It's Mid-August, our summer is coming to an end and we're beginning our middle school years soon. I come from a family of 6, my two sisters and my two brothers; I never knew my father and my mom works as a full-time nurse, my best friend Ashlyn and I have been friends since 3rd grade. I have always been different from other kids and because of that, I was bullied most of my life.

My 6th-grade year begins today and I'm not excited about it. Ashlyn and I walked into the huge classroom full of students, we took a seat in the back of the room. The teacher walked in "Good morning everyone, can I have everyone to the front of the class so we can assign seats." Ashlyn sighed "We won't be next to each other." I groaned "The first day and I already hate the teacher." We walked up to the front of the room, and she started assigning the seats; she placed Ashlyn in the front and I was in the middle section next to a girl with brunette hair to my left and a boy with black hair to my right.

The girl next to me tried talking to me, I looked in the corner of my eye at her but ignored her. I was chewing gum when the teacher spoke to me, I stood up "It's Casey." She didn't seem to want to be here "Can you spit out your gum please?" I rolled my eyes "Whatever." I got up and threw it in the trash, she continued " Let's continue with Tomas." The boy next to me looked up "I'm Tomas, you just said my name. What more do I need to say?" Ashlyn looked back at me and looked at him. I couldn't help myself and I laughed, he looked at me smirking.

The teacher started getting agitated "Looks like we got two smart alecks in the class." I raised my hand "He's got a point though; you did say his name." Ashlyn shushed me, Mrs. Monroe sighed "It's the first day of school and I suggest not getting suspended on it." I smirked "So continue the lesson, we'll learn each other's names ourselves. We aren't in elementary anymore. I'm sure we've learned the concept of communication." Tomas laughed "She's got a point though. No one in here I would care to get to know or befriend. Except maybe Casey." I giggled "Right? I can agree with that statement."

She grabbed her detention slips "Both of you detention during lunch." I leaned back in my desk with my arms crossed "Mrs. we aren't missing out on much so who cares." Tomas yawned "Screw that." She pointed to the door "Both of you out of my class." I grabbed my backpack and walked out "It took you long enough." Tomas and the teacher followed behind me; she stopped in front of us "Stand outside and I will deal with you after class." I rolled my eyes "Right. We will just leave."

We stood outside the classroom, I pulled out a pack of gum "Want a piece?" He shook his head no "So Jacey." I looked up with frustration on my face "It's Casey with a C." He smirked "Still a pretty name for a pretty girl." I rolled my eyes "I'm not interested." The bell rang, Ashlyn came out "What was that? Are you trying to get suspended the first day?" Mrs. Monroe came out "Tomas and Casey, tomorrow your attitudes better change or we can put your desks out here." Tomas shrugged "That works. Won't have to listen to you all day." Ashlyn apologized for me and dragged me away from Tomas "Casey let's go!" She pulled me into the bathroom "Why are you trying to get suspended on the first day?"

I pulled my arm away from her "Because I'm sick of being different. I'm so tired of being the girl everyone makes fun of because I stay to myself." I yanked the door open and started walking to my next class when I got grabbed again "Hey Casey." I turned around "Are you following me now?" He grinned, "Of course not, I have math too." I nodded my head and raised my eyebrows "Right. How did you know I have math?" He pointed at my binder "Right. Guess I didn't hide it, anyways I'm not going." He ran his hand threw his hair nervously "You may be the only person I like in this school." Suddenly my heart raced but kept a careless attitude "Is that so?" He grinned "I wasn't planning to stay, I wanted to know if..." He paused and I took that second to say "You don't have to ask me twice." He was grinning again "Let's go."

We ditched the rest of the day, we went to the nearby park and hung out. I sat on top of the slide looking down at him, he kicked the mulch with his black skate shoes and then jumped up on the slide in front of me "So your friend. What's her deal?" I looked down at the plastic beneath me "Ashlyn? She's the good girl who gets perfect grades. Otherwise, her mom would kill her." He glanced up at me "What about you? Would your mom kill you knowing you're ditching with a guy?" I looked up at him and smirked "Of course, she would. But that is why I emailed the principal my enrollment form with this phone number."

