We were at Ed's room, and I was treating the bruise on his cheekbone. Everytime I smear the wet cloth on his skin, he would twitch and close his eyes. I couldn't bare watching him like that. Pained.

"What the hell happened?" I asked as I carefully continued treating his bruise. I almost had a heart attack (not really) when I saw him with a bruise on their front door.

"Nothing. Cassandra's frame just hit me when we were hanging it on her room." He said. I didn't believe it. That kind of bruise is impossible to only come from a picture frame, no matter how big it is. But, it seemed like he didn't want to talk about it, so I let it pass.

I was still on the dress that Kevin brought me and on the blazer that I covered it with. Ed's window was open, so I felt chilly.

Ed noticed it, so he pushed my hand away from his face. "You should go home and change. You're freezing." He suggested. I felt happy that he cared. But then again, I'm his best friend.

I shook my head in disagreement. "No. You're obviously still not okay." I said.

"You don't want to go home? Fine. But you're using my jacket. That blazer is too thin for you." He said. Before I could even protest (which I will not, since I really wanted to smell him in his jacket), he stood up and picked out a green jacket from his closet.

He covered it on my shoulders, the kind of thing romantic guys usually do. The jacket was soft and smooth at the same time, and it smelled like the fresh leaves on spring, where you just want to lay down outside and smell the earth and appreciate the beauty it gives us.

"I've never seen this jacket before." I stated. "Why is it green? Isn't blue like, your favorite color?"

He shrugged. "Cassandra was the one who gave it to me. She said she just liked seaweeds, so she likes green. And she thought I liked green too."

I mouthed an 'Oh' and nodded.

"By the way, how was the party?" He asked. "Isn't it too early for you to leave?"

"Why? You don't want me here?" I joked, making a cute puppy face. We both laughed out loud, and I liked seeing Ed smiling at my jokes than twitching because of the pain on his face.

I shrugged. "It was fine. I went home early, because my best-friend-senses just sensed that you needed me."

I noticed that he was pressing back his lips, so I could tell he was holding himself from laughing at me. "Was it okay for Kevin? For you to leave the party and go here instead?" He asked.

"Yeah." I simply said, because I really wasn't sure if it was okay for Kevin. He did look a little disappointed when I told him I was leaving. "I don't like fancy parties anyway." I shrugged.

He clutched his heart and faked that he was touched by my statements. "You left your boyfriend for me? Wow, Sidney. I didn't know I was that important to you."

I rolled my eyes and punched his arm that was as hard as a brick. "Stop over reacting Ed. You don't look good at acting crazy." I lied. He could really pass as a double to Logan Lerman in one of his movies. I couldn't help myself but chuckle. "Plus, he's not my boyfriend. Okay?" I added.

He scoffed. "Not your boyfriend? Yeah right."

"You thought Kevin is my boyfriend just because Aubrey is YOUR girlfriend?" I crossed my arms. No, not to show confidence, but to cover my pained heart.

"Aubrey? My girlfriend?" He repeated. "Not even close! I don't even think that she likes me as much as I like her." He defended.

"Ed the Denial." I teased. "Oh! EDenial! New name." I grinned. I felt proud because I finally have something to blockmail him. I felt bad because what he denied was about him and Aubrey.

He mocked me and said, "Says Fiona in the green jacket."

I bowed my head to look at the jacket again. Did I really look like Fiona? I asked myself. The beautiful Fiona, or the ogre Fiona? I asked myself again.

"Yeah. Says Hulk who owns the green jacket." I said. I then adjusted and showed off the jacket. He seemed impressed. "Wait. If you're Hulk, and I'm Fiona, who's shrek?" I wondered.

He placed his finger under his chin and made a thinking face. "Oh, I know." He said like a light bulb just popped above his head.

"Who?" I asked, confusion all over my face. Is it Jonathan? Is it Mr. Johnson? Is it his dad?

No. Not even one of them. "Kevin, of course!"  He said like it was so obvious. I couldn't help myself but laugh. Kevin isn't ugly. But then again, Shrek shows that true beauty is what's within.

That means Aubrey is the ugliest girl I've ever known.

A clumsy idea popped to my head. "Since we are talking about green characters...." I said. "Aubrey is the frog!" I said with glee! I just couldn't stop myself from laughing. Aubrey may be beautiful in the outside, but in the inside she definitely is like a frog.

I expected Ed to get angry at me, because he does like Aubrey very much, but I was surprised when he joined me in laughing. "You are one cruel Fiona." He said between laughs.

I liked looking at him while laughing. His jaw flexing, his eyes sparkling with laughter, his body rocking back and forth. I liked seeing him like that. I liked seeing him laughing like he had no bruise on his face.

