Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

After John apologized to her, everyone seemed content to let things go back to the way things were, back to normal. They were okay with him sitting silently next to them. They were okay with laughing together as he sketched in his art book. They were okay with ignoring him. They were okay with things going back to the way it was in the beginning. The way it was when the whole mess began.

He was slipping back into the shadows and she didn't like it. She saw the pain in his eyes when he apologized to her and she was not going to let him fall back to the shadows. She was the light and he was the darkness to her light. She needed a little bit of darkness and he needed a bit of light. She needed him as much as he needed her. He understood her.
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The day he apologized to her she could hear and see the sincerity in his eyes. She could see how tense he was being around everyone, which was why he apologized to her far away from them. He wanted to be focused on her, not worrying about everyone else. She saw the way he smiled when she accepted her apology, it was a smile that made her sigh. She noticed how he sat next to her, after the apology, like she would disappear if he left her side, or that he would be attacked by wolves if she left his.

She touched his knee and she felt his tension slip away. So she made up a lie about being tired and how he was going to be her pillow. That was why she made him lie down on the blanket and she laid down with her head on his stomach. She felt him relax and she then heard his heart speed up under her hand. He began playing with her hair and she ignored the look Meg gave her and his chest moved softly. It was peaceful, being with him was peaceful.

That day the world stood still, just them in a park, full of love and hope. A new beginning.
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The next day everyone was hustling and bustling, moving on with their lives. It was like nothing ever happened.

As everyone was busy with graduating and figuring out what comes next in their lives, Hero realized it was going to be her and John. Just the two of them. Just the two of them against the whole school during their last year of school.

She was determined not to let him slip away again. He was never going to be left in the dark as long as she had her way.
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It started off small. She started off small, not wanting to scare him. She would sit next to him when they were all gathered together, giving him a soft smile.

She would grab two drinks from the cooler and pass one to him. She would sit down letting her shoulder touch his. She noticed that he wasn't used to that, but she could tell it made him happy, the physical contact. She would smile at him as he laughed and made sure to include him in her conversation.

Then when school started, she made sure that he knew that she had his back. She walked up to him the first day of class and pulled him to his locker, making sure everyone saw their locked hands. The smile he gave her was worth all the slut rumors that people whispered about her.

She started bringing a pencil sharper for whenever his pencil broke. She carried extra paper in case he got inspired and wanted to draw. She would touch his shoulder when she passed him sitting in class. She would leave him little notes when she saw him having bad days. She would hug him wrapping her arms around his waist pressing her head into his back or shoulder.

She always brought an extra chocolate bar for him, for when he got hungry.

She would sit with him in the library or under a tree to study.

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Then it started off bigger.

She would call him up for no reason at all and they would talk all night long. He would call her just to say hi or when he felt lonely. They would go watch a movie every weekend, taking turns choosing. She knew how he liked his coffee and he knew how to make her favorite tea. His jacket ended up in her chair and she left her flower crown in his car.

His favorite shirt found a place in her closet and he always had a carton of her favorite ice cream in his house.

Her Instagram slowly began filling up with pictures of them and everyone loved their twitter talks. They had a streak on Snapchat, and their stories featured both of them, glued at the hip.

He was one of the few, brave enough to go to the bookstore with her.

He had a key to her house and vice versa. She was the only one could drive his car.

She was the subject for many of his art projects. She had no problem posing when he first asked her, and he found

His phone screen was a picture of her blowing a kiss. Hers was him wearing her flower crown, a full blown smile on his face.

He drove her home every day.

In school, people began to notice the two of them. He would carry her books for her and she would kiss his cheek. They sat next to each other in every class they had together and worked on projects as a team. They sat together during lunch, sometimes Dogberry and Verges, (who eventually trusted John) joined them.

She started vlogging again and it wasn't unusual to see him in the background, reading a book or drawing. Sometimes, he would sit on the bed with her, a part of the videos. Despite all he did in the past, fans of their vlogs loved seeing them together. No one mentioned what happened a year ago. They didn't talk about all how they ended up being shipped together.

