Tying her long blonde hair into a messy half-bun and fastening it with a black hair clamp, Mackenzie Johnson straightened out her uniform. Tight, white fitted elbow length sleeve shirt, fitted black suit pants, knee length black high heeled leather boots and her new school tie – burgundy and gold which she wrapped round her collar, tied twice and pulled through once, making the perfect Windsor knot. She leaned into the mirror and fiddled round in her handbag on the dressing table for her makeup. Foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, eyebrow brush, mascara, lipstick and finally, she applied lipgloss; tossed everything back into her handbag, pulled on her leather jacket and zipped it so it was buttoned up to the top, swung her handbag over her shoulder and grabbed her rucksack by its tip, before leaving the room.

'Checking out, Miss Johnson?'

Mackenzie didn't reply as she tossed four £20 notes onto the reception desk and glowered, as if to say that the motel was way beneath her. Ignoring the look the security guard gave her as she turned on her heel and walked straight through the doors, signalling for a taxi and checking her watch. 9:30am. Half an hour after lessons had started. She was going to be late. It was almost just over two hours later that the taxi arrived at the school. 11:45. Brilliant!

'Thanks for nothing.' The eighteen year old shoved a £10 note in his hand and, dragging the rucksack behind her, she half-ran, half-power walked to the front entrance, and following the signs for the Headmaster's office, she knocked firmly on the door, coming to the realisation that the secretary wasn't where she was supposed to be and waited patiently for the headmaster to answer.

x x

To her surprise, however, it wasn't the headmaster standing there. She was greeted by two women. One was olive skinned and extremely beautiful with shoulder dark brown hair, kind eyes and a warm smile, the other looked about five years younger; dressed in a navy blue pinstripe suit with long blonde hair that finished in curls someway down her back and expensive heels.

The olive skinned woman held out her hand and smiled.

'Hi, I'm Mrs. Diamond, deputy head. Mr. Byrne's off site today and he asked me to enrol you.' She smiled more broadly as Mackenzie took her hand and shook it, smiling back.

'Hi, I'm Mackenzie... Johnson.' Mackenzie took advantage of Mrs. Diamond sorting out her details with the now returned secretary to smile nervously at the young blonde woman. Looking at her, Mackenzie would've estimated they'd be at least fifteen years between them – so that made the teacher in her early thirties.

'Lorraine Donnegan – the school benefactor. Tell me about yourself, Mackenzie.' Miss Donnegan led her into the headmaster's office and showed her to the desk and sat down behind it. Mackenzie sat in front, feeling nervous; coughing before continuing.

'I'm 18. I got 9 As and 4Bs – I did take 13 GCSEs. I'm taking Biology, History, Art and English A Levels.'

At the woman's raised eyebrows, Mackenzie let out a little laugh. 'I'm a smart ass, right? And I'm a Scouser! I'm joking, it's just...' She lowered her voice and swallowed a lump in her throat, leaning forward and placing her elbows on the desk, looking directly in the eyes of the woman sitting in front of her.

'Last time I saw Mum was just after I'd been born. I've been in foster care and spent the last eighteen months living out of a hotel room. My mum's so rich she managed to fund a hotel stay for me but not the last sixteen years.'

At the woman's expression in front of her, Mackenzie realised that something had stirred in her. Inside her. She blinked and swallowed hard, refocusing her gaze on the young woman in front of her.

'Sorry, Miss. I'd better go now. Thanks for the introduction.'

Turning on her heel, Mackenzie walked from the headmaster's office and took her timetable from the secretary; Miss Donnegan's younger sister called Sonya and left for her first day at Waterloo Road, not once looking back.

x x

Realising they'd put her in the PRU, routinely for baseline until they assessed her properly until Mr Byrne came back, Mackenzie introduced herself to the young brown haired woman who had a bob called Miss Boston and sent her to sit next to Barry Barry – Mackenzie eyed him over her English Literature paper Miss Boston had handed her.

They shot each other an understanding cheeky grin, but then Mackenzie turned back to Miss Boston and her life was going to get very exciting indeed if she stayed in the PRU.

New story! Will be continued based on reviews x