Second Best to a Blade

Chapter One.

Last lesson at College is dragging by unbelievably slowly and I'm casually slotting a ruler into my pens' lid to make an aeroplane. I twist it, smiling as I remember how I used to do this when I was younger.

"Matt?" Comes a strong yorkshire accent from across the room.

I look up, blinking, to see my tutor Ellen Teedy, standing at the front with her arms crossed.

"Sorry?" I mumble, slowly lowering my plane to my desk.

The amused stares of my classmates catch my eye and I try not to smirk.

"Did you hear the options for your art exam?" She asks.

"Erm, I thought you were gonna hand them out on a sheet of paper." I stutter, someone's giggles echo around the room and I turn to glare at the culprit, my best friend Kate.

"I will be Matt." Ellen sighs, turning away. "But you still need to listen."

Just then, the bell rings and I stand quickly from my stool, pushing it under the paint covered table with a screech. Around me, others do the same, chatting animately.

"Bye Matt!" Calls my friend Aaron, popping his head around the door as he leaves his photography class, I nod at him and smile, then return to packing my stuff into my rucksack.

I hear a crash behind me and I turn, grinning, to see Kate walking towards me, she's swinging her bag over her shoulder and failing to do so. Clumsily she trips and her bag drops onto my feet. I raise my eyebrows as she falls into me and I catch her.

"Dear God Kate," I laugh. "You get worse everyday."

She pulls herself up at my own expense and I almost topple over with her.

"Oh shut up!" She giggles, bright red.

"You going to Lisa's fresher's party?" I ask. Changing the subject as we walk out into the corridor.

"Er, of course. I got the invite on Facebook, I was talking to Will and apparently at her old school she bacame legendary for her parties."

I freeze a little at the mention of Will's name. "Will?" I ask.

She swallows. "Yeah, he's in my phycology class."

"After everything he did to you?"

"Matt, it's okay. He's sorry."

I shake my head, almost knocking into a random guy as we turn to walk downstairs. "Don't you remember how much he made you cry?"

Kate gives a defeated sigh. "Yeah, but we're only sticking as friends, okay? Anyway, back to the party..."

She's rambling about something to do with what dress to wear, and if we should bring alcohol. I'm not really listening, I'm thinking about Will and Kate. Back in High School she fancied him to the point of love, they never actually dated, but he strung her along like a puppet. I remember the day he kissed her and she called me up afterwards, I was so happy for the both of them, Will was a really nice guy... Was.

"We need to get alcohol Matt." Kate was saying as we left the building. "Can you get some? My parents don't buy it for me anymore."

I frown, bemused. "Why?"

"Ever since the Jeremy Kyle egg incident they refuse to give me anything over five percent."

I burst out laughing. "Oh my God, the egg thing! I'd forgotten about that, when you-"

She clamps her hand tightly over my mouth, a scowl etched between her furrowed eyebrows. "No." She hisses. "You promised on your Xbox's life you would never, ever, speak of it."