N O

S U C H    T H I N G

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There's something about waking up to a fresh pot of coffee, that just makes you love your freaking life.

After I get ready for the day, I walk downstairs and immediately pour a cup of coffee for myself. I add in the necessary cream and sugar, and then take a seat at the island in the middle of the kitchen. I lean my elbows against the cool granite counter top as I inhale the delicious aroma of the brewed happiness resting in between my hands.

"Hey sweetie, how'd you sleep?" My mom says as she enters the kitchen, still trying to tie her hair up in a high ponytail.

"Not so bad. You?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Honestly? I almost threw my alarm clock across my bedroom." She sighs with a slight smirk on her face. She walks over and pours herself a cup of coffee, before taking a seat right across from me.

I lean over and pull a banana from the small fruit basket, and hand it to her. She smiles gratefully as she opens the banana and takes a bite.

"The good news is I'll be home tonight. We should do something!" She smiles wide.

"Really?" My face brightens immensely at her words.

"Of course! We can order some dinner, maybe put a movie in. How's that sound?"

"It sounds amazing mom. Can't wait." I smile as I take my own banana and get up to walk over and put my cup in the sink after rinsing it.

"Cool, see you then." She chirps as she stands up and heads for the front door. "Have a good day!"

"You too mom!" I shout, as she is already half-way out of the door.

I take my mom's cup that she so wonderfully left on the counter and rinse it out for her. After I finish my banana, I throw the peel away and grab my bag from the dining room table. As I lock up the house and turn around to get into my car, I hear a rumbling of a truck coming down the road.

Please don't be James. Please don't be James.

As luck would have it, sure enough James' black ford comes rolling down the street and stops directly in front of my driveway on the side of the road.

"Ugh." I audibly sigh.

"Gee, thanks. You're so kind in the mornings Sky." I hear James say as he rolls down the passenger window to look at me.

"Why are you here? Again?" I question.

"To drive you to school. Get your cute behind in this truck." He smirks.

I feel my cheeks beginning to burn, so I shake my head as I go to get into his truck anyway.

Once I close the door and buckle myself in, I lean back against the seat but immediately regret it.

"Morning sunshine!" A very loud voice booms next to my ear, which causes me to jump about ten feet, hitting my head against the roof of the truck in the process.

"What the hell!" I shout as I turn around and come face to face with a smirking Ian.

"Someone's grumpy this morning." He pouts.

I turn and give James a death glare.

"Yeah, sorry. He's riding with us today." James shrugs as he pulls away from the curb and starts driving toward school.

"How about a little warning next time, yeah?" I raise an eyebrow as I lean back against the seat again.

"Gosh Sky, don't get your panties in a wad." Ian comments from behind me.

"Ian, you have about two seconds to shut that hole on your face." I grit through my teeth.

James chuckles from beside me as I hear Ian scoff.

"Oh wait! I know what this is! You're on your lady time, aren't you?" Ian says as he snaps his fingers together, as if he finally cracked my code.

My eyes widen as James laughs even louder from beside me.

"Dude, you never say that to a girl." James says to Ian, and then he glances over at me. "But if you are, I can totally stop at the store really quick to get you some Snickers and some ibuprofen." He genuinely smiles.

If I wasn't so mad at Ian, I would have totally swooned at his offer.

"I am not on my 'lady time'." I mock Ian. "I'm just not really a morning person, like ever." I shrug.

"Well, that would've been my second guess." Ian replies as he reaches in between James and me and turns on the radio. Never Too Late by Three Days Grace begins to play, and I find myself quietly singing along since Ian turned the radio up somewhat loud.

'Even if I say, it'll be alright
Still I hear you say, you want to end your life
Now and again we try, to just stay alive
Maybe we'll turn it all around
Cause it's not too late,
It's never too late.'

After I finish the chorus, the beat slows back down as the second verse starts and I find myself slowly bobbing my head to the music.

