Sarah, who had been quietly tucked away in the far, left cornor of Mr. Robin’s classroom snapped her attention to the clattering at her feet. If her eyes weren’t deceiving her then a pen had just gone flying through the air narrowly missing her desk. She blinked a couple of times before she looked down at the slim white writing utensil. It was the type that you could buy in a box at Office Max or Staples for .69 during the school shopping months, which had only been a half a year away. Now it was the home stretch of senior year. Only three months and Sarah would never have to see Cherry Bend again. Her smoky gray eyes immediately drew up and looked at the mass of people around her. Her highschool was like a college. There was close to thirty people in a room and Sarah had never been the type to try and learn everyone’s name.

Sarah heard some mumbles before she saw a figure out of the cornor of her eye. She didn’t dare move her head to give the person the satisfaction of her curiosity. Instead she kept her direct line of focus on the teacher as she wrote down notes on her blank sheet of paper. The pen thrower had bent down to retrieve the pen, so Sarah didn’t see the harm in sneaking a peek at the person that she was trying to ignore. Her heavily lashed eyes moved over the dark head of hair that was a darker, more even black than her own. It almost looked as though he had glossed some gel on his fingers and just ran his hair through his fingers. She would bet ten dollars that if his hair were any longer, it would curl. She had been so caught up in his hair that she hadn’t even noticed that he was now looking at her.

Sarah met his eyes and she felt like she was falling into endless black. His eyes were so dark they were like two pools of spilled ink. She felt her stomach bottom out as she felt the heat rush up in her cheeks. She tried to swallow down her embarrassment and derive her eyes, but he was now addressing her. "Nice legs," He replied his mouth curling into a cruel smile as he got up and returned to his seat. His movements reminded her of water, so smooth and fluid. Sarah could only blink at the spot where he once was and then curse herself for wearing the skirt that she had found on sale. God knows she could have spent more time moisturizing her knees and laying out in the sun. Summer was just now beginning to flash its colors and she had nothing else to wear. She cringed and slumped down in her chair praying for the end of the class, or for her to wake up from this nightmare.

Sarah had lingered as much as possible after class to try and avoid the mysterious pen chucker before she walked to the parking lot. Senior year had become awkward, especially when this was the first year at a new school in the same boring town and you didn’t know anyone even after being here for eight months. It was just the beginning of April, but outside it felt like a warm summery June day. The sun pulsed down on her black hair revealing the natural red streaked within her hair. Her sandals clicked against the pavement as she opened up her beloved cherry red Dart Swinger and tossed her book bag in the back. She paused a moment outside in the parking lot that was now only loitered with groups of people talking and allowed the sun to kiss her fair cheeks. She ran her hands through her hair pushing it back as she allowed the warmth to dance upon her skin. Every bad thing in her mind was slowly being pushed away at the serenity that was around her, until the slicing of plastic on gravel was clear.

Her long lashes fluttered as her gray eyes focused on a band of people riding skateboards. They were laughing as they swerved around her car. Good thing too because if there was even one scratch on her car because of their dumb asses she would have happily clocked one of their faces. They passed her and she climbed into the front seat fishing for the keys and starting the engine. It roared as it tried to start, but didn’t successfully catch. She frowned hitting the steering wheel. She did love her car, but love didn’t always mean that it was reliable. She muttered a few words under her breath that well…wouldn’t really shock anyone in her family, but for the sake of dramatics; she could just imagine her nonexistent uncle rolling over in his grave. She closed her eyes and rested her head back against the rest before trying it again. Once more, it gave an effort to start, but the engine failed to remain running. Sarah gritted her teeth. Her eyes snapped open as a sharp tapping sounded against her window. Her eyes slit open as she adjusted her gaze with the falling sun as the background and when she did recognize whom it was, she wanted to shrink into neverwhere.

The infamous pen thrower looked at her with a little smirk; "It sounds like your car won’t start…" He surveyed. There was an old saying that came to mind: if it looks like a jackass and brays like a jackass. Chances are that it is a jackass.