They would spend days simply together, sometimes they were silent other times they would play games. On bad days, they would curl up under blankets in bed and Hero would read to John. On days when Hero felt like the world was ending they would curl up blankets in bed and he would run his hands through her hair and he would just talk.

He talked about the book he read or of the dreams he had. He talked about his mother or his brother, or about himself. Sometimes he would just ramble on about her. She loved hearing him talk.
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People talked about them. How could they not?

Hero the Virgin Whore and John the Bastard.

The sweetheart who cheated on their beloved sports star and missed school due to a mysterious sickness but was cleared as innocent and the misfit who started the rumors by playing mind games with Messina High's beloved sports stars and then ran away as everything crashed and burned around them but was now forgiven by Hero. Now the two were inseparable.
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Most people didn't understand their relationship.

Thier teachers didn't as did their classmates.

Leo would glower and Hero refused to let John anywhere near the football players.

Bea would constantly call worried about Hero, Meg was vocal about her thoughts.

Pedro told his brother this was a bad idea. Even Freddie, who they didn't even know had an opinion about them.

Claudio simply ignored them

The only people on their side was Balth, Ben, and Ursula.

(Eventually, over time, people began to see they came as a unit and began to slowly accept them.)
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Hero and John spent a lot of time together. There was nothing more he liked more than driving with her as the wind blew her hair, her singing on the top of her lungs, him tapping out the beat and shooting her looks. Hero likes when it's just them in one of their bedrooms. She likes curling up under blankets with him reading or talking or sleeping. She likes it when he sleeps in her bed because it means that he trusts her. He likes having her in his bed because of the fact that she an angel against dark blue sheets, a reminder of the light in his life.

She likes baking with him. He likes eating her cookies.

If Hero was asked why she spent so much time with John, she would just shrug and smile.

She just liked being with him. He too enjoyed being with her.

It didn't matter what they did as long as they were together. Whether it was having movie nights or drinking tea on rainy days.

He liked doing homework with her and he enjoyed drawing her. He just liked being with his Hero.

She was happy with John, she was happy being his friend, protecting him and him protecting her.

They didn't make sense but then again since her birthday everything had changed, she had changed, he had changed, the situation had changed.

So why didn't the virgin whore and lonely bastard belong together now?

Chapter Text

After everyone left for college, it was just her and John (and Dogberry and Verges but they were younger and in another grade level so she didn't count them). Despite the fact that Ursula was still in town as was Claudio, she never felt more lonely.

Maybe that was why she sought out John. He knew too well, what it was like to be lonely. She sought something to fill the loneliness, even if it meant more silence. She disliked the idea of being alone in a room, less the words and cruel voices came to torment her. There were some people to this day that kept the rumors of her birthday afloat. For some reason she was drawn to John, the reason this happened in the first place. It started small, quick glances from the corner of her eyes to plain just staring at him. She could sense his presence in a room and before she knew it, he was all she had on her mind.
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She sat down at her empty lunch table and her eyes found John right away. He was sitting alone with his headphones plugged in.

John, avoided everyone and everything, especially her. He dressed in black and wore hoodies, hiding even more now from everyone and everything than ever.

Apart of her wants to hate him but she can't because he has taught her that life isn't a fairy tale. He gave her a rude but a needed wake up call. She learned that no matter how sweet she is, people would rather believe lies because they rather blame someone perfect than themselves. They can't bear to blame the beloved athlete. She has learned that communication is important and that perfection doesn't exist. So she keeps her eyes on him.
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One day, he looks up to catch her looking at him. They stare at each other and she smiles. He looks so surprised and then he gives her a small smile. That look made Hero determined to see him smile at her more.

She had seen the smile in Ben's video and was determined to have him flash one a bigger and brighter smile at her. He was beautiful when he smiled.

She sits next to him in class, ready to touch his elbow in case he falls asleep or gets distracted drawing. She tries to ignore the way he flinches the first few times she touches him, as if he is expecting her to hit him or yell at him, but eventually he stops. She sends him the notes when he is sick from school. She always makes sure to add hearts and smiley faces and drawings of cats, just to see him smile when she drops off the homework at his house.

