"English – boring, Maths – confusing, Chemistry – no explosions, and French – a load of words some spastic came up in their spare time." Sheena slammed her locker door shut. "All in all, this day is being a total pisstake."

"Oh come on," Aria laughed, elbowing her in the side. "We've got Biology next; might meet your Edward Cullen."

Sheena rolled her eyes as they merged with the lunchtime traffic of the corridors. "Stephanie Meyer has that so wrong you know, Biology is just so...ick."

"What, bloody and unromantic?"

"Exactly. Unless you're a vampire, in which case the dissections must be like live fucking porn." Someone bumped into her from behind. "Hey, watch where you're going yeah?"

"Try not walking so slowly." Came a sneering, all too familiar voice. Aria and Sheena turned slowly round to see Kerry and her clique, hands on hips. She and Aria had been keeping out of each other's way; she only favoured her with glare which Kerry ignored completely. "So, Sheila..."

"If you're going to say my name, at least say it right." Sheena interrupted her. "It's Sheena."

"Whatever," Kerry waved a perfectly manicured hand, as though remembering names was beneath her. "So, Sheena, you're new here aren't you?"

"Go figure." Sheena said coldly. Kerry's hundred-watt smile dimmed a little.

"Well, I really wouldn't hang around with her," Kerry jerked her head in Aria's direction, eyes still fixed predatorily on Sheena's face. "Just a word of advice. She's a bit of a...bad influence, to say the least."

"Total loser." Muttered one of her friends, and they all laughed in shrieking unison. Aria pretended to be looking at her watch, internally devising methods of killing Kerry in the most painful way possible.

"No offence, but I really don't think I need your advice." Sheena squinted at the crown of Kerry's head. "What the..."

Kerry patted her head nervously. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just...is that spaghetti? I don't think you got it all off last time round..." Sheena turned and walked away with Aria, leaving Kerry steaming in the corridor.

"I'm guessing that was Matthew's pride and joy, right?" Sheena asked later in the crowded cafeteria.

"Got it in one," Aria said bitterly, stabbing at a piece of rubbery chicken from the day's menu. "I hate her so much."

Sheena nodded sympathetically. "I know the feeling." She took a bite of her baguette – then her eyes widened and she started waving her arms above her head like a swimmer drowning. "Mmm! Mmm mmm! MMM!"

"Sheena, are you ok, or do you need more medication?"

Sheena swallowed. "Stop making jokes and get Candyfloss and Co. over here!"

It wasn't difficult to see who she was talking about. A boy with bright blue eyes, full-body denim and shocking white hair was walking towards them, grinning maniacally. The hair had been gelled into massive spikes that stuck out all over his head, but somehow looked fuzzy around the edges, exactly like candyfloss. It was his companion though that caught Aria's eye. He moved silently beside his friend, hands in pockets, a faint smile on his lips. One of his eyes was so dark it was almost black; his other eye could have been any colour, as his other eye was obscured by his thick black hair. He met her eyes and the smile widened a little. She quickly looked away.

"Hey hey Sheena," The guy with white hair said cheerfully, dumping his tray next to Sheena and hopping onto the chair. "Long time no see!"

"Since yesterday, you mean!" Sheena ducked a spike. "And what's with the hair? You trying to take someone's eye out?"

"Hey, it's a fashion statement!"

Sheena rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyway, this is Aria Hoffman; she's my soul singing sister."

White-Head choked. "Hoffman? HOFFMAN? Oh, don't make me laugh!"

"Save it Zac, she knows. Aria, may I introduce Zachariah Zep, preferably known as Zac Zep."

"Zep?" Aria snorted. "What kind of name is that?"

Some of Zac's enthusiasm left him. "I'd get you to ask my dad, but he's missing, probably dead for all we know."

"I wish I could say the same for mine." The dark guy muttered.

"Always the happy one aren't you?" Zac shook his head. "Aria, this is Jack Strahm; your average teenage psycho."

