The next morning I wake up well before Al, since he'll be asleep way into the morning and maybe the afternoon. I sit at the desk on my side of the room and pull out some paper. I can use the sunlight to see my paper. I brainstorm ideas on how I can get Ivan to at least notice me.

Quite a while later, I put my pencil down and sigh, though not a sound comes out. I hear movement from behind me, and a yawn, "Oh hey Mat, you're up early."

I try to say, "No, you're just late," but get frustrated when I don't make a sound.

"Whatcha doin?" He peers over my shoulder. I quickly cover my paper up with my arms. "So secretive, I bet it's a love letter or something!"

I crumple up my ideas and toss them into the garbage. Alfred sticks his tongue out, "Fine, be that way. Hey, wanna go out for breakfast? My treat."

I nod eagerly, glad that our Saturday tradition still holds, and get dressed.

"Where would you like to go?" Alfred asks redundantly, pulling on his boots.

I look at him with the 'what do you think?' look and he says, "Okay, okay, I get it. IHOP, right?" I nod, "Man, what's with you? You haven't said a word since last night, it's kinda freaky!"

I shrug and grab my hoodie, and a room key. Alfred and I walk to his car and he drives us to IHOP. We get seated and I suddenly remember that I have to order.

"My name is Kelly and I'll be your server this morning. What can I get you to drink?" The waitress asks politely.

"I would like a Coca-Cola, and Matthew wants milk." Al says, saving my butt.

Kelly nods and walks away. I take a deep breath and let it out soundlessly.

"I saved you this time," Alfred says, pulling my menu away from me (I wasn't really looking at it), "but you have to order your own food. I couldn't possibly know what's going on inside your head, but you've chosen to be completely silent." I nod, hoping he'll buy his own story. "That's what I thought. Maybe it's something new you're trying? Maybe you can get Ivan's attention by not being there vocally?"

Are you joking? Ivan doesn't know I exist anyway! He wouldn't even realize I'd gone silent…

Alfred snaps his fingers in my face, "Earth to Matthew, come in Matthew?"

I roll my eyes at him.

"Dude, I asked you a question!" I give him a surprised look, which makes him sigh, "Why have you just nw decided to get him to notice you?"

I just blink, completely unable to answer.

"Oh yeah, the 'silent game' and all that. So we're going to play 20 Questions no?"

I nod and hold up a finger.

"Did that really count?" I hold up another finger, "Are you serious?" I nod, smiling, and hold up my third finger. Alfred sighs in frustration, "Okay, okay. Um… are you trying to get him to notice you?" Yes. "Do you think he mighta noticed you already?" No, I shake my head, "Have you had a crush on him for a long time?" After a moment, I nod. "One year?" No.

Just then Kelly walks up, "Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, we are. I would like a burger. Mat wants the usual."

"The what?"

"The people in the kitchen will know. We come here a lot, you must be new."

Kelly leaves flustered. Alfred turns to me and continues his questioning. "Two years?" No. "Three years?" No. "Four years?" No, but you're close. "Ten years?" I mentally face-palm but shake my head, that's his tenth question.

"Am I at least getting closer?" No. "Eleven years?" Now that's ridiculous. "Was that too high?" I nod and Alfred pauses to think, "Nine years?" No. "Eight years?" I face-palm now. "Six years?" I nod and smell food approaching. As Kelly puts our food down, Alfred asks, "For that long?" I nod and mouth 'thank you' to Kelly.

Alfred takes a moment to piece everything together, since he only has three questions left.

"Mat, do you want help getting him to notice you?" I almost choke and start coughing, shaking my head vigorously. "Why not?" Alfred asks as I recover, "Wait! That doesn't count!" I smirk and nod, yes, it does. We eat for a while in silence, so that Alfred can think of his last question. As Alfred pays the bill (I leave the tip), he says, "Okay, I've got my last question."

I look at him expectantly as we get in the car. "My final question is: do you love him?"

… I blush heavily and look away from Alfred, hoping he didn't see.

"So you do!"

I clench my hands into fists, my nails biting into my palms, and wish I could say something.