She tries to keep the soccer players from being cruel to him but threats and the fact she is Leo's sister isn't enough, anymore. Many of them think she did cheat on Claudio.
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Then one day she sees a group of eight of soccer players cornering him by the stairs. John looks pale and is breathing hard and she remembers a memory of when they were friends at 14 and he admitted he was claustrophobic. She acts instantly, getting right in the middle of them, trying to pull John away. One of the boys shoves her away and she crashes into the wall.

There was a stunned silence as everyone takes in her form on the ground. The soccer football player holds out a hand and then John lunges forward and he punches the one who shoved her away. There was a crack and then blood. The other guys step back in shock, not expecting quiet John to pack a punch. Then John bent down and picked her up, carrying her bridal style to the nurse and then after she is okay he walks to the principal's office. She is stunned as is everyone else when he picks her up. He murmurs in her ear.

"Silly Hero. You don't have to protect me, love. Let me protect you."

She buries her head into his neck as he carries her.

He got a three-day suspension. She wants to fight it so badly but she doesn't because she gets a text telling her to rest up and not fight the suspension.

She wants to thank him but had no idea where to find him. A text message isn't enough.
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They let her go home early, worried about a concussion. She stumbled upon him in the middle of the park by pure chance or maybe fate. She sits next to him, her skirt tucked around her legs. He takes off his jacket and puts it around her. She leans her head on his shoulder and their fingers interlock automatically. It's comforting and familiar to them both despite the fact that this is the first time its just been the two of them since her birthday. There are no glaring brothers, no fluttering mothers, no younger years following them. It's just them.

They sit there in silence until it starts getting dark. The sun begins to set casting a pretty glow around them.

Then he stands up and holds out his other hand to pull her up. He looks at her as the sun hits her, making her seem like an angel. He smiles, guesses he's the fallen angel. Once she is standing, she doesn't want to let go of him and is disappointed when he drops her hands. So she places her hand in the crook of his arm and after a pause, he escorts her home.

He walks her home and ignores the look Leo and his boys give her. He declines dinner. She kisses his cheek and he blushes slightly. She blushes too and heads inside.

Hero eats quietly and tries to rush to her room before Leo gets to her.

She isn't lucky.

Leo jumps to conclusions so fast it makes her head spin.

The answers fall automatically out fo her mouth.

"No John did not hurt me."

"He only punched your boy because they accidentally shoved me."

"Yes I know I should haven't gotten in the way but you really should tell your boys to lay off, John. He's good."
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She escapes to her room and lays down on her bed.

She closes her eyes and thinks about the time John pulled her aside at her the picnic. The way his eyes bore into hers. The way she felt protected despite all the pain he caused.

The way she shivered when he whispered in her ear.

The way she wanted to hug him tightly that day.

She thinks about how kind he was to her today and realizes belatedly that she still has his jacket.

She thinks about how she feels safe around him which is insane considering all the crazy stuff he did to her.

She falls asleep in his jacket, no nightmares waking her up.
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The next morning, she gives him his jacket at school aware of everyone looking at them. John gives her a smile and that's all it takes for her heart to beat faster.

His smile is the fly and she is the fish that gobbled it whole, hook, line, and sinker.

She kisses him on the corner of his mouth and a hush goes around the school. It's all they can talk about.

The day after that he avoids her but she knows he's around keeping an eye on her. This goes on for about a week before she takes matters into her own hands.

She sees him sitting alone so she sits next to him and takes his hand in hers. He looks at her surprise but she smiles and then he smiles and it tells everyone that John is under Hero's protection and she is under his. The football players leave him alone.

He drives her home that day and stays for dinner. After that, they begin spending more time together.

One day when they are watching a movie on her sofa with a blanket over them, hands and fingers interlocked, she smiles and kisses his cheek. He looks at her but she doesn't notice since she is back looking at the movie. She is thankful for may have learned that not everything is a fairytale but second chances do exist and she finds herself falling hard for him.
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Eventually, he falls for her too.

