To say the least, Sarah was absolutely struggling to get Vance to focus.

Obviously, with his endless pinball, he was more focused on that then anything she had to say. Sarah chewed on the side of her mouth, mentally counting each curse word he'd spit out each time he missed. She smacked her books closed loudly, trying to prove a point. It obviously hadn't worked considering he paid her no mind. "I'm leaving!"

"Okay." Vance said back, in his own head space. He didn't genuinely realize what had happened before the lights shut off. "What the fuck!"

"Customers can't be here without an employee." Sarah yelled over her shoulder, pushing the door open and letting it shut behind her.

"Hey!" Vance was running after her, shoving the door open. Sarah jumped when a sudden shattering sound echoed all down the street, eyes going wide before turning around to be met with Vance's wide eyes. Due to how hard he'd shoved the door, it smacked against the side of the store and shattered. "That got your attention."

"Did you do that on purpose?" Sarah's jaw was on the ground. "Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. My boss is gonna kill me!"

"It's not like they're gonna know." Vance gave the most dramatic shrug she'd ever seen. "Probably think it's some dumbass kids."

Sarah gapped. "Lie?"

"Oh my god." he rolled his eyes so hard she was shocked they didn't fall out of his head. "Yes, lie. Didn't you say your shift ended at nine? That's over an hour ago, they probably think you're back home and asleep."

"Asleep at ten?" Sarah rose a single eyebrow.

"Forgive me for assuming you had a bedtime." he was mocking her, even making fun of her. "Or tell the truth, get yourself in trouble for having a guy here after hours and then shattering the door. They'll probably have to call the cops and your parents...wonder what they'd think about that."

Sarah could imagine the look of her parents face if they found out she snuck Vance Hopper into the store after hours, and alone at that.

"Okay." Sarah released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "We lie."

"No we." he corrected. "Only a you."

"Right, just a me." she nodded, her voice got high while mentally pyching herself up. She paced a moment before looking at Vance again. "Our first study session and you've already got me committing crimes."

Vance shrugged. "It follows me."

She just stood there after that, not totally sure what to do. The entire point of their deal was for him to get his pinball machine and for her to look good for their principal. But, now with a broken door and having to stay away from Grab N Go until it was fixed, where had that left them. Sarah cleared her throat. "So....i'll let you know when the doors fixed so we don't look suspicious?"

"Whatever." Vance shrugged, walking away immediately without another glance.

Sarah held onto her books tighter. "I almost forgot."

He turned around with a eye roll. "What now?"

"In order for our plan to work, you need to know these by the time we meet again." Sarah pulled out a piece of paper with ten words and ten definitions by then. Vance went to argue as she rose her eyebrows. "Unless you wanna go back to paying for pinball?"

That wasn't a very smart option, even Vance knew that. He snatched the paper from her. "You're so annoying, Sheeps."

Sarah smiled as he walked away with her paper, leaving her to stare at the broken door before walking away. Because, according to her statement when her boss called to ask what happened, she had been asleep at home.

One week.

One whole week it took to get the door fixed. Meaning Sarah and Vance haven't spoken in seven full days, barely even saw each other. They had no classes together, their teachers weren't even near each other enough to see each other in the halls. If they had seen each other it was when he'd come into Grab N Go when she was leaving, or when him and two other boys sat outside of the school in the mornings. He never made eye contact with her, but Sarah stared without realizing it.

But, when she got news the door was repaired and completely okay again, she knew it was time for their study sessions to be back on. Sarah was contemplating on how to talk to Vance, how to let him know that they could meet at nine again. But, she was lost. She considered just walking by him in the halls and saying it, but couldn't bare the humiliation of how Vance would likely act. He was no dream when it was just the two of them, she couldn't even imagine how he'd react with the two guys he hung around.

Sarah decided leaving a note in his locker would be the best option.

The door is all fixed now, you can meet me at Grab N Go when we close again.
-sarah

Surely he didn't know anyone else named Sarah, even if it was a slightly common name. Sarah peaked behind the wall to watch him open his locker, seeing the note drop at his feet. It didn't take long for him to read it, crumbling it up and tossing it deep into his locker. Sarah ducked behind the wall when he walked in her direction, hiding until he passed completely.

•

kylie speaks

violent fool really broke
the door in the first hour
he was there