The rest of Monday seemed to come and go, and Tuesday was even quicker. I still hadn't helped my mother and it was beginning to weigh on me more than I would have ever imagined. After the poker match, Ailis spent the rest of the day whittling all of the gold out of the poker chips he had earned. Now these weren't normal poker chips that I had ever seen before. These were made of shiny material, covered in golden flecks and chunks.   

I glance down at my backpack, my pencil tapping quietly on the table as I listen to my math teacher drone on and on about the history of some formula. I wasn't paying attention. The bag sat delicately on the floor next to my seat as tiny snoring sounds echoed out of it. I wondered if anyone else could hear it or if it was just me because I was zoned in on it.

I looked around the room. There wasn't a single student that was paying enough attention to anything to hear the sounds coming from my backpack. A few girls closer to the front of the class fiddled with their notes frantically writing every word the instructor said. The tiered seating making it so everyone had a perfect view of the front. There couldn't be more than a hundred people in this classroom and lucky for me, none of them sat this far up.

I moved the notebook to the side that I had been doodling on for the last few hours. Thoughts wandering through my head as I looked over the page. Nothing but a bunch of hearts and horribly drawn flowers. This was what I always did.

I tried my best to focus on the lecture but I couldn't help it. I was too excited to head to my next class. Nathan has given me a ride to school Monday morning, teased me about acting weird the entire time, and I hadn't talked to him since. I didn't have shop class on Tuesdays so today was my chance to see him.

After what felt like forever the instructor finally released us. I yanked my bag up off the floor earning me a squeal from the creature inside. I shushed him as I carried my notebook in my hand. I needed to get to the parking lot. The sooner I did, the closer I would be to Nathan. I felt like a young school girl as I walked through the hallways of the university. Fumbling with my feelings as I thought back to the day he had ran into me. The first day of university.

I hadn't realized then how big of a deal that would be. My body trembling as I left the building and paced towards my car. The bag was swaying on my back and I could feel Ailis's tiny hands propped against my back as if he was using them to stable himself. Soon a whisper came from the bag.

"Could ya, slow down a wee bit?" The words were much clearer than when he had been talking to his friends but still muffled by the bag he was hiding in. If he could just hold it out for a few more steps I would practically be in my car. I shook my head ignoring him as I continued to hustle the rest of the way through the parking lot. "Em..." I heard his tiny voice once again.

I flung the car door open dropping my bag on the passenger seat before unzipping it. Slamming the door shut I head over to my side of the car. Once behind the steering wheel I watched as the tiny creature began to crawl his way out of the bag. His face as green as his petticoat.

"Em... I ain't feeling tu good," He mutters as he leans over the edge of the seat. He starts dry heaving as if he was going to throw up before he lets out one quick bellow and upchucks right onto the carpet. The green ooze staring back at me as he dangles over the edge looking down towards his mess.

"You've got to be kidding me right now!" I shout at the tiny creature. I didn't have time to clean this up, I needed to get to school so that I could... Nevermind. I quickly turned around in my car searching for anything I could use to clean it up. How did one clean up Leprechaun vomit?

"Don't worry about it," He whispers as he lifts his hand up snapping his fingers. A few seconds later the puke was dissipating into a tiny green dust before disappearing completely. "Us Oirish folk chucker lashings av drinkin', we are used ter cleanin' up our messes," His accent was full and heavy once again. The words barely understandable as he muffles them through his arms.

"Are you okay now then?" I question. I wasn't really sure how I was supposed to respond. I only had one thing on my mind and that was getting to class. Ailis was going to have to wait until I had more time to deal with his antics.

Placing the car in reverse I quickly parked out of my parking space before zooming away through the parking lot. Ailis had regained his color as he lays comfortably on the seat.

The drive to school wasn't too long. It was shorter with how much I was speeding. Ailis's little incident had wasted enough time there was no way I would be there before Nathan had arrived. Once I was at the second building of the school I quickly parked my car, tucked Ailis back into my bag before heading into the building. My class wasn't too far through the first hallway, only about halfway down. My feet echo on the floor as they drag me towards the classroom. Once I reach the door, I enter, and I'm confused because no one is there yet. Usually there were others filtering in at this point. Brushing it off I head over to take my usual seat against the wall. Leaving room for Nathan to sit next to me.

