"Rachel!" Meghan gasped, "Sighting, three o'clock."

"Shush!" I hissed at her, but self-consciously straightened my hair.

Twelve thirty-six on a sunny Friday afternoon. The bell rings in five minutes, calling us to our next class. It was the busiest time in the hallway- students and teachers alike were streaming back into the school from the tempting, sunny outdoors of early September.

It was also the Sighting Time- practically every person in our grade walks by this hallway on their way back to the school. And was I lucky enough to have my locker there? Yes, yes I was.

"Rachel!" Meghan squeaked as I turned around to grab my Science book.

"Meghan, calm down," I snorted, "You're being utterly ridiculous-"

I turned around, and there he was. He walked past me, holding up a hand.

"Hey, Rachel," he said.

"Hi, Luke," I smiled at him, and slapped his outstretched hand.

"Meghan," he nodded at my best friend. As usual, she ignored him, quickly analyzing all of our interactions.

Sometimes, it can be a real pain to have your best friend obsessed with your love life. I informed her of that as I threw the textbook into my bright purple backpack and slammed my locker shut.

"But you know you love it," Meghan hinted.

"What's there to love?" I asked, "You just ignored him, to busy watching us high five, for goodness sakes."

"You still haven't touched that hand with anything," she informed me in a sing-song voice.

"You are really creepy," I glared at her, but my hand was still warm from his touch.

"Just saying..." she said, holding the door of the Science room open for me as I struggled with my heavy backpack. Honestly, I don't know how Meghan did it- she had the exact same weight of a backpack as me, yet she didn't seem affected at all.

But even though her insane strength annoyed me, I couldn't deny that she was a good friend, no matter how often she ticked me off...like now, for example.

"He got a hair cut, did you notice?" Meghan said as I threw my books down on a double desk.

"No," I snorted. But I did. His blond hair was slightly shorter, though still bright, and that cowlick was still sticking up at the top- almost like a reminder of his childhood. Thankfully, the baby fat from when he was in the first grade had disappeared too, thanks to him joining the basketball team.

"-I don't even know how long it'll be now, we thought that it was actually going to be last week, but then again, we thought summer too, but decided-"

I realized that, yet again, I had zoned out during one of Meghan's blabbing sessions.

"Who are you talking about?" I interrupted.

Meghan huffed, "Uh, Louisa? I was saying, we decided that it was because it was too early over the summer-"

"Meghan," I said, "What are you talking about?"

She glared at me, and opened up her science book.

"Aw, Meggie..." I said, poking at her arm.

She ignored me.

I sighed, and then, forcing my impatience out of my voice, "Forgive me, I missed what you were saying due to fact that I cannot learn that I should always be listening to your genius. Please, grace me with an explanation."

"Sarcasm much?" Meghan rolled her eyes.

Rachel waited. Meghan could never be quiet for long.

"Fine, fine," Meghan turned back to her, already looking excited, "So, I was saying that, I was talking to Louisa last week, and we thought Luke was going to ask you out last week-"

"Shh!" I hissed, looking around anxiously.

Meghan sighed. "Fine. We thought he was going to ask you out last week," she continued, her voice now barely about a whisper, "But you had to go and get the flu, so our plans practically disappeared before our yes."

"It's not my fault. Blame Troy, going and getting sick and then passing it to me," I wrinkled my nose, thinking about my rather disgusting twelve year old brother, "I swear, I don't want to know what he does in his free time."

"Can I finish?" Meghan asked impatiently.

I nodded.

"So we think that he decided to wait. Which makes sense, because we all thought he was going to ask you out at camp this summer-"

"Louisa wasn't at camp, remember?" I reminded her. Meghan, and I, along with Luke and a few other kids from our area had volunteered at a camp for younger kids, including Troy and Luke's twin sisters, Kayla and Madeline. And, of course, that's when I actually got around to talking to Luke...and liking him...and telling Meghan. Which can be viewed as a good thing or a bad thing...

"Well, I mean all of us." Meghan said.