I pulled a cell phone out of my pocket "She still has yet to find out I changed the number on the form." He chuckled "How'd you manage to do that?" I threw my hair back "My mom is a full-time nurse so she filled it out on the computer and asked me to send it in, change the number, and boom, done." He bit his lip and laughed "How can you sit like that? Doesn't it hurt?" I shrugged my shoulder "I've been flexible forever, I use to be in gymnastics." He sat on top of the slide with his legs crossed and I sat with my legs on each side of the slide, stretching out my thighs.

We got to know each other more, we talked till we had to catch the buses at school. We got on the same bus, he sat across from me while Ashlyn sat next to me; Ashlyn nervously asked "Where were you guys all day?" I turned to look at her with my eyebrows raised, and she gave me a dirty look "Why are you being so rude?" The three of us got off at the same stop, I turned and asked "Okay. Are you following me now?" He chuckled "No I live here." Before I could respond, Ashlyn blurted, "We're going to the movies, want to come?" She grinned at me as if asking him would make me uncomfortable. He began to act differently "I'll have to ask my mom, but sure."

We followed him to one of the apartment buildings, he ran up four flights of stairs into an apartment. Ashlyn smiled at me "You like him?" I became nervous but plastered on a fake smile "He's cool" She crossed her arms "School's not your focus so what is?" I blushed "Something that'll never happen." Her jaw dropped "You have a crush on him?" He ran down the stairs "Let's just go." I hoped and prayed he didn't hear her comment. His mom came out of the apartment "Tomas Nicholas Evans, get your ass back up here now!"

He kept walking, ignoring her, we just followed him not asking what happened. Ashlyn glanced at me but we didn't say anything to each other. We headed to the movies, as we were walking down the dirt hill, Ashlyn tried to comfort him "Are you okay? She seemed angry." He began acting fidgety around her "Y-yes." I stopped her once I noticed his posture changed "Ashlyn; I'm sure when he's ready, he'll tell us." We arrived at the movies, bought our tickets from the ticket booth outside, and went inside which was loud with a mix of people talking and arcade games.

The three of us sat down in the reclining comfortable chairs. I sat in between them; Ashlyn leaned in and whispered "Casey, I have to go to the restroom before the movie starts." I gave her a hard time "You always have to go before a movie." She stood up whispering "Better to go before then miss the movie right?" I shrugged my shoulder and purposely hollered "Go loser, hurry back!" She shushed me and walked up to the exit. Tomas and I sat quietly, my face was on fire and my heartbeat was in my cheeks, being so close to him made me nervous; he sat and watched the previews quietly.

I exhaled, trying to catch my breath, he looked at me nervously asking "Have you seen this movie?" I looked at the preview in hopes of distracting myself from his eyes on me. I lost that battle and my mind shut down making me stutter a bit "N-no, h-have you?" He grinned at my stutter and looked away "No. With a mother like mine, I don't get to do things like this." I stared at the details of his face and found myself smiling inside, he was attractive I must admit. He looked back at me, I just gave him a quick smile and looked forward back at the big screen. Ashlyn came back complaining "God I hate when there are lines."

I turned my head to her and giggled "Do you ever not complain Ash?" She sat down and smacked my arm "Do you always have to be such a jerk, Casey?" I chuckled then the movie started, we leaned back in our chairs and watched it. I had my arm on the armrest and Tomas put his arm up next to mine without realizing it and moved it, quickly apologizing "I'm sorry." I glanced over at him "Go ahead." I pulled my arm to my side and gave him the armrest.

Throughout the movie, I glanced at him as he laughed; I pretended I was smiling at the movie, but I enjoyed hearing his laugh and full smile. As we walked into the lobby, Ashlyn ran back into the bathroom; I joked "I swear she has a bladder the size of a pea." He laughed "Couldn't agree more." I heard my name and turned to my ex-best friend Kylie "Casey! Is this your boyfriend? I'm surprised you could get one." I crossed my arms, but before I could answer Tomas said "What if I am? What business is it to you?"

