Two blissful weeks have gone by since the night Parker and I shared in the beautiful abandoned garden. Now, it was almost Halloween weekend and all that everyone could talk about was the Halloween costume party that Kimberly Siu is throwing tonight.

He has his arm swung casually around my shoulder and his green argyle sweater is so close to my face that I could identify the exact laundry detergent it had been washed with.

"You wanna sit with the guys and me at lunch today?" Parker suggests as we walk through the school's large quad. I could smell the freshly brewed coffee that the creative students love to sip as they relax in the sun between classes, rather than sit in the air-conditioned common room.

The school had decorated the garden area with Romanesque sculptures and statues that previous Art students had been forced to make on an assignment. It all looks very picturesque and makes Beaumont Hill School look even more elegant than it already is.

Sometimes I wonder to myself how lucky I am to be able to go to such a prestigious school. I'd always assumed that I was going to hate it here due to the reputation of it being filled with snobs and elitists but walking side by side with Parker makes me realise that rumours are exactly just that. Rumours.

I haven't been to the canteen since the whole Brett incident but now that he's been expelled I do admit I feel a bit safer. But still, the anxiety of having to walk in front of all those people who witnessed me being violently shoved to the ground like a football by a 6 foot 3 rugby player made me feel like sinking into the floor.

"I don't know..." What if Parker's friends don't even like me? What if they're the snobs that I had been warned about. As if he senses my apprehension, he gently draws me in closer with his left arm so his minty fresh breath is tingling against my cheek.

"We don't have to if you don't want to, Harls." He looks at me earnestly, with his piercing grey eyes. "We can chill in the quad if it doesn't get too cold and if it does we can go to an empty classroom like we normally do."

Now I felt bad, ever since he found out about my AvPD, he's been ever so considerate about learning my triggers and trying to help me avoid them. But I don't want to hold him back or keep him from hanging out with his friends. He's been having lunch with me ever since and I imagine his friends complaining about the lack of quality time he's spending with them.

I shake my head and the curls that I braided then unbraided this morning bob against my ears. "Do you know what? Let's do it." I decide.

"Yeah?" His eyes lit up and he squeezes my shoulder encouragingly.

"Yeah, why not?" I smile, feeling a new surge of confidence.

I can do this. It's just a few teenagers eating together, it's not as if it's such a big deal. Besides, I've been doing so well these past few months who's to say I can't overcome this disorder? It's not impossible, Tracy told me so. I just need to practice, right?

"You're awesome, you know that?" He smiles, his pearly white teeth gleaming at me.

He nudges me and jerks his head towards the doors. "Come on."

We walk through the entrance doors and the hallways towards the canteen. His arm still casually swung around my shoulder makes it a little difficult to move due to the significant height difference but I don't mind so much.

I come to an abrupt halt once we reach the canteen doors, much to the annoyance of the other students who were walking behind us.

Immediately, Parker moves in front of me, a look of worry planted on his beautiful face.

"You okay?" He looks into my eyes. "We can turn back now, it's not too late."

I look back at him. Fear was running through my veins. All of the negative anxious thoughts were racing through my head again. What if I mess up? What if they talk about stuff I can't relate to and I'm stuck sitting there looking like an idiot? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I don't fit in? What if they reject me?

Parker places his hands gently on my shoulders. "I know you're scared Harley but you can do it. Look how far you've come already. You've been able to talk to me, who is to say I'm the only one?" He gazes at me with such a sweet smile and I know he is just as scared for me as I was for myself. His silver-grey eyes warm my heart and the fear subsides. "You're amazing, Pencils. I'm proud of you already."

I could feel the tears forming and before I could stop it, one rolls down my cheek. I haven't heard someone tell me that they were proud of me in what feels like forever. Hearing Parker say it to me right now, made me want to burst into tears.

"Oh, shit." He starts panicking looking for a tissue in the pocket of his trousers. "I'm sorry, did I say something wrong? Here, take this."

I take a deep breath in and stand up straighter, dabbing at my eyes with the tissue.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I assure him, laughing lightly at how flustered he is. He releases a breath of relief when he sees me laughing.

"Oh, it was happy tears?" He smiles and lifts his shoulders. "That's good, right?"

I roll my eyes at him. He's like a puppy. So cute and adorable. Practically innocent.

"You ready?" He raises one of his eyebrows as he holds out his hand.

I nod my head. "Let's go." I latch onto his slightly sweaty palm and we push through the doors.

Sitting on the central lunch table was: Cassie Thomas eating a salad out of a small plastic box and then grimacing at the taste, Sander Eke laughing while drinking out of a water bottle, Zacchias Tovi talking loudly with pieces of lasagna visibly in his mouth and Jasmin Jelani looking disgusted at his rude table manners. She turns towards me and Parker as we enter and immediately gestures for me to sit by her.

Her cat-like green eyes narrow as she sees Parker's hand latching onto mine.

I blush and look at Parker. "You go ahead, I'll sit next to Zachy." He says.

Zacchias slaps Parker on the back as Parker slides in next to him. "Long time no see, stranger!"

"I saw you this morning?" Parker snorts as he picks at one of Sanders chips. Sander slaps his hand but Parker goes in for another one anyway.

