Chapter Two: A New Beginning...Sort Of

Rusty's POV:

I had two cuts on my face and six on my leg. Stephanie had three cuts on her face and four on her leg.

Me and Stephanie were sitting in the office, waiting for the nurse to get here. I was cool with the cuts, people would think I had gotten into a fight, and they'd think I'm cool. But Stephanie seemed mortified, especially when her friend came in and personally told her how bad she looked. But in all honesty she didn't look that bad. She certainly had changed since she was seven and I was nine.

I did feel kinda bad for all the pranks I pulled on them back then. That was seven years ago.

"So..." I said, kind of awkwardly. "How've you been?

She looked at me for the first time since I had hit her. She had one cut on her forehead and two on her cheek.

"I was fine until you hit me." She said bitterly. Same ol' Steph.

"It's not like I did it on purpose."

"You could have been paying attention."

"You distracted me!"

"How did I distract you?"

"Can you really concentrate when you see the person who sexually harrassed you seven years ago?"

Stephanie turns to me, looking shocked. "I did not sexually harrass you! Where did you get that from?"

"You kissed me against my will." I said with a smirk.

"You were going to anyway. I only did that to annoy you, anyway."

Just then Danny walked in. "Stephanie!" He said, coming over. "Are you okay?" He was obviously worried. Then he noticed me.

"Rusty?" He said.

"Hello, , it's been awhile, hasn't it?" I said pleasantly.

He's obviously still in shock.

"Stephanie, what happened?" He asked her.

"Rusty hit me with his bike."

"It was an accident." I mumbled.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, Dad. I really didn't need you to come, you know." Stephanie sounds annoyed. It's kind of funny.

"Rusty, is your mom coming also?" Danny asked me.

"No. She's in New York. She's staying there for six months." I said.

Danny looks relieved. They had a nasty break-up, from what I understood. My mom called Danny some really bad things.

The nurse gets here, and she calls me in. After she puts some ointment and bandages on my knee, she lets me go. Danny's already left. Stephanie goes in then, and I head to class. But for some reason I just can't get Stephanie put of my mind.

This goes on all through the morning until lunch. I'm not much of a loner anymore. I have a friend named Gregory. But he has a different lunch then me.

After I get my lunch, which I can't quite identify, I look for a table to sit in. All the tables look full, but then I see Stephanie sitting all alone, and I decide, Why not?

I go over and sit down like nothing. Stephanie looks up.

"Why are you here?"

"Hello to you, too." I said cheerfully, picking up my cookie and taking a bite out of it.

"Rusty, look, we hated each other. I hated you, you hated me. Apparently, I sexually harassed you. So no offense or anything, but get lost."

"That's not a nice way to treat an old friend!" I said, acting offended. "And as a matter of fact, I never hated you."

"Oh, yes you did!"

"I did not! Michelle, I hated. DJ, I wasn't so fond of. You, I was annoyed by. And it seems I still am."

"I was seven!"

"Can't we start over?" I asked her, genuinely meaning it. "Can't we act like we never knew each other and I never did all those things to you?"

"Can we pretend I never kissed you?" She asked.

I smile. "Okay."

"Well, then, I guess." She sounded uncertain.

"Hello, I'm Rusty Regan." I said, holded my hand out.

"Stephanie Tanner." She said, shaking my hand.

We were off to a good start.