A/N: Feel free to read this at your own comfort, I do hope you enjoy the route that I've chosen to go with this story and if not, then that is unfortunate, but I think it's the right path for my story.

August had given each of her friends a card with a small painting in each of them. She arrived at school early and slipped it into each of their lockers.

When lunch time came around August was first to the cafeteria, a few passive glances and small nods in her direction caught her eye. She didn't bother to pay them any attention, instead she set her bag down and enjoyed that there were no bullies to bother her peace of mind.

Speaking of mind, hers had drifted back to last night when she met with Bucky and their meal at the diner. He was so shocked and impressed by her drawing of him that he insisted paying for it. It honestly made her laugh, because he couldn't take his eyes off of it, he even said that he was going to frame it. That had surprised her the most because it made her feel really good that he loved it so much to go to the extra step of placing it in something to protect and keep it.

She sighed as she sipped at her banana milk, he had helped her pack up her drawing tools and took her home, the car ride was nice, his music choice was the most astonishing thing, he didn't just listen to one kind of genre, he had a mix of different types of songs and they both sung along to it as he drove.

The one that shocked her most was a song from one of her favorite band, Panic! 'I Constantly Thank God for Esteban'. That one was awesome and he knew the words to most of it. It had been a fun ride and a better night. She had finally gotten over one hurdle in her life and was happy she got a new friend while going through it.

"Why are you smiling so much?" Shyanne asked as she sat next to August.

"Oh," her cheeks deepened in a blush, "I'm just happy, is all. So much happened in just two days and... I've just been thinking of some good memories."

"Oh, what kind of memories?" She asked leaning in.

August met her clear blue eyes that mimicked her father's. Huh, Westley must be her biological father, she had his soft brown skin and his eyes, unlike Wesson who only had his face, complexion but not his eyes. "Umm, about last night, Bucky and I had a nice chat, and we ate at a diner afterwards, I even drew him a portrait."

Shyanne's eyebrows rose, her face a bit shocked. "Hm, is there something there that I should be worried about?" She asked, as August moved some food around her tray.

She shook her head. "No, we spoke about our family, his sister, my dad, then just casual stuff..." August met her gaze holding it this time. "I think Bucky may have warmed up to me... a bit too much, but we've established a boundary."

"Okay," she replied slowly, "you gonna tell Claude?"

"Yes, I don't wanna keep this a secret. It isn't."

She smiled. "Good, I'm just a bit shocked that Bucky may have a crush on you, but... isn't that the fucked up story of the bully and the bullied?"

She snickered. "We spoke about that, his sister liked those books."

"OMG it's like a bad Wattpad story!" Shyanne laughed, making August wipe away tears.

"You're so bad for that!"

She tried to catch her breath. "You know I'm not lying." She sighed, sitting back as she touched August's 'shoulder. "I'm glad you're an honest person. And also thank you for the note and the painting."

"Yeah, thanks so much!" Sara called out a from away as she joined them, followed by her brother and Quincy who waved the orange envelope at them.

"I'm grateful too, August."

"Yeah, thank you. It was really sweet."Wesson chimed in.

"I loved mine!" Ainsley said, blushing as she appeared from what seemed like thin air. Sitting across from August as the twins sat down next to her.

"Thank you very much, August and yes, I approve of you as my new sister-in-law." Blaine said to which Claude smacked his shoulder. His brother giggled.

"Aww what's wrong, I'm just being nice to your future wife?" Blaine teased.

August's cheeks were flushed red, as she covered her face. "You're welcome." She said, too overtaken by the happiness coming from each and every angle.

"Awww." A chorus of cooing came, making her shrink further into herself. Shyanne and Sara hugged her from each side.

"Auggie, don't hide." Sara urged.

"Y-your fault." She mumbled, feeling as her smile shook, she had never had so many friends aside from her siblings and Rachel who she only ever saw when they were both free to attend to the greenhouse. She peeked her head back up and her eyes were slightly red, tears filling them as she looked at her table full of people who had shown her what real friendship looked like. "I guess you all liked the paintings."

"And the notes." Blaine stated, his mouth full of food to the point where he had to cover his mouth.

"Aww, baby, don't cry." Claude said.

She waved off Claude gently. "They're happy tears. I... I'm just so thankful, I've never had many friends, especially in school, so this... all of you," she said gesturing to them with her hands, "just make me feel so good."

The girls hugged her again as Quincy tilted his head, a smile on his face. "Why the honeysuckle?"

Ainsley joined in. "Yeah, it's beautiful, but why that flower?"

August sniffled. "Because, it's viewed as a symbol of happiness-like mine and the honeysuckle vine is notoriously hardy and difficult to kill once it's established itself somewhere, so it's often used to symbolize devotion and everlasting bonds. And it's also very pretty to have growing on your home." She chuckled on that last part as her friends awed once more.

"It's so sappy and cute." Wesson remarked, teasing August a little.

"Oh hush up, Oil." Quincy said.

Wesson blushed and flipped his middle finger at his boyfriend, knocking his shoulder as he did so, Quincy simple stuck out his tongue at him.

