The following Monday, I couldn't help but admit that I dreaded going back to school. It already seemed like a lifetime away.

It wasn't the idea of school that gave me a heart attack though, it was the fact that Connor would most definitely be there and I would bet he was furious right now and I, more than anything, didn't want to face an angry Connor right now.

It was to my relief that when I finally made it to my locker in B Hall that I hadn't spotted Connor or any members of his clique.

As I took out my books and was about to slam the locker closed, Connor's face was honestly the last thing I thought I would see and when he was that close to me, I couldn't help but yelp and drop both my textbooks at the same time.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," I mumbled fearfully as I instantaneously dropped to the ground to pick up my textbooks and the papers that were misaligned and fell out.

I don't think he heard me mumbling my apologies, but I don't think he cared either way.

I stood up from the floor and sort of lowered my head so I didn't have to glimpse at him more than I have to, sort of assuming he was still furious.

"I'm sorry," I whispered once more as I try to pass him.

Key word: try.

I mean I guess I should have figured he wouldn't let me go just like that.

I'm actually wondering why he hadn't already punched me in the gut if I had to be honest.

No, cross that out, I'm wondering why he was even there at all when his friends would be more than delighted to sabotage and ruin me.

I didn't even know he knew where my locker was or maybe this whole ordeal was all just a huge coincidence.

All I knew right then was that I wanted out of this. Whatever this is.

"Can you please let go of me?" I asked quietly. He was still holding onto my left arm, not gripping it tightly but enough to make me stop where I was heading.

"Are you okay?"

Surprised, I gazed upwards and instantly chastised myself for that.

Connor was... well... he looked awful. He had giant bags under his eyes, even more so than mine, and his gray eyes were in no other words, dull, not at all radiant like they had been.

He looked like a walking zombie.

Maybe that was taking it to exaggerated terms, but he seemed really out of it.

I didn't want to ask him why, but at the same time, I sort of did. I hated myself for that too.

I shouldn't, especially after what he had done to me.

But I did.

I was supposed to be scared of him. And I am.

But there was also something else too.

Something I couldn't identify.

"I'm fine, are you okay?" I smiled slightly but it came off to appear more like a grimace.

"Why? Do I look terrible?" He stopped himself, "Wait, no, don't answer that."

"Um..." I didn't know what to say. "If you need help, I can help with what you need help with... I guess?"

To be honest, I have no idea what I just said or even if it made any sense, I was sort of blabbering by then. He was making me really uncomfortable and more than anything, I just want to run out of there.

This side of Connor was a side I never saw.

And I don't think I can grant him the chance to look at him with a different eye.

He stared at me strangely while I hid myself behind my long brown locks of hair as he let out a sigh, "Avery."

It wasn't my intention but I kind of flinched when he said my name, as if an automated response.

"Yes?" I whispered carefully.

"Nothing," he said after a beat. I caught a hint of dejection as he said that but I didn't dwell on it.

It was probably a figment of my imagination anyways.

"Um... okay." I couldn't stand the silence and the tension combining any longer so I hesitatingly turned away from him and slowly walked off, knowing well that he might yell at me for doing that.

Yet, he didn't.

He let me walk off until I was already out of the hallway and into the calming morning breeze.