Jessie, Shelby and I are going to Central Park to work on our project, I will be back in time for dinner

Nice of you to ask...fine but your phone is mine as soon as you get home. You can have it for school only

He could practically feel her bite within the minimal words.

I understand

"Oh, my gosh!" Shelby was in awe of the beauty of the park (which Ravi didn't regard as 'beauty' but he supposed it was a matter of opinion). "This is so pretty? Do you come here a lot? I think I would if I lived close enough. I'd come by everyday. Do you have any friends here? Do you have a man that feeds squirrels? Back home, we had a guy who did that. He was so sweet; he's my grandpa's age. I talked to him everyday. He was a soldier in world war two, isn't that cool? He didn't really have any family so he used to come over to our house for Thanksgiving and Christmas and told my brother and I the coolest stories. I'm kinda sad he couldn't come with us. I tried asking mom and dad but Mr. Earnest said he was too old to move. That's okay, though. I asked Caleb and his family if they would let Mr. Earnest come over for the holiday's and they said yes! Emily and Isabella's family said he could come to their house, too. Isn't that neat? I'd hate for him to be all alone, you know?"

Well, you can't say she's selfish

Yes, alright. That is the only redeeming quality she has. I still think of her as a nuisance

A 'nuisance' that cares, evidently

"You brought him home? Didn't your parents question it?" He knew he was being pessimistic but screw it. He couldn't very well imagine that they were just simply okay with it and didn't see any red flags about their daughter bringing home a stranger from the park.

"Not really," she was looking around, ooing and aweing at everything like some small child that was taken to a new store they hadn't been to before. "They didn't mind. They're pretty chill, you know? Mr. Earnest and dad like the same football team and did you know, Mr. Earnest is good at cooking? He and mom made her a special Christmas surprise. It was so good!"

So you could have brought him a serial killer but it would've been okay because he knew football and his way around the kitchen?

Wow, what crawled up your skirt? You have something negative to say every time she talks

I'm being realistic! She was being irresponsible and needlessly put her family in danger and her parents didn't care! Some people should not have children and they are a prime example

I think you're overreacting. She was doing a good deed

A 'good deed' that could have gotten them killed

"I see," he said with displeasure. "That's nice."

She didn't say anymore about 'Mr. Earnest' as she fully focused on finding them a spot. "How about over there?" She pointed to an empty spot that was adjacent to the playground. Ravi didn't fancy hearing the children scream or fight or increase his chances of getting hit with a flying ball that would inevitably come their way.

"I think not," he said firmly.

"How come?" she blinked, her innocent eyes seeming wider. They had that impression when she was confused or in an extremely happy mood-which, ironic enough, wasn't that different from her everyday mood.

"You really don't know why?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't have asked, silly," she smiled, poking his cheek and giggled.

An elderly woman and her husband passed by them, in the direction of the exit. He heard the woman remarking to her husband that they were such a darling couple.

That was twice now.

Twice someone had mistaken them for a couple.

He was gobsmacked. Did they really appear so? It was absurd, ridiculous, unfathomable and any other word he could think of.

He eyed her, growing uncomfortable by the minute. "Do not do that," he said, his voice unnaturally high.

"Do what?" she tilted her head to the side.

"Touch me!" his voice was now snippish. "I have said time and time again that I do not wish to be touched."

"Okay, okay," she put her hands up in mock surrender (although she did nothing to wipe the smile from her face. It was strange for a human to be happy like Shelby was and that was an underestimate). "I'm sorry. You know I don't mean any harm. I just love you-as a friend," she clarified, grinning at his incredulous expression.

He sighed in relief.

Thank heavens on that

What? You don't want Shelby to love you?

Absolutely not. Romance would only complicate matters. I do not need that. Besides, I hardly would believe she would be genuine. No girl has ever confessed to liking me and unfortunately it will stay that way

You really are a pessimist. Lighten up. Don't be so serious. Shelby could be the change that you need

"A friend," he repeated faintly. "Right."

Shelby took off her glasses, rubbing at her eyes with her other hand. "You're the bestest friend ever, you know that?" He stared. She continued. "I just feel like you need to hear that."

"Okay."

"Does that make you happy? I like making my friends happy. I like seeing them smile. I wish you would smile more, your smile is so pretty; just like your eyes. Has anyone told you that?"

No one had. She was officially the first. But they were nothing special.

You mean...like green?

I suppose...but that makes sense. Brown is a common eye color. It is nothing to compliment

She seems to differ

Shelby was waiting for him to answer. Ravi hadn't realized she was being serious. "No," he eventually said. "I'm afraid not."

