The bell rang. In instant, the empty hallways and outdoor courtyard of Washington Heights is filled with students. There is chattering and laughter all around. Students go to their lockers and enjoy the sunshine after being locked in classrooms all morning. Third period just ended, which meant the best part of the day, for majority of students, was about to begin. Lunch. It was the time of day that you could surround yourself with all your friends. The group of people who “understood” you. The popular girls, who use lunch as a way to bitch and moan how fat they look in their jeans and are comforted by their girlfriends saying “Omg, no you look hot!” Or the jocks, who spend more time goofing off and shoving food in their face to have any intellectual conversations. Or the nerds who work on their homework together and discuss the latest findings from their experiments. Everyone had their group.

Everyone, but Ava.

Ava Goldbaum didn’t have a clique. In fact, she didn’t have anyone. She was alone and did not have the courage to change that. Growing up, Ava has always been quiet and shy, which resulted in not acquiring many friends as a child, and her parents deciding to home-school her. Ava was so happy when she was finally able to just stay home and be comfortable while learning. Her mom was a great teacher and Ava got to do many of things she loved that she didn’t get to do too often in school. And the biggest thing was painting. Ava has been painting ever since she was old enough to hold a brush, which was the young age of 2. She has always been fascinated by colors and how they mix and go together. Her work tends to be very abstract.

Ava thought nothing could go wrong. That all changed when Ava was 13 years old and her parents got divorced. Ava was surprisingly not affected too much by the divorce, but her world was turned upside down when she realized it meant she would be going back to public school. Her whole world shattered that day. How could she possibly enter back into that world? Her social skills were non-existent. She didn’t even know how to begin to make friends. So when she started her freshman year, Ava did her best to just be as invisible as possible. And up to this point, she has been successful.

Ava is a senior and the knowledge that she would be graduating at the end of the year has taken some of the burden away. It didn’t change her behavior or make actually getting up and going to school any easier. She could manage though, just marking down the days in her notebook until graduation. She had no plans of what she was going to do after graduation; she had considered applying to art schools, but that meant more time spent around strangers and trying to interact with them. The mere thought made Ava nauseous.

She just finished her chemistry class and was heading to her locker to grab her lunch. She was struggling to keep the massive pile of books in her arms from falling. Her petite frame and scrawny arms made the task of carrying the heavy textbooks even more difficult. As she turned the corner, she felt someone ram into her shoulder, causing her to fly backwards and drop all her books, papers scattering everywhere. She glanced up and saw a pretty blonde girl with big boobs just continuing to walk down the hallway, acting as if she didn’t even see Ava, which is definitely a possibility. Being invisible is something Ava has mastered.

Letting out a small sigh, and pushing her glasses back up her nose since they have been slipping off, Ava knelt down on the ground and started to gather her belongings. 152 more days Ava thought to herself. She would survive… or so she hoped.

It had been almost a month since the start of the senior year for our two lovely students. Everyone had fallen into routine including Adam Hastings, te school's bad boy with the mysterious aura and pretty face. And he sure puts both to use all the time. Adam's favorite part of the day was when it was over, but his close second favorite is lunch time. Despite the fact that Adam didn't find himself along his clique, he sure as hell had fun being aroun them.

Or at least the petty distractions helped.

Growing up Adam had been active, outgoing, and blunt. He grew up to be more or less the same, but more harsh-- More controversial. He liked it that way though; No one messed with him that way, and it was all he ever wanted-- The no drama helped him heal and grow out of what once hurt him deeply. He knew people still talked about him , but Adam was relieved he had managed to pretend that it never bothered him-- That he so naively wasn't aware he was the town's gossip often.

If only the subject just died out.

Adam couldn't wait to get out of school and move away, far away to become the new man he knew was in him and dying to come out.

He sighed and ran a hand through his dirty blond hair, tugging on it a little. A bad habit. He kept walking through the busy hallways, dying to smell fresh air once again and soak into the warm sun.

As he turned a corner, he noticed Tanya bump into a significantly smaller, fragile girl. He narrowed his eyes as she simply left the girl to pick up her stuff alone. He had always hated Tanya although she was typically considered the female version of Adam without the suspensions and rumors about her past.

He didn't know what came over him as he made his way to the smaller girl and kneeled down from his six foot height. His eyes, the perfect shade of blue and green, caught the female's.

He gave her his award winning side grin.

"She is a bitch, isn't she?" He asked as he picked up the rest of her belongings.

Ava may not be one to start a conversation with someone, or have the ability to build a friendship, but one thing Ava is good at is observing. And being invisible made it pretty easy. People watching was something she always found fascinating. It was her way of being part of the real world without having to interact. Watching a person’s behavior can sometimes tell you a lot more about a person than how they talk to you. Ava likes to translate people’s movements and behavior into her paintings. All of her classmates were completely unaware that they are her secret muses.

