"Wow." Garry chuckled. His facial expression was very easy to read as he was genuinely surprised.

"What's... What's funny?" Anna had no idea why he laughed. She frowned at him, although she had a small smile on her face.

"No, it's just, I've never heard your voice clearly before. Most times, when you talk, no one hears you. Apart from Scott actually. I like your voice." He told her.

Anna blushed, turning red.

"Aww, she's blushing." Garry teased her.

"No I'm not." Anna turned a darker shade of red. "Did you need something?" She quickly decided to change the topic.

"Erm, well I just wanted to talk to you." He grinned, stretching his hand for a shake. "So a formal introduction, I'm Garry."

Anna took his hand. "Anna." She shook it firmly.

"I've got a question for you Anna." Garry said to her.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Why don't you talk to anyone here? You hang out with the populars, you are supposed to be like us." He said to her.

"You're wrong. I'm not popular." She shrugged. "I'm not like you guys."

"What do you mean? You see, all of us seated here are all known for something. You being here isn't an accident." Garry said to her. "People know you Anna, it's just you don't want to know how popular you are."

"People know me because Scott and I hang out together most times." Anna told him. "We're different."

"Tell you what, I'm having a party on Saturday, why don't you come. I'm personally inviting you." Garry smiled at her. "You'll see how popular you are."

Anna gaped... Garry Campbell just invited her to his party?! O. M. G.

"I'm not fond of parties." Anna blushed again, breaking eye contact.

"Why not?" Garry's smile widened. "It's going to be fun."

"I... I don't know Garry." Anna wasn't sure she wanted to be at a party with a bunch of drunk teenagers.

"Okay." He nodded. "Just in case you change your mind, my invitation's always open." He got out his phone from his pants pocket. "So, can I have your number?" He asked politely.

Anna looked at him. "Is that necessary?" She asked.

"Nope! It's fine if you don't want to give me but have mine at least, so that you could give me a call if you'd make it." Garry said to her.

Anna had only four seconds to think. Would she really give Garry a call if she took his number? Nope! She wouldn't even have the balls to call him.

"Have mine instead." Anna said with a smile.

Garry beamed with a smile. "Cool." He handed his phone over to Anna so that she could input her number.

"Here." She said, giving it back to him after she was done.

"Ahhhnna." He said typing on his screen as he saved her name in his contacts.

When he was done, he looked up at her. "Are you a fan of football?" He asked her, replacing his phone back into his pocket.

Anna chuckled, tugging a strand of hair away from her face. "Honestly, I don't even watch it. I get bored."

Garry smiled again with a nod. "It doesn't matter. We all like different things." Garry looked around the populars sitting on their various tables. "Look," he pointed at a guy who was talking with a group of people. "That's Peter."

"Peter Croward. The president for student's affairs. I know him too." Anna said, acknowledging that she knew him.

"Good. Do you know why he sits with the populars?" Garry asked. "Why would a nerd sit with populars?"

Anna had never thought of it but now Garry brought it up, yeah, why was Peter seated with them.

"He's an asset to the populars because he can manipulate the rules to be in our favor." Garry told her.

"Why the stereotype?" Anna asked. She'd asked Scott before but he didn't give a direct answer. "The populars and ordinary."

"Why is there rich and poor? It's nature, nature Anna. It's the way it has always been, to make the world go round." Garry explained to her.

"Oh." Anna nodded...

Garry told her so many things about different people that Anna knew little of. Anna had thought all populars were rude, egoistic and self-centered, but Garry proved her wrong. He was really polite and didn't seem so loud as when he was in his circle, he was actually a nice person to talk with.

The bell went, the students stood up, clearing the cafeteria.

"I have English right now, you?" Garry said as he stood up with Anna.

"History." Anna glanced at her wristwatch.

"Nice bracelet." Garry said, looking at her wrist.

"Thanks." Anna smiled at him.

"Let me guess, Scott?" He jerked his head at Scott who was talking to Rochelle and some other guys.

"Ho-how'd you know?" Anna frowned slightly.

"I guessed. He wears something similar." Garry shrugged.

"Yo Anna!" It was Scott calling. Anna turned. "Come on." He beckoned on her.

Anna looked back at Garry. "I gotta go."

"It was nice talking to you." Garry grinned at her.

"Yeah. Me too." Anna flushed pink. She walked up to Scott. "What's up?" She smiled at him as they walked out.

"Babe, I'll see you after class." Rochelle smiled at Scott.

"Sure." Scott smiled back.

"And oh!" Rochelle gave Anna a knowing smirk. "Scott and I are going to the mall after school," Rochelle said, with her hands making gestures.

