“Say it again.”

I groaned, banging my head back on the passenger’s seat of Kyla’s car.  We were on our way to school, and she’d just finished giving me a mouthful about how I needed to keep her updated with news, I needed to invite her to skip-school days no matter how sudden it was, and how I needed to remember this speech for the rest of my life—or else I would regret it.  Apparently, if I didn’t follow through, she would strangle me with her bare hands.  Nice, right?

“I, Brianne Nichols, promise thee, Kyla Strutters, that I will forevermore be faithful to thee and only thee.”

I struggled not to laugh as Kyla shot an irritated glance in my direction.  “Okay, for one, I don’t appreciate the sarcasm.  For two, I thought I told you never to speak of my last name again.”  She sighed deeply.  “I cannot wait until I get married to Oliver and have my last name changed!”

I rolled my eyes, leaning back further in my seat.  “Yeah, because Pyker is suck a brilliant last name,” I drawled sarcastically, allowing an amused smile to spread across my face.

“Hey,” Kyla whined in Oliver’s defense, “leave Oliver alone!”

“You haven’t even talked to him,” I felt the need to point out.

Before Kyla could answer, I’m a Barbie Girl went off on my cell phone.  As I dished my phone out of my pocket, Kyla laughed heartily, muttering something along the lines of, “Who’s the poor soul that was granted that ringtone?”  Because, apparently, being made of plastic wasn’t fantastic—at least, not to Kyla anyway.

Whatever.  Her loss.

“Hello, Barone,” I greeted.  Yeah, I gave the ringtone to Dannon.  Why did I give him such a girl ringtone, you ask?  For the look on Kyla’s face—an expression so hilarious that I wanted to burst into laughter.  I averted my gaze to the passenger window, not really in the mood to laugh. 

“Hello, Nichols.”

At this I had to laugh.  Darn him and his funny tones!  “Not cool,” I muttered, shaking my head with a smile still on my face.  “I didn’t feel like laughing.”

Dannon, seeming confused by my reaction, mumbled an, “Uh . . . ?”

I mentally stuck my tongue out at him (There was no point in actually sticking my tongue out.  I mean he wasn’t even in the car.) before replying.  “Speechless?” I teased.

“Hey, Dannon!” Kyla called cheerfully.  I turned and watched as she smiled, bouncing in her seat.  I cocked an eyebrow at her, not really sure why she was bouncing up and down as though she were sitting on a bouncy ball.  It looked rather odd, to be honest.

“Kyla says hi,” I relayed, turning away and twirling a few strands of hair within my fingers.

“Hello!”

“Dannon says hi back.” My eyes shot to the roof of the car as I silently prayed that I wouldn’t have to play messenger.

“I did not say ‘hi,’” Dannon corrected, “I said ‘hello.’  There’s a difference.”

“Whatever!” I exclaimed.  “Anyway, why did you call me?”

Dannon sighed dramatically.  “Can’t a guy call a friend without being questioned?”

I was about to answer, but Kyla decided to abruptly veer to the right, turning onto another street.  I let out a frightened shriek, almost dropping the cell phone as I frantically grabbed for anything to keep me steady.  “Jeezum, Kyla!” I hollered as the car began moving at its original place again. 

“When did my name become Kyla?”

I stared flatly at the windshield.  No.  Just no.  “Dannon, don’t make me hand up on you,” I warned. 

Dannon chuckled.  “I can’t make you do anything.”

I gave a slight huff.  “So why did you call?” I persisted.

“To say hi.”

My eyebrows rose.  “You call a person just to say hi?  Or is this like when you called me for the first time?  You know, the time where you stalked me through yearbooks?”

I threw a glance at Kyla, watching as her eyes widened and then narrowed.  Oops.  Guess I forgot to let her know that Dannon searched me up in order to find my number.  Looking back, she never really questioned me past the fact that an angelic man had graced his voice to my presence.  Well, either way, I wasn’t going to get away with it.  I mean, I’d just promised that I’d always tell her everything.

“I assure you,” Dannon drawled, pulling me away from my reverie, “this is nothing like the yearbook incident.  I didn’t have to look in a yearbook this time.”