Although he doesn't tell her this until they are fighting in the middle of the school parking lot and he kisses her on impulsive. He gets the answer to his question when she kisses him back, fingers tightening in his leather jacket. His hands, in turn, grips her waist harder, pulling her closer.

Dogberry and Verges decided not to release the video they have on the two of them online and instead gives it to them. The picture of Hero and John cuddling in the park, however, does get posted everywhere.

John and Hero don't care, however, they are more concerned about making things work.

And somehow they do make it work.

Chapter Text

After the picnic in the park, in which John came back and apologized to her, things died down. The happy lovely feelings lasted for about a week and then everyone was rushing to graduate. Somehow, John faded to the background again and Hero found herself avoiding people. No one seemed to notice.

After everything that happened between them a few months ago, they avoid each other during the graduating festivities, which neither want to be a part of. She may have forgiven him but it's hard for them both to be around others. He hasn't forgiven himself and she doesn't want to draw attention.

Of the original group, Hero and John were the only two left in school (excluding the younger years) and they didn't hang out. They had a few classes together and saw each other around campus but Hero hung out with Verges ad Dogberry and John spent his days alone. There were a few times that they could have hung out but fate and other people always intervened.

It was hard for them to be around each other when there were other people around. They were not always willing to let the past go. Hero didn't want to hurt John and John didn't want to hurt Hero, so they ended up as passing ships.
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However, they did end up going to the same university because why wouldn't they? Fate has a funny way of working.

But despite this fact, they never really saw each other, there was maybe the quick glimpse every now and them in the middle of the quad or at a football game or in a huge lecture class, however not enough for them to actually interact with one another. Somehow they get through three years of school with not really interacting. It's not until their senior year however that all that changes.

That year, they literally crash into each other in the middle of the quad.

He helps her pick up her purse and she scrambles to class and he goes to work, rattled.

She can't keep her mind off at how warm his hands was and how bony he was and how tired he was. He couldn't get her peach scent out of his system and how pretty her smile was.

That weekend he drew her over and over again until his roommate threatened to enter these drawings into the art show.

He made sure to lock his room after that because he had years of Hero material in his notebooks.
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However, the first real time they interact in a conversation that lasted more than a brief second was at a party.

Of course, it would be at a party. It was the first party Hero has been to in awhile and of course, it would be her birthday. Fate would have it no other way. The party was at a bar where everyone was celebrating something. She wasn't sure what but her roommate insisted that the bar was the place to be.

Her roommates have dragged her out because she needs to do something besides study, and because apparently since it is their last year she has to celebrate her birthday.

She lets them doll her up and drag her out. She's too busy thinking about the last birthday party she had celebrated to worry about details such as how she looks.

She enters and looks around the room.

Her eyes land on a dark haired man, talking to the white-haired bartender.

John.
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He stood alone at the end of the bar, drinking.

This was his yearly punishment for hurting Hero. Every year on her birthday he would drink until he passed out. The first year he did it in the privacy of his room. The second year, he did it with the cute girl in his art class and ended up crashing on her bed. He later became her roommate.

Last year he did it with her. This year she had dragged him out, saying that since she had to work she wanted him out of the house because she wouldn't be able to keep any eye on him. He didn't fight her, as long as he could drink he didn't care where he did it.

This was his punishment.

He hated himself for what he did to her.

He was going to drink himself to death.

He knocked back the last bit of whiskey and was debating what to get for the next round.

That was when he saw her.

Hero Duke.

She was an angel as a girl but now at 21 years old, she was a goddess. Her hair had grown to her waist and was curled. She had grown a bit to the point where if they stood in front of each other she could hear his heartbeat. Her lips were painted red and that dress she wore, dark blue the color of the sky.

She was the belle of the bar and every eye was on her.

Yet she was looking at him, a look of shock on her face, one that matched his.

He was sure she was remembering the last birthday they spent together, the one in which he ruined her life and ruined the only chance he had of ever being happy again.

His order came and he asked the bartender, the pretty girl from his art class and his roommate of two years, to make it a double.

