Note: I wrote this entire chapter then shut my computer down by accident -_- so I have to write it ALL again! D: So apologies if it isn't up to my usual standard :)

Rythian's POV

The maths teacher, Mr Casso, babbles on about gradients, angles and graphs, and I sit and stare. Maths-the world's worst subject EVER. Well, I think, staring blankly at the mass of numbers on the board, at least next lesson was magic. My favourite. "Rythian! Are you paying attention?" Mr Casso snaps. I snap out of my day dream. "Yes sir" I mutter. "What's the gradient, then?" he asks impatiently. Sighing a little, I answer, "No idea". "Detention!" he snaps and I nod with a huff. I was used to getting detentions. 

The bell, thankfully, rings, and I get up with a start, packing away my pencil case, my planner and my maths book which was torn and had cup rings on it from where I had used it as a cup coaster. Shoving my chair under, I stumble into the corridor. "Duncan!" I call out, watching the blonde haired boy dodging his way through the mass of people stuck in the math's corridor. It was so thin, it was ridiculous-there was no such thing as personal space here. He turns, pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Oh hey Rythian, gotta run, have to talk to Lewis, will save you a seat at dinner!" he calls out quickly, before being dragged away by the crowd.

I kept forgetting that Duncan had other friends. I myself only had him as a best friend. I wasn't a loner exactly, I was good friends with Lewis and Simon. But they were only chat-on-the-corridor-about-the-weather-or-homework friends. Duncan and I went way back, back in nursery, when we were just kids. We'd actually gotten into a fight over some teddy bear or something, and from that day we were inseperable. Well, that's what I thought. Duncan seemed to spend more time with Lewis and Simon and gushing about "his gorgeous Zoey" than bothering to be friends with me. 

Zoey and him weren't even going out. He had developed a ridiculous crush on her since we started school, saying she was perfect in every way, and he loved her. Which was stupid, because they had hardly even spoken to each other. I mean, OK, she was pretty. And smart. And funny. And crazy. Crazy in a good way. Crazy in my way.

I shake the thoughts out of my head as I finally enter the busy cafeteria. I join the cue, and hear giggling from behind me. Tia and Zoey had cued up behind me, laughing about something that had happened earlier. I loved Zoey's laugh. It was like the ringing of bells, so cute, so adorable...

For Notch's sake! I scold myself. That's your best friend's crush! You can't just go thinking this...

As I debate this in my head, Ridge pushes in roughly behind me and I stiffen. It was an unwritten rule not to talk to Ridge. He was kinda scary sometimes. Like the fact that he was a lot taller than everyone else, and he seemed to stare into your soul. He seemed to know everything about everyone instantly. He reminded me a bit of Sherlock off the telly, only scarier and ruder. 

"Get out of the line Ridge!" Tia snaps loudly. I blink, trying not to look like I was paying attention. "Make me" he retorts and I can almost hear his smug smirk being plastered onto his face. "Buy me a muffin or something, and I won't tell you off" she replies. I frowned, just a little bit. "Tell you off" sounded a bit childish, and making Ridge buy her something? She wished. "Whatever" Ridge replies. I grab my food, and depart quickly from the bickering pair. 

I scan the room quietly, before spotting the mop of blonde curls. When Duncan meets my eyes, he smiles and pats the empty space next to him. I hurry on over, ignoring people as they stare. I was used to being stared at. People thought I was different, weird, a nerd of some sorts really. I was not picked on yet I was not interacted with. People seemed to automatically keep their distance from me. I wasn't sure why and I was pretty sure I never would.

"Hey Rythian, has Zoey said anything about me?" he asks hopefully, bright sky blue eyes watching me eagerly. He seemed to think I talk to Zoey often, and in truth I never have. "No, not really" I grunt, scooping up some of the soup. "Oh" was all he said, looking disappointed. He was really starting to annoy me now. "Just talk to her, Dunc" Lewis interrupts me as I'm about to say the same thing. My mouth slides shut again and my gaze goes back to the soup. "It's too awkward! What do I even say?" Duncan whines, chewing his sandwich thoughtfully. 

"Oh for gods sake" I snap. I stand up, and storm over to the girls table, ignoring Duncan's protests behind me. "Zoey?" I ask, and she looks up, those beautiful blue eyes gazing into mine. "Yes Rythian?" she replies. "Duncan wants to talk to you but he's too shy to, so can you, I don't know, talk to him if you get the chance to?" I stammer. Damn, it was hard to talk in front of girls when they are all staring at you. "Sure!" she giggles, hand going up to straighten her hair. The rest of the girls giggle, and I nod, departing quickly.

"What the hell?" Duncan hisses when I sit back down, though his blush gives away that he isn't angry at all. I smirk. My sudden confidence had clearly startled some of the table. "What did you say to her?" Simon asks with a grin. "I told her that Duncan was too shy to talk to her so if she could go talk to him that would be good and she said ok" I tell them, grinning when Duncan squeaks like a girl. "You said I'm SHY?" he almost yells, blushing crimson when he spots Zoey glancing his way. We can hear the girls giggling even from here and Duncan comes close to slapping me. Thankfully, the bell rings to signal that lunch is over, and we all leave.

Watching Duncan strut out of the dining room prouder than a peacock then trip over a chair leg in front of Zoey made me erupt into laughter, and I was rewarded with a series of soul shrinking glares and one very embarrassed friend.

Duncan's POV

Oh for Notch's sake! Why did that frickin table leg have to be there? Ugh! I almost wanted to slap myself in the head but that would just make me look even more like an idiot. Diverting my thoughts to another subject, I realized it was magic next and I groan internally-I hated magic. Why Rythian was obsessed with it I would never know. 