I let out a small laugh.  “Do you always have these random urges to call people?”

Dannon didn’t answer at first—well, he did but it was too low for me to hear.  I thought I heard something along the lines of, “Not all people,” but I couldn’t say that with confidence.  But, a moment later, he answered loud enough for me to hear. “Yes, yes I do,” he said lightly.

“Where are you?” I asked, deciding to change the subject.

“At school.”

Damn.  How early did he leave?  I mean, if he lived further out in town, he obviously had to drive further.  “Really?” I asked, my eyes widening a fraction. 

“Yes, really.”  Dannon laughed.  “I had to give my team a reason for why I was out.”

“And you couldn’t do that, let’s say . . . lunch time?” I mused, picking at the wrinkles in my jeans.  He’d left his house earlier just to explain to his team why he was out?  That was commitment.

Kyla began tapping on the steering wheel aimlessly.  I gave her a weird look.  Was that her way of amusing herself?  If she was going to do that, she should have at least put some rhythm to it.

“Nope, Garner demanded that I tell him this morning before classes start.”

“How did he tell you that?” I inquired, arching my back and wiping my face down with the back of my free hand.  “His number wasn’t in your contacts.”

Dannon sighed.  “A very nice person who has my number told him.”

“Your sarcasm sucks,” I told him bluntly.  “And I’m guessing you mean Oliver, then.”

I could hear the smile in Dannon’s voice as he replied.  “Did you memorize my contacts?”

“Well, it’s not like you had a lot in there.”  I paused as we pulled into the school’s parking lot.  In the midst of a small crowd, Dannon became utterly visible, his phone resting against his ear.  I wondered how he had the urge to call me while he was with his group.  Such a weird man indeed . . . “I see you.”

Dannon looked up, his head turning from side to side as he searched for me.  It kind of gave me satisfaction that he was looking for me when everyone would have fallen at his feet in mercy.  “Where are you?” he asked.  I grinned.  I could see his mouth moving as he talked.

“I’m right here.”

Dannon chuckled.  “That’s very descriptive, thank you!”

Kyla browsed through the parking spaces before picking one near the far end.  I struggled to throw my bag over my shoulder and keep my phone steady at the same time, muttering, “Ain’t it?”

Together, Kyla and I trotted toward the school grounds.  Kyla hopped from foot to foot, amusing herself while I talked on the phone.  I couldn’t help but laugh at her as she almost tripped on the curb that separated the parking lot from the road.  She looked like a little birdie trying to learn how to fly—and failing miserably.

“Oh, I see you!” Dannon exclaimed triumphantly.

I tore my gaze away from Kyla, who was recovering from her almost-collapse, and found Dannon waving to me from the middle of his group.  I felt my stomach drop as Shelley, Oliver, and Meghan all directed their gazes in our direction.  “Way to make us known, man,” I muttered under my breath as my cheeks began to redden from embarrassment. 

“What?” Dannon asked, confused.

Crap.  I’d forgotten I was on the phone with him.  “Nothing,” I muttered quickly.  “I’m going to hang up now.”

“Come over he—”

I hung up my phone, shaking my head.  I didn’t want to go to his group and hang out with all of his friends.  I always felt like they were sizing me up, checking to see if I was worth their time.  And, since no one besides Dannon ever approached me, I guessed they pronounced me not worth their time.

“Are we going straight inside?” Kyla asked as we crossed the crosswalk, hurrying as to not be hit by the buses waiting for us to move.

I shrugged.  “Dannon told me to go over there, but—”

“But nothing,” Kyla cut me off immediately with a grin.  “Your prince calls, therefore you must answer.”

“But Kyla!” I argued.  “You know how I feel about the—”

Kyla held up a hand.  “Lady, I’ll be there, Dannon will be there.  And plus, how do you know they’re anything like you think they are?”

I sighed, throwing the group another glance.  I really wasn’t in the mood to meet new people, especially not the type of people who thought that Dannon was a king.  Not that Dannon wasn’t cool or anything . . . but still.

