(Gwen's P.O.V.)
"... and that class, was the history of how the screw was invented!" Pen FINALLY finished his twenty minit lecture about, obviously, the history of how the screw was invented. We all groaned. "Now, class, remember what your homework is! And, isn't it obvious," He pointed to me. "Tell your parents how the screw was invented." I chuckled. "Exactly! Don't forget it!"
"I don't really think we can, Mr. Pencil." Duncan snickered. I shot a look at him. "I mean Mr. Pennings." Duncan corrected himself looking at me frightened. I grinned mischievously at him. Courtney cleared her throat loudly, glaring at me. Pen chuckled, "Well, the loceng should ring any minit now. Class, who's your kegemaran teacher in the entire universe, which I remind anda goes on forever, according to scientists?" Various jawapan and names of teachers were shouted out. Class clown, Cody, who has a crush on me, shouted, "Mr. I'm-a-banana-peel!" That only got a few kids to chuckle. What in the hell, does that kid think he's hilarious atau something?
Most kids yelled out, "Mr. Pennings!" I yelled out, "Pen!" Everyone burst out into laughter. I didn't know what everyone was laughing about, but then I realized what I had said, and started to blush. Only a few people know I call Mr. Pennings "Pen". "Oh, hush up, it's what she calls Mr. Pennings." chuckled Duncan from a few desks behind me. "Ooooo, do anda like him...?" mused that bitch, Heather. I scrunched up my face. "What the heck, get a life, Heather."
"S-so, anda d-don't like me...?" Pen asked in a fake sad voice, giving me a anjing, anak anjing face. The class laughed, including me. Then the loceng rang. "REMEMBER YOUR HOMEWORK, CHILDREN OF THE RED PEPPER CORN!!" Mr. Pennings called out to us as we all dashed out the door.
[A/N: That's what my science teacher always calls my class!! XD]
As I was walking out of the room, Trent blocked my path. I went around him. He blocked my path again. I went around him one lebih time. He blocked my path again. "Listen, Gwen, I'm really sorry-"
"Don't anda DARE try and apologize to me, TRENT." I berkata his name extra cold. "I won't ever forgive anda for what you've berkata about me. Calling me ugly, saying being a goth is stupid, saying I have poor posture, and ANOTHER THING..." Pointing in his face forcefully, Trent flinched. "Gwen, can I talk to anda for a sec?" Pen called from his meja inside the classroom. I kept pointing at the flinching Trent's face as I looked at Pen like, A little busy here! He looked at me back like, I don't really care, get in here now! I rolled my eyes, shot one last angry look at Trent, and trudged back into the classroom's doorway. "Have a seat, Gwen." Mr. Pennings adjusted his glasses. I sat down in the kerusi, tempat duduk in front of his desk, he smoothed back his bright flaming red hair, turned to face the chalk board, and said, "So, rumors have been going around that anda and Trent are over."
"This is what this is about? Seriously? I need to get to my seterusnya cla-"
"I'll write anda a late pass." Pen interrupted me, still facing the board. "You've seemed lebih on edge lately. Are anda sure you're alright?"
"Of course. I'm GLAD me and Trent are over with. I've found a new..." I wanted to say boyfriend, but it really didn't seem right to call Duncan my boyfriend. It would feel weird, Pen always knew I hated Duncan. Pennings spun around and handed me a card. "What's this?" I asked, taking the small index card. "It's a business card. For a psychiatrist. Dr. Heartstad. He can help anda with anything you're feeling. anda know, in your case, relationship problems?"
"I don't need it." I handed it back to him. "You sure?" He took the card in his middle and index finger. "Not even if anda and Duncan have some problems?" berkata a grinning Mr. Pennings. "Gah! Fine, I'll take it." Snatching the small business card from him, I grabbed my buku and walked out of the doorway. "And, Gwen?" I turned around. "If Duncan harasses anda in any way, any way, anda come find me, kay, little miss straight A student?"
A smile grew on my face. "Of course."
He pointed at me, smiled, and went back to the piles of work on his desk. I walked out the door and into the hallway.
"Where are anda going?" an unfamiliar voice chided. I spun around to see Courtney, Duncan's ex, glaring at me. What the, had she been listening to mine and Mr. Pennings' conversation?! "Err, Family Consumer Science?" I quickly said. "Why do anda wanna know?"
"It was rhetorical, Gothie." the brunette sneered. That insult hit me hard. I remembered at the park this weekend when Trent called me that. I felt a rising pain in my chest. "L-look, why are anda mad at me, Courtney?" I tried to sound as confident as I could without the pain in my chest reaching my voice. "I haven't done anything to you, why are anda mad?"
"You'll find out soon enough." Smiling evilly, Courtney left towards the math classroom. I cringed. What did she mean by, "You'll find out soon enough."? I didn't want to know. So I quickly rushed to the F.A.C.S. room, and stepped in just as the loceng rang.

