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. Two .

"Did you know that Anthony Dawson wants to take you on a date?" Thomas speaks with his white teeth shining through his wide smile, looking at me as he reaches for his glass of water.

I roll my eyes, pushing his glass closer to him so he wouldn't get his sleeve in my pancakes, "Yeah, right. You do know that the only reason he talks to me is because he wants to come over and sneak into your room, right?"

Thomas laughs dryly, tracing his finger on the rip of his cup, "Why would he want to go into my room when my adorable little sister can just spend time with him on her own free will?" He says, taking a long sip from his cup.

"Because he wants to fuck you, that's why." Thomas chokes on his water, coughing harshly into his arm as he fights to hide his obvious smile. I fight the urge to smile too- Thomas's smiles are always contagious- and brush one of my curls out of my face, "He talks about you all the time. Always asking what you like to do after school and if you are the same person at home. Sometimes he asks me if I am busy after school, but even Anna knows it because he wants to come over and see you." I lean over towards Thomas and loudly whisper, "He probably wants to give you a little surprise when you come back home from practice."

Thomas bursts out laughing and once he starts, I know that I will be following right after. Sometimes I wonder if Thomas's mark really is the word 'valuable' and not actually the word 'likable,' or better yet 'contagious.' Talking about Anthony Dawson has been a common topic for the two of us, and sometimes even our parents get in on the joke. They don't like it when I take my jokes "too far"- even though everything I say is technically facts- but Thomas and I always try to convince one another that Anthony is trying to get with one of us. I know I'm right about him wanting Thomas though, I found a picture of Thomas in the back pocket of Anthony's binder; it looked like the picture was cut out of the school's newspaper, Thomas having his arm around one of his teammates on his football team.

I know, such a shocker that the most wanted, lovable, desired, and overall popular guy in school is actually one of the most important players on a football team.

Thomas calms down and begins to clean up his empty plate, "If that was true, and that is a big if, I don't know how I would even be able to get near that guy's face without having his dreads hit me." He talks as if he is trying to be serious, but the look on his face shows that he might be imagining the scenario. "It would make more sense for him to like you though. If you weren't too busy fantasizing over Nathan Chang." My mouth drops open but I quickly shut it when Thomas looks at me smugly. "Don't even bother denying it. Anna let it slip when I asked her who was your partner for your project."

I mentally curse Anna, watching Thomas let out a final chuckle and leave the kitchen. My eyes drop down to my half eaten pancake, my mind now filled with Nathan Chang. "I wonder what his sketching is." I mumble, stabbing my pancake with my fork.

"Uh oh, I know that look all too well." I look up and see my mom walking into the kitchen, her unruly curly hair bouncing with every step. She's not wearing any makeup, but it's not like she needs it anyway; one of the benefits of having her mark is having beautiful skin, no surprise there. She shows a weak smile, her eyes trailing down from my green turtle neck to my worn out blue jeans, "You look nice." She walks towards me, examining my face; her weak smile looking more and more like a struggle. We don't exchange words, but I already know what she is wanting to say with the look on her face.

Don't stand out too much.

My mom's eyes flicker to mine for a second, she forces her smile more as if on command, "Maybe you can put your hair in a ponytail. Everyone would be able to see your dimples more without those curls in your face." Her voice comes out sweet as usual, and I nod with little effort. "Here." My mom hands me a worn out white scrunchie, "Better hurry up, I'm pretty sure your brother is already in the car."