‘YOU ARE ONE of the most unbearable people I’ve ever seen in my life!’ ‘Well, you aren’t a picnic either, Pierce!’ It was a Tuesday and Tuesday meant gym class. And gym class meant Mr. Gai’s rigorous activities but right now, I think I would prefer those rigorous activities to Maria’s ‘compliment training.’ First it was the contact training. Austin and I had tried to hold hands while he walked me to my class. I could hear a lot of students muttering how cute we were or that we were perfect for each other. It sounded easy, holding hands. And besides we had agreed that we would be holding hands once a while. But now, compare that to this outrageous complimenting thing. It was a lot more difficult than the latter. ‘Come on guys, it’s just words.’ Maria urged. We were at the school’s cafet

