❝You always meet someone who's nice towards you, but rude to other's❞
•

I groaned as I changed into what felt like the twentieth outfit today. "Rowan, you're going to be late." My mom bellows, and I roll my eyes.

"Not if you drive me!" I say and hear her huff in frustration.

"Fine, but don't make me late too." My mother said and I just change into other outfit. This next outfit I put on was a light blue button up with a brown leather skirt. "Rowan!"

I grunt and slip on my brown wedges, finally satisfied with my clothes, "I'm coming!" I quickly grab my bag and phone, and rush downstairs to see my mom by the door with coffee in her hand and a granola bar.

"Here." She handed me both things that was in her hands, "I couldn't make you breakfast, because I woke up past my alarm."

"It's fine, mom." I say and sip on my coffee, "Could have put more cream." She gives me an annoyed look and I give a small smile, "Or not. This is just fine."

She hummed in response, getting in to the car before me. I put the coffee in the cup holder and bite into my granola bar, watching as she digs in her purse. She fishes out her keys and twenty dollars, handing the money to me before putting the keys in the ignition.

"Try your best and save that until after school, because I'm going to be out on work." She tells me as I put the money in my wallet. She pulls out of the driveway and drives towards school.

I take another bite at my granola bar. "You're not going to watch the comet? It's tonight you know."

"Yeah, maybe another time, Ro. We'll go together next time." She assures me and I roll my eyes.

"You said that the last time.. And the time before that, and, oh wait, the time before that." I retort and looks at me with sympathy.

"Ro, work needs me." She tries to reason. I just slump back into the seat.

"I need you too." I mumble out of earshot. We soon make it to the property of the school and I open the door, taking my coffee with me before I hop out the car. I close the door behind me, and walk off, not even saying another word to her.

When I was a kid, my mom would take Meredith and I to see the comet. That was the only thing that was special to me as a kid because we did it until Meredith left for college.

But I guess things can't last forever.

•
•

I hum softly to a song in my head as I hang up student council posters. I have to at least keep myself busy, so having people sign up for student council is a start.

I walk outside to the front of school property, unrolling another poster. I hold it up against the gate and reach for the tape that sat in the box on the ground, but someone got to it before me.

I look at the person and see it was Tyler, "I'll help." He offers and I nodded, causing him to tear off a piece of tape.

"Thanks." I say and he tears off another piece, handing it to me.

"No problem." He shrugs, "I didn't know you were apart of the student council."

"President, actually." I corrected, placing the last piece of tape on the poster, before stepping away to look at it, "I think that does it."

He hands me the tape and I take it, placing it inside the box. "Are you going to see the comet?"

I'm taken back by his sudden question, but I don't show it, "Uh, I might. Still considering it."

"Well, my friends and I are going. I thought you'd like to join us." Tyler explains and I nod simply. I don't know how to respond to this even though, I have two options, yes or no. Just as simple as that. But I can't because, I'm never usually asked this. Especially from a boy. "Please say yes."

I look at Tyler and see as he has a hopeful look on his face, along with a small smirk. "Uh-"

"Hey, Tyler. Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt," Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's little brother, cuts me off before I got to give an answer, "I was just wondering how Vicki's doing, since you guys are so close. Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Now get out of here." Tyler tells Jeremy, but Jeremy doesn't move.

"How bad is she? Do they know what attacked her? Is she going to make a full recovery? Was she happy to see you? What room number was she in?" Jeremy bombards him with questions and I look at Tyler, watching anger boil inside of him.

"I'm going to kick your ass." Tyler warns him and I step back a little.

"Yeah, you keep saying that, but when are you actually going to do it? Huh? 'Cause I vote for right here and right now." Jeremy pushes on and grab Jeremy's arm to hold him back.

"I vote not here and not ever." I chime in, but both ignore me. Of course.

"Walk away, Gilbert. It's your final warning." Tyler stated, making Jeremy rip away from me to get close to Tyler.

"No, this is your final warning, dick. I'm sick of watching you play Vicki. You hurt her one more time, I swear to God, I will kill you." He threatened, before walking off with anger of his shoulders.

"Damn, that was like a death threat. Did you hear that?" He asked me and I nod to him slowly.

"Well, I'm going to go. I have more posters to hang." I tell him and pick up my box.

"I'm going to The Grill after school before the comet. Maybe we can play some pool before going?" He wonders and I couldn't help but nod.

"Yeah, um- I-I... sure. See you then." I stuttered and walk off slapping my forehead when I'm at a good distance.

•
•

"I'll let you know, I'm not very good at this." I warn him.

