Raymond pushed himself off the end of the lockers he was leaning against, hidden so he couldn't have been seen. A smirk was plastered on his face, making me want to wipe it off his face so badly.

"Long enough."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

He was being curt with his answers. He heard everything, he heard it all. He strode over to me, taking his time to intimidate me. But I stood my ground. I wasn't going to run away. Not here, not now. And I knew he couldn't hurt me. No one can.

"Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at practice?" I asked him, referring that he should be in Coach Douglass's class doing five laps given he's on the football team.

"I think I'm coming down with Spattergroit, was it?" He mused at me. "I was coming late to class when I saw you leaving with Parker. They told me about that stupid made up disease you made and I told I got the symptoms too."

I tsked at this, looking away. But Raymond grabbed my chin and made him look at me.

I swatted his hand away. "What are you doing here Raymond?" I demanded.

"I should be asking you the same thing," he said. "What would happen if the school's nerd gets caught actually ditching class?"

"I'm not ditching class," I snapped. "And don't call me that. I'm not the school's nerd. Not anymore"

"Oh Naomi," Raymond said, shaking his head. "You'll always be the school nerd. You'll always be Nerdy Naomi, that's who you are. You'll always be my nerd," he said, leaning close to me.

Yeah, about that standing my ground thing? Never mind about that. I took a step back, leaning away from him.

"Now, I've been hearing this thing about you and Parker..."

"Yeah, what about it?" I said, straightening myself from the new found confidence.

He backed up and narrowed his eyes at him. "That the two of you are together."

Now it was my turn to smirk. "Yeah, it's true."

I was expecting him to give me glare, followed by a huge tantrum of how we shouldn't be together. How it's impossible for an unpopular and popular kid, a nerd and a jock, the bullied and bully can never be together. But he didn't do any of that. The lips that were supposed to frown instead turned to a smug smile.

"It's not going to last."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"The two of you are not going to last."

"Yes, we will," I argued. "We're going to- Why am I even arguing you about this? How would you know? Why would you care?"

"It's only because it's common sense," Raymond explained to me. "The two of you are too different, it was never meant to be. Don't be blind Naomi-" he tapped the rim of my glasses "-And you can't forget that he's your bully. That's just as weird if we were together, don't you think? But I didn't know that was your type though, you should have told me."

I ignored the last part. But I didn't say anything, I didn't bother denying it.

"What you have now will last for what? A couple more weeks? A month or two? And I only care because I don't want to see my little Naomi crying over a broken heart."

"You have, but it was more of a broken arm."

He chuckled then tipped my glasses down. His dark brown eyes were staring at mine. He wrinkled his nose, smirking at me.

"Aw, was little Naomi crying just a few moments ago?" He mused.

I turned my head, putting my glasses back on. "Of course not. I wasn't crying."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I saw your eyes more better, now would you?" He challenged.

"Why would I want you to do-"

He grabbed my shoulder and jerked me forward. I did my best to look away from him so he wouldn't see them, turning my head around. But he held my head with both hands, not letting me go. And my punches were useless to the captain of the football team.

"You really did cry," he said, letting me go and back away from him. "Was it because of that little fight you had with the Musketeers?"

"Shut up, it's none of your business," I snapped at him.

"Oh, I think it is. Because if they're not there for you..." He paused and smiled at me. "Who would?"

"Parker will," I said without missing a beat. "And it's not like anything will happen. If you haven't noticed, I'm not bullied anymore."

"I know," he said. "But it would be terrible if you're bullied again, wouldn't it?"

"What are you getting at?"

He held up his hands in defense. "Don't mind me. I was just thinking aloud, that's all. I'm just saying that you should keep your friends close." He whispered, leaning close to me.

I shoved him away, making him stagger back a bit. "But there's no way I'll keep my enemies any closer."

Raymond laughed. "It's always so fun to talk to you Naomi. I treasure our talks."

"Really?" I asked. "We don't really talk, it's more of a physical relationship, don't you think?"  

"But you should remember our little conversation back at that party, right?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I-" I caught myself "-I don't know what you're talking about."

Raymond blinked. "What?"