"Wait, did you just call him, Oil?" August asked, a brow raised at him as she held back her laughter.

Quincy chuckled. "Yeah, his name is the same as a brand of oil, so I tease him like that whenever I can." Snickers erupted from his sisters as well as the entire table as Wesson glared and his cheeks flared up in embarrassmemt.

"Oh wow, Quin, you're so mean." Ainsley burst out laughing as the group continued chuckling.

Wes was grateful that he had worn a hoodie and threw the hood over his head. Quincy pouted softly at making him embarrassed and bent to remove his hood and cup his hot cheek before he surprised him with a kiss. Wesson face burnt hotter as his hands shot up to cover his blush and he buried his head in the crook of Quincy's neck.

"Aww, you're so cute when you blush, babe."

"S-shut up." He grumbled, still keeping himself pressed against his boyfriend as their laughter settled down.

~~ ~ ~~

The rest of the day proved no hassle, and August moved through her classes with ease. When the bell rang up to conclude their day she had managed to catch Claude leaving his class and dragged him away from everyone as she brought him to the library in a silent corner where she sat him down and told him about what she and Bucky did the night before.

His eyes were filled with worry and it made August somehow nervous but she still told him everything that they said, no matter what he would think. When she was done she took a deep breath and let it out, waiting for anything that he'd have to say to that.

"Oh. Well, thank you for telling me. I really am happy that I can trust you no matter what..." he scratched the back of his head. "Did he really make you blush?"

She was red in the cheeks at remembering that and nodded. "Yes. It was an honest reaction, but I would have never let anything happen."

"No, no, I believe you, August," he took her hands in his as he faced her. "You're truly the best thing that could have happened to me and Bucky was right, I am really lucky. Thankfully, I got to you first."

She smiled. "Yeah, my sweet stalker won my heart over my ex-bully."

Claude snorted, covering his mouth at her words. "You're never gonna let that go are you?"

She grinned at him. "Not until my dying day." They laughed softly, as to not get heard by the librarians and he sighed.

"Well... I'm happy that he saw how amazing you are, and he does have good taste, you're quite a catch, August Chandler." She blushed and he kissed her cheek.

"Come on, let's go meet our friends." He said.

"Thank you for understanding, Claude."

He shrugged. "I can't really be mad at him... I mean I've had-" His cheeks tinted pink and he stopped talking. August gasped and tugged at his hand, pulling him back to her.

"You had what?"

He chuckled nervously. "N-nothing babe, come-come on."

She yanked him back, pushing him to the chair as she sat herself down onto his lap. "Claude?" She said, pressing themselves closer. His eyes shot up to her chest then her face. "Baby, what were you gonna say?" She ran her hands through his thick dark hair and he gulped, his hands running down her naked thigh.

He questioned why she had worn a skirt today, he could feel the heat of her body against his and he swore in his head. "Fuck..." he saw the seductive look in her eyes and sighed. "Okay! I... I had this stupid crush on Bucky last year, but," he swallowed, looking away from her to an empty wall, "he had a girlfriend then, plus I don't think he likes guys."

She gasped, her brows rose as she exhaled a shocked laugh. August smiled. "Did you ever ask him?"

Claude met her eyes. "Babe, we're-"

"I know," She cut him off, "but did you ever ask him?"

He shook his head.

"Then, how would you ever have known?"

He shrugged and she sighed and cupped his face pressing a kiss to his lips.

"We can ask him?"

"W-what? Auggie, that's too forward!"

She scoffed. "Boo, we're in the twenty-first century, we're breaking societal norms and we're opening our eyes to the symmetric rules that bound us like prisoners. Love is love and in the end of the day, your life is yours and yours only to live. So... do you wanna know if he likes boys or is ignorance bliss?"

Claude exhaled, pondering on her words, he really felt upset about not ever knowing before, even Blaine had tried to push him into asking, but he just didn't want to make a scene with Bucky... or his girlfriend at the time. He sighed, meeting the kind eyes of his own girlfriend. "I do wanna know, but can I do it alone?"

She nodded. "Of course. I don't control you, I'm just here to see you live your best life."

"I love you." He declared.

She grinned, squishing his cheeks together. "I love you too, cutie!" Claude wrapped his arms tighter around her and kissed her deeply making her gasp and moan into his mouth as she threaded her fingers into his hair once more.

Claude shivered as she clung to him and moved his hands to her thighs, and higher under her skirt. August broke their kiss slightly, letting a moan slip out as her eyes fluttered, she held him closer to her chest, and Claude took the liberty to nudge at her chin, moving her collar away as he bit at her neck.

August gasped, her body shuddering as she felt a pressure between her legs. "F-fuck... Claude wait." She gripped a hand around his forearm as he ceased, panting against her neck as he moved his hands back to her waist.

"Shit..." he muttered, "umm, I'm sorry... I."

"Don't." She said biting her bottom lip. "We should cool off. Then umm, then leave." She suggested.

Claude nodded against the crook of her neck before their phones began ringing.