It all started when Marie made a bet with Sam and Timothy. The rules were simple; the two people who got their math done first won a granola bar from the big loser. During homeroom Marie told me about this. She said that Timothy lost. Me being the violence loving, messed up person I am, volunteered to be her enforcer, and considering this was Timothy he would try to weasel his way out of it. We also knew that with me there, he'd probably pay up.

The next day went by as usual, had a terrible P.E., and afterwards as always and Hope, Marie, and I were sitting in the hallway outside the locker rooms waiting to be dismissed. Then Timothy sauntered by being stupid and teasing us as usual and that's when Marie brought up the bet.

"Timothy you owe me a granola bar today." Marie said.

Timothy looked like he was thinking for a moment and then said "Oh yeah, but what if I don't get you one?" Marie motions to me and I smile creepily. His eyes widened knowing that I enjoyed the thought of beating him to a bloody pulp. It's funny when I make guys scared, they look so adorable.

"You'll pay up or answer to my fist."

"Ohhh. . . " he said looking scared for a moment. "I'll get you one at lunch." He then walked off to act like an idiot with his stupid friends. Wait backtrack. Stupid? I sound jealous. . . why? Did I like him? No way. I thought, shaking my head as if to clear away the thought. We could now go to lunch, so we went. Me and my friends went to sit down outside, once everything was set down they got up to get their school lunch and I ate the one I packed from home. While I ate I started to daydream, well you can probably guess what those daydreams were about.

Hope and Marie came back and I was no loner alone. They talked but I was only half listening, they asked me questions but I only replied with a short yes or a distant uh huh. Until Hope finally spoke up, "Gracie?"

"Yeah?"

"You seem really not with it."

"I guess" I said, only to be interrupted by Timothy with Sam on his heels.

"You know about that promise I made to you Marie?" He asked slyly.

"Well duh." She said, clearly irritated.

"I'm going back on it." He said. Marie nodded her head at me and he ran, knowing that I was merciless in a fight. I gave chase. He was fast and he knew it but he also knew that I could beat him up, and was stronger than him. I had no hope of catching him so I chased him into a corner. He shrunk down and I lifted my arm ready to punch his lights out. But something stopped me. A little voice in my head was saying; for people in books, this is the moment. So instead I grabbed his shirt pulled him up and smashed my lips onto his. His lips were cool, chapped, and dry, I didn't want to pull away but I did, I had to.

I closed my eyes waiting for what was coming. A million thoughts crossed my mind. Oh no, I never should have done this. He's going to hate me forever and ever and I'll be single my whole life and will have to become a crazy old cat lady whom no one wants to consort with. I should have remembered that he liked Bella and that there was no way that anyone would like a violent outcast who almost all popular people despised with their very souls. But the angry words never came.

I kept my eyes closed and waited for a punch, anything. I deserved it. Finally after what seemed like an eternity I felt physical contact. It didn't hurt, how could it have? His lips were pressed to mine, arms encircling my waist and I was enjoying every minute of it. We broke apart because we heard voices. It was Marie "Gracie? Timothy? Where are you?"

"We're here!" I answer with a sigh. There goes our moment I thought. They came running to the little alcove where I had chased him.

"Good." Hope sighed. "Lunch is almost over."

"Okay. But can you go on without me? I need to talk to Timothy."

"Sure," Marie said with an odd smile, one I had never seen before. They walk away and turn the corner.

"What was that for?" he asked "Not that I didn't like it."

"Ikindalikeyou" I said. He looked confused. Oh no he didn't hear me! I thought.

He sighed and closes his eyes and pulled me in for another kiss and that's all the explaining I needed. I kissed him back and threw my arms around his neck getting lost in the probably five second kiss. But no matter what, it definitely felt like five minutes. I heard some light giggling and pulled away.

I put my finer to my lips. "What?" He whispered looking hurt that I had pulled away.

I point to the corner and sneak up and peek around with him right after me. "Ah hah!" I yelled finding one snoopy girl.

"Uhm well, uhm I can explain." Marie said, cowering on the ground with me standing over her. I snatch the phone she was holding from her and glance at it. Yep, clear as day there was me and Timothy kissing, captured on the screen.

I wanted to get mad but forced myself to stay calm. "Where's Hope?" I asked, suddenly curious where my other friend was.

"At the lunch table." she said in a small voice.

"Okay." I reply handing her back her phone. She immediately started messing around on it.

"I really did not see that coming." She said, "I just wanted to stick around to see what you two would say."

"Yeah I understand that." Timothy said, "But why the picture?" he asked.

"Well shouldn't everyone's first thought when they see a cute kissing couple is to take a picture?" She asked innocently. I laughed and so did they.

"Yeah" he said "But I've got something more serious to talk about."

"What?" Marie and I ask almost simultaneously.

"I've liked Gracie for a really long time and had never had the guts to ask her out." He said shyly.

"Well if you're asking Gracie if she would go out with you I'm sure she wants to." Marie said boldly.

I pushed her on the shoulder because she answered for me then said softly, "Yes I'd love to, if, of course, you're asking that is." Then I stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek while squeezing his hand. Hand in hand we walked beside Marie back to the outside lunch tables. We got a lot of stares and we sat by Hope who now had a whole horde of teenagers staring at her phone.

"You didn't!" I exclaimed.

"Yup," she said, confirming my fears.

"Awww!" I hear a familiar yell, it's Sam, he'd obviously seen the picture. Everyone had. "The cute couple has made their return," this statement somehow was met with applause and shouts of Kiss! Kiss! So what else could we do but oblige, lips met lips and we heard whispers and shouts alike. But I didn't care 'cause I knew that somehow this was right, so right.

Mini Epilogue

"What's with all the shouting?" The principal yelled, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. Unfortunately Timothy and I hadn't noticed him and were still kissing. Then Marie tapped me on the shoulder.

"What?" I hissed, peeved that she would interrupt me like that. Marie pointed and that was all the explanation I needed. I gulped, Mr. Harrison had no tolerance for PDA in his school, especially kissing. I think it came from the fact that even his own mother didn't like him and his first and only kiss was from a pit bull. Timothy grasped my hand and we stood together awaiting our punishment. I didn't know what the punishment for this exactly was, the couples who were caught never spoke of it.

Mr. Harrison motioned for us to follow him to his office and we obediently complied. We took a seat before his desk and he said, "I want you each to do an essay on why you like the other so much."