I sit on the bench next to Jasmin and Cassie opposite the boys. Cassie tilts her head at me and smiles. She holds her hand out "Cassie Thomas. I don't think we've met before." I take her hand and shake it.

"Harley-Blair Thompson. No, I don't think we have."

Parker winks at me. I spoke.

Jasmin salutes me. "You and Parker look cosy." She leans in to whisper then giggles dramatically.

I feel my cheeks go warm and pray that no one else heard that.

"Anyone want the rest of my salad?" Cassie sighs. She picks a cherry tomato out of it and drops it beside her foot on the floor. When no one offers to take it from her she dumps it on the table with a huff.

Zacchias leans across the table and whispers into Jasmin's ear. Wet droplets fall from his hair into her plate of couscous. He must've had swimming practice before lunch.

"What the hell, Zachy!" She slaps his shoulder and pushes him away, annoyance spread on her face. "You're getting chlorine in my food! I can't eat that anymore." She folds her arms and pouts. Zacchias uses his thumb and index finger to turn her face by her chin towards him. He kisses her and you could visibly see her face melting with delight.

"That's not what you were saying last night, " he wiggles his eyebrows up and down as Jasmin rolls her eyes at him.

"Grow up, will you?" She snarls reaching for a bit of Sander's chips too.

Cassie raises her eyebrows at me and giggles into her hand. "So dramatic," she mouths and I smile shyly back.

"Speaking of parties,"  Jasmin says, twisting the ends of her shiny black hair, even though nobody spoke of a party. I think she just wanted to change the subject. "Everyone's going to Kim Siu's Halloween bash, right?" She eyes everyone on the table, awaiting their response.

Sander gulps down the last of his chips before loudly announcing that he was going as batman. "I'm the definition of the dark knight, it's only right, " then he smiles to himself goofily. "Hey, that rhymes!"

Cassie scoffs, looking bemused. I was pretty sure I had seen them kissing in the student car park this week or maybe my eyes were deceiving me. They were completely different, Cassie is one of the few math prodigies in my year whereas Sander was into sports as well as being a musical prodigy from the year above, Parker's year.

"Well, I guess that means I have to go as Catwoman. I hope that catsuit from year 9 is still my size." She stabs her salad warily, her pink glossed lips upturned.

"I'm sure it will be, hun," Jasmin adds reassuringly.

"Do you think she'd let me turn up naked? I'm thinking 'the invisible man' but the only thing invisible are my clothes." Zacchias pipes up, laughing ridiculously.

Jasmin slaps him on the arm and gives him a playful dangerous look. "Don't you dare."

"You want this all to yourself, eh?" He wiggles his thick eyebrows up and down at her again, mock suggestively.

She tuts and turns away from him, signalling the end of their interaction for her. She clasps her perfectly manicured hands together and smiles at me weirdly. "What are you planning to go as, Harley-Blair?"

Suddenly all eyes were on me. I turn to look at Parker with a bewildered expression on my face. I feel like a deer caught in the headlights. My breathing quickens and I can feel a bead of sweat forming on my forehead.

Breathe. Parker mouths to me. He made sure no one else could see this prompt and that makes me feel so happy.
Breathe. He mouths again.

I take a deep breath in and think. What can I possibly go as? I have no idea.

"Erm, I'm not sure yet, I don't even know if I'm invited," I admit. I've never spoken to Kimberly Siu before, I doubt she'd let me gatecrash her party.

"What? Don't be silly of course you're invited!" Jasmin exclaims. "Everyone is!"

"Plus you're with us so it's not as if we'd leave you out." Cassie chimes in. Her sandy blonde hair cascades around her shoulders like a halo. I notice Sander staring gormlessly at her as if she was a goddess visiting earth.

How cute.

"I already know what I'm going as," Parker announces lightly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"I think we all know what you're going as, " Zacchias mutters, shaking his head disapprovingly. "Because you go as the same thing every year."

"Spider-man." They all say in unison, nodding their heads.

Parker blushes and crosses his arms defiantly. "Well, you know what they say," He shrugs, trying to look unbothered. "If it ain't broke don't fix it."

Jasmin and Cassie both roll their eyes and laugh. Their white teeth and healthy pink gums showing.

"Somebody please break it." Zacchias murmurs.

"Anyway, Harley, why don't you come over to mine tonight?" Her emerald eyes gleam mischievously at me as I bite my bottom lip. "I think I have the perfect costume for you to try on."

I look over to Parker who grins at me in encouragement. He was so happy that I was getting along well with his friends. I swallow the spit caught in my throat and nod my head okay.

I can do this.

"Great!" She claps her hands together triumphantly and turns to Cassie. "You come too, I need to borrow your heels."

Cassie removes a piece of lint that was lying on her mint green wrap sweater. "Whatever."

"Woohoo! Girls night!" Sander shouts, pumping his hands in the air. "Can I come too?"

Cassie pushes her palm into his face as he tries to resist. "Ugh, in your dreams, Sander."

I take another bite of my sandwich and watch as the group carry on talking. It's a new feeling to be included, to be wanted and not rejected. To not let my anxiety get a hold of me and just live in the moment.

I like it.

A/N- jeez another chapter?!! Yessir, and I've got loads where that came from. I got my first comment the other day and that made my whole week :) I love when you guys engage it really encourages me. I hope you like this one and the rest of the book. Let me know what you think <3