She came a bit closer (after she'd just backed away upon his insistence), giving him the same admiring look she'd given when they arrived at the park. "Well, they should."

"Excuse me?"

"They should compliment you," she told him, almost musingly. "Compliments are nice. They make you feel good. You deserve to feel good."

Ravi got a very creepy feeling. Did-did she know? It was like she could see through him and saw his deepest thoughts. Her smile was gentle, kind of knowing in a wise way (which was the last way he'd ever think of Shelby).

"I-thank you?" he was confused. "I suppose..."

What was that?

They found a spot under a nice shady tree. It was secluded, away from the chaos although they could still see everyone and everything that was going on. A few people were coming down the sidewalk, walking their dogs with their earphones in their ears, bopping a bit to whatever noise was going off in their head.

The playground was filled with rambunctious children (including one that seemed adamant on going first on the slide every time). A few feet away, there was a couple throwing a frisbee back and forth, giggling at each other's lack of ability to catch.

Ravi glanced at them and everyone else in the surrounding area. It was an occasional habit to people watch. His curiosity got the best of him.

All the while, he tried to keep himself cool by placing a water bottle on his forehead; it had previously been frozen but in mere minutes was reduced to a dripping mess. Although it did feel good so he couldn't complain much.

You'd find a way to. You always complain

Not all the time. That's an exaggeration

Hardly

Shelby was beside him, sitting Indian style and keeping a distance as instructed. All their papers were laying about on the ground, but she was no longer looking at them like she had been just seconds before. She was picking at the blades of grass that were swaying; there must have been a tiny breeze somewhere, of which Ravi couldn't feel at all.

His eyes were closed. He was beginning to feel tired; he blamed it on the heat, sucking out his energy. At the moment, he didn't feel very much like working on the project. He'd rather be in his bed, resting.

"Are you okay?" Shelby was leaning over, peering over her glasses. "Are you getting too hot? Should we go inside somewhere? Oooh! You saaid you lived close, didn't you? We could go to your house? That'd be fun!"

"No," he said with a touch of sleepiness. "I'm fine. I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

That, he learned, was a mistake to say.

"Why's that? Did anyone bother you? That one guy must hate you and I'm not sure why-you know the one that shoved you? Do you know him? Does he have a good family? If he's being mean, he might not. My dad always says 'hurt people hurt people' and I agree. If someone hurt him he's obviously taking it out on you. Isn't that sad? Oooh! Maybe you should bake him cookies or muffins! Tell him you wanna be friends!"

And she really believes that is a viable solution...

He simply did not have words for how stupid that idea was.

"I did that once," she said.

"And let me guess, you two are best friends now?" he said sarcastically.

"Nope," she shook her head. "She dumped my cookies in the trash and told me to get lost."

"...And you somehow think it will work for me?"

"Maybe," she said optimistically. "There's no harm in trying!"

Oh, there is definitely harm

She nudged him. "Sooo?"

"So what?"

"Aren't you gonna do it?"

"No."

"Aww."

"I do not feel like getting beat up," he muttered.

"I'm sure they wouldn't do that." She had too much faith in them, naive faith.

"You clearly do not know the jocks of this school."

"You never know," she softly scolded him (if it could even be considered a scold). "What if they're just misunderstood?"

Yes, what if Mitch is just understood?

Misunderstood? He's abhorrent, the very definition of evil

Now you're exaggerating

I am not! Normal people do not spend their time terrorizing others

"You must be joking," he was speechless. "Please tell me you are joking?"

"No," she seemed momentarily confused. "Why would I be? My dad says-"

"Hurt people hurt people," he finished. "Yes, I heard you the first time. But what does that have to do with them being 'misunderstood'?"

"If everyone expects them to do bad then they will do it. I don't know much about that guy but I don't think he's a bad person. Maybe he's dealing with something at home."

You have no room to speak. You haven't been around him until this year

"I think that's an excuse," he said harshly. "I can tell you right now that a bad home life isn't an excuse to bully others."

The breeze picked up, strangely enough. The papers were starting to stir; Shelby carefully placed a pebble at the top of each one to prevent it from flying off. She didn't answer until she was done.

"No, it isn't," she said in an agreeable tone. "But-" Ravi didn't want to hear a but, to hear a justification that shouldn't have been said in the first place. He was through with it; Jessie lamely justified Luke's atrocious behavior constantly, he did not want to hear it from Shelby, too since she hadn't been around to witness most of it. "It would make sense. Maybe he's taking it out on you because you're smaller."

As if we weren't already aware

He glared at her, suppressing how he'd really like to throttle her and scream that she didn't understand and wouldn't ever understand. She just didn't get it; she didn't live his life, the past or the present, so she was virtually clueless. "That is not an excuse," he repeated tersely.

