Hey guys! I'm back with another chapter! I'm so grateful that you are sooo supportive!

Chapter 3

Consolation

I think these girls are real friends.

I don't know why, but I had the different feeling when I was sitting on the basin edge getting mopped up than the feeling I get when I was with Daneira – even if it was only for some hours. Yet again, could I exactly really really really trust them? They did seem nice enough. They're also in my chemistry class. They were the ones Daneira said were geeks.

"You're not fat." Hilary said as she handed the tissue to me.

I sniffled and wiped at my never-ending tears. "Really?"

"Don't be put down by her horrible remark. Daneira's fat herself." Miriam said calmly as she sat beside me with her eyes closed.

"You see, she doesn't wear a corset." Julia added.

I blinked. "A corset?"

"You don't wear one?" Pyrrha asked, her eyes widening.

"Um… is that…. Bad?"

"No, of course not!" Pyrrha chirped. "Well... sort of. Every girl in this school wears corset, including us, but not Daneira – we found that out ages ago in the changing rooms. You see, I was just in the shower and so was Daneira and I saw her getting changed and - "

"Okay, Pyrrha, I think she gets the point."

I blinked again. Cor – set….. Those things ladies wore in the old ages? But isn't that for old grannies and middle aged women? Guess not.

"Those things are the most hippest and sexiest pieces of clothing you can get around here!" Pyrrha was saying as she went in and out of empty cubicles, kicking open the doors. It was lucky that the toilets were empty – since most doors didn't seem to have a lock.

"Alright, stop crying and get over it, Nuo. You're with us now. Everything's gonna be alright." Pyrrha patted my back as she returned and I smiled dryly.

"Okay. Thanks, you guys."

We left the toilets, only to run slap-bang into Tala, some other dudes I didn't know yet, and Johnny; who was the first one to notice my red face.

"What's up with the new girl?" Johnny asked as he pointed to me.

Tala elbowed him gently. "Don't be rude." Then he looked at me. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." I smiled again.

Miriam reached over and whispered into Tala's ear. His expression changed and I cringed.

Was she telling him what just happened to me a couple of minutes ago?

"Don't worry, Nuo, you're among friends." Tala put an arm around me and drew me closer. My face burned and my heart rate level soared up from NORMAL to EXTRMEME.

"Uh… I….Umm….." I stammered helplessly.

Tala smirked at my reaction. "We'll treat you the same way as we treat Kenny, see that guy there?" He pointed to a kid who seemed to only come up to my elbows, wearing a shirt and tie, with thick specs over his chestnut hair, in his hands was a laptop.

"Kenny, can you hold my books for me?"

"Hey Kenny, can you finish my maths homework for me?"

"Be a sport Kenny, and buy me a soda, I've no money. Please?"

"Kenny, can you – "

My eyes widened at him.

AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! I can't end up like him! I can't up being some kind of scapegoat and servant to these people I can call friends! No way! While I pondered about my dawning demise, I quickly wriggled my shoulder free of Tala's arm and smiled nervously.

"Idiot! You've scared her now!" Another boy had come up behind the two at the front from the back. "I'm sorry about that. Pay no attention to Tala. We respect him, that guy you were looking at before? We call him the chief." The blue haired kid wearing a baseball hat greeted me warmly and shook my hand. "I'm the Tyson, the champion in this school of Rounders. My trophy's over there." He said proudly, pointing to the trophy cabinet.

I smiled back in return. "Uh… nice to meet you, Tyson."

"And I'm Max!" This blonde guy had shoved Tyson away and was shaking my hand cheerfully. Somehow I had the thought that my hand wouldn't be left alone today.

"Ignore him, he's high on sugar today. Come on, Maxie, I'll take you to the water fountain to wash it down in your stomach." Miriam dragged him away by the arm.

"Weren't you that cheerleader back in the pitch?" Another boy asked.

I cringed again. "Uh… yeah…."

"Where did Daneira go?"

Looking at the floor swallowing, I didn't say anything.

"Be quiet, Raul." Julia hissed at the red head. Then she turned to me. "He's my twin brother." She quickly noted.

"Oh."

"Sorry." Raul apologised, although he was puzzled why I seemed a bit upset all of a sudden.

I nodded a little. "It's alright. I'm not hurt by her, really."

"We all know how much of a bitch Daneira can be." Pyrrha said.

Everyone nodded.

"I thought some of you were her friend." I pointed out.

"We fake it."

I was pretty surprised how much people disliked Daneira.

"What did Daneira say to you this time? We saw you talking to her earlier." Another blonde man asked me.

Unfortunately there was too many people, that I hadn't much remembered most names Hilary was bugging Tyson, with Kenny on his side. Julia seemed to be fussing over Raul, Miriam had left with Max, Pyrrha was the only one by my side. I was totally crowded by guys in every corner! There! Here! Everywhere! Which also sort of reminds me of a song, called 'I See Girls' by Studio B (I don't own the song!), only this time, it's called 'I See Boys'.

