"Bryant," I say, stepping out of the car, arms folded tightly.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to walk to school together," he replies with a shrug.

One glance back at the car has me grabbing Lucas' arm and dragging him forward along the sidewalk. "Where's brain—" I stop myself. "Justin?"

"His mom's dropping him off today," he replies with a crooked grin. "I'll race you to school!" With that he's off, running, flying past my sister's car and down the path ahead.

I stick my hands deep into my pockets and walk at my own pace.

We have P.E today. No way am I doing extra running when our coach makes us do laps.

And no, not laps on the track.

Laps around the entire school.

"Come on, Paris!" Lucas calls to me. "Live a little!"

"I am," I reply. "And sadly I have been for sixteen years."

He slows down, jogging slowly backward as he faces me with a smile. "You know what I mean," he says.

"Do I?" I reply with a straight face.

He's about to answer when suddenly he trips on a small rock and falls on his back.

"Slow and steady wins the race," I say, stepping around him. "Also 'showing off is the fool's idea of glory'. Not that it worked for you. Next time, try walking facing forward, like a normal person." I continue on past him and turn the corner.

Suddenly an idea comes to my mind.

I look around and then quickly slip down a path hidden from view by thick branches and vines. I peak out from the darkness to see Lucas coming around the bend, looking around for me. Surprise lights up his face, and I suppose he's come to the conclusion that I suddenly got super speed and had raced ahead when he wasn't looking.

Yup, exactly what had happened.

Once he's out of view, I turn around and walk forward on the invisible path, watching out for spiders and their webs.

This old path leads right up to our large school, cutting through neighborhoods to get there.

I would definitely get there first—even if he ran the entire way.

I'm the only one who knows about this path. I guess finding ways to entertain yourself as a kid has its perks.

Yes, I am a girl of many surprises.

I see light up ahead, and slowly the back doors of the school come into view. I grin and race ahead.

———————

"Did you get lost?" I question Lucas as I lean against the entryway of the school, arms folded.

"No," he grits out, hands resting on his knees while large breaths fall from his open mouth.

"Dude, you lost to a girl?" a guy that-I-don't-really-care-about-his-name-at-the-moment asks Lucas, coming into view and shoving Lucas' shoulder.

Lucas laughs and replies, "My man, proof or it didn't happen."

"What about a witness?" I cut in with a raised eyebrow. "A witness that most definitely won?"

"You cheated," Lucas answers pathetically.

"Proof or it didn't happen," I imitate him, turning on my heels and entering the school.

"Hey, Eiffel!" a voice greets to my left. "I didn't know you went here too! First day?"

"Is it your first day?" I question brainless, turning to face Justin's tall figure. "Your first day on planet earth?" He gives me a curious look so I shake my head. "Never mind," I mumble.

"So, do you need help finding your classes?" he asks.

"I think I can manage," I reply. My shoes echo in the hallway as I head to my class, and I'm just so close to making it—

"What class do you have?" Lucas questions, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

I shrug him off. "Hopefully not one you're not in," I reply sourly.

"It's math," he says, opening the door to my classroom and gesturing inside.

I scoff, walking inside and going over to my desk. Just my luck, Lucas settles in the only empty seat—right behind me.

He sits behind me?

I cross my arms and try to focus on the lesson, but curiosity is eating inside me.

"How long has that been your seat?" I whisper to him.

"Since we started middle school," he replies calmly, and I hear the chair squeak as he leans back.

"Hm, I never noticed," I comment quietly, making sure the teacher can't hear our hushed conversation. "Or really cared, I guess," I finish. He doesn't answer, so I focus back on the teacher.

Then I hear him again, a few minutes later, his voice barely audible. "I knew you sat there," he says. "And I care."

My face freezes for a moment and I'm suddenly grateful that he's behind me and unable to see the look on my face.

"Well, you're either dumber than I thought," I begin without emotion. "Or you have extremely bad taste. You're the first." I pause for a minute.

Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ

𝐀 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐬.

Ｆｒｉｅｎｄｓ

𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞

"But I don't do friends." I lean forward in my seat, setting my chin on my fists to show that the conversation is over.

———————

"Hey!" a voice calls me as I leave my last class of the day. I had avoided Lucas at all costs and survived school fairly well.

Until now, of course.

"What do you want, Collin?" I mumble refusing to face the school president.

More like school nincompoop.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm the one who framed you. I wanted to give you a bit of peace of mind. Sleep well!" I turn around, just in time to see him wave and turn away from my darkening face, not a care in the world as he starts away from me.

With a quick step, I'm low to the ground, foot extended as I swipe it underneath his feet.

Arms flailing, and he's down, face planted to the hallway floor.

"How's that for peace of mind?" I question him as he groans, face still kissing the dirty floor.

"That doesn't even make sense," he mutters.

"And what are you going to do? Frame me for something that could most definitely be an accident? Oh wait, you don't have to. I did it myself, thank you very much." Finished with my statement, I stalk off, the sound of my thumping shoes echoing down the hall.

But right before I leave through the large doors, I turn back to face him, a smile playing on my face. "And I knew you did it," I say. "You're not exactly a genius, Collin. You're also not as unpredictable as you think." Then I step through the double doors, leaving school nincompoop in my wake.