The next Monday, I got up to the third alarm instead of the fourth. I had packed my bag the night before. Or, sort of. I had fallen asleep halfway through. So upon waking up, I stuffed a bag of chips and a soda in my bag for lunch. I decided to throw in a calculator too just in case Ms. Sanders decided to give work on the first day.

As I walked out, I snatched my keys and wallet before locking the door. I decided last minute to take the bus to avoid crashing my bike, due to my zombie state.

I sat by the window alone until the third stop, where another student took the seat next to me.

“Hey, I’m Lea, you headed for Westbrook?” I just stared out the window hoping she’d get the message. But she just stared at me waiting for a response. “I’m not looking for a date if that’s what this is about.” I snarled, being the kind of person who is extremely rude when tired, if I’m being honest. “Harsh. But you saw right through me, huh?” She giggled and ran her hand through her hair.

She wasn’t a try-hard, didn’t look desperate either, I guess I was just good at reading people. Not when it mattered but, sometimes. “I wasn’t either, well, unless you’d suggested it.” She sounded completely casual despite her unprovoked ramblings.

She surprisingly left me alone the rest of the way to school. So I put in my headphones and waited for arrival. By the time we got to Westbrook, I had nearly memorized the playlist I'd been listening to.

As soon as we got off the bus, Lea looped her arm in mine and started chattering away. “So, wanna walk together? I can introduce you to my friends. And you could meet my boyfriend. Ooh! Maybe we could all have lunch together!” I just barely caught what she said before boyfriend rolled off her tongue. “Boyfriend? And you still act like that?” I was barely surprised at this point.

“Judgy much? He’s not really a boyfriend, we just go out sometimes. Besides, I wasn’t really gonna do anything, it’s just fun to mess with people. Especially when you look like this.” She gestured to herself, winking and flipped her strawberry blond hair, which was most definitely not it's natural color, before skipping off to talk to a group of girls. She wore a white blouse and short yellowy, gold-colored shorts that showed off her somewhat hourglass figure.

Lunch rolled around sooner than expected, as I sat at the end of a barely quarter-filled table in the breezeway. The few people there left quickly to the sound of the Freshman bell.

I plopped my bag of chips and soda on the table, and unlocked my half dead phone. I had just got an earbud in when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “How’s it goin loner?” Lea brushed her hand across my back before sitting beside me with a tray.

“I wanna introduce you to my ‘boyfriend’ ” She said boyfriend like it was to be written with air quotes. “Hey.” A deeper but friendly voice announced. He sat across from us. Setting a backpack on the table. I had to do a double take before I realized who this guy was, he was the boy from the gas station.

“Oh, hey.” I replied in a nearly dead pan voice. Lea puzzled at my face for a moment, before looking up at said guy. Who also looked just as somewhat caught off guard as I was. “Ok, are you too like enemies or something? Cause I don't wanna be in the middle of-”

“No. no, I just. I've seen ‘im before and didn't expect him to be here is all.” I reassured her.

“Oh, ok. Well, I will take the honor of officially introducing you then!” She smiled gleefully.

“Jake, this is…” She looked at me for a name.

“Mye. I’m Mye.”

My name is pronounced just as you'd imagine. M-Y. My, but with an e.

“Ok, Mye, this is Jake, my ‘boyfriend’. ” She grinned.

Jake made a funny face of confusion before settling on a little smile.

“Hey Mye. Good to officially meet you.” His smile was warm, words genuine, and I felt my brain melt a little.

“If you survived meeting Lea, I think we’ll be good friends.” He glanced at Lea with a smirk and she made a face while flicking him off.

“Yeah. Sure.” I responded sarcastically, in no way purposely, just out of habit.

“What, you don't think so?” Lea looked at me with a dumb sad puppy face.

“I don’t know. I'm pretty boring.” I yawned as I turned off my phone.

“And tired as hell.”

Lea giggled and Jake let out a slight chuckle.

“Well, you don't look so boring to me.” Jake pointed at my hand and then my face.

Dumb little tattoos on my fingers and a small scar on my face apparently meant I had to be interesting. This time, it was my turn to laugh.

“Eh. I’m definitely more boring than you think.” I chuckled as I finally opened my chips.

Come time for chemistry class, Lea was seated behind me, the only person in the room I knew the name of other than Ms. Sanders.

I could feel Lea tracing letters on my back, and decided to just let it be.

‘Y. O. U. O. K. ?’ She traced.

I was momentarily confused as to why she asked, until I heard her tap her foot. I looked down to see my leg tapping the floor repeatedly. A little tic I’ve always had so wonderfully going for me.

I just held my hand out to the side and gave her a thumbs up, before taking an assignment paper from the boy passing them out.

Only minutes later, I felt her tracing again.

Q.3.?

I almost laughed, thinking about the fact I had literally just met her, and she acted like we’d been acquainted forever.

I pointed to my foot. And tapped it four times. I could feel her confusion. So I drew a D with my foot, and tapped it four times again, until she realized what I was doing. Tracing followed.

T. H. X. !

When the Senior bell finally rang, I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Sup Lea?” I replied, only to turn around and see Lea standing with another girl. “Uh, hi?” I puzzled as they stared.

“Hey Mye, think Kate could get your number by any chance…?”

“Uh..” I hated this. When a girl asked for my number. How do you even say no to that nicely? I’d feel like a douche either way. Giving her my number would only be giving her false hope. But saying no made me rude, at least that's what the last girls wing-woman had told me.

“Sorry, I’m kinda in the process of changing my number right now so..” The only lie I could think of at the moment really.

“Oh, ok yeah. Another time.” Kate smiled and waved as she left me and Lea.

“So? Why not?” Lea eyed me suspiciously.

“Whatever do you mean?” I returned her look. To which she rolled her eyes.

“Fine, I’ll pretend you're not lying.” She replied annoyed.

Before I could stop myself, I continued.

“Maybe I’m already with someone? Ever considered that?” I spoke slyly.

She stared at me, gawking.

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I didn’t even think about that.” She cringed as she apologized, clearly embarrassed.

“It’s fine.”

I am such an ass. Was all I could think as I headed for the hall exit.

“Mye!” I heard someone yell to me from up the hall. Before I could even look up, I felt someone slam into me at full speed. I just barely caught us from falling. “Ah, Sorry!” I look down to see Jake, looking a bit dizzy and apologetic.

“What’s up turbo?” I chuckled.

“Well, Lea said you took the bus this morning. And I was gonna offer you a ride, but then I thought you might’ve left already. So I tried to find you, and when I saw ya, I tried to run over here, but kinda tripped on traffic..” He looked at me and let out a breathless sigh.

“Ok. Well, since you went through all that trouble, I’ll take you up on the offer.” I replied with a smile.

“Cool! Lea’s waiting at the car already, something about starving to death and what not.”

When we got out to his car, I saw Lea leaning against the car, looking rather annoyed. “You forgot to unlock it for me stupid!” She blurted. “Sorry ‘princess.’ My mistake” He said teasingly.

“Oh hey Mye! Glad you agreed!” She was beaming.

“Uh, agreed to what?” I was a little confused as to why accepting a ride would make her so happy.

“To go to Kennyz Burgerz with us, of course!” She looked a little confused herself, and we both looked at Jake who was still fumbling with his keys.

“Oh, yeah. Forgot to mention, Lea wants to go there too, that cool with you? Or should I drop you off first?” He questioned.

“Um, sure why not, I’ll come.” I was a little hungry myself anyways, so why not.

Little did I know, I might have mixed feelings about agreeing to this invitation down the road.