Daven POV

Ok...Ok... Calm down. You got this. This is a school, and school is...school where you learn and live on...right. Where is Martin? He said he would meet at the front with his friends.

*Flashback* (Martin's POV)

We are almost at the end of school, and I need good grades. I have to miss basketball, too. Whelp, can't be mad. The school is the only way I got my friends and basketball games.

This homework is so frustrating. I don't have a calculator, and I don't know how to show work.

I look up from the quiet library and feel terrible. Where are the noise and the fun?! Ughhhh... I hit my head in the book that some around me "Shhhh" and their pointer to their mouths. I groan again getting irritated. Until I heard, light humming.

I know that song anywhere. I stand up to find Daven. She has been gone for so long, but I know she can help me. I honestly, didn't care for my bookbag, for it has unimportant items in there. Well, to me that is. I turn the corner to a see Daven with a stack of sized dictionary books. Only one of them was the whole series of Harry Potter. The rest seem to be based on math, history, and other school related. Classic bookworm. I quickly walk over to her, and she notices me. She pushes up her glasses and gives me a smile.

"Hey what are you doing here? I thought you'd be at the courts," she says pointing out at the window where we saw our friends playing. I sigh and shake my head.

"No I came here to get an A in... well, everything," I said. She laughs and grabs all her books. When I first met her, I was surprised a small girl like her could carry pounds of books in her arms and back. I led her to my table and sat down, as she quietly places the books down. She would always be finished with homework inside of class, so she took it out with so much work that gave thought to die, again. She saw my expression and quietly giggled.

"Don't worry. It isn't hard," Daven smiles. I smile back, rolling my eyes.

"Says you," I joke.

*10 minutes later*

Oh. My. God. She made look easy, and now it is easy. I swear that this is the first time I am smart, and it has only been ten minutes!

"See I told you," she smiles. I finished the last problems, and once I was done, I drop the pencil and through my hands in the air. I'm so happy, I didn't realize I tipped my chair over and fell. Everyone around shushes me again, and I didn't care. I ask Daven to come outside real quick, trying to hold the scream in me. She quickly took her books and walked out with me. We went on the curve, and I began laughing.

"Thank you so much, you wizard!" I screamed. She jumps at my yelling while her glasses fall off.

"Oh. No worries, Martin. Oh, where I my glasses?" she asks as she put her books down. She then drops to her knees and scans the ground with her hands for her glasses. I notice them right away and pick it up, giving it to her.

"Thank you," she said placing her glasses back on.

"No, I should be thanking you! For once I can turn something in!" I say. I was so happy, and it was never going to stop. She gave a big smile and grabbed her books. Realizing that it was after school, Daven starts walks home. I decide against it and think of taking her home.

"Hey, Daven I can give you a ride home," I tell her before she left. She turns around and shakes her head.

"No, I am taking you it is the least I can do," I smiled. Daven smiles back and follows next to me.

"So, where do we wait?" she asked looking at her surroundings.

"We are going to the courts!" I said.

"Of course," she said. We walked to the courts to see our friends playing. She smiles. I knew that she hasn't seen them in forever beside watching them from the window in the library. I wave to my guys as they stop the game and wave back.

"Yo, was is up my bro!" said, my bro/BFFL, Mulligan. Once we made, they all gave me nudge or push me.

"Martin! Where have you been?" said, my other friend, named Jinx.

"Homework for school," I say. They place their hands on their hearts and stick their hand at me. I knew it, they wouldn't believe me," Nope I am dead serious this time. I did it and finished it!" I held the paper in front of them and in are in shock that I did work. They still gave me weird looks.

"Who did your homework?" Mulligan asks, crossing his arms.

"No one, but I did get help," I said pointing at Daven behind me and her books. They push me aside and are happy to Daven again. Well, I would have done the same thing, but I was in the library. We haven't seen her in four weeks. She went off to Washington D.C for a spelling bee which I can know, she won. They were talking, and I am assuming that they amazed at the books that she is carrying. They try to take the books saying "You are reading to much!". She shrugs and places the books down on the bleachers. She then sat down next to them and starts to read the first book on top of the three.

I place my stuff down and look at the other guys doing bet shots. Smiling, I notice Mulligan sitting next to me.

"So, you really did it?" asks Mulligan.

