Stevie stood in the hallway talking to her friends, she hadn't seen Lindsey and worried that something had happened to him...
Three girls were chatting eagerly, all standing in a circle by the lockers as Stevie looked past them to the sea of people putting their books away, grabbing others, along with notebooks and folders.

"Stevie...are you there?" One of the girls asked, noticing she was spaced out.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled half heartedly

Stevie heard a commotion down the hallway, turning to see her boyfriend shove Lindsey into a locker. Everyone began to cackle and laugh instead of helping him
"Ugh, men can be such apes!" another girl said, watching as another letterman jacket wearing guy repeated the action. "Who is that kid anyway?"

Stevie moved from her group of friends and pulled on her boyfriend's arm. "What are you doing?" she asked angrily, hoping Lindsey would take the opportunity to leave but he didn't.
"He said he knew you." Laughing as another friend mushed Lindsey's head against the locker.

"I'm sorry," Lindsey kept repeating, looking around at the football players

"Leave him alone!" Stevie stood in front of Lindsey

"Babe, get away from Norman Bates! He's just a retard!" Spitting on Lindsey and trying to pull Stevie away, the whole hallway still laughing
"You don't know anything about him! Just leave him alone, please!"

"You got the hots for him or something? Or maybe he's trying to make a move on my girl." Her boyfriend turned from her and back to Lindsey, raising his fist.

"Wail on the loser!" One of his friends yelled.

"Let him go!" Stevie protested.

A crowd was gathering, all wanting to see a fight.
"If you touch him I will break up with you!" Stevie warned her boyfriend. Kneeling down beside Lindsey
"You'd break up with me for some..." Stevie gave the brute a look and he backed down.

"Fine." he said, backing off. "Let's go guys."
Stevie helped Lindsey up where he was still apologizing profusely, "I'm sorry," his eyes were wide with fright

"Honey, don't worry! It's not your fault!"
"I'm...I'm sorry" he repeated.

"Let's just get you to the nurse's office."

"I'm fine...go, just go."
"Lindsey, no." She said sternly, "Now let me help you."

He reluctantly stood, his head aching from being shoved against the locker, wiping the spit from himself
"Thanks" he said finally as they walked down the hallway together. People were whispering, overtly so and it disgusted Stevie.

"Don't these jerks have anything better to do?"

"I'm sorry" he said again.

"Don't be. Let them talk."
"Thank you," he said quietly, Stevie squeezed his hand in return and walked out of the building, "Let's go home."
He nodded, and Stevie pressed herself into his side. His arm found its place around her shoulders and she smiled. "Can I give you a ride?" He nodded again and walked with him to her car.
"Where to?" Stevie smiled over at him once they were situated

"Anywhere," Lindsey rung his hands nervously

"I have the perfect spot then!" She grinned, pulling out of the school parking lot
Stevie drove for a few minutes, turning the radio up as she heard one of her favorite songs coming on. "You like this one?"

"Y-yeah, it's good" he said, still visibly nervous.

"Relax, just let the music take you."
"I'm sorry..."

"Lindsey, if you apologize one more time I am going to go insane," Stevie warned, winking to let him know that she was joking

"Where are we going?"

"My secret hideout," she whispered
"Is it...dangerous?"

"No, I go there all the time. Don't you trust me?"

He gulped, nodding. He was obviously growing more anxious by the second.
"Lindsey relax, I wouldn't put you in any danger," Stevie squeezed his hand

"Did my mom say that it was okay?"

"Sure..."
Stevie felt bad about lying but she wanted to get to know him. It was unlike her to be truly dishonest and she hoped his parents wouldn't be too mad. She liked them a lot.

"Where...?" he asked when the car finally stopped.
"The beach, my little private hideout," Stevie unbuckled and got out of the car, waiting for him to do the same.

"Are we alone here?" Lindsey peaked around for more people

"Yep! Just you and me..."
"What...what are we gonna do?"

"Anything you want. We can stay here or we can go out by the rocks...talk, listen to the waves."

"T-talk?"

"Yeah, I mean, we still don't know that much about each other. Or we can just--"

"Talking's fine" he said and Stevie looked surprised.

"Alright then. Come with me"
He followed her closely, looking around for any people as he had never been out without the protection of his parents.

"What are we talking about?"

"You. I don't know anything about you."
"Oh" he said, feeling uncomfortable.

