It was the start of a new year at the Bone Academy, and as Charlie got off the bus and stared up at the grey stone building, he fancied it looked a little less forbidding than before. Back when it was Bloor's, there was total silence in the hall, but now it was filled with laughing, chattering students.

'Charlie! Charlie, wait up!' Charlie looked round to see Olivia come bouncing up to him. Her hair was fluorescent pink this week and Charlie blinked rapidly before deciding not to mention it.

'Hey, Liv.'

Fidelio, appearing beside them, wasn't so discreet. 'Whoa! Had an accident with a highlighter recently?'

Olivia punched him in the arm. 'No, idiot. I was in a movie over the holidays. Not a big part, but the director said I was so good that in his next movie he would write me as the main. Mum said I could have any dye I wanted… I'm going green next week.'

Charlie gaped at her. 'That shade of green?' She nodded. 'I don't want to miss that.'

Fidelio grinned. 'Dunno about you, Charlie, but I'm bringing shades.'

'Give over, Fido,' Olivia said, sounding annoyed. 'I notice you haven't done much with your hair these holidays.' But as soon as the annoyance had come, it disappeared. 'Have you heard, Charlie? Emma told me a there's a new kid in our year.'

'How does Emma know that?' Charlie asked.

'Well, all the new kids have to go and see your dad, since he owns the school, and he told Mr Yewbeam, and Emma overheard him telling Miss In- Mrs Yewbeam.' Olivia giggled. 'I still can't get used to the fact that she's married now!'

Neither can I, thought Charlie. The truth was, Paton Yewbeam was the happiest anyone had ever seen him since he married Julia Yewbeam, formerly Ingledew. Emma was constantly telling him that wherever she went she found them hugging, kissing or otherwise engaged. The hugging isn't so bad, she had complained, and there's nothing wrong with kissing, but when you come down at three in the morning for a glass of water and you find them snogging on the sofa, it can be a bit disturbing, you know?

'...Charlie? Are you even listening to me?'

'What?'

Olivia rolled her eyes. 'I said that it's time for tea, so if you're wondering who the new kid is, you'll find out in a minute.'

'Oh. Right. Yeah. Yeah, OK. See you after lunch, Olivia.'

Fidelio followed him into the blue cloakroom. 'Man, could that girl get any more obvious!'

Charlie glanced over at him. 'What do you mean? I mean, yeah, the hair is a bit OTT but even so…'

'I wasn't talking about that, you idiot! She likes you!'

'Yeah, of course she does.'

Fidelio stared.

'We're friends, after all,' Charlie continued, unaware of his friend's real meaning.

'I'm not talking about that either. She like likes you!'

Now it was Charlie's turn to stare. 'What, you mean…'

Then the crowd swept in and the moment of truth was lost.