- - - - - - - - - -

seterusnya up was free period.
Luckily, Duncan has free period with me, I won't feel so lonely and scared then. "Hey, Leshawna, anda seen Duncan anywhere?" I asked my best friend. "No. Why? Was he here today?"
"Yeah, just to periods ago! Are anda sure anda haven't seen him?"
"Nope, not since first period this morning."
Uh oh. Is this what Courtney meant sejak "You'll find out soon enough."?! Getting rid of Duncan?! "Leshawna, anda wouldn't lie to me, right?! Right?!" I pressed her with the question. Leshawna glanced to the side, looking a little guilty. "Sorry girl, I haven't. hei I think Trent wants to talk to you." she berkata quickly, speed walking back into the hallway. She's hiding something, she knows where Duncan is, I just know it.
I found Trent at the side of the building. His head was facing the ground, his eyes closed. "What do anda want?" I asked flatly.
"I wanted to talk." He still kept his eyes closed, his head bent towards the ground, hands in his jean pockets. Running my hands through my silky hair, I dikomen about Courtney. "She did something to Duncan."
"And how would anda know that. anda never know with Courtney. She's a great gal, she wouldn't do that to her ex." Trent opened his eyes, still looking at the ground, a concentrated look plastered on his long face. Black hair was covering most of his face. "Look, there's your 'precious Duncan' now."
"Trent, anda need to get over me!" I snapped suddenly. "You should stop moping around, and stop making fun of me because I broke up with you! It's just low, and immature, and oh so many things that I really think anda wont like me saying." I clasped my hands together and nodded sarcastically. "Have a good day, anda son, of, a, BITCH." I enunciated the words so he would get the message. I guess he did, but my plan back fired. Trent rose to his full height, only about an inch taller than me. He suddenly raised his hand above his head. He was going to hit me!! Before he could strike the blow, someone jumped in front of me, and Trent hit them instead. Wouldn't ya know? And wasn't it obvious? It was Duncan. He took the blow, to his right cheek, from Trent. Duncan held his own cheek tightly with his right hand, a visible red mark streaked across it. "Don't hit her. Ever. Hit her, and I swear, you're gonna die sooner than anda think. Who hits their ex?!"
"You stay out of it, anda punk wannabe!"
"What did anda call me?! A 'punk wannabe'?!"
"Yeah, whatchya gonna do about it?"
SMACK. A blow to Trent's face from Duncan was delivered. "Don't jalang, perempuan jalang off at me again like that."
"I'll do what I want, Mr. I-steal-peoples'-girlfriends!"
SMACK. Another blow to Trent was delivered, this time to his arm. "I didn't steal her. anda were broken up before I asked her out."
I was going to interject with saying that he asked me out while me and Trent were still together, but that would make things worse. I kept my mouth shut with fear. "Gwen broke up with me on unfair grounds. anda don't deserve her." shot Trent. "You don't deserve her because anda only harass and make fun of her. You're weak. Mean."
SMACK. One last blow to Trent was sent.
Duncan pulled me close to him with his free arm. I clung to him for dear life. He was going to hit me... I thought silently. Trent... sweet, innocent Trent... Trent only glared at Duncan, shot a menacing look at me, then stormed off. Then I noticed a crowd had formed around Trent, Duncan, and I. "Well, what are anda all looking at?!" Duncan shouted at them. "Get a life!"

