2) He must have a 3.6 GPA or above.

A GPA of 3.6? I sat on the edge of my bed, playing with the edges of the paper. Leave it to Ally to be very specific about a guys GPA. She just had to go for smart guys. I mentally went over my recent grades. I was certainly no Einstein, but I know I wasn't dumb either. Lets see...I have 2 A's, 2 B's, and...

My heart felt a little tug.

And 3 C's.

It honestly wasn't my fault! Physics and math, I guess I could see why, those were never my best subjects.

But Ms. Starnes was out to get me. I mean, who knows what the word Hamartia means. Or why you need prepositions. I can hear her yelling at me to never end a sentence in a preposition. To that, Ms. Starnes, I would like to tell you to off fuck.

I thumped back onto my bed, looking at the bland ceiling with weird ridges and bumps. My GPA on my last report card was a 3.3, something I was very proud of. I remember running to Ally at her locker jumping up and down, extremely happy that I didn't fail anything. She was just laughing at me, tucking away her perfect grades.

That stupid smile. I shut my eyes. I couldn't get her out of my bed. Why, oh why? Lately, she's been on my mind even more so. I blame her new...deodorant. It's intoxicating I tell you. I need to stop. I'm starting to sound like that lovestruck fool from that movie, Tears in My Heart.

"And then Lavender ended up marrying Jason. Oh, my poor heart." I wailed to myself. It wasn't fair, Jason was a douchebag. Lavender belonged with James! I watched it with Dez just last weekend and I may or may not have had my eyes sweating. Don't tell Ally.

I heard a knock on my door.

"Uh...sweetheart? I heard you say something about...a Lavender?" My mother creeped in nervously. I face palmed. She was basically checking in on me to make sure my sanity hasn't been lost.

Too late, mom.

"Yes, mom. I swear I'm fine. Just a little frustrated." I answered, getting up now. I discreetly tried hiding the list underneath my pillow. But this was real life. My mom eyed the pillow.

"What's that?" She interrogated, crossing the room.

"Nothing, mom. I swear." I defended the pillow. She would never let me live this down, considering she managed to scrapbook every moment of my life. And I mean every moment. The worse part is she shows Ally most of them. I will never be able to forget her look when she saw a picture of me eating dirt. Naked. I shuddered.

Her taking this list and adding it to a scrapbook, then showing Ally, would cause a series of unfortunate events. Not to mention multiple glares and punches from Ally for taking it from her songbook. She's tiny, but those rings that she wears spells danger. And fear.

"Austin Monica Moon, I swear if you're hiding those playboy magazines that I find in your nightstand—"

"Mom!"

"—Or porn, or condoms, or worse, a picture of Ally—"

"MOM." My face was now bright red, my mouth wide open in disbelief. I can't even believe she would think that I would do that with a picture of Ally!

"—Then God help me so. I would at least think that you have the audacity to lock the door, or be a real gentleman and do it in the bathroom!" My mother finished. I gaped at her.

"Mom! Do you really think that I would do that?" I asked. She raised her eyebrow.

"Well I did see those magazines in your nightstand, alongside with—"

"Mother. Oh my god, stop going through my stuff!" I begged. She just shook her head and said, "Sorry sweetheart, it's hard not to. Come on, 'checking your email'? No one checks their email with the door locked, honey."

I groaned. Could this conversation get any worse?

"I mean, your father's mother told me that when he was younger, he was always 'blow drying' his hair."

Yes. The answer to my previous question is yes. I put my pillow over my head, hoping to drown out this disturbing conversation with my mom, or smother myself to death. Whichever one was faster.

"Are you going to tell my what you're hiding now?" She questioned in the Mother voice. I weighted my options. I could hide it and ignore her, which would result in only 1 pancake in the morning and her thinking that I check my email with the door unlocked and with a picture of Ally. Or I could tell her the truth and hope she has mercy on me. I got up and leaned against my headboard.

"I...well. Mom, what's my GPA?" I questioned, in hopes that she would forget everything previously. She gave me a confused look. "Your GPA?"

I nodded expectantly.

"Well, first term, your GPA was a 3.5. Second term, it was a 3.2, and third term it was a 3.3. The cumulative would probably be in the range between 3.35 to 3.45." She responded automatically. There is no way that's a 3.6. She immediately followed it up with a "Why?"

"I need a 3.6." I said, a little hopeless now. Mom furrowed her eyebrows, then brightened up. All traces of our previous conversation vanished.

"Oh, that's great that you want to do better, sweetheart! But why the sudden need to do better in school? Where was this motivation, say, 3 years ago?" She asked dryly. I swallowed. What was this sudden need to do better. Do I tell her Ally was my motivation?

"It's just that Ally does so well in school. And Trish barely tries, but she manages to do well too. And Dez, even he's getting by with a 3.55!" I explained. I mean, I sort of told the truth. Kinda.

Not really.

