trailing behind her like a puppy.

"Besides, stalking is sort of romantic in its own right. Don't you agree?" HG calls to you and you just smile.

She takes off down the hall towards the 'antique' coin display and you follow, folding your arms over your stomach as it twists and flips behind your ribs.

"I guess…So, what're you doing here?" You call eagerly and HG spins around to face you, walking backwards slowly. "I mean, you didn't come all the way here to woo me with your slightly psychotic romance tactics."

"Didn't I?" she laughs lightly and you pause, dropping your arms at your side while something powerful flickers in your stomach.

"You…" you start but whatever else was on you tongue melts into nervous laughter.

"I do enjoy teasing you, Myka." HG grins , blatantly ignoring the multiple 'Do Not Touch' signs and dragging her fingertips over anything she can. "I am here because I enjoy your company."

"Oh," You blush, tucking your hair behind your ears as HG enters a room that's supposed to be closed to the public. "Okay."

HG glances back at you for a moment, pinning you with her gaze and you stare back helplessly, reaching upwards to rub at the back of your neck. "You look lovely by the way."

"I-uh…" Is all you manage to articulate while you frown down at your flannel shirt, long sleeves loose around your wrist and the beat up old sneakers peeking out from beneath your Levi's and you wonder if HG is screwing around with you.

"I like your glasses." She adds sincerely.

"Thanks." You forgot you were wearing the damn things and you try not to blush as you adjust your glasses on your face, fighting the urge to rip them off and tuck them in your pocket. "Thank you."

"So, what time will you be finished here?" she asks and you lean against the door jam as HG floats around the room, touching any and everything.

"Not for a couple of hours." You sigh, waving your inventory list at her.

"Well, do you think you could leave early? Maybe, sneak away for the rest of the day?" HG wonders almost hopefully and you realize that you want to go with her, to just shuck responsibility for a little while and go wherever she wants to take you and that feeling is definitely brand new.

"I want to." You admit, furrowing your brow and shaking your head. "But my boss, Artie, he won't…"

And its like Artie has a sixth sense or something because his office door is creaking open and the two of you turn just in time to see him round the corner, arm full of books and glasses perched on the tip of his nose.

"Hi, Artie!" You greet, too enthusiastically and Artie gives you a apprehensive look. "Hey."

"Hello, Myka." He greets warily, eyeing H.G. the entire time. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh that's…" You start but HG is smiling charmingly and stepping forward with an outstretched hand.

"Helena Wells, sir. Myka and I attend school together." She says cheerfully and Artie takes her hand slowly, juggling his books into one arm, eyes wary behind the glasses balancing on the bridge of his nose.

"You're classmates?" He wonders, closing his book with one hand.

"I am a year older than Myka but we do attend the same school." HG declares releasing Arties hand and you watch him flex his fingers.

"Yeah, Helena is actually friends with my sister, Tracy." You offer underhandedly, grinning a little when HG's eyes dart towards you.

"Yes, well, I've just stopped by to take a look at the museum. Myka's spoken so highly of it." HG says, eyes lingering on yours for just a moment and if Artie notices the false enthusiasm dripping from her words it doesn't stop him from swelling with pride when she gives him her full attention. "You have some of the most peculiar pieces. If you'd like I can have my uncle come and attempt to authenticate some of the more…suspect items for you."

You wince as Artie's shoulders drop, pressing your fingertips to your mouth and frowning.

"All of the pieces here are authentic, young lady. I do not need your uncle to confirm that for me." He huffs before turning back towards you. "A package should be arriving any moment. Call me when it gets here."

Then Artie is storming away and you watch him disappear followed by the slamming of his office door.

" I assume I offended him?" HG shrugs, twisting on her heel to face you and you shrug.

"Artie's always offended. Don't worry about it." You sigh, tucking your inventory list against your chest. "But I'm pretty sure he's not going to let me off early now."

"Do you really need his permission?" HG asks, cocking a fine eyebrow at you like a challenge.

"He's my boss so…yes." You say, biting your bottom lip and HG rolls her eyes like you're the one being ridiculous here before stepping towards you, closer, too close and your teeth sink deeper into your lip.

"So, your sister is Tracy?" She questions softly and you nod.

"She is."

"I had no idea." HG hums and you're not surprised because you and Tracy don't exactly give that impression. Tracy has fantastic, sleek hair and limbs that are proportional to her body and is friends with, like, everyone because she's class president and beautiful and you're ..well, you. The two of you just don't hang out in the same circles.

"Its fine. Its-" You swallow, shrugging. "It's not a big deal."

"She's very nice, your sister." HG continues, words careful now. "Sort of took me beneath her wing on my first day."

"Because you're pretty and smart and Tracy kinda likes to surround herself with people she deems genetically superior to the rest of us." You mutter, toeing the carpet absently before glancing up at her while she watches you thoughtfully. "HG, why're you really here?"