"Don't say 'oh' like that. Come on, tell me anything."
"I'm sixteen."

"That's a start...." Stevie encouraged

"I-I'm as stupid as most people think I am...."
"Now stop that right this minute! That's not true at all."

"They all think I'm crazy...maybe they're right."

"That's not true. Just because others don't appreciate you, doesn't mean you are stupid, or crazy to whatever else they say about you."

"You're gonna get it too once everyone knows you're talking to me."

"I don't care. You're my friend. I just wish they could see how great you really are."
"I don't want you to be picked on..." Lindsey took her hand

"Lindsey, it will all be okay!"
"I just--"

"You don't have to worry about me. We will be just fine"
"I wish I could have a girlfriend like you..." he confessed quietly
"You want a girlfriend?" she asked and he nodded, shyly. "Like me?" he nodded again. "Lindsey, I..."

"See, I told you I was stupid. I shouldn't have said anything."
"You aren't stupid, Lindsey..." Stevie squeezed his hand

"I'm sorry, Stevie."

"Do you like me?"
"You have a boyfriend"

"But do you like me?" Lindsey nodded, dropping his gaze so she couldn't look at him anymore. "I...I like you too."
"Y-you do?" Lindsey perked up

"Mmhm," Stevie smiled softly, "I'm drawn to you..."
"Drawn?"

"You know, moth to a flame."

"Moths die when they get to close to the flame"

Stevie chuckled. "Okay, so that was a bad example but I like you and I can't stop myself from wanting to get to know you and be around you."
"But you have a boyfriend..."

"After the way he treated you I don't want him anymore."

"Are you going to break up with him?"
Stevie nodded, biting her nails. "He's the only boy I've gone with. When we first stared going together, he was kind and patient...he's into sports so it's only natural we would connect, you know, because I'm a cheerleader."

"You'd never really be with someone like me then."

"That's not what I mean. He's changed and I feel like I'm seeing his true colors now. He's only into catering to the yuk-yuks who treat people like shit." Stevie covered her mouth. "I'm sorry"

"Don't" he told her and she smiled.

"Well, I want someone new and different is good, right?"

"So you'd...go with me?"
"Yes I would go with you," Stevie chuckled, Lindsey gave her a huge smile.

"That makes me happy."
She scooted closer to him. "The sun's going down. We should get going."

"Yeah." he said.
"Come on," Stevie took his hand, leading her back to his car
"Stevie, uh, before we go?"

"Yes, Lindsey?" Stevie asked, her big brown eyes staring at him expectantly.
"Will you come over tonight? For dinner?" He asked, blushing softly

"Of course I will."
"Great" he smiled and she waited for him to get into the car before she got in herself. She made her way down the road back into town. As she drove, she felt eyes on her but she didn't look away from the road.

"What some music on?"
"Yes please," Lindsey said, Stevie immediately switched on the radio for him
Stevie continued to drive, still Lindsey looked at her. "Will you come to my room, like after dinner?"

"Sure. Have you drawn something else?"
"I wrote something for you..."

"Like a poem?" Stevie smiled

"Sort of..."
"Well, I would love to hear it."
"Wanna come over now?"

"I would love to!"
Lindsey seemed to relax a little, occasionally tapping the drum beat of the song on the armrest.  Stevie smiled, finally pulling into the Buckingham's drive. She got out and went around to Lindsey's side. He tried to take her hand briefly but chickened out as they walked up the front walk and into the house.
"Does your mom know that I'm coming?"

"No," shaking his head simply as he opened the door
"Stevie!" Ruth exclaimed, hugging the girl. She hugged her son next. "We were hoping he was with you! See, Morris! I told you not to worry."

"Good, good" Lindsey's father said, patting his son on the shoulder. "Dinner's ready, son."

"Okay" Lindsey replied looking up at Stevie, then back at his father. "Um, I...I invited Stevie. Can she stay?"

"Can she stay?" Ruth repeated, looking from her son to her husband. "Well, of course she can,  dear." Ruth smiled and led the children to the table.
"If I would have known that we were having company I would have made something a little more than sloppy Joe's!" Ruth apologized

"That is perfect!" Stevie assured her

"They are Lindsey's favorite and I heard he had a rough day at school."
"I'm okay now" Lindsey said. He touched her shoulder and Ruth looked at him a different way. He was connecting.

"Do your parents know you're coming for dinner? Did you get a chance to call?"