I see boys,
here there and everywhere
long trousers short hair
love it when they stride yeah
I'm on cloud 7 (it's actually meant to be the number 7, not 9, I believe)
I kinda like the way you walk past
gotta take a glance
body shaped like a board that's flat…..

And so on.

"Help me." I whispered to her, and luckily, Pyrrha pulled me out.

"Nuo doesn't like talking to it, so don't keep asking or mentioning about Daneira, got it?" Pyrrha shouted angrily at them.

The guys shrugged inwardly.

"So, what do you have next? We could find your classes and take you to them." Most of them seemed willing to take me around – again.

"No… it's alright. I could – well, actually….. if you don't mind……." I said smiling, a light bulb flashing above my head in my own world. I had an idea.

I found myself being practically escorted to every class on my timetable surrounded by guys willing to carry my bag and new schoolwork. Of course it wasn't necessary – but I think they were just being nice and helpful to me on my first day, and because of the fact that Daneira had 'rejected' me for her own group. I ignored her during the day, and she ignored me. Her friends, I had realised, already were thinking the same as Daneira – why on earth was I being allowed to tag along with them? I shook my head free of that thought and went along with the guys happily. At least these people accepted me the way I was. Being the only girl in the circle didn't seem very bad; everyone stared at me in awe as we stormed down the corridor in the utter most superiority of level of School – well I did feel a little cheerful and as if I had my own bodyguards. I imagined all the boys wearing black suits and sunglasses.

"What are you staring at!" Tala snapped at this guy who kept on staring at us as if we were all mad.

The guy looked away quickly. "Nothing. Sorry. Sorry."

"You didn't have to yell at him like that." I said.

Tala shrugged. "He was getting on my nerves."

It seems that Brother Tala wasn't only in the 'utter most superiority of level of School' – I got the feeling Tala was waaaay past that rank.

"Hey guys…. What are you doing?" It was Ray who had gotten changed out of his white t-shirt and shorts.

"Ray, we're taking Nuo to her next class, which is – "

"Maths." I added.

"Cool, I'll come with you." He said, and appeared on my right, Johnny by my left. Me sandwiched in the middle. I wasn't exactly appealed to Johnny's tough attitude, but he did seem okay. He was certainly gentleman enough to hold my bag.

"See you guys!" I waved to them all cheerfully when I was transported to maths class where Pyrrha was waiting for me outside the classroom.

"Whoa, aren't you lucky today?" She asked me teasingly. "You got all the guys by your side."

I blushed. "Yeah…. I guess I am."

Back at home; I excitedly retold my whole day to Nana who was busy cooking my meal in the kitchen. Billy and jimmy were already at their friend's house, and Laney was outside in the garden wading around in the small paddling pool Nana filled up for her 'My Little Pony' dolls. Eurydice is at the gym. She won't come home until it's six, when the gym closes. It's only about five right now.

"And when we came out from the loo, I met some more boys there, and it turns out that we all don't like Daneira." I said, as I sat in the high stool of the counter on a different block from the kitchen sink.

"Sounds like you had a nice time." Nana said.

"Yeah, I suppose – apart from the time when Daneira yelled at me."

"That girl sounds stupid, don't pay any attention to her, mistress Nuo is perfect in every way."

"Nana," I said quickly. "You don't have to call me Mistress. It's stupid. I don't believe in superior ranks and all." I added. Yet a while ago I did feel a bit like a celebrity walking around like that. Nana emptied my special fried rice into my bowl and handed me a spoon.

"Nuo, I'm glad you're moral, but I'm hired to look after you, it's my responsibility. I'm happy to call you Mistress, but I'm also pleased, that you are allowing me to call you by your first name. Thank you, Nuo." Nana said gladly as she took a seat beside me.

"I'm sure Eurydice, Jimmy, Billy and Laney also want them to call them by their names too." I replied.

"You'll make your parents proud one day."

"Oh don't start on that speech again, you say it everyday when you get the chance." I moaned. "Besides, mum and dad are already pissed that I got expelled – even if it wasn't my fault. They paid money for my education."

"Did you get a refund then?" Nana asked.

"I…. don't think so." I replied. Hey! That isn't fair!

"Oh dear."

We sat in silence, as I chewed on my rice quietly.

"Nana?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'm….. fat?" Then my eyes narrowed. "Be honest."

Nana bit her lip – I could tell she was sweating. "Sort of…. Not really…. A little."

I slumped and didn't take another bite of my rice for the rest of the meal.

"LANEY!"

My little sister came waddling meekly into the house from the back sliding doors. "Er.. what?" She was wearing her swimsuit and dripping wet from head to toe. "Can't you see that I'm bathing Dreamcandy (the name of her favourite pony dolly)?"

"Whatever." I muttered. "Do you think that I'm fat?"

"Sort of. Not really. A little."

Then she went back outside and continued splashing in the pool by herself.

Did that mean that I am fat?

Yes.

Just as Daneira said.

I'm ugly, obnoxious and fat.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!