"She's rich."

"Good observation." Georgia smirks as we all look up at the large mansion in front of us.

Zara hesitantly reaches out and knocks on the ornate door, all of us standing in silence as we wait, clearly nervous for what might be to come.

We didn't really know this girl, hell, she's spent two weeks hanging out with us and then invited us over to her house for a 'mini pool party'.

Apart from her long black hair, her curvy hips, her confidence, and her loud voice, we knew nothing.

Maybe she's a serial killer.

Damn it Savannah, not everyone you meet is a serial killer. She's a loud, fun girl you've met at school. You should be happy, you definitely need more friends.

The doors are suddenly pulled open to reveal a grinning Becky, her pristine body covered by a short orange kimono.

"Hello!" she says, moving to the side, "Please come in."

"Thanks for inviting us." I smile, carefully stepping into the house, unable to stop my eyes from widening as they take in the huge entrance.

"No problem." Becky chirps, shutting the door. "It's good to meet people. I tend to keep to myself. People annoy me."

"I'm with you on that." Zara mumbles, gazing around. Becky smiles, gesturing for us to follow her towards the back of the house.

"Come out here." she says, glancing back over her shoulder towards us. "This is where I spend my summer."

"Wow." Zara breathes out as we take in the sight. Her pool is huge, gleaming and inviting in the warm sun, green grass stretching beyond it as far as my eye can see. You could fit the entire Diner in this place, twice over!

She leads us over towards a few sun loungers as I continue to glance around, awestruck.

"This is incredible." I smile as she slouches down onto a seat.

"Thanks!" She pulls her hat off, running her hand through her shiny hair. "Make yourself comfy."

"You're so lucky." Georgia sits down across from Becky, unable to tear her eyes away from the large house.

"I know." Becky smiles, glancing at all of us. "And now that I have friends, I can share it with them."

"Becky I'm going out!" A deep masculine voice sounds out before a dark haired man comes around the corner. "Oh, I didn't realize you had company." He raises his eyebrows as he scans over us.

"New friends Haydon." Becky gestures, waving her arm round, "I have new friends." She smiles at us, "Zara, Georgia, Sav, this is my brother Haydon."

"Girls." He nods at us and I smile in return as Georgia waves. His green eyes are identical to Becky's, his hair the exact same shade. Beautiful.

Their parents have incredible genes.

"They're off limits Haydon." Becky glares at him and I instantly feel my cheeks redden as he winks at me.

"See you later." He laughs before disappearing back into the house.

"Bye!" Zara calls after him as he disappears. Becky shoots her a scowl and she shrugs, "He's hot."

"I have to agree." Georgia sits up straight on the sun lounger, grinning at Becky. "You kept that quiet."

"My brother guys!" Becky covers her eyes and grimaces. I laugh.

"Is he single?" I query, innocently smiling at her as she lowers her hands.

"Off limits girls!" She snaps and I laugh, reaching over and putting my arm around her.

"I know!" I laugh as Zara chuckles and Georgia grins. "We will stay away."

"You better."

"It's so hot today!" Georgia groans, putting her sunglasses on as she lies back.

"I'll get us some drinks." Becky replies before turning and walking back to her house.

"She's nice." Zara breathes out and I nod.

"Plus, her house is incredible!" Georgia winks.

"Georgia!" Zara laughs, whacking her around the arm.

"It's true!" Georgia giggles.

"The pool does look good." I agree, taking my shorts off and walking towards the inviting water, unable to resist any longer, quickly entering the pool. The heat this September is incredible, almost unbearable. The cool water immediately soothes my legs and I quickly throw my body down into it.

"Isn't that freezing?" Georgia calls and I nod.

"So cold!" I yell back, "Just what I need!"

"You're crazy!" She responds, slipping her sunglasses down as she leans back and looks up towards the sky. Becky emerges from the house, her black hair now tied up on top of her head, three drinks balanced on a tray.

"Becky this pool is incredible!" I smile at her as I swim back towards them and she grins.

"Anyone who disagrees with Ashley Farrier is welcome to use my pool, my house, my clothes." She puts the tray down on the table and slumps down on the chair, grinning at me. "Anything you want is yours!" She finishes and I laugh slightly.

"Here, here!" Zara raises her drink to me before taking a sip as I try to take a bow in the pool. Zara and Georgia laugh as I end up splashing Becky's legs and she squeals.

"You should stand up to her more often." Becky grins.

