It was so hard to leave my adorable niece yesterday, but I needed to get home and do my homework since I missed school yesterday. Seth stayed with Valerie in the hospital last night, so thankfully Nina was able to come over and stay with me at the house. Plus she needed to finish up on her homework as well, so it worked out perfectly. After our work was done, which we remarkably finished in two hours, we ended up drifting off on the couch while we watched chick flicks.

Today is Friday, the day my essay is due and the day before prom. I sit up from the couch and pop my back. I am amazed that I was able to sleep on this couch, it's not really comfortable to sleep on. I look over to Nina and she's passed out in the recliner, feet up with her hands folded against her cheek. I nudge her and attempt to wake her up.

"What time is it?" She groans.

"Morning sleepy head, its 6:30. We have to start getting ready for school."

Nina opens one eye, her brown pupils looking directly at me. "Girl, I can get ready with just thirty minutes. I need more sleep." She grins and then closes her eye again.

I laugh and then walk off into my bedroom to get ready. After I shower and straighten my hair, I put on my signature navy blue and white baseball cut shirt, denim jeans, and my black converse. Nina woke up with forty minutes left to get ready and she impressed me by getting ready within twenty, wearing her black lacey top, white jeans, and her teal flats. She looks cute as a button, as always.

I enter English class a few minutes before the bell rings, hoping to be the first one in class, but of course to my dismay, that didn't pan out the way I was hoping. The first thing I see are the pair of electric blue eyes staring right at me. The very same blue eyes I get lost in, swimming in the endless blue of his eyes, the eyes of the guy I am totally in love with. I take a sharp breath and concentrate on my desk, walking straight forward with hopes of not breaking my concentration on the gorgeous distraction that is Dean Connors.

Minutes of silence pass by while students begin to take their seats and Mr. Edwards enters the class.

"Good morning everyone, happy Friday. To start the morning off, let's have everyone put your essays on your desks."

A few groans escape some of the student's mouths, the ones I assume did not complete the assignment. I grab my essay from my bag and place it in front of me on my desk. I look up and observe as Mr. Edwards makes his rounds, walking through the aisles with his hands behind his back, checking all the desks to see who has completed the assignment. Once he finishes, he walks to the front of the room and leans his back on the white board, his hands now folded in front.

"Well then, I see about 80% of you finished your essay, so good for you. To the other 20%, see me after class." He says sternly and the 20% he's referring to, all groan and I watch as the boy in front puts his hand down on his desk. "Would anyone like to read their essay out loud? You would get extra cred..."

"I will, Mr. Edwards." Dean announces, before Mr. Edwards even finishes stating the offer.

Mr. Edwards nods and gestures for Dean to come up front. I watch as Dean slides out of his desk, glancing back at me as he makes his way up, holding his paper in both hands. I watch as Dean wipes the palm of his hand against his denim jeans, his black shirt sculpting his muscles perfectly. He looks up and instead of scanning the room, his eyes are locked on mine, I'm unable to look away, captivated by his stare.

Dean clears his throat and begins, "You ask me what has helped me face a fear of some kind, well I can tell you, but it might be too lengthy for this essay. I could go on and on about how amazing this person is, who has not only changed me for the better, but she has changed my life for the better."

Dean pauses, the room still silent, too silent. I bring myself to look away from him momentarily to glance around the room, and everyone is looking at me until Dean starts speaking again. Do they all think this is about me?

"Love. That is what my fear was. I feared it as I never believed it was a real thing. I thought maybe it was just something that was dead nowadays, a word people throw around for fun, and a word my dad used with my mother with no meaning behind them. See, you think you all know the story about my life, but the truth is, you don't. Yes, my father had an affair and it tore my mother apart, but there is more to the story. It's a story that is not mine to tell, but just know that my father made a grave mistake that cost him everything, including costing someone I care for an immense amount of pain."

I wipe at the corner of my eye, knowing full well what he is referring to while the rest of the class remains quiet and confused. Small whispers echo throughout the room saying, "What's he talking about? What did his dad do?" I try to drown out the whispers and look at my desk, trying to control these damn watery eyes of mine.

"It was then that this girl entered my life. Like a tornado, she twisted everything in my life, but for the better. I was happy again and feeling things I never thought were real. I will do whatever needs to be done to assure this girl that she knows I am not going anywhere, that I am right here. I may be young, but that only gives me more time to prove to her that I am not my dad and that I will love her. Because she has stolen my heart and truly left a scar. A Scar that I don't want covered."

