Woo. Here's the second chapter. I don't know why but I find it insanely hard to write the second chapter of a story. The first is easy - it can be anything you want. The second however, I don't know, it's just hard. For me it is anyway. So, I hope this is good enough :)

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed/alerted/favourited. I'm actually really happy with the response I got so thanks again.

Chapter Two

Kim's POV

Jared never moved from his frozen position during the whole class. He was starting relentlessly at the board – giving it way too much attention. Just like everyone was doing to him. The whispers were still fluttering around the room even after Miss Atkins had shushed us all more than enough times. I could tell she was beginning to get annoyed but it was nowhere near the intensity of Jared's sudden anger. In the corner of my eyes I could see Jared shuddering slightly – as if he was cold, although the room was a normal temperature.

Maybe he was still a little sick? I kept asking myself. Maybe I should ask him if he's okay. No, I couldn't do that. He doesn't have a clue who I am. I bet he doesn't even know my name. That wouldn't surprise me. We've been around each other for pretty much our whole lives but would it be too much to ask of him to simply know my name? I mean, it wasn't like I didn't know so much more about him. Like the fact he has a younger sister who is thirteen called Katie, or the fact his parents divorced when he was twelve and he never see's his dad anymore.

I let out an angry huff of air but unfortunately it alerted people close to me. Including him. His eyes flittered to mine, momentarily bored until they shifted with a sudden intensity. The dark brown of his eyes lit up as they bore into my own. I light blush fell over my cheeks as he stared, his mouth slightly agape but yet I couldn't look away from him.

"Jared! Kim!" A voice broke through our trance. I looked forward and couldn't help the onslaught of heat that attacked my face. I had yet again been called out on my staring. Only, this time it was a two way thing, but why? For some reason when Jared had looked at me his worrisome expression had vanished and placed with a one I couldn't describe.

"Jared!" Miss Atkins called out again. I looked over only to see him still staring at me, only this time holding a goofy grin. His eyes sparkled as I met them again but I quickly looked away blushing. This was totally unusual for Jared; he never even glanced my way before. In fact, I still stand strong on my theory that he didn't even know I existed. "Mr. Warner, if you'd please!" the teacher sighed exasperated at Jared's persistence. My eyes were trained on my notebook, staring mindlessly at the notes I'd taken, desperate for Jared to just turn his head away. I didn't like attention.

I cringed slightly as the loud ringing of the bell sounded breaking me from my trance. I didn't look Jared's way as I began slowly packing my things away no matter how much I wanted too. Could he have just been happy that I was the only one not talking about him? My mind tried to rationalize the situation. However, the one thing that stuck in my mind was the intensity of his stare. There was definitely something going on with him and I couldn't help but think that maybe some of the rumours were true. Maybe Jared had been on a variation of drugs and they had messed with his mind slightly because why else would he have looked at me like that. Almost mirroring the obsessive way I looked at him.

"Come on, Kim," Jennifer groaned. I only then noticed she was standing next to me. Her bag slung over her shoulder with an impatient expression. She probably knew why I was taking so long after having just witnessed only another embarrassing episode involving myself and Jared. She knew my mind would be going in overdrive now, trying desperately to make sense of everything but then again, I was prone to over think things. There probably was a perfectly reasonable explanation to all of this and Jared would go back to ignoring me again by tomorrow's class. Back to the way it should be, me staring incessantly and him being completely oblivious.

I looked up at Jennifer again, about to tell her I was ready but instead I was met with her wide eyes as she stared at something behind me. I frowned at her as my head slowly began to turn to look over my shoulder. I gasped slightly at the large build blocking my view. I didn't even need to see the face to know who this was. Nobody in this class had an impressive, mouth-watering build such as his and not to mention his smell. Jared had a distinctive scent that impossibly unique and I was sure if I could bottle it up I would make millions.

"Hi," Jared beamed down at me and just like that, my mind went blank. I gaped up at him, desperately trying to find a response but in my defence, I don't think anyone would be able to react differently in my situation because let's face it, if your crush of well, forever, started talking to you and looked like he'd just won the lottery you'd be pretty speechless too. Hmm, maybe that's it, I thought, maybe's he just won the lottery and as come to brag about it. I know I would if the tables were turned.

"Did you win the lottery?" I blurted out without thinking. My hand instinctively clamped itself over my mouth as I realised what I had said. That's just great. Perfect Kim style. The first actual sentence I've ever managed to get out around Jared ends up being complete nonsense. I'm sure he's never going to talk to me again and I'm going to be branded as the weird girl who makes no sense.

Jared just let out a barking laugh, his eyes sparkling with amusement and adoration? "Uh, not that I recall," he chuckled and just like that I swooned. Now, I know I said I tended to over think things way too much but – even if it's totally allowed in most situations – that one answer made me fall ten times more for Jared. His truly melodic laugh and husky voice all at once was almost too much for me to handle.

"Hey, Kim? I'm hungry, let's go!" Jennifer said impatiently. I shook my head, trying to dispel whatever hold Jared seemed to have over me and looked at Jennifer.

"Huh? Yeah, sorry Jen." I had completely forgotten she was there during Jared and I's exchange and I was sure she'd just experienced Kim Connweller as flustered fool for the first time. I wasn't usual a shy person. Quiet, yes, but not shy. If needed, I could talk to a person mercifully but apparently when it came to Jared that was pretty much none existent. I slung my bag over my shoulder and prepared myself to follow her – not exactly sure what to say to Jared, or if in fact I could say anything to him – when I felt his warm hand gently on my shoulder restraining me from walking.

