The red river

"Friends"

I didn't want to leave.

I know it's what my parents wanted or at least it's what aunt Brenda told me. "They were always talking about this school" She told me, as we walked down to the path to the rusted gate. "This is what they wanted for you" She gave a faint smile as she said it, as if it was the final of her evil plot to get rid of me, so her, her husband and her five slimy children could make the house theirs. "And do me a favour" she said as she put me in the car, "don't be naughty, I'm paying to send you away out of the money your mother left you, which is my money, which means I'm the one paying for you to leave. just, stay here as long as you can and don't phone, text, email me nothing. from this point on, I don't want anymore to do with you, got it?" I gave a faint shake of my head as she slammed the door and walked in, not even looking back. 

My parents died in a crash when I was 4, so I don't really know them that well. I've seen a few pictures of my mum from aunt Brenda but I've never seen my dad. I've been told a little about my mum, like she came to the school I'm going to, so did my dad, whether they liked it here is a different story, but this is where they met.

I look out the dusty window as we approach a white building with big, bold black gates and a white wall that goes all the way round. There's a bridge leading to the hill where building is. There are loads of cars and busses I front of us, more new kids I guess. The driver looks in the mirror and smiles at me "Nervous?" He asks. I shake my head. "In all the time I've known you, I've never known you to be nervous, it must run in the family, your mum was the same". I smile, Peters always been like a dad to me. We both share a hatrid for aunt brenda so when she got too much, he was always there for me. 

We cross the bridge and make our way into the white gates, which reveals a green, lush garden with red and white carnations bordering the road. In the middle there's a big, tall marble fountain spraying out multicoloured water from all sides. To the other side is a football field, tennis courts and a netball court. The car pulls up and I get out, peering into the big red velvet hall, which I will now call home. Peter gets my bags out the boot and gives me a big squeeze and a kiss. Trying not to cry i pick up my bags and wave as his car departs from the space hit was in, giving a honk of his horn, he does a three point turn and disappeared out the gates. As I turn, I'm greeted by a girl so pretty she's like a real life barbie doll. "Hi! I'm Grace, your Paige right?" I nodded. "Yay! Lily!" She shouts a small, plum girl over to join our conversation. "This is Paige, our roomie! Paige, this is Lily!" She spoke with a very joyful tone to her voice, like a little childs, when they get a new toy. "Come on!" Grace grabbed our arms and yanked us up the stairs to a long corridor with numerous doors. "We're room 214" she flung open the door to a three bedded room, two of which the beds where not made and messy, with stuff all over. She pointed to a clean, tidy bed "That's yours, but you probably guessed that from the mess ours ours!" She laughed. "We both have a hobbie" she continued looking at Lily "I LOVE to paint and Lily loves to meet famous people" I looked at the wall surrounding Lily's bed, shes met everyone, one direction, little mix, union j I swear I even saw Beyoncé on it.

After I'd emptied the contents of my bag Grace dragged me dow for dinner where she introduced me to her friends. It was two days before term started so not everyone was there yet, but everyone who was there was busy talking about the party in Thomas Gardiners house on the first day of term. "You'll have to come with me!" Grace said as she shovelled a spoonful of chocolate cake into her mouth. "But I don't know him, I can't just turn up"

"Everyone else does" she replied, he eyes staring at me in a way I couldn't refuse.

"Fine, but your going to introduce me to everyone"

"Deal"

I slept like a baby that night and went down with Grace and Lily to breakast. It was busier than last night, but it was nearly 11oclock. "That's Alex, oh and this is James, this is Jamie and that's my gorgeous model of a boyfriend oliver"

I studied his face, there was something about him I didn't like, I couldn't say what it was but he seemed friendly enough so I went along with it.

"Hey" he said as Grace pulled me over.

"Hey baby" she said, bending over to kiss him. After about 2 minutes she continued with what she was saying. "This is Paige"

He looked me up and down followed with a faint smile. "Hey, how you doin'?"

"Good thanks" he nodded.

"You single?" I looked at him. I looked at grace who was looking at me.

"Yeah, why?"

"my mate Joe; you are just his type, trust me, if he doesn't fall in love with you in the next week, I'll... Erm... Eat the fish pie."

I smiled. I imagined him to be the geekies, ugly monkey looking thing alive, then this boy walked in, well this God on legs. His tanned smooth face contrasted with the pale blonde of his hair like Strawberries and chocolate. His muscular legs and arms where shown off by shorts and sleeveless top, he obviously played tennis, like me. When he walked straight at me, I got concerned but then I realised it wasn't at me, it was at Oliver. "Sup?"

"Hey Joe! Long time no see!?"

I nearly fell over. That was Joe. If Oliver was right, if I was his type, this would be the best school of my life and aunt brenda could have actually don't something nice for me.