"Mattie, I think it's cute! You're first love!" Yeah, but he doesn't love me back… I think to myself.

"I remember when Kiku and I were like that, except he liked me first. All you have to do is get out there and be yourself. I'm sure Ivan will like you. And when I say be yourself, I don't mean that shy little quiet cotton ball you are around others. I'm talking about that crazy, screaming, hockey-loving Canadian you turn into when we visit family."

That's weird, he usually calls me American… I look at him warily. "What?" He asks, glancing over. "I know that you turn into someone else around others."

I shake my head in total denial. "You don't? But you act different." I shake my head again. Alfred looks at me like I've gone mad. I think for a moment. In public, I'm quiet, reserved, shy, and invisible. If you turn on a hockey game when I'm around my family, I go crazy. Especially if Al's trying to make me feel at home and has purchased various maple treats. I get especially wild when we visit grandma in Canada, where I'm aloud to drink her assortment of maple vodkas. Yeah, I do act different… I nod at Alfred, admitting defeat.

"See?" He says, "And I think Ivan would love the real you." I look at him hopefully. "Believe me." He stops the car. Without paying attention, I get out and close the door. I hear it lock and look behind me. Al roles down the window, "Good luck!" Then he drives off.

I try to chase hi, but he's gone. I look at the building Al dropped me at, and recognize it as a school building. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which on it is, or where I am even.

Rather than wonder around the huge campus aimlessly, I walk (hesitantly) into the building. I know now that this is the lounge area of a dormitory, and there are people sitting around watching TV. They all turn to stare at me. NO!

My breath quickens along with my heartbeat. In my panic, I don't recognize anyone That is, until Ivan stands up, "Matvey?"

If I could make noise, I would have squeaked. "Are you lost?" Ivan asks, walking over to me. He knows I exist! He's looking into my eyes in concern. For a moment, my world freezes. I am lost in his beautiful violet eyes. I snap back to the present and look away, nodding in embarrassment.

"Would you like me to walk you back to the freshman dorm?"

Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! I nod in absence of speech, and barely dare to breathe.

Ivan opens the door for me, waving goodbye to his friends, who hardly acknowledge him. When we get outside, he sighs. I want to ask him what's wrong, but for obvious reasons, I am unable to do so. Instead, I look at him in question.

"I am glad you wondered in. I wasn't sure how to leave without making them hate me more. They are not really my friends, in fact most of them either hate me or fear me. But you don't, do you?" He looks over at me.

I quickly look away and shake my head. No, I really like you!

"Are you okay?" I nod. "Is your voice broken? Or are you scared?"

I shake my head furiously, I'm not scared of you!

"That makes me happy. At least there's one person at this school who likes me."

You have no idea… I spot a guy jogging up ahead and see him move to the side of the path so he won't run into us. I think I'm safe, but he suddenly crashes into me. He probably didn't see me. I'm knocked to the ground, and he falls along with me.

"Whoa, sorry!" He stands up and turns to Ivan, "Didn't see you there."

Yep, he didn't see me. I stay on the ground, my moment alone with Ivan ruined and also, my head hurts.

"You did not see me?" Ivan asks.

"No, sorry dude."

"What about Matvey? Did you see him?"

"Who?"

Although he smiles, I don't think Ivan's happy, "The person you ran into." He holds a hand out for me and helps me up. "Are you okay Matvey?"

I nod, rubbing the back of my head.

"Oh, hey. Sorry, I really didn't see you." The jogger says. It's fine… I think to myself.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings." An aura grows around Ivan, and his voice holds a threat.

"I said I was sorry!"

Before Ivan can do anything, I grab the arm of his coat in a 'let's go' gesture. He turns sharply away from the jogger and we start walking. The jogger continues his job.

As I step down on my left foot, I stumble. I would cry out in pain if it weren't for the demon's curse. Ivan catches me, "Are you okay?"

I shake my head and bend to rub my ankle.

"Did you hurt your ankle when that idiot knocked you down?" I nod, wincing in pain as I try to put weight on it.