"Why are you guys so surprised? Also, yes, " I said getting ready to play. He nods in response and says that they already made teams, but said that we need one more person. Mark was sick, so we had no else. The other side had Liam, Ted, Lucas, Jacob, and Carter. I search, and no was here besides for the library with people reading or watching us. I only saw Daven.

I immediately thought of her joining. I just worry that with the intense games we play, that she might get hurt...Oh, well.

"I say we should," I tell my team. They gave looks but nod afterward. We approach Daven; sitting at the top of the bleachers.

"Yo, Daven," I called. She quickly notices and held the page on her book.

"Do you want to play with us," I ask with a smile. Daven's expression was a shocked face to a flustered one. She pushes her glasses up and looks back up at me.

"I don't know guys I might be a little rusty. I haven't played in forever," she said putting a bookmark on her page and closing the book.

"Don't worry! You learn how to play on the first day, and I am certain you can do it again," I say confidently. She smiles and drops down from the bleachers. She took her, what seems to be reading, glasses off and put them in her case. She then took out another one which is shiny and red. She put on the new, red, glasses that wrapped around her head.

"Shall we?" she asks walking with us to the court.

*About 25 games later*

"Wow. Ok, I have to agree that, this was the best day ever," I say to my friends. They all agree and even Daven. She helped us with strategies. I still can't believe we won all of those. Daven wasn't even close to rusty.

We continue to talk about it and walk to our local diner where we all go around the time we are done doing whatever. We all usually walk home or get picked up late, so we always come here late. We all sat down in the front and watch Lucas, the team leader, complain about how hard it was to steal the ball from tiny Daven and laugh at the thought. Once it quiets down, an idea that never bothered me, came up.

"Whelp, we're close to summer, and I can't wait," Liam said leaning back in his chair. I notice it had shocks Daven because of how she closes her book. She looked down and pushes her glasses back up. I'm the first to see.

"Are you ok?" I asked, worryingly. Her face went cold and sad. She never looked like that before. She always had a smile and that brightness.

"I-I...," She stops. I couldn't believe that the best speaker in our class is stuttering, "I pleased to be your friend... I just don't want it to stop," she says. She continues to look down as we, now, are all staring. We crowd around her. Everyone starts to comfort her, too.

"Hey, it is alright we'll be seeing you next year in the public school, right?" said Jacob. I knew that wasn't it.

"Yeah, I heard the private school in downtown is closing down," Ted ensure her. She looks down again, sadder than before.

"No... I'm going to private school like this one, but farther away," she says. Everyone stares at her surprise of what she said.

"We didn't know...," Carter softly said. We all sat down, feeling the mood-killing us. No one said a word for 30 minutes. I know this is getting out of hand, so I decided to speak up.

"Hey, why don't you come to our school? I mean we didn't get the forms yet for high school," I say, as everyone lit up. Everyone jumps out there chairs and start asking Daven so many times to come to the school.

"Finally, you have a good idea," Mulligan says.

"Oh, shut it," I say, as he continues to smirk at me.

"I don't know you guys. My parents told me I was going to a private school," she said, but that didn't mean anything to us.

"Hey, you know what let's go talk to your parents," Liam shouts. They all agree out of nowhere and takes Daven stuff to her house. She tries getting it, but couldn't reach their height. Carter was the only one who knew where Daven's house was, so he guides us. We walk there as everyone told their parents they would be late to come home. We made it to her house. To be honest, this house is enormous. We all gaze up at her home knowing most of us never saw it before, and she has seen ours.

"This is your house?" asks Ted in shock.

"Yep," she says smiling," Now can I have my stuff back?" she says reaching for it. Jacob and Carter refuse, though.

"Nope, we still haven't met them," Jacob said. She pouts at them, crossing her arms. Ignoring them, I walk up to ring the doorbell.

Moments later, I hear footsteps which sound like someone walking down the stairs. I shoot my head up, at the door opening, to see a buff woman, sweaty. We all just stare at her until Daven breaks the silence.

"Hi mom!" she said happily. We were all dumbfounded and amazed.

"Hi Sweety!" she said. Then looking at us.

"Oh, mom! These are my friends!" Daven said as she put her arms in front of us. She looks at us in surprise.

"Oh my," she said letting us in. I'm feeling my mind explode from how big the place was, "Daven, why don't you show your friends around? I'll make food, and they can join us."

