Dedicated to @MayniacForLife0 because she made me the beautiful cover for this story!! Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Love you all and thank you for 70 reads already!! :D xxxx

Finally the teacher let us all go and it was finally time for our last lesson before lunch. Our school had gotten really strict over people’s attendance and a lot of people skipping lessons, so they made sure the register was done about five times a day! It was crazy, but I’d got used to it now.

“I’ll see you at lunch!” Olivia said and hugged me softly.

“Yeah, same place as yesterday?” I asked and Mandy nodded her head. We always tried to sit in the same place in the canteen but when the weather was nice we sat out on the field and attempted to get a tan for the hour we had for lunch.

“As long as it doesn’t rain!” Mandy said with a laugh.

“Alright, see you then!” I hugged Mandy and they walked off together. Olivia had Art and Mandy now had a taster in Sociology and their classrooms were quite close so they walked together. I, however, had Business and it was across the other side of the school. I swear they did it for exercise as well as learning because I pretty much have to speed walk to get to class on time! I quickly packed my now full and closed pencil case and diary in and swung my navy backpack over my shoulder and started to head to the door when someone called my name behind me. No one ever called my name unless it was Olivia or Mandy…

“Hey, Beth!” I heard again and slowly turned around; most people had already left to get to their class so there were only about five people left in the room. I looked at every person to see who’s gaze was going to meet mine, and to my very surprise it was Sam. Sam, the most popular guy in our class and well known in our year group was talking to me!

“Umm, hey Sam.” I said nervously. I never had much courage talking to guys, especially ones who everyone knew. I could already feel my heart beating heavier and faster as I spoke to him.

“I just wanted to say thanks for saving my ass from the teacher. That was clever thinking, knocking your pencil case on the floor…” He shrugged as if it was no big deal.

“It’s alright. I didn’t want you guys to get in trouble and I didn’t want a year’s detention!” I said with a laugh. It was more of a nervous laugh than because what I said was funny; I was still trying to get over the fact he was talking to me and he knew my name. Most people don’t even know I exist!

“Well that was kind of you, thank you!” He said, giving me a cheeky smile. Now I know why all the girls say he’s amazing; him talking to me now makes me feel like my life is amazing. He has a charm not many people do and looks to go with it. I was brought from my thoughts by the bell for the beginning of next lesson going off and echoing through the room – I told you they don’t leave me much time! Oh this is great, what excuse can I make to my Business teacher? ‘Sorry I’m late I was talking to a popular guy?’ “What lesson do you have now?” Sam quickly added. I stared at him in disbelief. I’ve been in your business class all year and you don’t even know? His facial expression quickly changed from smiling and happy to confused and worried.

“Business.” I said feeling defeated. This is how quickly my life rollercoasters. One minute the popular guy is talking to me and it’s all fine, the next he reiterates the fact he has no idea who I am. I was stupid to believe his conversation was anything more than a thank you. From the back of the room, I hear someone let out a small laugh. I don’t look around to see who it is, I can already guess. Conor.

“You didn’t even know she was in your class? Oh, Sam, I do love your lack of anything towards the normal people in this school.” Conor said. I could hear footsteps and his voice was getting closer. I only assumed he was walking towards us.

“Oh shut up, would you? Do us all a favour!” Sam snapped and I couldn’t help but look to my left and see Conor standing there. He was much taller than I expected and although he didn’t look like your stereotypical ‘bad guy’ because he had quite a small frame he certainly had the mouth for it. His comebacks were always quick and witty and his facial expressions always told you more than his mouth did. Conor let out a smirk.

“I’m getting to you already.” He said simply and put his hand on my shoulder. “By the way, Sam, I’m also in your Business class. Don’t forget me too, eh?” I know he didn’t say it like that to hurt me, but he was just reminding me more how forgettable I was in this school. It didn’t bother me, as I’d said before, but I’d always dreamt of everyone knowing who I was. I’d always wanted to be famous, to walk down the street and have people know who I was and come up to me and say how much they loved me. I think my lack of being noticed now made me want to become an attention-seeker. I’m happy to admit that. Conor used the hand on my shoulder to lightly move me out of the way and he walked past us to get to class. I turned to follow him quickly but Sam grabbed my arm.