"When we get back we can take care of it." How are we going to get home? I ask myself. My silent question is answered as Ivan puts an arm around my waist and lifts me arm across his shoulders. I find it extremely hard to breathe due to the closeness of Ivan.

Not too much later we arrive at the freshman dormitory. A lot of the freshman are gone, probably away at parties or parents' houses.

"Where is your room?" Ivan asks. I point up the stairs. How are we going to get up like this? "Matvey, hold on tight." What? Ivan picks me up and carries me bridal style up the stairs. Oh my goodness! This is more than I ever could've hoped for! "Which way now?"

I point down the hall and stop him when we get to my door. Ivan puts me down and I fumble for my key and, unlocking the door, Ivan helps me in.

"I will be right back." He leaves and I go over to my bed. I sit down and rub my ankle, so glad that Ivan helped me home. I lean against the wall, put pain shoots through my body and I remember that I hit my head as well.

Ivan returns a few minutes later with a couple bags of ice and gives me one, "For your head." He says, kneeling down to attend my foot.

"People are stupid." Ivan mutters. "Oh, except you. You're not stupid."

I smile a little, that's nice to know. He actually knows I exist, which is not what I was expecting.

"Okay, I think you should be okay now. It is compressed and iced. I think the only thing you can do now is to elevate it." Ivan puts a hand up on the bed and stands up. For a moment he pauses, his face inches from mine. I hold my breath in anticipation, knowing that nothing's going to happen. Ivan stays posed over me, so close and yet so far. I dare to take a breath and allow myself to breathe his air.

Ivan finally gathers his senses and backs up a little, standing up straight. "Where is Alfred?" He knows I live with Alfred?! I shrug to Ivan.

"Do you not want to talk to me?" I give him a confused look upon his question. "You have not said a word to me. I know you are shy, but you are not this quiet." I put a hand to my throat without really thinking. "You cannot speak?" Ivan gets a slightly worried look. I shake my head. "Oh, sorry, I did not know."

I shake my head again as if to say, 'No, it's okay.'

"Is there anything I can do for you to make it easier?" No. "When did this happen?"

I hobble over to my desk, not letting Ivan help me. I get a piece of paper and write: 'I woke up like this.'

"How did it happen?"

'I don't know.' I don't like lying, but I can't tell him the truth.

"Are you sure that I cannot do anything?"

'No.' "Could I stay here and keep you company until Alfred gets back?"

I pause to reign in my excitement and write as calmly as possible, 'That would be okay. Please stay.' Oops! I meant to write 'feel free to stay.'

Ivan laughs as I attempt to cover up my mistake, and the warm sound makes me blush a little in embarrassment. "Does Matvey like it when I'm around?"

My hand is shaking too badly to reply, because I'm too scared I'll do something wrong. "I enjoy being around Matvey too." My hand finally listens to me and scribbles 'What?'

"Does it really surprise you that much that the two most disliked people in the whole school would be friends?"

'Disliked?'

"Well, you're invisible, and I am an outcast. I would say that not many people like us."

'I like you…' I write slowly, not daring to look at him.

Ivan reads it, "I like you too, Matvey. Perhaps we could be friends?"

Could we maybe be more than friends? I ask him silently, mentally. On paper I write, 'I would like that,' and smile up at him.

Ivan goes home around three that evening, so I sit at my desk and make up my miniature checklist called 'How to Get Ivan to Love Me'.

My list looks like this:

How to Get Ivan to Love Me

1. Get him to notice me

2. Hang out together (a lot)

3. Get him to like me

4. Get him to ask me to be his boyfriend

5. Get him to love me

6. Complete by end of the month (17 days)

I check off number one. Number two seems easy enough, I think… it's the rest of them that I'll have trouble with. What I don't write is 'Make him say it'.

Little Author's Note:

I know this chapter is a little longer than the first one, but it's pretty much just one day. I don't think any of the rest of them will be this long, but I make no promises. Feel free to leave a review, those are always appreciated but not mandatory (it's not like I can FORCE you to leave one... or can I? JK)

Thanks for reading, it means a lot to me that you took time out of your day to read what I wrote. ^_^