The days in Santa Barbara had gotten much colder. It was now almost November and the sun set much earlier. It wasn't New York cold, but a little cold.

Monday mornings were my favourite as I would be going back to school. Fridays were the most awful for me because I wouldn't see Alexander for the following two days. He had become a source of my happiness apart from sketching and reading, it was hard for me to believe it too.

Houndstooth was my mother's favourite pattern, and as a way to please her after she found out of my skipping, I decided to wear a houndstooth dress, black thigh high socks to keep warm and black boots.

I had spent last night straightening my hair, and it now reached the middle of my back. I simply parted it to the side.

When I walked out of my house, I noticed that familiar truck parked on the other side on the street near the bushes. I gasped to myself, squinting to see if it really was Alexander. He honked and waved at me and that was when I realized that it was really him.

Alexander and I didn't hang out other than when we skipped a class. At school, he hung out with his "friends" and the days we skipped a class was the only time we got to hang out together. It was probably because of this embarrassment he had towards me. I might've just been a distraction from his normal life or his helping hand whenever he got angry. So it surprised me to see him picking me up.

My lips suddenly raised into a smile and I walked over to his truck. He had a pair of dark shades on his eyes, but I could still see his eyes following me through the darkness.

"Hey." He greeted me as soon as I opened the truck.

"You're picking me up today." I stated, buckling up.

"I'm picking you up." He repeated, with a smile.

"Why?" I questioned, taking out my chapstick to put it on.

"Did you not want me to?" He chuckled.

"No, it's just you've never picked me up. But thank you." I smiled.

When we reached the red light, Alexander's eyes shifted to me. I saw him staring down at my legs, unaware that I was looking at him. His two index fingers tapped the steering wheel a few times before he looked away and back on the road.

"Your hair." He pointed out, looking at my face.

Heat rose to my cheeks, and I looked out of the window so he would not notice my embarrassment.

"Yeah. . . I straightened it."

I smiled at him but did not get the smile back. I sensed a small shift in his behaviour, he seemed a little stand-offish. Alexander was avoiding my eyes a little, breathing out a little heavier through his nose and tapping his steering wheel whenever he got the chance, like he was trying to control himself of something.

Thankfully, we reached the school so I would not have to endure this awkward situation any longer. When we reached got out of the truck, I was expecting us to go our separate ways but he surprised me for the second time today when he walked by my side and wrapped his arm on my shoulders.

"What are you doing?" I asked him, looking up at him.

"What?" He appeared confused.

The eyes followed all the way to my locker. My nose was in my locker to shield myself from the stares as he leaned his back on the ones beside mine.

"The tournament in New York is next week, you coming?" He asked me, like he was unaware of all of the eyes directly on us.

This had been the talk of the entire cheer team and the basketball team. We were to go to a really nice hotel in Manhattan for two weeks, with the cheer team there for the basketball team. We had weekends off where we could go anywhere we wanted, and this was all paid for by the school. The cheer team also has competitions in Brooklyn, that would only be a weekend.

"I'm not coming, Alexander." I blurted out. I had only made my final decision yesterday, after confirming that my old school's basketball team was indeed going to attend.

"What?" Alexander looked appalled.

"My uh. . . My dog died. We're having a funeral for him." I lied, regretting it as soon as the lie escaped my lips. I avoided his eyes.

He looked at me confused, almost like this was a ridiculous reason to miss championship. When I looked up at him and bit down on my bottom lip, his expression softened.

"Fuck well, I'm sorry, Sky." He said. "You can't have it earlier?"

I closed my locker shut and jogged away. "Can't."

I leaned my shoulder on the lockers and looked around, still noticing everyone staring. He looked around at the eyes on us and I was debating whether or not to lock myself in my locker.

"Everyone is gawking." I chuckled.

"That's what happens to anyone who hangs with me." He chuckled. "Walk you to class?"

I nodded and walked slowly with him to my class, hugging my books close to me.

"You look nice today, by the way." He compliment, looking at me up and down.

Heat rose to my face. Luckily it wouldn't show too much, but it did on my cheeks, so I looked down to the ground to shield my face.

"Thank you, sir." I thanked him with a smile.

Alexander's eyebrows raised a little when I said that. He looked down at me for a long moment before looking away, avoiding my eyes like he did in the truck earlier.

This time I stared at him confusingly, awaiting an answer for his weird reaction.

"My class is uh. . . That way." Alex pointed to the opposite way with his thumb.

"Okay." I laughed.

"Okay." He said and walked away from me. I watched him drop his binder and as he was jogging away, making me roll my eyes and laugh.