He was applying no pressure and any normal person would have been able to get away easily but the sheer fact that Jared was touching me, I mean, actually making physical contact willingly, had rendered me motionless. Even I wanted to move, I don't think I could. Jared slowly turned my body until I was facing him again. His face was much more reserved now, almost as if he didn't want me to know what he was feeling unlike before when he was showing every emotion freely.

"I'll see you later, yeah?" he asked. It sounded like he was trying to reassure himself that he'd see me again and I couldn't help but nod weakly. Any hope of voicing my thoughts was out of the question. He smiled brightly again. "Great!"

I blushed and smiled softly before I felt a tug on my arm. Jennifer began to pull me out of the room and it wasn't until we were half way down the hall heading towards the cafeteria that I regained my senses. Although still in a daze from what had just unfolded I was finally able to walk and talk but Jennifer beat me to it. "What the heck just happened?" she asked, shocked.

I was silent for a moment. "I have no idea," I whispered slowly.

We collected our lunch and made our way through the crowds of people towards our usual table. Both Ethan and Laura were already seated due to our rather peculiar hold up. Ethan looked pretty pissed about something Laura was saying to him and again, much to my dismay, their conversation was brought to a halt as Jennifer and I sat down. It had been happening more times than not over the past two weeks and it was really starting to irk the two of us.

"Something you'd like to share?" Jennifer hissed, eyeing her brother speculatively.

Ethan blushed slightly – something you rarely got to see – and shook his head. "No, it doesn't matter." Jennifer nodded her head but still looked a little pissed.

"I got an 'A' for my history report!" Laura said, obviously trying to relieve some of the tension floating between the siblings. I chuckled at her attempt and apparently it was good enough as it set Jennifer back into her normal, chatty self. I was surprised actually that she hadn't brought up the whole situation with Jared. Maybe she'd forgotten? I know I definitely hadn't. I don't think that was something I could forget and it was without a doubt writing it in my diary tonight. The very same diary in which I had scribbled endless notes of 'I love Jared Warner' and 'Kim Warner' and the likes. I know I would possibly die if anyone ever found it. Even my best friends.

It seemed though, while I had zoned out that was not the case. As soon as I heard Jared's name leave Jennifer's mouth my ears pricked up. "... if he'd won the lottery!" I head Laura's snort of laughter. Ethan was mindlessly playing with his fries, obviously trying to zone out the conversation. He'd made it clear many times he didn't approve of Jared and hated it when we talked about him.

"Hey! I had a perfectly good reason to in my mind!" I defended but now that I thought about it, the reason didn't seem so great anymore.

"Yeah? What was it?" Laura asked.

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter anymore." I turned away from her smug look and decided I didn't want to hear this anymore than Ethan did either. The way I had acted was fairly pathetic now that I thought about it and at that moment I swore if the moment ever arose again I would act much more confident around Jared and he wouldn't remember me as the babbling shy girl. Hah! Like that would happen.

I waved goodbye to Laura as I climbed into my truck. She was now officially ungrounded since this morning and had her shiny Ford back. I was happy though because it meant a shorter route home since she lived in the opposite direction. If it was anyone else I would have told them to walk but being the good best friend I am, I gladly became her chauffer – for a lack of a better word – for the last month. And yes, a month, her parents are that strict.

It didn't take long to pull up outside my house. I could see the familiar blue car in the drive way, alerting me that my mom was home early from work. I wasn't sure whether that was a good or bad thing yet. Depending on her mood she could be every child's worst nightmare for a mother or your best friend. I grabbed my bag off the passenger seat and ran through the rain towards the house.

"Mom?" I called out.

Mom came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her old jeans, smiling brightly at me. "Hey, sweetie how was your day?" she asked politely. I shrugged mindlessly, not really wanting to go into the whole Jared fiasco right at that moment. Of course she knew I had a crush, she was my mother, how could she not? But she didn't know the extent of it and gushing about how he said 'hi' to me wouldn't really give of that she had a none-obsessed daughter.

"It was okay, I guess."

"That's good," she smiled, "your dad's working late tonight so I thought I'd just order in some pizza or something, since it's just the two of us?"

"Um, yeah mom sounds great!" I said as I got a whiff off her famous blueberry muffins. Mom noticed my expression and she quickly shook her head.

"Nuh-uh! Not for you, they're for a friend of mine at work, her hamster died," she huffed. I stifled a chuckle.

"So you baked her muffins?" I asked incredulously, not really sure how muffins would help a grown woman mourning a hamster. I mean, I'm sure she could easily go to the store and buy a new one. Not that hard. Then again, I'm sure I'm only saying this because I want some muffin-y goodness!

Mom sighed, shaking her head at me. This time in defiance. "Alright, alright, not the best idea. You can have one."

I beamed at her before skipping passed her and into the kitchen. I plucked a still warm muffin of the plate and then stumbled up the stairs to do some homework. I don't know how long I had been working before until I heard mom call out my name.

"Kim, someone's at the door for you."

I walked warily down the stairs, not really sure who would be there. There was no reason for any of my friends to come and if I was needed they'd probably have called and let's face it, no one else would go out of their way to come see me. I was surprised though when I saw Ethan standing in the open doorway. He had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he looked down at the floor nervously. He looked up at me when he heard my presence.

"Hey Kim, I, uh, I need to tell you something."

Did you like it? I was actually really worried about putting this up because I'm scared you'll think I've turned Kim into a dork but I kind of did it off personal experiences. I wasn't so cool when it came to boys in high school and whenever someone I had a crush on talked to me I would say random things. I'd end up telling them what I had for dinner the night before or something like that. It may not sound bad but imagine it...

Boy: Hey Savannah... can I borrow a...

Me: I had pasta!

Can you see it? Not so cool. So yeah, that's kind of where I got that idea from. :P

So yeah, REVIEW because I let you know what a total dork I was in high school.

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