Parker was one thing, Raymond is another. He doesn't have to know I remember that night. He doesn't have to know his stupid drunk self that night. And I wouldn't feel guilty lying to him. I mean really. Who would? I know I should be jumping to the chance of making fun of him on the comebacks and jokes I made on him. And not only that, there's the part where he almost tried to...

Hit me in the face.

With his face.

Softly.

Because he was trying to kiss me.

I know that I should be confronting him on this. But he was drunk. And it's too awkward just remembering that ever happened. I think it'll be best just to forget that ever happened. Or at least pretend to.

"I really don't know what you're talking about," I said innocently. "What conversation? What party?"

He furrowed his eyebrows together. "You know the party? Daniel's party? Last Friday?" He offered pathetically.

I paused and thought about it for a moment, then my face lit up like I remembered. "Oh, the party! Yeah, I went there. What about it?"

"We were talking..."                                                                                  

I looked at him in disbelief. "Talking? Our talking usually consists of you threatening me, and me making fun of you."

He shrugged. "There was some of that."

"You threatened me?"

"No, you made fun of me."

I shooked my head, smiling. "I'll never change."

"So let me get this straight," Raymond said. "You don't know remember anything from that night?"

Yes, I do.

"No, I don't."

Once again, I thought he would frown that I didn't remember anything last night, like Parker did. But I was wrong. That's twice in a row, I'm losing my game. Instead he grinned at me, gave me a smug grin as if he got a Rolls Royce for his birthday. I know I would.

"So you don't remember the fact that you tried to kiss me?"

I did a double take as I looked at him in disbelief. How dare him! How dare he lie that I would actually kiss him! Who would ever want that? From him? I think I just threw up in my mouth.

"I did not!" I exclaimed in denial.

"Oh?" He mused. "How would you know?"

I scolded myself in the head.

"It's because I know I would never do something like that!" I said. "And I mean really, who would want to kiss you?"

"Well, who wouldn't?" Raymond asked, cockily. "If you want I could give you a whole list. There's-"

"I don't want a stupid list," I snapped.

"Jealous aren't you?" He said with a smirk.

"No, I'm not!" I exclaimed again. "And stop with the lying! I never tried to kiss you, and I know for certain you would never kiss me."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "And why would you think that?"

"For one thing, I'm already dating Parker. Why would I cheat on him for someone like the likes of you?"

He touched his chest as if there's something in it. "Oh, you've wound me Naomi."

"Where? It's not like you have anything pumping that disgusting black sludge through your veins."

"That's twice in a row."

"And we're too different," I said, turning his own words against him. "You've been bullying me for years, and I've been taking it. Why would you think I'd ever like you, or you would like me?"

"But Naomi, I know you've read enough books to realize what would happen in this sort of situation."

"And what is that?" I asked him.

Raymond leaned close to me and whispered. "A hate-hate relationship always turns around."

I turned my head away. "Well that's only in books and movies. This is real life if you haven't noticed."

"Then why did you try to kiss me?"

"I didn't try to kiss you!" I said in exasperation. "Just give up on that lie already! I already know that never happened! So just stop it!"

"What if I told you I have proof?" He challenged.

I snorted. "What? A recorder? A picture? A video? An eyewitness report? Go ahead and prove that I ever tried to kiss you."

"I don't have any of that," Raymond admitted. "But I got something better."

"And what's that?"

"Something to jog your memory."

Not this again. He began leaning towards me. But before he could have the chance, I pushed his face away, shoving him roughly backwards from me.

"Your breath still smells."

He blinked. "Still?"

I had enough of this.

"What's wrong with you?" I demanded. "Even sober you're still trying to kiss me?"

He said it again. "Still?"

"I mean sure, if you're trying to kiss me for evil reasons, then that would be alright- Not that I'd still want you to kiss me. Like if you have this poison in your mouth and wanted to share it with me, or have this pill to slip into my mouth to drug me. Then I'll get it. But the only poison you got is your breath, and that'll knock me out in one blow."

He didn't say anything because he was still processing the fact that I remembered that night.

"Wait, you remember that night?"

Exhibit A.

I shook my head. "You're hopeless."

"So what you're saying, is that you lied to me?"

I threw my arms up in exasperation. "Give the man a prize!"