She knows majority of the people in her class by name and appearance, though she can guarantee there isn’t anyone who knows hers. Did she wish she was sometimes braver and could talk to someone? Of course. Especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Being a people watcher, Ava is constantly witness to couples and their PDA. As long as they weren’t groping and making-out, Ava found it all sweet and tender. She loved watching a couple hold hands, or steal a kiss when they thought no one was looking. Ava desired that. But she was aware that it may never happen for her. She has never been kissed… or even held a boy’s hand.

At the moment, Ava was still working to gather her things. She noticed a couple of her sketches from art class fell from their folder and Ava made them her first priority. She didn’t care about her text books as much. While Ava loved painting, she has been trying to develop her pencil and ink work more. And the best way of practicing that for her was comics. She tried to replicate all that comic book and anime characters she enjoyed reading. And she even tried dabbling in creating her own.

As she reached over to grab one of her sketches, a hand came out of nowhere and took it before she could. This movement made her jump slightly, and she looked up and made eye contact with Adam Hastings. Of course she knew who Adam was. You can’t be one of the most popular kids in school, with the most colorful reputation, and not be known by everyone. Ava knew this boy had a history; she sort of remembers something about a family member dying, but she doesn’t know the details.

Ava felt very nervous once she realized Adam was speaking to her and actually helping her. This wasn’t exactly the first time Ava has been in a situation like this, but this was a first time anyone has ever come to her aid. She was flustered and frozen.

"She is a bitch, isn't she?"

Ava felt her throat closing up. Say something! Anything! Don’t be a freak Her mind was going a mile a minute, but her brain still couldn’t process how to form words. She just nodded her head and gave him a weak smile. With shaking hands, she reached over and took her sketches and text books from Adam, wanting to be out of this situation as quick as possible. She stood up and looked around, before looking at Adam again.

“Thanks” she squeaked out, her voice barely louder than a mouse.

As Adam continued to stare at the girl kneeling in front of him, slowly becoming conscious of his choice of actions. He took in a sharp breath as her blue eyes came in contact with hers. The grin slowly fell off; His face turning the blank canvas: Relaxed yet firm.

He stood up as the girl took her things from him. Adam noticed the sketch. He became curious, but he didn't let his facade drop. He had already helped her enough no need to grow warmer or closer to the female.

For some reason, Adam had a nervous knot growing in his stomach as he continued to stare at the girl. Did he really approach her due to his hate for Tanya? Or because he felt sorry for the female?

Or was it something else entirely.

He chuckled at the girl's nervous reaction; Even her smile was obviously nerve wrecked. He shook his head as she spoke out next.

"Don't let her push you around, him?" He requested gently.

Again, he was surprised by his own actions. Although Adam was one of the popular kids, he wasn't a bully. But he never showed care or interest in anyone at school, including the people of his own clique. In a way, he felt a need to protect the smaller female as she struggled to keep herself up, her frail arms wrapped tightly around her books.

As she squeaked out a thank you, he chuckled again and shook his head. "Damm." He mumbled under her breath.

"I am Adam." He introduced, offering her his hand.

His demeanor suddenly changed into plain, serious, and firm from the more relaxed even smirking expression he had on. He guessed she knew who he was. Of course that was the only reason she was that nervous.

Scared perhaps? He mentally rolled his eyes.

One more allegation.

"You are?" He asked, but it sounded more like a demand.

Ava felt her hands getting clammy the longer she stood there. This was probably the longest interaction she has had with a fellow student, who wasn’t like a partner on a project, her entire life. Group projects are the worst things ever for Ava. She always kept quiet and prayed someone else took the lead and would give her a task and let her go complete it on her own. If the project included any sort of presentation, and Ava had to participate in it, her anxiety went through the roof.

But this interaction is different. There is no project. This is just two people talking. She heard Adam say to not let Tanya push her around. Ava shrugged, unsure of what to say. Ava wasn’t necessarily teased or picked on. There wasn’t one specific student whose mission it was to make Ava’s life miserable. It was just the nature of her life. When you are invisible to people, you become less human. To Tanya, bumping into Ava was the equivalent to bumping into a wall. It was in your way and it was meaningless.

Ava was shocked when Adam introduced himself for two reasons. Reason number one being, he is so popular, shouldn’t he just assume everyone know’s him name, which in this case Ava did. And reason number two was, him saying his name meant he wanted to keep this conversation going. Ava was flabbergasted. Why did he still want to talk to her? Why didn’t he just leave after picking up her books, but I guess the better question is, why did he even help her in the first place? And why couldn’t Ava just be normal for once and not act like a deer in headlights.

When Adam asked who she was, Ava panicked. She honestly briefly forgot her name. How embarrassing is that. Taking a deep mental breath in, and a smaller real one, she muttered out “I am Ava.”

What now? Did they keep talking? Should she just walk away? Wasn’t Adam hungry and want to go to lunch? Ava stood there, continuing to struggle keep her books in her arms, while also pushing her glasses up her nose again.

“Umm… I am going to go to my locker.” Ava bravely muttered. She needed to be out of this situation. It would only lead to more embarrassment. So she started to awkwardly step around Adam, since his tall, muscular frame was blocking her tiny one. She wasn’t sure what Adam would do next, but she assumed it was just continue one with his day.