Not Your Average Love Story.

Lexin couldn't remember a time when he wasn't working. From the farthest into the past he could go (Kindergarten) to present (High School), he couldn't find a time when he wasn't thinking about work. He found it hard to concentrate on having fun and 'being a kid' when he had so much to do, and so little time to do it.

So, when Prom came up, he had no idea who to ask out. He never hung out with anyone, and he didn't make an effort to build that kind of intimacy with anyone he talked to in class. He had nobody, just the lonely nerd in the front of the class, using extra studies as an excuse to skip going out with his peers.

Lexin had no idea what to do.

Minda couldn't remember a time when she liked colors. She could remember faint flashes of rosy pink, of baby blue, of forest greens, and ugly clown oranges, but those faint flashes were laced with disgust. She often ignored them, instead pushing them away, cloaking herself in a land of darkness. Eye shadow, mascara, dyed hair in a braid, black leather jackets, black and dark gray tank tops, sarcastic mottos printed on plain black T-shirts, jeans, skirts, leggings, all black. Black high-heeled boots four inches off the ground. When color failed Minda, she turned instead to night black.

Prom arrived way too fast for Minda, and the last thing she wanted was to 'dance' with some random person who didn't understand her. She was sure nobody would want to dance with the goth in the shadows either. Skull and crossbones be damned.

Minda had no idea what to do.

"You have anyone to go out with yet?" Julian asked, and Lexin sighed, placing his pen down. Lunchtime had come around, and Julian was asking everyone if they'd acquired a Prom date. Lexin and Bryce had tried to shrug it off, as did Minda, but Julian was insistent. This would make the 5-time mark for Julian's prying questions.

Lexin immediately shoved his chair back and stormed out. He didn't need a reminder of his loneliness. Not while he was trying to study. Settling into the driver's seat of his jeep, he leaned back, closing his eyes in exasperation, before leaping into his studying again.

Until the door to the jeep flew open.

Lexin watched shocked as Minda slid into the passenger seat, leaning back into the seats, enjoying the dark colors Lexin had used to decorate his jeep. "Why'd you leave?" she asked quietly. Lexin slid his bookmark into the textbook slowly, pulling his thoughts together. "I couldn't stand the barrage of questions," Lexin said finally. "And I'm sure you're sick of them too."

"Yeah."

A silence ensued, until:

"Would you be averse to going to Prom with someone who's probably going to look like a bat?" Minda asked.

Lexin blushed, chuckling.

"Would you be averse to going to Prom with someone who doesn't often take their nose out of books?" Lexin countered.

"No," Minda said, her cheeks the same rosy pink she hated so much.

"Then, Minda, would you like to go to prom with me?"