New LONGER chapter... if you're reading this - THANK YOU so much for following this story, it means so much to me :) If you want to make me even happier, press the little 'vote' button to the left :)

--------------------------

"There’s that skank!"

Olivia turned round at the sound of Alyssa’s voice from the other side of the cafeteria, to see her marching furiously in her direction. "This can’t be good," she muttered to Chelsie, as Alyssa stormed over.

She didn’t look anything like her usual self. Her usually lush blonde hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed and was scraped back into a messy ponytail, and there was a distinct lack of make-up on her face. There were dark circles around her eyes – partly from old smudged mascara but mostly from fatigue – and her eyes hinted the redness that she had been crying.

Olivia stood up as Alyssa approached her, suddenly startled as she was slammed up against the cafeteria wall with great force.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Alyssa screamed in her face, looking a lot like her fist was about to collide with Olivia’s face.

By now, the whole of the cafeteria was silent and all eyes were focused on the scene in the corner of the room. Because, after all, when Alyssa was involved in something, it was guaranteed not to disappoint.

"What are you talking about?" Olivia asked, genuinely confused, but Alyssa wasn’t buying it.

"You know full well what I’m talking about, you bitch! I can’t believe you’d do this to me!"

"Honestly, Alyssa," Olivia said, a lot more confidently than she felt, as she was about two seconds away from having her face smashed in. "I really don’t know what you mean."

"Oh yeah," Alyssa said, loosening her grip and taking a step back. "Sure. You totally don’t know what I’m talking about." Her voice was wavering, and she sounded like she was trying not to cry. "Because why the fuck would you know what I’m talking about when Carter just broke up with me? Huh?"

Suddenly, it dawned on Olivia. Did Alyssa really think she’d told Carter about what she saw at Brooke’s party? Of course, she had initially been thinking about it but after being threatened in the forest she’d changed her mind.

"But I didn’t–" Olivia began to protest, before Alyssa interrupted her again.

"Just shut the fuck up!" Alyssa screamed, her voice echoing through the silent cafeteria. "You’re a bitch, Olivia, and everyone knows it. You try and act so fucking innocent when you’re really just as slutty and bitchy as everyone else!"

"Look, I swear I didn’t–"                                                                                    

"You’re going to regret this, you skank. I’m going to make you regret this. I’m going to ruin you, Olivia Webb, for what you’ve done."

Suddenly, she leaped forward, making a grab for Olivia’s hair. Startled, Olivia tried to push her away in defence but she was pushed to the floor. Alyssa was now practically on top of her, tugging at her hair and clawing at her face. She was quite the spirited fighter, probably with a great deal of experience.

There was a sudden scraping of chairs on the shiny cafeteria floor as what seemed like the whole school stood up to get a better look at the brawl. Some jocks were cheering, mainly for Alyssa, and Kayla and Courtney were standing by, looking smug. Chelsie was still sitting, looking slightly scared and unsure of what she should do. However, she decided, it was best not to get involved in a fight where Alyssa – and incredibly sharp stiletto heels – were involved.

Then, without having time to think about it, Olivia had managed to shove Alyssa off her and roll over, a position which altogether gave her more control. Her first initial surprise and doubts had now completely vanished, and she wasn’t about to let herself lose this fight – not after the damage Alyssa had caused.

She made a grab for a loose lock of Alyssa’s blonde hair, yanking it as hard as she could until Alyssa screamed in pain. She clawed at her face with her sharp nails, sending red streaks down her cheeks and punching her in the stomach. But Alyssa wasn’t going to give up easily. She fought back, kicking frantically with her legs and delivering punches wherever possible.

"Come on guys, break it up," Olivia heard Chelsie plead, above the noise of the cheering crowd. She sounded slightly scared, as if Alyssa was going to start on her next – which wasn’t unlikely, given Alyssa’s current state of anger.

Suddenly, the noise level plummeted and people began to step back as the cafeteria doors slammed open. The sound of forceful striding could be heard on the floor and then, after a few seconds, the sound of someone shouting at the top of their voice "What is going on here?!"

As Olivia packed one satisfying final punch to Alyssa’s face, she felt two hands firmly gripping her arms and pulling her away from the scene. She tried to resist, but their grip was strong. She turned her head, straining to see who was detaining her, but not recognising the teacher who was yanking her back.

"What the hell do you think you’re doing?" Mr Delmar bellowed, as Alyssa scrambled to her feet. As she stood up, Olivia noticed two red scratch marks that covered the entire length of her cheek – a sight which she found almost satisfying.

"Both of you, my office. Now!" he shouted, the echo of his voice filling the whole cafeteria. Olivia, startled by the severity of his tone, started to shuffle out of the room, after Alyssa. The whole room was silent, all eyes on them as they exited the room.

The short walk from the cafeteria, downstairs and through the hallway to Mr Delmar’s office seemed to go on for an eternity when Mr Delmar’s eyes were boring into Olivia’s back. She shuffled along, feeling her cheeks burning as every student she passed stared at her. She’d been at the school just two weeks and already everyone knew her name – just not for the right reasons.

When they reached his office and – for the second time – sunk into the seats just a few steps away from the desk, Mr Delmar was silent. He stood behind his desk, not sitting in the leather swivel chair in front of his computer, pacing up and down. The only audible sound was the sound of his polished shoes gently tapping on the wooden floor. After what felt like hours of silence but had been merely a few seconds, he spoke.

"You know, you two aren’t exactly in my good books at this precise moment in time."