Kylie covered her mouth and chuckled "Wow someone to stick up for you, something you always needed." I walked up to her face with my arms crossed "Really? I'm positive when we were friends, you wouldn't let any of us speak up for ourselves. You had to be the first and last to speak. Guess what? That's not the case anymore." She clapped with a smirk "She can speak for herself." Ashlyn came out "That line is... What do you want Kylie?"

Kylie looked Ashlyn up and down "Hey Ashlyn, not much has changed over the summer. Still ugly, at least Casey has gotten herself a boyfriend." I shifted my weight "Not much has changed with you, still have that disgusting ego and attitude." She got in my face "It seems you've picked up on that ego." I stepped back "I'm not intimidated by you anymore, I've learned to ignore you." I walked around her toward the front door, Tomas and Ashlyn followed behind me.

We went back to our apartments. Ashlyn suggested, "We should go to that rooftop you took me to that one time, Casey." Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Ashlyn's phone rang "It's my mom, she never calls unless it's serious." She answered and instantly her eyes filled with tears "I'm coming home now." She hung up, she wiped her eyes "My grandma is dying, my mom needs me right now. Have fun, you guys." She started walking away from us, Tomas looked at me "Will she be okay?" I frowned "She likes to be left alone when bad things happen. She'll come around." He licked his lip "You going to show me or do you enjoy staring at me?"

I hid the fact that my heart stopped when he did that, I smiled "Waiting on you and I was not staring at you. Make me sound like I like you or something." Good job Casey. Nailed it. He was testing me "Wouldn't be a bad thing if you did." I looked away before I slipped up "Are we going to talk about your suspicions of me liking you or go look at the city and stars?" He held out his hand for me to grab "Lead the way." I knew if I grabbed it, I'd never be able to let it go so I started walking to the rooftop as he followed me; when I started to climb up, he offered to help "Let me help you."

As he lifted me, his shoe slipped on the rocks and fell on me, he quickly got up "My shoes aren't meant to grip rocks, just boards." I smiled because now he was the one who was a nervous wreck "It's okay, give me your hand." I stood up and helped him up; as we walked to the center of the roof, we held onto each other so we didn't fall. I stumbled and grabbed his arm, I looked at his arm "I think I scratched you." He looked at his arm and smirked "Don't worry about it. We're even, I fell on you."

We sat in the center of the rooftop and looked up at the dark sky; he pointed at a shooting star "Close your eyes and make a wish." I glanced at him "You take this one." He closed his brown eyes and made a wish; he opened them and smiled "I feel like such a little kid." I rested my head on my hand "You are never too old to make wishes." He looked down at the city lights "If only they came true." I looked at him "Was everything okay earlier?" I don't know what overcame me to ask.

He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs "Honestly? No. My mom can be... she can be overprotective." He was fidgeting with his hands then glanced at me with a quick smile "My parents got divorced last year and my mom now has a new boyfriend who is a total asshole. We bump heads here and there." I couldn't help but feel he was hiding something more. He relaxed, letting his legs fall "Are you okay?" I nodded my head "Just getting chilly." He moved closer and wrapped his arm around me "Better?" My heart started pounding out of my chest and my voice was gone; I nodded my head and looked down to hide my red cheeks.

We stayed up for what seemed like forever, we talked about everything; the sun began to come up, and I jumped up "Geez, I am going to be in so much trouble." He jumped up "I'm sorry." I turned as we walked to the edge "Will you be okay going home? You could crash at my house? My mom wouldn't mind." He frowned when he realized I knew he wasn't being fully honest "Have to go home sometime. She'd kill me, but thanks."

We climbed off the rooftop and walked back up to our apartments, we came up to his complex "Thanks for letting me open up to you. It was nice being able to have someone listen and not scream at me. See you at school tomorrow." I put my hands in my back pockets "Of course." He gave me a quick hug "Sleep well." I chuckled "Not much time for sleep. But good night or morning." He ran up the flights of stairs, I headed back to my complex; I snuck in through my window so I wouldn't make the dog bark. I flopped onto my bed and lay there until my mom came in to get me up for a morning shower.