"C'mere." I getured him to sit nearer on his bed. "Let me finish treating your bruise before it gets worse by too much laughing." I joked, but I didn't laugh. It hurted me that he was hurt, even though it wasn't intenionally the fault of his stepmother.

I liked Aunt Cassandra. She's like Ed sometimes. Easy to be with and could make you laugh without even trying to. But I still wished that I had a chance to meet Ed's real mother before she left. I bet she's really beautiful.

Ed is just like most teenagers nowadays. You see him laugh, smile, and jump for joy. But when he comes home, he mourns the fact that his real mother is not with him and his father is treating him like he's not supposed to be born in this world.

Whenever I look at Ed, I see the world. The world that's happy when you describe it, but in reality it's just one stupid, wrecked world.

Ed has potential. He's smart, caring and kind to the ones he love. He doesn't deserve the feeling loneliness at home. He doesn't deserve the attitude of his father. He doesn't deserve to be played by Aubrey.

"Ed?" I called while treating his bruise. "You are like, the world's greatest son, and best friend. And don't even try to laugh because I'm asking you a serious question." I pointed a finger at him so I could state my fact, well, factly. "You deserve more. Not the way Aubrey is treating you. What did you see in Aubrey?" I finally asked.

I've been wanting to ask that to Ed for months, I was just afraid to get hurt with the answer. That if he will say "She's pretty. She's rich. She's prom queen.", I would only get hurt because I don't have those things. I'm not as pretty as her, I'm not rich, and I blew my chance to become prom queen last year.

But then I felt bad thinking about him like that. I had been his best friend since we were kids, and I just thought about him being the kind of guy who only wants outside beauty than the inside. I know that Ed is not like that. He is an amazing guy. I'm his best friend, and I should be the one who sees the good in him and understands him completely.

He shrugged. "I don't know." He looked away. "I guess some things aren't just meant for explaining." He said.

I only nodded and decided not to ask more. I decided not to tell Ed that Aubrey was at Kelly's party, and that she lied to him. I just continued treating his bruise and didn't say another word.

...

"What?" I asked Mr. Johnson when he told me I failed my English Examination. "That can't be. I studied. Ed helped me." I defended, not believeing my score. Mom would be so disappointed.

I may not be a straight-A student, but I never had an F on any of my classes. Especially not on English.

Mr. Johnson looked at me with pity. I might not be the best student in his class, but I never was the worst too. Well, except for that time when Ed and I went to detention.

Mr. Johnson looked at me skeptically. "Have you been texting all night the day before the examinations?" Mr. Johnson asked.

I tried to rethink the moment. Aparrently, he was right. I was texting with Kevin. He was bugging me about prom. What I'll wear, what color my dress will be, what my hairstyle would be. He's worse than a fashion lover girl friend. "Yes, sir. I was texting. What does that have to do with my grade?" I asked.

"Well, have you used shortcuts while texting?" He asked.

"Yes." I answered, though I still didn't know what it had to do with my F.

Mr. Johnson sighed. "Well, Ms. Stewart, you may have mispelled most of your words on the test." He said and showed me my paper. My first letter wasn't in Capital, some of my words were in acronyms, and instead of a period, a smiley face was written on the end.

My eyes went wide open at the paper. "Mr. Johnson, that is not what I wrote!" I almost shouted, but I then remembered that I was talking to a teacher. "I'm sorry to yell, sir, but what I said was true. That is not what I wrote. I would never draw a smiley face where a period should be written. I may not be that smart, but I'm not that stupid enough to write that. You have to believe me." I begged him.

I couldn't help it, but my eyes got a little bit watery. I just couldn't afford an F. If I want to go to a college that mom wants me to go, an F on my report card is a big threat.

"I'm sorry, Sidney." He apologized. "I know that you would never think of writing this, but it is what it says your paper. I have to follow the rules. I'm sorry."

With that, Mr. Johnson left me in the classroom all alone with my eyes trying itself not to shed tears.

I looked up to keep my tears from falling. Then someone entered the classroom. It was Ed.

I hurriedly blinked back my tears, faced him and acted like nothing had happened. "Hey, Ed. I thought you were at lunch?" I asked with a fake smile.

"I decided to wait for you." He said. He studied me and it seemed that he noticed I was about to cry. "Are you okay? What happened? What did Mr. Johnson talk to you about?" He continuously asked.

I shook my head. "Nothing important." I lied.

He crossed his arms and looked at me straight in the eyes. He was making me tell the truth. Unfortunately, that kind of strategy works. "Fine." I raised my hands in surrender. His eyes were making me uncomfortable deep into the bones. "Mr. Johnson gave me an F." I said.

