…That is the question.

I was running. So fast, that I was ready to believe that I was the next Flash. I mean, who had time for walking? Not me, that was certain.

Looking around as I ran at the speed of lightning (or so I thought), I searched for the one person that I knew would help me with my dilemma. He knew me best and I knew that he knew the girl I loved the best as well.

He was popular. He knew about all the popular kids, and Paige was one of them.

It was after the bell rang shrilly that I realized that he might be in class or...out of it. Sprinting the opposite way, I was going, I hoped that Tim was where I thought he would be.

The students began to fill the hallways and this was making it harder for me to run to my destination. You know how clichéd bullying goes. A person pushes you, you fall, your stuff falls, in short, everything falls.

I groaned before picking up my bag from the polished floor. I had no time for these idiotic bullies. Laughter was surrounding me, and for a moment I had forgotten my mission because of the way I was reminded of that little accident that had brought all of this on me.

But, then there he was.

Leaning against his locker with his headphones plugged in his ears and his face practically one with his cellphone screen. It was typical of him to not notice his surroundings.

Quickly collecting myself, I jogged towards my best friend, with my breath coming in pants. His eyes only glanced at me at first, before he was smiling towards me with that dopey smile of his. I smiled to myself as I gave him a casual wave. Not wanting to throw my problems on him just yet. Or maybe, I should just throw them on him.

“There is a problem.” I panted as I stood in front of him now. His eyebrow raised high as he stared at me bent in half while breathing hard form all the running I did.

Caleb had driven me to school today, and as much as I wanted to know why Paige hadn’t been there to pick me up, I couldn’t. I didn’t have her number, or her address, or her sexual orientation for that matter.

“Do you know if Paige is gay?” Recognition settled itself in Tim’s eyes as he connected his eyebrows together, biting his bottom lip. If he was thinking about it that hard, then I assumed that it wouldn’t be a good answer at all. “Uh – she did have a boyfriend back in middle school.”

I was side-tracked for a moment, as I imagined Paige as a middle-school girl. Sometimes I would forget that Paige and I weren’t in the same middle-school. It was a shame though. I would’ve had more time to be with her. But then, the bitter thought of Paige’s middle-school boyfriend twerked its way into the spotlight, stealing it from a 15-year-old Paige, inside of my head.

“Was he hot?” I found myself asking after shaking my previous thoughts away. “How is that even relevant?” Tim asked with a raised eyebrow. I scowled at him, trying to shoo away the urge to smack him across his head. “Everything is relevant when it comes to Paige.”

Tim raised his hands up in surrender as he gave me a knowing smirk, “I could pass him as good-looking. Most of the girls then had a huge crush on him.”

I squinted my eyes at the revelation before looking around the hallway where students were still staring and laughing at me, as if they had nothing better to do. “We should talk somewhere else.” Tim suggested as he saw me shift uncomfortably. I immediately nodded, liking the idea of being somewhere other than here.

Tim guided the way as he got his bag up from the ground before walking in the distance I knew very well. He was taking me to the library, which was great since no one really makes fun of anyone in the library. Maybe, it was because of the fact that people didn’t really know the value of silence and books which made them stay away from places that had just that.

“Did Paige wear her hair in braids?” That was a legit question, for so many reasons. Paige always had her hair down in golden silky waves, and it made me wonder if she used to tie them to not let them get in her way.

She looked like she used to play some sports in her younger years, with her lean built and her beautiful long legs. Dreamy sigh inserted here.

“Hm, I remember her tying her hair in a ponytail.” My gaydar tingled as I turned to Tim with a glint in my eyes. “Did she play any sports?” Tim glanced at me with a confused look before shaking his head. “She was a cheerleader.”

Hm, I guess, cheerleaders could be gay.

“Why all the sudden questions about Paige’s middle-school days?” I sighed loudly at Tim’s question. I was so bothered by the idea of Paige not being gay that I was beginning to ask creepy questions about her. What was happening to me?

“Because I want to know if she’s gay or not.”

“And how is knowing about her when she was in 8^th grade gonna help?” Tim looked amused as we arrived at the library doors, and he pushed through to enter. I, following him closely behind.

“Because…” I trailed off unconsciously as my attention was caught by something – or more specifically someone. Tim being Tim, immediately went over to the girl with light brown hair, with a huge dopey smile on his face. The said girl already blushing from the attention.