"All of us?" I squeaked, "You mean, Ashley, Kevin, Sandra, Russell, Mikayla...everyone?"

"Uh, yeah," Meghan said, "But he didn't, so know Louisa and I think that he likes to take things slow, which is good, so we think that he'll be doing it soon!"

I flushed at the thought. Soon? They thought he would be asking me out soon?

"Probably not," I told her, "I mean, seriously Meghan? No matter how often you spy on him there's no way that you're going to get inside of his mind." But secretly, I was thrilled. Soon, soon, soon!

And my facial expression should only show doubt, which is a good thing. Meghan isn't getting in my mind, either.

She opened her mouth to defend her psychotic skills, or something along those lines, when Mrs. Barker, our ancient Science teacher, hobbled into the room, holding a stack of textbooks and an overflowing coffee cup.

"Quiet down!" she rasped.

"Gladly," I said under my breath, but when as I copied out my notes, I thought back to earlier today...was Luke's high five some sort of hidden guy message? "I want to ask you out! You must balance on one leg and recite the ABC's backwards so I know when to act!"

As if. But was I supposed to do something? I hadn't even gotten my first kiss yet, for goodness sake, how was I supposed to know what the right sign was?

Maybe I should wait...

But no. When I was a camp, I told myself I liked him. That he was worth it.

And was I the type to change my decisions?

Of course not.

"Later!" I shouted, waving at Meghan and Louisa. They were heading up the street to the bus stop- the lucky jerks lived right down the street from each other, while I lived fifteen minutes in the opposite direction.

And my mom had to go pick Troy up first...or was it my dad? I flipped open my shiny cell phone- Thursday. Mom's day.

My parents are divorced, and they've worked up this messed "pick up" plan. Dad lives what, twenty minutes away from our house, in an apartment building Downtown, so he takes that advantage of picking us up and taking us home (to Mom's house, which makes no sense). Honestly, all it succeeds in doing is confuse all of us, which puts both of my parents in a bad mood, which makes me wish I could walk home.

In a bad mood myself now, I walked into the Noodle Salon for a bubble tea. Something about the small place always makes me calm down. Soothing music from huge speakers mounted on the wall, bright red chairs placed around faded brown tables...the whole place was a contradiction.

And I loved it.

"One Mango Ice cream please, Arthur," I grinned at the old man working the counter.

"Mango today?" Arthur said, smiling at me as he grabbed a cup, "Feeling down?"

"You know me so well," I laughed, and sat down on a stool, "How's business?"

"Booming, as usual. I told Maria we did the right thing moving in right by your high school. And was I right?"

"Of course!"

I watched as he expertly made me my drink, and slyly dropped a quarter into the tip jar when he was turned around.

"I heard that," he said, as he grabbed a purple straw and stuck it in the top.

"Heard what?" I shrugged, "Thanks, Arthur."

"No problem, Rachel. Say hi to your crazy friends for me, will you?"

"Sure," I turned around, feeling perfectly at ease. And then, as my eyes adjusted to the bright silence, all relaxation left me. My heart raced and my palms grew sweaty. Uneasiness- one of my greatest fears.

"Hey, Rachel!" Luke said, waving at me.

"Oh, hi," I said, my voice sounding normal, thankfully.

"Bubble tea good?" he asked, walking up to me.

"As always. You getting one?" I asked.

"Nah, I was just walking back to the school. You heading back there?" he asked. Was that hope in his voice?

"Yeah. My mom should be back soon," I replied.

"Cool," he replied, and then we were walking, side by side.

I wanted to scream, so loud.

"Weather's nice," he said, and after a pause, laughed at himself. "Wow, that was lame."

"Nah," I laughed too, "Well, maybe a little bit."

"It'll be getting cold soon, though. Nothing compared to that one night back at camp, hey?" he chuckled.

I blushed. I remembered that night- it was horrid. We were out on a hike, camping, and it was raining like crazy.

"Oh, yeah," I said, for lack of a better response.