He only looked at me. I'm guessing that he had an A+ on this test. Well, he usually does. Whenever I can't understand the lesson, I would just run to him and he would happily teach me. For years he had been my tutor. He can teach me without making me feel dumb. He motivates me. He believes in me.

"Everything's gonna be okay." He said and placed his thumb under my chin to make me look at straight to home. "You can always try harder the next time.

He was making me feel better, and he was doing a pretty good job at it. But I shook my head. "No, Ed. I didn't get an F because of my mistakes. It was because someone sabotaged my paper." I said.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Mr. Johnson showed me the paper. It wasn't what I wrote two days ago." I explained. "Would you really think I would draw a smiley face on my essay?"

"I believe you Sidney." He assured me and I believed him too. "But, would do such thing?"

I tried to think of someone capable of doing it. Only one person came to my mind.

"I don't know." I only said. I can't tell Ed that I think it's Aubrey. I don't want to hear him defend her from me. It's best to shut my mouth.

Without informing me, Ed grabbed my hand and dragged me outside the room. "Where are we going?" I asked.

"Cafeteria." He said.

"Why?" I asked.

He stopped walking and faced me. He smiled. "To make you feel better. Don't worry. My treat."

...

I didn't bother checking my phone until the last period. I was so preoccupied with the fact that Ed could still make me feel better despite him and Aubrey getting closer with each other.

When I checked it, there were 10 messages and 3 calls from Kevin.

I immediately called him.

"Hello?" I said when he finally picked up.

I expected a Hello or Hey or What's up from him, but tough luck. "Why didn't you text me back? And why didn't you answer my calls?" He demanded.

"I didn't check my phone. Sorry." I said.

"Well, maybe you should've thought about someone waiting for your replies." He said sounding a bit mad.

I didn't know why, but I was irritated. "I'm sorry, okay? I just didn't want my phone getting confiscated by Ms. De Ville." I explained, but it was all a lie. If Ms. De Ville really did confiscate my phone, I woudn't have cared. Atleast I could get away from my so called 'responsibility' of replying his texts.

He sighed. "Whatever. Where are you now?" He asked, but his tone still sounded mad.

"By my locker." I said. "Why?"

"Be there in two minutes." He said. Before I could even protest, he ended the call.

I didn't have any choice, so I waited for him. Five minutes later, he still wasn't there. Another five minutes later, still no sign of him. When another five minutes had passed, I decided to just go home by myself. But when I turned back, he was there.

Not Kevin, but Ed.

"What are you still doing here?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

I was speechless for about ten seconds, but then I got out from my thoughts and said, "I, uh, was waiting for Kevin. How about you?" I couldn't help but form a little smile on my face. I was just happy to see him.

"I was waiting for Aubrey, but then she texted me that she already went home and forgot to inform me. Is Kevin coming? I could drive you home if you want." He offered.

Kevin never texted back my texts asking if where he was. Maybe his battery got dead and wasn't able to tell me that he can't come.

"Sure." I said. "I don't think he'll come anyway."

With that, Ed and I both went home.

When I entered my room, with Ed following behind me, that's when my phone started ringing with Kevin's name on the caller ID.

I immediately pressed the answer button.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" He immediately asked, though I could hardly make out the words because the music blaring from where he stood was so loud, even my eardrums would've popped.

"You were late for fifteen minutes." I said. "Ed saw me so I decided to go home with him instead. You didn't reply my texts."

Despite the loud music, I heard him sigh. "I'm sorry. My cousin called me and just couldn't stop talking. I only read your texts when she finished her call. Then she invited me into this party, that's why it's so loud." He almost shouted.

I didn't know what to say next, so all I said was, "It's okay. Just, have fun. See you tomorrow." Then, I ended the call.

I almost forgot that Ed was there with me in my room, if it wasn't for him stumbling on the pile of sneakers on the floor.

"Where was he?" He asked, acting cool like he didn't make a fool of himself just a few seconds ago.

That is what you call the 'Act Normal' style.

"Yeah, nice try. But I saw that." I said. We both laughed. "He was at his cousin's party." I answered, though I was still chuckling.

"Oh." He only said. Suddenly, his phone beeped. He pulled it out from his pocket and checked it. "I gotta go. Dad texted me." He said.

He leaned over to hug me for two seconds and left the room.

I stood there frozen. I couldn't move. I couldn't speak. My mind completely went blank.

How I wanted that hug to last for hours.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling after that.  I went into the bathroom while smiling. I had dinner with mom while smiling (I had to explain to her that I wasn't crazy). I made my homeworks while smiling. Sometimes, you just can't stop smiling, all because of a simple gesture a crush gave to you.

I fell asleep after that...... while smiling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey :)

Okay I have nothing to say, so Bye!

Z.