"Alright, ma!" Daven screams. She asked us to join her, and we did. She takes us to a small room, which seems to be hers; wondering why, out of all the places she chose this one. We all sat down and put her stuff down. Still amazed, we start asking her so many questions.

*60 questions later (To be exact)*

Wow. Ok. This girl just seems to be getting better. She won the spelling bee, of course. Her mother in the military, and makes good money. Her dad is a lawyer who is the number one in the state. He is not here right now because he is in court, right now. She seems to always have money on her even though she doesn't use it. She gives it to us which makes her even more impressive and more sense. She chose this small room because she hates being in a large place with nothing to put in there. She had her walls colored, too, with fantastic art. She didn't always live here, but most of her life she did.

After all the answers, she shows us around, and the place was so big that they even have a gaming room. We are still dazzled, to stop.

Daven stops when showing the last room. She sniffed something and looks like she smells something nice.

"What was that?" I quietly as Carter who shrugs. I look back to see stars in her eyes as she told us to come with her. We ran back into the main room which now smells like cookies and stew. Everyone is hungry and ran into the dining room. How did she smell that? We walk in and notice the dinner table set with bowls and drinks.

"Come! Take a seat," says her mother, as we all sat down and ate. Her food was delicious, and so were her cookies.

"Oh, so the reason we came was to talk with you Ms...." Jacob stops.

"Oh, call me Kayla," she said.

"Okay, Ms. Kayla. We came here because of Daven. We want her to go to our school and ask for your permission," he says as I watch Daven place her fork down. We all were quiet until Kayla screech. She seems...happy?

"Why didn't you tell me about these guys!?" asking Daven. She shrugs," They are already amazing friends, and of course she can go."

"Really?" I ask. I'm amazed at how well that went.

"Of course! Her dad recommends she goes to private school, but now that the private school is closing down and there is no private school around, close, she can go with my permission," she says. We all stare at Daven looking unsure.

"I know, but I was never good with others until I met you guys. What if we don't have the same classes and we don't see each other much?" Daven says. Her mother asks her to talk outside. They both left the room. Now we know why she didn't want to go to our school. Carter got up and said he needs to use the bathroom. We all start to talk about the thought of Daven and her mom.

After a short talk, Carter came back smiling like an idiot.

"What is with you?" I heard Liam ask.

"Can't tell you," Carter sings. What is he up to?

Both Daven and Kayla came out happy. Carter was now talking to Ted and starts to smile Daven as she sat down first, and her mother went to wash dishes.

"I will be joining you guys in public high school," Daven says smiling.

We all stare at her but then began screaming. We are happy she'll join us for the next school.

*End of Flashback* Daven's POV

I can't seem to find them. Are they at courts? I swear to god if they are-

"Hey, what's wrong with her," said voice interrupting my thoughts.

"What happen?" said another voice.

"I am too scared to confront her," said another voice

"Well, standing in a group staring at her doesn't make anything better!" yells another voice.

I turn to see a crowd on the sidewalk. The group continues to whisper and stare at a girl by a tree. Her hair is neatly tied up with a long piece of fabric. She wears a dark tank top with long blue jeans. And...I gasp at the other features. Scars flowed down one side of her face. That side she wears an eyepatch which I assume she had...no...eye and on her right...no...arm...

I felt scared, confused, and worried about what happened to her. I never sen something like that in real life.

I want to leave. It's about to happen until a hand pulls me in the middle of the whole crowd. I then on the floor and flinch at the bruise on my side. I look up to see the sun shining on the people that are looking down at me. I'm scared until a hand reaches out to me. I take it and heard gasps from the people behind me. I look up to see three girls wearing the same outfit, shorts with a beautiful blouse. They all wore different colors, one blue, one purple, and the one that helped me was pink.

"Are you alright? I am so sorry for this rough crowd!" the pink one said fiercely to the scared crowd. I'm still confused as the crowd back up from us." I am Pacifica. This is Maria."

"Hi!" the purple blouse girl says. I wave and give a smile.

"And that is Grace," Pacifica as she points at the girl with the blue blouse. She waves shyly and continues to hide behind Pacifica.

"H-Hi n-nice to me-et y-you a-all," I say scared. Where. Is. Martin!?

"Ok, now that we know each other, how 'bout you do us a favor?" Pacifica asks.

