The dorms had been filled and the school had officially reopened for the new term. Max had greeted everyone she could as warmly as possible. She spent the last part of yesterday hanging out with Warren, Dana, Alyssa and Kate. All of them eating at the two wales and then going to a drive in just outside of town in Dana's new car to watch some action film. Max wasn't sure which film it was they saw but none of them paid it any attention. Instead they caught up with what happened to each other over Christmas. Thankfully, they all avoided any topics which brought up Chloe or Mr. Jefferson in front of Max.

Dana had gotten her car for Christmas. Kate had gone on holiday with her family to some village in England and Warren had gotten a new games console. Max herself ha told them how she had gotten a new camera from her parents, she had convinced them not to get her anything digital. 'I'm still an analogue girl'Joyce and David had got her a new laptop after her old one had broken just after last term had ended which she now carried around with her wherever she goes.

Now Max was walking through the corridors of Blackwell, returning after lunch had ended with the usual bell ring. Looking at all the different scenes around her, identical to how she would walk through the corridors before Christmas she strolled toward her art class, music coming through the headphones she had in her ears. The differences came with the clean walls and the lack of any missing person posters. Unfortunately, given that the events of that week which broke up the vortex club never happened, they were still around and still bullying the nerds. However, with Nathan being in such a public court case the vortex club were much quieter than they had been before. Most of the stupid 'Join the Vortex Club' posters had thankfully been taken down.

Max had past Daniel when she entered the academy. Sitting against a tree and sketching in what seemed to be a new sketchbook. As she walked to her Art class she saw the Science class being started. Seeing the same class as last year with a few additions. There were three new male students and one girl. All of whom seemed to come from the English group Max watched at the diner.

Max hadn't seen the English girls when she woke up this morning. Everyone in the dorm was up and leaving before either of the new girls even began to stir in their rooms. Victoria had told the rest of the girls that with the Jet lag and the different time zones the chances are that the new girls would be oversleeping for a while. When Dana asked her how she knew this she had reminded her of how she used to travel to England a lot when she was younger. She always had difficulty sleeping for the first few days after the plane trip.

Victoria had been much kinder since coming back from the holiday. Apologising to Kate for spreading that video before Christmas in front of the entire dorm. Taylor, being her usual shallow self-copied Victoria in everything she did just like she did last term. Max could tell that Victoria was still self-conscious an actively tried to remain popular at the academy but she seemed less vindictive than she did before Christmas. 'Maybe being away from Nathan helped.'

Max entered her art class and took her usual seat. Chatting happily with Kate until a woman in her mid-thirties entered the class.

"Hello Class" said the women "My name is Miss. Jones and I'll be your new art teacher. Now with all that happened with my predecessor I think its best we try to forget everything about him okay" The teacher seemed happy to be here, reminding Max of the kindness she feels from Mrs. Grant.

"Now I am aware that I am not the only new face in her" said Miss. Jones, her accent telling max she was from the south "Would you care to introduce yourself" after she had said this a boy stood up from the table next to Max's own. Gaining the attention of the entire class.

It was the quiet boy from the diner, with light brown hair and a muscular body. He had a headphone plugged into one of his ears while the other hung in front of his black long sleeved shirt. There was a huge tattoo that crept out from under the shirt at the collar and onto the back of his right hand. He also had a few faint scars around his knuckles and on his cheeks. To Max, he had a dangerous look about him.'New Vortex member in the making'thought Max as he introduce himself.

"Names Richard. I'm from England as I'm sure you can tell from the voice. Of course, I'm a country boy so that's why I don't sound like the queen or anything. Sorry to disappoint" said Richard in a smart voice that betrayed his violent look.

"Nice to meet you Richard" said Miss. Jones before she took call. Going through all of the names until she came to Richards. "Richard Grant. You wouldn't happen to be Athena's brother would you"

"Yeah." Replied Richard. Looking up from his phone which he lay on his leg, facing away from the teacher so that only he and Max could see the phone's screen "That be me alright"

"Good to know" said Miss. Jones in her happy voice before continuing down the list.

It's fair to say Richard got more than a few looks from the class. Some seemed attracted to him like Victoria; some seemed scared of him like Kate. Ironic since he sat opposite from her on her table and some just seemed interested in him like Dana.

Max herself couldn't make up her mind about him. On one hand he looked dangerous with the tattoos and scars. On the other hand he didn't seem mean or cruel. He kept one of his ear buds in and quietly played music throughout the class. His phone left resting on top of his leg so that only the students on the back row could see. Max's confusion about the boy increased when she saw the difference in websites he was visiting. He would go from websites that would give Warren a run for geekiness and then switch to a motorcycle dealers website. Looking at the different models for sale from Arcadia's only motor dealer.

