Beckett Krye was missing something. Every morning, at 7:05, he would unentheuseasically slide out of bed, pull on new clothes, have toast with peanut butter, lace up his navy airmax, and barely make the bus.

At school, he would greet Everett, his cousin, and slide into homeroom just after the bell rang. During social studies, he would play video games while Mr Kipp drowned on and on about, well, beckett couldn't tell you what Mr Kip talked about. He wasnt paying attention.

During math, he would fly through worksheets, getting easy A’s. during science, he would half prosess what the teacher taught, half expad his energy making sure he didnt fall asleep.

The weekends would come and go, and time seemed irrelevant. It was May now, and Beckett couldn't tell you how he got here.

Hilton Bell was missing something. Every morning she would wake up before 7am. Nobody really knew the axact time. Sometimes she would run, sometimes she watched TV. whatever happened, it was what would make her feel best a the moment. Sometimes she skipped breakfast. Sometimes she didnt eat anything all day. Keeping track of the time was not a priority when she was too busy trying to stay alive.

At school, she ignored the boring classes. She was new anyways, and the teacher cut her slack. Sometimes, she tried. Im actully very smart, she thought. Its easier to let the teachers think im lazy.

Hilton was angry, and she let everyone know. When the boys teased her, she glared at them. When the teachers commented on her lack if effort, she rolled her eyes. When people gossiped 2 feet away, she made a point of not caring. Because really, she couldnt seem to.

Like i said, they were missing something. And no, it was not eachother. This is not a love story, unfortunately. Beckett grinded Hiltons nerves like nobody else, and Hilton glowered whenever he tried to be fun. The two hated eachother, and everyone knew it.

Beckett would rather die than partner with his sworn enemy for the algerbra packet. She was stupid and bored and… kind of pretty, actully. The girl whipped her head around, as if sensing his thoughts, and glared. Beckett raised his eyebrows. So thats how this was going to go.

The math teacher crouched by Hilton, speaking in whispers only they could hear. he hoped she was telling her to lighten up. Girls could be mad stupid sometimes.

Dave, the boy in front of beck turned around, showing his computer screen. On it displayed the high score on a video game. Beckett was only a little impressed, but smiled and nodded. The teacher left the side of Hilton, and she turned towards me.

“Well, are we going to do this?” she asked, and it occurred to him that the girl only knew to glare with her eyes, as she never softened her gaze. Beck sighed and began working through the packets.

Hilton would rather die than partner with her sworn emeny for the algerbra packet. For starters, the girl didnt even know the materiel, and Beckett was well, Beckett. Miss kent crouched by her desk, whispering. She said that Hilton didnt have to do the problems if she ddnt know them, followed by “just try your best” which struck Hilton as ironic, given that both of them knew Hilton would not be tring her best.

Beck was staring, so she glared to remind him of his place. Hopefuly, beck would just do all the work for her, math whiz that he was. The plan was working, it seemed. He hadnt asked for help, or even glanced her way. For a moment, she considered trying, wondering what it was that made math so appealing to some people, before immediately rejecting that idea, and pulling out her phone. Silently thanking her temporary new-girl immunity, she googled a couple things before tucking her phone under her thigh.

The loudspeaker went off, a message from the office saying teachers, check your emails. The class became an oditty of nerves instntly. That didnt mean what it sounded like, and beck knew. He turned to Hilton, wide-eyed. She seemed unfaed, alibeit a touch confused. “What?” she said,

“Hillton, theres a shooter in the building” beck said, softly and trembling. The girls eyebrows shot up, before she rolled her eyes, apparently unconcerned by the possibility of being killed. Beck was terrified, and waited silently until Miss Kent stood, and told the kids under their desks, in a hushed and calm tone. But Beck could tell it was fake. She was scared, too. The partners went under the table they were sharing, relatively close together. Like, close enough to make beck think. He admired the carelessness in the girls attitude, the way she couldnt care less if someone would barge down the door the next minute, she would still handle it with sass.

The loudspeaker went off, a message from the office saying teachers, check your emails. The class seemed to know something hilton didnt. What was so spectacular about emails? She looked twoard beck, confused. “Hilton, theres a shooter in the building” hilton was shocked, rightfully so, as this was entirely unexpected. But only for a moment, ans she returned to the normal state. Hiltons avrage not a big deal attitude. It came in hndy sometimes.

The teacher sent out directions to the kids, and they crouched under tables. Hilton was almost relived to not be doing math.

Beck was close, a little too close if you ask her. It was almost uncomfortable, and hilton guessed she would be expected  to override her differences with beck , given the situation. But that was not the hilton way. And, let's face it, worse has happened before.

By sheer chance, it was obvious what needed to be done. Beck glanced, sealing whispers with david.

“Do you trust her?” david asked

“No, but i trust her anger” Beck said, confidently. and it was the truth.