Am I the worst person ever? Probably. Let's be real. BUT, here it is.

CHAPTER 19-

Warren had begun wondering if maybe Garwin just had a habit of falling asleep everywhere. He knew she was an early bird and her sleep schedule had her awake at ungodly hours, but he hadn't considered that it also meant she was asleep earlier.

Maggie, apparently, just slept a lot. She went to bed early and woke up late and always wished she'd slept more.

Patterson and Elijah knew all about it and when the second movie had ended they weren't the least bit surprised to see the two of them asleep. It explained why they usually took the couch to themselves at least. They were prepared for it though.

He could only imagine how many times the two of them had fallen asleep cuddled into one another at Patterson's. Enough times to warrant a guest room on the ground floor and specific sides of the bed, he guessed.

Warren had complained that his arm was falling asleep and complained that Garwin needed to stop being such a heathen early riser, but when Patterson carefully picked Maggie up, he'd slid out from under Garwin and did the same with her. A job, it appeared, was normally Patterson's as well.

Elijah had followed, turned down the covers of right side for Maggie and the left side for Garwin and moved across the room to adjust the curtains. Warren had dropped her none-too-gently and smirked when she blindly swung at him. She'd forgotten about him a second later when Maggie curled into her in her sleep.

Will had given him another stupid look when they walked back to the room and Layla had smiled at him in a way that made him nervous, but he'd taken a seat on the couch and waited to see what movie they put on next. He'd talk to Will when he felt like it.

He wasn't exactly pleased with discovering feelings for Garwin and Will would only make it worse.

They'd chosen to go home before another movie could be put on and Warren had been charged with getting them all home, save Will and Layla who'd flown.

When he'd finally gotten home, after various threats of setting everyone on fire, his mother had been going over some work at the kitchen table. But, she'd looked up at him with a suspicious smile and asked him how everyone was. And when he'd given a noncommittal answer, she'd gotten to her point- Garwin.

He'd stormed upstairs in a huff and pretended he hadn't heard her laughing.

They were making it very hard to like her, and she made that hard enough as it was. He'd be much more likely to accept that he liked her if everyone stopped insisting he did. He got it, thanks.

The next morning she was sitting on the steps with the rest of her gang. He was a little amused to see the red from her costume still in her hair. She'd pulled it up, but a few strands had fallen out with the breeze. He tugged on one as a greeting.

"Keeping the color?"

"It wouldn't wash off." She slapped his hand away. "And no pulling, you bully."

Emm was making a solid attempt at keeping physical contact to a minimum. She'd spent all morning being harassed by Elijah and Maggie (who had been asleep so how would she even know if Emm had fallen asleep on Peace, Jesus Christ), and even Dan. She did not need to feed them anything more.

And she'd thought Dan was on her side.

He smirked at her and moved to sit by Will and Layla until the bell rang and they each trudged along to their first classes.

Today would be her last day with Logan, who she had yet to spot. More importantly, it would be Maggie's last day with Dan. The other options Maggie had weren't quite so palatable to Emm (and as far as Emm was concerned, she knew best).

Sure, Maggie could end up with Juliette, or Logan, but none were as good as Dan. Dan was never picked for Save the Citizen, after freezing the entire arena once. There was also the matter of Dan and Maggie very seriously just needing to man up and just kiss or something. Emm wasn't even a romantic and she was dying to bash their faces together.

Before she could say anything else Logan came barreling into her side.

"Emm. Oh Emm. It's our last day as partners." He shook her shoulders for dramatic effect. "And then, we'll never see each other again. It's so sad. So heart breaking."

"And just why in the hell will we never see each other again? Are you leaving school? The country? The planet?" Emm tried to look impatient while still being shaken. She didn't imagine it was particularly effective. "Because I will hunt you down and beat you. I will."

Logan laughed, swung an arm around Maggie, and squeezed them both tight. "No, I know you'll never let me go. You love me too much." He grinned up at Peace in a way that made her nervous. "Plus, Warren said I couldn't get rid of you."

Peace looked away. "I told you, she's like a parasite."

Emm's leg shot out almost of its own accord and kicked him in the shin.

