Dear Universe, ✔

7.

"Okay, it's been a month. Are you sure nothing is going on with you and Ian?" Fieldan joins me at my locker, just as I unlock it and start to get my books for class out. 

I quickly turn around and look over at Ian's locker, making sure that he wasn't there to overhear his step sister's question. 

"Relax, he's not there, I checked." 

"There's nothing going on between us. We're friends." I tell her for the hundredth time. 

It's been a month since Ian moved in with Fieldan, and a month since the day I ran in to him and started our friendship. Over the past month Ian and I have spent a lot of time together. When Fieldan is at cheer practice, I'm at her house with Ian or out grabbing dinner at the local dinner with Ian, or hitting the batting cages with Ian. 

It's safe to say that I now have two friends, and even though I sometimes miss having ten times that amount of friends, quality over quantity really rings true for me these days. 

People at school have gotten over how different Ian is and moved on to a new topic, I'm kind of glad for that because when Ian was getting attention, so was I by association. 

Also, I'm apparently a tired topic, because in the month that Ian has been here no one has spoken to him about my retirement from popularity or the accident that killed my brother. I swore Fieldan to secrecy, promising her that I would tell him when I'm ready. 

The more times I spend with Ian and the more I get to know him, I think he wouldn't be the type to treat me differently or pity me. I mean, look at the way he's been with the whole ordeal with my parents. He lets me vent and get my frustration out, but he doesn't feel sorry for me or pry - he just lets it be. 

Part of that is probably because I don't pry in to his personal matters, but I think that's also just the type of person he is. Ever since that night when I told him about my parents divorce and he told me about his mom, we haven't mentioned why we feel that either is our fault. We actually haven't even mentioned that night again, although the early morning cuddling never left my mind. 

I don't want to date Ian. I value his friendship way too much for that, and I'm not ready to go down that road again, but I will admit that he gets to me sometimes. Like when he's reading his comics and he gets that lost look in his eyes, like he's lost in whatever galaxy or universe he's reading about. Or when we're at the batting cages and he's wearing a shirt so tight I can see his muscles stretching the material as he swings the bat...

"Hey, Annie. Did you happen to read that chapter for English last night?" Speak of the devil. Ian appears behind me, his hair perfectly styled even though I know he just removed his helmet and should have horrible helmet hair right now. 

Last week Ian's dad bought him a motorcycle and he no longer needs a ride to or from school from either Fieldan or myself. 

"Are you serious? You think Annie read?" Fieldan teases, well aware of my distaste for reading.

I look at both of them, "There was a reading assignment?"

Ian rolls his eyes at me and looks hopefully at Fieldan. "Did you happen to read it?"

Now Fieldan rolls her eyes, "I did. C'mon, I'll give you a summary on our way to class." 

Fieldan and Ian aren't exactly friends, but they do talk more now - mostly when I'm around. Ian has even made a couple of friends since he started school here, none that he hangs out with outside of school, but at least he doesn't eat lunch alone like I do. That's another thing Ian doesn't know about me - he doesn't realize that he and Fieldan are the only people I talk to at school. We only have two classes together and I sit beside him in one and Drew in the other, so he doesn't really have the chance to notice how much of a loner I am.