I tried so hard while he read his essay to not cry but I couldn't handle it. I sniffled and wiped at the wet brim of my eyes. I heard other sniffling, students reacting to Dean's essay. He basically just pulled his heart out and it completely laid heavy on mine. I looked down at my essay, a tear drop falling down on it and making my penmanship hard to read where it fell.

"Can I go next?" I ask Mr. Edwards.

"Of course, Ms. Montgomery. Thank you, Dean. You make take your seat." Dean sets his essay on Mr. Edwards's desk and then walks by me, his shoulder barely touching mine, as he goes to take his seat.

Unlike Dean, I don't do well with public speaking. I bring my paper up and almost cover my entire face as I begin to read it, avoiding any judging eyes.

"My fear happened to be something I loved, which is softball. Softball is something I have been doing since I was a wee one. My dad, Paul, would bring me out back every day and would have me throw one hundred pitches to him. He did this out of love and to help support my goals, not because he was some crazy obsessed coach. With him, I enjoyed the game. I enjoyed the little sayings we shared, the games my parents would come too, and I even enjoyed the little lessons he taught me, such as the way it changes my pitching after I have rubbed my fingers in the softball field dirt."

I finally lower the paper a little, enough for me to take a glimpse at Dean. As expected, I have his full attention, his electric blue eyes drawing me in. "Thing is, I knew what I had, how great of parents I had, so it didn't hurt me any worse when they were taken from me." When I finish that line, I hear a few gasps in the room. I grip my paper a little harder, trying to keep myself from weeping.

"Last year my parent's died in a car accident, an accident that occurred when they were on the way to my game. After losing them, I felt guilty whenever I even thought of softball. I couldn't even pick up the ball without thinking of them and how much I begged them to be at that game. While I was pitching and celebrating a win, my parents were dying. That was all I could think about. I lost my way for months, lost who I was."

I look up and exhale, tear drops falling from my eyes. I wipe my eyes in front of the class, wiping them enough to clear my vision so that I can continue.

"I met someone who not only taught me to love softball again, but to love myself again. He pushed me even though I was a bit snappy, but he pushed me anyways to just throw the ball. After I did, I knew then that it was over. The numbing pain I felt every day, I could breathe again. He was my breath of fresh air. I may not like his father, for he took two people away from me who I was never going to be ready to say goodbye too, but I can't hate him. After all, he did help create the man that I love today. The man that helped me face my fear and helped me to get ready for the next curve ball that is my life."

I let out a big breath and turn to put my essay on Mr. Edwards's desk, on top of Dean's essay. When I turn back around, the entire class slowly begins clapping their hands. I keep my head down as I walk to my desk, scared to see Dean's reaction, when I feel my hand being pulled. I look over my shoulder and see that it's Dean, stopping me from walking completely past him.

"We need to talk." He mouths and I nod.

"After class." I tell him. He lets go of my hand, though I wish he wouldn't, but I know Mr. Edwards will say something to embarrass us further.

Once the bell rings, my heart starts immediately going berserk in my chest. I grab my bag and follow Dean outside of the classroom, not really sure of what is about to happen. I take a deep breath after I watch Dean step out and I follow suit. As soon as my foot is out of the door, I am pulled to the right and lightly pushed up against the locker.

Dean's electric blue eyes bore into me as he drops his bag to the floor and puts both hands on my cheeks, caressing them with his thumb. My insides go stir crazy and my eyes feel as if they are going wild, hungry for him, both of our breathing ragged and uncontrolled.

"I love you, Scar."

"I love you..."

Dean cuts me off by pressing his lips to mine and that is completely fine with me. Oh, how I missed this. His touch, his kiss, everything about him. I bring my hands up, one running through his hair and the other grabbing onto the back of his neck. I am getting so lost in our deep passionate kiss that I forget we are surrounded by people and in school, that is until Nina.



Cough, Cough. We hear her say. We break our kiss, and look over at Nina. She has the biggest grin on her face as she arches her brow and crosses her arms over her chest. "Dean, please don't impregnate my best friend, especially not in public." She says. We watch as she then giggles and claps her hands and engulfs us into a hug. "Ahh, I am so, sooooo happy you two are together again."



We laugh with her and hug her back. "What's going on here?" Dex pops up out of nowhere and asks.

"Dean and Scarlett, that's what's going on!" Nina exclaims.

It takes two seconds for that news to register before Dex joins in on the love. My heart is complete again and I too, am happy we are together again.