"No, I should though. May I please use your phone?"

"Of course, Stevie."

"It's right through there, hall, left side in the alcove" Lindsey said and once again, Ruth gave him a look.
"Lindsey, be careful. She has a boyfriend," Ruth warned, not wanting her son to get hurt

"She doesn't like him, Mama."
"She told you that?" Ruth asked and he nodded. "Well, give her space. You're a good friend for listening"
"I like her," he whispered
"Well, she's a very sweet girl and a good friend to you too."

"I mean...I-I really like her." Lindsey emphasized and Ruth cast her gaze downward.
"I was afraid that's what you meant..."

"Mama, please don't be mad," Lindsey begged, "I-I'll tell her to leave."
"No, she's more than welcome to stay. She's a good influence on you."

"Then--"

"Then, nothing, Lindsey. She's a special girl and I understand that this sees it for you, like she's it for you. If you're patient..."

"I want her, I want to tell her."

"Lindsey, give it time." She touched her son's cheek and he nodded. "Wash up for dinner. She will probably be done on the phone in a minute"
"Yes ma'am," Giving his mother a kiss and heading to the bathroom to wash up
Stevie ended her call. Her parents weren't happy to be the last to know but since her father was now friends with his father, her parents didn't mind Stevie going over there sometimes. She followed after Lindsey, washing her hands in the guest bathroom.
"Dinner is ready," Ruth called out, the family gathering in the living room

"Lindsey, tell me what happened at school, Lindsey," Morris said
"Uh, nothing. Just some guy..."

"Lindsey, the school already called to tell me all about the altercation." Morris said, crossing his arms.

"He doesn't have to talk about it right now." Ruth said.

"I knew this school wasn't going to be any different" His father was angry and Stevie felt the need to speak up.
"He won't be bothered anymore. I promise," placing her hand on Lindsey's

"Why do you say that?"

"Because my boyfriend is the one that pushed Lindsey....I can control him."
"Your boyfriend? The kind, gentle guy you talked about before?" Ruth asked.

"I...I don't know what's gotten into him. He's different now and well, I think...I think I can get him to back off. Lindsey didn't do anything to those boys. They were looking for someone to pick on, but it won't happen again."

"I think it would be best if Lindsey was homeschooled from now on..." Morris said, Ruth agreeing afterwards.

"For his sake."
"I don't want to be homeschooled!" Lindsey shouted in a sudden outburst. He stood up from the table and Stevie tried to calm him.

"Maybe it's best. They know what's right for you, Linds."

"They don't know anything! I'm tired of feeling...wrong!" His passion brought tears to Stevie's eyes. "I can't stay here. Come with me." he told her, grabbing her hand.
"Wait Lindsey, where are we going?" Stevie asked as he had a death grip on her
"My room." Lindsey told her. "Okay?"

"Yeah" Stevie agreed with a nod. They raced upstairs and into his bedroom. He slammed the door behind them and grabbed his notebook.
"What do you want to show me?" Stevie asked as she sat down beside him
"The poem...letter...something..." he said and she waited for him to show her the sheet of paper.

"Are you going to read it or should I?"

"Um...I guess I will."

"Alright" She smiled at him, touching his knee softly with her fingertips. "Whenever you're ready"

"I..." He began to read, shaking all over from sheer nerves.
"Honey, relax..." placing her hand on his knee

"I'm scared..."

"Scared of what?"

"That you'll think it's stupid..."
"I won't, you know that. Whatever you have to say is important."

He took a deep breath and let it out. "Okay." He stared at the paper and then back up at her. He shut the book and threw it onto his desk Witt a smack.

"Well, that's alright then." She looked down into her lap and suddenly his hand joined with hers. Their fingers laced together, fitting so perfectly. The feelings he had, she felt them and she looked at him, flushed.

"Wh-when I said I liked you, Stevie..." He swallowed hard. "I...I meant it. I really like you. And when you said you'd go with me..."

"Yes?" she said, encouraging him to continue.
"Would you ever consider being more than my friend?"

"Like a girlfriend?"

"Yeah...like a girlfriend."

"Are you asking me to go out with you?"

"I think so?" He said nervously, causing Stevie to chuckle
"I have to break up with my boyfriend first."

"Okay"

"And I'll do that, I will." she promised , holding onto his hand tighter.

"Okay" he repeated.

"Then I will. That's when I can be your girlfriend."