"Hey Duncan!" a cheerful voice giggles behind me and I swear my heart almost stops. "Hey Zoey!" I smile. I managed to keep my voice from stammering, which was a miracle. "How are you?" she continues, walking in step with me. "I'm fine thanks, you?" I say, still smiling. I refused to meet her eyes, knowing I'd just blush again.

"Um, good!" she replies. Now for the awkward silence. "Uh, do we have any magic homework?" I ask, trying to make conversation. "Nope!" she answers. Thankfully, Hannah chooses that moment to intervene. "Hey guys!" she smiles, swishing her blonde her back. "Hey Hannah" I murmur. We used to be partners in science until she started to get clingy with the other girls. "Hey Hannah!" Zoey grins, hugging her round the neck. Why didn't she hug me like that? I thought sadly.

The room to magic is open so I walk in. "Talk to you later Zoey" I smile, trying not to look smug when people look up at me. "Ok!" she sings, going to sit down in her place next to Ridge. She pulled a face at Tia, who was sat opposite him, and was next to Sips. Madam Nubescu, the magic teacher, calls out in her thick accent. "Alright class, settle down, will ya! Duncan, hand out these text books for me" she smiles, nearly throwing the books at me. I catch them, and quickly slide my bag onto the chair before going round and handing them out.

When I get to Zoey and Ridge, I pause before handing out two. Them two sharing? Ridge didn't know the meaning of the word. I hated Ridge, partly because he was the only one who could match my score in science, and partly because he was a smug idiot who thought he was better than everyone else. I glower at him out of the corner of my eye. Ridge turns his head lazily in my direction. He glared right back, and I bristle. Damn, he was scary.

Hurrying over from their desk, I finally get to my own desk and hand out the rest of the textbooks. Madam Nubesu writes a page number on the board and we all turn to it. I can hear loud talking coming from Sky-he was always loud-and Liam as they argue about whether it was a nether wart or a spider eye used in potions. I bite my pencil, looking down. None of this made any sense to me...

"Rythian, what is it used in awkward potions as the base?" Martyn's voice calls out. He was sat on the same table as Sky, Liam and Jerome, and it was always loud, and I felt bad for the kid. He was very quiet, but always happy, and everyone loved him. "Nether wart" Rythian says back and there are some hisses of success from Liam and groans of defeat by Sky.

"How do you know all this?" I murmur, stuck on question one. "Question 1: Blaze rods can be used to make what kind of substance? I mean seriously, who even knows that?" I snap. "Blaze powder, and everyone knows that" Rythian says, rolling his eyes. "And besides, you know everything in science!" "Yeah, but science is easy" I protest, quickly writing down 'Blaze powder' in my book. "Not to me. Magic is easy to me." Rythian sighs. He's already finished the page. "Show off" I mutter and he chuckles. 

"What do we have next?" I ask. "Science" he sighs, and I grin. FINALLY something to look forward to! "Might ask Zoey if she can be my new science partner. We have to get new ones don't we?" I point out, finishing copying off Rythian. "What about me? You had Hannah last time" he grunts, looking up confused. "Um, yeah true, but I kinda want to get to know Zoey more, y'know?" I smile. He sighs and nods.

The class ends after a while. I hurry out of the classroom up to science. Opening the door, I smile. This was where I was in my element. The teacher smiled at me. Miss Jogger, she was called, and I was her favourite. I put on my white lab coat, which I had grown to love, and sit down at the table.

"No, Duncan, we are having new partners this year so you will need to stand!" she says briskly. I nod, standing. "Will we get to pick?" I ask eagerly. "Yes" she laughs and I cheer quietly. The other students filter in. "Alright class, go pick your science partners!" Miss Jogger says cheerfully. I go over to Zoey, a red blush already creeping into my cheeks. "Um, Zoey, could we be lab partners?" I ask, trying not to stutter. "Sure" she smiles, tugging on her white lab coat. She looked good in one, the pristine white clothing making her flaming red hair stand out even more.

Ridge and Tia were left without partners. Miss Jogger glanced at the two, and automatically paired them up. Both of them didn't look happy at this fact and stood a metre apart. "Alright, go find a place to sit and we will begin!" Miss Jogger tells us. Ridge waits. Tia waits. The two of them awkwardly look around, and Tia backs up to the two chairs in the corner, right at the back. Ridge follows, and they sit down awkwardly. 

Zoey tugs at my lab coat (which makes my heart stop for a second) and pulls me towards one of the front desks. I smile and nod at her when she looks to me for confirmation. Looking over, it was no surprise to see Lewis and Hannah partnered up (the two had been rumoured to have a crush on each other but no one was entirely sure) and Simon was with Rythian, who smiled tightly at me. I smile warmly back before letting Zoey take over the conversation.

"Today class we will be studying the growth of plants in different environments. We will be using grass, dandelions, mushrooms-" "Oh I love mushrooms!" Zoey cheers quietly and I raise an eyebrow at her. Everyone knew Zoey was just a little bit mad. But I liked it. It suited her.

Mrs Jogger hands out different types of each one, and Zoey strokes the red one with white dots. "This one is called Jerry, um, he's really shy so don't yell, ok?" she grins. I nod, a little confused. 

Her eyes light up and she begins to talk to it. I swallow awkwardly. "Uh, if you don't mind, I'd like to start studying now." I mutter and she smiles. "Sorry!" she replies, biting her lip. I melt a little inside. "Don't worry about it!" I laugh.

Science just got a whole lot more interesting.

Note: Tia's POV and Sky's POV next :D