"It's okay. I'll let you win." He jokes and I smile.

We play pool for awhile, but I stop because all night I wanted to ask, "So that thing that happened in school with Elena's brother. What's up with that?"

"He's just a little prick who just gets too high off meds that he feels unstoppable." He smirked, and I just bite the inside of my cheek.

"Okay, then, can I ask why did you invite me here or to watch the comet?" I wonder and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Do you never get asked out or something?" He questioned and I was caught off guard, which made him smirk.

"Well, uh- you know-"

"I get it. You're just nervous." He tells me and I sigh, "For a girl as pretty as you, I'm surprised. I thought you'd be asked out by all the guys."

"Sometimes, brains isn't what guys look for, in reality. It's not on their checklist of things that they want a girl to be." I criticize. Guys don't ever really want a relationship and it sucks because that's all a girl wants in life.

"Well, it's definitely in my checklist."

I blush, but I avoid his eyes, once I see him smirk. We continued playing after that, but soon he stops and looks ahead, by the door. I look in that direction and see Vicki smiling with Jeremy.

"Um, I'll be right back, okay?" He says and takes off towards Vicki. I frown slightly, trying not to feel like an oddball. I go back to playing pool and after two minutes, Tyler returns with a sour look on his face.

"We should go." I say and he agrees.

"Yeah, I want to introduce you to some of my friends." He says and placing down his pool stick before I do. He walks outside with me and towards where the comet was going to be watched. "I'm sorry I left you there and about the thing in school."

"It's fine. I usually don't do this type of stuff. I just stay by myself because I prefer to be independent." I tell him and he looks at me, confused, "I just grew up that way. You wouldn't understand."

"I sort of do. Especially since I'm an only child."

"But you made friends. I was an outsider. I never had sleepovers or group hangouts. I studied on what matters first." I explain.

"But doesn't it get lonely." He wonders, "Doesn't it get tiring to be alone, Rowan?"

I look ahead and sigh softly, "Yeah, most days."

"Well, from now on, you won't be alone. I'll be by your side." He says and I look up at him, seeing his genuine small smile. "Got it, Fell?"

I smirk at him, "Got it, Lockwood."

•
•

"Hey, has anyone seen Vicki?" Jeremy said, walking up to us in the grill. We all sat at the table together and I got the chance meet all of Elena's friends.

Tyler scoffed at Jeremy, "You're her stalker. You tell us."

"I can't find her." Jeremy tells us, ignoring Tyler's words.

"She probably found somebody else to party with. Sorry, pill pusher, I guess you've been replaced." Tyler sneers and I look at him. His mood totally changed. Like at school, he was talking to me like a regular person, but when it comes to others, he treats them with disrespect.

Elena gives Tyler a look, "What's with the pill pusher?"

Tyler nods his head up to Jeremy, stirring his straw around in his drink, "Ask him."

We all look at Jeremy. "You wanna do this right now?"

Elena was quiet for a moment, trying to piece things together, "Are you dealing?"

"She's never gonna go for you." Tyler shot at him, angrily, which made me wince. His whole demeanor changed into the world class dick I always known him for.

"She already did. Over and over and over again." Jeremy snapped back and we gaped at him.

"Yeah, right." Tyler shook his head, not believing him. Though by the look on Jeremy's face, I can tell he's so serious.

"You what?" I choke out.

"You slept with Vicki Donovan? I mean, Vicki Donovan slept with you?" Caroline asked him.

"There's no way." Tyler said, unconvinced.

"And I didn't even have to force her into it." At his words, Jeremy smirked when Tyler's face dropped.

"What the hell is he talking about, Ty?" Matt spoke, finally out of this whole conversation.

"Nothing, man, just ignore him, he's a punk." Tyler brushes off and I could tell it was something just by how tense he was sitting next to me.

"You know what, how about all of you shut up and help me find my sister?" Matt told us, not the only one uncomfortable in this conversation. We all nod and split up, going to find Vicki.

"Rowan!" I hear someone call and I turn to see Tyler, but I keep on walking. "Wait up!" He calls out and I slow down, hearing the sound of his sneakers get close, "What's wrong?"

"What did Jeremy mean back there?" I ask and he tenses instantly at the question, keeping silent. "Fine, then answer me this, why are you such a dick to him, but nice to me."

"Because he's nothing a pill popping stoner." He grunts and I roll my eyes.

"You know, I thought you were a nice guy behind the football jersey and the title. Or I thought that you had something else besides looks and talent, but you're just what everyone wants you to be." I glare and he scrunches up his face.

"And what is that?" He wonders.

"A conceited dick."