Picture Perfect

I waited for the impact of the hard concrete floor that never came. Instead, I felt comfortable, very comfortable.

"Hey, you okay?" Drake asked me. It took me a while.to remember that he was still holding me. His arms around my waist. I shifted forward a little and he let go of me.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Oh my god! What the hell just happened?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Oh well, if you count tripping on your own foot and almost falling an accident-which often happens, by the way-then yes, it was an accident." Drake teased me.

"Shut up, D. The floor was uneven." I put up a lame excuse for my carelessness. Even I didn't buy it, so of course Drake didn't.

"Okay okay, blame it on the ever so perfect floor. Now come on, clumsy. We're getting late for school." Drake pushed me forward while carrying my bag.

It was like a routine for us. Everyday we met at the parking lot. He would unknowingly take my bag from me and walk with me till our lockers which were conveniently besides each others. We had most of our classes together except for AP Calculus and biology.

People greeted both of us while we made our way to our lockers. Like I said, our high school was far from the cliché type and everyone was treated equally. Of course apart from the ones who actually choose to become the sluts and flaunt off their non-existent beauty. I was well aware of their type. Spending so much time with Drake, who was one of the most well known student of our school, I more than often met with them and have to listen to their dumb bimbo talk which they call an insult until I cannot take it any longer.

So imagine my luck when we reached our locker, Susie-or Susan-was waiting for Drake near our locker. Or more specifically, in front of my locker. I grimaced and Drake grinned knowingly towards me.

"Hi Drake!" Susie squealed like a dying seal. Honestly, how can someone's voice be so annoying was beyond me. I mean, even my grandma's singing sounds better than her voice and believe me when i say my grandma cannot sing to save a life.

"Hello, squealy. Care to step aside so that I can get to my locker?" I asked Susie in an annoyingly sweet voice and she glared at me through her make up covered eyes. Drake chuckled quietly next to me. It wasn't because he didn't want to offend Susan or something. It was just the kind of person Drake was. He would never intentionally hurt anyone or anyone's feelings. Yes, he jokes around with everyone and makes fun of them here and there but it never got out of hand with him.

"Hi Susan. How may I help you this morning?" Drake asked her and her eyes immediately turned flirty. Apparently Susan has called "dibs" on Drake and has threatened every girl that gets close to him. Childish, I know. But that is Susan for you. And the reason that Susan hates me so much is because she thinks I'm a competition for her. Something that is getting in her way to win over Drake's heart. She has tried numerous times to threaten me but it takes a lot more than just comments about how I'm not beautiful enough to stand next to Drake to ruin a friendship that's been strong for 10 years.

"Hi Drake! I was wondering if you would eat lunch with us today?" Susan asked him with an annoyingly high pitched voice which made both Drake and me cringe.

"I would love to, Susan..." At that, her eyes lit up like Christmas and I inwardly laughed because I knew a 'but' was in line. "...but you know my friends. It would not fit with them if I ditch them at lunch while the finals are 'round the corner, you see?" Drake said using his famous puppy-eyes expression to which even I cannot say no to.

Susan's Christmas-lit eyes turned disappointing in an instant and then she glared at me.

"You eat lunch with her everyday! Dont your friends get mad about that?" She asked stomping her foot like a 5-year old child. I just laughed at her.

"No, because she sits with us, Su. And she's my best friend, it's only obvious that we have lunch together." Drake stated.

"So maybe we could sit with you?" Susan asked hopefully.

By 'we' she meant her and her three little pets that keep following her- Kat, Carrie and Maya.

Drake hesitated and I just watched him, amused. He turned to me with an expression that screamed 'help me!'

I laughed and then turned towards Susan. Just as I was about to tell her off, Dylan, Drake's guy-best-friend came hopping towards us. Yes, hopping. That guy is weird like that.

I turned towards him and grinned.

"Hey Dylan! Ms. Blondie here wants to sit with us at lunch today." I told him, knowing what his reaction will be.

He grimaced. "Hell no. I can handle only about 5 minutes with so much dumbness. One whole hour is out of question." He replied bluntly. Drake and I laughed out loud and Susan just stood there looking like a dumb bimbo. Wait, she is a dumb bimbo.