"Zac's exaggerating," Jack winked. "Trust me, I don't bite." He looked amused and Aria looked away, flushing when she realised she'd been staring.

"So, how did you end up with Hoffman?" Zac said with a mouthful of cake; he seemed to have perked up a bit, although Sheena was now getting soggy crumbs in the face whenever he opened his mouth.

"Pennbrook orphanage," Sasha shoved him in the side. "Don't talk whilst eating; you're getting it in my hair!"

"Oh, sorry," Zac swallowed. "You don't like carrot cake do you?"

"Not when you're eating it..."

"So, Aria Hoffman," Jack said over Zac and Sheena's bickering. "I'm guessing Sheena's told you why we have a problem with your new foster-parent."

"Sort of...did he really get beaten up by a fifty-year-old man?"

Jack smirked. "Yep. And before you ask how we know, we – ahem – 'found' the keys to the CCTV room."

Aria raised her eyebrows. "Really? Well with that and burning your school down – "

"Correction, it was just the Science block." Jack stared into the distance. "Ah, good times..."

"Why did you do it?" Aria asked. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Oh please, don't tell me Hoffman's set you up to this? He kept asking that too."

"Didn't like my answers though," Jack had to raise his voice over the escalating argument. "I think 'up yours' was one of my less-imaginative ones."

Aria laughed. "Seriously though, why did you do it?"

"My Chemistry teacher – also form tutor – really pissed me off...he said some things to me that I didn't like."

"Like what?"

"He said if my mum could see me now, she'd be really disappointed at what I've turned out like." An awkward silence fell and Aria suddenly couldn't look him in the eyes.

"That's it, I'm through!" Sheena snatched up her bag and stalked out of the lunch hall. "Find me when you're finished being such a jerk!"

"All that over a carrot cake?" Zac shook his head. "Man, she's getting worse and worse."

"Never mind that Zac, you're losing your touch," Jack shook his head mournfully. "'Your Mum'? What kind of insult is that?"

"But you used it on Hoffman."

"Yes, and that doesn't count 'cos that actually had an impact." Jack chuckled. The sound was clearly forced and Aria bit her bottom lip; she hadn't meant to hurt him. Zac had clearly picked up on this and gave Aria a questioning look – which quickly turned to pure hatred, barely concealed. She was about to defend herself, when she heard the clack of heels behind her.

"Hey Jack." Kerry giggled, twirling a strand of red hair between her fingers.

"Kerry." Jack twisted round to look up at her. She grinned and planted her lips over his. Aria choked and Kerry broke the kiss sharply and snapped her head round to look at her. "What's she doing here?"

"My friend brought her. She left." The tone was right, but the sentences were robotic. She couldn't see Jack's face.

"Well, do you mind if we can have a little privacy?" Kerry smiled sweetly at Aria and Zac. "It's nothing personal, but we'd like to be left alone. In our own company. If you don't mind." She seemed to have ironically forgotten her little group gathered behind her.

"Sure," Zac cleared his throat. "I'll see you in class Jack. Jack?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. See you." Zac pushed away from the table and stood, face thunderous.

"Coming Aria?"

"Yeah, give me a sec." She bent down to get her bag, when a little gold compact clattered down next to it.

"Whoops! Silly me." Kerry leaned over so that she was face to face with Aria. "Keep away from my boyfriend, you slut, or else." She hissed. Aria flinched and glanced up at Jack, sure he'd just heard the exchange. His head was turned away from them, fringe falling softly over his eyes. Quickly she grabbed her bag and went over to where Zac was lounging, shooting murderous glances over at the table.

"Can you believe him?" He spat on the floor. "He lets her crawl all over him like the maggot she is."

Aria glanced back over. Kerry was now sitting in Jack's lap, chatting to her cronies; he might as well have been a decorative cushion. "Point taken. He's going out with her?"

