I've only sat this close to Mitchie during school, never in public. My heart is beating so fast, I wonder if Mitchie hears it, how fast my heart is beating, because of him. I shake my head at the thought. Probably not. I mean he's already up to his shoulder with work with what the track team and school. He wouldn't have time for a girlfriend. "Hey, Saya," I hear Mitchie say, " I'm having a little trouble with problem number four in the homework that Mrs. Shandu gave us." Even though I can't be his girlfriend, I'm happy being his best friend. I sigh and turn to him, "You're supposed to switch the x and y, not switch the integers." I take my pencil and write down the coordinates for him. "Hey," he whispers, "Are you okay? You look a little sad." "What?" I say, " I'm totally fine. Just a little tired, that's all." "So should I have come at a different time?" he asks. "You didn't have to say yes to me you know." His face is sad and he has a look of regret in his eyes. I don't want him to regret the time we're having here. "I wasn't forcing myself to say yes. I really, really, didn't mind," I reassure him. ¨If you say so,¨ replies Mitchie, he heaves a big sigh and starts fixing the equations in his paper. ¨So," Mitchell starts to ask, ¨What will you do after you′re done with your homework?¨ ¨Well, I did find a new cake recipe that I′d been meaning to try. Would you maybe like to come over and help me with the cake? You don′t have to of course, but, would you like to?¨, I ask, feeling hopeful. ¨Well, we can′t go anywhere unless we finish our homework, right?¨

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