"I'm starving," Kirsten says, touching her stomach. "You wanna go get something?"

"I'm totally broke."

"No problem," she tells me. "I gotcha covered."

We step outside and the sun is way too bright. I squint, shielding my eyes until I get used to it, and even then it feels a little oppressive. Kirsten is squinting too, but not because of the sun – she's trying to make out two people walking down the street toward us. "Hey, check it out," she says, nodding toward them. "Wingus and Dingus."

Adam and Nishikado notice us at about the same time, and Adam waves at us like a goof. I roll my eyes. Something about seeing them outside of school seems definitely unfair, and I really don't appreciate the ripples they're already making in the feeling between me and Kirsten. Kirsten is fine with it, though. The front she puts up is that she doesn't really like them, but it's getting thinner all the time. She's already smiling to herself as they stop in front of us.

"Hello, ladies," Nishikado says. He looks japanese, but the second he opens his mouth you know he's more american than most of us could ever dream of being. His real name is Vincent, but he insists that it's japanese tradition to be called by his last name, even in school. I don't know if it's true or not, but he ended up getting away with it. "And what brings you to us on this fine afternoon?"

"It'll be a cold day in hell before we go out of our way to see you." That should have been my line, and I would have meant it, but instead it's delivered by Kirsten with a slightly sly grin.

They keep talking and I tune out, almost deliberately willing myself not to pick up any of what's being said. I also keep my eyes diverted, and it's only a few moments before I feel the first glance at my breasts. If anything, my evasion makes the two more willing to openly check me out, and my eyebrows draw downward. Glancing at Kirsten I see that she's still smiling, even laughing a little as she talks to them. The smile is small and holds a pretty heavy level of condescension, but to me it still seems far too large.

Their small glances keep darting over me – they look Kirsten in the eye because she's paying attention, but when they look over at me they never seem to find my face. It wouldn't be entirely bad if it weren't these two. Maybe if I relax, let this flow over me, get used to it... But these aren't the type of males that I could ever respect for being interested in me. It's almost an insult; they should realize that they're out of my league and show some respect, some intimidation. What does it say about me that they don't? The fact that they see me as attainable literally makes me feel slightly ill. They act like there's some chance, like we could slide right into hanging out and going to movies and having sex with no significant problem. There is a problem, and the problem is that these guys are weird perverts that I don't even want to be talking to. I feel Nishikado glance at my chest again and whip my head in his direction, blurting, "Do you mind not staring at my fucking tits all day?"

Whatever conversation they'd been having instantly ceases, and they spend a moment staring at me. Nobody should be too surprised; it's not the first time I've called them on being scumbags. Maybe I accidentally cut off Kirsten. I should have been paying a little more attention, but I give them a bit of a snort and a turn of the head and they forget all about me again.

"So what are you guys doing tonight?" Adam asks Kirsten. "'Cause my brother just got a job at the theatre and can get us tickets for pretty much anything." See? Movies already. God.

"In your dreams, fanboy," Kirsten tells him. "We've got important homework to finish. You aren't worth letting our grades slip."

He laughs. "Yeah, whatever. If you change your minds, you know my number."

"No I don't," Kirsten calls over her shoulder as we walk away. I wait for a few moments before speaking, making sure they're out of range. I honestly do want to get back to the house so we can work on our project together. I'm already tired of being outside and having to share her with any person who might happen by.

"Why do you even talk to those guys?" I ask her. "They're total creeps."

"They're harmless," she says, and when I glance over at her she's still smiling. In a way I feel a little annoyed, but she really does look gorgeous when she smiles. I look away from her and exhale slowly. I'm sure it's not good to think about your friends that way.