I attempted to direct myself in the opposite direction as we drew closer to the group, but right as I was about to steer away from them, Dannon rushed forward, catching my arm.  “Brianne Nichols,” he said, grinning.  “I believe I told you to come here.”

“And I believe that you said that you couldn’t make me do anything,” I retorted, trying, in vain, to pry his fingers off my arm.

Dannon, deciding to ignore my retort, turned to Kyla, a smile on his face.  “Hey, Kyla!” he greeted lightly.

“Hey, Dannon.”  She smiled.  “I see you decided to go to school today.”

Dannon grinned.  “Yep.”

“Dannon!” someone—I think Oliver—shouted.  “Bring those lovely ladies over here, will you?”

Lovely ladies?  I would have pretended to puke, but Kyla would probably slap me.  Do not mess with girls and their crushes.  They can be deadly.

Dannon smiled, gripping my arm tighter and pulling me toward the group.  Kyla followed happily, a bounce obvious in her step.  Why he hadn’t grabbed Kyla’s arm, I didn’t know.  Maybe it was because he knew that she wouldn’t run away.  Which meant he thought I would have.  Rude!

“So, who might you ladies be?” Garner (oops, guess I guessed the voice wrong) drawled as we approached the group.  I watched as Kyla stood next to Oliver, her cheeks turning red as he smiled and greeted her.

After recovering from her blushing, she smiled giddily.  “I’m Kyla,” she said cheerfully—a little too cheerfully.

“Oooh, I like you, Kyla,” Garner said with a grin from his spot next to Shelley.  “Happy people are awesome people.”

I looked around at everyone, biting my lip.  It felt so awkward to be standing here with the legendary crew members.  They seemed exactly the same, except they seemed more real, more intimidating at the same time.  Saying that I was uncomfortable would be a complete understatement.

“And who is this lovely lady?” Garner inquired, turning his gaze to me.

Before I could even think of opening my mouth, Dannon began chuckling.  I turned slowly, settling a flat scowl in his direction.  “What are you laughing at?” I demanded.

“Nothing,” replied as his laughter became contained.

Yeah, right.

I sighed, turning my attention back to Garner.  “I’m Brianne.”

Garner nodded, a smile curling on his lips.  “Awesome!  How come we haven’t heard of you two before?”

Even though he seemed to be talking to Kyla and I, his question was directed at Dannon.  I glanced up at Dannon, ready for whatever excuse he came up with.  “You have heard of them,” Dannon said, catching me off guard.  Does the ‘I got hit in the head with an apple’ thing not ring a bell?”

Garner’s mouth dropped as he put two and two together.  “You guys are the ones who hit him in the head with an apple!” he exclaimed, waving his pointer finger at us.

Everyone laughed.  Shockingly, it wasn’t a judgmental laugh.  And, what was even more shocking, was that I was finding myself more comfortable with them as the seconds went by.  Suddenly I felt ashamed that I’d thought anything bad about them.  They seemed nice enough—now, anyway.

“Guys, you should have seen it!” Garner continued.  “Dannon came back to the table looking so utterly confused.  He was like, ‘I just got hit in the head with an apple.’  And we were like, ‘By who, man?’ and he was like—”

“Garner!” Shelley shrieked, shooting him an irritated look.  “Damn, do you ever speak at any other speed besides light speed?”

Garner scowled.  “Excuse me, Shelley, but I was telling a story!”  He sighed deeply, shaking his head.  “Whatever.  Anyway, bottom line, you made it a really amusing lunch.”

I didn’t know whether to consider that a compliment or not.

“Okay, well, I should really be getting to first period now. . . .” I murmured quietly.

I glanced at Dannon, hoping he would see that I truly wanted to go inside.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like being where I was—I did; I’d been proven incorrect in my preconceived judgments.  It was the fact that I was afraid of being late that really controlled my decision.

“Aw, come on, Bri!” Garner whined.  “Stay a little longer.”

Bri?  I’d already earned a nickname?  I smiled, shaking my head.  “Nope.  I need to get to first period.”  I made sure to toss a smile to everyone in the crew.  “Nice to meet you all.”

With that, I stepped away from the crew and trotted toward the school doors.

