Paxton Flynn:

"Is the meatloaf good?" Ryder asked.

"I'm not talking to you." I answered her walking to our seat. She reached for my food and I almost forked her fingers.

"Oh come on, just because I didn't switch with you?" She asked.

"Yes." I answered sitting down on the seat. We weren't the only ones in the seat. There were a few other friends but only three of us here really talked and were close.

"Hey Landon," I greeted shaking hands with him and waving at the others.

"What's up bro?"

"Phew thank God you didn't say 'bra' I don't understand that slang at all. And what's up? Ask Ryder." I threw her a stink eye as she sat down too.

"Landon can you believe Pax's not talking to me because I refused to switch seats with him when Sebastian Crown sat beside him." Ryder blabbed.

Landon's eyes widened, "you sat next to Crown?"

"Yeah, for five minutes. I switched with Janey."

Landon pat my back as reward, then turned to Ryder. "That was cruel Ry, do you have any idea how Paxton gets in front of a crush?"

Ryder rolled her eyes biting off her homemade sandwich. "Sebastian might be different. Pax has to get courage."

"Um I'm right here." I pointed out glaring at her, "and Sebastian is not gay."

"Debatable." Landon and Ryder say at the same time.

"I've never seen him with a girl." Landon said.

"Me neither." Ry added.

"I've never seen him with a guy either." I said and they shut up for some time until Ryder found what to say.

"You're gay and I've never seen you with a guy in school."

I glared at her. "Sebastian is not gay. I would know if he was. Gaydar sense."

"Isn't having feelings enough gaydar?" Landon asked no one in particular, picking on his veggies and avoiding my eyes.

"No. These are just misplaced feelings. It would go away as long as I continue to avoid him." I say fixing my eyes on Ryder.

"Whatever, you're so boring." Ryder waved me off, turning to Stephanie who was sitting beside her.

I rolled my eyes and started eating my lunch. My two best friends don't understand a thing. I don't think they know the pain of unrequited feelings. They keep encouraging me to own up to my feelings and Ryder has this weird idea that Sebastian and I were meant to be even when we haven't ever exchange more than two words. And he's not gay!

Having feelings for a straight guy is the worst thing ever. Too bad I'm not lucky enough. Yes, we've never seen him with a girl or guy ever since he appeared to this school but he's different from the rest. Really really good looking, amazing body, impeccable fashion.

He's quiet, always on his own. He hasn't made any friends even though he has been approached by many. When girls flock around him, he just gives them a deathly glare that has them running and shaking. He's in the sport team, as punishment from the principal. He has this I don't care attitude and because of this many have labelled him a rebel. And oh he always always chews on a bubblegum. Always. And its annoying.

So he's not gay. Period.

-*-*-*-

"Pax, you have to sit with me in chem class." Ryder says linking our arms and giving me the puppy dog's eyes.

"No, Pax sitting with me." Landon says putting his hand around my shoulder and pulling me to him. Landon's the tallest of us three at 5"9. I was at 5"4 I know, for a guy, I'm pretty short.

"Stop." I freed my myself from them both brushing my brown hair back to place. "Why do you both want to sit with me?"

"Cause Mr Stuart said something about grouping today. I suck at Chem and its best if we group together." Ryder explained.

"Best for who?"

"For me of course, who else?" She says and I'm like 'ooo of course'.

"Pax should sit with me. I suck too." Landon said.

"I suck, have you seen my grades? I don't want to be held back in junior year all because of fucking chemistry."

Landon and I winced at her cuss and she dramatically rolled her eyes.

"Guys, I sit alone and that won't change now. Project or not." I said as we entered into Chemistry class.

"Please?" They both pleaded and I still refused. "This is my future Pax." Ryder pleaded.

"This is my payback Ry." I said to her sticking my tongue out. She gaped at me before huffing and walking to her seat.

I walked to mine too. At the window, the only sit not conjoined with another. Its not really payback, I lied to her and she knows it. I prefer to work alone, I'm practically a genius so walking alone doesn't create any kind of problem. I'll rather not argue with someone or mess up my chemicals. Alone, its faster, easier and a lot more neater.

"Take a seat, look around you and call anyone who's absent." Mr Stuart says marching into the class. He's was once a cadet, or something like that. He always behaves like he's still in the army.

I looked behind me and in front of me, my neighbors are all present.

"Lizzie White." Some girl shouted.

"Sebastian Crown." Another girl followed suit. Just then a red hair rushed into the class identifying herself as Lizzie White.

Mr Stuart asked if anybody had an idea on the whereabouts of Sebastian but got no answer. He turned to the board writing and muttering things about discipline. Just when the class was about to start, Sebastian showed up, looking as calm and relaxed as ever.

"You better not be chewing anything young man and please hurry, time waits for no one." Mr Stuart ordered but Sebastian took no heed of it, he walked as usual to his seat and sat down quietly. At least he made an effort to stop chewing for the time being. Teachers were scared of Mr Stuart talk more of him.

"So as I announced the previous class, I've created a sitting chart." He said opening his file and producing a paper more dangerous than normal paper. He showed it to us. "Your seat mate would be your partner for everything as long as you both are in my class and you both would practically be one. Whatever happens to one, happens to another, this applies with scores, rewards and punishments."

I gulped, he looked really serious about this. The whole class was pin drop silent, nobody dared make a noise.

"This chart is not to be violated at all and it applies till the end of your stay as juniors in my class. Understood?" He asked raising a grey brow.

"Yes sir."

"Good now, stand at attention as I call out the chart." Whether he meant that or not, I stood at attention.

"Landon Mitch and Caroline Olson." He called and I turned to Lan, he placed a hand on his chest and sighed in relief. Caroline is one of the few girls in this school who are both beautiful and smart. Landon winked at me, stuck his tongue out at Ry before moving over to his new seat.

Mr Stuart called many other names but I only listened when Ryder's name was called. "Ryder Tracey and Pamela Austin." Landon coughed from his seat earning a glare. While I sent her a sorry look. Pamela is among the Gothic group in school. Black pixie cut hair with red and purple streaks, black lip gloss, black everything. Not that we had a thing against the goth group but Pamela and Ryder are enemies. Literal ones.

I felt sorry for Ryder, although in terms of brilliance I'd say they are practically on the same boat. Ryder being stuck with an enemy didn't seem to be so bad anymore after I heard the next names called.

"Sebastian Crown and Paxton Flynn."