My heart races as the teacher enters the room. Was I here on the wrong day? Was there no class?

"Where is everyone?" He mumbles looking around the room before shaking his head and walking back into the shop. I shrug my shoulders.

"You're asking me?" I whisper to myself.

"Who ya, talkin tu?" Ailis pops his head out of my bag quickly searching for the answers to his question. I rip the bag from the floor pulling it close to me as I press the leprechaun further into my bag. Ailis jumps back in with a yelp as he zips the bag back up himself.

"Shut it," I growl as I place my bag back on the ground. Soon after doing this a few students began fluttering into the classroom. The teacher heads back in to tease them for being so late.

But where was Nathan?

I watch the door carefully. Maybe he wasn't coming? Maybe he was home in bed sick? I felt the need to text him, to ask him why he hadn't shown up for class, but when I turned around to check the door once more he was there. Standing in the doorway as handsome as ever, his body propped up against the frame. His green eyes watching me tauntingly. I smiled, trying to warm the room up. My heart jumping in my throat as soon as I catch his eyes. He shakes his head looking away as he takes a seat next to some guy in the back of the classroom.

Why wasn't he sitting by me?

I turn carefully looking at the teacher trying my best not to focus on the guy in the back of the room. My brain having a hard time focusing on the words the instructor spoke. Yet another safety spill as he hands out papers for our first assignment. Skipping me he walks back to the students who hadn't been in the class before.

Everything seemed to drag. The time seemed to stop as soon as he ignored me. What had I done wrong? I watched the clock for what felt like years before the teacher finally released us. As soon as the words left his mouth Nathan was out of his seat rushing for the doors. I sprung into action. I needed to catch him before he got away. Flailing through the hallway behind him my bag began slipping off my shoulder.

"Nathan what did I do?" I question pulling the backpack further up on my shoulder. Nathan shakes his head as I follow him out the front doors of the building.

"Nothing, I just need time to think," He mumbles as his pace quickens. Why was he trying to get away from me? I reached forward grabbing his shoulder flipping him around until he was looking at me. He looked dazed, his body confused at the sudden direction change.

"Nathan!" I practically shout at him.

"What?" He shrugs moving my hand from his shoulder.

"I thought we were having so much fun? Do you not like me?" My body told me I needed to just walk away, if he was going to be this difficult after our first date then there was no reason to be around him. But he did ask me on another date. Did he not want to go on that anymore?

"We were," He mumbled once again. This left me even more confused. If he too thought we were having a good time why would he want to end things like this?

"Then what is going on with you?" I felt like a desperate teen chasing after a boy I thought I loved. I felt horrible acting this way. It was one date there was no reason to freak out. Maybe he just didn't like me. That sucked. Because the more I thought about it the more I really liked him. I wanted to continue going on dates with him.

"Everytime I'm with you things are weird..." He shook his head taking a deep breath before leaning against the railing. Other students shuffled passed us as their teacher too let them go after class.

"What do you mean things are weird? Like you're not interested in me and you don't know why you're spending time with me?" I suddenly felt insecure, tucking my brown hair behind my ear I wanted to hide. I felt my body shrink under his gaze. The freckles burning across my nose as If they made me ugly. I shifted my weight away from him doing anything I could to cover myself from his judgemental opinion.

"Emerson, I think you are so beautiful, but everytime I'm with you something happens and I just can't seem to remember. There's a huge chunk of our first date that I just do not remember at all," He shakes his head pulling his cell phone out to check the time.

"So you don't like the mystery?" I question.

"No, I don't like feeling like I was roofied or something. I want to get to know you but it sucks when I can't remember anything afterwards," He let out a hiss noise as he turned on his heel to walk away.

"Nathan..." I called as he turned to look at me.

"I have to get to work, I'm sorry." He mumbled as he began walking away once again.

"Please give me another chance, this weekend?" I begged as I watched him disappear in the parking lot. Nathan froze in his tracks as he heard the words slip out of my mouth. He turned again to look at me as he shot me a half smile.

"Only because you asked," My heart leapt with joy at his response. Now I just needed to figure out something we could do. This had to be the best second date ever and Ailis couldn't mess it up.