"Excuse me?"

"She deserves it." She shrugs, taking a drink from her cup.

"Unfortunately I need a place on that squad." I reply, leaning on the side of the pool. "And I don't want to be a popular girl. I prefer to be in the background."

"I just want her to be put in her place." Becky groans.

"Doesn't everyone?" Georgia rolls her eyes, lying back on her sunbed. "She rules our school. We may as well just admit it."

"I will never bow down to her." Becky scoffs and Zara laughs.

"Now there's a sight." She chuckles and I grin.

"So girls, tell me about your love lives." Becky sits forward, grinning at us.

"I prefer older guys." Georgia takes her hat off her head and runs her hands through her hair. "I have no time for high school boys."

"They're harmless fun!" Becky winks and Georgia shakes her head.

"Harmless fun?" Zara questions and Becky nods.

"Absolutely." She nods assertively, "Just for fun."

"So, you sleep around?" Georgia gets up, standing tall as she reaches over for a drink.

"Georgia!" I exclaim and she shrugs.

"What?"

"Yeah if I want to." Becky responds, smiling. "Boys do it, why shouldn't I?"

"Because it's..."

"Absolutely, why not!" Zara cuts Georgia off, shooting her a warning glare. Georgia sinks back down onto her chair.

"Sav? Your love life?" Becky turns to me, resting her face on her hand.

"Non-existent!" I report and Zara raises her eyebrows.

"What about you Zara?"

"Nothing for me either unfortunately." Zara smiles, playing with the rim of her glass.

"What about Sam?" Georgia smirks.

"Who's Sam?" Becky grins, looking back at Zara.

"He's just a boy in my art class." Zara waves her hand dismissively but I don't miss the way her cheeks blush red.

"And you like him?" Becky continues and I smile slightly, looking at Zara.

"I might, maybe..."

"What are you going to do about it?" Georgia crosses her legs on the sun lounger, picking up her drink from the tray.

"Nothing. What if he says no?"

"What if he doesn't?" Becky points out, handing my drink over to me.

"Uh... I..."

"Precisely." Becky nods.

"Nothing to lose." Georgia grins at Zara.

"Everything to lose." Zara counters, looking round at all of us, "We're good friends."

"But you could be more."

"I'm happy how we are." She scoffs, slouching back down on the sun lounger.

"Georgia?" Becky turns the attention away from Zara.

"What?"

"Your love life?"

"Private." Georgia retorts, placing her sunglasses back over her face. Nice as always Georgia...

"Okay." Becky smiles, looking up at me. "Well, I ordered some pizzas."

"Sorry, I have to leave." Georgia sits up, grabbing hold of her bag, "I have plans."

No she doesn't.

"Okay." Becky smiles.

"Are you sure?" Zara props herself up on her elbows, looking over at Georgia quizzically.

"Unfortunately." Georgia sighs, before shooting me a triumphant look. "Bye." She waves at us, before turning and walking back into the house. I roll my eyes, placing my drink down on the edge of the pool and climbing out.

"Bye." Becky calls after her.

"Sorry about her, she..." I start, but Becky waves her hand at me.

"Don't worry about it!" She smiles, "A lot of girls take their time to warm to me."

"She'll be okay." I smile as I grab hold of the towel on the chair, wrapping it round myself as I sink down.

"Nice?" Zara asks.

"Very refreshing." I grab the towel, drying the ends of my hair in it.

"Bec!" Haydon suddenly appears back in the doorway, four pizza boxes in his hands, "Did you order pizzas?"

"Yeah!" Becky jumps up, as Haydon walks over towards us.

"Hello again." He grins at us and I automatically smile back at him.

"Hi." I reply.

"Weren't there more of you?" He asks as Becky grabs the pizza boxes from his arms.

"One went home," she replies, bringing the pizzas over to our sun lounger.

"Scared her off already, Bec?"

"Unfortunately." She snorts and I chuckle.

"Should have known." Haydon looks over at me, smiling slightly, "Can't imagine why these girls are still here."

"The pizza, obviously." I grin.

"Of course." He laughs. As Becky opens the first box my mouth starts watering at the melted cheese, Haydon walking towards us and peering over Becky's shoulder. He is seriously tall.

Almost as tall as Brett...

What? I have no idea where that came from.

"No you can't have any!" Becky slaps his hand away and I giggle.

"Bye."

"I'll leave if you give me a slice." He remarks and she rolls her eyes.

"No!"

