I woke up in a better mood the next morning than I had been all weekend long.

My father and Tyler also looked like they were doing better.

Ty actually fought with me over what to play on the radio while we drove to school, so things did seem to be going back to normal.

When I got to school, I could see Daph and Alex's cars already parked, but there was no Blake in sight.

Would he stay home? He had sounded pretty tired on the phone last night. Because he had been reading all the time? Now that I was a little more rested, that didn't sound right. I got that you could get carried away while reading a book, but for the whole weekend? As much as I wanted to believe it, it sounded off.

God, I hope he hadn't lied to me and had actually been spending his whole weekend cooped up in his room with a girl.

Maybe he had really been reading. That would be better, so much better than being with a girl. Why? I didn't know, it just made me angry to think he was with someone. I didn't own the guy or anything. I knew so little about him actually, but I would've liked to believe I knew him more than most people here, that I knew a little about Blake, that I had an insight about him that most people didn't.

How odd to feel this way? It was definitely a wrong way to feel.

Blake didn't open up, that much was obvious. And I knew there were so many things I still needed to figure out about him, like what the hell was the deal with that Kendall girl, and what was going on with his brother. There was something wrong here, and I didn't know about it.

And I didn't really know anything about Blake, so I should really stop obsessing about him. Because I really started to sound like a stalker now.

I got out of my car, Ty already gone, and made my way to my locker.

While I was doing my combination, a head rested on top of mine.

"What the?" I said, turning.

"Hey, don't move I was trying to sleep here," Blake whined, sniffing and then rubbed his tired eyes.

"Someone looks like hell," I smirked a little and opened my locker.

"Right back at you Pumpkin. You almost have the same hair as Hagrid," Blake said with an evil voice and then yawned.

I slapped his arm, scowling "Bite me, you big meanie."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Wow, still tired you manage to turn everything I say, proud of you Blakey-Boy," I told him rolling my eyes.

"Thanks," Blake laughed and then walked with me to my next, well our next class, English Literature.

Blake sat in front of me, and then turned around, while waiting for the class to begin. "If I fall asleep you have the right to give me a flick or something."

"Seriously? You sure you wanna offer this? Because I could easily take advantage of the situation," I warned him.

"I guess I'm just going to have to trust you," Blake smirked.

"Might not be the best idea," I trailed, smirking too. Alex walked in the room with Daph at the same time and came to sit by me, smiling, and I smiled back.

"Yeah, probably not," Blake mumbled and then turned around, to look in front at the teacher who was starting her lecture.

Alright, what was that supposed to mean?

"Before I give you the scene you'll have to do for you presentation, I'm going to give you the permission slip for the school trip we were supposed to have during the Spring that's been rescheduled. It turns out we couldn't rent the cabins any other time, so we're going in four weeks, from October fourth till the seventh. And you guys better bring you permissions before the end of next week otherwise we'll have to cancel. Also, since there are so many seniors this year, we're going to have to send people to camping spots, a few minutes walk away from the main cabins. The faster you hand in your permission, the better chance you have to get the spot you want," the teacher trailed and then Daph tapped my shoulder.

"We are not going to camp out, you hear me. That cabin is high tech. I'm not sleeping outside," she hissed and I muffled my laugh.

"Don't worry wasn't planning to," I trailed and I really wasn't.

It might have been fun, last weekend, but in October we'd freeze our asses off.

"Girls sleep in the main cabin, boys in the smaller one and we'll see how we arrange things for the camping spots when we have all your answers," the teacher continued and then handed the sheets to the first person in the row who handed it to the person behind and so on.

When Blake gave me the sheets, I wonder where he'd choose to go. If he took the camping spots, which he probably would, there wasn't that much surveillance when you went there. I knew that from previous trips, so if he did, I probably wouldn't see him that much. Which I really shouldn't care, but who was I kidding, of course I cared.

