"Okay, thanks for the ride, dad!" I thanked as I unfastened my seat belt.

"Hold on!" He stopped me when I tried to open the car's door.

"Yes?" I asked, urging to leave the car already. I saw Jackson arriving with his swinging school bag, only a bit ahead of us.

Well, he had to come this way if he wanted to come to school. Speaking of the devil, he seemed to notice us and kindly waved his hand, when he noticed me sitting there, stuck with my dad. But I wasn't embarrassed. Yet, at least.

Of course I waved back, but it seemed like I wasn't the only one doing that. My dad waved enthusiastically at him as well. Fortunately, Jackson only laughed at it since he was already used to my parents and their weird habits of trying to be teenagers again.

"Dad?" I asked and hoped he could continue his speech.

"Right. Remember not to use any violence, come home before twelve, and NO hugging and kissing with boys, am I clear enough?" He asked sternly and locked my eyes with his.

I nodded lightly and exited the car in a hurry. It would be embarrassing if the others would hear all this 'fatherly talk' he had memorized from books. Not that I didn't love my parents, I really did. But... Sometimes they just knew the exact way of how to make things super awkward.

"And one more thing..." Dad said and I turned around to hear what he was about to say before leaving. "Use protection!" He exclaimed loudly and pointed at me with squinted eyes.

Oh dear God. You just had to say it now? Out loud in front of everyone?

"Dad.. I think I'm old enough to know about these things, so.. No problem." I said as I smiled at him the best smile I could give him in this situation. Some people around us had heard my dad's nice reminder, and now they were laughing at me. Oh, well.. Who cares anyway?

"Okay, then. Have fun!" He said and hurriedly drove away, being flushed over the situation himself.

"Hey!" Jackson greeted as he tapped my left shoulder and diverted my attention away from those laughs.

"Hey!" I answered happily.

"So, you survived through your dad's car ride?" Jackson asked while still catching his breath after running over to me. I smiled at him since we hadn't seen in... In one day to be exact, but that's way too long. I waved quickly to my dad that left to work and let out an relieved sigh I had hold inside.

"At least some people took his advice well, I assume." I said as I looked towards the mass of people that were still laughing and pointing at me. What was so funny? I didn't see anything fun in that.

It was normal for parents to have those small talks and give some future advices, right? This place just wasn't the best of all options, but it worked. And also, it's a thing that concerns people of our age, we've been taught about it in school anyway.

Maybe even more people heard it and will now be more 'educated', which I seriously doubted. They didn't listen to teachers nor the principal either. Surely my dad was good at convincing people when needed, but not that good to change those punks and their bad habits.

Yep, one couple was smooching already, maybe even to show that they didn't care even for a bit. Morons, is all I can say.

"Don't worry, nerd. Lunch will be soon and this scene will be forgotten." Jackson said and put his hand around my shoulder.

"And guess what? I might forget it as well. And as a bonus, I also have a chance to see him again!" I squealed happily. Jackson's wide smile wore off and he darkened by the mention of this guy.

That always happened when I mentioned Mark, and I really didn't know why. Oh, right... He hated him. But I didn't! Or how could I know what I was feeling when I still couldn't figure out what really happened that night.

Slowly Jackson's hand left my shoulder and I didn't want to admit it, but it the lost of contact made me frown. His hand was warm and it made me feel better to know I was not alone in this boat. I had Jackson by my side, like always. He was my personal protector and company, the one that I could not survive this school without.

I hated fighting with him as I knew that he would never ask for forgiveness, he would wait for me to apologize even if he was the one that did wrong. That would also mean he'd leave me alone and I could even accidentally bump to Jia or worse, Mark.

We walked towards to our favorite table and sat down. Jackson started to search something from his backpack and soon, he pulled out a lunch box.

"What are you doing?" I asked in amused tone. He usually thought through his stomach, so this didn't surprise me even for a bit.

"Classes haven't started yet, so I'm going to eat!" He exclaimed happily.

"Lunch hasn't started either." I pointed out, but he just rolled his eyes.

All of a sudden, I smelled something so alluring that I was almost knocked out. My nose told me it came from Jackson's lunch box. The mysterious scent made me go crazy, I wanted to eat that thing that smelled so damn heavenly immediately, without even biting it first.

I had no idea what it was, but I knew I had to have it. I slammed my hand on the table loudly, but no one around here cared if you did so. They wouldn't even turn heads to your direction, which I considered as a good thing. Jackson looked at me and raised one of his brows questioningly.

"Give me whatever your eating!" I commanded. Gawd, since when did I become so aggressive?

Jackson seemed to be surprised as well. "Are you sure?" He asked, but started to move his lunch box slowly towards my direction. I nodded repeatedly and he couldn't stop making that weird face. I finally lost my nerves and took his lunchbox to see what exactly was there, what was the thing made that addictive scent.

I couldn't help but to copy Jackson's face when I finally saw what it was. It was broccoli, the thing I hated the most in this world. But it smelled so awfully good... I sighed as I started to munch it in dissatisfaction.

Surprisingly, it tasted so much better than I had imagined. I was one of those picky eaters, but I indeed had tasted every vegetable when I was young, so I did clearly know what I liked or what I didn't like.

At least before this day, this was just simply astounding discovery. I, Lee Jieun, actually liked broccoli. I felt like I couldn't live without it even though I seriously hated it. Jackson just kept eating his own share while still staring at me suspiciously.

Suddenly, we heard a small scream that came ahead of us. It was a girl that had fell down, and that was not by an accident. Unless you count pushing as an accident, then sure, it was one in that case. Who did it? Well, no other than the great Meng Jia, the girlfriend of the great Mark Tuan.

Who was Jia to do that? How should I put this... She was the school's most ferocious hormone queen. I mean it, jealousy was her thing. Look at Mark, she'll glare you till you disappear. Talk to him behind her back, you'll be threatened to leave the school. And... Bump to him and get into a public fight with her. Yes, that was happening right now.

Mark was hovering in the background as always, trying to figure out how to stop his girlfriend of doing this again.

"No one.... I repeat, NO ONE touches my Mark!" Jia said loudly. She looked really vicious and I wondered if she could join the school's drama club so we could win some competitions someday.

I was part of that club, but I wasn't any shining jewel between others, I like everyone else did. That's why we never won in the competitions against other schools. But, if we'd have Jia... We would definitely win. To motivate her, the one she should be haunting in her evil role would have to only touch Mark and the hell would be loose.

Mark was still glancing around for help, when his eyes stopped in me. Oh dear god, please don't do this to me, please don't!

"Hey Jieun!" He yelled and immediately everyone witnessing the scene, including Jia, silenced. My hands froze, leaving a broccoli hanging half-way out of my mouth. Where was this nerd he was talking to? Oh right here! Everyone look at me, I might have slept with Mark Tuan!

Jackson's mouth hang open as he stared at me, unable to realize why in the world would the Mark of my fantasies call my name in reality. I gulped loudly and looked back at him with my eyes that were pleading for his help. He just shrugged since he didn't know what was going on either. I knew I had to get up and go to him before rumors started go around again, making my death double checked.

At least I got everyone's attention, but I really wanted to avoid being in Jia's black list that had me now marked on the top of the list. Final crime: make Mark speak to you and Jia will rip you to pieces.

Who wouldn't want that? ..... Me.

I have struggled with this chapter!!! >.< I had some weird writer's block going on, but I finally got through it~ Please comment your thoughts to me & please subscribe if you haven't already! ^^