Some of you wanted to know if there was a boy in Carter's life before she met Donovan. Now you have your answer.

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The school was a flurry of motion and chatter that Carter paid no attention to. She stood before a row of lockers, arms crossed, staring at the ceiling and chewing gum. Only one thing sat on her mind today: Tyler Hayes. A trio of girls rushed up to her side, all wearing matching eager expressions.

"So are you going to do it?" Eva asked, her wild brown curls framing her dark face.

"I don't think you can," Courtney said, leaning against the locker near Carter, playing with the edge of her honey-blonde braid. "I mean this is Tyler Hayes after all! The guy doesn't speak to anyone! He's the hottest recluse there is."

"Carter said she could get Tyler to talk to her," Jaya said, caramel eyes alight with confidence. "So I believe she can get him to talk to her." She leaned in. "What's the plan?"

Carter pulled out a pocket mirror, pressed the chewing gum to the back of it, and pressed it against the locker.

"I know his class schedule, the book he's currently reading, and what subjects he's best in. Knowing that I'll use it to my advantage."

Eva eyed her friend. "Do we even want to know how you got that information?"

Carter threw them a mischievous grin. "You can't call it stalking if it's all posted on social media."

"He doesn't have any accounts," Courtney said.

Smiling with pride, Carter stepped out the view of the mirror so she could see the hallway behind without having to look back.

"No, he doesn't but do you know how many people in this school post constantly? I knew his first period, it just took time scrolling through other people's accounts to see where I caught glimpses of him in other students' photos and put it all together. Only a few hours of work."

To her delight, her friends stared at her like she knew the answer to life.

"So the next step?" Jaya asked, excitedly.

Carter peered at the mirror and grinned as a glasses-wearing, cute boy walking and reading a book appeared in flashes among the thinning crowd of students.

"Now," she said. "You watch and learn." 

Carter collected a mass of textbooks, notebooks, papers, and books. She crossed the hallway and leaned against the wall, staring at her mirror situated high enough she could see over the heads of her fellow peers to down the hall to her left.

As Tyler hit the halfway mark on the hallway, Carter bounced up and down getting her breathing ramped up, her actions causing her friends to stifle laughter. When Tyler was a few feet away from the end of the hall, Carter sprinted around the corner and collided with him.

In a perfectly orchestrated act, Carter lost hold of her belongings and they went crashing to the floor along with the book Tyler had had. The pair stumbled away from each other.

Carter sighed, staring down at the mess around her feet.

"This is delightful."

Without saying anything, Tyler pushed up his glasses and squinted at the carnage, searching. Spotting his book, he moved. Knowing his intent, Carter acted, bending down at the same time, aligning their paths. Even knowing what it was going to happen, it hurt when their heads knocked together. Carter staggered back, clutching her bruised forehead.

"Seriously Hayes how hard is your head?" she asked.

Tyler rubbed his forehead, frowning at her.

"I don't see how this is my fault, you're the one who is supposed to be graceful?"

She cocked her head at him. "I see, you're stereotyping me because I'm a girl."

Tyler held her gaze, unwavering.

"No, I'm saying that because everyone knows on the soccer field no one can touch you."

Carter crossed her arms. "Strange bit of information for a recluse to know."

"I don't talk to people, it doesn't mean I don't hear what they say."

"Why are you talking to me then?"

"'Cause you ran into me."

Carter pursed her lips in thought. "I feel like that is a poor excuse. You kind of suck at this recluse thing."

The edge of Tyler's mouth twitched at a smile as he ducked his head. Knowing she had won the first round, Carter twisted away from him, gathering up her stuff. After a moment, Tyler followed suit, stacking notebooks and papers together. As Carter reached down to grab Tyler's fallen book, she stepped on her copy of Pride and Prejudice and nudged it further down the hallway behind her. When she straightened, she held out Tyler's book, A Novel Thought.

"Sorry I made you lose your spot," she said.

He exchanged her items for his novel. "It's fine. It's the second time I'm reading it."

Carter nodded. "Well, I feel like you don't see the nuance of the final scene until the third read but that's just my opinion."

Tyler paused, looking from the book then to her. "You've read it?"