"Alright, so you girls do cheer?" He grins, sitting down on the table behind him.

"I used to. Sav still does..." Zara begins, grinning as I giggle.

"Fine!" Becky snaps, grabbing hold of a slice of pizza and holding it out to him. "Take one."

"Pleasure doing business with you." Haydon grins as he stands up, nodding his head towards us as he grabs the slice. "See you around." He turns away. I find myself watching him leave until he is completely out of sight.

"I hate him."

"No you don't!" Zara replies.

"Do you have siblings?

"No."

"That explains it." Becky sighs, taking a slice of pizza, biting into it.

"You'll be grateful for him in the future."

"I doubt it." She scoffs, looking down at the pizza. "This is incredible."

"Thank you!"

"No worries." Becky grins as she finishes the slice, "I wasn't about to start cooking you something. It would have been black."

"I like a bit of blackened steak." Zara says, and I wrinkle my nose up.

"Gross!" Becky laughs. "Please take more!"

"You don't have to tell me twice." I grin, reaching over and grabbing another slice.

"So how come we've never really seen you around?"

"I keep to myself." Becky shrugs, "I've always been there."

"I've heard..." Zara starts.

"Ashley and her crew spread lots of rumors about me." Becky cuts her off, "I'm the slut of the team."

"Ignore them." I retort, looking back down at the pizza. "I'll be coming to you if I ever need advice on boys."

"Not sure I can help with relationships."

"I remember you from kindergarten." Zara says suddenly and Becky's eyes widen.

"You do?"

"You were always the one in trouble." She grins, "Mrs Frobes hated you."

"That's true." Becky shrugs as Zara's phone vibrates. She quickly grabs hold of it, looking down at the screen.

"My Mom's here to pick me up! Thank you so much for today Becky." Zara grins, hastily grabbing her bag.

"No problem." Becky exclaims as Zara waves before running off, never wanting to leave her Mom waiting around.

"Were you at Kindergarten too?" Becky's question startles me, and I look down at my hands.

"No." I answer, "I went to Westelm, in Caverleigh." I explain, "We used to live there."

"You did?" Becky smiles and I nod.

"We moved here when I was eleven."

"What a boring place to move to!" She scoffs.

"I like it!" I protest.

"Your parents are crazy." She smirks, and I feel my face instantly fall. "What?"

"They passed away." I say quickly, looking back down at my hands and gently picking at the loose lilac nail polish.

"I'm so sorry." She hurriedly says, "I didn't mean..."

"It's okay." I look back up at her and smile, "You didn't mean anything by it."

"What happened?" Becky's voice is quieter, her eyes sympathetic.

"Car accident."

"I'm sorry."

"Do you mind if I have the last slice for the road?" I grin, changing the subject. 

"Go for it."

"Do you want some money for this?" I ask as I grab the slice, standing up and pulling my bag on my shoulder.

"No, don't be silly!" Becky waves my offer away, "My treat." She declares as we walk back towards the house, "Thanking you for being my friends."

"We haven't decided whether you've made the cut yet." I joke as we walk inside.

"Oh... I see." She replies, reaching for the front door.

"Just kidding!" I tease, nudging her shoulder as she pulls the door open. "You gave us pizza, you'll always be our friend."

"Great." She replies, laughing slightly.

"I'll see you next week!" I say, smiling before I turn away and make my way back down the driveway, turning onto the familiar wealthy road. I slow as I approach the Winter's house, gazing up at it, the stature easily bigger than all the other houses on the street, my eyes always drawn to it's extravagance.

"Savannah?" Brett's deep, familiar voice shocks me and I quick tear my gaze away from his house to find him stood in front of me.

"You know my name." I breathe out, shocked that he finally has the decency to find out.

"Everyone was talking about you standing up to Ash or something." Brett shrugs and I smirk. Of course. He found it out from the rumor mill.

"Nice to see you." I smile before walking around him.

"Wait!" He calls out and I slowly turn around.

"Yes?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"How have you been?" He runs his hand through his hair, grinning at me.

"Why do you care?" I snap and his smile falls.

"I don't."

"Then don't ask." I scowl and he purses his lips.

"I'm just trying to make conversation." He shrugs and I shake my head, smirking.

"You don't need to. I'm walking home." I turn around and begin to walk away from him.

"Can I give you a ride?" He yells out and I roll my eyes.

"No!" I snap, raising my voice slightly so he can hear me.

I don't turn around.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••