This took a little longer to get up, but here it is. Enjoy!

"Getting up early to walk over here before school, was so worth it." I confess to Clare as we walk hand in hand down the street toards the school.

"Do you mean that, I mean really mean that?" she asks me, shifting her blue eyes up to look at me.

"Yeah, I really do. Whatever it takes, I will make you see," I smile down at her and notice her lips curl up in the corners, too. We approach school property, as a long vintage car drives past, music blasting.

"Oh, that's Eli," Clare says nodding towards the car, i look up and sure enough the dark new kid is half way pulled into a spot, waiting for a few kids to move out of the way.

"He's kind of weird, don't you think?" I ask looking away from the car.

"He's different," Clare says looking up at me again.

"You can say that again," i roll my eyes.

"Different isn't always a bad thing, he's my english partner," she explains to me.

"Don't look now, but that," I point towards Eli, he is out of the hearse with Adam, quickly closing the small distance between him and three other guys. "doesn't look good." she looks over, her eyes fill with a sort of fear.

"We have to do something," she spins towards me, rushing the words from her glossed lips. I watch the scene for a moment more, finally realizing that two of the other three people are Mark Fitzgerald and Owen Milligan.

"K.C." Clare yells grabbing hold of the right arm and pulling me close to her, when Fitz takes a swing at Adam, Eli catches his hand and says something to him. I put my arm around her.

"It's ok," I tell her, I see Simpson walking up the stairs towards the main doors to the school. "Simpson," I call out, he approaches.

"What's up K.C.?" he asks, Clare looks at him with glossed over eyes. "What's wrong?" he asks quickly.

"There seems to be some dissagreement over in the parking lot," I point.

"Thank you, K.C.," he stalks over to them quickly.

"Hey, it's ok," I pull her into a tight hug and watch the fight start before it could really begin. I let her go and pull her hand to the doors. We head off to our lockers that are only a few away.

"Thanks for doing that," she shuts her locker.

"It's why I'm here," I take her books from her and walk her to class. Eli, looking pissed, walks pasted bumping elbows with me. "Here, take your books, and a kiss, now go to class, I'll see you after lunch," I kiss her after giving her, her books. She walks in after Eli.

"Hey," she says to him sitting down behine him, he looks around at her over his shoulder, turning back. "Eli," she leans forward a bit, again, he ignores her. I walk away towards me class, secretly glad he isn't talking to her.

"Ok, so you said you wanted to hang out," Clare says to me, bringing a smile to my face.

"I do, and we will. Want to go to The Dot for coffee?" I ask.

"Ok," she nods. We walk there and find a table. I take note that she is unusually quiet.

"You've hardly said anything since we left school," I mention, she bites her lip and shifts her eyes up from her coffee.

"Ever had someone ma at you, and not know why?" she puts her chin on her hand, and stirs her coffee with the other.

"Not that I can really recall," I answer, then pause, "Is this about the new kid?" I ask, knowing its bold and risky.

"Yeah, he won't talk to me. I took one look at my story in english today and drew a huge "X" on it and handed it back," she vents to me.

"Who cares about him, I'm sure your story was great and he was just jealous." I comfort and compliment in one line. The bell on the door rings, I look over my shoulder.

"His story was great," she looks up. "Speak of the devil, can we go?" she asks, I nod and lead the way. Not a breath taken is missed by Eli.

I lost myself a bit in my other story. I started caring too much about what people thought.

So even if only one person were to be reading this, I'm writing it for me too.

But I'm glad more than one person is reading :)