"Don't think I'm letting you off so easily," he warned me. "You lied, Lorraine."

I snorted. "Look who's talking. You lied too."

His cheeks flushed as he sputtered, "Well you lied first. And I only said that because-"

"What reason can you possibly have to explain why you lied that I kissed you?"

He held out a finger to me, gesturing me to wait. "Just give me a second, I'm thinking."

"Well, take your time thinking, because we both know you don't do it often and it might take a while. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be going-"

Just when I was turning away, Raymond's arm blocked my way as he leaned it on the lockers. Now I'm forced to look at his bicep, which looks just as bicepy as ever. And yes, that's a word for Raymond, and maybe Declan too.

"Hey, I told you I'm not going to let you off so easily."

I turned to walk the other way, but his other bicep- arm, I meant arm, blocked my way. And now I'm trapped. I glared at Raymond who smirked back at me. I'm really starting to get sick of getting into this situation with him. So I did the obvious thing and yanked him forward by the shirt, taking him by surprise. And no, I didn't yank him forward and kissed him, that's gross and wrong in so many ways. I turned him around and pinned him to the lockers, holding up my arm under his neck.

The guy had the guts to smirk. "Well, this is new."

"I'm sick and tired of you Raymond. What's your deal with me?" I demanded.

He raised an eyebrow. "You want to know what's my deal?" He leaned close to me. I would have jerked backwards if one hand wasn't behind my neck while the other was around my waist, making me stay still. "My deal is to make your life a living hell," he whispered to me.

Suddenly someone pushed the both of us away from each other, making us stumble backwards. Raymond's back hit the lockers, while a protective arm wrapped around my shoulder.

"I'd appreciate if you don't try to kiss my girlfriend," Parker growled at him, his arm tightening around me, "because these lips are mine."

I would have blushed if I wasn't too busy looking at Parker in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

His frown turned upside down when he looked at me. "I couldn't just leave you like that, whether you wanted me to be there or not. I went back, but I couldn't find you anywhere-" then he looked at Raymond "-Good thing I did."

He smiled. "Parker, I'm glad you found us. I've been keeping your girlfriend here company. She looked so lonely and-"

"Don't give me that bull!" Parker told him.

"Aw c'mon, I know our little conversation wasn't going to last that long," he said, emphasizing on the word last. I glared at him for that.

"Just stay away from her," Parker threatened him.

He laughed. "That'll be hard Parker. We go to the same school, our parents are friends-"

"Then just do your best."

With a small tug on my hand, Parker pulled me away, having us walked down the hall. I glanced back at Raymond who leant against the lockers, looking satisfied for some reason. I hated it, I hated this, but most of all, I hated him. We turned the corner, his figure vanishing around the corner. I looked at Parker who was gripping my hand tightly now, wearing an angry look on his face.

"What did he do to you?" He demanded.

"Nothing," I lied.

"Don't lie to me, Naomi."

"Sometimes I hate how you know me so well."

He paused. "Really?"

"No, not really."

Parker hugged me tightly, burrowing his face in my hair. I welcomed it, hugging him back. "I'm just glad nothing happened to you," he whispered. "Damn, I can't believe I was ever friends with that guy."

"It's alright Parker."

"No, it's not alright," he said, letting me go. "What would happen if I wasn't there?" His hands gripped my shoulders tightly.

I shook my head. "Let's not think of that."

Parker suddenly opened the janitor's closet and pulled me inside. Okay, now was a time to be freaking out a bit.

"What are we doing in a janitor's closet?"

"I have enough of this," Parker told me. "All of this."

"Yeah, me too," I said, distracted. "What are we doing in a janitor's closet?"

"I know you keep telling me to ignore them. But I can't Naomi."

"It's alright," I reassured him before repeating. "What are we doing in a janitor's closet?"

He blinked, as if he was remembering where we are for a second.

"Privacy," he said simply.

"Oh, of course. Why didn't I think of it that first? Privacy," I repeated like it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Continue."

He dropped to the ground, sitting against the wall, his elbows leaning on his knees. He looked sad, defeated even. "I know that everyone doesn't believe in this, in us. They think it's a joke, a lie. But I don't care what they think. As long as I'm with you, nothing matters." He stared at the ground. "So many people ask me why I like you," Parker said. "Why I'm dating you. How I even noticed you in the first place."