Sarah looked at him and replied dryly, "Wow, ten points for noticing." She then shot him the same smile back and went to try and get out of her car, but the annoying one was leaned against it. Sarah looked at him with an impatient glare, which only was equally as met by a mischievous one. "Can I get out of my car?" She questioned raising a delicately arched eyebrow. Wonder Boy finally caught the hint and backed away. Sarah scolded herself for fumbling with the door before she got out. She had dealt with boys like this one before. At first it’s like fire to a moth. They’re so interesting and you just have to know everything about them, but then you find yourself bored. You find that the person you expected is the one that’s not there. She closed the door and then turned her head to see him watching her. "Do you need something?" Even she cringed at how icy her words came out as.

His dark eyes never even blinked as he continued to look at her. Sarah suddenly felt amazingly self conscious and started to turn when his voice broke the silence, "No, I was just wondering if you needed a ride…" Sarah turned just in time to watch him run a tanned hand through his black hair. "You know," He grinned, "Since I almost killed you with my pen during class."

Sarah snorted and crossed her arms over her chest, "Please…your aim was too far off to even touch my toe."

Sarah could see amusement dancing in his eyes before he let out a soft laugh. She liked how it wasn’t too soft and yet not too loud. It was perfect. "I’m Miles Colbert by the way," He stated crossing his own arms across his chest.

"Sarah," Sarah stated simply her lips losing the smile she had earlier. First name basis was her number three rule. The less you knew about the person the less likely you were to care for them and she knew all too well what that pain was when they broke you.

"Well since we aren’t strangers anymore, how about I give you a ride home?" Miles asked moving the skateboard that was under his left foot. Sarah looked interested at the skateboard, but didn’t ask him to do some kind of trick. She knew that men were only capable of doing one fifth of the anything right and you could only ask for so much from them.

"I hope your driving is better than your aim skills," Sarah remarked looking at him skeptically. She then unlocked her back door and grabbed her book bag waiting for him to lead the way. Miles’ lips curled into a cruel smile as he led the way passed the 2002 Mustangs and the Cavaliers. She was waiting for him to lead her to some fancy, brand new car that all the students seemed to have, but instead he led her to a classic 1973 Mercury Montego GT. Sarah couldn’t help, but allow her fingers to trace over the midnight black paint job as she looked at the museum quality of it’s exterior. Obviously Miles had no aim, but he had wonderful tastes in cars and had taken care of this one.

"I take it that you like," He stated shoving his skateboard back behind his seat and unlocking the doors.

Sarah gave him a wry smile as she walked over to the passenger side, "I approve," She agreed looking at him.

"My skateboard and my car are my life," He replied in explanation getting in. Sarah followed his lead and managed to gracefully sit down without flashing too much skin. After all, she didn’t want to give Miles the impression that she liked him or anything.

"Isn’t that a little materialistic and self centered?" She questioned, her gray eyes flashing to meet his entrapping black ones. It wasn’t meant to come across insulting, but rather inquisitive.

Miles looked over at her as he started up the car. It purred like a kitten, never even faltered as it started up which made a warm feeling spread in the bottom of her stomach. Sarah would have killed to have a car like this one. It was like Jesus in steel. "Not when there’s nothing that has shown its worth your heart," He admitted, "At least I know I can count on my skateboard and my car." His gaze was deep and penetrating which made Sarah look to the ground. Obviously Miles had a rough life and Sarah could relate to that. Her father was a workaholic and her mother was ever rarely home. They only stayed together because it looked good on their resumes.

"Miles!" A voice yelled from outside the car and Sarah looked over to the driver’s side window to see an attractive looking girl with platinum blonde hair. It was cut so it flipped out everywhere and shorts that she had cut off at her knees. The tank top clinged to her small body so that everyone and their mother could tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra and suddenly she felt very protective of her space. The girl’s cool blue eyes scanned over Sarah and then returned to Miles as if questioning what exactly he was doing with her.

"Crystal, this is Sarah, the girl I almost pegged with my pen trick earlier in English," He stated as if it explained it all.

