Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

CHAPTUH 8

With a heavy sigh she quietly strolled along the narrow aisle. The exams are in three weeks and she's a bit behind on some of her extra credit schoolwork. Rachel was so used to the library, she felt comfort with the smell of old books, the high shelves that reach the roof and the silent solitude that surrounds its wonderful labyrinth of knowledge. Just like her office, a perfect workplace but with a different atmosphere.

She wandered towards the end of the row, looking for a particular book that would sate her interest. She looked from side to side and saw nothing. Her hand froze as she felt a familiar presence. She ignored the rustling sound beneath her as she waited for the expected intrusion.

"gotcha"

Suddenly a hand from the other side of the bookshelf firmly grabbed her leg. Rachel didn't frazzle at all instead she kicked the arm with her boot clad foot, not too strong but enough to make the owner of the arm yelp and muffle a scream.

"rrrggghh!"

"Hey Chad" A wide smile spread across her features.

Chad reappeared behind her while cradling his arm under his jacket. "Was that really necessary" He shot her an intense glare under his fringes. "you could have just wiggled your leg or something"

"I was surprised…Well for all I know it could have been a grotesque flesh eating zombie alien?" She sat slowly, knees curled up and head rested on the shelf.

"Surprised?" Chad sneered as he sat next to her "Well according to your actions you perfectly knew it was me, you didn't even scream?"

"So you want me to scream like a harpy in the middle of the library?" Rachel stated in a calm calculating voice.

Chad sat closer, his knees almost touching hers "Well that would be expected. I could always manage to make the girls scream" He wiggled a suggestive eyebrow.

"Yeah" Rachel bubbled up a chuckle "From horror"

The glare was back but seeing Rachel adorably suppress her giggles made him join in the laughter.

When the laughter died down she opened the book she got, scanning its contents. "What are you doing here anyway"

Chad shrugged as he rested his chin on his palm. "Studying"

"Studying what?" She inquired not even looking up from her book.

"Studying you" Chad flashed her his most charming smile

Rachel, trying her hardest no to blush, merely rolled her eyes. "again with the innuendos…no really what do you want cause I don't want anyone to see us all friendly in here" She remained her face as straight as possible.

" friendly huh, no one expects Chad Dickson being just friendly with a girl in the darkest corner of the library"

She slammed the book shut with her brows knitted tightly. "then just go be friendly somewhere else" She stood up and turned around.

This alarmed Chad in so many levels, he was just messing with her. His teasing persona disappeared immediately as he frantically grasped her arm. "Hey Rachel are you pmsing, is it that time of the month …your not a girl"

What am I saying it should be those girls not a girl…I should stab my tongue with a pen right now Chad looked down and crunched up his one eye close as he steadied himself preparing to see her deathly glare and feel her soft knuckles collide his jaw.

"Gotcha" He instantly looked up when he saw Rachel laughing hard with her one hand clasping her stomach and the other pointing at him. "you should have seen that look on your face" He tried to hide his flustered face. Rachel simmered down the laughter and tugged him back to the dark corner of the library.

"that was not funny"

"Well accusing a girl of pmsing then telling her that she's not a girl isn't funny either" She crossed her arms across her chest, going back to her previous position.

"Good point" He soon followed suit, grabbing a fictional book near him. Well I have a huge English book report that's due in two weeks, it just so happens that faith brought us together here"

"That sounds nauseatingly romantic, me too but I'm after an extra credit English essay" She waved the thick book in front of her. "So what book did you choose?"

He tapped his chin. "None at the moment"

"You haven't read anything yet! It's in two weeks!" She smacked him upside the head.

"What?" He rubbed the sore spot. "It's in two weeks I'm a fast reader"

She sighed at his carefree response. "Try this The Time traveller's wife by Audrey Niffenegger or this The Godfather by Mario Puzo " Rachel handed him the books from her backpack.

"Nice choice, I expected you handing me Pride and Prejudice or twilight " He viewed the both of the covers of the book. "But they're both movies right"

"The book is even better, just return them to me after a week, they're from the library, three weeks is the extent of president privileges" He beamed a smile at her.

"You are such a bookworm goody two shoes"

"You are such an annoying ungrateful jerk"

"Thanks, now let's go back to being more friendly shall we, could I sit next to you, I think I'm gonna start reading too" both smiled at each other as they began to read in comfortable silence.

"Sure"

Chad found the book he was reading quite interesting while Rachel scanned more books, taking notes frequently from pages. Every now and then they'll exchange words and glances but were too caught up in they're reading to establish a deeper conversation.

He shouldn't have sat next to her. Chad tried his very best to concentrate on her work. It was really hard when she was really near him. Her hair sometimes brushed his hand, Her shoulders touching his, her scent that invaded his nose and that cute little quirk when she tried to concentrate. After half an hour he set the book down and rubbed his temples.

"I've had it, timeout for just ten minutes"

Rachel exhaled the breathe that she didn't knew she was holding, Chad wasn't the only one who's affected.

"You're right, I'm really having a hard time with this subject especially not knowing when and what about his pop quizzes are" She rested her face on her knees.

"What English, that's easy that teacher loves me she even showed me her lesson plan" Chad noticed the sudden sparkle in her eyes. He grinned. "Well do you want to know?"

"Yes tell me now" He tugged on his sleeve.

