(Edited)

A FEW HOURS EARLIER.

I sat in the library reading a book. Lunch would start in about ten minutes, and I was starving. I was contemplating on going to the cafeteria for food, but Michael would be there. I skipped math because I couldn't face the boys. I wanted to stay away from Michael, but I found it quite impossible. I couldn't stop myself from missing him. If I didnt stop myself, I would be thinking of him every second of every minute of every hour. I honestly missed every aspect of him; his smile, his eyes, his intoxicating smell even his stupid smirk.

No Autumn stop it!

I needed to stop thinking about Michael and his fascinating persona. The memory of us almost kissing was on a constant loop in my mind. Every time I would envision his face so close to mine, my body shivered. The look in his eyes when he realized that he was about to kiss me, confused me. It was full of surprise and anger. There was no regret traceable, but I could be mistaken. Bags! The further I put myself away from him, the more I thought of him. But this was for the best. If I stayed away, he would stop trying to figure my life out. He already knew enough.

My inner battle was cut short by strong arms pulling me out from my chair, and throwing me over his shoulders. I couldnt see who it was, but at least I knew it was of the male species. There was no girl in our school strong enough to pick me up this way or for the matter bulky enough.

"Bags!" I cursed loudly. "I'll cut off your man parts and shove it down your throat if you dont put me down this instant," I threatened angrily, punching him on his back.

The hulk chuckled, and my body relaxed before my brain could catch on. "You're so funny A-bear," Mason said, and now I understood why my body relaxed.

I groaned and punched him again. "You scared me, Mace." I heard him and someone else chuckling.

I lifted my head, looking to the right. "Ashy-bear," I squealed with delight, he smiled brightly at me and my heart warmed.

"Hey feisty girl, hows it hanging?" He laughed at his own joke. I rolled my eyes but answered with a smirk.

"Well to be truly honest, I have an amazing few of Masons butt." I smacked his butt for emphasis.

He groaned and mumbled a lot of curse words, causing Ashton and me to laugh. I looked around, realizing how this must have looked to lingering students, my cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. I wiggled on Masons shoulder.

"Please put me down. I pleaded with him."

"Nope!"

I ignored the things that Ashton and Mason were talking about and tried to figure my destination out. I pushed myself up on his shoulders and looked around. When I couldnt see passed Ashtons head, I huffed and let my body hung again.

"Where the heck are you clowns taking me?" I asked agitatedly. My stomach was starting to hurt again, and if Mason didnt let me go soon, I would start crying in front of everybody.

At first, I thought they were going to ignore me, but Mason answered after sighing angrily. "To our lunch table. We are tired of not seeing you anymore, besides Emily ran out of realistic excuses," he explained, climbing down the stairs. "You being eaten by a werewolf a dead give away that something was going on."

Ashton chuckled somewhere to the left. "So, Mason threatened to kiss her if she didnt fess up."

"Not much of a threat!" I mumbled bitterly, surprised she didnt take the offer, she was crazy over him.

We were at the bottom of the stairs about to enter the cafeteria, which only meant one thing; I was going into enemy territory. They were going to annihilate me, throw me out to the dogs to be eaten by rabid animals. It was going to be a life or death situation.

'Oh, for the love of my sanity, would you shut up!' Lilly groaned at my dramatic antics, making me smile.

"Look Autumn we miss you okay, and we realize things might be awkward between you two, but well try our best to ease it out," Mason said. How did they even know?

"I'll even volunteer to beat him up." Ashton shrugged with a smile.

We passed the threshold, and I started thrashing around. "Put me down, Mason. People are staring." He ignored me completely, and I realized that I wasn't going to get away. "Can I at least get food then?" They cut to the front of the line, and a group of hangry teens yelled at them.

Mason turned, glaring at everyone and their angry cries stopped. "That's what I thought." I knew the look he gave them, for a guy so sweet he could be remarkably scary.

Ashton grabbed a tray and placed two slices of pizza, a juice box, and apple, small chips and a cheeseburger on it. I gaped at the amount of food and felt slightly hurt. I knew I ate a lot, but that was an exaggeration. Nonetheless, I was going to enjoy everything on it. We arrived at our table. and I was met with a bunch of amused looks. Mason sat me down a bit roughly causing me to wince.

"Careful, you jerk!" Emily yelled, pinching Mason.

