Disclaimer: Don't own.

AN: Sorry about the shortness of this one. Well, I'll just stop typing so you all can read the chapter. Hehe, chapter five of Five Minutes to Midnight. Too bad this chapter isn't all that great. Sorry. It's also kind of a filler chapter. :( We hope you guys like it anway...

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Claire had focused all of her attention on the chalky blackboard during class. She refused to spare the self-obsessed jerk to her side another glance, but not before noticing that he had looked a little peeved at her reaction to him. She hastily shook her head, reminding herself that she had already wasted enough brain cells on that thing that sat next to her. As she exited the door, she felt a pair of eyes burning into her back but shrugged it off; it was probably just some Massie-wannabee 'rating' her non designer outfit. She couldn't shake the feeling, so she speed-walked to her red metal locker. In one swift motion, she managed to stuff all of her un-needed books and binders inside her locker while sliding the necessary ones into her Jansport bag. Suddenly, she felt added pressure on her pale face; a pair of hands had covered her blue eyes. She tensed at the touch, but then relaxed when she heard the voice.

"Guess who," a too deep to be natural voice teased. If her eyes hadn't been covered, the fact that she had rolled them would have become obvious.

"Hmm, I wonder," Claire sing-songed as she raised a finger to her chin as if pretending to think. "Could it be Dempsey?"

"Aw, I thought I had you this time," he complained, unable to hide the blooming smile on his face.

"Nice try, Demps," Claire smiled as she started walking. Dempsey followed her in the direction of the exit, placing his hands on her shoulders from behind her and directing her small frame. "Dempsey?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"May I ask you what you're doing?"

"My dear Claire, I was simply trying to escort you off the premises. Is that a problem?" his striking green eyes sparkled with entertainment.

"No, it's not," she sighed as he continued to maneuver her around the masses of students. She stopped randomly and began to look over her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Dempsey gazed over his much taller shoulder to see if anything was worth looking at.

"I don't know, I just feel like someone's watching me, and I thought I heard the Mission Impossible theme song," she paused for a brief moment. "Eh, it's probably nothing. Come on, let's go," she started up her path again. The two walked outside the over-priced school and into the carpool lane. They split up here when Dempsey moved over to the silver Volvo, unlocked the doors, started up the car, and drove away, but not before flailing an arm out the window to wave goodbye to Claire.

She chuckled and shook her head at his childish ways. The time on her watch said fifteen after three, so that meant only about five more minutes until Kristen would get out of gym. The stupid, old coach always released the kids five minutes late, so having to shower and or change, Kristen usually got out of the building around three twentyish.

Right on schedule, a toned, athletic-looking girl scurried out of the school. She searched the lawn, and stopped when her eyes landed on Claire.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hi Kris," Claire gathered up her stuff and began walking with her friend. The two usually walked home together- it was a time to catch up and talk.

"Let's pick up the pace on our walk home, 'kay? We have that bio worksheet and I need to finish my AP English essay," the dirty blonde rambled.

"Okay, that's fine with me. Let's get going," the pair exchanged nods and began jogging down the cement sidewalk in the direction of the Lyons' household.

Derek Harrington stealthily walked out of the room, avoiding being seen by any of the students. He had his mind set on one thing and one thing alone: Figure out Claire Lyons. He rolled his eyes at the stupidity of the situation. Since when was he, Derek Harrington, going through all this trouble to figure out a girl? Usually it was the girls that were hiding behind trashcans and lockers to sneak glances at him and his awesomeness, but then again, Derek Harrington had never been told off by anyone much less a girl.

He positioned himself on the edge of the stairwell that ended, luckily, just around her locker. Some random math weenie tripped and knocked into Derek, making a commotion. Derek quickly distanced himself from the kid, sent him a glare, brushed off his navy blue t-shirt, and went on looking. She was alone, and she was skillfully placing books inside her book bag. Derek cocked his head in annoyance when none other than 'Humpty Dempsey' Solomon snuck up to her, and placed his hands over her bright, blue eyes.

What the heck is Dempsey freaking Solomon doing over there? Then he smirked. This kid is so going to get it. If she doesn't like guys like me, she'll probably scream when he touches her. Haha, this should be funny. When she yells, I could come to the rescue. Super Derek! What.The. Hell. Why the hell is she laughing? What is up with this chick? How can someone refuse to talk to someone me, and make jokes with a post drama freak? The thoughts were racing through Derek's small, underused brain as fast as they could possibly be. He eyed them annoyingly as Dempsey placed his hands on her shoulders and lead her away.

Derek, feeling more spy-ish then usual, began humming the tune to Mission Impossible. The name's Harrington, Derek Harrington. He followed the two unnoticed and began closing in on them. His excitement got the better of him and he started humming louder and louder as he got closer and closer. Claire and Dempsey looked over their shoulders in Derek's direction. That was too close. Whatever, this girl is so not worth it. By the time of the dance, she'll be begging me to talk to her. The fact that Derek had soccer practice didn't stop him from staying and spying on her, pft, no not at all.

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"Wait, so if both of your parents are heterozygous you can still be homozygous?" Claire questioned, flinging her pencil at the wall in frustration.

"Yes, Claire, I've already gone over this," Kristen muttered. She got annoyed when people's brain couldn't work as fast as her freakishly smart one.

"Can we please take a break? I've crammed more stuff about genes into my head tonight than I ever wanted to all semester."

"Fine, we can take a break, but after that, we are finishing the worksheet," Kristen agreed, but not before she was reassured that they would finish their homework.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Claire had already hopped up and laid on her baby blue comforter.

"Claire! You know that if I don't finish my homework than my mom won't let me come over here after school anymore."

"Kris, calm down, I said yeah," she smirked.

"Okay," Kristen darted into Claire's closet. "Claire Bear! This dress is seriously just the best dress ever. You are going to be breaking some hearts the night of the dance," Kristen held up the soft sapphire colored babydoll dress and twirled around with it. Claire glared at her use of her mom's nick name for her.

"Fine, Ki-ki boo," she paused for emphasis. "If you like it so much, why don't you wear it?"

"Don't call me that," she huffed, frowning. "Besides I could never take something like this from its destined wearer. So?" Now Kristen was sitting cross-legged next to Claire on her queen sized bed.

"So?"

"Who do you think you'll get matched up with?"

"Um, I don't know. I haven't really thought about that," she replied truthfully.

"Oh come on, you're telling me that you haven't given who your date is going to be the least bit of thought?"

"That's what I'm telling ya. As long as I don't get paired up with someone like Derek Harrington, I'm fine," she shrugged. "Not all of us cheated on the survey to get matched up with the boy we love."

"Shut up! Could you talk a little quieter? Someone might hear you," Kristen warned Claire. She subconsciously scanned the room to make sure no one had heard her.

"Oh sorry," she muttered sarcastically.

"Thanks," Kristen grinned.

"Kristen Gregory loves Dempsey Solomon!" Claire shouted at the top of her lungs. Less than three seconds later her face came in contact with one of her pillows.

"Claire!"

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