"Now, on with the program. I'm giving you your scenes for your presentations in two weeks and then we'll correct last week exercises on Hemingway's Hills like White Elephants. We'll be doing Victor Hugo Hernani's play, and yes I do know this is a French play, and I also know we're in English Literature, but this play was actually quite important in the fight between classism writers and the romantic ones in the 19th century. It was the turning point actually. And I think you kids should learn about other playwriters than Shakespeare. And don't worry, it's translated in English. So, Act One, Scene One, Alexander and Daphnee," she said and handed them the play, "And you guys will carry on your roles for the Second Scene too. Now, Scene Two will be Blake and Lexi, then Scene three, Haley and," she kept on speaking but I wasn't listening anymore and I was turning the pages she had just handed to Blake and me.

I was happy to know Alex and Daph would be in the play with us, and also glad it was in the first act. There wouldn't be any lovey-goey things right in the beginning.

I noticed that Blake was laughing in front of me.

"What's so funny?" I asked him, frowning.

"Did you ever read that play?" Blake still laughed.

"No. Have you?"

"Yeah," he answered, smirking and then slapped his hand over mine, closing the play in my hands. "Wait, don't read it just yet, I have dozens of perfect lines to throw at you and I want to enjoy it thoroughly," he chuckled.

"Should I be scared?"

"Definitely," he smirked.

Oh crap.

My eyes fell back on the sheets, but I decided to just do what he had asked, and not read it.

"We'll have to finish that lab report, so just come over my place tonight and we'll read it and then I can enjoy your shocked face," he laughed, and then frowned, like he was trying to decided something and then snatched the play out of my hands.

"Hey," I squealed, and tried to get it back.

"I'm making sure there will be no peeking."

I rolled my eyes at him, but didn't argue more.

The rest of the morning was boring.

I took notes with Mrs Muffin during my second period and noticed that Luke was pretty much avoiding me.

Was this because I had used his right name the other day?

God, guys were confusing sometimes.

During lunch break Alex and I got to the table first.

"So, when am I going to see that Travis again?" I asked him smiling, setting my full tray in front of me.

"You really are alright with this?" he asked me, frowning while settling in front.

"Yeah, I really am."

"You sure? You're not just trying to make me feel alright? You actually mean it?" Alex said, his eyes definitely worried.

What could I say to make him believe I really wasn't lying, and I really meant it?

Before I could think of anything, I heard Blake's laugh behind me and turned around to look at him. He was walking towards the table with Catherine and Mark, chatting with them, looking carefree. He was smiling. He had a nice smile.

When I turned my gaze back to Alex, he was shaking his head slightly but he was smiling too.

"What?" I asked, my eyes narrowing.

"Nothing," he trailed, still shaking his head, laughing a little and then Daph arrived and sat beside me, and few seconds later Blake arrived too.

Few minutes before Daph left to take my old shift at the library she frowned at me, while I sipped in my juice box.

"What?"

Why was everyone giving me funny stares?

"I haven't seen you wear your ring ever since I got back," she trailed, her eyes on my hand.

Oh!

"I lost it, at the library actually. If you ever see it, that'd be really awesome," I told her.

Honestly, I was okay without it now. I didn't even notice it anymore.

That ring was like my old life, the one with my mom, before she left, and I didn't need it anymore. I was alright, and strangely, lighter.

And for some reason, when I looked over at Blake, sitting few spots from where I was, it seemed like I had the answer right in front of my eyes.

Now, why the hell did I feel that way? That was wrong. Completely and utterly wrong.

But it was also true. Completely and utterly true.

___________

Hello my little Pumpkins. I'm late for so many things these past weeks, but at least this week I'm not late uploading this chapter. XD

I hope you enjoyed it. It's cute because I had someone message me about this specific chapter today, how they liked the way Lexi smiles at Blake while he laughs with Catherine and Mark.

I'm quite the sucker for these little moments between characters. God I love a slow burn! XD

Anyway! The live reading this week shall be at 12PM EST on Sunday August 15th, so like one hour later than usual, just because I want to sleep late because I'm tiiiiiired. 0_0 You can catch it here: instagram.com/kaygiard.

If you have any questions about this chapter you can leave them here.

Otherwise, see you all on Sunday! :D LOVE YOU GUYS!