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The first time Ava laid eyes on Zarin he was hanging upside down from the monkey bars at the town park. It was cool then to hang out there. All the druggies would go behind the trees to smoke it up, all the skaters would hit the half pipe, until they tore it down, and all the popular people walked around or sat at the gazebo making out. Ava wasn't any one of those people. Instead she would sit on a swing and watch everyone. She knew almost all of their secrets because they thought she could hear or they didn't see her. Her favorite group to watch were the ones that didn't fit into popular, didn't fit into skater, nor did they fit into the druggies. They were a mixture, going from one group to another because they did everything. They smoked, they skated, and everyone knew who they were. Zarin was one of those people. Ava was not.

He had gotten up on the monkey bars to sit, looking over everybody. He slipped through the bars and hung from his legs. Ava had heard the commotion and looked over. They made eye contact instantly. She blushed and quickly looked away. She hated awkward eye contact. You know when you are sitting in a classroom and you happened to glance around the room and someone else does the same thing and you look each other in the eyes? That split second of eye contact freaks Ava out. What if they think you were staring at them? Or were they staring at you? Not knowing the answer is to much for Ava to handle.

Ava, still sitting on the swing, continued to look away until she heard footsteps near her. She thought maybe her sister had come to join her after all so she looked up. Her eyes locked on the person's. They were a gorgeous shade of blue. Like a blueberry snow cone. Ava's eyes travelled to his hair; blonde and full. He looked like Leonardo DiCaprio except younger and maybe less attractive. Because really, how could anyone be more attractive than Leo?

"Hey there cutie." his voice was deeper than expected, but light and smooth. What could she say in return? Sup? Yo? Hello? What's happening? Should she just wave?

"Uhm, hi?" she hadn't meant to make that a question. Zarin grinned.

"You come here often?" he asked. Ava broke out in laughter. She was probably blushing like crazy as well. "What?"

"Is that the best pick-up line you have?" she said smiling uncontrollably. It was okay though because Zarin was also chuckling. "But to answer your question, I do."

"Would it have been better if I asked 'Did if hurt when you fell?'?" he shook his head. His smile was the cutest thing Ava had ever seen. His teeth were perfect and white. His lips were smooth and not to big but not to small. She wouldn't mind putting hers on them.

"Maybe, at least it would have been a compliment." Ava replied. Her heart was pumping. They were flirting. She had never actually flirted before. Maybe that one time in 6th grade with Brad Quinzy when he asked her if she liked peaches. Of course she liked peaches so she said yes. Then he asked her if she wanted his peaches. Okay, so maybe that wasn't exactly flirting.

Ava and Zarin talked for a while. They just learned at bit about each other. He was a senior and she was a sophomore. He was extremely surprised that they hadn't seen each other. Because, 'I would have know about someone as pretty as you. Especially with that dyed hair of yours.' is what he told her. Ava did have some crazy hair. She liked to dye it different colors. Right now it was a crimson red. Eventually Hawkins came over, Zarin's best friend. She knew him. He liked to make people laugh and was always talking to everybody.

"Yo, Zarin, we are leaving." he said not seeing Ava at first. "Or we can stay." He said seductively as he inched closer to Ava. She laughed as he smiled.

"Sorry man. I think she's into someone else." Zarin said giving Ava a wink which only made her blush.

"You are full of yourself."

"Well I guess so. So, will I see you again lone star?" He asked.

"Maybe." she smiled at him as they stood from the swings.

"I never got your name." he said as they inched closer for a hug.

"Ava." she whispered in his ear as his arms wrapped around her small frame. She didn't realize how much taller he was than her. At least a foot taller.

They left, waving goodbye through their car window. Ava smiled to herself as she began to walk from the park. She couldn't drive yet and even if she could she didn't have a car. Besides her house was one a few short blocks from the park. As Ava walked she realized the sun was going down. Had they really been their talking for so long? About pretty much nothing? She got butterflies just thinking about it.

She was talking to Zarin Black, a senior who could drive, who looked like Leonardo DiCaprio, and liked her. How crazy was that?