For Worse or For Better (Shawn Mendes)

Making Early Enemies

You're so vain.
-Marilyn Manson

"Um, may I ask who you are?" I say cautiously, taking a step back.

The boy grins a crooked smile. "I'm Tyler. Tyler Hart. And you are?"

"Skylar Healy," I say, shaking his warm hand. "Now may I ask what you're talking about and what's up with that kid?"

Tyler laughs as we walk down the long hallway. "That's Shawn Mendes. He's the biggest, jerkiest player in the entire school. Everyone is scared of him. No girl has ever stood up to him or pissed him off like you just did. Ever."

"I can't see why they would" I say, sarcastically, "he's obviously such a nice person."

Tyler laughs. "You. I like you, kid. I'm gonna keep you." And with that he rounds a corner and disappears into room 210.

I smile as I follow him into the classroom.

At least I've made one friend.

And one enemy.

I sit down in the back of the classroom, at a desk right next to Tyler.

It pains me to see that the jerk from the office-Shawn-sits on the other side of Tyler, his feet up on the desk.

I lean into Tyler and whisper, "Does he respect anyone?"

Tyler puts his lips close to my ear when he answers, ensuring that Shawn doesn't hear.

"I don't think so."

"And I'm guessing he has girlfriend?"

"More then one, I think," Tyler answers.

I snort. "Of course he does."

Tyler turns to me then, surveying my face, as if seeing straight into me and studying my soul.

He tilts his head and a small smile creeps onto his lips.

But before I can ask him anything, the teacher turns to us and says, "We have a new student class. Everyone give a warm welcome to Skylar Healy."

"Hi, Skylar," the class says in one drowsy monotone, as if I'm the biggest inconvenience to them all.

But Tyler winks at me and I smile in the midst of everything.

This kid is way too friendly.

But friendly I can live with.

*****

"Mom! I'm home!" I shout, dropping my backpack on my couch.

I lead Tyler to the kitchen and produce a coke from the fridge.

"Sorry my house is so messy and plain. We have to unpack. We just got here last Friday."

Tyler shrugs. "I like it. It's super homy." He says, plopping down on a couch still wrapped in plastic.

"So, lab project."

I groan and sit down next to him. "Do we have to?"

Tyler laughs. "You just got here and you already don't want to do homework?"

I smile at him and take his hand, pulling him down the hallway and into my room.

He looks around at my newly painted orange walls. "Nice color."

I glance at Tyler. "Was that sarcastic?"

He knits his eyebrows. "I'm not sure."

I grin, and he returns it, before coming over to my desk.

We decide what to do and work on the project for three hours, leaning over the desk together.

We laugh.

We work.

We tease each other.

We get to know each other.

We create an A plus project.

"I'm taking you sight seeing this Saturday. I'll see you at eight o'clock sharp in five days for smoothies at Tooty Fruity!"

And when Tyler leaves, giving me a friendly wave and a crooked grin, I can't help but slump onto my bed and crawl completely under the covers.

No matter what people have told me, I'd never expect to have made friends this quickly.

I'd never have expected to find someone who reminded me SO much of Miles.

And then there's Shawn.

I wonder what his problem is?

No matter what I think about, be it school or Tyler or Miles or Canada, Shawn has a way of popping back into my mind.

Shawn now has a spot reserved in the back of my brain.

He has a little crevice that holds him in tightly, as if even though he was a jerk, I don't want to let him go.

And at that moment, I vow that I will find out what's going on with him.

I will get to the bottom of this.

No matter what it takes.