I stand at my locker with Alyssa yapping my ear off about this weeks upcoming game against our rival team. There's going to be a big bonfire before and she wanted to know if we were going to carpool. But I am not paying attention because walking down the hall in his awfully slow pace is Nate.

I had dreaded seeing him today considering what happened last night. I had admitted to him that I liked him in more ways than one and he pretty much shut the door in my face accusing me of pulling a fast one on him in the sake of society's horrific humor.

It stung to think that after the time we had spent together that he still thought this about me. But I needed to move on, to be closed off from this moment forward and leave him to his life.

It is just a silly crush, afterall.

He's sporting a faded denim jacket instead of his usual dark grey hoodie but he still wore one of his marvel tees, the captain america logo peeking under the rough fabric as he moved gracefully down the hall.

It was like all surroundings faded and I am stuck leaning against the red lockers watching Nate inch closer and closer. People slow down when he nears them, afraid of getting too close. It's strange how they are so standoffish when I wanted to be so close.

My wild heart beats with every tap of his walking stick. I look away when it becomes too much, the sting of denial resurfacing by seeing him again.

"I'm just going to show up in my uniform--" I start to tell Alyssa when a loud 'whack' rings through the crowded hallway. My head snaps to the sound and my stomach drops at the sights.

Nate lays sprawled out on the floor while Johnny and Danny back away laughing, fingers pointing and all. I know they tripped him and I see red. I push off the lockers before my mind can get it's bearings and storm towards Danny.

I don't stop moving though when I reach him but instead use the momentum and all the anger I feel towards him and push against his chest. "You prick!" My voice bounces off of the walls and it grows incredibly quiet. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Whoa, Kel, chill out. He tripped," Danny says, very clearly taken back by my outburst. He looks around him warily, trying to keep his cool that I can tell is being tempted by my raising my voice at him. He straightens his letterman jacket across his broad chest and meets my glare.

"Don't ever touch him again! Do you understand me?" My cheeks are flushed with anger and my breathing is coming out uneven making me dizzy. This was long coming but I don't know if I want to stop or not. I am now making a scene in front of the entire school.

All the while Nate tries desperately to get off the ground and walk away as if not to be seen. He would have done it too if he was able to find his backpack that had been knocked across the marbled floor during his fall.

I turn my back on Danny whose jaw is working solidly and whose eyes are gleaming with angry pride, to fetch Nate's bag and help him to his feet. But he embarrassingly bats me away once he is to his feet. I ignore him though.

"Are you okay?" I ask him quietly so only he can hear me. He nods his head frantically.

"I-I'm f-fine, Kelly. P-please don't m-make it worse." His hands are shaking along with his voice as he takes his bag and lifts it over his shoulder.

I purse my lips at him and try to bite my tongue in asking more questions that I'm sure will agitate the situation more.

"See, he's fine," Danny continues. Johnny nods in agreement next to him but when I turn my heated gaze his direction he freezes and looks down. Danny goes to remove me from Nate's side in a hurry to end this all but I jolt away angrily.

"Get away from me," I warn him shaking him off.

He moves closer to me, hooking his long fingers around my elbow to hold me still. "Be very careful what you say next, babe," Danny warns, his voice growing dangerously low. The endearment makes me feel degraded coming from him. A shiver runs down my spine and not in a good way.

"We're done." The words feel like gold coming off my tongue. They sting the air like a solid slap and I swear I hear gasps in the back of the crowd. I shake free and lift my chin defiantly, refusing to back down.

"Excuse me?" Danny seethes, his eyes skirting at the faces watching us. The sad part is, I don't think he really cares if I'm breaking up with him. He only cares that I'm causing a scene in the public.

"You heard me. We're over. Done." My words crack but my eyes hold his. His blue eyes which I once thought were the most purest color to set on this earth are dark, shadowed by his egotistic manhood that he couldn't seem to get over. God's grace to mankind is livid and becoming visibly so.

"All this for some nerd?" Danny sneers. Then he laughs and the sound makes my anger almost boil over. I clench my fist at my sides trying to hold back hitting him. I wasn't a violent person but right now a solid smack to the head sounded like a good move. My eyes don't waver but burn with hatred.

He then turns to Nate who is cowering against the wall of lockers. Nate's eyes are mostly covered because of his glasses but they are wide and anxious, skirting back and forth behind the lenses. My heart breaks in front of all these people but I don't think they care to actually notice. The sight of Nate this way makes holding the tears back harder.

"Hope you're getting something in return, man," Danny jeers then moves his attention back to me, only to throw the most degrading suggestion in my face. "I highly recommend the blowjobs. She's pretty ace at those."

My ears ring. My facade almost slips and I want to cry in response to his humiliating comment but I don't. My stone cold expression only hardens. Out of the corner of my eye I see Nate slip through the crowd and disappear.

"Don't ever fucking touch him again, Daniel, I mean it." My voice catches in my throat but I manage to get the threat out. I watch the jerk walk away before I do the same in the opposite direction, trying my hardest to get out of the crowd that has formed around the caos. All eyes are on me and I glower at each and every one.

"Shows over!" I announce not looking back.

I trudge through the crowd knowing I shouldn't be looking for Nate as I do so but I can't seem to help it. I want to make sure he is okay. I know he is embarrassed. Who wouldn't be? But most importantly I want to know if he's physically hurt in any way. I think I would turn around and murder Danny if he happens to be.

When I don't see any sign of him in the hallway, I decide to head straight to biology in the hopes that the school day will be over quickly. I work tonight which only makes the day seem longer in comparison to a day where I could just go home and cower under the covers.

Alyssa catches me before I can head up the stairs to a now dreaded class with my bio partner. "What the actual hell was that?" Her long, red nails dig into my arm as she drags me to the side of the staircase. "You did not just break up with Danny."

"Yes, I did." I roll my eyes because I know I'm about to get an ear full. "It was a long time coming, Lyss. It's really none of your business. I don't need to explain this to you."

"Like hell you don't, Kelly. What game are you playing?" When I don't answer she begins to laugh. Its fake and dripping with ridicule. "You can't actually be pinning after that geek, are you? Do you know what could happen if he finds out about that night. We could all go to jail. Jail, Kelly. As in no college, ugly orange jump suits, bad food, and a bad reputation. Do you want that?"

"Stop talking to me like I am a child, Alyssa," I warn. I feel sick to my stomach after all that has happened. The show minutes ago was only the cherry on top. "I know, okay? Did it ever cross you mind that I actually like him? He's kind and sweet and respectful. Nothing like any of you guys! So if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be that doesn't revolve my best friend showing signs of being like them."

I push past her and storm up the stairs. I have to collect myself before I officially start my day but I know that nothing is going to fix this. I was now the talk of the school. The queen of Stanton High is now sitting on a bigger thrown for the day and I am not sure how long my head can hold up this crown before it falls off spilling all my secrets.