I stare blankly at the black board, scribbling down today's assignments and struggling to figure out how I can going to get all of this done and manage to work my shifts at the cafe. I am successfully doing neither of them. There is so much on my mind lately I feel as if my brain could explode at any moment. On the plus side, there have been no more episodes of me turning into a human taser, so there's that.

Daphne pokes me with the tip of her pen and I realize I have been zoning out again. I really need to pull myself together. The last thing I need this week is to space out during class and have a email sent to Dr. Hughes about my "in class behavior." Last time that happened she had spent most of our session trying to convince me that I should go on something to help me focus better. The thought of having to take anymore pills in my life is enough to snap my back into reality.

"What's wrong?" she asks, leaning out of her desk and halfway in the isle. I shrug my shoulders and yawn in response. I am exhausted, but that's not the actual issue. I just don't know if I can manage to come up with another lie today. She has been barraging me with questions about Jackson and whether or not I have any plans to see him again since the beginning of the week and each time I've had to find a new creative way to change the subject. Lies and half-truth have been the only things to spill from my lips this week. The whole thing sucks seeing as this is the one time that Daphne and her vast knowledge of men would be useful.

Jackson was gone by the time I woke up, a trend that had been developing for the last four days, every since he had so quickly stopped our make out session from going any further. He had tried to bring it up a few times and I had been quick to shut him down. I didn't need to hear his excuses to know why he had stopped. I would not give him the pleasure of trying to make himself feel better by apologizing for allowing it to go that far. Every night he would sneak into my room, opting to sleep on the floor rather than the bed and every morning he would be gone before the sun came up. I guess his babysitting duties didn't extend into the daytime. At least I had a few hours of peace each day before the awkward silence we spent most of our time in.

The bell rang signaling the beginning of class and Ms. Hall bounced into the room, overly peppy and wearing one of her signature fruit-themed sweater vests. She couldn't have been older than thirty and I could not for the life of me figure out why she insisted on dressing like a middle-aged PTA mom. Then again, I wear the same black hoodie on a daily basis, so who am I to judge?

"Class," she announces, "I'd like to introduce you to our newest student." She motions to the opening door. I almost all out of my seat when Jackson saunters into the room. Compared to the sub-par guys that fill the room, he looks like a god among men. He stands confidently next to Ms. Hall, dressed in well-fitting jeans and a long black thermal. Whispers erupt through the room as the girls in my class get a good look at the good looking guy. I hear Daphne gasp loudly, followed by a giggle.

"This is Jackson Amare and I expect you all the make him feel welcome here. He and his brother moved here a few months ago from Washington. Jackson, you may take the empty seat next to Ms. Vita." She motions towards me. I grip the edges of my desks, knuckles turning white from the pressures.

"Oh my god," Daphne mouths when I shoot her a 'save me' look. She gives Jackson a friendly wave as he makes his way down the isle. He has the attention of every girl in this class as he slides into the seat next to me.

I refuse to glance over, even though I can clearly feel him staring at me. This is the last thing I expected to happen today. I chew on my fingernail, hoping he won't give out any hints that I have seen him more than just that day at dinner. Daphne might actually kill me if she found out I had been hiding that information from her.

Ms. Hall calls the classes attention back to the front of the room as she beings her lesson. I pretend to follow along but can help to steal a few glances at Jackson. He has his head down, taking notes as Ms. Hall continues her rant about how The Catcher in the Rye is one of J.D Salinger's most underrated books.

Rebecca, the same girl who felt it necessary to harass me at the party, turns slightly in her seat, tapping her pencil on his desk.

"Hey, I recognize you," she whispers louder than she thinks. Ms. Hall peers up from her large textbook but then quickly goes back to her rant. Of course she wouldn't say anything to Rebecca for not paying attention. The girl's father owns half this town. She wouldn't dare do anything that could be considered insulting to Rebecca. Her father would hear about it instantly and Ms. Hall would be out of a job by the end of the day. "I was at your party last weekend. That was one hell of a kegger you threw. I'm Rebecca by the way."

