It was obvious from the look on Ben's face as we approached him on the ropes that he was scared. Like, really scared. It seemed like if we left him there any longer, he might pass out; his face was white and his whole body was shaking. It would have been funny under other circumstances.

But, of course, at that moment nothing was funny. Lizzie was somewhere beneath the swamp and had been for the past sixty seconds, and it was down to me and Thomas to rescue both her and Ben.

"Can you hold on while we search for Lizzie?" I asked Ben. I was standing on the rope in front of him, with Thomas on the one behind me. He was already climbing down into the swamp.

Ben nodded and swallowed hard. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I'll be okay."

"Okay, good." I nodded too and turned back to Thomas. He had one foot in the swamp, clutching hold of the rope, and his expression was determined. "Are you alright?" I asked him, as he let go of the rope and fell down into the swamp.

Thomas nodded. "I'm fine. I can just about touch the floor. Don't come in, just stay where you are. I'll try to find her and pull her out."

"No way," I said, stepping down into the swamp, too. "I'm coming in to help. She's been down there way too long."

Thomas gave a half-smile and watched as I placed both legs into the muddy water. I screwed my face up in disgust at the feel of it: it was slimy and sticky and sat heavily around me, not like normal water at all. It seemed to have a strength of its own, like it was pulling me under with each movement. I crossed my fingers and swallowed down my fright, hoping like hell that it wasn't quicksand.

I waded around behind Thomas as he felt through the water for Lizzie. After a few seconds, he shouted out and dove beneath the surface. He came back up with swamp water all over him, and in his arms was a body.

"You got her!" I cried, a smile cracking on my face.

Thomas hauled Lizzie a little higher out of the water and I watched with nerves in my stomach as he bent forwards to brush her hair out of the way. He examined her face and tried shaking her shoulders a couple of times to rouse her, but her eyes stayed shut.

"Is she okay?" I asked, moving closer towards him.

Thomas rolled his eyes up to meet mine. "I think she's unconscious," he said. He pulled Lizzie further up so that she was resting against his body, and began moving towards the edge of the swamp. "We need to get her out of here before we can help her properly."

I nodded. "What about Ben?" I asked.

Thomas shrugged. "I don't know. Just get him to toughen up and walk off the damn ropes." He looked back in the direction of Ben and pulled a face. "It's obvious who actually needs the help here," he said.

I swallowed and turned around, too. There was colour in Ben's cheeks suddenly. "Thanks for the consideration, man," he said, speaking through gritted teeth to Thomas. "I guess I'll just overcome my fear right now to help you play the part of the hero once again."

"Perhaps you should," Thomas bit back. He scowled and continued to wade over to the edge of the swamp. He cupped his hand around Lizzie's head and I felt my mind numb with jealousy for a moment as I watched. I couldn't help but feel as though Thomas' act of bravery when he'd jumped in to save me from the pool on the first day meant less, now that he was doing just the same for her.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I turned to Ben too and started towards him. "I'll help you out," I said quietly, and my stomach tightened as he turned his attention back to me and smiled.

"Thanks, Sophie," he said. "At least I know I can still count on you."

Don't push it, mate. I could quite easily throw you right in, just like Lizzie...

"It's no problem," I said with a forced smile, grabbing hold of one of the ropes and struggling with all my might to pull myself out of the swamp. The weight of my wet clothes pulled me down, and I could feel the slimy liquid collecting inside of my Converse as my feet emerged from the water, but eventually I was standing upright on the small piece of wood attached to the end of the rope.

"How are we going to do this?" Ben asked me. He tilted his head slightly, though the rest of his body remained paralysed, clutching tightly onto the rope.

I shrugged. "I don't know. You're going to have to move, otherwise we're both going into the swamp."

Ben's eyes widened. "I can't move! I'm stuck!" he said.

I laughed. "You're not stuck. Stop being stupid. We need to get over there to help Thomas with Lizzie. Just turn around, grab hold of the rope behind you, and move your butt across until you reach the end! Come on! There are only three ropes to cross!"

"Sophie," Ben said, shaking his head, "I can't do it."

I arched my eyebrow. "You're not actually being serious, are you?" I asked him.

Ben stared hard at me. "I'm being absolutely, one-hundred per cent serious."

Great. So what was I supposed to do? Lift him up like I was Tarzan and he was Jane, and carry him with my free arm across the rest of the ropes? I didn't think so. And, if he wasn't going to budge, there was only one option available. I looked down at my already filthy and soaking wet clothes and sighed.

"You made me do this." And then I launched at him.

Ben let out the loudest scream I'd ever heard—it was higher-pitched than a girl's—and I shut my eyes as I fell with him into the swamp water, clutching hold of his chest the whole time. As the slime enveloped us, I felt him grabbing me around the waist and our heads knocked together. It was a struggle to get to the surface, but eventually we both ended up above water again, me with wet hair and Ben with a not-so-impressed expression on his face.

"Why did you do that?!" he cried.

I shook my head to clear some of the goo from my ears and laughed. "How else was I supposed to get you to move?" From across the water, I could see Thomas watching. He was smirking. I smiled back.