“I’m sorry.” He said but I refused to turn around. “I honestly had no idea you were in my class…” He was only digging himself further into the hole he’d created so I turned and pulled his hand from my arm.

“Just forget about it.” I said with a half smile. “I’ve gotta get to class.” I turned back towards the door and having to speed walk like normal I finally reached Business to see Conor peering in through the door. I don’t think the teacher had noticed him there.

“We’re gonna get into such shi-”

“I’m sure she’ll understand.” I quickly interrupted him before he swore. I barely swore myself so hearing it coming out of his mouth as if it was normal made me shudder a little.

“Leave it to me.” A voice said from behind me. Sam walked past me and Conor and opened the door dramatically, causing everyone to look over to us three in the doorway.

“And you’re late because…?” Miss Potter asked us in her usual harsh tone. She was a lovely teacher until you were late or talked back in class and then she was evil. Her eyebrows were raised and her eyes narrowed at us as we waited for Sam’s brilliant plan to ensue.

“We were talking to our form tutor.” Sam said without hesitation.

“Just hurry up and sit down. I’ve only just started, luckily for you!” She snapped and I walked to my seat in the middle of the classroom nervously.

“Anyway, as I was saying…” Miss Potter said looking at the three of us. “We’ve studied a lot of different case plans and looked at finance and stocks and how to build up a business, now I’m going to put you into groups and you’re going to create your own business. In groups of four, you will decide on a business and design the logo, what products they sell and their daily income. Every day I will email your group with something that could happen to any business nowadays and you’ll have to write a page on how you would react to it. Understand?” Most of the class were too busy eyeing up their friends and smiling at each other because they thought they’d be able to pick their groups and just go with their friends. I always hated when that happened because I’d always end up in the group of people who didn’t have any friends in the class so we’d have to be put together.

“I’ll be picking your groups though!” Miss Potter said to my relief, “And I’m going to pick people that are different to you. I want conflict, I want differing thoughts, I don’t want you all to just agree and one person ends up doing it all.” The class tutted and groaned and whinged but Miss Potter ignored it. She went down the register with her finger and called out people’s names. There were only 20 people in our class so it was 5 groups of 4. I could get on with everyone in the class but none of them were my friends. I got on a little with this geeky girl called Holly. She wore thick glasses and had braces and was constantly the butt of jokes in this class but actually she was quite a nice girl when I had to work with her.

“Right, only 8 people left!” Miss Potter said. I’d been in my own thoughts for so long I didn’t hear her put anyone into groups. I gulped heavily. What if I’d missed my call and when she asks us to go into groups I just sit there because I wasn’t listening? She’s going to hate me…

“These are going to be the hardest groups I have to put together. I know there is going to be loads of conflict here, so I’m looking forward to reading the coursework. I’m going to pick the three people that were late into class today…” The whole class gasped and turned round to face us. My jaw dropped and my eyes went wide. Is she crazy? She wants me to work with a try-hard popular guy and a guy who gets into fights at the drop of a hat? No way. She can’t be doing this to me! I always get good grades in this class, I can’t be trying to do 3 people’s worth of work! “And… Holly.” A few sniggers and laughs filled the otherwise silent air. Why is she doing this to me?

“Miss, no offense but I can’t work with those people.” Holly raised her hand. “Please, just anyone else.”

“The group I’ve put you with is final.” Miss Potter snarled.

“I don’t want to work with you either.” Sam called over to Holly, who bowed her head in shame as the class laughed.

“I agree with her, I don’t want to work with them either.” Conor piped up, giving the evil eye to Sam.

“Will you all just BE QUIET!” Miss Potter shouted as loud as she could, her voice broke at the end and went into a little squeak. She took a sip of water and took a deep breath in and out. “You’re with who I’ve put you with, that’s it. End of discussion. Now get to work!”