While Daron was suspended you only saw him when you drove him home. His mom did get mad at him and did not let you inside during that time. It was becoming easier to talk to him. You even learned that you shared some similar music tastes. It was difficult, knowing the school was happy he was gone those days. It seemed like the world was against him. They would be against you too. It was not a hard choice to choose Daron over everyone else in your mind however.
In English the day Daron's suspension was up, you were so excited to see him in Art. You did not pay attention to Mr. H at all. You doodled Daron onto your notebook without realizing it. The moment you did catch yourself was when Mr. H called on you to answer a question. Which made you embarrassed because you had no idea what the answer was. He asked you to stay after class a bit.
"I am sorry I was-" You were cut off by him.
"Drawing. Is something on your mind Y/N?" Mr. H looked concerned at you. "Today you seem on edge."
"Daron Malakian is out of suspension today." You told him.
"Is he threatening you?" He rubbed his face.
"No no! He is my best friend!" You smiled. "I see him next period. I can sit with him at lunch for the first time! I'm going to ask him to give me guitar lessons!"
"Calm down calm down." He laughed. "So what were you drawing?"
"Dar- Uuuuuuhhhh" You turned red. "Doodles!"
"Mmmhmm." He shook his head and gave you a pass.
You were walking to Art class when suddenly you felt a hand grab your arm. You jumped a bit and turned around to see Daron.
"You terrified me!" You laughed and he let go of you. "It is nice to see you in school."
"Oh shut it." He said shaking his head. "Wanna ditch class?" He asked without emotion.
"You just got out of suspension..." You said shocked.
"I was only kidding Y/N." He said shaking his head. Then you followed him to class. You entered right before the bell rang.
"I am here do not send the hounds after me Mrs. Annie." He said when he got to his seat.
"Very funny Malakian..." She said eating a cookie.
"Daron?" You poked his arm nervous.
He faced you and raised his eyebrow.
"Could you teach me to play guitar?" You asked sweating.
He thought for a second. "Depends..." He said. "You going to drop the guitar Clumsy?" He asked smiling small.
"Daronnnnnn pleasseeeee." You begged him giggling.
"Okay. As long as I go to your house. I do not like mine." He said not giving you eye contact. He was drawing.
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You rushed to lunch later on trying to find Daron. You did not want anything bad to happen before you got there. You saw Daron enter and all of a sudden people were gossiping. He looked frustrated. You opened your bag and got a cookie out you baked the other day.
"Hi Daron!" You smiled holding out the cookie. You motioned for him to take it and he did. "Let's go sit down." You said walking to a table and he followed. It was around where the incident happened before.
"You are not sitting with us Y/N?" Kaylieh was behind you.
"Uh, not today. Daron is back so-" You said and Kaylieh frowned angrily.
"I thought you were cool. Do not bother talking to us again. I do not associate with anyone who likes Daron." She said coldly.
Daron was watching and not giving input. It was almost like he waited for your response.
"So what? I do not associate with bullies Kaylieh. He is not even defending himself over your rude remarks. He is a much better friend than you anyways." You said and sat. She walked off.
"I liked your cookie." Was Daron's only response, it strangely eased you.
"Aw. Thanks." You smiled and opened your bookbag. Some of your papers fell when you opened it. When you looked down you noticed one of the papers was the drawing of Daron you drew in English. You quickly scrambled to get it and shove it deep in your bookbag.
"I'll come over and bring the guitars today. My mom would not care if I came over so." He said.
"I'll just drop you off at home so you can get the stuff and come back with me." You smiled and he nodded.
-----
When Daron and you got home you explained what was happening to your mom. She was fine with it and let you go to your room to practice.
"Nice bed." Daron said plopping on it. "Forget lessons I am sleeping." He said smiling small.
"Daron." You said giggling. He got up and set the guitars up. He handed you one and you sat on your bed next to him.
"First of all..." He said taking your hands and put them on the guitar.
"I-I knew I was holding that wrong." You said blushing.
He helped you learn what the strings were and how to tune the guitar. He tried to just teach you the opening to 'One' by Metallica. Since he said it was simple.
"My fingers hurt." You said looking at your fingertips.
"Feel mine." He said holding his hands out.
"They are rough..." You said touching them.
"From the guitar." He said. "You can stop now." He said smiling and you blushed.
You got up and went to your dresser. Pulling out a box of makeup.
"Can I make you pretty?" You asked smiling.
"I am not a girl...." He said.
"Pleaseee. I have no other friends." You said pouting and he shrugged sitting up. "I'll just give you that thick eyeliner and eyeshadow you likeeeee." You pouted. He nodded and it was okay to start.
He started moving his head around purposely and you looked at him annoyed. He chuckled a bit at your frustration.
"Daron! I have never heard your laugh. That is so funny."You said giggling.
When you finished he looked in the mirror and smiled. He took a white pencil from your box and created white dots around the eyes. Your mom came in when he was done.
"Very professional guitar teacher Y/N." Your mom laughed.
You giggled and he smiled a bit shaking his head. He was embarrassed.