I knew that Kyla wouldn’t follow, but the fact that she didn’t kind of hurt.  She was choosing a boy over me.  First clothes and now a boy.  How sad.  Sometimes it really sucked being a teenager.  Maybe I would turn myself into a goldfish.  A religious goldfish.  You know, so then I wouldn’t have to deal with the wrath of God?  Oh, and while I was at it, maybe I would give myself a ‘fro.  Then all the other goldfish would make me their queen.  And then, when I died in two weeks, they could—

“Bri!”

I turned, confused.  How long had this person been shouting my name?  Probably a while.  When I was in my own little world I tended to block everyone out, only concentrating on my thoughts.

I watched as Dannon jogged up to me, shaking his head.  “You’re so deaf!” he called.

“Why are you following me?” I asked blankly, not really understanding what he was doing.  “You just totally ditched your friends.”

Dannon smiled as he caught up to where I was standing.  He shook his head again.  “Nah, they’ve got a whole group with them.  And besides, who will miss me when Kyla’s newly joined?”

“You make them sound like a cult,” I teased.  I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows, sighing.  “What’s the point of you coming with me, anyway?  We have different first periods.”

Dannon grinned.  “Who said I was going straight to first period?”

glared.  He couldn’t possibly mean what I thought he meant.  “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, but I would.”

| It ♥ All ♥ Started ♥ With ♥ An ♥ Apple |

“Seriously, I’m fine,” I muttered for the thousandth time as Dannon and I ventured up the stairwell that led to my first period.  I could just picture the shock on people’s faces as I stepped into the room arguing with him.  The thought of being looked at wasn’t exactly the greatest thought in the world.  Especially by Brent.  Oh gosh, this was going to be so awkward!

“I know.”  Dannon shrugged.  “It’s funner hanging out with you.”

“Funner isn’t even a word,” I challenged, sliding him a look from the corner of my eye.  I was more enjoyable to hang out with than the people he’d hung out with since middle school?  How was that even possible?           

“Of course it is.  It just hasn’t been added to the dictionary yet.”  He winked.

I let out a snort.  “Yeah, okay.  And besides.  You’d rather sit here and argue with me than talk nicely with your other friends?”

Dannon laughed.  “This isn’t arguing.  It’s bantering.  There’s a complete difference.”

I rolled my eyes.  “Mhm.  Sure.”

It was silent for a few moments as we made our way toward my first period class.  Dannon trotted beside me, a content smile spread across his face.  I threw him side-glances, wondering how on earth someone could smile as much as he did.  I’d never seen someone as happy as him. 

I sucked in a deep breath as we reached the threshold of my science class, bracing myself for the inevitable.  Oh, gosh this was going to be bad. . . .

As I predicted, everyone looked up as Dannon and I entered.  Dannon didn’t seem at all fazed by the attention, for he trotted toward the middle of the room, placing his hands on his hips.  I stood there, watching in amusement.  He was trying to figure out which chair was mine, I realized.  This just showed how absolutely unobservant he was.

I stepped up to him as he brought a thumb to his chin, looking like one of those men in those old movies where they were thinking so hard that their brain could have exploded.  However, I knew he wasn’t thinking that hard.  He was just picking between the last two seats that were free.

“Choose wisely,” I teased.  “For if you choose incorrectly, you will face the wrath of something more frightening than you can possibly imagine.”

Dannon shook his head, laughing at me.  Then, with a purposeful bounce in his step, he sauntered over to my desk and plopped down into my seat.  He glanced at Brent and smiled.  Brent stared at him for a moment, seeming like he was trying to keep calm and keep his disgust from showing freely—which wasn’t really working, by the way.  But then, when he realized that he couldn’t contain his distaste for Dannon, all he could do was throw him a swift smile back before turning back to his aimless doodle in his notebook.

“I’ve found it!” Dannon proclaimed, looking very proud of himself.

“Very good,” I replied.  “Now get out of my seat.”

Dannon sighed dramatically before getting up.  “As you wish, your highness.”

I scoffed.  “Get your own seat.”

