Danny's POV

I sat in English class, my seat right next to Naomi's. Today was the big day. We've had a project for the past few months to do a report on a book and then we had to perform a scene of dialogue from the book. Just my luck, I was paired with Naomi Wayson.

We decided on doing our report on some book called Pride and Prejudice. It was about some girl and guy that hated eachother and then fell in love, I think. Whatever, Naomi said it was one of her favorites and that we would get a good grade for doing a classic.

It was complicated, the way I felt about this girl. When we met in the bathroom, she infuriated, annoyed, and humored me all at the same time. The way she frowned everytime I got "lippy" with her, as she liked to call it, the way she laughed when I did something stupid, the way she coddled her ... fifteen million dogs. Well, really she only had three. A German Shepherd named Lady, a Great Dane named Scooby, and an English Bulldog named Bubba. Bubba was my favorite, he seemed to like me too. He'd get excited and greet me at the door before anyone else did.

But back to Naomi. My feelings for her were so strange, something I almost never felt. I actually wanted to be around her, I looked forward to our afternoon meetings. And when I wasn't at her house, I was wishing I was at her house. I even started reading this stupid book to get a better understanding of what ever we were doing. So we could have conversation, considering that things were becoming more and more awkward due to the fact that I kissed her in the bathroom a few weeks ago. She never mentioned it, so I didn't either.

But this book was weird and almost twisted to me. I thought this dude, Darcy, had serious issues. First of all, his name is Darcy. And I mean, he was constantly cutting this chick down even though he loved her. It was kind of messed up. My thought track was interrupted when I heard my and Naomi's names being called.

"Come show us what you have put together," the teacher invited, smiling in an almost snarky manner. I knew what she was thinking. She thought I slacked the entire time. Ha. I'd show her.

Then I looked at Naomi, who was already at the front of the class, smiling expectantly at me. I had to impress both Naomi and my teacher ... and I knew exactly how to do it.

I walked with a swagger to the front, smirking as the teacher moved to sit down. "You may begin," she said with a smile.

I looked into Naomi's eyes and began my line, "Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you ... I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony."

I could tell that Naomi was a little surprised, but she continued and replied with her own line, "I don't understand."

"I love you."

That was the appointed end of the scene. Naomi smiled at me before beginning to walk back to her seat. But I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward me. Fighting off the urge to smirk proudly with what I was about to do. This line was not in the particular scene we just performed, but I ended up learning it by accident because I thought that was what I was supposed to say.

"You must know ... surely, you must know it was all for you. You are too generous to trifle with me. I believe you spoke with my aunt last night, and it has taught me to hope as I'd scarcely allowed myself before. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me forever. If, however, your feelings have changed, I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. I never wish to be parted from you from this day on."

I had my hand to Naomi's cheek, my own eyes smoldering her. This was perfect. All of my emotions seemed to pour into that speech. It was more than just a practiced line. It was ... I knew it was the way I felt. And by the way this girl was looking at me, she knew this too.

Our teacher began to clap. "Why, Daniel. I am very impressed with the way you executed your lines. I can tell that you really put yourself into it."

I nodded, quickly looking back to Naomi. She was still staring at me with wide, doe eyes. Without a word, she walked out of the room. I looked at the class one time, then followed her out. I saw her sitting on the floor, her back against the lockers.

I wasn't sure what to say to her, suddenly becoming fearful of my plan. What would she say? I had to cover up my tracks. "That was for the grade," I said somewhat nonchalantly, looking over to the side to avoid eye contact.

Naomi snorted. "Danny don't give me that bull. I don't know what you're up to but between the kiss a few weeks ago and what just happened in there, this isn't just for a grade." The brunette looked up to me and sighed. "So what, you all of a sudden decided to like me now?" she asked, the look in her eyes was tired. "Danny, you have made my highschool life a living Hell. What's your deal? Another one of your big jokes? Well, it's not funny - "

I jogged to where she was seated, kneeling down to see her face. I knew that I wasn't getting out of this. "I don't know what happened a while back. You were there ... and you were screaming at me. You told me you hated me, you completely tore me apart." I looked at the brunette again, she was listening intently, "I lost all control. All inhibitions. I just saw you and I was tired. I was tired -"

"Oh, so you just kissed me because you missed some sleep? You couldn't think straight? You're a real piece of work, Danny. You put me through months and months of torture and then to top it all off, you start acting like you're into me? No. It doesn't work that way. You don't play games with me. You tell me how you feel up front. None of these games. I'm not one of your orange, flat haired, beach blonde bimbos!"

Her words were cutting deep, she didn't know the truth. But I couldn't blame her, she could have never known with the way I've been acting.

"You didn't let me finish. Naomi. I was going to say that I was tired of holding everything back. I thought if I just kissed you once, I'd get all of my ... tension out. But it just made things worse." I stopped again, starting to get somewhat embarrassed myself.

Naomi cracked a smile. "So what kind of 'tension' were you feeling?" she asked, a teasing glint in her eye. I opened my mouth to answer her question, but then decided against it and continued with my rant.

"And I didn't all of a sudden decide to like you," I started, sighing, I continued, "I liked you ever since that day in the bathroom. When we were in lockdown. I ... It was weird. I don't even know what happened. You made me feel like everyone else. No special treatment, no judgment, you just came in and did what you had to do. You surprised the Hell out of me, Wayson."

She paused, I could tell that she was trying to find something to say. But then I spoke, "So ... Do you feel the same about me?"

Naomi sighed. "Daniel Thompson. You are the single most annoying, infuriating, sarcastic, hotheaded, irrational, confusing boy I have ever met ... But if you weren't that way, I suppose I wouldn't have fallen for you either."

I stared, not surprised, but I didn't really see that response coming. Slowly, I leaned in closer to Naomi, my destination was her lips. She met me half way, moving forward to put her lips to mine.

And in that moment I just realized that I was kissing the girl I both hated and loved the most in my life.

"You never answered my question about your tension, Daniel."

"Some things are better left unsaid."