Jackson smiles at her, giving her a slight nod. He goes back to his notes and Rebecca frowns. I try not to smile. She isn't used to being ignored. Most guys would sell their right testicle just to get a second of her attention and Jackson pretty much just blew her off.

"So, as co-captain of our schools award winning cheer team, it is my duty to welcome you to Jameson High. If you'd like, I could show you around. Introduce you to a few cool people. You don't want to end up sitting with the wrong people at lunch, ya know?"

Jackson places his pen down calmly, looking the girl in the eyes. She leans forward, the front of her shirt opening to expose more than just her bra. Jeez, I can pretty much she everything she has. I wait for his eyes to dip lower, exploring the overly busty girl in front of him.

"Not interested," he responds. Rebecca huffs noisily and spins in her seat. She pulls her phone out and begins to type angrily on its keys. Knowing her she has just sent out word that Jackson turned her down and for all of her cheerleader friends to keep their hands off. Rebecca loves nothing more than a god challenge and Jackson just made himself the ultimate target.

Class flies by in a blur and, before I know it, the lunch bell has rung. I stay seated as usual, waiting for the class to empty out. Daphne rushes out of the room and I know she has plans to meet up with Aaron in the guys locker room for a quick "work out."

"You've been ignoring me," Jackson says, now squatting next to my desk. I focus on shoving my books into my bag, refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Have not," I lie. I think to the eight un-responded to texts currently sitting in my inbox. The ones from him asking me to call him, telling me that he really needs to talk to me.

"You're a terrible liar," he says as I slide out of my chair. I brush past him, making my way down the hall towards my locker. Jackson follows by closely, earning him several glares from Rebecca and her friends as they crowd by the classroom door. I hear her call his name and half expect him to respond but he doesn't. He pushes past them, hot on my heels.

"What do you want Jackson?" I demand, swinging my locker door open. I cram books into in angrily as Jackson leans against the metal row, angling his body towards mine. I can smell his citrus/peppery scent clouding around me. The same scent that has been lingering on my pillow for a few nights now.

"I want you to talk to me," he begs, pulling my hand into his, linking our fingers together. The contact sends chills down my spine in the best way possible. "You never let me explain what happened that night." I pull my hand away, jamming them into my pockets.

"I told you not to worry about it," I mumble, slamming my locker shut. I speed away from him, walking as fast as I can towards the cafeteria. Daphne and Aaron should be done by now and I could really use some help in getting Jackson to leave me alone. Daphne will so happy to see him here, walking hurriedly next to me, that she is bound to talk his ear off.

"Stop doing that!" he yells. I stop, spinning on my heels to face him. "Stop acting like nothing happened. Like I ran from the room screaming and dousing myself in bleach."

"You might as well have," I yell back. "There's nothing to talk about Jackson. Things got a little out of hand and now you regret leading me on. Trust me, that wasn't the first time someone got a look at my scars and didn't want to take things any further. You don't need to keep trying to explain why you stopped. Just drop it."

"Is that what you think?" His voice drops and his hardened eyes soften. "That I regret what happened? That I didn't want to take things further just because you have a few scars on you? You could have let me explain but, no, you shut down the second things got rough and refused to let me explain. Trust me, I wanted to keep going. God, did I want that. But I promised Gabriel I would keep this strictly business until we figured out what was going on with you. That's it. It had nothing to do with you."

"I'm sure it didn't." I roll my eyes and reach for the cafeteria door. Gabriel moves so fast I wonder for a second if he might be the supernatural creature in the room. He grabs my waist, pulling me to him. His lips graze mine lightly once, then twice, before he crushes them against mine. I am too stunned by the action to even move.

"You are the most stubborn person I have ever met," he whispers, pulling his lips from mine. The hall has gone silent and I am aware of how many people are now staring at us. I can see Daphne, standing behind Rebecca and her group of obviously stunned lackeys, a smile covering her entire face.

I have spent my entire high school career avoiding attention. Doing all I can to make myself invisible, fly so low under the radar that I am practically a ghost. And in one smooth move, Jackson has managed to completely shatter that effort. From the look on Rebecca's face, her red lips now pursed into a hateful glare, he has unknowingly placed a big target on my back.