"You didn't have to do that!" Ben shouted. He seemed genuinely angry this time. I swallowed hard and turned my nose up at him, wading through the water to reach the edge of the swamp. I heard sloshing behind me as he followed.

"You guys okay?" Thomas called over. As I dragged myself up out of the swamp, I turned to look at him. He was biting his lip to keep the grin off his face.

"Oh, we're good," I said, winking at him so that Ben couldn't see. "Just fine." I walked closer to him. "How's Lizzie?"

Thomas knelt down beside her and brushed her hair out of her face again. "She's breathing," he said. "And she has no injuries. I just can't get her to wake up."

"You need to breathe air into her mouth," Ben said from behind us. I turned to see that he was right there.

Thomas looked up. "You mean, like, The Kiss of Life? That?"

Ben nodded. "It's what they always seem to do when this kind of thing happens on films. Right?"

Without hesitation, Thomas leaned forward and brought his lips to Lizzie's. My mind went numb with jealousy again as I watched him pinch her nose gently and position his mouth over hers, breathing into her. When she moved beneath him, her body jolting upwards for a moment, I felt my stomach knot together. Thomas opened his eyes and stared into hers, and she looked back up at him, and if this were a movie, it would be the part where the two of them declared their love for one another and kissed passionately.

But this wasn't a movie, and I could tell from the look of disgust on Lizzie's face as she pushed Thomas away from her that there was absolutely no hint of passion between the two of them.

"Get off me, you jerk!" Lizzie shouted, kicking her legs about until she caught her footing, and then standing up quickly.

I glared at her. "He just saved your life!" I said in disbelief.

Lizzie scoffed. "Hardly," she said. "He pulled me out of the water. It's not a matter of life or death."

"Well, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have lived if he'd left you beneath the water any longer, Lizzie," I snapped back. "You were unconscious! You could have drowned!"

Lizzie scowled. "I told him never to touch me again after last night," she said, looking at Thomas. His cheeks coloured. I frowned.

"What happened last night?" I asked, my voice quiet. Inside, all of my adrenaline suddenly dropped. My energy hit against the floor like a dead weight, and every muscle seemed to go limp. I realised that I never had found out what happened downstairs between Lizzie and Thomas.

Thomas shook his head. "It doesn't matter," he said quickly. He moved his hand to scratch the back of his neck, eyes on the floor.

Ben stepped forwards. "It doesn't matter?" he repeated. "You kissed her, but it doesn't matter?"

Thomas pulled a face. Lizzie raised her eyebrows. I frowned.

"You kissed Lizzie?" I asked, disappointment overtaking my mind.

Thomas looked up quickly, his eyes meeting mine briefly before he turned his attention to Ben. "Don't bother trying to make this sound like I'm the bad guy," he said, his voice low and threatening.

"I'm not trying to make you sound like you're the bad guy, Thomas," Ben replied. "You are the bad guy. You've been playing these two off against each other like they're toys."

"What is going on?" I asked, eyes flicking between all three of them.

"Nothing!" Thomas said quickly. His eyes were urgent as he looked between Ben and Lizzie, and then, eventually, locked stares with me. I swallowed hard.

"Well, it's not really nothing, is it?" Lizzie stepped forwards. She placed her hands on her hips and leaned towards Thomas. "You kissed me, thinking that I'd just let you have it all, and then I go and find out that I was just a rebound? You're a user, Thomas. You used me!"

"I didn't use you!" he fought back, stepping forwards too and turning his attention onto Ben. "I was mad, and you were offering yourself to me!"

"What are you trying to accuse her of, Thomas?" Ben asked. He squared his shoulders and stepped forwards, too. "Are you trying to imply that Lizzie led you on?"

"Yeah, Thomas. Is that what you're trying to say about me?" Lizzie asked. She stepped forward too and thrust her head forwards more.

Thomas let out a growl. "You know why I did it!" he yelled. I watched as his fists curled into balls. "And you can hardly talk!" Thomas shoved Ben hard in the chest. "Let's try to remember what you were doing just a few minutes before all of this happened." Thomas raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yes. That's right! You were lying on top of Sophie upstairs, half naked!"

"Don't push me, man," Ben growled back, shoving Thomas in the shoulders too. Their faces were both bright red, and Thomas' jaw was clenched tightly, his temples throbbing. "I like Sophie! She wouldn't have kissed me if she didn't like me back!"

I felt my own pulse racing in my neck. Was this seriously happening? They were actually fighting over me and Lizzie? I couldn't speak I was so shocked. I imagine my face probably looked like a goldfish at that moment, my mouth open in an 'o' shape, eyes wide as I stood there motionless.

"That's what made me so mad!" Thomas said, and for a second his eyes met mine again. It was over in an instant, though, as he stared hard at Ben again and shoved him once more—this time a lot harder—in the chest. "You made her believe she had a chance with you. You're an arse, Ben! You are the user, here!"