Then he looked at Hero and sighed.

"Anything she wants, put it on my tab."

She raised an eyebrow and jutted out a hip.

"You got it bad, John."

"Willow."

She laughed and tossed her silver hair over her shoulder causing many guys to look her way.

"Oh. sweetie. You can deny it all you want but Hero Duke has been the only girl on your brain since you started uni. It's been years, love. You got to move on, babe. Forgive yourself and ask the girl out."

John sighed and refused to look over at where Hero was.

Willow leaned over and patted his cheek.

She handed him his drink and he took a deep breath. He was going to sit here and get drunk, regardless that she was here. After all, he was almost there. Unfortunately, seeing her sobered him up a bit but that was fine. He had all night.
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Hero was surprised when Willow handed her a drink.

"It's been taken care of. Happy birthday."

Hero accepted the drink as her roommate and friends squealed.

She had a good idea who sent her the drink, but she let them speculate.

They ordered a round of shots and then another.

Hero let them pull her up to dance and she laughed as they sang and dance but the hands that touched her waist, she pushed them away.

She saw the looks her roommate gave her and she shook her head, not in the mood for birthday meaningless sex and turned around. and walked to the bar. Tears burned in her eyes and she ordered a drink. She was falling apart.

She saw John sitting alone as Willow handed him another drink. The seat next to him was empty. She was tired of this. She was tired of this thing haunting them. It happened years go so why did it still affect them? She had heard from everyone that John had changed and she could see it. He was tired and slowing dying, just like her.

She didn't celebrate her birthday because she needed actual closure with John over it, or at least that's what her therapist said. She overheard Willow arguing with John a while back about how he had to stop getting drunk. A drunken Willow later confided in her that John drank himself to sleep once a year- her birthday. He was punishing himself for a juvenile mistake.

She nodded her thanks as she got her drink. She looked at John.

"Oh, screw it."

She had enough alcohol in her to convince herself that this was a good idea.
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She stumbled over to him.

"John."

He turned around, eyes wide. She stopped in front of him.

However, since she was drunk, her drink spilled on him. John jumped up at the cold drink that was now on his pants.

She blushed "Oh. Fuck me."

That was the last thing he ever expected her to say. John looked up at Hero and the alcohol in him made him smile and blush at her comment. He laughed.

"Sure, but can I buy you a drink first?" He was shocked at how bold he was being.

Hero laughed, surprised at his boldness. and John helped her into the seat.

"If I remember correctly, you already brought me a drink."

John looked at her and took her John helped her into the seat.

"I did." and John helped her into the seat.

Hero let John pull her close and he helped her into the seat.

The alcohol in their bodies was making them warm and fuzzy.

Willow brought them drinks and a round of shots and they looked at each other.

"Happy Birthday."

They knocked back their shots, and Hero giggled. John looked at her daze and then John touched her face.

"So pretty."

Hero laughed and pressed her cheek into his hand while her fingers grabbed his bicep.

"So strong."

She let fingers brushed down his jacket and she stopped at his bare wrist, where she could feel rough skin. Curious she moved his jacket sleeve up revealing angry scars.

John froze and tried to tug his arm away from her gently.

Instead, she held onto him tighter and feeling brave, kissed his scars.

Then she looked at him, a question in her eyes. He wasn't going to answer her.

"Some were from after your party, the rest during freshman year when I hit rock bottom."

She kissed them again.

"Every year since your birthday, I drank until I pass out." He cupped her cheek, feeling like he could tell her anything. He tuned out everyone and everything. It was just them.

"Why?" Hero leaned forward.

John laughed harshly.

"Why? Cause I hurt you, Hero Duke. I hurt the prettiest and most angelic girl in Messina, in the world."

Her eyes softened and she cupped his face with both hands.

"John."

He was off in his own world

"You weren't supposed to get hurt." His eyes were piercing. Hero realized with clarity that she had forgiven him the second she saw his today, but he hadn't forgiven himself.

"John."

He continued to mumble to himself and Willow appeared with some water.

