Exposition

D+4 (Friday)

Sitting in the front row pretty much sucked for Addie because it seemed to have branded her as a nerd (since most the class nerds sat in the front – except Luke. He was the class clown except when test results came out then people sort of remembered that he was actually very smart) which was unfair because Addie was a solid middle-of-the-class kind of student. It also meant that she could not tell who it was that bored holes into the back of her head. The stare came from the direction of the girl with the punk-rock vibe, but whenever Addie looked back, the girl's eyes were glassed over and her mouth slightly open in a vacant expression. It had to be all in her head – why would one of the hottest girls be interested in her? Still, Addie hunched protectively over her yaoi doodle when she felt the smirk directed at her widen.

The recess bell rang and for two minutes the door was jammed with hungry students rushing for the junk shop before it run out cheese and onion flavored crisps. Why they didn't stock enough was anyone's guess. Addie thought she was alone, and so started pulling out her sketch pad when someone tapped her shoulder. She almost got whiplash from how fast her head spun. There were six other people in class including the punk-rock girl who was staring down at her. Her name was Brienne and she was stunning up close. She had the blackest shade of hair Addie had ever seen which made her hazel green eyes pop (as though her thick eye lashes, which negated the need to mascara or eye liner, didn't do a good job of that already).

"Hey, new kid!"

"Me?" Addie looked around to make sure that Brienne was talking to her. It wasn't as though they hadn't had roll call every period for the last two days.

"You are the only new kid here," she returned sardonically.

Addie looked back at the boy who had been at the entrance exam with him. He was attempting to give his friend a wet willy. Following her gaze, the punk rock girl explained they all took their O levels at the school. Otto, the boy with floppy hair, had failed his final exams but was given a second chance if he passed the entrance exam.

Addie looked dejected.

"So you think I'm hot?" Brienne smirked.

Addie panicked. What? How did she know? She couldn't have known, could she? "What?"

"You're pretty athletic," the girl said slowly as though she was repeating the sentence for the fourth time. "What group are you joining? Ours right? You want to join our group." The last sounded more like a threat than a proposition. The group she was referring to had three other girls but they didn't look as menacing as their leader. Still, Addie felt claustrophobic when they all closed in on her.

"I don't understand why I have to join a group," Addie said timidly.

As though it was inconvenient, Brienne explained that it was for her own good that she joined a group. "It's a jungle out here and nobody goes lone wolf here."

"I don't know," Addie hesitated. "This jungle thing sounds a little weird." On one hand she was glad to be making friends but on the other she had hoped it would be a mutual choice.

Brienne sighed pointedly. "I didn't want to have to do this but I'm gonna have to stick Katha on you.

"What?" Addie was alarmed. Katha sounded like a vicious dog and she was pretty sure pets weren't allowed in school.

The shortest girl of the group stepped forward. Addie knew she could take her but it would not do to fight in the first week of school. Besides, there was something unsettling about the way the girl was looking at her. Then it hit her; eyes so wide and wet they could have been an ocean.

"Please," Katha said, pleadingly. "Join our group. It would make me so very happy."

Addie was transfixed by the small girl's gaze and without realizing agreed to be part of the group. When she came to, she was shaking hands with the punk rock girl who had a satisfied grin plastered on her face. The bell rang and recess ended. It wasn't how she pictured making friends, and there was something about Brienne that bothered Addie, but at least she didn't feel quite so pitiful when the boy she'd met on her first day – his name was Kieran – passed by to check up on her. The smile and wave she gave him were for the first time genuine.