The Evil Inside

Chapter One - ALEX : Kate's Secret

I gulped and stared at the magazine in my hands. I needed to focus on something else, anything else, but this picture was hypnotic. She was hypnotic. Madeline. Film star extraordinaire, and I loved looking at her. That was the word. Love; I loved her, all of her. There was a shriek of laughter from across the playground, and the hold that the magazine had on me broke.

I was now aware of another hold on me, on my shoulder. The fingers were slowly tightening their grip, but there was one thing I didn't know. Who did these long fingers belong to? My mind did a mental scan. Could it be Joel DeSilva? No, he had a fear of germs, and never touched anyone if he could help it. Holly Jones? Nah, if it were Holly there would be more giggling. Everyone knew she fancied me, even if she was a Year Eleven glam girl, and I only a lowly Year Nine boy. Then could it be... no, surely not Gary Pritchard, the school's one and only stupidest thug and bully? I knew he hated me. Reason why: he had a giant crush on Holly Jones. But somehow I didn't think it was Gary.

"Hey there Romeo." My shoulders visibly sagged with relief. Kate, my best friend, no one else.

"Is someone still head over heels in luurve?" she teased, "Alex, please do something else apart from stare at the 'Great Beauty'". She leaned over to one side and pretended to vomit. Loudly.

So maybe everyone didn't love Madeline as much as me. Most of the girls I knew- except the gang of admirers and wannabees (who were in awe of her and all other celebrities, universe wide)- thought she was a stuck up little snob. It was true, all the newspapers said that she was, and that she treated all her staff and stagehands badly. But I didn't care. After all, the newspapers spout rubbish frequently. My secret dream was to someday meet her, and talk to her, and I knew that when I did, she would be nothing like the media said she was. However, when I told this to the girls who scorned me however, they all murmured something that sound suspiciously like "Boys" and walked off tittering.

But Kate would not get away with teasing me. Oh no. Big punishment time. I grabbed her arm and dragged her at top speed across the entirety of the school grounds, and I was proud to say that although she squealed drastically (I presumed out of fright), I did not listen to her protests, not even one bit.

When we got there, it took Kate and I about two minutes to catch our breath again. You may not have realised this, but the grounds of our school, St James', are really long. Then Kate had to go ruin it all and say: "That was really fun! Can we do it again?"

Great.

"Kate," I complained, "that was meant to be a punishment for teasing me, not a fairground ride. Next time, you need to act like it was a horrible experience."

"What's the magic word?" asked Kate, patronisingly.

"Please" I snapped, then we both saw the funny side of it and fell about laughing.

"You really like her, don't you." said Kate, suddenly serious, "Y'know, Madeline"

"Yep" I said, and then sighed longingly.

"Why? You could have any girl in this school if you wanted to, you do know that. Don't you?"

"What, even Maddie Smith?" I joked. Maddie Smith was a big, strapping, violent girl, known to hate everyone. Plus, she was four years older than I was.

"Even Maddie Smith." Kate's eyes were twinkling.

"Even Leona Jacobs?" Leona was a small, shy girl in the year below me, and hardly ever spoke.

"Even Leona Jacobs." Kate confirmed, laughing, "You know she's dying to go out with you."

"Even you?" I said with a smile, waiting for Kate to pull a face and turn it down flatly.

Instead, she went pale, but gave a shaky smile and said "Probably even me."

What the hell???

"I can't really explain it Kate. Have you ever really liked someone?" she nodded. " Well, can you tell me why you like them?" Kate nodded again. "Go on."

"Well, ummm, because they're kind, funny and sensitive." She said, blushing, "But you don't even know Madeline, not really."

"I kind of feel like I do." I stood up straighter. "Who is it you like then?" For some reason, she blushed even deeper.

"I don't have to tell you if I don't want to, Alex" That was true. She didn't have to tell me, and I could try and get the secret out of her for a million years, but she would never tell me. So I gave up.

"I bet it's Gary Pritchard," I said with a knowing smile.

"What?" said Kate indignantly, giving me a gentle push. "Shove off, Alex. As if!" She strode off haughtily as the bell rang. Then she turned around. "Come on, Alex, we'll be late for French. Madame Dupont will be furious!"

She grabbed my hand and we ran off.

******************************

As it turned out, we were not marked late for French. Because both Kate and I had forgotten that Madame Dupont was away on the French trip today, so we had a supply teacher. And you now how soft they are. All we had to do was say "Sorry Miss, Kate had a nosebleed, and I was just helping her", and we were safely in. It's not like they ever take the register, or make you do any work. They just sit there in their own little bubble, marking or something. And so long as you aren't making enough noise to attract attention in the shape of the Headmaster, you can pretty much get away with nearly anything, on the condition that you have your French book out in front of you and you all sit in your proper seats, so that you look like you are vaguely working if anyone walks in.

Our supply teacher was called Miss Hart. And the only French word she knows is 'Bonjour'. I think we've just about passed that level of understanding now, you know, being in Year Nine and all. So the lesson was a breeze. I don't sit anywhere near Kate in French, but I have a good throwing arm and okay aim. So I gave it one last try, inscribing an awesome paper aeroplane with the words 'Who is it you fancy?' written on it, and then launched it over the heads of many unsuspecting students. It hit Kate on the shoulder, but because she sits in front of me, I couldn't see the expression on her face as she unfolded the message.

Kelsey, who sits next to me, frowned. She had read the message over my shoulder.

"You really have no idea, do you?" she asked, scornfully.

"No. What are you talking about?" I asked, surprised.

"Nothing." She said, but she muttered "Clueless" under her breath.

"You know who Kate likes, don't you?" I was almost certain of this fact, or at least fairly sure.

"Uh huh," Kelsey agreed, "I do. But it's no use asking, 'cause I'm not going to tell you. That's Kate's job, and she'll tell you eventually."

I turned back around, annoyed. "Ouch!" I cried. My paper plane with the added words, "None of your business, Nosy." had hit me squarely on the nose.

A/N Hey everyone, hope you enjoyed this first chapter of my new book. if i can be bothered to ever finish it! that's the problem with books...

p.s. dedication goes to first commenter. (excluding KiwiSushi149 and NYCinitiate because... they already read it - please still comment though!!!)

don't all rush to your keyboards now... : P