"Stick up for me, Ben!" Lizzie cried, moving even closer to the two of them. "What about me? What about when he kissed me?! That was manipulation, too! He made me believe he liked me just because he was mad that you kissed Sophie! That's not fair, either. He is the user!"

It was like watching a tennis match. Back and forth, back and forth went the insults, and back and forth, back and forth went my head as I switched my attention between each of the boys and Lizzie as they all fought to have their say. I, however, did no fighting. I just stood by and watched, stunned at what I was witnessing. That is, of course, until Thomas got really angry...

"I don't know why you care, anyway!" Ben shouted, as he shoved Thomas in the shoulders for the millionth time. Thomas moved backwards a few steps with the force, eyes mad. "It's not like she belongs to you. She went for me! She doesn't want you, Thomas!" Ben laughed. "Why do you care so damn much?"

I watched, my whole body tense, as Thomas drew in a long breath and positioned his feet. I could tell he was at the height of his madness now, as his eyes suddenly became much darker and he moved one of his arms backwards slightly. I found myself holding my breath as I watched, eyes glued to him. Even Lizzie, who had been urging them both on the whole time so far, suddenly seemed a little uneasy. She took a step backwards and looked at me, a worried expression on her face.

And that was when Thomas launched.

In one quick movement, he dove straight for Ben, throwing all of his weight against Ben's chest and causing him to fall to the floor. When he was down, Thomas knelt against his chest and bought his fist above his head, swinging it down so that he hit Ben's face with a loud smack. Lizzie let out a yelp, Ben cried out, and I moved my hands to my face, covering my eyes.

"I think she's perfect, Ben. That's why I care so damn much!" Thomas was yelling, his whole face and neck red with anger. "How do you think that made me feel, walking in and seeing you on top of her?!" Thomas hit Ben again, and this time Ben moved his hands up to block the punch. "I hate you for doing that! How dare you accuse me of being the user! You stole the only girl I've ever had feelings for!"

Everything seemed to happen in a flash, then. Inside of my mind, the earth stood still as I listened to Thomas' words, and then replayed them over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Thomas Lester just said he thought I was perfect?

Me!

I'd succeeded in my goal of stealing Thomas Lester's heart?

What?!

But I had hardly any time to dwell upon his words, because in the next moment Ben had somehow managed to drag Thomas beneath him, and now Ben was hitting Thomas around the face and I could see blood and red faces and angry eyes, and all I could hear was Lizzie screaming and the boys shouting, and my own mouth was opening and closing but no sound was coming out, and then, just when I thought nothing could get any worse, I heard the most frightening sound of all.

"What are you doing?!" Hayley screeched.

I spun around instantly. Lizzie did, too. Even the boys stopped fighting momentarily to look at her. Hayley jogged up to us with her clipboard pressed to her chest, eyebrows knitted together as she kept her eyes on the boys.

"What on earth happened to you guys? You're all sticky and wet! And what are you boys doing?!" Hayley stopped right in front of them and bent forwards, hands on her knees, to catch her breath. "Just look at you all! This is a catastrophe!"

I stared on, dumbstruck, as Hayley proceeded to step forwards and prise Thomas from beneath Ben. He cupped his hands around his nose to stop the bleeding and moved backwards, in my direction. Ben stood up, too, and brushed himself down, cheeks flushed still as he glared across at us all. Lizzie was the first to talk.

"They just started fighting!" she said, her voice whiney and babyish. "I fell in and got knocked unconscious, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up and they're all just having this stupid argument!" I watched as she made her lip wobble and forced a couple of tears from her eyes. Stupid.

"That's not what happened!" I said, the sound of my voice shocking me again. Everybody turned to look at me. I raised my eyebrows and threw my arms out. "It's not!" I repeated.

Hayley held her hands up. "Stop!" she bellowed. "Everybody just stop!" I didn't bother pointing out that we'd all stopped the second she'd walked in on the scene... "I don't want to listen to it! This is disgusting behaviour from all four of you! You're suspended from the rest of the activities. I've had it with you all! We can talk about this in my office. You have an hour to get yourselves cleaned up. I am not impressed!"

"But I didn't do anything!" Lizzie wailed.

"Oh, shut up, Lizzie!" Ben shouted. I wanted to laugh, but obviously that would have been stupid, so instead I kept my mouth shut and stared hard at the floor as I began to walk off.

"This is all your fault!" Lizzie bit as we went.

I turned back to scowl at her, but before my eyes reached her I met the gaze of Thomas instead. His face was still red, but his eyes weren't angry anymore. In fact, he looked a little deflated. But as I looked at him, a sparkle seemed to form in his blue irises, and the corners of his mouth lifted a little.

I smiled back, and my stomach flipped and twisted and jumped out of my mouth for a moment to do a few cartwheels around my body, and, if stomachs had middle fingers, it stuck its middle fingers right up at Ben and Hayley and Lizzie, and then it jumped back inside of my body and settled itself down again.

Thomas Lester had just admitted he liked me. I was allowed to be a little bit excited, even if this had all gone terribly wrong in everyone else's eyes.