It's been a week and it's already Thursday, tomorrow was the last day. It was also a half day, then it's off to winter break with everyone. I was trying so hard not fall asleep during class. I set my head down and listened to Mr. Klain go on and on about math, I looked around the room and at the corner of my eye, I saw Jace looking at me. I blushed lightly and looked to the front. Sighing I laid my head down and closed my eyes.

Finally, the bell rang at last and Mr. Klain stopped talking. I stood up and grabbed my things. I was about to head out the door when the school bullies, Kevin and Kari, blocked my path. I peeked out from in front of them, Mr. Klain had left the room. ¨Hey ice princess, what's the rush?¨ Kevin said stepping closer. ¨I was just about to get to lunch K...¨ I replied, stepping back. Kari seemed to have noticed my discomfort and grabbed my arm. ¨Hey hey hey, we're not gonna hurt you, yet¨ She said, smiling that sweet evil smile. Fear filled my body as Kari tightened her grip on me, causing my wrist to hurt and turn red.

Kevin pushed me against the wall and smirked. Kari then slammed my things onto the ground. ¨So clumsy¨ Kevin said. ¨How embarrassing!¨ Kari said. My face turned red in anger and embarrassment, and my eyes were stinging with tears threatening to spill. Kevin drew his arm back for a punch, when it was suddenly stopped in midair. Confused, Kevin and Kari turned around to see who had stopped the punch. Jace was standing there with Kevin's fist in his hand, and he looked pissed.

Jace was the only person who could take Kevin out just like that. Kevin froze and fear swept across Kari's face. Jace was silent as he looked at me, then at the two bullies. I stood there shocked and kinda nervous. ¨What are you two doing to her?¨ Jace asked with a stern voice. ¨W-we were just um p-playing around! Right Maria?¨ Kari said, giving me a mean look. I just stood there, I didn't know what to say. Jace twisted Kevin's fist and glared. ¨If I see you two doing anything to her again, they will never find your body, EVER¨ Jace said, releasing Kevin's fist. The two of them nodded and ran out of the room, terrified.

I was picking up my things and covered my wrist with my sleeve to hide the red. Jace looked at me, his mean expression immediately softened and turned to a sweet and caring face. ¨Are you okay? Did they hit you? Were you harmed?¨ He started spilling all these questions to me, and all I did was look down silently. He gently grabbed my arm and lifted my sleeve, ignoring my blush, and examined my red wrist. He then looked at me and hugged me. My eyes widened and I blushed. ¨J-Jace? What are yo-¨ I started, before being interrupted. ¨I won't let them hurt you ever again Maria, I promise...¨ Jace said softly, holding me. I just stood there, silent as if I had forgotten how to speak.

After a while, we separated and he smiled at me. Trying my best not to turn into a tomato, I smiled softly at him. ¨C'mon, let's go to lunch¨ Jace said walking out the door. Smiling, I happily followed him to the lunch room. He went to go get lunch, and I sat with my friends, still smiling like a dork. Everyone at the table just watched me, smiling too. I shook my head and looked at them. ¨What is it?¨ I asked, confused. They all just chuckled and continued eating. I shrugged it off and smiled at the memory of Jace protecting me. The bell rang about twenty minutes later and we all left to the rest of our classes. Our long, boring, educational classes. I nearly passed out through it all. My thoughts kept going back to Jace. Maybe I actually have a chance with him. I lightly blushed at the thought, but smiled.

Finally, the last school bell of the school day rang, and I collected my things. Walking down the hallway, I noticed that all the school bullies were glaring at me, but not in anger. Oh no it looked more like in fear than in anger. Confused, I just shook it off and kept walking. I caught up with my group of friends. I must have looked confused because the next thing I knew, I was being questioned. "Do any of you know why the school bullies are glaring at me in fear? I mean I expected them to be picking on me and shoving me in lockers, not this." I said, giving them a questioning look. "Didn't mew know?" Nepeta asked me, smiling. I shook my head slowly as a response. "Jace threatened every single bully in the school that he would do unspeakable things to them if they even touch you" Sitari said, cotton candy being mercilessly stuffed in her mouth. I was shocked at this, "Why would he do that?" I asked them. They all looked at me smiling. "Because he looovvveeess you!" They all exclaimed, causing me to blush madly. "Shut up!" I said, glaring at them, causing them to laugh. "Well we should get going so we can get ready for the sleepover tomorrow" Alex said pushing her shades up, she had gotten them for her birthday. Sitari gave them to her since Alex had a crush on Dave who so happens to wear shades all the time. Now that I realize it, Dave and Jace always wears shades, Gamzee never takes his face makeup off, and Karkat never takes his sweater off. This got me wondering now, oh great i'm freaking curious now.