"Oh...um...sure," I say, unsure why I blurted out "sure."

"You see that girl over there," she asks pointing at the girl I was looking at," I want you to go up to her and ask her to come here."

"Um...," I said worryingly. Simply task, yes, but for the person, you ask and ask for, no. I would do it to help others, so why not... I think," Alright, but why can't you do it for yourself?"

"You said yes," she says. I sighed and stand on the grass. I walk closer, and with every step, I grew more scared than before. I turn to see them videotape me and had no chance of turning back now. I turn back and wonder what is with this girl. Is she popular? I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I stand right next to her. When I realize it she...didn't notice. I try to speak but what came ou...w as a small squeak.

"H-H-H-H-Hi," I stutter, severely. She looks up at me. I then see her dark, black eyes met mine. I got more scared that I tried to run back but end up planting my face into the ground. I hear a book closed as I try to get the grass out of my mouth. I turn to see standing right in front of me. She scared me again that I didn't move. I put my arms up to feel...nothing.

I look back at her to see three colors; pink, purple, and green. It didn't bother me because of all the fear built up inside me. It softens, though, when her hand reaches out for mine. I start to breathe and take her hand.

It wasn't a surprise that she was half a foot taller than me. She...pats my head with her left arm.

"Be careful. You tripped over a rock," I hear a faint voice. I stand there in shock. I look around to see her break the crowd up and walk into the school. Accurately, when she walks in, the bell rang. I then see Martin running up to me with the guys.

"I am so sorry! I forgot that I was supposed to meet you in the front. I got caught up in...Basketball," Martin says, trying not to get me mad. I wasn't, lucky for him; I was though confused at all the mixed feelings. My cheeks are warm, and I also feel cold about how she looked at me. I hear my name gradually getting louder as it was being called.

"Daven!" Martin said as I snapped back to reality, "Are you, okay?" I stare up at him and felt my cheeks.

"Yeah, just stuff happening. Come on let's get to class," I said. Martin and the rest of them are confused, but none of them asks. We all started to walk into the school. Part of the group got separated when walking in the halls going left. The rest of my group got separated going right. I was the only one in the group with no friends in homeroom. I was annoyed because I knew this would happen. They say "sorry" and left for their class. I sigh as I walk in my homeroom. I see students lined up at a wall of the teacher classroom. I stand next to the students waiting next to the wall.

"Alright, guys!" the teacher says. She has a dark brown color and wears a knee-length dress, "I am Ms. Moore. I put your names on each seat find it and sit down." I nod as I watch the same girl grabbed her bags and walk to her desk. She sat next to a window in the back. I waited until everyone got a seat and beside the back row there was one seat left and was right next to... her.

I walk to my seat and sit down. I look at the girl, who is staring out the window. I placed my bag down and grab my calendar book. I check off my day and look back at the teacher. This is our seat for the rest of the school year. I look around and start to draw the classroom and write where I sit. While doing that I heard the teacher telling us to say our names. I'm the next one to speak my name.

"My name is Daven Dickerson," I said. Many snorts, but it wasn't the first time. I sit down and watch as the last person to speak their name, the girl.

She stands up and walks to the class board. She gives Ms. Moore a look. Ms. Moore nods. She turns to the whiteboard and writes something down.

Hi. My name is Zana Green. I have a problem when speaking, but I am not deaf.

She walks back to her seat and sits down. It's...a lovely name. I didn't realize that I'm blushing. She looks at me, and I quickly turned away. What is this feeling? I felt my cheeks with the tips of fingers. They're warm again and red. Very red.

After homeroom, I drew my seat place for art and math. It was then wiki afterward. I found out that Zana is also in those classes. I didn't want to be a creep, so I didn't follow her, but she was going to the same place I'm going. I'm going to the courts, and it seems, so is she.

I hid by the crowd. Zana didn't notice me which is a good sign. We made it towards the basketball courts, and I see the guys already over there. I quickly rush over there. They then greet me. I watch them play, and Ted's team wins by one point. Martin then starts to complain to me how he wants me back on his side. I turn around to see Zana also sitting on the bleachers at the very end. She was looking away from us and towards the other games happening on the courts.

After school ended, I have a couple of pages with my seating area. I went to my locker to grab the books I had yesterday. I then walk to the library as the guys ran straight to courts. I got to the library and went to sit in my original spot until accidentally trip over someone. I fell forwards with my books.