I took a seat across from him, sitting crosslegged or criss cross applesauce, whichever works. I looked at him and smiled.

"Actually, I can't help but wonder the same thing."

Parker paused and looked at me. "You've always been Nerdy Naomi," he began.

This is it. This is from a popular kid's side to me. Not my side.

"The loner, the outcast, the nobody. But you were also the nerd, the target, the punching bag." His fists clenched together. "I can't believe I ever saw you like that."

"Parker..."

He shook his head and continued. "Either way they saw you, you can only do two things: ignore you or mess with you. Most would ignore you, its better that way. It's easy to anyway, you're invisible, they see nothing, you avoid them and they avoid you. Then there are the people who have nothing better to do, who're either bored or have a low self-esteem. They would make fun of you, make you think you're less than you are, pull pranks on you, beat you up, all just to make your life a living hell."

"And the thing is..." he took a breath. "I don't know why I did it, and I bet everyone doesn't know either. All we know is that you're not like us, and we have to let you know it. But why don't we like you? Is it really because you're a nerd, that you're smart, that you wear glasses? Is that really enough to bully you for all of these years? Really?" Parker looked at me. "Because I don't see a nerd, not anymore."

"Then what changed you then? What made you notice me?"

"There has always been a barrier between us, you and everyone else. No one would dare cross that line because they might stay there. I think that's the real fear everyone has. It's not you, it's us. That's the problem with bystanders watching bullying. They want to do something, but everyone looks out for themselves, and they don't want to be in your shoes, ever. But when that stupid website made that post, it was as if the walls came down. I mean, to some people you're still Nerdy Naomi, but no one would judge them if they're nice to you. I know, it doesn't make sense-"

"No, it does," I interrupted him. "After all this time, I always thought that something was wrong with me. But that isn't the case, isn't it? They're intimidated, but not by me, but what will happen to them. Like you."

He didn't even bother denying it. "Yeah, just like me. Before everything, I saw you like everyone else. Nerdy Naomi, either I'm annoyed by you or want to annoy you. I hated the fact you were in my calculus class. I always made fun of you, threw crumpled failed tests at you. But I knew for a fact that you're smart, everyone knew that. Maybe that's one of the reasons, they hate that you're smart, they hate that they know you'll go far while we're stuck flipping burgers or something. So we would take it out on you, even doing my homework. Oh, by the way, thanks for that essay you did for me back in junior year, I got an A."

I smiled at him. "No problem, it took me all night."

"That day I asked for you to tutor me, you remember that?"

I nodded.

"When I got that worksheet, I knew it was hopeless. I never pay attention to class, I would always joke around, sometimes sleep through it."

"Yeah, I know. Your snores sometimes interrupted the lessons."

Parker chuckled at that. "I needed to bring my grades up or else I couldn't stay on the team because of this rule to get at least a C and I would flunk 12th grade. It would seem lame asking the teacher for help and I didn't bother asking those idiots to help me, actually they were already making paper airplanes out of them. Then I saw you, answering that worksheet like it was second nature. I don't know what got me to do it, but I just came up to you and asked for your help, knowing that no one would care if I did, not anymore." He rested his forehead against mine. "I'm just happy those stupid walls came down. I just wish that they came down sooner."

I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Me too."

Parker's hand found my head and pulled me closer. But then the door opened up.

"Give me a break!" I exclaimed. "What can a girl do to kiss her boyfriend?"

Declan leaned against the door pane. "How am I supposed to know?"

"How did you find us?" I demanded.

He shrugged. "It's not every day you hear janitor closets whispering."

"Or about to make out," Jordan piped up.

I grumbled something under my breath.

"O'Neil, get up, we want to talk with you," Bennett told him.

It wasn't a request, it was an order. Parker knew that and automatically began to get up. But I grabbed Parker's hand, making him stop short.

I glared at them. "What are you doing? You can't actually go with them. Unless you have a death wish."

"Relax Naomi," Bennett assured me. "We only want to talk."

"Declan talks with his fists," I countered.

Everyone looked at him.

He shrugged. "Well, I'm not denying it."