He looked at me confused and apologized; not realizing what he did wrong. I assured him that I was fine, and send Emily a death glare, that piped her down. All eyes were on me, and I blushed looking down at my hands. They all chuckled and continued with their own conversations. I felt eyes on me and looked up, straight into my new favourite colour. I brushed a loose strand behind my ear and gave him a small smile. Michael didnt smile back, but his eyes lit up with amusement. I broke our gaze and turned to Emily, still feeling his eyes on me.

"So, I was eaten by a werewolf?" I asked her with a smirk on my lips, taking a bite of my apple. She blushed and looked down.

"I suck at lying, especially to him." She pouted, looking at Mason with a twinkle in her eyes.

"I'm surprised you didnt take him up on his offer." I laughed, and she turned beet red, sticking her tongue out playfully. Her face said it all; she would if she could.

I looked around the table and smiled inwardly. On the one side sat Jason and his girlfriend Kate; which I had the pleasure of talking to over the phone at Michaels house, next to her sat Ashton, followed by Mason and Michael across from me. They all looked so happy, joking around and laughing with no care in the world, it made me envious. I could laugh and joke around- be happy- but it would be fake. My mind never stopped to wonder what torment waited for me at home.

Jason broke the silence by asking, "So, are we still on for tomorrow after school?" He looked around the table for confirmation, smiling happily when everyone agreed.

"Where are you guys going?" I asked Emily, ignoring the slight sting in my heart for not being invited.

Emily smiled and jumped up excitedly. "We are going camping with the boys."

At first, her words didnt register in my mind, but as soon as it did, I started shaking my head frantically. I was not going camping with Michael, that could lead to so many big disasters. He was already on to me for fighting those guys. I didnt know what else he knew, but I didnt want to find out.

I opened my mouth to protest, but the look on Emilys face said it all; there was no way I was going to get out of this. They would drag me there if they had to. Before I could voice out my displeasure of being forced to go, I was stopped by clicking noises coming closer to our table. Pink polished nails landed with a thud on the table; almost spilling the remains of my lunch everywhere. I followed the hand all the way up to its face and found a smirking Tiffany. I shot her a scowl and clenched my fist. A hand grabbed onto my arm, stopping me from punching her.

She turned away with a smug look. "Michael baby, I've missed you." Her shrill voice shattered our peace. She ran her one hand up and down Michael's arm, touching and probing his bicep. Michaels face was emotionless while Tiffany ran her mouth. The gang looked bored and irritated by her presence, and I smiled at that.

Tiffany got irritated by the lack of attention Michael was giving her, so she pushed herself onto his lap. Michael smirked at that and whispered something in her ear, making her giggle. I clenched my fists and scowled at her, stopping myself from punching her off him. My action crossed my mind, and I realized I was jealous. That thought scared me. The pink lady leaned into Michael and what happened next shocked both Emily and me.

"Seriously! Youre still into that stupid no kissing rule?" Tiffany yelled, pushing herself away from him, disgusted. She stood straight and flipped her hair. "Get over yourself Mi-"

"What kissing rule?" I found my self asking, interrupting her. I looked around, but no one answered me. I was curious as to what it could be. We almost kissed, is that why he stopped?

"His royal asshat doesn't kiss girls, only sleeps with them," Tiffany answered, spitting her words out with hatred. She shot him one more glare and stomped away.

I turned to Michael, who looked remarkably ticked off. "You don't kiss girls?" I asked him, my eyebrows scrunched up with confusion.

"I don't! he answered, gritting his teeth. I looked around and saw that this was no news for the rest.

"Like at all?" I ask dumbfounded, Michael shrugged and clenched his jaw, my questioning getting on his nerves from the looks of it. "Why?" Michael slammed his fist on the table, drawing everyones attention.

"Just drop it, dammit!" he yelled at me. Ashton and Mason pulled him back, but he pushed them loose and shot me a glare. "Stop being so nosy and mind your own shit!" he finished storming away.

There was a small pause; everyone waiting for my reaction. A small part of me felt bad for asking him something so personal, the bigger part of me was angry. I was tired of people talking to me like I was a bag of rotten potatoes. I took it from them, but there was no freaking way I was letting Michael speak to me like that.

I stood up, abruptly and grabbed my things. "Who the heck does that idiot think he is?"

My friends stared at me, awaiting my next move. I clenched my jaw and left the cafeteria ignoring my friends calling me. That jerk was going to regret talking to me like that!

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