* * *

"Your dog?" Coach Lilly asked me, after I told her about why I had to miss championships.

I nodded, scratching the back of my head. "I'm sorry, Coach."

"Your mother hasn't informed me of this. . ." She trailed. "I thought it would be great if you so you could also see your dad in New York."

I thought about it too. I would love to go see my father but I believe it would be worse for me to go.

She sighed, running her face in her hands. "Skyler, you're the best on the team. We really need you. If you don't come I'll only have one week to totally change the entire choreography."

"I'm sorry, but I will not be able to join. I understand if this affects my spot on the team." I politely said to her before excusing myself and leaving.

I felt so terrible about this, and wished I would be able to feel happy about going to New York. I could go see my dad, and have fun with Elena and Alexander. But I knew it would only be ruined in the end if I were to see my old bullies.

Lunch came around and I started to make my way to the library. I ate there everyday because Elena always ate with her boyfriend. Despite her inviting me to eat with them, I didn't like to third wheel so I just ate alone.

As I made my way there, zoned out from my own music, I crashed into a hard chest and fell back on my bum. Looking up at the living Eiffel Tower laughing, I sneered at him.

"I didn't even see you." Alexander chuckled, holding on to his stomach.

"You're too tall for your own good." I said while he helped me up.

"Let me buy you lunch." He offered and I shook my head.

"I don't really like cafeteria food." I informed him, starting to make my way to the library.

He held me by my wrist like he always did.

"Let's eat out, then." He offered.

"Fine." I groaned, as I let him drag me out by my wrist.

We ran into Elena and Justin in the hallway, holding hands.

"You want to come eat lunch with us, Sky?" Elena asked me.

I opened my mouth to respond but Alexander caught me to it.

"She's coming to eat out with me." He told her as we started to walk away and Justin looked up.

"Count us in." He said, following us out. Alexander shrugged and led all of us to his truck.

We all climbed in and I heard Justin and Elena whispering to each other.

"What is this, fourth grade? What are you two talking about back there?" Alexander snapped, and I looked back at them.

"Are you two like a thing?" She asked and they both looked at us.

Alexander and I looked at each other before looking at the road in front of us.

"No." We both said at the same time.

"Yeah right." Justin laughed.

Luckily, they did not push it any further until we arrived to the fast food restaurant.

We went to an In-And-Out Burger and I let Alexander pay for my meal as an apology for almost killing me in the hallway.

It was absolutely weird that Alexander wasn't eating lunch with his usual group, but with Elena, Justin and I. Eric was pretty much outcast from the entire school after what happened, but his old friends and him still hung out.

I didn't know what was this new revelation of him, but I liked it. I liked that he was finally not hanging out with people he barely liked.

As he laughed at something Justin said, I looked at him and could feel the happiness he was feeling. His bright smile shined and his eyes smiled as well. He looked so beautiful, I wanted to take a picture.

The rest of the day went on, and Alexander didn't leave my side. I loved it and hated it at the same time. I loved it because it was nice to have him at school too, but bittersweet because it gave me so much attention.

* * *

"I'll see you Monday." Alexander said to me as I hopped off his truck.

I gave him one last wave before walking into my house. My mother's cooking was all I could smell and it was calling to me. I walked in to see that she was making lasagna.

"Hey." I greeted her, walking to the fridge to get a snack before dinner.

"Good afternoon." She said.

I sat on a chair around the kitchen island after grabbing myself some strawberries.

"Remind me we have to get you a new dress for Christmas." She informed me.

I look up from my food and look at her confused. "Why?"

"We're spending Christmas with Mark's family." She said, and I couldn't help but groan loudly.

I hated Mark's family.

No offence.

They were such snobs and Mark's niece was the worst girl I've ever met. She kind of reminds me of Angela. They are both the biggest bitc—.

"We'll go dress shopping some time this week." She told me, walking away from me after turning the stove off.

I wanted to protest and tell her that I wanted to spend Christmas in New York with Dad, but I knew it wasn't up to debate.

Which gave me the idea to call my dad to ask him how it's been. He told me it was going great and the business he worked at was doing better than before. He even told me that he met someone online and had a great time on their first date. I was extremely happy for him and I was glad I wasn't there to potentially get in the way.

My dad was surprised to hear that I was doing so well. I was surprised too because I didn't even fully realize that I was happy. It just happened so gradually after that night of the party. My life was full of laughter and happiness after that night.

And there was one person that was responsible for it:

Alexander Ace Scott.

* * *