"Naomi, we promise that we're not going to hurt him," Jordan said before saying under his breath, "no matter how much we want to."

"I heard that," Parker and I said in unison.

"Well see? Now you know we're being honest," Jordan said.

"I'm not letting you be alone with them. Three against one, those aren't fair odds."

"And how will three against two help?" Parker asked me.

"They can't hurt me."

Declan snorted. "Obviously."

"So it's still going to be three against one," Parker figured.

I paused and shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Naomi, don't worry, I can take care of myself."

I snorted. "No seriously."

He gave me the look saying, 'just trust me'.

I gave him the look saying, 'I don't trust you'.

Parker planted a soft kiss on my cheek and ruffled my hair, making he guys frown at that. "Go back to the nurse's office, Mrs. Matthews must be looking for you."

"But-"

-he was already walking away, following the guys down the hall. Parker glanced back at me, giving me a reassuring smile that wasn't reassuring me. The funny thing though, it that I can't believe he actually thought I would leave him with the guys. With that, I followed after them.

"I know you guys don't like me," Parker said.

"What gave that away?" Jordan said sarcastically.

No need to be that sarcastic, I thought dryly, hidden around the corner as they talked in the secluded west wing of the school.

"No need to be that sarcastic," Parker told him. "Now let me continue. I know you guys don't like me, but I know you like Naomi."

"No we don't!" They denied.

There was a long awkward silence.

I blinked. Wait, what?

Parker blinked. "Wait, what?"

"I-I mean not like that," Jordan explained.

"We like her, but not like how you like her," Declan told him.

"As a friend," Bennett said. "We like her as a friend."

Oh, of course.

"You don't have to like me. You don't ever have to like me. But if you really do care for Naomi, you should be happy for her."

"We want to be happy for her, just not with you," Bennett told him bluntly.

"We want to know what your deal is," Declan said. "Why are you dating Naomi? Are you going to hurt her? Are you just using her?"

"No, I'm not," Parker told them firmly. "I'm dating her because I like her. I'm not using her, I'm not going to hurt, and I'm not doing any of these things, not ever."

"Then how do we know you're telling the truth?" Jordan demanded.

"You don't."

They all narrowed his eyes at him.

"Someone like the likes of you couldn't possibly go for Naomi," Declan growled.

"You're one to talk," Parker said coldly. "Suddenly three popular bad boys became friends with someone who used to be the school nerd. A former bully falling for her is nothing compared to that."

There was no reply because it's true.

"I shouldn't trust you too. I shouldn't trust you as much as you don't trust me."

"Excuse me?" Jordan asked.

"How do I know that you don't have bad intentions with Naomi?" Parker asked them. "I care for Naomi, more than you guys are. You left her for Abby, Hannah and Candice. No one likes them! What kind of friends would still call themselves friends if they did that to her?"

Bennett clenched his fists. "Hey! You have no right to-"

"Yes I do!" Parker said. "I'm her boyfriend! I lo-"

"Don't you dare say it," Declan warned him.

"Or what?" He challenged.

"Or-or-"

"You'll threaten me, beat me up? You're no better than Naomi's bullies. You intimidate people, threaten them, beat them up. Bullies being best friends with a victim? How bad is that compared to a bulling dating a victim?"

Everything he's saying is right. I know this because they aren't denying it, they're not arguing it.

Parker smirked. "This little talk you wanted didn't go according to plan, am I right? You wanted to scare me out of dating Naomi, didn't you? But it didn't work."

"No, it didn't," Jordan grumbled, admitting it.

"You don't like me, I don't like you. You don't trust me, I don't trust you." Parker said. "The only difference is that I'm willing to play nice with you, just for Naomi. The question is: will you do the same?"

Without even waiting for an answer, he walked past them as they stood there, speechless. When Parker turned the corner, the guys walked the other way in silence. I hid behind the lockers so they wouldn't notice me, not as if they would. I heard the slam of end doors, telling me they left the west wing. I let out a sigh.

"Well that went well."

I whipped my head around and was staring face to face with Parker who was casually leaning against the lockers beside me. Before I could say something, make up some sort of excuse why I was there, he suddenly grabbed me by the waist. I stood there blinking as he kissed me hard. But before I could kiss him back, his lips slightly lingered there before letting go, having me want more.