"Don't worry," Anna knew where Rochelle was heading. "I'll take the bus, it's fine." She said to Rochelle.

"Good." Rochelle smiled. Turning to leave, she whipped her hair at Anna's face.

"Sorry about that." Scott shook his head, chuckling nervously.

Anna wiped her face with a hand. I still don't get how you love that girl Scott. Anna wanted to say. "No, it's fine." She ended up saying while walking down the hallway.

"Stop saying it's okay. It's not okay. I'll talk to Rochelle, I promise." Scott said trying to make Anna feel better.

Anna sighed inwardly. She hated that she had to put up with Rochelle every single day, it was really annoying! Scott was never the popular guy everyone adored? Back then, he used to be a regular guy and Anna preferred who he was back then to now. It was just them! No attention, no crowd. He just got popular overnight, after he had gone to a senior's party during their sophomore year. Since then, he began hanging out with the populars and she had to tag along. Anna kept asking herself what Scott saw in Rochelle, they've been dating for only five months with break up and make up history within those months. Rochelle had dated half the popular guys in school and Anna knew Rochelle was no saint at all, it was so obvious that she was not the faithful type.

Being Popular really changed Scott's relationship with Anna. They don't get to hangout like before.... alone.

"I saw you talking to Garry..." Scott said to her.

"Garry Campbell? Well yeah." Anna shrugged. "He was nice." She told him.

"So... What did he say?" Scott asked.

Anna stopped, turning to him. "Nothing."

Scott turned to her. "Nothing? You both were laughing... To nothing?" He eyed her.

Anna scoffed... "Chill. Garry was only being chatty and then he invited me to his party tomorrow, no big deal."

"Oh." He licked his lips. "Just be careful around him."

"You don't have to tell me, I know." Anna smiled.

"And um... Anna, you're not going for the party of course you're not, right?" He gave her a weird look.

"I told him I'll think about it but since you mentioned it, I think I'll pass. Parties aren't my thing anyway." Anna clicked her tongue.

"Good to hear." Scott pulled her to his side. "Let's get to class." His arm wrapped around her shoulder. 

"What is it?" As they walked away, she noticed a lingering smile on his face. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Because I love you." Scott chuckled, kissing the top of her head.

Anna felt her cheeks heat up. The feelings were there, bottled up in her stomach.
................................................................................

"Daniel?" Anna's eyes widened as she saw Daniel across the parking lot.

Daniel was Scott's older brother, he was already in college.

Anna ran up to him, flinging her arms around him as he twirled her around.

"Jeez you're heavy." Daniel laughed, dropping her on her feet.

"Daniel! When did you get back?! Your dimwit brother didn't tell me?" Anna was extremely happy to see him. He was her other favorite person in the world, apart from her mom and Scott.

"Yesterday." He grinned at her.

"Yester-oh wow! You grew beards?! Jesus Daniel!" Anna gasped, touching his chin and cheeks.

He laughed heartily... "What did you expect?"

"But... What... What are you doing here?" She asked, still very much surprised.

"Scott asked me to get you." Daniel revealed.

"He did?"

"I guess he was feeling guilty leaving you so he called me up." He told her.

"That's so nice of you." Anna awwned. "Damn, I missed you." She smiled like a child.

"Missed you too." He ruffled her hair.

Anna giggled... "You have no idea how much I have to tell you!" She was excited. Daniel was one person she could tell about her hatred for Rochelle and he'll never get tired of listening to her.

"I can't wait to hear them." Daniel said, opening the passenger seat door for her.

She practically grew up with the Ontarios so she was familiar with them. When Scott gained popularity, he started acting different, making her bond with Daniel stronger. Scott and Daniel had a striking resemblance, only that Daniel was the older version of Scott.

Anna told him about different things going on in school, her challenges.

"And Scott? How are things between you guys?" Daniel asked after Anna seemed to exhausted all she had to say.

"Scott and I are okay." Anna pouted her lower lip. "Hey! You won't believe he wants to get Rochelle our friendship bracelet just because she likes it on me. Can you believe it?" Anna said, making a face of disgust.

Daniel laughed while looking ahead as he drove... "Does she still bother you?"

"Ooh, she doesn't bother me, she tortures me. It's because of Scott that I put up with that girl. I don't want it to seem like I'm not happy for his relationship, because I know how important it is to him." Anna said.

"That's because you love him." Daniel shrugged...

Anna's heart skipped. Yes, Daniel knew she loved Scott. It was a drunk night, and she had just had an argument with Scott. She had unknowingly spilled the truth to Daniel.