Zac snorted. "Don't we all know it? This has been happening on-off for three years: just after his mum died. She treats him like he means nothing to her, and then dumps him, leaves hanging for as long as she finds his pain amusing, and then begs him to take him back. And guess who has to pick up the pieces each time she does that?" Zac jerked a finger self-righteously at himself. "Me and Sheena, that's who. And he never listens. Don't ever tell him this, but I agree with his Chemistry teacher: if his mum could see him now, she'd break down and cry."

Aria patted him on the back. "You've wanted to get that off your chest for ages, haven't you?"

Zac laughed a little. "You could say that again."

"So if you disagree with him, why did you and Aria help him set fire to the school and, just now, didn't just tell Kerry to get lost?"

Zac looked at her tiredly. "He's my friend Aria, that's what Hoffman and that lot don't get. That's what friends do." He turned to leave. "Coming?"

"Sure." Aria looked over her shoulder at the table. Kerry laughed at something a muscley jock had just said and, turning to Jack, led a kiss that he eagerly reciprocated. It was like he was scrabbling at any attention she gave him. It was the saddest thing Aria had ever seen.

xXx

"Oi, Aria!" Aria jerked her head round as Sheena waved at the crazily. "You coming to meet the others?"

"But I already have!"

"You haven't met everyone, come on!"

Aria sighed and let the door to her flats swing shut. It was getting dark and she knew she had homework to be getting on with, but hanging out with Sheena, Zac and Jack had been brilliant. Especially with Jack...she shook her head as she grudgingly followed Sheena into the car park area. Off limits remember? Shame.

"Hey guys! Look who's back!" Sheena hollered in the direction of a rusty red mini.

"Hey Aria!" Zac whooped as he handed Sheena a beer can. "Drinks are on the house tonight."

"Thanks." Aria took her can after hesitating briefly; she knew Hoffman was a strict teetotaller and she wasn't sure how he would react to her underage drinking. It's just one can, she told herself, taking a sip. Just one.

Jack was leaning against the other side of the car, staring moodily at the graffiti covered concrete wall and smashed-up children's playground. She stepped over an empty beer crate and touched his elbow. "Hey...you ok?"

Jack looked round at her and smiled after looking blank for a couple of seconds. "Yeah, I'm fine." He crumpled his empty beer can and blew a lungful of air up at the bleak night sky.

"You know, my old carer Sue used breathe out on a cold night like tonight and call it dragon's breath for the little kids." Aria said to break the silence, feeling foolish.

Jack laughed, and it didn't seem forced. "Seriously? You didn't really swallow that crap did you?"

Aria shrugged. "I used to, found out it was fake pretty quickly though. There's nothing truly magical left anymore."

Jack turned to her and wrapped her hands up in his. Aria tried to ignore the tingling in her palms and stared down at them; her bare cold hands, turning blue, and his warm ones, wrapped in black fingerless gloves. "There's always something magical just waiting round the corner, Aria," He whispered. "You just need to find the strength to take it for yourself." Aria wanted to agree, but the cold had frozen up her lungs and she couldn't get enough air in to breathe, let alone talk. After a while he pulled back. "I owe you an apology for the way I acted at lunch."

Aria had trouble finding the words, an odd ringing in her ears that definitely wasn't because of the alcohol. "It's ok, I really shouldn't have asked you such personal questions anyway – we'd only just met after all."

"It's not just that. Afterwards too." Aria looked up. There were no stars in the sky but Jack's eyes were shining, darker than the heavens, sucking her in. She was suddenly aware of the world around her; the cold stabbed at her in harsh needles, the moisture of the beer can trickled slowly over her hand, Jack's lips twitching slightly...

"Bitches, your top-ups are here!" An unfamiliar voice brought them back to reality. Jack jerked away and sauntered over to a beefy man carrying two six packs of Stella Artoris. A woman with red spiky hair and a black leather jacket eyed Aria up. "So, who's the kid?"

