Okay, no big deal, one awkward moment and the only person on the planet that can make my heart skip a beat and fills me with an unexplainable euphoria has vanished. He wasn't in Gym, according to Gabriella he hadn't been feeling well last night and called in sick today. Grrrrreat, now I've scared him off, I can only hope I didn't drive him to dropping out. It is senior year after all. I managed to convince myself I could avoid him for the rest of my life, especially if he, by chance, transferred to West High to be a Knight.

No such luck, he was back the next day, acting like nothing happened. I was okay with that, ignoring a problem was a million percent better than actually talking about it in my opinion. I walked into the cafeteria and glanced at his table, he caught my eye and smiled. I smiled back, but quickly turned away when Gabriella turned to see what Troy was looking at. I got to my normal table and sat on the table top.

"Ooh nice shoes." Stacey said, she was sitting on the floor and her head was level with my feet.

"Thanks." I smiled at her.

"the (red) converse." Spinner nodded his approval. Spinner is like... the old sage guy that never speaks so when he does everyone listens. I wish I had the kind of power... anyway I smiled at Spinner and pulled a bag of lays out of my bag. I wrinkled my nose and tossed them to Axe who tossed them back.

"Dude, I'm on a diet. My butt is huge." Axe grinned and me and fluttered his eyelashes. I stuck out my tongue and offered them to everyone, they said no.

"Demi!" I looked up to find Troy standing. "Send them this way." Everyone was staring. I blushed bright red and handing them to Axe who lobbed them across the room to Troy. "Thanks!" I held up a thumbs up and willed everyone to go back to what they were doing. I wasn't shy, it was just Troy yelling through the cafeteria, and Gabriella being there and the dream I had last night.

I'm so not going there though.

I grabbed my bag and walked out, heading for the stairs, sitting on the top one and resting my head on the railing. I shouldn't skip lunch, but I hate Lays chips more than... Sharpie. I sighed and got up when the bell rang, time for a wonderful round of Dodgeball, though I had managed to get out fairly quickly. It was just where the teasing was worse.

I was the first one down and there was a paper bag taped to my locker. I ripped it down and tossed it in the trash bin, the kids here really needed to get lives. I got dressed eyeing my legs with a frown as girls poured into the locker room, some stopping to make a gagging noise and laugh.

Did I mention how much I dislike these people? I rolled my eyes and headed for the gym, a few guys were there stretching out. I never bothered to do that, I know, I'll end up with a crap or my leg spontaniously combusting or the millions of other things they say, but I don't stretch like... at all.

Gym is my personal hell.

One thing that can be said for Fridays, I get to sleep in the next day. It's not really something to be said for Friday really, but I feel bad for it. Really Friday doesn't have anymore to offer me than like, a Monday, but whatever. I waved goodbye to Stacey, Axe, Juni and Spinner and headed into the house.

"Can't talk enough homework to choke a goat." I ran through the kitchen and up the stairs to my room, dropping my bag in my bubble chair, yeah the big plastic hanging chairs. It had been my brother's idea, I was convinced it was going to break everytime I sat in it, even with the strong chain holding it and my ceiling wasn't the crappy popcorn and plaster stuff. I was still afraid everytime I sat in it.

I waited to see if it was going to crumple under the weight of my Calc and Chem books and when it didn't bring the ceiling down I went to get my computer. It was on the floor, attached to the cord. I unplugged it, yanking the other end out of the wall, and went to my desk, unfolding it.

"Let us see what is going on in the world." I muttered as my homepage loaded. It was just MSNBC, I like to keep updated and I glance over the stories whenever I open my internet.

"No! Over there!" I turned to my window and got up, walking over there to find Gabriella with Mrs Bolton and Mr. Bolton, who was carrying a table with a heavy looking sound system on it. I opened I part of my window, okay, there's like latches everywhere because parts of the window open, but not the whole thing at once, I don't know why, but anyway, I opened a few of them so I could hear some of the conversation.

"This will be the best birthday party Troy's ever had Gabriella." Mrs. Bolton gushed as they set stuff up. I watched and after a moment went back to my computer. It was Troy's birthday? I opened my e-mail and double clicked his name,he had given me his e-mail for the drama project, but I figure he wouldn't mind. I added his birthday to his information and clicked 'New'

To: b-ballboytroy
From: demicon5

HAPPY BIRTHDAY B-BALLBOY! Have a good one, hope your day's the Aces

Reese peace out

Demi-bear

I clicked Send before I could delete the -bear part and grabbed my Calc book from the swinging chair of Doom. As the night wore on cars drove into the Bolton's driveway and at about six thirty there was a collective 'Surprise!' and a very happy Troy. I finished my Chemistry homework and sighed. I had run out of distractions and had to let the thoughts creep into my mind. Gabriella didn't invite me to a party for someone I consider a friend. Either I'm paranoid or she know I'm hot for her boyfriend. I got up and went to the window, looking down. I saw Troy pull out his phone and he looked up at my window. My eyes widened and I quickly dove across to my matteress, hoping I didn't look at pathetic and sad as I think I did.

I stood and went to my metal shelf of books and grabbed one at random. I hadn't been to a bookstore lately and every book I owned I had read before. I flopped onto my matteress and opened Flowers in the Attic. I had barely gotten past the first chapter when there was a knock at my door.

"Come in." I figured it was Leon or my parents so I didn't bother to look up or fix my shirt which had ridden up enough to show my ribs.

"Hey." I jumped about fifty feet in the air and looked up at Troy.

"Umm... h-hi." I studdered, sitting up. "Shouldn't you be at your party?" I asked.

"Shouldn't you be at my party?" He countered. I shook my head in the negitive. "Why not?" He frowned.

"Not invited." I shrugged, crossing my legs

"What? Why wouldn't Gabi invite you? I thought she invited all my friends..."

"I don't know, maybe she just forgot me." I shrugged again. "No big deal."

"Yes it is a big deal." Troy nodded, "Come on." He held out a hand, which I automatically took. He pulled me up and, without letting go, led me down the stairs, into my back yard and to the fence.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm inviting you to my party." He showed me how to climb over the wooden fence and I copied, slipping at the top. Troy managed to catch me before I hit the ground, he took it as an oppertunity to grab my wrist and lead me to where Gabriella stood talking to Sharpie and Curly. For the record, I know his name is Chad, I just preferr to call him Curly. "Hey Gabi." Gabriella turned with a big smile, that faltered when she saw me.

"Hey." I tilted my head in hello, my free arm crossed over my stomach.

"Hi Demi." Gabriella forced on a new smile.

"What are you doing here?" Sharpie snapped, glaring at me.

"I was kidnapped and forced here against my will." I glanced at Troy who still had a hold of my wrist. i was at an impass, I didn't want him to let go, I loved the feel of his touch, but I also wanted to run back home and go back to Flowers in the Attic.

"I brought her here. Seems her invite got lost in the mail." Troy raised an eyebrow at Gabriella.

"Oh, probably, hate it when that happens." Gabriella shrugged.

"Didn't you give the invites out by ha-oof!" Curly was cut off by Sharpie elbowing him in the gut.

"Sorry about that Demi, but feel free to have some fun around here." Gabriella smiled.

"Actually no, I think I'm just going to head home." I shook my head. "I'll see you around Troy." I pulled my wrist free.

"Yeah, we're coming over tomorrow for Wii night." Troy nodded.

"Awesome. See ya." I waved and walked around the fence to my house.