Successfully avoiding chase that morning. Kevin headed back to the bench where Janis said she would meet him. He really wasn't thinking about chase for once. He was coming to grips with Janis invitation. He still didn't know what to think. Half way through his third period class chase popped in to his head again. Along with the lump and the sting. The next passing period he knew he was going to bump in to chase.

He did bumped into Chase's friends who were more than happy to treat Kevin the same as chase. His mind then wonder back onto Janis. He wonder if it was a set up. Going into science he did a double take to make sure that chase wasn't around. Then he barely saw him and his fears and self doubt return.

"She's not really coming." Kevin thought as he walked up to the bench. He put his back pack on the floor, "Your just getting your hopes up." Yet, he waited to start eating. Some how he wanted to wait. The minutes flew by. "It was just another Chases's pranks." he then open his back pack and pulled a sack out. He then wiped a tear that had escaped his eye..

" Sorry, the lunch line was long." Janis said as she walked up,"You have the right idea." Kevin stared at her as she got situated with every thing. "What?" she laughed warmly.

" Y Y You came."Kevin spit out as he stared at her in shock. "Why?"

"I said I would." Janis answered. "You thought I wasn't?". She gave Kevin a look of uncertainty. Kevin then began to tear off bits off his sandwich. He studied Janis as they ate. Janis then looked at him and smiled.

"You're really here." Kevin said as he gulped down a torn off piece of his "With me?"

"Yeah" Janis said. " "Is that all your eating." She notice Kevin was putting his sandwich away.

"It's my nerves." Kevin replied trying not to make any eye contact, " I can't eat too much at one time." Chase then flashed into his mind. Kevin began to breath faster. He knew at any second that chase would come around the corner. He then felt Janis hand on his arm and flinched.He then looked at her.

"It's OK!" She said comfortingly,"You're fine."

"But, Chase... I better go" Kevin started to get up.

" Kevin. Look nothing is going to hurt you." Janis said as Kevin started to leave, "Chase is not coming back here. I promise."

"W W What ... if he does? He'll see ..." Kevin then quickly turn and listened to the silence.He then felt his heart pound. He knew that Chase would come. He then gulped.

"I'm not going to let any thing happen to you" Janis said as Kevin turn back. "You're safe." . For some reason he believed her. He actually trusted her for once. Once again he ad the feeling he got when they first met.He then dropped his bag and sat back down. He was in shock. He then look at Janis. She then made eye contact. Frighten, he glanced away. Hugging the wall where the bench was connect to, he looked down the hall and back at Janis.

"Your still really shook up." Janis broke the silence. Kevin slowly nodded. He then look at her again. and scooted closer. He couldn't remember when he was with some one else. All he could remember was being alone. Janis then gave him a smile and held out a chip. "Here" She said as he slowly reached for it. He then stared at her again . He wanted to remember what she look like. He wanted time to stop. After swallowing the chip, he felt the sting again. Looking back at Janis, He knew this is what he needed. He had felt so alone, until he met her. He thought this was to good to be true. Yet, deep down, he wanted it to be real.

Minutes later the bell rang and Janis started to gather her things. Kevin watch her as if she was in slow motion. He wanted her to stay he wanted to stay. "WAIT!" He said as she picked up her bag, "I..I...I.. want to... meet again." Kevin blurted out before he knew he had.

"Sure!" Janis said with a smile,"Tomorrow?"

"If your friends don't mind." Kevin mumbled under his breath as he got up.

"You are one of my friends, silly." Janis said throwing Kevin off. He looked as if it was a new concept to him. Janis return his unsure look with a smile. " See you tomorrow , then! " she said as she walked away. Leaving Kevin, still in shock of what Janis said.

"A friend?" he thought. He didn't quite believe her. Chase told him he wasn't going to have any friends and he believe him. So, what was Janis?

He went through the after noon like always. Yet, he felt strange. Janis's face stayed in his mind until, Chase caught up with him and rough him up a bit.By slamming him in to a wall. Snapping his new found feeling away. It didn't returned until he got home after school. "I talked to someone." He said so he could hear it. , "I'm meeting her again." He said with a sigh. He then went to the bathroom to see if any more damage was done.

As he pulled off his sweat shirt to see the newest bruises, he revealed his scrawny body. His body image didn't matter much to him any more since his sweat shirt covered every thing up. As he stared at the once athletic body. The lump and the sting returned. He then went back to his inspection.

After his inspection, he then went to his room and layed down in his bed. Thought of Chase had been in his mind all afternoon. Then, from out of no where, He remember what Janis called him. a "friend". He was still struck by this when he heard the doorbell rang. he then got up, grabbed his sweatshirt and went down stairs. Looking through the window, he saw Nazz standing there. "Just keep it short.", He said to himself as he walked over to the door, "Stay out of sight." As he opened the door he saw her, Finally he could see her. Unlike at school, He could look and talked to her. Still he didn't want her to know what he was.

"Hi Kevin!" Nazz said as he stepped out of view.

"Oh , hey. How are you?" Kevin said as he tried to look at her.

"Fine! You?" Nazz said eagerly trying to get a good look at Kevin," I haven't seen you at all."

"Yeah, I've been busy with football and stuff." He lied , since he didn't make the cut at the end of foot ball camp. " You know how I am."

"Yeah," Nazz Sighed as she tried to pear in to the dark house." Did I come at a bad time?'

"Um... yeah, I was just about to get in the shower,Practice was really brutal I'm a mess." He rambled out trying to make it sound believable.

"Hey maybe we could Eat lunch some time." Nazz said anxiously,"If the reserve team can spare you.."

" I.. I don't know . we have a big game coming up and we need to work on our play book." Kevin said as he gulped, "Coach might need me."

"Well, I would like to see you. some time.." She said quietly," I better go"

"OK." Kevin said under his breath " Bye, Nazz." He then shut the door and leaned against it. He had told them he had made the reserved team instead of the freshmen team in order to explain his absence. He knew Nazz was his friend, but it felt like pity more now."She just can't find out." He thought as he slid down to the floor. "It's for her own good. "

"No one likes you!" Chase's voices echoed through his mind. "Your worthless. " He then wiped his tears and headed up stairs. Crashing on his bed, he started to feel the aches from the most recent beating. He then heard his parents down stairs. He put his sweat shirt back on, covering his flaws and went down stairs.