I felt an arm wrap around me. The force made my glasses fall off. Whoever they are, help me to my feet.

"S-Sorry," I said, dropping to the floor, looking for my glasses," I didn't see where I was going." I then felt a hand give me my glasses "Oh, thank you..." I trailed off still seeing a blurry vision. I placed them on to see... Zana. She didn't say a word, but help me with the books I had. She placed them down and grabs a pencil and notebook out. I notice the front, and it read "Communication Book." She then shows me her writing.

I'm so sorry. I didn't see you. I can help you with your books.

"N-No wo-orries a-a-and sorry I didn'-t-t s-see yo-u-u," I stutter, again severely. She seems to take note of that and carries the books to my table. She places the books at my regular spot of where I read.

Zana POV

I have seen this kid again. I have to be honest that I want to meet her again but have no reason why. I am glad though that I got to use the Communication Book again. It had been years...

I went to grab my bag on the table, where I put Daven's books. I notice no tables or any seat openings, so since I have no other choice; I went to ask the only person I've written to.

I walk back to Daven focus in her book. When I walk up to her, she seems to hide in the book, noticing me. I was confused for a second until I sat down across from her. She looked up and watched me write in my book. I then push the book in front of her.

Do you mind if I sit here?

"S-S-Sure," she stutters. I wonder if she has Fluency Disorder. Ever since I wrote to her, her words always repeat. I take the book back, write in it, and show it to her again.

Do you have a Fluency Disorder? You seem to have problems when talking to me.

Daven POV

Oh no... She notices. How do I respond?

"I'm sorry," I said embarrassed. I hid behind my book blushing shades of pink.

"It's okay," a soft tone said. I look up to see Zana staring again. Her eye has another glint that disappeared quickly. I saw purple, blue, and green.

She covers her mouth quickly. There was an awkward silence between us. ...Our eyes then lock together.

She quickly grabs the book and scribbles something on there. She then shoves it into my face to cover her face. I read the book first.

Sorry...I never spoke to anyone in so long...

I look back at her. She tried not to make eye-contact.

Oh. My God. What do I do?

"No! No! It is alright. I have never spoken to someone new on my own, either" I said. She turns back, and her face softens.

"Thank you, too," she said. I really want to get to know her. She seems nice. We had silence afterward until I spoke up.

"D-Do you want to hang out sometime?" I ask. She looks at me and thought about it. She takes a breath and nods. "Great! Tomorrow then! At lunch!" I say. She nods again.

After that, she takes out another book. It was a drawing book. She then had to use the bathroom and left. I look at the page she left on. It was an excellent character drawn. We continued to do our own thing, once she came back. I check the time to see I was 6:00 pm. I look outside that the guys were about to go home and so should I.

"Hey I have to go now," I say.

She looks up a little disappointed but nods. She packs her things and came by my side. Zana writes in her book and shows it to me.

I'll join you.

"Ok!" I say, with a smile. Zana gives me an odd look but then nods. She walks next to me. She then scribbles down something in her book.

Where do you live? I can walk you home.

"I live around the corner of the mall," I tell her. She nods and continues to walk with me.

*Time Skip*

Once we made it, she gazes up at the manor I live in. I giggle at her amazement and open the door.

"Well, you should go home...," I say, worry about her safety," Do you have a phone? Can I have your phone number?" I ask. She looks surprised but shakes her head sideways. She writes in her book and shows it to me.

I don't have a phone.

"Oh, I didn't know, but be safe when you get home," I say. Zana examined me which I take note of. She always seems unsure about everything... She then nods and walks on to the sidewalk. She waves goodbye to me as I went inside. I quickly went up to my room and watch her walk away.

I sigh and go to my desk and drought down everything onto my notepad. I was writing and thinking about today.

She's so...different. I have this weird feeling in my stomach, but if I do recall...it's like having butterflies in your stomach? It came out more of a question than a statement. Realizing I'm writing, I write down these weird emotions and thoughts.

I then felt tired after a while and didn't notice my surroundings. It's 1 a.m in the morning, and I wrote about 50 pages, both back, and front. I'm surprised at my work and then chuckle. I change into my cat onesie and fell onto my bed. I fell right asleep.

Word count: 4,973