I settled into my seat as Dannon took a few steps back, dropping my bag onto the floor.  “Hey,” I murmured with a small smile in Brent’s direction.

“Hi,” he replied softly.  I could see betrayal in his eyes.  I couldn’t help but feel agitated at that.  What right did he have to think that I couldn’t be friends with someone everyone was after?  Oh, right.  None.  It wasn’t like it was my fault that Dannon wouldn’t leave me alone, subsequently causing friendship.

We both looked over at Dannon as he dragged the last free chair over to our table.  I stared at him flatly.  Did he really have to drag it?  Did he not understand how incredibly loud that was?  It would have been much quieter if he used those muscles God granted him and picked it up.

“You’re so loud,” I said voicing my thoughts.  “Pick it up next time.”

Dannon smiled, plopping into the seat that was now sitting beside me.  “Sure thing.”

I sighed, shooting a glance toward the ceiling.  I felt like I was at the lunch when I first spoke to him: so embarrassed by everyone’s stares.  I knew I shouldn’t have let it get to me.  Dannon was my friend; I had a right to talk to him.  But still . . . being looked at set me on edge.  I didn’t like it.  Even if they were just shocked that Dannon was staying in the room.

“Now that you’re here, what did you expect to do?” I asked, reaching down and grabbing my book from my bag.  I set it out in front of me, smiling softly at the cover.  I was currently reading Trapped by Michael Northrop.  It was amazing.

“Oooh, what are you reading?” Dannon asked excitedly, grabbing my book from my desk and holding it out in front of him.

“Hey!” I hissed, reaching for my beloved.  “Give it back!”

“Trapped.”  Dannon smiled, opening up to a random page.  “’I’m not saying that we shouldn’t do it,’” he read. “’I’m saying—’”

I ripped my book out of his hand, glaring.  “Rule number one, Barone.  Do.  Not.  Touch.  My.  Books.”  I said each word slowly, my glare growing into a glower with each enunciation.  It was supposed to be intimidating—you know, scary enough to the point where he listened and never touched my books again.  But, sadly, I wasn’t very intimidating at all.

Dannon laughed softly, nodding.  “Okie dokie!”  He paused.  “Oh, and by the way, you and Kyla are eating lunch with me today.”

I immediately shook my head.  Nuh-uh.  Meeting them was one thing, but eating in the center of everything?  I didn’t think so.  “I’m sorry, but—”

“Brianne Nichols!”  Dannon shot me a mock-serious look.  “You need to broaden your horizons!  Make new friends!”

I grumbled, “I have enough friends.”

Dannon smiled.  “No one can have enough friends.”

There was something final about that sentence, and even though he didn’t say it, I knew that I wasn’t the winner of this argument.  My gaze hardened.  I used to be superior when it came to arguments—I’d always win!  And now, Dannon came into my life, and bam!  I was losing every single one.

It wasn’t fair.

Nope, not at all.

| It ♥ All ♥ Started ♥ With ♥ An ♥ Apple |

I gripped my tray tightly within my hands, steering myself toward the booths.  Kyla followed, oblivious that we were supposed to be sitting with Dannon and his crew today.  I should have told her, and I planned on it, but not until we sat down and I could possibly guilt her into staying.  Not that that plan was going to work seeing how she was speaking animatedly about her time with the crew this morning, a bright smile on her face.

I was right about to set my tray onto the tabletop when someone whispered into my ear.  “I don’t think so!”

I jumped, almost dropping the whole tray onto the floor.  “Dannon, what the hell!” I shrieked, turning and glaring.  “Are you trying to make me lose my lunch?”

Dannon smiled, a tray of his own in his hands.  I glanced down, biting my lip when I saw an excuse for a slice of pizza and a big glob of something that looked something like potato—but I couldn’t be certain.  And was that pudding?  It was impossible to tell.  “I believe that I told you that you needed to broaden your horizons.”  He held up his hand before I could answer.  My mouth clamped shut, and I seethed silently.  “Don’t use the ‘I can’t make you do anything’ excuse.  Nuh-uh.”  He looked at Kyla.  “Did she tell you that I asked you guys to sit with us today?”

