"Wendy, would you please complete this question?" the teacher asked, handing me a red marker. I sighed but obeyed. The question was pretty easy and I completed it in a matter of seconds.

"Correct," the teacher said, impressed. I nodded and went back to my seat. I wondered when the day would ever end...

-----

School was over for the day and to say, my mind wasn't completely empty. It was thinking, analyzing over what Mike had told me. I wished my mind would stop but I had little self-control.

Mike had caught up to me then when I started walking out the entrance.

"What's up?" I asked, surprised to see him walking beside me.

"Do you want to visit Jacky?" He smiled happily at me.

"They let him go?"

"Yep." Mike gave a thumbs up. I grinned, happy that today wasn't going to be so bad.

Before we left school property, I noticed a crowd of older boys lurking around Lena. Lena was oblivious to their presence of course but there was something suspicious about them, like they had something to do with her.

"Who are those boys?" Mike was well-known in the school. Probably best to ask him.

"I have no clue." Mike started staring at them, worried. "I've never met them before."

This had me worried also, then I decided, "can Lena come over to meet Jacky too?" Mike smiled and said sure. "I forgot to invite her." He blushed, ashamed.

I ran over to her quickly. The tough, older boys were approaching her. Slowly of course.

"Lena!" I called. The group of boys frowned, and quickly walked away, trying to look casual and blend in. Obviously, that wasn't working.

"Want to come over and visit Jacky?" Lena grinned. "Sure!"

I ran to Mike, quickly whispered-asked, "can we tell her?"

Mike hissed back, "she already knows." I was astonished at the reply, wondering why she was acting clueless before. But then again, Mike probably told her in another class.

----

We arrived at Mike's house. His house looked fairly nice. He lived in one of those quaint neighbourhoods with tall iron fences and lion statues. To my surprise, Jacky was sitting outside, under a tree, taking a nap. He hadn't changed from the shirt I last seen him in and he looked like he needed a bath.

"Jacky?" Lena leaned in close to him, shaking his shoulders to wake him up.

"Hmmm..?" he mumbled, twisting in his sleep.

"Lena? I think it's best if you just let him sleep. It's been rough for him, so I think he needs some shut eye." Lena nodded, understanding.

"I'll carry him in on a proper bed." Mike picked him up effortlessly and carried him into the house. He climbed the complicated, hard-wood, spiral stairs and collapsed Jacky into the guest room.

"Man. I think he lost weight," Mike commented, concerned. "I'll remember to tell my mom to add extra meat in his bowl."

I smiled. "You've known Jacky for a long time right?" Mike smiled and nodded.

"Ever since preschool," Lena added.

We decided to hang out while Jacky slept. Mike pulled out his Nintendo Wii and we connected it to the TV set. We were then immediately swinging the controllers around, playing tennis.

"Hah! I win-- again!" Mike whooped and hollered.

"You could've tried being quiet while waiting for someone to wake up." Jacky appeared at the bottom of the stairs, rubbing his eyes. He looked better now.

"I think it's best if you take a shower and put on some new clothes." I giggled silently.

"Whatever." He frowned at me and did the exact opposite. He stole my Wii controller and started playing.

------
"It's been hours!" Lena cried, exasperated, watching Jacky sit intently in front of the flat screen, his arms and hands moving frantically.

"Jacky's been through rough. We should just let him do what he wants," Mike replied.

"This isn't going to work!" Lena exclaimed once more. After watching him for a few more minutes, Lena's cell phone rang and she answered, mostly with 'mhmms' and 'alrights'. 

"I have to go." She closed her phone turning to us. "I need to help my parents with their gardening." Lena rolled her eyes, tucking her cell phone into her Lacoste purse.

"Don't you hire people to go that for you?" It was hard being friends with rich families but I guess it didn't really matter. Lena winked and smiled at me before leaving the kitchen.

After Lena left and kissed Jacky good bye-- even though he didn't care or notice--, I decided to get Jacky off the game console.

"You need some fresh air!" I started dragging home away from the Wii, even though his hand still held the controller.

"Watch it! You're gonna wreck the Wii!" Jacky shouted.

"Well, Mike can buy a new one!" I argued. "Sorry," I whispered to Mike. He shrugged, snacking on some rice crackers.

"Fine! Just let go of me!" I let him go and Jacky ran back upstairs, slamming the door of his room all before I could chase him.

"Damn it. He got loose." I sighed, tired enough as it is.

"Can you watch Jacky for me?" Mike asked. He had a bag over his shoulder.

"I need to deliver some dinner to my older brother. He's staying late." I nodded and watched Mike as he got into a black BMW. The car slowly drove off. I decided to get Jacky some food considering the fact that he probably didn't eat anything at all since yesterday. I found some seaweed, rice, and sausages and decided to make him a homemade sushi roll.

------

I knocked on his door, calling, "I have some food for you." With no answer, I decided to leave the food tray at his door, careful not to spill the orange juice. I walked away but quickly turned back when I heard the door open.

"Thanks," Jacky grumbled. He quickly devoured the sushi roll in seconds, and chugged the orange juice along with it.

"Want to make me more?" he asked. I thought I just saw him blush but instead I smiled and went right down to the kitchen. Surprisingly, Jacky was following me.

"And could you teach me? I don't want to be a lazy- and be pampered around Mike's place." I was glad that he was slowly reviving. He had his attitudes and mood swings but he still cared underneath it all.

I borrowed an apron from the pantry and showed him the ingredients. I gave him a step-by-step tutorial in making them. His first one wasn't the best but there was improvement in his second one.

"You look so cute in an apron." Jacky appeared behind me and I froze on the spot, turning red-hot.

"Thanks," I mumbled incoherently.

Before his hands even touched me, Mike arrived home.

"Heeeeyy guys!" he shouted loudly. Too bad Mike didn't arrive a while later.

Blah blah blah... Wow, I'm already on my eighth chapter!