He flipped through his notebook forcefully, nearly tearing one page off. He'd ceased to be rational at this point, allowing the tiniest sauce of irritation to overwhelm him. He wanted to go home and sit in his air conditioned bedroom instead of sitting under a blasted tree in the sweltering heat with a nimrod that missed the memo about basic human decency.

It didn't escape him that he was under Shelby's watchful gaze. She was studying him, waiting to see what he would do next; waiting to see if he'd still be as angry. Neither of them spoke in the meantime.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world carried on. A few heads had turned in their direction as a result of hearing Ravi's incensed voice but after seeing that there wasn't going to be a huge scene worth watching (or filming), they went on with whatever they had been already doing.

Shelby opened up the Romeo and Juliet book to the particular scene in which they were going to reenact, in a deliberately opposing way that he'd been with his notebook.

She was mocking him.

Taunting him.

You're so paranoid

"I understand, you know," the words were said in a softer voice, almost reminicingly.

Here we go. "What do you mean you understand?" he was suspicious at where she was going with this.

"I've been bullied, too," she shrugged. "It sucks but I know what it feels like."

"Then you should not be making excuses and telling me that they're simply misunderstood," he argued. "They're aware of their actions and will never be held accountable if you keep justifying them."

"I'm not justifying them," she said calmly (it seemed rather odd to hear it, without the bursting excitement he had begrudgingly grown used to).

"Then what are you doing?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Looking for the good." He stared, perplexed. "Have you ever read Anne Frank's diary? She says in spite of everything, she still believes that people are good at heart."

"But that is not true," he interjected. "There are many people-criminals-that are truly evil and heartless. It's naive to think otherwise."

"Of course there is. But that doesn't mean we should stop believing in people," she smiled again but it was different from the rest; like she was truly at peace.

It was a nice sentiment but hardly one that was realistic.

Because not everyone deserves to have someone believe in them

I don't

"I don't," the whisper was said without thinking, without remembering that Shelby was seated right beside him. She tilted her head to the side, a look of puzzlement.

"You don't, what?" she waited exactly three seconds and then she spoke again. "Ravi?"

He snapped out of it, a crimson blush sweeping over his features. "Nothing," he muttered, feigning interest in the heat-stained grass, shifting his position and tucking his legs underneath of him. "It is nothing. Please, let us just get started."

But Shelby wasn't taking his non-committal answer; she was smart enough to notice that his odd behavior wasn't just a result of nothing. "What's wrong? Are you dehydrated? I have some water in my backpack. It's not cold anymore but it'll do, right? Or are you upset about something? Did I upset you? Was it something I said? Because I didn't mean to if I did. You know that, right? I hope you don't think I'm being too nosy; I just wanna make sure you're okay. Okay?"

Her chirpy voice was only adding to the tension headache that was forming. Was she so oblivious that she didn't know that by continuously talking, continuously being so obnoxious that she was contributing to his worsening mood and not actually helping him like she apparently wanted to?

Don't explode, don't explode...

I can't believe you're getting so worked up over nothing

It is not nothing! She's driving me crazy! I cannot take it anymore

Didn't you already say that?

Most likely, but it's the truth! If she really wants to help me, she can start by being quiet!

"I am fine," he said firmly. "Please, let us get started. I would like to get something done before I must be on my way." Which cannot come soon enough.

He picked up the Romeo and Juliet book, intending on reading over the friar scene once again, only for Shelby to pluck it from his hands and set it over on her side. "Excuse me-"

"You're excused," she giggled. "Sorry, I used to say that to Emily a lot. Funny thing is, she always got annoyed."

"No."

"Yeah," she said, not picking up on his sarcasm and deliberate flat tone. "She's usually in a bad mood, though. I dunno why. She told us it's not her fault because everyone makes her mad." I can relate to that. "Isabella usually told her she needed to take some responsibility. That's when they'd usually start arguing."

"What is your point?" he said rudely. He was fed up of listening. "Because I don't see one. We have a project to finish and you're just telling stories and wasting my time."

"It's not wasting your time," she disagreed. "It's helping you."

He scoffed.

"I fail to see how."

"If I talk about something else, you'll forget what's making you upset," she grinned, tapping on her temple. "See, I'm smart. I learned that from Caleb. He does that with his brother and sister."

Well that's good for him

You're cranky

"That's all very nice," but he didn't mean it. "But I don't want to hear any stories. I want to finish this project." He let out a puff of air, frustrated.

"If you're sure," she shrugged as she handed him the book back. "But I don't think you do."