Hero forced him to look at her and then she touched his lips, then she kissed the corner of his lip gently. She pulled away and he looked at her.

"Let's go home, John." She got off her seat and held out a hand.

John looked at her and something passed between them. They closed the tab and then walked to John's place, fingers locked.
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Once they arrived at the apartment and entered the place. Hero was struck by how clean it was and by how dark it was. She figured that with John and Willow living together, there would be some color yet it seemed like black, silver, and blue was the color scheme of choice.

She dropped her purse and jacket to the floor and John stood by the kitchen counter with two water bottles in his hands, watching her.

She walked up to him and tugged him into his bedroom across from Willow's which had a tree on it.

Once they were in his bedroom Hero felt shy.

They stood in the room.

Hero glanced around and noticed a huge bookcase, a small desk, and a large platform bed.

John looked at her.

"I'm not going to fuck you, Hero." He said it softly but clearly.

Hero laughed.

"At least buy me dinner first." She teased him and she heard him chuckle.

She turned around.

"Can you get my zipper?"

John gently unzipped her dress and she let it fall to the floor. They locked eyes and then he handed her a gray shirt and she slid it on and he turned around to get changed. Hero watched him get ready for bed.

Then she tugged him to his bed and once he was laying down she laid down next to him. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her and she looked up at him.

"Go to sleep John."

He kissed her forehead.

"Happy Birthday my Hero."

She nuzzled against him and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat. That was the last birthday John ever got drunk at.
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Willow arrived from her shift at 2 AM and found a purse and jacket on the floor, along with a birthday sash.

"Oh no." She hoped that she hadn't made a mistake. She had given Hero a light drink in hopes she wouldn't get drunk fast. She also had served John a few watered down drinks. When they started talking, she got all excited but then more people wanted drinks and when she looked for them, they were gone.

She peeked into John's room to find them asleep, Hero wearing a shirt and John wearing pants.

She smiled and tiptoe into the room to fix the blanket and tuck them in.

Then she made a phone and the sleeping voice of her cousin answered.

"It's 2 Am, What do you want?"

"Hello to you Meg. Just wanted to say that Hero had a good birthday. "

She hung up ignoring the frantic calls her cousin gave her.

She then found John's phone on the counter and Hero's phone in her purse and she turned them both off and plugged them into the wall.

She set her alarm so she would be able to make them breakfast. She was the best roommate, plus after having lived with John for two years and having Meg as her cousin, she was way too invested into the relationship than she cared to admit.

"Probably why I don't have a boyfriend."

Chapter Text

Hero tapped her fingers on the table, eyes on the door. She was waiting for Claudio. The soccer player had asked her out a few days before and she had agreed, mostly because he had asked her out in front of a lot of people. He was cute with blonde hair and green eyes. He was one of the most popular boys in school so why he would ask out her, shy quiet, sweet her she had no idea but here she was.

On a date with Claudio.

Well, she was in a restaurant waiting for Claudio.

For 30 minutes.
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She had been here for about 30 minutes and the waitress, a girl named Freddie, was giving her pity looks. A lot of people were giving her the pity look.

"A little bit longer. He'll be here soon."

Freddie nodded and she went to pour coffee two tables down.

Hero bit her lip as her fingers began tapping faster.

She could see her friend Meg and her boyfriend Robbie arguing in one corner of the restaurant.

Her brother Leo was sitting with some of the soccer team.
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The restaurant was full of people and come tomorrow, they would be gossiping about how she got stood up.

Under the table, her leg was twitching.

Forty minutes had passed, and Freddie had refilled her water and Pedro and Balth had come in for dinner. Balth blushed when he saw her because she winked at him. She as happy to see her friend on a date with the most popular boy in school.
But she could see him frowning as he watched her sit there alone. Pedro had gotten up to talk to Leo and Balth looked really worried. He pulled out his phone and Hero sighed.

She began twirling her straw.

It had been an hour.

She sighed and she could feel Meg and Balth and everyone else looking at her.
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It was official, she had been bloody stood up, by Claudio, the most popular boy in school, the golden boy. By a boy who she didn't really like but still, being stood up was horrible.