Crystal looked at Sarah with new found eyes and smiled at her, "Oh yeah. Sorry about that earlier, Miles was trying to flip the pen over his palm and ended up winging it." Her blue eyes sparkled as she looked back at Miles. Sarah kept her mouth shut and slumped towards the door trying to find something pretty outside the window to look at while trying to ignore their conversation. "So…are you going to Sam’s get together tonight?" She asked leaning against the sill of the window.

Miles looked over at Sarah who had busied herself by looking out the glass and then returned his gaze to Crystal, "Yeah, I’ll probably swing by."

Crystal nodded and smiled back at him, "Great, well I guess I’ll see you tonight?" Sarah stole a glance at Crystal who seemed to be floating on cloud nine at Miles’ revelation. Sarah felt nauseous, but ignored it. There was a simple, but uncomfortable silence that seemed to radiate between them as he backed out of the parking lot.

"Where do you live?" He asked turning on the radio as Allister blared on the radio.

"In Hollin’s Circle, Peachtree Street," Sarah stated to him simply. She crossed her arms as she diverted her attention from Miles.

"Nice area," Miles replied making small talk while drumming his fingers against the steering wheel to the song’s beat.

"Yeah," Sarah replied smoothing down her skirt while looking forward. Miles was right, he was a better driver than what his aim implied and the nice car also gave him a couple of brownie points. But the point was that he had a girlfriend and that he just wasn’t her type. "She was pretty…" Sarah stated.

"Who?" Miles asked taking a side-glance at Sarah.

"That girl," Sarah answered, "Crystal." It was the oldest trick in the book, but Sarah wanted to know about her.

"I guess," Miles replied with a shrug, "But I really don’t think of her like that. We’ve been friends for a real long time…"

"Oh, so just friends?" Sarah questioned innocently. She tucked a piece of her dark hair behind her ears and allowed herself to look at him.

He shot a quick glance at her with a smirk, "Why are you so interested?"

Sarah’s eyes didn’t waiver. Instead she just gave a soft shrug of her left shoulder and replied, "I was just curious."

Miles let out a soft chuckle and stated, "Well for the record, I’m not seeing anyone."

"Why?" Sarah asked before she could even stop her mouth. She felt herself blush a little bit and then stated, "You don’t have to tell more or anything, but I just can’t see you without someone." She had emphasized someone as she turned to look at him. He had just turned into Hollin’s Circle and soon the car ride and their conversation would be over.

Miles stated without feeling, "You sure do ask a lot of questions."

"I don’t like mysteries," She explained as he hit his left signal to turn down Peachtree Street. He allowed the wheel to follow through smoothly as he reciprocated, "I guess that’s fair." He paused and then stated, "Like I said before, there hasn’t been many things that I know I can trust, in the past girls haven’t been one of them. No one enjoys getting hurt so I feel that being single is far better than having your heart crushed."

Sarah had been hanging on his every word and had almost forgotten that she was on her road when she spotted her brick ranch home and stated quickly, "That’s my house."

Miles pulled the car to the curb and then put it in park looking at the "major investment" that was also known as her house. "Wow, your parent’s must be loaded," He remarked his black eyes studying the architecture.

Sarah looked at it too and stated, "Yeah, but not even money can make up for all that we lack." She pushed the door open and grabbed her book bag. "Thanks for the ride," She stated leaning down to look at him.

He nodded, "No problem." Sarah thought he was going to say something else so she stood there for a moment longer before turning around. "Hey!" He called and she rotated to look back at him. "Why don’t you come with us to Sam’s tonight?" He stated.

Sarah adjusted the strap of her book bag on her shoulder and answered, "I don’t have a car, remember?"

"I can pick you up," He smiled. Sarah could feel her legs weaken and she swallowed down the butterflies that seemed to jump in her stomach.

"Ok," She nodded. What in the hell was she doing? She didn’t know him or these people whose house she was going to, and she was just agreeing?

"I’ll be here at seven," He replied and Sarah nodded again while she watched him put the sleek Montego out of park and back onto the glittering road, and Sarah knew that she was lost. She had fallen in love, and she didn’t want to get up.