"Ally's your motivation?" She questioned, a knowing smile crept on her face. The blush crept up my neck. She managed to get that out of that?

"Uh, yeah. I guess." I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Oh, that's fantastic sweetie. I always knew Ally was a good influence the moment I met her . It won't be long until she's my daughter-in-law, too. I'm gonna head to bed, study your heart away. Or, check your email." She exclaimed.

"Mom!"

She winked and closed the door. Well, I managed to dodge that really well. Wait, daughter-in-law? Does she honestly think that I would get married to Ally? Then I pictured Ally floating down the aisle in a flowing white dress. My heart fluttered at the thought. But I first need to be the guy she wants. And that means a whole lot of studying. I took the piece of paper from under my pillow and folded it. I got up and put it in the drawer of my desk. Not my nightstand. I learned that the hard way.

That next morning, I got only 1 pancake for breakfast. Huh. I guess mom didn't forget out conversation...

The next couple of weeks, I haven't properly hung out with any of my friends. I mean sure, I would see them at Sonic Boom and in the halls. But we haven't truly gone out.

"What's up with you man? All you do now is go home and study. Even Jimmy is starting to worry." Dez asked me one day at my house. I was in my room studying prepositions.

That one is just for you, Ms. Starnes, you colossal nugget. There's a reason why you're single.

"I'm just studying. Trying to get that 3.6." I muttered, jotting down some ideas. Dez jumped on my bed.

"Dude. You haven't been spending time with any of us lately. And it's Friday. Ally's also really worried about you." He replied. My head shot up at the mention of Ally.

"She's worried about me?" I asked giddily. She was worried about me! I smiled inwardly. Dez rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded awfully like "You two are so blind." I gave him a questioning look and he simply shrugged.

"Dude. I think the whole cologne-smelling-good debacle was an omen telling you that you should just give up." Dez explained, playing with a yo-yo from his bag. I looked at him incredulously. Give up?

"Giving up isn't in my extensive vocabulary." I said, snapping down to get back to work. I looked back up. "Did you know hamartia means a tragic hero's fatal flaw?"

"It seems like your fatal flaw is you're stubborn like a mule in the Sahara without a friend." Dez muttered. That didn't even make sense...
"Mules are hybrids between a horse and a donkey mating." I responded, feeling happy I could share this newly learned fact.

And that was how we spent two hours talking about mules and spacemules and who would win in a war between Ewoks and Spacemules. By the end of the argument, I realized I did miss talking to Dez.

I looked at the time.

"Dude! I need to get back to work." He sighed and relented.
"Well, I got to hang out with my friend for two hours at least. And give Ally a call, you're giving her a heart attack." Dez said before leaving. I looked at the time again. It was 11:38. Should I call her? Would she be sleeping? I resorted to texting.

11:38, To Ally D.
From Austin M.
Hey, you still awake?

11:39, To Austin M.
From Ally D.
Yeah, can I call? I was worried about you!

11:41 To Ally D.
From Austin M.
I think a phone date has been long overdue.

She picked up on the first ring.

"Hey." She said softly. It now struck me that I haven't heard her voice in the past two weeks.

"Hey." I said right back. I smiled softly. I really haven't heard from any of my friends. I missed Trish and Dez's bickering and Ally's singing around the store. I shook my head. That's crazy, it's not like it's been months since I've seen them.

"So where have you been, Mr. Moon?" I could tell even at this time she was smiling.

"Mr. Moon has been studying his butt off." I chimed. I heard her chuckle.

"Studying? Aus, finals aren't for a while. You know that." She did have a point. I sighed, suddenly feeling very exhausted.

"I know, I just think that I should buckle down. Start focusing on my grades." I replied. Even over the phone I could see her shaking her head.

"You're such a loser, Moon. Even I don't study every waking hour." She teased.

"Oh really?" I shifted the phone. "Tell me what I've missed. Are Trish and Dez getting married? Is Nelson the president? Did your dad hire new workers? Are we ever going to be living on the moon?" I questioned her, hearing her laugh. "So update me on the life of Ms. Dawson."

We spent a couple of more hours talking about everything and nothing at all. Soon, our voices got softer and there were longer pauses in the conversation. Somewhere during the conversation, I ended up on my bed. The clock beamed 1:47. I missed talking to Ally, it was like inhaling something fresh. It was like...it was like peeing after holding it in for a really long time. I shook my head. I'm never telling her that.

There was a really long pause and I assumed Ally fell asleep.

"Hey...Aus?" I heard her mumble, cutting the silence.

"Yeah?" I asked. Another slight pause.

"I really missed you." She murmured in a sleepy voice. I realized that my absence didn't just affect me.

"I missed you too." I said back quietly. There was a comfortable silence and eventually, her breathing evened out. Maybe studying 24/7 isn't the greatest idea when I don't get to see Ally. Or Trish and Dez. Yeah. Them too.

I stayed on the line, listening to her rhythmic breathing over the phone. I smiled slightly and fell asleep sometime later.