He crossed his arms. "What are you getting at?"

"You don't really wanna work on it; you just want me to stop talking about you being upset. You probably just wanna forget or try to, anyway."

"You're wrong," he was taken aback by her perception. He shook it off. Lucky guess. She doesn't know what she's talking about. "You're wrong," he repeated for good measure.

"Am I?"

"Yes!" he was getting a little unnerved.

"Okay," she accepted it. She flipped open her own book. "What act is it?"

Baffled, Ravi didn't know how to react. She's messing with me! This is a game to her, isn't it? It must be.

I think you're overthinking it

She thought she was innocent, thought that he wasn't going to see right through her facade, through the game she thought she was expertly playing.

"Ravi?" She waved a hand in front of his face. "What act is it?"

"Act five, scene two," he was inwardly counting backwards, trying to keep himself calm.

"Thanks!" She came to the appropriate page, scanning over it. "This isn't too bad. Did we ever say who would be who? I don't think we did. I'll be Friar Laurence. You can be Friar John. Is that okay? Or did you want to be Laurence? I don't mind, really. I'm fine with either!"

"That is fine," he sighed. "I'll be Friar John."

"Great!"

Great

They went over their lines-once while looking at the book and the second attempt was without looking at anything. They both failed at remembering; Ravi was mildly annoyed. His memory used to be impeccable, now he was struggling to memorize a single sentence. Shelby, at least, was doing a little better than he was. She wasn't able to say all of her lines without the book for reference, but she could do the first part. It was ridiculous, that's what it was. How was it that someone like her, someone he could (accurately) categorize as below him academically and intellectually, was having an easier time memorizing?

You're getting wayyyy too angry about this

No. My anger is justified

How? Please enlighten me

"How's it going for you? Do you think you'll be able to remember them? I think I will-maybe. I dunno. Depends, I guess. So long as I'm not nervous or anythin, I should be okay. But I don't really get nervous anyway. I wonder if we'll get an A for this? I dunno, I mean it's kinda short but Miss Zenon didn't say it had to be long so maybe we'll be okay. What do you think? Do you think we'll get an A?"

"I don't know," he wasn't in the mood for meaningless chatter. "Maybe."

"Yeah, it might be too early to know," she stretched her arms out. "Oooh! Do you wanna meet my friends? They still wanna meet you! They should be out of school by now so I can video chat with them if you want?"

"Oh, no, that's quite alright," he backed away.

"Are you nervous? It's okay, silly, they won't bite you," she giggled at her own joke. "Caleb's just happy there's another guy he can talk to. Besides they practically know everything about you."

"Errm, how?" He was afraid to ask.

"I talk about you," she said simply.

Ravi just blinked.

"You're my best friend," she told him. "Of course I'm gonna talk about you! Actually," she laughed again. "Emily told me she's tired of hearing about you. Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious."

"Isabella told me she would love to meet you sometime. Don't worry, she won't yell at you-" He made a confused face. "Emily's probably gonna yell at you. She likes to scare people but don't be scared, she's harmless. She did that to Caleb when we all first met. We've been best friends since elementary school. Isn't that sweet? I'm kinda bummed I won't be graduating with them but that's okay. Oooh! Maybe if graduation is on different days for us, I can watch their graduation online! Oooh! Even better idea," her grin was wider now, "maybe we can watch it together!"

No, no, NO

"We still have plenty of time until that happens," he said carefully.

"Who knows if we will even see each other by then."

She slung an arm around his shoulders-he made a rather undignified noise. "Silly, of course we will! We're besties." Her face was pressed against his; he could smell her coconut scented shampoo. She gave him a squeeze.

Right...'besties'

He was practically frozen, cringing at her closeness, at the way their skin was touching. Get off, get off, GET OFF!

After an eternity, a few seconds of tortuous agony, Shelby pulled away but not before she put her hand on his cheek. "You're warm," she noted. "Do you want some water now? I have some-"

"In your backpack," he finished.

She beamed.

He groaned.

"No," he lied. "I am fine."

He wasn't. He was incredibly thirsty and overwhelmingly hot. He licked his dry lips.

Shelby wordlessly put a bottled water down in front of him, scooting it with her hand. "You sure?"

It was the second time she had, dare he say it, come to his aid. He accepted the water begrudgingly. "Thank you," he said even though it was against his better judgement. "I, erm, I appreciate it."

"You're welcome!"

He downed the contents in less than three minutes. It was probably not recommended, probably risking that he would go into shock; but it was so refreshing.

He put back on the ground, licking his lips again. "Do you carry all those waters for yourself?"