He raised his head, looking at the two girls in front of him, who were both looking pretty rough as a result of their brawl. Alyssa’s hair was falling out of its ponytail and she had scratches up and down her arms, and Olivia looked equally bad.

"I’ve already spoken to you about the reputation of this school – just last week, come to think of it. So, would any of you girls want to enlighten me on what this was all about?" He sunk into his chair, his hands clasped together as he waited for a response.

There was a pause, neither of them daring to speak. The tension in the atmosphere was evident.

"I said, what the hell were you doing?!" he shouted, startling Olivia and make her jump slightly from her seat. "Now, answer me!"

Olivia opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted.

"I’ll tell you what happened, Mr Delmar. That bitch just came over and attacked me for no reason!"

"Wait – what?!"

Olivia could barely believe what was happening. Alyssa was really going to try this again, after last time? No way. No freaking way.

"That is not what happened, Mr Delmar, I swear."

"Oh really, Olivia?" he raised his eyebrows. "Care to enlighten me, then?" He held his hands up, gesturing that he was listening, but it was obvious who he was going to believe at the end of it. Money always triumphed over justice.

"She attacked me! She came over and started blaming me for Carter breaking up with her, even though I had nothing to do with it! And then she just started attacking me!"  Olivia turned her head to Alyssa. "You can’t deny it! I mean, everyone in the room saw you."

"Mr Delmar, she’s lying." Alyssa’s voice was tinged with fake desperation, wavering like she was about to cry. Surely Mr Delmar wasn’t buying that?

But yet again, Olivia was wrong. "You know, I am seriously considering the withdrawal of your application for this school, Olivia. You have caused nothing but trouble since you arrived. And now you choose to just start fighting people for no apparent reason?"

"That is not what happened! I’m telling you, she’s lying. Ask anyone in the cafeteria – they all saw it! She was blaming me just ‘cause her stupid boyfriend didn’t want her!"

Olivia’s words echoed in the silent room. She bit her lip, realising the severity of her words – which weren’t helping her case. There was a pause before the silence was suddenly broken by a sob from Alyssa’s direction.

"I cannot put into words how disappointed I am in you, Olivia." Mr Delmar’s words rung in her ears. Her heart started pounding, almost visible under her school shirt. She couldn’t get kicked out. She couldn’t.

"Alyssa, you may go now."

She nodded and rose from her seat, a tissue clasped to her face as she stifled a couple of fake sobs. As she reached the door, her eyes met with Olivia’s and she couldn’t disguise that little smile that crept onto her face, although her face was turned safely away from Mr Delmar’s sight.

"And I suggest," Mr Delmar added. "That you two girls keep a considerable distance away from each other."

"Yes, sir," Alyssa said, nodding solemnly,  as she opened the door and slipped out quietly, leaving Olivia alone in the office with the principal.

After the door had clicked shut, the room was silent. It seemed that way for an eternity, as Mr Delmar looked down at his desk, unmoving, without saying a word. Olivia sat in her seat awkwardly, her heart pounding as she prayed to God that she wouldn’t be thrown out of school. Her father would never forgive her. This school had changed her, she was certain. She was completely different back in New York, never missed an assignment deadline let alone got into fights in the cafeteria.

After what seemed like hours of agonising silence, Mr Delmar finally lifted his head and opened his mouth to speak. His tone was harsh, stern, cutting through the atmosphere as if with a meat cleaver.

"You’re treading on extremely thin ice here, Olivia Webb. I hope you’re aware of that."

"Yes, sir."

"And yet you still choose to walk further out. But how much longer is this ice going to last? Before it cracks, and you go through it, into the freezing cold water below?" His voice was sharp. "Because I hope you realise, Olivia, that once your chances are up, that’s it. No do-overs. Nothing more. You’re out, and you’re out for good."

Olivia swallowed. "I know."

"I’ve said to you before, I am not going to have the reputation of this school damaged by unruly students such as yourself. And you know, it is only your outstanding academic record that is keeping you safe at the moment. But that will not cover everything up."

"But I didn’t–"

"There’s no point in lying to me."

"But I’m not lying!" Olivia shouted, the sudden increase in volume startling even herself. "I swear, okay? Alyssa thought that I had something to do with her and Carter breaking up, but I didn’t. I didn’t say a word to him, but she wasn’t going to believe me. And then she just started on me, in the cafeteria. Everyone saw it – anyone who was there will tell you."

Mr Delmar sighed. He looked upwards, as if the answer was written somewhere on the ceiling, and sighed. "Okay," he said. "I don’t know what went on today, and I doubt that I will find out. I’m being good to you here, Olivia, in keeping you in this school."

"Yes, sir. I know that."

"And…" he sighed again, as if he knew he was going to regret what he was about to say. "I’m going to give you one more chance. But I’m warning you now – the slightest bit of trouble and you’ll be out of this school before you know it. You won’t be the one to damage the reputation I have spent years building. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Mr Delmar. No more trouble. I promise."

"Don’t make me regret this decision. But, of course, I will ensure that both of you are suitably punished – detention, after school this week." He lifted his head. "You may go now."

"Okay." Olivia rose from her seat, making her way towards the door. She reached her hand out for the handle, pausing and turning to glance at the principal. "And… thank you."

Mr Delmar nodded. "Just… stay away from Alyssa."

As Olivia turned the handle and left the room, she was once again immersed in the fresh new paint smell of the reception area. She took a deep breath in, ignoring the glares from the bad-tempered receptionist as she walked past, yet again thanking God for her escape route out of yet another mess.

------------------------------

PS: what do you guys think of the new cover? Let me know in a comment :)