"I'm sorry, Susan. But I cannot invite you if everyone is not comfortable with you being there." I told her with an expression I hope was sympathetic.

She sneered at me and looked at me with a disgusted expression.

"No one asked you, slut. I dont need your permission to sit with Drake and his friends, bitch." She replied in a disgusted tone. Uh oh. Wrong move.

I felt Drake stiffen beside me and looked over to see his jaw clenched. Drake was mad. And that was not a good think at all.

"Listen here, Susan. You do not talk to Ash like that. If our messages weren't clear enough, let me tell you once more. You are not welcome to eat lunch with us. So cut the fucking crap out and get out of my sight before I forget my morals and punch that fake nose of yours." He said harshly. That scared her so much that she ran away before I could say the word 'bitch'.

the bell for the first period rang as soon as she left and we scurried over to our classrooms. Drake was still pissed off about what happened which confused me even more.

"Hey, D. Listen, what's wrong?" I asked him as we took our seats. I greeted Mel as I sat next to her with a quick hug and turned behind to face Drake.

"Who the hell does she thinks she is to talk to you like that? I swear is she were a guy she would have left with no nose." He rumbled angrily. I put my hand on his, which was curled into a fist.

"Hey, its okay. She's an idiot, you know that. What comes out of her mouth is only shit. And you know me better than that, D. You know I wouldn't take her seriously, of all the people in this world!" I rolled my eyes at that and he let out a small laugh.

"But still, A. You know I dont cope well when things like this happens. If anybody says shit about you, they'll get a firm kick in their ass." He said angrily. I did know that. Ever since we were little kids, whenever someone talked bad about me, Drake would always defend me and vice versa.

Just as I was about to open my mouth to reassure him that it really didn't bother me, Mr. Pipes came strolling me. Mr. Pipes was our English teacher and the most fun teacher I've ever seen. Once you're on his good side, nothing can go wrong in this class.

Drake was still fuming behind me and I knew I had to get all of his anger out before lunchtime. So I did the only logical thing I could.

"Andy, switch." I whispered to Drake's friend, Andy who was sitting beside him. Neither him nor Mel complained about the new seating arrangements because they both knew how Drake was when he was furious and knew better than to provoke him.

When we were seated in our new seats, I reached over and held Drake's hand.

We didn't need to speak anything, the gesture said everything itself. He squeezed my hand in a silent apology for losing control and I squeezed his back to tell him that I forgave him. We had such great understanding among each other that everybody wonders how we're not together yet. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't like Drake that way. Of course I did. He knew every little thing about me, good and bad and still chooses to stay with me. What girl wouldn't fall for his easy charm, his deep blue eyes? What girl wouldn't want to roam her hands inside those dense dark brown hair and what girl wouldn't what to kiss those soft plum lips? Drake was the most attractive guy I've ever seen but just like every other girl out there- I'm scared. Not because I think he might not feel the same way about me, because I'm pretty sure he does. But because I dont believe in the word "forever". And I'm afraid that if this goes beyond the friendship then I might lose him. And I absolutely cannot stay without him. No exaggeration.

"Okay you can stop staring now, A. You might fall in love with me." Drake whispered jokingly in my eyes and I flushed. I wasn't aware I was staring at him all this time. Just as I was about to open my mouth to reply to his stupid comment, Mr. Pipes beat me to it.

"Yes, Ms. Miles, do you have anything to share with us?" Mr. Pipes wiggled his eyebrows at him which was very un-teacher like and I flushed once more. Beside me Drake was going crazy laughing, banging his hands on the desk like a crazy seal.

"No Mr. Pipes. Maybe you should ask D here. I think he has a problem speaking. Hence he's acting like a drunk seal." I replied innocently and Drake stopped laughing and glared at me just as the whole class started laughing along with Mr. Pipes.

The rest of the class passes by in a blur and so did the other two classes. And now it was lunchtime and I was heading towards my locker to dump all these books and head over to the lunchroom to meet up with Drake and the others.

As usual, our locker was surrounded by a bunch of birds. Ugh! Why cannot they take the hint and just go away?