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Richard and Athena Grant stood outside the only dealer of vehicles in Arcadia bay. With how stressed their first day at Blackwell had made them they both desperately wanted to be able to ride their motorcycles, of course, with them being left in England they would have to get new ones. Having been riding different kinds of bike since 16 they hated not being able to ride on the open road. Especially since they could see how perfect the American roads were for riding. After talking to his sister they both decided that the best thing they could do to stop the stress was to get themselves new bikes. Riding, reminding them of home.

The principle had told the exchange students that they only had to study the subject they were majoring in when in England. Which on one hand meant that Richard and Athena had very little school work to do but on the other hand meant that neither got to see each other when in class.

"So how many people just stared at your tattoos?" asked Athena from Richards's side as she inspected one of the Ducati's on display in the showroom.

"Oh just you know… all of them. You?"

"'Bout the same"

"Just be thankful no one saw that their the same ones." Said Richard as he sat on top of a Honda cruiser and inspected the suspension "Then the questions would really fly"

Richard and Athena were both born in Leeds. The capital of Yorkshire, after running away from their abusive parents at seven they lived on the streets for many years. Stealing any food they needed until one day. Athena stole from the wrong guy and the two were attacked by one of the street gangs that patrolled that part of Leeds. However. In the fight the two managed to beat unconscious five of the assailants before they themselves were beaten within an inch of their lives. The leader of the gang had been so impressed with the fighting skill of the siblings that after they had been beaten he offered them a home and a place in the gang.

Over the years the gang used them as enforcers and even put them through school, which is where they found out about Athenas scientific knowledge and Richards skill with a paintbrush and camera. The gang marked its members with a tattoo of a dying dragon that ran from the back of their right hand up their arm and onto the neck. Men were given a green dragon with its throat slit open and blood spilling out where the women had a purple dragon with its stomach split open.

The dragons (as they called themselves) were actually rather kind to Richard and Athena. The leader Frank (neither sibling ever found out his second name) became something of a father figure for the pair. Even going so far as to put them into Leeds University on their courses which led them to Arcadia bay.

It had been devastating to the siblings when he died of lung cancer two years ago. They found out later that as his last command over the gang he demanded that the siblings be free to leave to pursue their own interest. They had been given twenty thousand pounds each as a thank you of their service to the dragons and told that they would always be free to visit ay time they felt like.

"Really Rich" said Athena as she moved her attention to a Kawasaki that sat to the left of the Ducati "You really gonna get a cruiser? How old are you twelve?"

"Mate. Cruisers are the dogs bollocks" Replied Richard defensively as he kept sitting on the bike. The owner of the showroom had told the pair that as long as no harm came to the bikes they could inspect any they wanted to buy

"Oh please" replied Athena as she looked at the clutch on the Kawasaki "They handle like a pig and look ridiculous. Only reason you like them is 'cos their comfy"

"Says you with your sports bikes. They sound horrid and look boring as hell. Not to mention how uncomfortable the damn things are. Any besides, they look sweet"

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The following morning Max and Dana were sitting in Dana's car in the car park chatting about the English student in their art class. Dana had offered Max a lift from the dorms to Blackwell since they had art class first thing.

"So what do you think to him?" asked Dana while she sat in the driver's seat to her new car.

"I don't know" replied Max as she pulled her bag over from the back seat of the car to bring it in front of her where she sat in the passenger seat. "He confuses me. He's covered in tattoos and yet he seems somewhat nerdy to me"

"Got your geek kinship tingling has he" joked Dana just as two motorcycles pulled into the car park. A cruiser and a sports bike. Both of them looking brand new and very expensive.

"Damn" said Dana "There nice looking bikes"

Max and Dana watched as both bikes parked in one of the car spaces and the two riders got off the machines. Max had seen them parked outside the dorms last night but they were gone when Dana drove her to Blackwell.

The two riders removed their helmets revealing Richard and a girl who looked shockingly like him. Max instantly noticed that both of them had the same tattoo creeping out from under their right sleeve and their collar.

Max and Dana listened to the two as she left the bikes and made their way into the academy. Judging by the ticking coming from the cooling metal the two had ridden for more than just coming to Blackwell.

"Fucking hell it feels good to ride again" said the girl. Both of them carried their helmets underneath their arms as they walked through the car park.

"Damn straight. I was going crazy when I didn't ride" said Richard as the two entered the academy for their second day

"Yeah…" said Dana from the seat next to Max "Seems real nerdy…"

A/N: So there we are. Introduction of the two important OCs. Richard is going to be the love interest for max (Since most of you said that you wanted a max romance). Since I know most of my audience is American you can youtube the Yorkshire accent if you're curious about what the Grant's sound like.

Also Thanks for all the reviews I really appreciate it as I was really stuck on how to take the romance. Richard is going to be a mix of a jock and a nerd by the way.

Also sorry to 'Permen Caca' but the reviews were overwhelmingly in favour of a max/oc romance.

See you in the next chapter.