Chapter Two- Blond Boy’s Detention

It felt weird to be back in school. The teaming corridors, the rattle of lockers and the constant crazy murmur of voices seemed to sooth me. I would never admit it, but I was glad to be back. The holidays were beginning to bore me.

As I opened my locker, I could’ve sworn I sensed someone watching me from down the corridor, but as I looked up, I just saw people going about their business or whatever the hell people did at break time. With a frown on my face, I turned back to my locker.

“How is it possible…?” a voice asked as I removed my History jotter. “…that you look fitter every time I see you?”

I pretended to consider this, cocking my head to the side, “Well, luck on my part, but it’s torture for you…”

Matt let out a lust-filled sigh, leaning against the row of lockers, “Then why don’t you just end my misery and say you’ll date me? You’re single, I’m single… Why not?”

I laughed, “Because you look so cute when you’re tortured. You know I don’t see you in that way. I’m sorry.”

There was that feeling again, the sense that I was being watched. I looked around, but still saw nothing out of the ordinary. I shifted on my feet and looked back to Matt.

“Let me kiss you. You will.”

“Matt…” I said warningly.

He sighed again, this one long and dramatic, “Okay, okay. But I won’t wait around forever for you to realise you love me too, y’know.”

“I know…” I leaned forward to kiss the boy who had pretty much become my personal stalker on the cheek, and laughed as he flushed bright red and ran off clutching it.

“Are you tormenting him again?” Harry asked in amusement, stopping beside me. “You know, you shouldn’t encourage him. Next thing you know, he’ll be taking your DNA from his cheek and making himself a Tom clone.”

“Is it wrong that that sounds really cool?” I asked weakly. “I mean, congratulations if he does it. And besides, it’s just a crush. It’s been three years he’s claiming he’s in love with me, and he hasn’t jumped me or forced himself on me once.”

Harry nodded slowly, “Well, he has that in his favour…”

Any other words I could have formed in response to that were cut off when a blond boy strode up to us from behind me, and slung his arms carelessly around Harry’s neck. “You will not believe what I’ve just had to endure.”

Harry grinned at him, “Enlighten me.”

“Right, well, you know how Mr. Butler managed to break his…some bone in his leg on that ski-ing accident in…wherever. Actually, it might have been tobogganing, I wasn’t really listening. Well, anyway, we got this crap new substitute in Maths, and he was totally picking on me for no reason. Get this: He gave me a detention for not being able to answer a question, right? Then, once he’d filled out the slip and given it to me, he announced that he hadn’t taught us that yet, and now he would!”

Harry just regarded this colourful character with no sympathy in his eyes, “What did you do?”

“I may have called him a wanker…but, come on! For all he knows, it could be a term of affection around here!”

As he spoke, very quickly and excitedly, in a voice and tone I recognised but knew I hadn’t heard in so long I’d never place it unless I saw his face. I took in what I could see of him. From the back, I could see the highlighted blond hair, the stone grey cut-offs with an Etnie’s t-shirt, and the pair of chequered Vans that I had wanted for ages. His skin was smooth, with an even tan.

“Oh, yeah? Term of affection?” Harry asked with a derisive snort. “Hey, Tom. You’re a wanker.”

“Thank you, Harry. You’re a wanker, too…” I replied sweetly. Harry grinned at me, and the guy finally turned round. My jaw bounced off the floor. No way! It was Dougie!