It's been a month since I last saw Colton. The next night the news said twenty people had been murdered. Since then the mall started closing early and Moira was giving me rides home. Sometimes I saw his car sitting in the parking lot but when Moira and I left the parking lot he would take off in the other direction.

I still hadn't been back to school either. I had been meaning to go back, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I heard Kiran and Taylor were dating. In a way it stung. I was beyond single. Maybe I should go ahead and learn how to knit.

At least I was back at the diner tonight. We were the only place open late so it was packed. We even had a line going out of the door. At least I had made two hundred dollars in tips so far.

"What can I get for you?"

"Your number." The man said. He hadn't even opened his menu yet.

Not again

"Order off the menu please."

"Coke and a sandwich." He angrily threw the menu at my hands.

"The perverts are really out tonight huh?" Grace said.

Grace was my new coworker now that Cindy was dead. I actually liked her though. She was normal, at least compared to Cindy.

"You said it. I can't wait to get off."

"That Escalade has been sitting outside for hours. Is that your boyfriend?"

"No. Not really."

"What's stopping you?"

I shrugged. "He's never asked me on a date. I don't think he likes me."

"So you think the man sits outside waiting on a girl he doesn't like?"

"Um maybe?"

I realized how dumb that sounded. Did he?

"Hey baby. Got any plans tonight?"

Not with you

"Just gonna ignore me? I'm ready to give you that tip now."

Ew.

"Get. Your. Hand. Off. Me. Now." I said threw my teeth.

Suddenly his hand was ripped off of me.

"Colton!" I gasped as Colton threw the guy on the ground punching him repeatedly.

"Next time leave the lady alone. Get in the car."

Yes sir

I was too tired to even argue with him. I had just worked a fifteen hour shift. I felt myself drifting off against the cold glass on the window.

"Mmm." I sat up stretching my arms. I had never slept so good before. I climbed off the bed falling over. What? My mattress was on the ground so how did I fall off?

"Are you Okay?"

"Colton! How...?"

"You fell asleep in the car. Nothing happened."

How disappointing

"Oh. Yeah I know."

I grabbed his hand pulling myself up.

"Umm Thanks."

"I thought we had a deal."

"We do. I've just been too busy to drop by the school, but I am planning on it."

"Are you sure you wanted me to leave you alone? Because if you really did you probably would have made it a priority."

He was so close. His lips were inches from mine. I bet his body was so warm. I could just pretend to faint on him so I could test it. I don't really know how to answer him anyway. My mind was racing. Should I kiss him?

"Um." I pulled away from him. "No I've just been busy."

He pulled me back closer to him and I ended up falling on top of him. He was warm and soft but also toned at the same time. I absentmindedly traced his tattoos with my finger. Did he have them down there?

I blushed realizing he had been looking at me and I had been staring at his....dick.  

"So uh what about breakfast?"

"What would you like?"

"Whatever you have is fine. I'm not picky."

I'm not a breakfast person either.

"I'm not cooking. I'm taking you out."

"Oh."

Like a date?

That afternoon, after Colton dropped me off, I went to the school and enrolled in class. Tomorrow I would be a high school student again. My date had turned out to be nothing like a date whatsoever. I thought it was a step forward but his friend caught us on the way out and was apparently really hungry. Apparently all of the guys in his house were starving as well. I ended up having breakfast with twenty guys. I don't even want to know what the waiter was thinking. 

It was my first day back and I felt like a new student. I had tried on twenty outfits before settling on a tight red dress and matching high heels.

I would date me.

"The Hell you going?" My dad slurred.

Is that even English

"School."

"For fuck what?" He yelled. He was angry. Judging by the multiple piles of beer bottles he had been up all night drinking.

"I need an education dad."

"You need an ass beating."

I tried to run out of the door but he caught me by my elbow pulling me back.

"Ugh." I groaned taking hit after hit to the ribs.

"Bitch." He spat on my body after he was done.

I slowly pulled myself up. It hurt to move. I took out my phone and my fingers hovered over Colton's number before I put it away again.

Every step hurt. I had taken 414 steps on my way to school and I was only halfway there. Counting them was the only thing that could distract me from the pain.

"Welcome back Cashmere. Take a seat."

I slowly slid into my seat in front of Taylor. Great. The twins were still here. I've never understood them. They're always staring at me.

"Where have you been?"

"I just wanted some time off."

"My parents would kill me."

Ironic. My dad almost killed me for coming back to school.

"What are you doing tonight?"

My ears turned red. It was weird but I felt the burning feeling there. At least I had makeup covering my face and a majority of my body. What happened with Kiran? Actually who cares. A date with a cute guy and I could piss off Kiran at the same time.

"I don't have any plans yet."

"You wanna go out to dinner with me?"

"Yeah. Sounds good."

After lunch the pain was becoming too much to bear. I didn't know how to check if they were broken or not, but it hurt too bad for something not to be wrong. I decided that it was worth a trip to the hospital for.

"You have three broken ribs. There's not much else that I can do other than wrap them and prescribe some pain medication." The young doctor said taking off his gloves.

"Don't worry about the pain medicine. My dad would just steal it."

"I'm state mandated to report child abuse. Is there anything else I should know?"

"I'm not abused." I lie. "I got into a fight at school. The girl got my pretty good."

"Okay. That's good then....I mean that's not good. I'm just happy that nothings going on at home. If something were then.."

"I know doc I could come to you." I cut him off. I had heard this speech a million times. Did people actually mean it? I don't think so.

He winked in response.

Is that cute doctor flirting with me?

I ended up walking out of the hospital with a prescription for one day and the doctors number. Just in case I needed some more medicine. Or anything.

"Ugh Sorry." I groaned as I ran into somebody on my way out.

The persons hands reached around my sides to steady me.

"Cashmere?"

Karma hates me

"Oh hey Colton."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

He didn't seem to believe me. Then I realized he could feel the bandage under my dress.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm just visiting a friend." He said turning his head.

Oh right. Liston was here.

"But...Cashmere what happened to you? Are you okay?"

I pulled his arms off of me. "I was visiting a friend too. Anyways I have a date tonight so I have to go."

I quickly jumped into the cab that was waiting. I'm not sure who's cab it is, but this is more important.

When I turned around he was still staring at me with his mouth hanging open.