"Wow, I didn't take you for a rock lover and a good singer." James suddenly comments from beside me, and I remember that I'm not the only one in the car as my cheeks turn bright pink.

Did I seriously just sing while sitting directly beside James? Someone please, just take me now.

"I uh, I like many different genres." I say, happy that my words didn't come out in a jumbled mess.

"What else don't I know about you, Skylar?" I glance over to see James smiling as he finally pulls into the school parking lot. He parks his truck at the very front, typical, and then turns off the engine. Ian jumps out, leaving James and I alone in the front.

"Trust me, there's a book of stuff you don't know about me." I find myself smirking as I grab my bag and quickly get out of James' truck, praying that I don't cause more unwanted attention.

However, as fate would have it, every single pair of eyes are immediately on me as I shut the passenger door to James' truck.

"See you in first." James smirks as he slings his bag over his right shoulder and strolls directly over to Ian and a few of their other friends.

I simply nod as I look around in search of my two only friends.

I see them sitting on a picnic table, eating some breakfast as they watch me approach them.

"So like, will this be a regular thing?" Abby asks as soon as I am in hearing range.

"What?" I raise an eyebrow.

"You riding to school with James. Everyone staring at you. Awkwardness." Abby smirks.

"Why does it matter?" I take a seat on the other side of Lena.

"It doesn't. I'm just curious." Abby says, finishing her last piece of toast.

"I think you make a really cute couple." Lena comments after taking a drink from her chocolate milk.

"We are not a couple." I sigh. "I guess we're just friends. That's it."

"I thought you were mad at him for the whole Avery incident." Lena asks.

"I learned he didn't have a part in it. Plus you should know since you gave him my number last night." I look over at Abby who only shrugs at me.

"You'll end up together. I give it a week, tops." Lena suddenly says as my mouth drops open at her.

"I say a week and a half; James will have to really work for it." Abby replies to Lena. They both shake on the deal as I cross my arms over my chest.

"I hate you both." I mumbled.

"Love you too." They both smile in unison.

As the first bell rings, the three of us get up and head inside the school. Once I make it to my locker, a stranger with deep brown eyes is standing there to greet me.

"Hey, you're Skylar, right?" He asks.

"Yeah...?" I eye him suspiciously.

"Well, I saw what happened yesterday and I just wanted to say that Avery's prank was completely juvenile, and I was actually hoping that you would... um... accompany me on a date tonight?" He smiles wide, displaying his perfect white teeth.

"I'm sorry, what's your name?" I question, my cheeks beginning to turn a slight shade of crimson.

"Oh, right. My name is Percy." He extends his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

I wearily take his firm grasp, and he lightly shakes my hand before pulling away.

"Well, Percy. I can't just go out on a date with you." I say while pulling a book from my locker and closing it.

"May I ask why?" He raises a perfectly arched eyebrow.

"She's kidding. She will totally go on a date with you." Abby suddenly appears from behind me.

I almost jump at her sudden outburst, but turn to glare at her instead.

"Perfect. Meet me at the movie theater tonight at eight." He smiles while walking away.

"Why did you do that?" I shout at Abby.

"Yeah! I shipped her and James." Lena whines.

"Don't you want to make James even just a little bit jealous? It's the only way to really see if he's into you or not." Abby shrugs.

"But I don't even know this Percy guy." I sigh, leaning against my locker.

"That's kind of what the date is for." Abby deadpans.

My eyes turn to slits as I stare at her. "I hate you so much right now."

"Yeah, I know." She smiles as she pulls Lena to first period. "See you at lunch!" She shouts once their backs are to me.

I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly as I begin to walk to first period.

Somebody, anybody, please just take me now.

_______

| James' POV |

"Hey, who is that?" I ask Ian as he takes his books from his locker and shoves them into his bag.

"Who's who?" He asks, peering behind him to where my eyes are pointed.

"That guy with Sky." I say.

"Uh, I don't know. I think I've seen him once or twice around. Think his name starts with a P or something. Paul? Pete?" He shrugs.