No she hands them out. DUH

"No," she said. "Not really. One's for me, and the rest is for anyone that needs it. I saw a dog once while going home. I think it was a stray Poor thing was really hot so I gave him some water. I also have a small dog bowl in here, just in case I see a stray. New York has a lot more strays than back home does. It's sad. I hate seeing strays. They're really cute but I wish all animals had a home, you know?"

I guess we can start calling her St. Shelby

"You have a dog bowl in your backpack?" Ravi asked slowly.

I didn't see it when we were at the library

Funny how you remember that but you can't remember your lines?

That is completely different!

Is it? Because I think you care about Shelby enough to remember that little detail

"Yep," she said brightly. "I got it after our study date at the library."

Ahhh

"It- it wasn't a date," he said hastily, glancing around as if someone from their school was spying on them and would announce it to the world by a bullhorn. "It was a get together to work on our project."

"Tomayto, tomahto," Shelby waved a hand.

"Ahh, no," Ravi said pointedly. "It is not like that. It is completely different."

"It doesn't have to be."

"But it is," Ravi told her. "It was nowhere near a date."

"But you want it to be," she said with a mischievous smile.

Nooooo

"No," he denied vehemently. "Because, should the situation arise, I would have to have feelings for you and I do not."

"Are you suuuure you don't?" She said in a teasing voice.

This isn't funny!

Oh, sure it is. You're too uptight

"Yes," he glared.

She giggled. "Okay. Gosh, relax. I'm just kidding." She lightly (which was not light at all) punched his shoulder.

He flinched.

Is it time to go home yet?

"I am relaxed," he said in a stiff tone that was quite the opposite.

She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Sure you are."

"I am."

"You always seem tense. Are you tense at home, too or just at school? You shouldn't, it's probably not good for you. Maybe if you smiled more you'd be more relaxed. Don't you think?"

I think my headache is worsening

"Maybe," he said tiredly, rubbing a hand over his face and wiping away the sweat that accumulated on his forehead. The heat was draining him, draining the little energy he had and leaving him weary. He stifled a yawn.

"Are you tired? Do you sleep a lot at night? I kinda have trouble sleeping. I'm not used to all the noise. Back home, it was pretty quiet except for the semi's that came through. It's not terrible but I guess I'm a light sleeper so it's hard to stay asleep for the whole night. It kinda sucks but that's okay, I like to sit on my window ledge and watch everyone. The lights are pretty, don't you think so? I do. But I miss the clear sky. You could camp out and see all the stars. It was so peaceful. I'll have to show you a picture of it, someday."

Ravi thought that it was one thing he could agree with her on; a clear night's sky was beautiful and much more aesthetically appealing than a sky on a typical night in New York. He wasn't going to tell her that, though. He wasn't that stupid.

That's a matter of opinion

"Have you always lived here?" Shelby was watching a father playfully chase after his toddler, swooping him up in his arms and kissing his forehead.

Ravi's stomach churned and he felt that familiar nauseating feeling return.

"W-what?" He suddenly realized she had said something.

She didn't mind. "I asked you if you've always lived here? Or did you move from somewhere? Oooh, are your parents in the military? Mine aren't but I went to school with a guy whose parents were. He'd lived in five states. Isn't that neat?"

"I-" He didn't want to get into it, for her to know that bit of information regarding his life. It wasn't some deep secret that needed to be kept but still, why did she want to know? He was doubtful that she was genuinely interested. Why would she be?

And speaking of his parents, he wasn't sure if he believed that she hadn't heard of them.

Are we bragging?

No. I just find it strange

His father, at least. His mother, he could understand. Shelby didn't appear to be the kind of person that concerned herself with any of the same superficial things that Emma did but she had to have heard of his father's work.

"No," he was careful with his wording. "I'm not."

"Oooh!" She exclaimed. "Where are you from? Wait-" she put up her hand and her face contorted with intense concentration, "don't tell me. Let me guess."

Save me, please... save me from this madness

"California?"

"No," he said immediately.

"Wyoming?"

"No."

"Maine?"

"No."

Does my accent mean nothing?

"Minnesota?"

"No."

"England?"

He raised his eyebrows.

She shrugged. "I'm guessing."

"Well, your guess is wrong."

She sighed dramatically. "Well, I'm out of guesses." You named five places. "Can you tell me? Pleaseeee?"

"Okay," he said just to get her to stop talking. "I'm from India."

Her mouth formed an O. "That's neat! I've never been there- I've never been out of the country before. Is it pretty there? Do you miss it? Do you wanna go back there someday?"

His daddy wrapped his large hands around Ravi's neck and began to shake.

"No," he said shakily. "No, I don't think I will."