Hm, I’ve never seen Zoe blush before. I mean, she looked cute, but she’s no competition for my Paige. Inserting dreamy sigh right over here. It’s a good thing I don’t sigh out loud, or I would really be branded as crazy.

“Hey, what are you doing here?” I wanted to roll my eyes at my best friend’s idiotic question. “It’s a library, Tim, she’s doing what everyone else does in a library, probably checking books out.”

Tim gave me a side glare while Zoe giggled.

Well, at least she wasn’t being awkward with me. She smiled a little in my direction which I could not return for probable good reasons. One of them being the huge paper bag over my head.

“Hey, Jade, can we – uh – talk later or something?” Tim gave me a huge smile which practically was a threat that if I didn’t leave them alone, he’d never tell me about young Paige.

I glared at him, before nodding my head.

“Bye, Zoe. If Tim misbehaves, be sure to tell me.” Giving the said girl a wink, I quickly made my way away from the two and out of the library, not wanting to see Tim giving me the deathliest glare of the century.

He could certainly glare, and make a person feel guilty for whatever he’s done himself.

I mean, he practically brought that upon himself, since he ditched me to be alone with Zoe. Wait – he ditched me to be alone with Zoe?

I halted my steps as I looked over my shoulder to the library doors.

Tim totally likes Zoe. And I’m gonna tease him about it.

Mini evil versions of me were already devising ways to embarrass Tim in front of Zoe, inside of my head. The large evil grin that spread across my face was proof enough that I was definitely going to make him pay for ditching me.

Continuing my walk towards my next class, I re-adjusted the straps of my bag on my shoulders.

I wonder how Paige is doing.

That thought was just circulating my head, when I saw the girl I was thinking about. Her hair, tied up in a ponytail, and her jean shorts hugging her beautiful lower curves.

I only got a literal second to check her out, just before she noticed me and sent a small awkward smile my way.

Bridget was stood beside her, while she – herself – was leaning against someone’s locker. And let me tell you how much I wanted to be that locker.

Snapping myself out of my dreamy state, I walked up to the two girls – Bridget’s face turning sour just as she saw me walking to her, technically Paige’s, direction.

“Uh – Hi.” Paige gave me a smile, this one better than the previous, and I waved my hand. Bridget just rolled her eyes as I gave her a wave too, just to not let her feel like I was avoiding her, even though I really wanted to.

“Don’t you have class now?” The question came from Bridget and both of our attention went to her. “Uh, yeah. I just came to say hi.” Judging by the disgusted look Bridget was giving me, I think I should’ve not waved at her or said anything at all.

“I’ll – uh – go to class then.” Awkwardly waving at the two girls again, I tried to slip away from them as quick and subtly as possible, but as everything I try to do crashes and burns, I bumped against a hard body and managed to fall on my butt.

“Watch it, Piss Pants!” The guy I recognized as the one who invited Paige to some Todd’s party – Darren – spat at me as he dusted himself off as if even touching me by mistake got him dirty or something.

Shitty kids.

I glanced at Paige, who looked genuinely worried while Bridget looked like she could kill someone for some reason, before getting off of the floor which was really smooth and cold, and comforting.

“Hi, Darren.” Bridget suddenly got really flirtatious as she batted her eyelashes at the said boy, who was still glaring my way while I got up and dusted myself off because of real dirt.

Darren took a break from giving me the stink eye and gave Bridget the best charming smile he could give, “Hey yourself.” I wanted to gag at the way the two were being. Mr. Bully having the hots for Ms. Bully. Yay, such a match made in heaven.

I wanted to roll my eyes so hard but I managed to suppress the urge judging by the way Darren’s attention suddenly came onto me, “and you’re still here because…?”

Immediately realizing that I hadn’t moved away from them, I quickly left the area, but not before sparing my blonde beauty a glance.

Paige looked uncomfortable as well as concerned as she shifted on her feet, while Mr. and Ms. Bully were back to talking flirtatiously. I wanted so much to swoop there and save her from the two big bad bullies, but since they both weren’t doing anything bad to Paige, I had no reason to do that. Well, also because I needed saving from the big bad bullies myself.

Sighing all the way to class, I thought about how things would’ve been if I hadn’t pissed myself in class. It wasn’t the first time I had ever done that, and I know that it probably wasn’t going to be the last.

***