Asked us?  It was more like, “Hey.  Here’s how this is going to go.  You have no freewill.  Get over it.”

Kyla slid an icy glance in my direction.  Uh-oh.  “No, she didn’t,” she said, her voice steady.  Oh shit.  I was so in for it later.

Dannon nodded, the smile not leaving his face.  “Thought so.”  He sighed lightly.  “Well, let’s go!  Lunch time is dwindling.”

He then proceeded to drag me across the cafeteria to where his crew had two tables connected to each other.  He pushed me slightly toward a free seat before plopping into the one next to it.  I huffed, setting my tray down and sitting down, bringing a hand nervously through my hair.  I watched as Kyla took the free seat next to Oliver, shooting me a pointed look.  It was like I could read her mind.  She was probably thinking something along the lines of, “You better have a good explanation for this!”

Yep, that was definitely what she was thinking.

“Hey, Brianne,” Shelley called from across the table, seated between Paula and Garner.  “Where did you get your shirt?  I love it!”

My eyes flicked down to my shirt.  I didn’t really see what she saw in the shirt.  It wasn’t anything special—just a plain long-sleeved shirt.  “Thanks,” I said softly, smiling at her while picking at the hem of my sleeve.  “JC Penney.”

Shelley smiled back.  “I’ll have to go shopping there more often!  Oh, we’re going out this weekend, like a whole group thing.  You guys wanna go?”  She gestured to Kyla and I as everyone nodded, seeming genuinely excited at the prospect of having two others tag along.

“Where are you going?” I inquired, looking from Shelley to Dannon in confusion.  He’d never told me of plans!  But, then again, why would he?  They were his plans with his friends.  He didn’t need to tell me about plans that I wasn’t involved in.

“Oh, we’re going to the movies, and then we’re going to the mall!”  Shelley grinned.  “You in?”

“Sure!” Kyla exclaimed with a smile.  She turned to me.  “Bri?"

I shrugged.  “Sure, I’ll go.”

Shelley clapped giddily.  “Yay!”  She paused, her hands stopping mid-clap. “Oh!  We haven’t properly introduced everyone yet.  How rude of us.”  She paused again.  “I’m Shelley.  This is Garner, Paula, Oliver, and Meghan.” 

I watched as her hands swept across the tables.  I didn’t really understand why they had to pull two tables together when there were so little of us—I mean, there was a table that could fit the amount of people we had sitting here—but I wasn’t about to question their methods.

“And you obviously know Dannon,” Shelley finished, her hand dropping back onto the table.

Despite the fact that I knew everyone’s names already, I smiled kindly and said, “Hey.”

As everyone else fell into side conversations, I picked at my food silently.  I didn’t exactly know what to say.  I wasn’t the gregarious type, never had been.  And, the fact that I’d pretty much been introduced to a whole new group of people, didn’t really bring out the almost-nonexistent socializing part of me.

Dannon, noticing my silence, nudged my arm.  “You okay?” he asked, concern clear in his eyes.

I nodded.  “Yeah, I’m fine.”  I glanced at him.  “What movie are we going to see?”

Dannon grinned, leaning back in his seat and stretching his arms out.  “Joyful Noise.”

I stared at him.  Wow.  All of these guys agreed to watch a chick flick?  Wait a minute. . . . Did that mean I just agreed to watch a chick flick?  Damn.

“No, the guys did not agree to it.  What Shelley says goes,” Dannon drawled, voicing my thoughts.  “And yes,” he continued, “you just absent-mindedly agreed to go watch the one genre you despise.”

I continued to stare at him.  “I didn’t say that out loud, did I?” I asked stupidly, lifting an eyebrow in what I hoped to be a graceful way.  Knowing me, I didn’t succeed.

Dannon chuckled.  “No, you didn’t.  Did I actually get it right?”

I hesitated before answering.  “No. . . .” I lied, biting my lip.

He shoved me playfully, plopping some pudding into his mouth.  I cringed.  Ew.  That stuff looked nasty.  “I know you so well,” he said, a triumphant smile on his face.

He kinda did.

And it was starting to scare the hell out of me.