Sweetheart!

He's staring.

I could feel his eyes boring holes into my skin. I try to distract myself with the work Ms. Miller assigned to us some minutes ago.

Arianna kept her eyes on us, trying to read into the situation. I bet she's confused at this as I usually avoid interaction with anyone.

"Hi, I'm Arianna. With a double n." She offers with a pretty smile. I shook my head as she said that. Somehow she believes her name is unique cause it contains two n. "You're Aiden, right?"

He offers her an easy grin before adding. "The one and only." I roll my eyes as his attention turns to me, the grin replaced with a smug smirk. "I believe we've met before, isn't that right, Puke face?"

I grip my pencil tightly, the smile now gone from Arianna's face. If there was anyone who knows my hatred for a pet name, it's her. Since what happened, I've developed an absolute hatred for it. "Listen here, Jerk. Call me Puke face or whatever one more time, and we will have a problem."

He has the audacity to laugh at me. Arianna winced, silently shaking her head in warning.

"Why? Aren't you Puke face?" He asks. When I refuse to respond, he continues. "I mean, who goes about puking on people they have never met before? If you wanted my attention, all you could've just done is ask, and I would willingly---"

"Shut the hell up," I said through clenched teeth, just as Ms. Miller calls out. "Miss. Brown, is there a problem back there?"

I gave her an overly fake smile. "No, Ms. Miller. I was only asking Arianna for a spare pen." She eyes me, sensing my bluff. Thankfully, she doesn't call me on it.

"Very well, then. Please pay attention in my class." I nodded before turning back to my work. I let out a breath as I massaged my temples.

"Not only do you puke on people, but you're also a liar too." Okay, I'm starting to feel like he actually deserves me puking on him.

I don't bother to look at him as I reach over and punch his side. Thankfully, his muscles are relaxed, or else it wouldn't have hurt. He hisses in pain and glares at me but doesn't say anything else. I look over and offer him a short, innocent smile.

My bad.

Twenty minutes later, the bell rings, and I walked out of the class, Arianna following closely behind.

She didn't say anything until we got to our locker. Luckily for both of us, her locker is beside mine. She squeezed my arm, her nails piercing into my skin. I winced, making her release her grip a little.

"What was that?" She asked me like she was talking to a ten-year-old. I looked at her in confusion until it dawned on me that she was talking about that rude idiot.

"Nothing. The guy is a jerk." I said as I wiggled my arm from her hold.

"You can't be close to him, Thea. He's dangerous." I turn to her to see her looking at me with concern and fear in her eyes.

"Why? You seemed pretty cozy with him back there." I asked, purely out of curiosity. If that was how the guy behaves, I want nothing to do with him. I have enough on my plate as it is.

"Brown!!" I heard someone yell, cutting my conversation with Ari short. I turn around to see Aiden walking towards me. A groan escaped my mouth as I closed my locker. Can't he please leave me alone?

"What do you want?" I said, distaste clear in my voice.

"Hey! Hey! I should be mad at you. You puked on my shoes, remember?" He said as he placed both his hands in his pockets. Everyone in the hallway had their eyes on us. I'm pretty sure the thought on their mind is: what is he doing with that girl?

Trust me, people. I don't understand why myself. "I apologized to you, didn't I? Can you please let me be?"

"Sweetheart, you apologized to Gabe, not me." A smug smile appeared on his face when he saw my reaction. Damn!! I barely even know the guy, and he knows the best way to rile me up.

"Fine. If I apologize, will you leave me alone?" He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry for puking on your shoes. Good now?"

I grabbed Arianna's arm, ready to go home.

"Wait!! One more thing." I groaned and stomped my foot. I want to go home.

"What again?" I lamented.

"What's your name?" I gave him my 'are you serious right now' look. "I believe that was how you were able to grab my attention. You called my name."

He rolled his eyes as he let out a scoff. "I meant your actual name. Not your father's name."

"Athena. Athena Brown." I said as I pulled Arianna out of the school. She hasn't said a thing, which is very unusual. She never runs out of things to say.

"You okay, Ari?" I asked as I waited for her to open the car door. I don't have a car, or should I say I refused to get a license to prevent Levi from buying me a car. I told them Vehophobia, and they believed me. I only said that because I wasn't comfortable with owning a car. Cars remind me so much of my dad. If I were with Ari, I wouldn't feel his absence much.

"Yeah. I'm okay." I nodded as I settled comfortably in my seat, leaning my head back and closing my eyes.

She keeps staring at me. What is with everyone staring at me today? I look like hell. I didn't even comb my hair today. "You know, I'd appreciate it if we don't run into an accident. If you have something to say, say it."

"Where were you during lunch? Why do you have a band-aid on your forehead? Why were you talking to Aiden? You never talk to anyone." I took a deep breath. She's always so curious.

"It's a long story," I mumbled.

"Well, I have the time." She said as she stopped the car in front of a red traffic light.

********

"Thea, please stay away from him. He's bad news." She said as she brought the car to a park in front of my house.

"I don't want anything to do with him anyway." I got out of the car. " Are you coming?"

"Nah, I'm babysitting Polly tonight. Mom has a date." A smile made its way to my face when I heard Polly. Polly is Ari's 3-year-old sister. "My regards to Leah and Levi."

"Will do. Say hi to Polly and Diana for me."

"Sure. Bye, Thea." I watched as she drove out of our driveway. I opened the door, the aroma of chocolate cookies engulfed my senses. My stomach groaned as I remembered I had nothing for lunch.

Martha is busy arranging the cookies into its jar when I walked in. She looked up from what she was doing, and a smile broke out on her face when she saw me.

"Ana! You're home." I hugged her before taking my seat on the stool. Martha and I have gotten close over my course of time here. She had always been there for me, always making sure I ate and taking care of myself. She claims my name is too long for her and ended up calling me Ana. "How was your day?"

I shrugged as I took a bite of the cookie she handed me. A moan escaped my lips as I felt my buds explode in happiness. Did I mention she's the best cook ever? Ari loves coming to eat here because of her. "It was okay. Same old."

She shook her head as she turned to the stove. "Ana, you need to make more friends. You are always by yourself."

"But I have Ari." She rolled her eyes as she placed a plate of spaghetti in front of me. See, I eat well, thanks to her.

"Ari doesn't count, you know that." I shrugged. She patted my head before going back to what she was doing.

"Do you remember it's a year tomorrow?" Martha asked, more like whispered, careful not to offend me. I dropped my fork and looked at her.

"Is it possible to forget?" I replied. I pushed the food away, suddenly losing my appetite. "I'll be in my room."

She has that look too. She's looking at me with pity and concern. Ohh! I hate that look. The look people give you when something horrible happens, the look they give to reassure you that they understand your pain when they don't, I hate it.

I dropped face flat on my bed, kicking my shoes off. I tried the number again, even when I know it's out of service. I still tell myself it's okay to try.

"This number you're trying to call is out of service---" I hung up the phone as tears clouded my face. What were you expecting, Athena?

I thought to myself as I allow sleep to overtake me.