"Four times. My dad is a Beck Daniels fan and that is one of his favorites. He used to read it to me. So when he's gone and I'm missing him I find I pick it up."

Tyler tilted his head, studying her. Before he could voice any thoughts, Carter retreated a step.

"Thanks for the help picking everything up." She touched the side of her head. "For future reference, try to do a better job at being a recluse, I'm not sure my head can take any more hits."

Without waiting for a reply, she walked away, turning down the nearest hallway. Concealed by the corner, she stopped and waited. The first bell rang, but still, Carter didn't move. When she heard the sound of approaching footsteps, she hurried back around the corner and nearly collided with Tyler again, but this time managed to jerk back in time.

"Seriously Hayes, you're a terrible recluse."

This time Tyler gave her a full smile. "Sorry, but you forgot this."

He handed her the copy of Pride and Prejudice. She scowled at it then finally accepted it.

"Wish you would have trashed it, would have given me a good excuse to not do the essay."

"You have Pierce?" he asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yup, fourth period. For some reason, I can argue someone to death but when it comes to putting those arguments on paper I'm useless." She saluted to him with the book. "Thanks all the same."

She spun away but Tyler's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"I could help you."

A spark of glee filled Carter but she kept it from showing as she slowly rotated back to him. "What?"

As if realizing what he had just offered, Tyler fidgeted and looked away. When he brought his gaze back to Carter she was regarding him with blatant disbelief and curiosity.

"Are you serious?" she asked, taking a hesitant step towards him.

He nodded once then stared at the floor in an intense consideration of the tile.

"I'm good at writing essays for English. I could help you."

"Wow." He lifted his head to find Carter grinning. "You do suck at this recluse thing."

His smile appeared quicker than before. "We can always do it in the stacks, so no one sees us."

Carter smirked. "So you can keep your reputation?"

He grinned.

"I can't have people know I talk, right?"

Carter laughed. "True."

"Do you want my help?"

At the earnestness behind the question, Carter felt a knot of guilt tighten in her stomach.

"Why help me?" she asked.

Tyler shrugged and scuffed his shoe. "Maybe I want someone to discuss my book with."

"Ah, so purely selfish reasons?"

"Completely."

At his teasing grin, she found she didn't want to say yes. The plan she had so perfectly laid out felt rotten in light of his easy, open manner. And she felt like something found in a dumpster. But when he smiled, she couldn't stop herself from smiling back.

"Since you are a recluse and might regret your offer later, I will say no. But if I happen to bump into you," she paused, accenting the joke, "in the library at lunch then we shall see what happens."

Tyler laughed and nodded. "Fair enough."

Carter spun away and walked down the hallway, hearing as Tyler retreated in the opposite direction. A second later she heard the patter of feet as Eva, Courtney, and Jaya sprinted down the hall to her.

"Oh my gosh!" Courtney said, shaking Carter excitedly. "You actually did it! I seriously can't believe it! He doesn't talk to anyone!"

"I knew she could do it," Jaya said, sounding proud like Carter's accomplishment were her's as well.

"I am impressed, Carter," Eva said. "I might have had my doubts."

Carter shoved Eva's shoulder. "Some friend you are."

They all laughed as the second bell rang, ushering them into their classroom. With the thought of getting to see Tyler again, she sank into her seat, trying not to smile. Her phone buzzed and she slipped it out of her pocket, giving it a quick glance. The message she read burst her giddy balloon.

'Sarge, great news, I heard back from Hamilton Prep, you got in! You can transfer within the next two weeks.'

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Cake, pie, ice cream, you must decide right now! Hurry! Hurry hurry!

(That's right feel super stressed out now about having to make a quick decision. I don't even know what I'm doing with these greetings anymore!)

If you have thoughts share them. If you don't you can just comment a blank comment and I'll give you some of my thoughts! 💭🗯💬

Poor Carter! She was so close to having her first boy connection and it all went down the drain with transferring schools! How sad. 😕

Well mildly sad, after three and a half years she gets Donovan so I'm not sure she's really complaining.

Vote, comment, follow but that's only if you like the color orange. If not then how dare you do any of the three options!

#friendshipgoals!