She looked down, trying to blink back tears.

She had gotten dressed up and excited for nothing. She had not been on a date since Balth had asked her and didn't even count because Balth was gay and only asked her to be his wedding date to appease his uncle. She had a great time but that was her first and last date.

Because of that, she got dolled up. While maybe Claudio wasn't the type of guy she was attracted to, he was cute, and she liked getting dolled up. So, she had curled her hair and worn her new blue dress with a pair of black heels. She had even worn red lipstick instead of the pink she usually had. She had even worn her favorite daisy flower crown, for luck.

She sighed and decided that there was no use in waiting. She might as well take the walk of shame towards the door

She squared her shoulders ready to walk when a black-clothed person slid into the seat across from her.

She froze and looked up to meet dark grey eyes.
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I'm so sorry I'm late, Hero! I was drawing and lost track of time and on my way here, I bumped into Verges, who had a bike flat so I waited until Dogberry arrived to pick her up."

Hero looked wide-eyed at the boy across from here.

"You have every right to walk away since I am over an hour late but please Hero, let me make it up to you."

He was speaking loud so everyone could hear him and she could feel everyone looking at them. They were not making it obvious that they all wanted to see what was going to happen so they could be the ones to tell someone else.

Then he handed her a bouquet of daisies. Her uneasiness dropped at the unexpected gift. "They're beautiful."

"They're beautiful."

She accepted the bouquet and held it up to her nose.

She placed the flowers on the side of the table and smiled. She would play along. She trusted him and the flowers were sweet.

"Better late than never."

He frowned and reached across to take her hand.

"No, Hero. You deserve nothing but the best and I can't give you what you deserve but I'll try. You are worth it."

She wanted to laugh. He was laying it on a bit thick. She withdrew her hand.

"Thank you for the flowers and you can make it up to me by buying me a…"

"Milkshake?"

Freddie appeared with a milkshake, two straws.

Hero giggled impressed with her timing.

Freddie gave the dark haired boy a look and he raised an eyebrow at Freddie.

"Freddie, be a dear and tell my brother to focus on his date instead of worrying about mine. Otherwise, Balthy might wise up and move on."

She bristled and walked away as Hero gave him a look.

He smirked at her.

"Don't look at me like that darling. I did just save your reputation, at the risk of mine. Guess I was the knight in shining armor coming to the rescue of the fair maiden princess"

"Oh yes, because when I think of John Donaldson, the first thing that comes to mind is you on the back of a horse, all knight like."

He smirked.

"A horse. Oh, princess. I think you mean a Harley."

He leaned back, please with himself and Hero took the time to look him over.

He had a blue t-shirt under his black leather jacket and his hair had been windswept from riding in his car or bike. A silver chain hung around his neck and he had a nasty scar on the corner of his lip

He smiled as caught her checking him out and she blushed.

He gestured for her to take a sip of the milkshake and she did so as he took as sip, the result was a cute couple picture that was most likely making its through the gossip chain of Messina High.

They locked eye over the milkshake and Hero blushed as John laughed. He loved it when her cheek went that dusty pink color.

He called Freddie over to order a side of fries.

"So, gorgeous, why would someone like you say yes to a jerk like Claudio?"

She bristled.

"I'm not gorgeous. And Claudio isn't a jerk."

He sighed and held out one finger.

"One: Claudio stood you up"

Second finger rose.

"Two: You are the prettiest girl at Messina High and one of the sweetest and smartest."

"Thank you."

He leaned over and brushed a curl out of her face as his finger went down her cheeShe

Seh shivered.

"And three: Claudio is a fool to pass you up and I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

She sighed.

"I haven't been asked out ever and he asked me out in front of a bunch of people so I said yes."

He paused and then shrugged.

"His loss because I'm sitting with the prettiest girl in this side of the country.

She rolled her eyes at his flirting. John looked around the restaurant and smiled at Balthy and his brother gave him a warning look.

He then locked eyes with Leo.