When you drove him home you listened to music on the way. You walked with him to his door and said goodbye to him. It was always awkward doing that. You never knew if it was proper to hug him or not. You wanted to. But you never asked. When you got home your mom looked at you and asked you to sit with her.
"Are you and Daron just friends or?" She asked smiling.
"What! No just friends!" You said blushing.
She pulled out the drawing you did of Daron in class and you buried your head in a pillow. She laughed at you
"It is a good drawing. I like the hearts." She said giggling.
"I'm going to my room!" You said walking in your room beat red. You put the makeup box away and laid on your bed.
You started thinking. At first in class when you drew that you were just excited to see him. Right? So excited. So excited you dreamt about seeing him at lunch the night before. You had not had a friend like him. Especially a boy. He left a guitar there for you to practice on. You grabbed it and started to play what he taught you.
It was Saturday the next day. Less of seeing him. You cleaned the house while your parents were at work. It was quiet. You sat down and turned on the tv to something boring. You brought Daron's guitar in the living room and practiced. You resumed thinking about your feelings about him. Your face got a bit hot when you thought of him romantically. You tried to resist doing that though. You did not think he thought of you in those ways so there was no point.
There was a knock at the door and you got up to see who it was. You saw Daron through the door and you opened it.
"Water." Is all he said and you grabbed him.a bottle. He sat on the couch.
"You did not walk all the way here Daron!" You crossed your arms at him. I could have picked you up.
"Gee. That would be awesome! I do not have your number though." He said flailing his arms.
"Oh yeah. Sorry." You got a note card out and wrote your number. Giving it to him.
"I have a phone in my room so you can call anytime. I'll know it is you." You said smiling.
"Your parents are not home. They would not want me here, huh?" He said.
"No, that is why you do not walk all that way." You said shaking your head.
"Well I am not leaving now. Too tired." He said smirking. He grabbed the guitar and started playing.
You walked to the kitchen and called your mom's work. She suggested you went to the park with Daron to play guitar. She also teased you a bit but you did not want to make remarks to that around him.
Walking to the park Daron complained he did not want to walk the whole time. But he agreed to go so. You knew he was just being Daron. You went inside of the woods area of the park off the trail. You were used to doing this. You found a fallen tree to sit on with him deeper in the woods.
"You think they wrote this before or after the tree fell?" Daron pointed to a carved love heart on the tree wih initials.
"It is really old. Before!" You answered smiling.
"I wonder if their love fell and is dying too?" He said smiling small.
"I...I hope not." You said giggling. "You have an interesting look at things."
"When you are as lonely as I am you think that way." He smiled playing his guitar.
"You have meeeee!" You said nudging his arm. "Unless you do not like me..." You said looking down.
"Nah I hate you Y/N. That is why I walked all morning to see you without telling you." He smiled pushing your arm. You smiled at him.
You brought paper and folders to draw on. When he saw that he was happy. You started drawing the trees. Not long after he poked you to show you his drawing.
"Is that Kaylieh?" You said laughing.
"Yeah her beard just grew a little." He laughed.
"Permission to draw you?" You said smiling and flipping over the paper.
"Sure just make me look good." Daron said looking at you.
You drew him as perfect as it would be writing your ABCs. It was like you drew him millions of times before. You did not even look at him and you got all his beauty marks in the right spots. And the scar on his lip right.
"Let me see this!" He took it when you were done and studied it. "How did you do that so fast?" He asked.
"Uhhhhhh practice?" You laughed.
"So you've drawn me before?" He asked.
"Huh? No I mean practice drawing." You turned red.
"Your red face says otherwise." He gave the drawing back.
"I...I just drew you once before. It was in English. I was excited because it was the day after you got out of suspension." You said nervous.
"I was excited to see you too. I did not draw you though." He said smiling. "You sooo have a thing for me or something." He teased.
"N-No! You are just a friend!" You said flailing your arms.
"Doing my makeupp, drawing meee, and driving me home everydayy. Gas adds up." He said laughing.
"Sounds like you are hiding something from me." You said sticking your tongue out.
"No way! If you asked me I'd flat out tell you. I do not see a rule board anywhere Y/N." He said shrugging and laughing.
"Well then how do you- I do not want to do this." You started blushing and covering your face.
"Get your hands off your face!" He said laughing. You shook your head.
You felt him kiss the side of your face real fast and you turned really red.
"I think some squirrel licked your cheek." He laughed and you let go of your face.
"Daron!" You said laughing.
"Want to tell me something now?" He asked putting the papers in the folders and he raised his eyebrow.
"Ilikeyou." You said fast turning from him.
He put his fingers on your cheek and faced you toward him. Face to face. "I don't think I heard that Clumsy." He smirked.
"I-I love you Daron." You smiled and shook your face. He let you go and laughed.
---
When you brought him home later he hugged you at his doorstep.
"I'll see you Monday, Clumsy." He said smiling.
"O-Okay. See you Monday, Squirrel tongue." You giggled and he kissed your cheek again before heading inside.