"That doesn't count," he whispered to me.

I blinked. "What?"

"That kiss doesn't count. I owe you a better one," he told me. "I just really wanted to kiss you right now. But I promise you, I'll give you a kiss you'll never forget."

"Too late."

He kissed me again, but to my disappointment, it was only on the forehead. He noticed my disappointment and chuckled.

"You know about the game, don't you?"

"The football game coming up? Yeah, of course I know."

"I want you to be there, sweetheart" Parker said. "I want you to be there wearing my jacket to be my good luck charm."

I raised an eyebrow. "How am I good luck? I've been bullied for eleven years.

"Well, let me see," he mused, rubbing his chin. "You've done the impossible and tutored me, proved my innocence, and had me beat Bennett in a car chase with a Mercedes-Benz and a Maserati. If that isn't luck, I don't know what is."

"Well, you got a point there," I said. "But I'm going to need some of that luck in the future. You've had enough of this Lorraine luck."

"No-" he planted another kiss on my head "-I don't."

I originally wanted Parker to be the one instead of Raymond. But lots of readers kept on commenting it's him. So I got mad saying, "Damn, they know me so well" and changed it to Raymond. He hasn't been in the book a while, so I let him appear. Though there were a few of you who thought Domi was there, which took me by surprise. Yeah, it would be cool if that's him, but he can't just pop out of nowhere, I don't want my readers to have a heart attack or something. Also, I changed the actor of Parker. Though, I'm still a bit torn betwen Jean-Luc Bilodeau or Grant Gustin. Tell me what you think.

I was reading comments and saw this one from Anchoredlove on Chapter Seventeen: Can You Promise Me This?

"... Even though they did this twice, I don't know why I'm willing to forgive them. Maybe it's because I finally realized that even though it's an accomplishment surviving this long by myself, I can't take it any longer, I can't handle the weight of all of my bully by myself, I need help. I need them. Not only as my bodyguards, though they've done an awful job at that. But also as friends, somebody to be there when I need them the most. They may be terrible bodyguards, but good friends. And I think I need that more than anything else."

Anchoredlove said: "Well? If you're someone who has lost hope in something, and suddenly someone(in this case some people because there are 3 of them) who came up to you WILLINGLY offering to be your friend, your protector. At first you'll feel like... Is this real? But at the same time you start to unknowingly trust them, trust that they are going to protect you. Even when you warned them that they will get to you, they don't take it as seriously because they are not YOU. Sure, IMO I don't blame the boys because humans err and it's common for us not to be able to fully comprehend others when they tell us things, more often than not, bad things. We'll think, nah it couldn't be as bad. But truth is, we dk... Until it happens to us. So I get where she's coming from. And she has always been hurt. How would you feel if you're lost and all, and suddenly you've got hope and assurance. But that hope and assurance treat your words lightly? And that even with that hope and assurance you're still hurt the exact same way at the end of the day. :( I dk. I can understand where you're coming from, but to say Naomi is selfish is definitely way out of the box. :/ sorry for my incessant long rambling, but yeah... :/"

I'm just happy she said this. So I'm just giving her a shoutout for this great rant, I don't care how long it is, because it's true. Thank you for this Anchoredlove. I want to dedicate that chapter to you, chapter seventeen.

Oh! And I remember watching Criminal Minds, an awesome cop show (I love Doctor Spencer Reid, notice how I put in doctor, and shut up, no one else can have him). There was this girl who was getting kidnapped by this big guy. He got scared and tired, so put her on the ground. Then I started yelling on the screen, "Run away, he's fat! Run away, he's fat!" ( mean no offense to anyone, but that guy's a killer so he deserves it) She runs away, but the idiot was wearing high heels and she fell down. Then I yelled, "See! That's what you get! This is what happens when you wear high heels! You die!" 

And before I forget, I posted a new short story, "Origami" a fantasy short story with some poetry in it. Don't worry, it's already completed, it took me about an hour to write it. I hope you all have the time to give it a look. Thanks! It's a four day weekend and I'll be sure to start on the next chapter. Until then...

RubixCube89201