I roll my eyes and turn to the innocent little freshman boy standing beside me at his locker.

"Hey." I say, and his entire body tenses.

"Y-Yes?" He wearily looks up at me.

"Do you know who that guys name is over there?" I point toward Skylar and the kid follows my finger.

"Oh, that's Percy. He's the senior lead in student counsel." The boy says, and then once he remembers that he's talking to me and not one of his friends, he looks back into his locker and away from my gaze. "Sir James."

I roll my eyes again but nod. "Thanks kid."

I turn to Ian who is shaking his head at the freshman with a smile on his face. "They're so cute when they're little." Ian coos. The freshman boy quickly gathers his books before darting off in the opposite direction of us.

"So, his name is Percy. I don't like it." I finally state.

"Of course you don't, he's all over your woman." Ian smirks.

"She's not my woman." I sigh.

"But you want her to be."

"You're so immature."

"Takes one to know one, Jamesy." Ian pokes my cheek before laughing and heading towards class with me behind him.

Just as we near Skylar and Percy, I hear Abby confirm that Skylar will attend a date with him. I feel myself become angry and continue on to first period without glancing at Skylar or the P-guy.

Ian and I are sitting in our seats near the back when Skylar finally walks in. She walks to the back and takes her seat in the middle of us, as usual.

"Hi Sunshine!" Ian smiles to Skylar, as she smiles back.

"Hello Ian."

"How has your morning been so far?" He questions.

"Eventful." She admits with a light laugh.

"Oh? Do tell! I just have to know the deets!" Ian dramatically states as he places his hand over his chest.

"Maybe later." She smirks while pulling out her notebook for class.

"Hey, who was that guy I saw you with?" I suddenly find myself asking.

"Oh, uh, just a guy." She shrugs.

"Just a guy?"

"Yes, James. Just a guy. What's it to you?" She raises an eyebrow and Ian leans back into his seat as he waits for the fireworks to explode.

"Well, I think I have the right to ask as your friend." I reply with a slight edge to my tone.

"James, we are barely even friends. I'm still a little skeptical when it comes to you. You're on probation for now." She states confidently. "But I do appreciate the ride to school this morning." She smiles sweetly, and suddenly I forget why I'm even mad at her.

"You're welcome." I smile back.

I look to Ian who is smirking at me, and I discreetly give him the middle finger to which he silently gasps as he holds his hand over his mouth in fake shock.

"So, do you and this guy have plans?" I ask, mentally slapping myself for how pathetic I must sound.

"He asked me to a movie, but I'm only going as his friend, I think." She admits with confusion laced in her furrowed eyebrows. Her face looks cute all twisted up like that.

"Well, if you're just going as friends, why not we make it a group thing? You can bring Lena and Abby and I'll bring Ian. We can help make this less awkward for you." I smoothly state with a smile.

Ian's eyes bulge from his face as he sits upright and leans toward Skylar and me.

"But James, we were supposed to go paint ball shooting later!" He whines.

"We can do that tomorrow." I sigh.

"But I wanted to do it today Jamesy!"

"God, you sound like such a fucking child." I huff.

"It's fine James. If you and Ian have plans, I'll just go to the movies with Percy alone." Skylar innocently smiles.

I give Ian a look, and after several seconds, he finally scoffs and then nods.

"We'll be there." I say to Skylar with a smile.

"Cool." She replies as the teacher walks in and begins class.

There is no way in hell I'm letting her go to the movies alone with that P-character. He didn't look genuine to me, and I will not let anyone else hurt Skylar the way that Avery did yesterday. She doesn't deserve it.

That's why I'm filled with nothing but guilt when I think about all the times I've picked on her growing up. Yet every single time, she just took it and shrugged it off. It didn't seem to faze her in the slightest, and that's probably why I kept going back for more.

All I know is, there's something about Skylar that I just can't seem to let go of. I want to figure her out on a personal level, far deeper than anything we have shared before.

Maybe this will be the official start of an amazing friendship. And who knows, maybe even more.