A/N: I'm pretty bad at this updating thing uh? I've actually had this written for a while but never posted. I really will try to get better at it, there's now excuse for my sloth. I wanted to thank those of you who have reviewed and to midway confusion: I appreciate your criticism, I've been working on improving my writing (especially since I started this two years ago and still haven't finished). I do cringe myself at some of what I've written, but haven't gotten the chance to go back and rewrite yet.

It killed him that she tried so hard to make him seem like the bad guy, who was dead set on making a fool out of her. Jeremy ran a frustrated hand through his hair. She had to do everything the hard way didn’t she? All day he had fought the urge to go over to her and just...God, just to even acknowledge her would lend him some piece of mind, but she’d probably have murdered him before he made it all the way over.

They were doing it her way, whether he hated or not.

He groaned inwardly, realizing how stupid he was sounding even to himself. Alex had a tendency of making him simultaneously feel infuriated and infatuated.

Jeremy felt a sudden tap on shoulder.

“Ya there Jer?” Jeremy looked over to find a ‘friendly face’ staring back at him. Mark shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“She’s been calling you for the last five minutes.” Mark supplied, lazily stretching back in his seat.

“What’s up with you today?” Amber asked cheerfully. He looked pleadingly at Mark, who merely shrugged in return.

“Nothing’s wrong with me.”

“I know ‘that’, but you’re so...spacey today.” He had to resist the temptation of banging his head into the lunch table, or better yet ‘her’ head into the lunch table.

“You know, I just remembered, I need to go...stay here and keep Mark company. Couldn’t leave him here all by himself.” Jeremy smirked, ignoring the crowd of people at their table. He nearly bolted from the table before he could even hear Mark’s protests.

Seeing her table near the door he called over as he was leaving, “Abby?”

“Library.” she replied, not even looking toward him.

“Thanks.” he waved plowing through the door.

--

He crept in, carefully avoiding the sharp gaze of the librarian. Jeremy wasn’t exactly her ‘favorite’ student. He spotted Andria sitting alone at a table in the back, seemingly occupied with her research paper, though if you looked carefully she hadn’t turned the page of the book in quite a while and the pen was more of a drumstick than anything else.

“Lot on your mind?” he said lowly, slipping in to the seat next to her and teasingly squeezing her knee.

“Oh just some guy trouble,” Andria said airily, eyes amused.

“Really? Well you know if you ever get sick of this ‘guy’...” Jeremy started, encouraged since she hadn’t spat in his face.

“I was actually just thinking of how I could get rid of him with totally crushing the poor sap.” she interrupted, looking satisfied with herself.

“You know, you’re lucky I’ve taken such a liking to you Alex.”

“More like cursed.” she snorted. He smiled, shaking his head and knowing she wasn’t even being sarcastic.

She looked down at her books, and fidgeted with her hair. Her lowered his face to look more closely at hers, which was swiftly softening.

"Look, Jer...about what I said earlier...”

“Sorry, is this little meeting against the rules?” he said teasingly. She glared at him. Last time she trys to eat her words.

“Actually, I’m not too sure about Friday anymore.” she said obstinately, holding the threat up in the air.

“Come on, Alex ... don’t.” He was beginning to think she liked being in control of this situation.

Andria scrunched her nose up in distaste, “Why do you insist on calling me that?”

“I thought we went over this already?” he whispered into her ear. She looked at him expectantly, “I think you’re absolutely adorable when you’re annoyed with me.”

“Oh well, then I guess I’m constantly adorable, aren’t I?” she retorted in a deadpan.

“Among other adjectives.” he responded, needlessly brushing a hair out of her face.

She seemed to consider him for a minute, when she was jarred back into reality.

“Yo Jer,” Both cringed at those first two syllables, though endeavoring to conceal it

Jeremy eyed him agitatedly, “Evan.”

“Haven’t seen you in a while, where’ve ya been?”

“Around.” he said shortly, Andria near ready to get up and leave while she could. Noticing, Jeremy grabbed her hand under the table, letting her know he wanted her to stay.

“Who’s this?” Evan asked, finally noticing Andria, “One of your newest girlfriends?”

Jeremy glared at him, though no real harm was meant on Evan’s side. He just had despicably bad timing. Andria gave a constrained smile.

“I can assure you, I’m not one of his anything. I better be going.” she began piling up her books.

“Alex.” Jeremy said in a low, serious tone.

“A girl’s gotta eat.” she said through a veil of good humor, but Jeremy could plainly see her agitation.

“Nice,” Evan drawled as she walked away from them. Jeremy stared at him with a sober look on his face.

“What?” he replied stupidly.

Jeremy shook his head and walked away without a word.

--

“Hey Marky, what’s up?” Abby said up-beatly, sitting in the seat beside him.

He smiled with a laugh, “No, I haven’t heard anything on the Jeremy front.”

She looked offended, “I can’t say hello without being accused of trying to weasel information out of you? Couldn’t it be that I sincerely wondered after your welfare.”

He nodded, leaning closer to her, “Perhaps, if I didn’t know you had such a one track mind.”

“Hey now, I’m doing exactly what I promised ... backing off. Besides,” she said defiantly, “You have no idea which track my mind is on right now.”

“And which track would that be?”

“Well, I can’t let you in on all my secrets. A girl’s got to keep some mystery about her.” Abby smirked sarcastically.

“Of course, where was my head?”

The teachers shrill voice cut off the conversation as class began, but Abby couldn’t help feeling somehow lighter.

--

Andria walked quickly that day, trying to keep up with her thoughts. She hated herself for being so stubborn, but at the same time for being so weak. She was just a constant mess of contradictions.

“Hey, Speedy, wait up!” a voice came running up from behind when she was halfway home.

“Hey Ab, what’s up?” trying to add a little cheer into her tone.

“Not much,” she said skeptically, “What about you?”

Andria opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it again. It had just occurred to her how much she needed to get out what was on her mind.

“Say it.” Abby said in a coaxing drawl. Andria motioned toward a bench situated near a sign for a buss stop.

“I like him,” she said simply, taking a cross legged position. Abby broke into a grin. That was easy.

“But, god, Abby, I should know better.” Andria amended.

“What d’ya mean?” Abby prodded, preparing herself to be as compassionately blunt as possible.

“Abs, you know how he is,” she rolled her eyes, “I’ve never trusted him as long as I’ve known him.”

“That’s a load of crap, stop making excuses. I’ll be honest, An. You need to get over this whole Jeremy-the-‘hot shot’-childhood-enemy insecurity. If you don’t, you’re screwed, and it won’t be by him.” So much for her not getting involved.

Andria glared at her, “Remind me why I’m friends with you?”

“Because I’m a blunt little know it all and you love me for it?” she was able to elicit a laugh out of her.

“What have you go to lose Andria?”

“I refuse to be tossed away like his other toys.” she said soberly.

“Andria, if he were any more serious about this he’d be down on one knee by now.”

“Stop it.” she demanded, despite amusement playing in her eyes.

“I’m completely serious.” Abby smirked.

Andria shook her head and got up, “Good bye Abby.”

“Bye An. By the way, I’d wait a while before you and hubby start churning out those kids.” she taunted as Andria walked away.

Andria laughed lowly, tilting her head backward, “And you wonder why I don’t talk to you about these things.”