Mondays are usually such a drag but on the weekends without Brynn, Monday has become my favorite day. She smiles at me when she finds I'm sitting under our tree. When did I start taking possession of foliage? Oh well, it's true. I think of this as our spot. My Mom drove me to school again this morning. So, having gotten to school early, I've been patiently awaiting her arrival.

"Hello!" Brynn takes a seat next to me and I put an arm around her back to pull her closer.

"Hi, I've missed you."

"I know." Her smile broadens and I laugh.

"Oh, really?"

"You've got it bad, Love Face. I can see it in the moony way you looked at me as I walked over here."

"I'm that transparent, huh?"

"As see through as cellophane."

"Cellophane?! Is this your way of saying I'm not only transparent but clingy?"

She giggles and it makes me happy though I know it's at my expense. "Maybe?" was her noncommittal reply.

"So, what does this hinge on?" I ponder out loud and she gets a thoughtful look, and checks her watch. I didn't know people still wore those anymore. Everyone I know just checks his or her phone for the time.

"Why are you looking at your watch? School doesn't start for a few more minutes yet."

"Well, I've been in your presence for a full 3, no... 4 minutes now and you haven't tried to kiss me. So, I guess you aren't..."

I don't give her a chance to finish her sentence. I pull her close and kiss her lips. She's right I've wanted too since she has sat down next to me but I'm still unclear about her stand on PDA's.

She melts into me. She's been getting much more into our kisses lately and I love it. She doesn't seem to care anymore what other's think and just puts her whole self into the moment. I feel how present she is because when she kisses me it's with such intention I can't focus on anything else around me. Her kisses demand my undivided attention.

It is not my intention to make a scene in front of school. However, I need to work fast before her kisses completely shut down my brain, and I just don't care anymore. So, I very reluctantly pull away.

"I like it when you're clingy." She gives me that secretive Brynn smile that causes a jolt of electricity to course through my body.

"Good, because I don't think I could stop myself, especially when you look at me like that." A sweet blush colors her cheeks and she looks away briefly embarrassed. Guess I'm not the only one whose feelings are becoming transparent.

The bell rings and we get to our feet. She looks impressed I don't need her help. "I'm getting better at negotiating this thing. Can't wait for it to come off though."

"Know when that is?" she asks taking my hand as we walk up the front steps to school.

"I'm hoping this weekend."

"So, you working the play then?"

"I don't know, Brynn. Adam barely tolerated me working on the sets."

"Who cares about Adam? Do you want to be there?"

I pause, to think about it. "It has been fun getting to hang out with you on crew, and if my boot comes off this weekend coach will expect me back at practices on Monday so, yeah... I'd like too."

She squeals and hugs me, which so not Brynn, but it makes me laugh and again I get a glimmer of hope that perhaps she's not as unaffected as she pretends to be. How can she, if she is that excited about hanging around me?"

She gives me a quick kiss on the cheek before heading up the stairs to her locker. I was still shaking my head over her silliness when I realized we hadn't said whether or not we were meeting up during homeroom. I shrugged as I put my books in my locker, one way or another we'll end up together again. It's the one thing I knew for certain.

Tyler leans against the locker next to mine. "So how's lockdown going?"

I shove the books I need in my bag and shut my locker door. "It's over as of this past weekend. Now, I'm in the market for a job. The rents have decided I need to learn responsibility so I now have to get a job for the remainder of the school year."

Tyler pushes off the lockers and follows me down the hall. "Seriously? You're like Captain Responsibility, you're president of student council, you're editor of the year book, and you're captain of your basket ball team, what more do they want you to be responsible for?"

"Myself it would seem? They don't think I'm making wise decisions when it comes to Brynn. I think they are concerned that with her, I will lose my mind, have sex the first chance I get, and make them grandparents before their time."

Tyler looks at me rather intently. "So you and Brynn? Have you...?"

Tyler is my best and closest friend, but there would be no way in hell, even if I were, that I would tell him. Some things are too private to share, but to be certain no rumors get started; I shake my head, no.

He looks dumbfounded. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, why?"

Tyler shrugs. "I don't know. I haven't seen you this into a girl since that girl...whatever her name was... that moved away."

"Tyler I care too much for Brynn. I'm in no rush. I'm in this for the long haul. If we get there, I want to know it's something we both want, not something I pushed her into. I have to know it's right, for the both of us."

Tyler just shakes his head at me and I can tell what I'm saying sounds completely foreign to him. He's always been one to jump the gun when it comes to getting sexual in a relationship.

"Well if that's how you feel?"

"That's how I feel." I was happy to put the matter to rest. I didn't like discussing Brynn in that way with anyone.

Our day progresses and I make it to the Activities Office. It would seem, although my punishment at home has ended my Mom is still trying to distract me from leaving the office. I have enough tasks to complete to last me a few days. Both of my parents have been weird over this whole thing with Brynn. I just don't get it. First they are all encouraging and then they make the craziest demands on my time.

They may be trying to prevent what Tyler and I were talking about this morning but seriously they should know me better than that. I heard the announcements being made and packed up my belongings. Guess Brynn couldn't get away today. I know she's been working hard on completing the stolen pages of the yearbook but still I didn't like that my parents were winning.

The bell rang and I get to my next class, this day is crawling but I've almost made it to lunch. My back pocket vibrates with a text. It was Tyler. I go into the men's room to read it as we are not suppose to pull our phones out while in school.

All it says is - Get to the nurses office, now!

