Author's note - it's ten thirty am and I fell asleep at six am. Forgive me for this chapter...

5

Natalie's POV

'So you're not still into Kevin?' asked Jasmine.

'No. I'm completely over him' I lied through my teeth, smiling.

'Kevin' said Nerina, looking confused 'what the drunk one on the steps?'

I was going to kill her. That was how I was going to get over this thing. Homicide. 'Yes the drunk one of the steps.'

'Natalie used to be like "oh Kevin, I love you so much" last year then he dumped her' said Blake.

'Thanks for the understanding' I said coldly, glancing at her. She was being intercepted by that annoying guy in her art class, Freddie.

'Blake baby' he said.

'Leave it Freddie' she said, pushing past him. God, Blake didn't half get loads of guys obsessed with her for no apparent reason. I mean she's not ugly, but she's not exactly a stunner and then she's pretty weird which doesn't help.

Jasmine sat down at a free space of the table and patted it for us to sit down. I sat down next her while Blake and Nerina went to the other side.

'I wonder where the other guys are?' said Jasmine, craning her neck.

'Other guys?' I said aloud 'God. I don't want to spend another year with that lot. Coe on Jas, can't we make friends with other people.'

'Like who?' she asked.

'I dunno. Silkie.'

'Silkie' Nerina's eyes widened 'please don't be friends with Silkie.'

I looked at her 'she's your stepsister isn't she?'

'Unfortunately' she said glumly and I smiled. Maybe if we made friends with Silkie, we could ditch Nerina and kill two birds with the same stone.

'So seen any hot guys you like?' asked Jasmine.

'Well...' said Nerina blushing, at what point Skye appeared behind us. 'Hi Nerina.'

'Hi' she said, grinning.

'Have a good dinner.'

'You to' she watched him go and we all stared at her.

'Skye-fucking-Hall' I said slowly.

'What?' Nerina looked confused 'he's nice. Besides he doesn't like me so I don't have to worry.'

'He's nice. If you like serial two-timers that is' said Blake. 'And I know that first hand. He's a bastard.'

She looked at us for confirmation and we nodded.

'Oh' she stared down at her food.

I watched Skye walk away and sit with Kevin. Then Kevin looked in my direction and I instantly snapped my head back and stared at Blake, she looked confused.

'Umm... Nat have you completely lost it and are now going for girls?' she asked.

'No' I said quickly, 'I just... have you got your timetable yet?'

She shook her head 'no one's got their timetable yet. You've been here four years, how do you not know that?'

'I forgot' I said, grinning.

Blake put a bit of sausage in her mouth 'this sausage tastes weird.'

'That's cos it's got meat in it' said Jasmine 'yeah, I switched.'

'Bitch' said Blake, spitting it out into a napkin.

'Yeah' said Jasmine absently. God, Jasmine was weirder than Blake. Six months ago she was chief mean girl and I loved that, then six months ago she dumped Ash Felton and started going out with Jason and now she was good girl gone bad. However boring that was. Maybe when it came to it I would have to dump her in favour of social climbing. She'd be fine, everyone loved fucking Jasmine. Especially Jason.

Shit.

Dino's POV

Thanks to the hall episode I was five minutes late to dinner. But no one noticed when I came in late, that's the good thing about being a nobody. No one notices you.

My eyes scanned the table, wondering where I should sit. I mean, I could take the plunge and sit with Skye in attempt to make friends with him despite the fact I loathed him. Or I could sit by myself. Or- my eyes fell on Nerina sitting three girls who I assumed were her roommates. Two of them I recognised as Jasmine and Blake. Jasmine because her mum had bought a piece of my dad's art a year ago and she wasn't the kind of girl you forgot being nearly as stunning as Nerina. And Natalie spent forever hanging around with Skye's lot last year and clinging onto Kevin's arm like she was physically attached to it. Then there was a girl with purple curly hair who I only knew by sight. Maybe I could sit with them.

No that was too weird.

Hey, I know we just met and you don't know my name. But can I sit with you and possibly marry you?

Wow maybe I was a stalker.

I walked right past there table and sat on the end of it with two guys I knew reasonably well from class. I wondered what would happen when Skye started going out with Nerina, which was definitely going to happen. Would she come in the room for make out sessions, or more? I shivered. God, if she only knew how much of a player he was maybe she wouldn't want to go out with him. But then again that didn't mean she'd instantly fall in love with me like I had somehow managed with her.

After dinner I went upstairs again while Skye, Tom and Ricco disappeared somewhere unknown and unpacked the rest of my bag which didn't take a long time. Then I sat on my bed and wondered whether by Christmas I would still be in the same place stupid. Would I have even plucked up the courage to say something to her that wasn't completely. Maybe Skye would be done with her after a month, but how could anyone be done with Nerina after a month?

Shut the hell up Dino. You don't even know her.

I picked up my book and tried to concentrate on reading it. The thought of Nerina and Skye together was too sickening. But what could I do anyway?