A devious smirk appeared instantly. "No… Its confidential"

"Confidential? Then I'm bound to know about it, tell me"

"No,"

"please" She tried using the puppy dog face.

"still not telling, why do you need it anyway"

"I need leverage, a bit to lighten my schedule'

Chad leaned forward. "OK if I tell you, do I get to ask you a question that you have to answer completely honestly?" He was smiling his amazing smile at her and Rachel leant her chin in her hand as if she was thinking about his proposition. She was tempted but a little cautious as to what he might ask her.

"I don't trust you. You're going to ask me something really embarrassing."

"Well the choice is yours. It depends how much you want to know." Chad leant back and smirked at her.

Rachel sighed knowing she was going to say yes but also knowing she would probably regret it. "OK, fine"

"Wow, didn't think you'd agree to that in a million years." He smirked grew wider. lowering his voice. "Who's the best guy you've ever kissed?"

"Should it be a guy?" Rachel pointed out to him.

"WHAT! do you mean….?"

"joking" Rachel pulled a face.

"Come on, be totally honest." Chad was enjoying this.

Rachel was torn between lying completely and confessing the truth. The problem with lying was that he would just tease her incessantly about any boy she now mentioned. But she couldn't possibly tell him the truth.

"I haven't thought about it but I suppose it would be someone like Adam Trent. He's really nice." She tried desperately not to blush partly because of the topic of conversation and partly because this was on outright lie.

"That's a lie, Mckenzie." Draco said.

"What do you mean? How do you know?" she protested.

"He's in my football team he always kiss and tell" A smug look on his face.

"I thought I had that one" She said whispered loudly.

Chad leant closer to her and lowered his voice. "Rachel, I'm not letting you off that easily. Who would be the best?"

Rachel felt herself growing hot under his gaze.

"You already know the answer, that's why you're pushing me for it." She glared at him. "Just so you can have that moonbase sized ego of yours boosted even more."

She saw Chad's face changed and he looked closely at her with a small smile on his lips. "Is that your very drawn out way of saying to me that I'm the best?"

Rachel wanted the floor to open up and she couldn't help but glare at him. She answered with a glare. "Probably."

"It's nothing to be shy about. I'd be the best on most girls' lists." Chad sounded like his usual arrogant self for a moment but he was grinning as he said it.

"Now that's over it's your turn. Tell me?" Rachel waited with baited breath for the seeked information.

"I'm really sorry but I can't tell you."

"What do you mean? We had a deal."

Chad bit his lip. "Yes well I was merely bluffing"

Rachel punched him on the arm. "You're a lying, manipulating, sneaky..."

Chad held his hands up to stop her flow of words. "Watch you're language we're in a public place. I honestly didn't think you'd take my offer of answering a question. It was an opportunity too good to miss."

"You're unbelievable, Chad Dickson" Rachel said between gritted teeth.

"Thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment!" Rachel said. "You now owe me a question"

"Ask anything you like, I have nothing to hide." Chad offered.

Rachel gave him a smirk he would have been proud of. "How many girls have you made out with?" She burst out laughing at the look on his face. She looked around if someone heard her. They were still in fact in the library.

"quiet down…What? You've got to be kidding! You can't ask me that!"

"There were no rules I can ask what I like."

"Why do you want to know that?" Chad shook his head disbelievingly at her. "I can't believe that you just asked me how many girls I've made out with for heaven's sake!"

"Just answer the question." Rachel was enjoying herself. She didn't really care how many girls Maybe she was evil after all?

"Five" Chad was still shaking his head and looking slightly embarrassed. "If you tell anyone else this I'll kill you."

Rachel sniggered. "Five? I thought you were supposed to be the make out god!"

Chad grinned at her. "Yes make out god not make out slut! It's not the quantity, it's the quality."

"Oh please! You're not that good?" Rachel regretted that last statement. It brought back a whole heated and magical memory of a time in the classroom.

"really?..."

She instinctively changed the topic."Who were they?"

"That's all you're getting, unless you want to carry on with the deal? I'll let you have one more question as long as I get one more as well." Chad raised his eyebrows at her challengingly.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. "One more question each?"

"Yep."

"I don't know, I think I've been embarrassed enough for one day."

"OK. One more question each then."

"How about something deep, intriguing of the sorts" Chad stated.

Rachel could only think of the one question that kept probing her mind. It was too personal to ask but having your curiosity, better judgment and emotions against you proves it to be more difficult. She couldn't possibly have the guts to ask a very direct question like that. Chad do you l—

Indirectly that's the best way to ask, "in your opinion…Should I go out with Nigel" Rachel stared at intently at her feet.

Chad's eyes were wide open, he bit his tongue from surprise. That was really deep and definitely intriguing. Why was she asking him this? What does she mean to him? What should he tell her?

Who was he to tell her?

"that que ball wouldn't be my first choice but he's a nice guy…well the answer's yes" he tried to stifle a fake laugh, all the while sensing a burning feeling creeping up in his insides.

"Oh…okay" Rachel gave him a small smile

He glanced at his watch fervently packing up the two books to leave. He couldn't stand this annoying burning feeling any longer. "Well look at the time, It's a bit late I gotta go"

"You still have a question to ask." Rachel was about to follow him when he put up his hand.

"It's fine stay…I know, don't worry I'm not going to forget. For now just think of it like I have one on you" He mustered up a confident smile as best as he could and soon disappeared from the aisle.