I thought it strange but I made my way to the first floor by elevator and get to the nurses office and see Tyler standing outside of it.

"What's going on?" I didn't like the concerned look he wore on his face.

"I'm sorry, Finn. I wasn't quick enough."

"What are you talking about?"

"Brynn was heading to class. She usually passes me on the third floor before I go to lunch. She got to the steps and I see out of the corner of my eye some dude gunning for her. He hit into her and she lost her balance and fell down a flight of stairs. I lost the kid in the crowd, because Brynn was my first priority. I don't know who he was. Finn, she got banged up pretty bad. I'm so sorry."

I don't continue the conversation. I just immediately open the door to the nurse's office and walk in. I see Byrnn holding an ice pack against her head. She looks up startled. "Don't come any closer!"

I didn't understand why she said that until I saw the blood running down her arm from a pretty nasty gash. It threw me. I felt the wooziness try to take hold but fought the closing blackness. My fear of Brynn being hurt quickly over took my fear of seeing blood. I blinked a few times to clear my head and made my way to her.

"Mr. Nash what are you doing here?" The school nurse came over with her rubber gloves on and her little basket that held the bandages she'd need to fix Brynn up. "Are you ill?"

"No," I said, looking at Bryn but she won't look at me. "Just heard that she fell and I was...worried about her."

"As much as I appreciate the notion, you need to wait outside until I'm done here," she said with raised eyebrows and an expression that says I am not to argue with her.

"Alright, but I'll be right outside those doors. My lunch period is next so I have no where to go for the next 50 minutes." She nods at me to get going, and I get outside to see Tyler still standing there.

"She kicked you out too, huh?"

"Yeah. Look Tyler, this isn't your fault." He puts up a hand to stop me.

"I promised I'd look out for her, Finn."

"I know but she isn't your responsibility. You couldn't have known this would happen. So you couldn't have prevented this."

Tyler looked away. "I still don't like it. It was deliberate, Finn. No matter what she tells you, it was no accident that Brynn fell down those stairs."

"Would you be able to pick the kid out if you saw him again?"

Tyler shrugged. "Damn uniforms, we all look like. It was a black kid, I guess by his size that he was one of the lower classmen, a freshmen or sophomore tops."

"Why would a Freshman or Sophmore want to hurt Brynn?" It didn't make sense.

"Maybe Jessica has gotten them to do her dirty work for her, so she won't get into trouble. She did say that didn't she? That you won't be able to pin anything on her, maybe this is how she figured she'd do it."

"I don't know. Jessica can be nasty but she battles with words and head games. I find it hard to believe she'd have Brynn attacked in the middle of school."

Tyler shrugged again. "You got a better idea?"

"No, first the letters and now this. Brynn said she was getting the letters before we officially started dating, maybe there's another reason someone has to hurt her."

"Whatever it is. I don't like it."

I look at my best friend of all time with pride. "I don't either."

"So, what are we going to do about it?"

"Find out who it is first and then I'll deal with it." I tell him. Tyler nods his head in silent agreement.

"I'll go down to lunch and clue the gang in to what's happened. We'll step up our game, Finn. We'll make sure this NEVER happens to her again."

I rest my hand on his shoulder. "Thank you!" Tyler pressed his lips together and shook his head like he still didn't like any of this, and walks through the doors that would lead to the cafeteria.

He's more than concerned. He's angry and so am I.

The door opens to the nurse's office. "Since you won't leave..." She says and opens the door wider for me to enter. Brynn is now sitting in a chair, icepack still on her head and her arm is now bandaged and I spy another on her leg.

I sit next to her and she looks away from me. "What happened, Brynn?"

"It was an accident." She quickly volunteers and now I get it. Brynn won't look at me because she knows she is going to lie to me.

"From what Tyler saw..."

"Well, he was wrong."

I sigh and move from my chair to kneel on the floor before her. "Brynn, this was no accident." I gently touch her arm and she instinctively pulls back. "Why would someone want to hurt you?"

Someone comes into the office and Brynn turns to look to see who entered and that's when I see the bruising starting at her temple. I suck in my breath and then I hear my mom's voice, "Brynn we need to talk. Finn, you're not supposed to be here."

I stand up, ready for the confrontation. "You telling me I have to leave?" I didn't mean for it sound like a challenge but it so came out that way.

Her expression turned cold. She was all principal right now. "Yes." She adds emphasis to her words by pointing to the door through which she just walked through.

"I'm on lunch. I'm not missing any classes. Please," I soften my stance. "I just want to make sure she's alright?"

My mom looks at our school nurse. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, she's banged up pretty bad from her fall. A report will need to be filed but no broken bones, no stitches needed and she didn't lose consciousness so I doubt she'll have to worry about a concussion."

"There," my mom says to me, "now you know. She's just fine. Lunch. Now."

"You know there is more to it than..."

"Finn you press this point and you can spend Saturday in detention." That shut me up quick, as this was one of the few weekends I would have to get together with Brynn. My punishment has been lifted and she wasn't seeing her Dad this weekend.

"Fine," I kneel back down in front of Brynn. "I'm sorry I can't stay. You know I want to."

"I know," Brynn says. "Its for the best." I nodded and stood up. I walked past my Mom refusing to even look at her. Instead I turn to our nurse and say, "Thank you for taking such good care of Brynn."

She smiles awkwardly at me and I leave feeling my Mom's glare searing my back. I get to lunch and I see my friends in some sort of heated debate at our lunch table.

What is going on now? Has the whole world gone mad?