Sheena rushed to explain. "This Aria, she's living with Hoffman."

"Hoffman?" The woman raised her eyebrows. "The Hoffman we know?"

"Yep, ain't irony a bitch?"

"Very true." The woman switched on a brilliant smile. "Fizz Nightingale, nice to meet you." The smile went out. "How'd you meet Sheena?"

"We met this morning." Aria said dumbly.

"Yes, doing what?"

"Singing."

Fizz roared with laughter. "Another little singing bird, who'd have thought it?" The smile was back: it reminded Aria of Christmas lights, on, off, on, off...

"Certainly not you, Florence." Said the beefy man, cracking open a beer.

"You use my real name again, I'll hit you." Fizz growled, then rolled her eyes. "May I introduce my mutual friend Paul? He's a total arsehole, but you get used to it...better than his brother at any rate."

Paul chuckled and gave Jack a wink. "Since my brother's a drug dealer, that's not much of a complement."

"His name's Xavier," Fizz staged whispered in Aria's ear; it smelt like cigarette smoke and booze and made Aria cough. "He's a real badass, but we haven't seen him recently, thank God." She slung an arm round Aria's shoulders, nodding at her half-finished can. "You done with that yet?" Aria quickly knocked it back. Some of it went down the wrong way and she choked. Fizz patted her on the back. "Aww, ickl baby never had any nasty alcohol before?"

"A lot less than your mum had before AA got hold of her, so shut up." Aria mumbled.

Fizz laughed. "I like you kid." She commented before grabbing another can and taking a massive swig. "Go on girls, show us some of your singing."

Sheena launched into a Christina Aguilera number and Aria quickly followed, copying the dance routine as best she could. At the end Fizz applauded. "Nice one. God, Abbie would love you!"

"Who's Abbie?" Aria asked.

"My girlfriend," Fizz shook her head in disbelief at her expression. "Yes I'm a lesbian, get over it." She finished her can and chucked it in the boot of the car. "If it bothers you, the exits in that direction."

"Don't worry, I'm all good," Aria grinned suddenly and leaned against the car, pouting. "How do I look to you?"

Fizz looked her up and down. "You really want to know? Nice legs, shame about the tits." Aria threw an empty beer can at her head. A brief can fight, another singsong and the finishing up of the beer later, Paul checked his watch. "We'd better get going Fizz, it's getting late." Aria checked her watch too. SHIT!

"I'm guessing you're going to be in trouble, right?" Jack asked her as Fizz and Paul started squabbling about who was driving.

"You're telling me." Aria groaned, running a hand through her hair. She's stuck to her guns and only had one or two cans, but she wasn't sure how Hoffman was going to react – if at all.

"Don't worry, he won't breathalyse you." Jack joked, tousling her hair. "Cheer up, tonight's been great." His phone vibrated and as he looked at the caller ID his smile faded a little. Kerry. "Excuse me; I've got to take this."

Why? Aria wanted to ask as he walked away.

xXx

Aria let herself in and winced when she saw the living room lights were on. Hoffman was home. He came out to meet her in the hall. "A bit of communication would have been nice." He started.

"Hello to you too." Aria said, dumping her bag. "What's up?"

"Aria, do you know what the time is?"

"Time you got a watch?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "Ok, ok, I stayed out with some friends, that's all."

"Who?"

"Some people from my school."

"Aria, that's not what I asked."

"Look, you come home late so don't have a go at me."

"That's not the point!" Hoffman sighed at her stubborn expression. "Fine, don't tell me; I'll find out sooner or later. And use your phone next time!"

"Whatever." She brushed past him and went into her room. Hoffman watched her go and then took out his phone and hit a key.

"This is harder than I thought," He muttered as he raised it to his ear. "It had better be worth it..."

Sorry again for not updating for ages...Merry Christmas anyway, and I'll try to publish another chapter of this before 2011. Keep the muffin-loving festive spirit alive!