We walked along in silence for a while. I examined Luke- he was wearing a dark yellow polo shirt and jean shorts- perfectly acceptable for our school dress code. His green eyes stood out magnificently with the shirt, might I add.

"That's a cool hoodie," Luke spoke up as we stopped at a cross walk. He flipped the on my head. I blushed, "Purple," he continued, "Very nice."

"Thanks. Pretty much everything I own is purple," I smiled at him.

"Awesome color," he nodded, his tone mock-serious, "My mother bought me a purple tie. I've never worn it in my life."

"Oh, you should!" I urged him, as the walk light flicked on, "It would look great with your...uh, your hair?" I flinched.

Luke laughed, as if he didn't find my comment weird at all.

"I'll wear it sometime," he winked, "And what shirt would you recommend going with it?"

I laughed and we discussed his various dress options the whole way back to the school. My hoodie was still on my head when we reached the entrance to the school. My brown curls would be messed up afterwards, but I really didn't care.

"Well, I better go," Luke said, holding the door open for me, "My dad's going to be here with the twins soon, and they hate to wait in the car." He grimaced.

"Say hi to them for me, will you?" I asked.

"'Course. Bye, Rachel!" he smiled at me, and I swear, his eyes were twinkling.

"Bye," I said, a huge smiled threatening to break out on my face.

I watched as he jogged around the side of the school, and out of sight.

I sighed, and then giggled shrilly. "Gah," I said aloud, realizing that I sounded just like a ditzy girl, "What is wrong with me?"

But I was too incredibly happy to be cynical. I felt like just crawling into a hole and laughing for a long, long time.

And then seeing Luke again.

With another happy sigh, I turned to go into the gym door.

And ran smack into some kid, spilling my Mango bubble tea all down my hoodie, pants, and shoes.

"Gah!" I shrieked, "What the heck!"

"Whoa!" the kid said, leaping backwards, "Watch where you're going!"

"Watch where I'm going?" I glared at the kid. He was a boy, maybe my age, with shaggy brown hair a brown eyes. He was also wearing a hoodie, dark green, which was miraculously bubble tea free.

"Uh, yeah! You were holding the door open for me, weren't you?" he asked.

"No! I was about to go in myself," I hissed, and yanked off my hoodie, revealing a light brown t-shirt underneath, adding in an undertone, "Jeeze, this is never going to come off."

"Well, I did wait, but you stood there for who knows how long, grinning like an idiot, so I just walked, and you took that opportunity to walk into me and spill bubble tea all over yourself," he replied, gingerly moving away from the puddles of my drink.

Why is he still talking to me? I asked myself, as I held my hoodie away from me, trying to brush off the wet drops.

"That isn't going to work, you know," he said irritatingly, watching me fail miserably.

"Thanks," I said, and turned to him, "Who are you, exactly?"

"Darwin Atterby," he replied, "And you?"

"Rachel Farrows," I shot back, wishing I was wearing shorts. My jeans were sticking to my legs now. "Can I help you with something?"

"No," he replied, "But can I help you?"

I glared at him. He was smirking at me, the jerk.

"Uh, no," I said, "Unless you have enough money to buy me a new jacket, not to mention shoes and jeans."

"Uh, then I guess I can be of no help," he replied, and continued standing there, staring at me.

I glared at him, "Um, can I direct you to the bathroom or something?" I asked, hinting heavily.

"No. I'm new here, but I think I can find the bathroom," he said, nodding pointedly at the sign by the door.

"Well, then, welcome to the school. Good-bye," I said, turned around, and walked away.

"Nice meeting you!" he cheerfully shouted after me. And, might I add, did not apologize for spilling tea all down my clothes.

"Jerk," I muttered.

Authors Note: Wow, three reviews...I wasn't expecting that! Thanks, sealednectar, Amy (Phemonoe) and The Refused. I hope you enjoy the chapter...I'm not sure about the ending; it did not seem very well-written. I hope that my descriptions were alright, and that you enjoyed it even a fraction as much as I enjoyed writing it.

So...review if you can, please, and thanks for reading! I'll work on the next chapter.

~FlyingThroughDreams