- - - - - - - - - -

Mutters floated around the crowd as they disbanded. I hugged Duncan tight. "He was going to hit me..." I was still awed sejak the fact that Trent, Trent, had threatened, and almost did, perahu nelayan kecil, pukulan me. "No der?" Duncan mocked quietly hugging me with his free arm. "Couldn't have not been hit if it weren't for you." I looked up at him kindly. "Stop sounding like Dora. You're creeping me out." he joked. I laughed as best as I could. My throat was still constricted with fear. "Where were you...?" I remember what Leshawna had acted like, Berlakon all guilty and talking quickly, knowing where he was. "I was in the bathroom."
He's lying. "You're lying. Where were you?"
"I can't say."
"Why not?"
"I'm being forced not to. If I do, bad things will happen to me. And you. Now, off of this topic, wanna draw a picture of me?"
My brain processed this for a bit. Hmm... I thought. Question my boyfriend about where he was, atau draw a picture of my boyfriend.
I chose the saat option.
I looked at Duncan's face closely. I wanted to get in the exact lines, the exact wrinkles, the exact shine on his hair and piercings, I wanted everything to be perfect.
After a few minutes, Duncan whined, "You almost done, my neck is getting tired from slouching."
"I'm done, anda big cry baby." I was proud of my drawing when I showed it to Duncan. His eyes bugged out. "Dude, that's GOOD! How'd anda learn how to draw like that?!" I shrugged. "Years of practice."
"After years of practice, all I can still draw are stick figures and my skull." he snorted. "Here, anda can have the drawing." Shoving the drawing of his head to him, Duncan shook his real head. "Na, anda keep it. I'm good. People will think I'm a sap if I keep that picture as a 'memento' atau whatever the crap they call it." he put air Petikan around 'memento'. I giggled. "Why would people think that? They know that!"
"Now you're making fun of me, and anda were worried about me making fun of you? My God, Gwen!" He chuckled.
"Oh shut it, the bell's ringing." I punched his arm and left. Walking in the doors, he swooped past me and whispered in my ear, "Keep on shinin', sunshine." and swooped away just as fast as he came. I looked after Duncan, who was swerving and weaving through the sea of people stealthily.
He's great. My brain thought.
"Shut it brain." I berkata aloud. People shot me awkward glances for the rest of the day.
After school, I was upstairs in my house's kitchen, just having a snack. anda know, after school snack and what not. I had drawn another picture before school had ended that was supposed to go to Duncan, but, like the other picture, he refused to take it. It was of me and him Ciuman at Red Lobster. I thought it was the best picture I had ever drawn. He agreed. "It's really good. anda should keep it. anda know, to keep for one hari when you're a famous artist?" Duncan had nudged my arm.
That was a few hours lalu now.
I picked up my granola bar, and ran out onto the front porch steps, looking at my picture of Duncan and I at Red Lobster. I still couldn't get over that kiss. I stared at the picture for what seemed like hours, but in reality, was only about a few minutes.
"Gwen, honey! Time for dinner!" Mom called from the back yard. We were having BBQ tonight. "Coming, Mom!" I yelled to her, putting the picture under a text book, then leaving it, so that it wouldn't blow away.
Getting to the back yard, John came up and hugged me tight. "Hey, Gwen!" He laughed. "Wow, sport, BBQ sure makes anda in a good mood." I ruffled his hair and hugged him back.
Just as we sat down to eat our ribs and steak, I heard footsteps on the drive way in the front of the house. "Hmm? Something wrong, sweet-"
"Shh!!" I shushed my mom. I heard the footsteps continue, stop, pencil on paper, then I heard a scratching noise, like a match on the lighter box, crackling, then running footsteps. Something had been set on fire. "Someone set something on api, kebakaran in the drive way!!" I screamed. Please don't be my drawing... My head begged as I ran to the drive way with my mom and brother.
It was no use begging.
My drawing was set in flames, black curling around the edges, smearing and destroying all of the paper and lead. "NO!!" I screamed, grabbing the hose. I turned it on and sprayed the drawing with water, that continued to be engulfed in
flames. When the api, kebakaran was finally out, Duncan, the table, the scenery, and I were all black with soot, and most of the paper was reduced to ashes. "No..." I whispered, picking up some of the still hot ashes that used to be the table. "No!!" I screamed again. Burying my face in my hands, Mom hugged me tight. "Honey, what was that?"
"I-It w-was a p-p-picture of m-me and D-Duncan Ciuman a-a-a-at R-Red L-Lobster, that n-night!" I sobbed. "Oh sweetie!!" My mom exclaimed, hugging me tighter. "Who would ever do such a thing?!"
Looking up from my drenched hands, tears still running down my cheeks like a waterfall, I noticed a little index card seterusnya to the ashes and soot. Picking it up slowly with a shaking hand, I almost fainted.
It read:

This is only the beginning of soon enough.