We all split up and headed in our own directions. Pepper and I grabbed our bags that we kept in our closets and began packing for the sleepover. We packed our matching pajamas, slippers, our favorite blankets, our clothes for after the sleepover, hairbrushes, and other junk. We both smiled at eachother as we headed to the kitchen for dinner. I took a shower and brushed my teeth. I jumped on my bed and snuggled into my pillow. Smiling I drifted off to bed, dreaming about what my dad was like. I could hardly remember him at all, it was kinda sad. Suddenly, an old memory of mine drifted in my mind. I was about 3 at the time it seemed. Pepper was 3 and she was with one of our older brothers, Parker. Mitch, the other brother, set me down with me in a standing position, facing my parents.

My mother had black hair, and her pink and diamond blue eyes. Her smile was sweet and her cheeks were lightly coated with a small pink blush. Then I noticed the man next to her, my father. He had light brown hair and hazel eyes. He was taller than my mother, and his smile seemed to shine. He bent down and opened his arms to me. "Come on sweetie, you can do it I know you can" He said in a kind sweet voice. The tiny child me wobbled over to my father and fell into his arms. He lifted me into the air. ¨Woah Maria you're flying!¨ He said. The tiny me giggled and was putting her arms up in a flying manner, smiling. We all then headed to the playground, where Pepper and I used to play.

The memory was about when I took my first steps in my life, and my father was the one I choose to walk to. I remembered my Father and how he was like. I saw my brothers, whom I haven't seen in two years already. All who was left with me in the present is my mom and Pepper. I smiled in my sleep and continued to dream. I dreamt about fun things, loving things. Even better, I dreamt back to the good ol days.

The next morning, Pepper and I grabbed our bags and headed downstairs. We both put on our contacts and made our way to school. Class was boring as usual, but this time, none of the high class kids looked at me, or made any sign of talking to me. They seemed nervous around me. I understand why they were like that at the moment. Jace was sitting next to me and would glare at anyone who looked at me, even the teacher. I swear if life was an anime, I would have a sweat drop on my head right now. Why did he care so much anyways? Maybe, just maybe, the others were right about him liking me. Woah woah woah where did that thought come from?! I quickly got rid of the thought before I turned into a tomato. I sighed and realized Jace was looking at me worriedly, so I smiled at him, and he seemed to calm down and he smiled back at me.

After school, I headed to the meeting place, and I seemed to be the last one to get there. "Sorry guys, my locker wouldn't open up" I explained after seeing their expressions. "It's fine, let's get going!" Alex said happily. We all headed to Dauver's house for the sleepover. We would be having the sleepover in the basement so we have a huge area to be dorks in. I couldn't wait, my first sleepover that is not family related, not counting Nepeta and Pepper. Dauver also invited some other friends that we had made at school, they were going to meet us there. We all scurried inside as it started to rain. We set up the basement with pillows and blankets. Then Dauver went to answer the door for the other guys, and they went to change into their pajamas in his room. The girls and I changed in the basement. I slipped on my red fuzzy pajama pants and put on my pink pajama tank top and slipped on my puppy slippers. After we were all done changing, we all went upstairs and waited for Dauver to come. We sat on the couch patiently and talked to each other. We talked about the assignments in class, and how Mr. Cooper was pretty extraordinary. He would do the weirdest things ever, last week he showed up to school in scuba gear and announced that we were to go to the beach on the 20th. That would be in a week from now. But scuba gear, really? I thought I saw a starfish on him.

We joked around with each other and laughed. Dauver and the other guys who were John Johnny came downstairs and joined us in the conversation and joke telling. Sadly, ten minutes later, we were joined by my two cousins, Nate and Mike Garcia. They were twins, like Pepper and I. We sat around, annoying each other to death. I swear, a ton of these people sound like Kankri Vantas. I am just glad my best friend Rainey Withers is not here, though I do miss that weirdo. She never let me be and there was always something interesting to do when she's around. That is when we heard yelling and fighting, snapping me out of my thoughts immediately. Gamzee, Karkat, Dave came running downstairs. "Take cover!" They said, just as Jace came tumbling downstairs with two other boys. Dauver pulled me and Pepper out of the way just on time. Gamzee literally without a sweat pulled Sitari away from the waist. Dave did his awesome speed thingy people talk about and got Alex out of the way, just as Jace was about to slam into her. Karkat lifted a blushing Nepeta off the ground and carried her to cover, behind the couch. We stood at a safe distance away and watch the three boys decapitated each other. If this was an anime, we would all be sweat dropping and watching the three. After a bit of fighting on the floor, the three of them and looked at us.