Hey everyone,

Sorry that I've been taking so long to update I've been really busy finishing school. Summer at last!

Enjoy the chapter,

---- PaintMeAPictue

"At least you're not wearing the giant mascot head," Brecken pats my back, trying to comfort me.

    "I look like a trashy girl that got rejected at a halloween party, and had to walk home drunk, because the guy was my ride." I tilt my head up, trying to avoid seeing the outfit I have been shoved into for free thai food.

    "Wanna hear a pirate joke?" She nudges me, her shiny smile stretching from ear to ear.

    "Not really..." I sigh, turning around from the bathroom mirror to look at Brecken.

    "How do pirates communicate long distance?" She moves her arms around demonstrating enormously exaggerated gestures I don't think I've ever seen anyone use before.

    "Words?" I try.

    "With an Ayeeee-Phone." She fake laughs heavily at her own joke.

    "Ha. Ha. Ha." I roll my eyes, and push open the door to the ladies room.

    "Don't say I didn't try," Brecken warns me.

    "Mmm. Your effort will go down in history," I nod.

    "That it will." She looks over her shoulder, as we continue down the hallway. "Hey, Adriann?"

    "Yes?" I grit my teeth, trying my best to focus on not tripping in the boots that Khloe so thoughtfully picked out for my 'perfected' balance.

    "Like six guys are checking you out." She informs me.

    "Inaccurate?" I shrug, pulling my feathery pirate hat over my face, so no one will recognize me.

    "Um, I'm like 110 percent sure that I'm not blind." Brecken speed walks to catch up to me.

    "There's just no way it's true so...if I were you I would get my eyes checked." I abruptly stop in front of my locker, and begin to enter the combination. "Shit, I forgot my combo."

    "Twenty-five, zero, thirty." She pushes me aside, and enters the combination. "Every damn day."

    "Not every day..." I whine, unzipping my backpack.

    "Hey," A voice I do not recognize echoes from behind me. I turn around to find a junior. A junior.

    "Hello?" I smile awkwardly.

    "Could I get your number?" He asks, taking me by extreme surprise. Um no you can't you creep.

    "Ummmm..." I pause glancing to Brecken. She raises her shoulders, being the unhelpful friend that she is. "I do not have a phone."

    "Then what's that?" He chuckles, pointing to the phone-shaped object in my hand.

    "It's a rectangle." I reply, rising on my tiptoes, and falling back to my real height.

    "Ah," he turns on his heel, and walks and away.

    "It's a rectangle?!" Brecken throws her arms into the air.

    "What?" I shrink against the wall.

    "Idiot." She mutters.

-------------

    "Owe!" I yell as I suddenly collide into the chest of the one and only Ari Sheppard.

    "Oh shit, I'm sorry, didn't see you there Adriann." He patted me on the back.

    "Ari..." my eyes widen, remembering the last touch I shared with Ari...that one was significantly softer though.

    "You okay there, Pirate?" He laughs, wrapping his arm around me.

    "Yup, yup, I'm great." I nod, yanking on the end of my skirt. "Where's your costume?" I inquire, as he leads me down the hall towards the cafeteria.

    "Grey shirt and Nike shorts aren't good enough for you?" He gasps. I remove my hat from my head and place it on his.

    "There you go, from douchebag to Captain Hook." I admire the change due to my unexplainable genius.

    "And from mascot to hat hair." He replies, tossing around my hair.

    "Dammit," I glare at him, smoothing my roots.

    "Moving on...the play is in 14 days." He changes the subject to one of the last things I would like to be discussing.

    "That is a fact, yes." I shrug, looking to the floor.

    "And the dance is on Friday," he tries. How could I have been so blind? He makes everything so obvious.

    "Another fact. You get a gold star, Sheppard." I boop his nose. Do I flirt back? Maybe he's misinterpreted my actions as flirty. Maybe I forced him to like me.

    "Maybe you'd like to go---" I cut him off before I'm sure of what he might ask me.

    "Sorry! I think I see Khloe and I have got to ask her something." I dash towards the cafeteria, praying I will leave any confusion I have behind me.

    It's only going to get worse, isn't it?

----------------------

"Luke Solton?" I hop onto my usually spot on kitchen counter.

"Ah, my full name, this must be important." He replies, sarcastically, while flipping a pancake.

"Will you do me the great honor of being my twin?" I clasp my hands together.

"For spirit week?" He raises an eyebrow.

    "What else?" I cock my head to one side.

    "I suppose you already wear my clothes, don't you?" A crooked grin tugs at the left corner of his lips.

    "So that's a yes?" I squeal.

    "Indeed," he lays the pancake onto a plate. "Breakfast for dinner is served, Your Highness."

    "Yay!" I pick up the plate, and the fork beside it, taking a savory bite, and letting the chocolate melt on my tongue.

    "I never really thought I'd see you dressed like a pirate," he comments, pulling a chair over to the counter, and taking a bite of my pancake.

    "I never really thought I'd see you making pancakes." I shrug.

    "Touche," he nods. "You going to game Friday?"

    "I think so, are you?" I take another delicious bite.

    "I've never been a football guy." Why does that statement feel like a test? Like I'm obligated to reply with a convincing reason he should come.

    "Maybe next year then," I follow my second instinct rather than my first. Luke Solton did not ask me to get down on one knee and purpose that he come to football game, so why should I?

    "Yeah," I look up to meet his gaze. His brows furrow, and as soon as we achieve eye contact he quickly goes back to ogling our dinner. "And the dance?"

    "No one has asked me," I tap my foot on the ground silently. Something about this conversation feels off. Not necessarily in a bad way, but in an unknown way.

    "That shouldn't stop you, Adriann Rowe." Why does it feel so weird when he says my full name? What is his agenda here?

    "I guess," this time it is me avoiding eye contact.

    "We could go together," he offers, blandly. Did Luke Solton ask me to homecoming?

    "Okay..." I reply, still trying to wrap my head around his question.

    "Well I'm going to bed," he pauses a moment to stand up, meeting my eye level. "Goodnight, Rowe." He looks me in the eyes, and pivots towards the stairs. Tonight was certainly different than most nights.