Anna cleared her throat awkwardly. "But he is head over heels for someone else." She said like it was no big deal. "Do you think there's something wrong with me?"

"What? Why would you say that?" He glanced at Anna before turning ahead.

"Guys hardly seem to notice me." Anna leaned back. "It's like I'm invisible."

"But you're not, not to me... Or Scott." Daniel told her. "Honestly Anna, you're really pretty, any guy would be lucky to be with you."

She scoffed... "Yeah right. You're just saying that so I won't feel bad."

Daniel chuckled... "It's true." Just then his phone rang. "One second." He said picking his phone up, from the dashboard. "Sup... Right now? Okay... I'll go there now." He hung up. "That was mom, she wants me to get some boxes from home so I'll drive by my place first. Would that be okay?"

"Sure! I don't mind at all." Anna said to him.

After a moment of silence, Daniel spoke. "Have you told Scott about your mom?"

Anna licked her lips, taking in her breath. "Not yet. There hasn't been the perfect time to tell him, and I also don't want him to worry."

"How are you holding up?" Daniel asked her.

"I'm fine Daniel." She sighed. "The doctors said she'll be okay soon."
🕸🕸🕸🕸

Daniel and Anna arrived at the Ontario house. It was a two storey building, very elegant and spacious. The Ontario owned their very own estate, all to themselves. They owned a jewelry making company, and had earnings of a great fortune. In short, they were really wealthy, extravagantly wealthy, but they were humble to the core.

"There are some boxes in the garage, maybe you could get those first. I'll get the ones upstairs." Daniel instructed her.

"Okay." She walked out of the house through the backdoor, heading to the garage.

In no time, Anna was done loading the boxes into Daniel's car. She walked back into the house and decided to look for him in his room, she walked up the stairs heading to his room. She started hearing voices, it seemed like Daniel was talking to someone. Anna got closer, she saw Daniel but he was with someone else. Scott.

"Daniel? Scott?" She looked back and forth at the brothers who stared at her. "Scott what are you doing here? I thought you said you were going to the mall?" She was perplexed to see Scott.

"I was but Rochelle changed the plans." Scott told her, staring at her.

"Rochelle." She said dryly.

"Yeah, I changed the plans." It was Rochelle's high pitched voice.

Anna frowned, seeing Rochelle appear from a corner in Scott's shirt. Anna knew Rochelle was naked beneath.

"So wait, you stood me up because you wanted to have sex with her?" Anna said still gazing at Rochelle.

"What do you think? I'm his girlfriend and you're just his-" Rochelle was interrupted by Scott.

"Rochelle." Scott stopped her from talking. "She's not talking to you."

"Then fucking tell her to stop looking at me." Rochelle bitched, going out the same way she came in.

"Look, I know she's your girlfriend but I couldn't believe you'd do this." Anna was hurt. Her assumptions were right, Scott was officially a popular and Rochelle mattered more than their friendship.

"Anna, let me explain." Scott tried to reach out to her.

"I gotta go." Anna stepped away from his reach. She glanced up at Daniel who was only looking at her before she turned and took to her heels.

"Anna! Anna!" Scott yelled out her name but she didn't stop.

"It's best to let her be." Daniel immediately stop Scott from going after her. "At least for now." He said to Scott.

"I did not mean for this to happen. I swear. Anna's upset, all because of me." Scott said sadly.

"I'll talk to her." Daniel assured him before leaving.

He found Anna in his car, she seemed to be crying but when she had seen him she quickly wiped off her tears.

"Scott's an idiot." Daniel said as soon as he got into his car.

"No... He's a jerk." Anna chuckled softly. "I overreacted didn't I?" She asked him.

"I don't think you did." He started the ignition. "Scott's actually sorry about it."

"Yeah." She rolled her eyes. "He's meant to be my best friend, he's just not it anymore. He's being controlled by that little demon." Anna said, referring to Rochelle. "I mean ever since he started hanging out with the populars, Scott's changed. I wish that he never got popular!" She turned to Daniel. "Is it bad for me to wish that on my best friend?" She asked with a sad face.

"It's not. You both will be fine, friends argue all the time." Daniel said, trying to cheer her up.

"I really hope so." Anna just wanted everything to how it was years ago.
................................................................................

Anna sat down on a chair, she was writing into her diary.

Dear Diary..... Scott and I had an argument. Can you believe he lied to me about taking Rochelle to the mall when in fact he wanted to have sex with her?! He could have just said "Rochelle and I want some private time alone" or not, that would hurt as well. My feelings for Scott still don't want to go away...

Her phone rang.... It was Scott.

Speaking of the devil.... Anna decided to punish him a little. She allowed him to call three times before she picked...