"You need to think about what I am saying," in the same angry tone of Adeline, Paris whispered back. "I talk about the guy you are dating. That''s a trap, Adeline. Leave and be free or you will be trapped forever." Looking in her eyes as she said so, Paris picked up her bag and walked out of the library while Adeline sat with a book in her hand and watched her walk away.


    ********??


    Paris had walked out as Adeline remained where she was, stilled as a statue.


    What kids and especially, how in any possible way was he going to hold her back? She frowned, how could he even think of holding her against her will. There wasw and order in this country.


    And a pettymunity college for her?


    Augh left her mouth. Paris was indeed mad if she thought that anyone could hold Adeline back even if she got pregnant, she would still go to college. It was her dream.


    She closed her book with a sigh, the mood was gone. Now she wanted to sit outside and just think or daydream.


    Xavier would be the dream.


    Walking out of the library she went to her locker to keep her bag there when the bell rang and it was lunch.


    "Great, more people."She grunted. Now she was irritated, her reading time was taken away by a girl who was named after a city. Her parents could not even get creative.


    She walked to the cafeteria as people began to fill out their sses. Her bag was with her, she didn''t even open the locker when the bag had rung.


    Taking a tray of her desired food, she chose to sit on the regr table. Chris, Elizabeth and Marshall came and ced their bags down and went for the food. Xavier came in and kissed her then went to his friends. It seemed fine to her. They needed to have time apart as well, it would make them appreciate the other more.


    Coming back, they all greeted each other as they took their seats.


    "I don''t know why but I am so hungry today," Elizabeth said as she bit into a sandwich. "And this issootasty." She moaned.


    "It''s the same as yesterday." Adelineughed. "Everything seems delicious when we are hungry." She smiled.


    "Or hangry in her case," Christine winked.


    "About that, what''s with you?" Marshall asked Elizabeth. "You were talking in ss today too which you never do."


    Gasping with a smile Adeline added too, "Yes, you did! In math, even the teacher pointed her out."


    "Okay, what''s going on, miss two goody shoes?" Christine asked, ying her a strand of hair which was so. . . .shiny and Adeline was immediately jealous.


    Elizabeth looked at Adeline or she thought and then looked at herp, "I have a crush. . . ." Elizabeth mumbled looking down.


    "You have a crush is having you act weird?" Christine asked weirded out by the fact. "Girl, you are a long way to go." She shook her head.


    "I am not acting out," Elizabeth defended.


    "Who is it?" Adeline asked with a cheeky smile.


    "It''s Dn."


    "What? He, out of all the boys in school and town?!" Christine yelled at her as Elizabeth began to shush her immediately.


    Leaning towards Marshall as Christine and Elizabeth argued she asked, "who''s Dn?"


    "Look behind you. The guy on the left side of your boyfriend is Dn." He answered just as interested in the gossip. He sipped his milk as he watched the two argue.


    Adeline turned around behind curious. She smiled as Xavier''s eyes met hers and then sneakily peeked at the guy next to him.


    "What?!" She harshly whispered back to Marshall with wide eyes.


    "I didn''t mean your left, I meanthisleft." He calmly answered knowing what she''d do.


    "Ooh.." turning her head back quickly she looked at the guy, then turned back.


    "He has a leather jacket on and a pack of cigarettes is kept in front of him," Adeline told Elizabeth seriously.


    "So?" She rose an eyebrow at that.


    "He is bad news."


    "Really? Why would you say that you are my friend? If I like then he might be my potential boyfriend."


    "Here''s the thing honey," Adeline countered. "Bad boys are good for crushes. Someone you watch from afar. But it''s the good ones that make us feel secured. And if a rtionship does not provide security then what does it do?" She gently coaxed her words. "Unless it''s for fun." She provided after.


    "I don''t care if you have a crush on him or not, you get your ass there and confess to him. You are not wasting anything for only. Remember that." Christine agreed differently. "You don''t pay attention to boys, Lizzie. So don''t let this one get to you." She hugged her side, "Tell him and get it over with."


    "It''s a crush and it''s going to be a crush."Elizabethsighed. "It''s not like he would ever think of me. I mean, look at him."


    "Ohe on," everyone on the table groaned at her self mockery.


    "Anyone would be happy to bewithyou. But the thing is, it''s the crucial time where we take our careers in the direction we want. You might not notice but you were called out by three teachers today that regard you as one of the best."


    "I know Addy, I know." She sighed. He was the crush. He was the one but no one could ever know and how pitiful was that.


    Adeline took the chance to change the topic. "Which also, reminds me, I would be sitting with Xavier every Mondays and Friday." She dered, "I thought it would be nice for the both of us to spend time in the school as well. He suggested it."


    "Alright. Two days a week." Christine nodded not asking anything about it. It was her choice and so far, to Christine, everything seemed right.


    Elizabeth blinked back the feelings and the tears as she heard her friends. It was a long journey and she would not back down from it.


    She would at least be courageous enough to talk to the boy and confess her feelings. It was junior year and she had to do something to remember it.


    *********


    Xabier held her hand as they sat together, "So how is your day?" He kissed her head.


    "Good, it was good. Though I think that I might have overreacted a bit." Adeline admitted with a cringe.


    "Uh-huh, about what?" He asked, fully invested in the conversation with his mate. If she wanted to gossip, she got gossip.


    They were sitting on the bus andpeople were still filling in. They had taken up a seat together and Xavier had offered her some gummy bears. He always kept them in his bag for her. She liked too much on something while telling him about her day.


    "Elizabeth likes a boy. And we overreacted, that what I think, and told her focus on herself and h h h.." she carried on while making hand impressions.


    "Who does she like?" He muttered.


    "Dn." She answered looking at him hopefully.


    "Dn who?" He asked very casually yet interested in the situation.


    "Your Dn; the one that was sitting with you during lunch." She frowned. What other Dn did he know?!


    "Ohh," he chewed in another gummy bear. "That one. I think he likes her too." He revealed and didn''t think muchabout it.


    "He does?" Adeline visibly perked up at that. "That''s awesome!" She called her hands excitedly at that. That''s as perfect!


    "No, you don''t want to get into that, honey." He shook his head firmly.


    "Into what? If he likes her and she likes him then all we have to do is introduce them!" She whispered, excited with the idea of matchmaking.


    "Matchmaking sounds fun. But it is not, so we will not get into it. Imagine that we set them and either of them doesn''t want to, what would the other person think? Both of the options are going to hurt anyway." Xavier sighed, cing his arm around her shoulders as she leaned and ced her head on his shoulder. The idea sounded exciting but he was right. "They should do it on their own if they want to. We should not ce a part in it."


    True. If for any of them it didn''t work out, the other could me them for it. Plus, a few crushes were a better lot as secrets because, in reality, they might not be as beautiful and blissful as expected.


    "Right," she whispered, as the wind blew to her face from the bus''s speed. She had stillid her head on his shoulder and was enjoying the touch of his on her. She wanted it. Her inner, newly found animal liked it too.


    Xavier sensed her mood dropped. So he did the thing he thought would distract her. Turning her head towards him, he kissed herlips.