"I've come to convince you to attend Pete's get together. If not for yourself than for me." She pleads sweetly and your knee jerk reaction is to say yes which is weird because you don't really ever have knee jerk reactions. "I hardly know anyone at all besides your sister and her friends, who've decided not to attend and I'd hate to be there like some sort of recluse or outsider. All alone."

"I..I don't…" You start helplessly. "My dad isn't…"

"You," HG cuts you off, reaching out to tug your inventory list out of your arm and for whatever reason, you just let her, watching as the pages flutter carelessly to the ground. "Need to live a little."

You laugh at that, scratching your forehead in disbelief because you realize as HG reaches down to snag your other hand, fingers locking together, you're not going to tell her no.

"I…" You trail off into nothing for a moment, gazing into her eyes for a little too long before looking away.. "I'll think about it."

"Promise?" She asks, mischief in her eyes like she just knows you're going to give in, while her thumb drags distracting patterns against your palm and you have absolutely no fight in you. You breathe her name and HG licks at her top lip, dark eyes focused on yours. "C'mon, promise you'll at least consider joining me."

"Like your date?" You blurt then immediately blush but HG just grins, slow and predatory and you blush more.

"If you'd like." She's all smarmy charm that should in no way be attractive and yet it is. "I'd be honored to have you on my arm."

This nervous, ugly sound escapes your throat and you press your hand to your throat absently, feel the skin under your fingertips get ridiculously hot.

"I'll consider going." You finally huff, rolling your eyes. "I promise."

"That's all I ask." She murmurs, releasing your hand slowly and you glance down at your fingers as they unlace carefully. "And now that I've offended your boss and begged you to attend a party with me, it's probably time for me to take my leave."

"Or…" you start thoughtlessly and HG cocks an eyebrow at you.

"Or?" She wonders, biting her lip around a smile and you shove your hands into your back pockets nervously.

"You could stay and I could show you our fossil collections." You offer, "We have what is either the bones of a Woolly Mammoth or the remains of a really big cow."

HG laughs a little, the sound trapped in her chest and it rattles around in your head. "Consider me intrigued."

Claudia Donovan is the smartest person you've ever met. Like, you're sure her brain is at least three or four times the size of a normal humans, probably ten or twelve times the size of Pete's.

Claudia is also eleven years old.

She's the product of parents that work too much, a brilliant mind and way too much time on the internet which means she's smarter than everyone else in her age group and has a hard time making friends.

It also means it takes both you and Pete to baby-sit and to keep anyone, specifically Pete, from ending up hogtied in the closet…again.

"Pete, can I paint your toenails?"

She's still an eleven year old girl though.

"Sure. I guess." Pete huffs beside you on the Donovan's dainty, uncomfortable couch and you watch Claudia sit cross legged at Pete's feet, bottle of bright pink nail polish in her hand while a cartoon movie that only Pete is watching blares on the TV.

He'd never admit it, mostly because Claudia has done some epically evil things to him in the past, but Pete's got a huge soft spot for Claudia Donovan.

"So…" You start, watching Claudia frown and gag as Pete toes off his shoes then his socks revealing troll toes. "Guess who showed up at the museum after school."

You watch Pete's face get all guilty before he says "Who?"

"You know who!" You grunt, punching him in the shoulder hard and he only winces like he expected it. "HG, that's who! You sold me out for a cookie!"

"It was a snickerdoodle." Pete bites out, rubbing his shoulder and grinning down at Claudia who laughs brightly. "Totally worth it."

"Who's HG?" Claudia wonders, smearing ridiculous pink paint on Pete's hairy big toe.

"This smoking hot crumpet from across the pond." Pete sighs dreamily. "She wanted to know where she could find you and I told her that you were probably at the museum cleaning chicken bones and trying to pass them off as Dodo bird fossils or something. What did she want? What did she say about me? What was she wearing?"

You roll your eyes, nudging Claudia in the hip playfully with toe of your shoe when she murmurs. "Raphus cucullatus."

"She just wanted to know if I was going to your stupid party." You say casually even though you can feel your face getting hot.

"And?" Pete questions, bushy eyebrows quirking together and you sigh, glancing down as Claudia brushes more polish on his toes.

"I promised her I'd think about it." You finally mutter and Pete jumps to his feet, making Claudia yelp and fumble her little bottle of polish while predictably Pete begins shaking his butt all around the living room.

"Why is this happening?" Claudia squawks, covering her eyes.

"Because! An 'I'll think about it' from Myka is like an RSVP from anyone else and you know what that means?" He shouts, reaching down to pull Claudia to her feet and she goes gleefully. "It means me and Mykes gonna get our party on."

"Mykes and I…" You correct, trying not to grin as Pete swings Claudia around the room.