he has me by my heart.

A sort of chuckle slipped through Jeremiah's lips, "No problem... We live on the same side of town, actually." Jeremiah turned on his heel and jerked his head in the direction of the lot indicating Dakota to follow. A couple rows through the lot Jeremiah stopped at a black Chevy and climbed in. He waiting for Dakota to join him before starting the engine and flipping through Pandora stations on his iPod dock. "Do like music? I mean obviously you do but what kind?" he didn't know what Dakota would like so he offered the iPod to the other, although Jeremiah hoped he wouldn't chose anything completely weird.

Dakota shrugged with a laugh. "No clue, I mean, I like anything, really. I'm more into acoustic music more than heavy metal, though," he said as he didn't exactly know the correct answer. He didn't want to seem like something he wasn't, which he was always fearful of being analyzed the wrong way. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous tick he had since he was a kid. He was pretty impressed that the other had his license, thinking it was pretty cool. He didn't mind the other playing any type of music, but decided against saying that since it was obvious by the way he so carelessly dealt with the question asked.

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow at Dakota's response, but let out a small smile, "Acoustic, huh." He went ahead and shuffled through to a random acoustic rock station before pulling out of the lot. On the highway the roads were pretty busy so the traffic was slow, typical Monday afternoon. Jeremiah caught himself glancing over at the other boy next to him. He realized how much younger than himself the other actually looked. A general curiosity crossed his mind about Dakota having such extreme hair color, especially for someone who seemed to want to stay off the radar. Jeremiah rolled his eyes at himself and averted his attention to the road.

Dakota felt Jeremiah's eyes on him but he decided to ignore it. He knew that it was going to be a while until they make it to their house since it was a twenty five minute drive to his house anyways on the bus. He looked over at the other, smiling slightly. "So, I mean, I know who you are, but tell me something about yourself," he said, wanting to fill the silence somehow. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a small sigh as he did so. He didn't want to bother the other from driving, but knew it was something he couldn't help it. He didn't like being consumed in awkward silence.

How was it possible to have gone to school with someone for so long and not have ever properly been introduced? Their school was big, but it wasn't that big. Jeremiah could name a majority of the student body by first and last name. But that was also something he had to do being part of student council. Colleges (his ticket out) pay attention to things like that, which is really the only reason Jeremiah ever bothered to sign up for it. He could honestly care less about the duties of council.

Dakota's voice brought Jeremiah back from his thoughts. He smiled lightly at the other, thankful for the break of silence but baffled at the same time. I'm only child. My dad is an alcoholic. My mom is dead. I don't do anything but study and work. I don't have time for friends or parties. I'm gay. He shrugged a shoulder, "I don't know. What do you want to know?"

Dakota shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, everyone has a story, right?" He asked as he looked over at the other before he offered a small smile. "You don't have to tell me your life story or anything. I mean, I'm a junior and I have okay grades. I'm turning seventeen in a month and I haven't gotten my driver's license - it's taking a bigger toll on my mom than me because she always wanted a kid to do the shopping for her but I'm an only child and I have been putting off my diver's test," he said as he laughed with a grin on his lips. "What about you?" He asked.

Jeremiah noted how often Dakota actually smiled, and it only made him smile in return. "I got my license the day I turned 16, I don't understand how you can even want to put it off for so long. I was dying to be able to leave the house whenever I pleased, and forget riding the bus home!" Jeremiah laughed lightly as he continued navigating through the seemingly endless traffic.

He paused and looked away from the other, "what's your mom like?" An abrupt question no doubt, but Jeremiah couldn't even remember his own mom anymore.