And they stayed the best of friends every step of the way, even during the trying times of high school. Although Anna was remarkably pretty, it was Seokjin who attracted more attention during their teenage years. Perhaps it was because girls tended to be more vocal and dramatic in their appreciation of him, but Anna was content to let him have his moments. Usually.

"Don't look now, but I think the queen bee herself is staring at you," Anna said while biting the straw in her milk carton.

Seokjin's fork stopped halfway to his mouth before he put it down. "Are you serious? Mariah Sanders?"

Anna smiled, still biting on the straw. "So, I guess that makes you happy."

The dark-haired young man smirked. "Are you jealous?"

The girl shook back her long, light brown hair. "Makes no difference to me because I don't care. You seem to care a lot about her." She shrugged and continued eating her lunch.

"I didn't say I cared," the boy grumbled. "It's just that, well, Mariah is...you know."

"Uh-huh," the girl muttered, chewing and swallowing her food. "I get it. She's like the grand prize. Pretty, rich. What's not to like?"

Seokjin frowned. "Is that why you think I like her? Because she's pretty and rich?"

"Oh, that's not why?" she asked, opening up her eyes innocently.

He knew she was teasing him. "Okay, okay! Stop acting like that, and don't make that face."

Anna opened her eyes wider, pulling a sillier face.

Seokjin's laugh burst out of him in a snort. "Stop! You're so weird, Annie. You know that you'd look so much prettier if you stopped acting like a clown."

The girl's expression became serious. "Why would I want to look prettier?"

The boy looked away and shrugged. "I don't know. Just."

The girl stayed quiet for a moment, then broke out in a grin. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

"What?" he almost shrieked. "I mean, I guess you are, in a silly sort of way." He busied himself with the food on his tray. If he shoveled enough food into his mouth, he wouldn't be able to talk any more.

Anna sighed. "I guess I don't care about that. I'd rather be smart."

Seokjin took a long drink of his water. "Hell, you're the smartest girl I know. A year younger than me but graduating at the same time. It's not easy to be skipped up a grade." He lowered his voice. "Hey, flirt with me a little so that Mariah gets jealous."

"Do you like smart girls?" she asked suddenly.

He scrunched up his face in thought. "Uh, yeah. If a girl's pretty, rich, and smart, I'd definitely go for her."

"Lucky for you, then, that I'm not rich," she countered sassily.

He laughed again. "You brat! What makes you think I'd go for you?"

Feeling mischievous, Anna pushed her tray out of the way and leaned forward on the table, her eyes locked onto his. She slowly swiped her tongue along her bottom lip before biting it and noted with gratification that Seokjin, whose eyes strayed to her lips, unconsciously did the same. She lowered her chin and raised her eyes to him slowly.

Seokjin gave a little jump and his breath caught in his throat. Anna was indeed very beautiful, and he could feel a strange, uncomfortable knot in his chest--and other places he would not mention. Of its own accord, his arm reached across the table toward her hand before she moved back, tucking her arms at her side.

"Too bad for you Mariah isn't smart," Anna said in a fake sad tone. "She probably thinks you're interested in me, and she just took off a little angrily."

"Wha--?" Seokjin turned in his seat to see Mariah and her followers exiting the cafeteria. He turned back to the laughing girl. "You evil brat! You did that on purpose!"

"You said to flirt with you," she countered. "I didn't know you'd flirt back."

"Yeah, but then you went all... seductress on me," he pouted.

"Seductress?" Anna repeated. "I wasn't trying to seduce you, you birdbrain. Is it my fault that you reacted the way you did?"

He frowned. "Yes, it was your fault. Who even taught you to act like that anyway?"

"I watch movies."

"Yeah, all the wrong ones," he said.

"I watched the newest one with Norma King, and she did a lot more than I did just now."

"Well, you're not Norma King. I should tell your parents what you're up to." He exhaled loudly. "Mariah will have to be a project for another day. Anyway, promise me that you won't look at any other guy like that. If you do that, he's going to take you out behind the gym!"

Anna blinked. "Behind the gym? What for?"

Seokjin clicked his tongue at her naivety. "You don't know what for? Well, good then! You shouldn't know such things. You're not even 16."

She gasped. "Is that where couples go to--"

"Yeah," he cut her off.

"Do you take girls there?" she asked, her eyes shining brightly with curiosity.

He glared at her. "That's...that's none of your business." He gathered up his lunch trash and stood up. "Come on. It's almost time for the bell." He paused and glared at her. "And I better never find out that you're flirting that way with any guy, Anna, or I swear I'll have to break his neck."

She jumped to her feet and grabbed her tray. "Fine. I'll only look at you like that. I know you won't take me behind the gym because you're my friend. Besides, I'm almost 16. I'm not a baby, and I don't need a babysitter." She twirled around and walked away.

Seokjin stared after her, not knowing why her words had riled him up. Of course, they were only friends. He would never--! He thought about the extremely sexy look she had thrown at him just minutes earlier before he shook his head to dispel it. No! He would never think of Anna Lane that way! They were friends, and that was all.