After two partner placements the air in the gym had relaxed considerably. Maggie, Emm noted, seemed completely untroubled. Which she couldn't quite understand given that her best possible match would soon be over.

Still, she sat between Dan and Peace on the aisle above her and discussed the benefits and downsides to life as a rural hero (brought on by the recent adventures of the Hangman) with nary a care. Logan was all but asleep next to Emm.

Emm herself was leaning comfortably back onto Maggie's legs and letting her play with her hair.

When Principle Powers began her speech on how well (or not) they'd been doing so far Emm had the decency to look slightly ashamed about her near fight. She didn't try to cause trouble, honestly, it just happened sometimes. She'd been provoked.

Logan's name was called first out of them, but as he was currently sleeping and completely unaware, there was no reaction to be had from him. They would let him know that Gemma Tate was his new partner.

Dan leaned down and tugged on the back of Emm's hood. "I know you're two for two right now," He said, "But, I don't think the group can handle you adopting anyone else."

Emm scoffed. "Peace was you guys' fault. I take full responsibility for Logan, but I didn't want Peace."

Peace kicked her thigh.

"Juliette Brighton and Emmeline Garwin."

Maggie laughed. "Well, you two are already friends." She said, "Should we start getting used to two ice users?"

"It's not my fault ice users adore me." Emm said, waving at Julliete three rows above them. "but this partnership is going to be a breeze. Principle Powers really stepped up her game since that first time."

Warren kicked her thigh again. "I wasn't thrilled either, Garwin."

Maggie turned to him suddenly. "Oh, I almost forgot." She set her hand on his arm, something he hadn't quite gotten used to. Maggie became incredibly tactile when she was comfortable. "It's not going to be uncomfortable for you if Juliette starts hanging out with us, is it?"

Warren sighed. "We broke up two years ago and we're fine." Maggie smiled warmly. "We have had classes together all this time, you know."

"Plus," Garwin piped in. "I don't really care what Peace is comfortable with." A lie, he knew. "But, Juliette has a steady group of friends already and I'm not taking them all in."

"And Warren Peace."

Like the month before, Patterson turned to fill him in. "Janice Gale. She's your new partner." He pointed a few rows down to the right.

Warren had noticed her before- she was hard to miss with her mass of shockingly blonde curly hair and deep olive skin. He knew nothing about her outside of that.

Garwin let her head slide off Maggie's knee and onto his. "Mild wind abilities, her sister was a hero, graduated last year. That's all I know." She furrowed her brow. "We're always on opposite ends of the classroom."

Maggie laughed and opened her mouth to say something when Patterson's partner was announced to be Katie Lee. They shared a round of satisfied nods before she started again. "That is done, one hundred percent, on purpose."

The three of them looked at her curiously.

She laughed again in her quiet way. "Mr. Boy started keeping you both on opposite ends of the room about three weeks in as a precaution, and everyone followed suit." She said.

"I don't understand. Why?"

"Because you've both got strong personalities."

Warren scoffed. "Is that what we're calling it now? I prefer 'pain in the ass'."

She swung her hand to smack him in the knee, which by her face he assumed hurt her more than him. She muttered something about no one caring what he thought, but he only pulled a tuft of her hair, still red, and started talking to Maggie until they announced her partnership with Robert Stonewall and were let out for their "meet and great".

Ayers had forgone meeting his new partner for sleeping on the steps, much to Garwin's disdain. And she'd already met Juliette years and years ago. Patterson and Maggie were talking to Robert and Katie, who had been partners previously. Which, he assumed, was why Garwin was hovering obnoxiously at his elbow while he looked for Janice Gale.

"If she's anything like me," She said, nudging him with her elbow. "Then she's far too awesome for you. Principle Powers must be trying to make up for your last shitty partner."

He flicked her nose (she swatted his hand away and stepped out of arms reach), but otherwise ignored her.

There was a tap at his shoulder. When he turned he found himself looking at empty hair. Janice, despite the few inches her hair gave her, was a full foot shorter than Warren.

"So I guess we're partners now." She looked him up and down with an appraising eye then glanced to Garwin. "I know you get treated like hot shit, pardon the pun, but I'm not having any of that." She smiled as an afterthought. "Just thought I'd get that out of the way."

Garwin poked her head over his shoulder. "I like her."