"I can't believe it! What did your mom say?" Elena asks as she gives me an eye-opener which shows how she finds this just as repelling as I do.

"I don't know. I left before she said anything. He's grounded. I thought she would kick him out. You get grounded for stealing a candy when you are 6 years old. He was smoking in our bathroom."

"Well, she can't kick him out. If she kicks him out, Jenna will leave with him and I'm sure your mom doesn't want her to leave considering the situation she is in." I can't blame Jenna for having a vexing son but I can't just sit back as he unravels my life. He's only been here a day and I can feel the rage blazing through my veins. Not to mention how his bizarre ideas have already made me questioned some of my beliefs.

"I just can't be living under the same roof for as long as Jenna needs. I know this is awful to say but it's not fair to me to have to put up with someone as deranged as him."

"I just had an idea!" She says as the radiance of the glaring sun is reflecting on her shimmering eyes.

"What?"

"We should go to the lake house."

"The one your parents are prepping for sale?"

"Yes. They start next week. But we could have one last weekend. There's no school on Friday. I could talk to Aria. She's throwing a party on Friday at her house. I'll just tell her to take the party to the lake. It's only 40 minutes away. It'll be the perfect weekend! And, you can have a Jake-free weekend." I laugh. The idea itself sounds crazy, but I'll do anything for a weekend where I don't have to see or hear him.

"My mom will never let me. You know how paranoid she is when it comes to the wilderness."

"I'll just have my mom call her. She can always convince her."

"Alright. It sounds good."

"I'm going to invite Easton. You should invite his brother!"

"Raven? No way! I've only spoken to him twice."

"So? You're never gonna accomplish anything if you just sit back and watch life always be one step ahead. You need to start taking the lead and gaining control. You're asking him." I hate how right she is but it's easier to just let life take the lead and for me to follow as I anticipate the unknown.

"Fine."

We arrive at school just in time as I head for my first class just as Elena rehearses how to ask Easton to the lake this weekend, and I hope Raven is sick with a cold and doesn't show up until next week.

I enter the girl's locker room where the revolving and sickening odor of perspiration and soiled clothing makes me want to puke. I wish that someone would clean it as frequently as they do they boy's locker room. I head straight for my locker in the cramped and dusky corner and pick up my my navy blue shorts with a white shirt. It's been two weeks since I've had this class. I'm just glad they have a pleasant smell. Once I'm done making sure my hair is picked up since I don't want want to have to wash my hair today, I exit the room where I stumble upon a unexpected yet familiar figure. Easton.

"It's Claire, right?"

"Yeah. What are you doing here?"

"I have physical education." I notice his navy blue shorts and white shirt. I haven't been in this class in two weeks. It makes sense I didn't know since he arrived after. I don't know what to say or how to act around him. I know Elena likes him and I'm afraid to say the wrong thing like I always do when it comes to guys and mess it all up for her. He is also Raven's brother.

"Oh. So do I."

"Perfect. What exactly does one do in a class like this?" He asks as we both sit on the tracks but I'm somehow bewildered by his question. He couldn't possibly not know what this class is about. Perhaps he meant in this particular class since not every professor is the same.

"We do some stretches. She also makes us run three laps around the track. Then, you can just do whatever you want. You can do sports or you can just sit down and do nothing." He seems like if I had just dropped a bombshell on him.

"I'll never understand the meaning of these classes. I had a class named Biology. Can you believe we all have tiny little red dots inside of us? Crazy stuff." I laugh since I know he's joking but somehow he seems to be truly genuine.

"You mean cells?" I have an eerie feeling about this whole conversation. I can't depict whether he is joking or being sincere.

"Yeah."

Mrs. Parker demands that we do our usual stretching routine. Easton asked for a bathroom pass within the first minute and I just kept wondering if he truly didn't know what cells were.

"Run three laps!" Mrs. Parker shouts as everyone scampers. Easton joins me after being gone for most of the stretching.

"Did I scare you before?" He staggers me by asking and I smile awkwardly. "I know what cells are. I was just trying to mess with you. I really just want to talk to you about your friend. Elena."

"What about her?" I'm at ease to hear he was just joking but now I'm diffident since he wants to know about Elena and I don't want to say the wrong thing.

"I want to get to know her but I want to know if she's interested in me. I don't want to make a fool of myself, and I want to know if she just sees me as the guy she almost run over with her car." We both chuckle. I did not prepare myself for this. Elena did not prepare me for this. I don't know if she wants him to know she likes him or if she wants to keep her feelings hidden until she is sure that he likes her back.

"I think you should stop overthinking it and find out for yourself. She likes guys who are not afraid of being honest with her about how they truly feel."

"You think I should tell her?"

"Yeah, I think you should." For a slight second, I feel an enigmatic feeling as I notice a familiarity in his shimmering gray eyes and stop.

"Are you okay?" He asks, but there is something perplexing about this that is troubling me.

"Yeah.. I just.. let's keep running." I say as I run faster than I did before but he manages to catch up with me.

"Take a break everyone!" Mrs. Parker shouts and we all head to the benches while others stay out on the field. I'm tempted to ask Easton about Raven's skin condition but I'm afraid it's not my place to ask something so personal.

When the bell rang, I was glad to take a shower to get off the salty sweat from my clammy skin. Easton didn't ask me anymore questions about Elena and left me on a note that he would take my advice and talk to her.

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