THE THIRD P3RSON

•Chapter 2•

"I used to call him Red Head but he threatened to take away my music and that's a no," I told him, sitting down on the desk. Ryan just watched me like he was trying to figure out where I was going to move to next. I looked at my watch. "We got about...five minutes? Yeah. Then, he'll be done with Stacy."

Ryan gave me a weird look before looking through the window-like wall before looking back at me. He sat up on his chair and pointed behind him towards the people I was talking about. "You mean Mrs Ronaldo?"

"Um. Yeah. I guess." I told him, forgetting that a lot of people don't call her by her first name. I shrugged. I took the Rubrix Cube from the top drawer from Grey's desk and nodded towards Ryan. "So what's up with you and Christina?"

Let's get one thing straight: I sounded like the girls itching for gossip but I was curious so I asked. I'd rather get ahead of the amateur reporters and get the answer from the source. Hey, someone is bound to wind up with what happened. It's not like they keep their emotions a secret. I mean, Christina stormed out of class for crying out loud.

"You know Christina?" Ryan blinked. "You mean you're not a new student?"

Okay. Wow. I wanted to be invisible but not that invisible."What? No. I've been here for as long as you have!"

"Really?" He asked. I rolled my eyes. This time, the comment made me jump down from Grey's desk. "I think it's incredible that you'd say something like that. It's a little weird that I'm so close to your uncle, yet I've known you longer but you don't know me. Does my name not ring a bell after, about, five years of hearing it from the attendance sheet?"

Ryan shrugged like he could care less. Hey. Doesn't bother me, Dude. Your loss.

I laughed, still in denial that he hasn't noticed me for five years. "I mean, dude. C'mon. Miles called my name a couple seconds ago."

I would like to exaggerate when I say Ryan's eyes popped out of his head in realisation as I sat down in Grey's principal chair. I did a little spin before turning to fully face Ryan. I almost knocked the bronze nameplate. It was facing Ryan but I knew what it said.

Greyson B. Miles, Principal of Charles G William High School

I waved my hand toward me like a "Come on" motion. "Okay. Say it. Say what your thinking."

"So, you're Julianna Jones? Really?"

I expected a "Now I remember you!" I scoffed. "I expected a different reaction, Ry-"

I was interrupted by the office door being banged open. Grey walked in smiling. "Well, I guess you got to know each other well."

I rolled my eyes.

"You're telling me," Ryan muttered.

"I have called you down for a reason, Jones," Grey says, smiling.

I knew that smile. He was hiding something. I looked at him suspiciously. Grey just smiled wider.

"Get off my chair or I'll take your headphones. " Grey demanded, still keeping the smile on his face.

I sighed and got up.

"Almost the same schedules." Grey laughs joyfully, shuffling through some papers. "And yet, none of you tells me stories of the other. I just have to see to everything myself."

"Him being your relative doesn't mean I have to talk to or about him," I told Grey, glancing at Ryan. "He's got enough people doing that for him already."

Ryan looked shocked and I rolled my eyes. Is this guy serious? It's not like I'm being heartless. Oh, big deal. I don't talk about the popular guy. So? Ryan doesn't play sports. Christina seems to like other guys that aren't Ryan. Life isn't how you see in books. The guy doesn't get the girl and end their story happily.

Grey looked up from a stack of papers he was looking at. When I first met him, he said it was okay to call him by his first name. Still, I prefer to call him Miles when we're at school. Grey's been a father figure for me four years but, somehow, calling him Grey in the hallways didn't feel right. I didn't want to be a person to do that. I didn't feel comfortable being someone who'd-

It just wasn't me.

Greyson Miles looked at his nephew and shook his head as if he was disappointed. At this point, I wanted to leave already. If Ryan asked me one thing about why I didn't think he was enough to talk about, I'm bashing my head against the wall. I didn't come down here to listen to Ryan go on and on about Christina. I came here because Grey needed to talk to me.

"Boy. You sure need to stop tunnel focusing on Christina, Ryan. It's making you oblivious to the world around you. Especially people like Jones here." Grey chuckled.

"So what was I called down for this time, Miles?" Ryan looked at me but I rolled my head on my shoulders and ignored that.

Grey didn't answer. Ryan kept looking at me.

"What?" I snapped at him. He jumped back in his seat, startled. "Do I have something on my face? Do you like people staring at you?"

"Girls? Yeah." Was his reply along with a cocky smirk.

I gave Grey a look. He can't be serious!

Grey bursts out laughing as if on cue. "This is going to be so much fun."

I didn't like the sound of that.

Ryan noticed the tone of his uncle's voice and asks him to tell him why he called me down. I interrupted that I could speak for myself and that he could leave anytime he wanted because no one was telling Ryan to stay. He crosses his arms over his chest and I realise most of the girls aren't as crazy as I think they are. Maybe Ryan has matured. He certainly has muscles.

Pssh. Like that makes any difference. I thought to myself, glaring at Grey for wasting my time and messing with my nap schedule. Miss. Diaz usually puts a Spanish video on right about now and I use it as a lullaby to nap.

"Okay. Okay." Grey coughs to cover an oncoming laugh. "Anyway, you guys have similar schedules. It seems Christina is in Spanish with all of you. On the lesson plans Miss. Diaz submitted, her fourth marking period project involves you three working together." Grey picks up a paper, adjusting the glasses he uses for reading before saying,"'Students will be able to learn the real life struggles of their classmates. It helps them respect the people that sit next to them and learn everyone's life story.' Grey put the paper down and before he said anything, Ryan spoke up.

"So what's that mean? We all have to interview each other or something?"

I raised my hand. "Uh, hi? Miles? I won't do that."

Ryan turned to me and I faced, fully prepared for a staring contest if he was asking for one.

"What do you mean you can't do it? The project or actually being civil towards people?" Ryan was just seeking that breaking point in me.

"Ryan," Grey warned.