Disclaimer in part one.

Sorry for the long wait. I can't promise the next part will be any sooner, but most of it is written...

Part Four

As Kelly pushed the bike over behind some bushes, Annabelle took out a razor sharp pocket knife, and cut some branches from another bush. She laid them over the bike while Kelly took some dark coloured cloths from her backpack and used them to cover up the chrome. Satisfied that the bike was not easily noticeable the two girls walked the fifty metres back to the main path.

"So about a quarter of a mile from here then?" Kelly asked as they came out onto the path.

"About that, yeah," Annabelle confirmed. She took Kelly's arm and started down the path, "c'mon, we'd better get going or we won't be in place in time." Her heart was racing again, but this time she was determined to ignore it. After all, she had already faced off with Verity, what could be worse than that?

"What do you mean, 'in place'?" Kelly asked, as the two girls hurried along the well worn path.

"The day girls always cut through here on their way to the bus after practice, so if we're not through this part of the woods before practice ends we'll get caught. We should be fine though, we've still got about fifteen minutes." Annabelle only then realised that she still held the older girl's arm in her grasp and quickly let go, "oh, sorry."

The two walked on for a bit before Kelly smiled slightly, and bumped Annabelle's shoulder, saying, "I didn't really mind, you know."

The rest of their walk went on in silence, until they came upon the hockey pitches. Two grass pitches and two gravel pitches side by side, with a fenced in astro-turf pitch at the end of the row. The Cheltenham girls were using the closest gravel pitch. Most of the girls were on the pitch, involved in a practice game, and about six others were sitting on the sidelines watching the play and chatting amongst themselves. Annabelle felt her heart pick up in speed again as she noticed Verity around the half-way line, about to get involved in a tackle. She suddenly wished she hadn't let go of Kelly earlier on.

Careful to remain behind the tree line, the two girls edged their way closer to the pitch, finally settling in a spot around ten metres from the group of girls at the edge of the pitch, behind a large gorse bush. "So, are we set on the plan?" Kelly asked, taking off her backpack and removing some of the contents. The two girls sat side-by-side, cross-legged on the grass, sorting through their supplies.

"Yes," Annabelle nodded, quickly looking over at Kelly, but never really taking her eyes off the girls on the pitch. "I think our best bet at getting into the equipment is during dinner, so we're probably best saving that for last. After practice the girls will go back to the pavilion for showers and a team meeting, then the day girls will head home – there's only about three of them – and the boarders will have to head back into the school to finish homework. That's our best time to do our other work, we just need to stay clear of the sports complex; the teachers will be around."

"So we're lying low here until the brats go inside to change."

"Yes, then I think we should try and listen in on the team meeting – they'll probably talk tactics for a while. We'll be able to hide just outside the window to that room."

"Brilliant. Then we lie low again and wait for them to go home, or go inside and start studying?"

"Yes, then we can start on the rest of the grounds, just need to stay away from this end."

"But we can get to this end of the grounds once the teachers go inside for dinner too?"

"Exactly."

"Okay, sounds like you have it all planned out," she smiled at the younger girl, she'd really come on over the last month or so since the heist.

Annabelle smiled back, taking in a deep breath, "guess so."

Kelly eyed her for a moment, taking in her balled fists and rigid shoulders, and the eyes that wouldn't meet her own. "They didn't just bully you here, did they? It was something else."

Annabelle's eyes snapped up to meet hers, a breath catching in her throat, "no, it was more than that."

Kelly nodded, she'd figured. The curiosity was killing her, and she was worried about her friend, but she wasn't going to push her to disclose it all before she was ready. "Don't worry; you don't have to tell me now." She rested her hand on the younger girl's shoulder in an attempt to lend some comfort.

The warmth from her friend's hand on her shoulder flooded through Annabelle, and she gave a small smile, "I know, I will tell you. It's going to take longer than we have now though."

"That's ok. Like I said, don't push yourself if you're not ready."

Annabelle turned her head to smile softly again at the older girl, lifting her hand up to her shoulder to join her friend's. "Soon, ok?" She leaned forward as the girls on the pitch broke up from their team huddle and headed in the direction of the white pavilion at the other end of the sports-ground. "Looks like we've got work to do," she smiled as she stood from her position on the ground.

Kelly smiled widely as Annabelle's eyes lit up at the thought of causing havoc. She really was turning into a proper St. Trinian.

TBC