"Your brother is glaring at me."

"He can't stand you."

"Most people can't."

He seemed pleased at this.

Freddie came with the fries and he pushed the towards her.

"Eat."

She took a fry, too hungry to argue with him about buying her food.

They ate in silence as she took quick glances at him.

He sighed and tapped her nose, after several minutes of this.

What is it, princess?"

She took a sip of the milkshake.

"Why?"

He froze not expecting that. "Why what?"

She sighed frustrated.

"Why did you show up and pretend to be my date. You don't exactly come here often and as far as I now, you don't even like me. Why did you come here and risk your bad boy reparation for me? Why did you get me daisies? Why.."

He sighed.

"I overheard Claudio bragging to some guys about how he wanted to get into your pants which is why he made a date in the first place but the Nicole called him to tell him her parents aren't home so he decided to stand you up and reschedule with you making it into you two hanging out at his house where he would have sex with you. Now I couldn't let him to that so I might have spilled the beans to Balth who told me that you were still here waiting. I felt bad because I know how gossip at school can be so I picked up some daisies and came here. You know I don't care what people think of me so why should I care about what happens to my reputation after this date. And you are worth it. Actually, I like you a lot, Hero Duke. I like you so much that I tried to avoid you so I don't destroy you the way I destroy everything good in my life. "

Hero opened her mouth but he was still talking.

"I love your smile and your pretty blue eyes. I like how sweet you are to everyone, even me when I act like I don't' care. You see right through me and that scares me but I like it anyway. I like your giggle. I like how I don't scare you. I like you Hero Duke, and I would love it if we could go out on a real date."

He froze and it seemed to hit him all that he had just said.

"Oh fuck me."

They looked each other stunned and then Freddie came by with the check.

Joh automatically passed her twenty bucks and told her to keep the change.

Then he and Hero stood up. He removed his leather jacket and gently draped it over Hero's shoulders and grabbed her daisies in one hand as the other hand grabbed hers.

They walked out with everyone whispering and looking at them. They had no doubt they would be seeing pictures later.

They walked to his motorcycle and he froze.

Hero froze as she stared at the machine.

"I trust you, John."

He looked at her and smiled and placed a quick kiss on her hand and then let it go to grab her a helmet. He helped her put it on and she fixed the jacket and then she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

He was riding safely and Hero enjoyed the ride. She loved the wind and the feeling of being free and the smell of his leather jacket and his scent, a mixture of charcoal and old books.

When they got to her house, he helped her remove her helmet.

"Thanks for a good time tonight."

John smiled softly,

"Thank you, Hero."

He watched her walked away and Hero's heart was beating loudly. She thought of her evening and how he saved her and his smile and the way he looked at her and how he accidentally confessed to her.

Then she turned around and dropped the flowers on the ground and she ran to him.

She grabbed his shirt and stood on tip toes and she pressed her lips against John Donaldson, Messina's High bad boy.

He was shocked for about a second before his hands wrapped around her waist and he was kissing. Her hands ran through his arm as he lifted her up and placed her on his motorcycle. She crossed her legs behind his back as they kissed. They broke apart for a few seconds before he was kissing her again.

"Hero."

Kiss.

"Go."

Kiss

"On A"

Kiss

"Date"

Kiss

"With me."

Kiss.

"Yes."

He pulled away to look at her a huge smile on his face. She touched his cheek, gently.

"Yes?" He sounded in shock, breathless.

"Yes." She giggled as his eyes light up.

He laughed and swung her around putting her on the sidewalk.

She smiled, loving the sound of his laugh.

Hero entered her house where she was mobbed by her cousin Bea who had been sent photo after photo about the date and was demanding answers.
__________________________________________________________

John went home where Pedro stood waiting for him. He simply teased him about Balth.

When he entered his room, he sent a quick text out to three people.

Thanks for the help, Meg. By the way, what is Hero's favorite tea?

Balth, I love you. My brother is unaware of how lucky he is. Thanks for the heads up about Claudio and Hero. I owe you one.

Hero, can I pick you up tomorrow at noon?