Seeing as it's half term I thought I'd do another update quite quickly before I go back to school on Monday :( Thank you for the reviews! They brighten my days. Please feel free to PM me if you have any suggestions or requests for where this story should go :) Hope you all enjoy XX

Evie and Danielle had snuck behind the stage in the main assembly hall, hiding themselves down beside the overflowing boxes of drama costumes. Danielle kept surreptitiously glancing at Evie's face.

'Evie,' she whispered. 'Are you sure you don't want to go and tell Miss Campbell or someone about this?'

Evie forced a smile and shook her head. 'No babe, I'm fine. You know what she's like for making a fuss.'

'Well yeah, but she's lovely. You know she'd just try to help.' Danielle replied. 'Or what about Haydock? She's got me out of a few sticky situations. And Miss Koreshi! She was brill when I found out my boyfriend had HIV.'

'Honestly, Dan, stop worrying. I know they'd try to help, but really, I'd just rather leave it.'

Danielle opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the noise of the door creaking open.

'Dan? Evie? Are you in here?' Aleesha's voice rang out.

'Shhhh!' the girls replied in unison.

Aleesha made her way over to the pair, gasping out loud when she saw Evie's face. Evie repeated the story about answering the door to an attacker, gratefully taking the pair of trainers that Aleesha offered her, ignoring the girl's open mouth.

'Look, why don't you stay at mine tonight?' Aleesha asked. 'Must be scary.'

'It's fine. My dad's just visiting family. He might be back tonight.' Evie replied.

She realised her mistake even as the words flowed from her tongue. She carried on speaking, hoping that Danielle wasn't switched on enough to realise what she'd said. She could tell from the expression on Danielle's face that she would have no such luck.

'But... you said your dad went away for business trips. Not to visit family.' Danielle said quietly.

'Yeah,' Evie said a bit too brightly. 'Yeah, usually he's away on business. This time he's gone to see some relatives, though.'

Evie's heart was thumping. How could she have been so careless? Her lies were beginning to intertwine, and they were already tangling so much they were contradicting themselves. Danielle nodded, but didn't look happy.

'Come on. We'll be late for form.'

The three girls slowly made their way to form. Before they could get there, Evie was stopped by Miss Koreshi.

'Evie! I was delighted to hear from Miss Campbell that you're going to come on the trip! I really do think you'll get something worthwhile out of it.' the young woman said enthusiastically.

Evie tried not to make eye contact. 'Yeah. Thanks, Miss.' she replied, keeping her gaze firmly on the floor.

The teacher looked at her. 'Where are your school shoes? And why are you wearing a hoodie?' she asked in her gentle Scottish lilt.

'Oh... sorry. I, er- I slept over at a friend's last night and forgot my uniform. Had to get Danielle to bring in the skirt. It won't happen again, Miss.' Evie mumbled.

'Evie, look at me. You know this isn't good enough.'

Evie reluctantly lifted her head. Jasmine bit back a cry.

'Right- you two. Better get off to form. Can you let Evie's form head know that she's here please?' the teacher said quickly, looking at Aleesha and Danielle.

The pair nodded awkwardly. Evie shot them a desperate look, the girls returning an apologetic one as they walked away.

'Evie,' the teacher said, once the other two had disappeared through the double doors. 'Evie, what happened?'

The girl tried to meet Miss Koreshi's eye. 'It's nothing, Miss. I just got into a bit of a scrap with another girl. It's fine now though, it's all okay.' she said, trying to be as convincing as possible.

'I think you'd better come up to Miss Mason's office with me, sweetheart.' Jasmine said softly, steering Evie off down the corridor.

Jasmine left Evie sitting outside with Bridget, who set to work fixing Evie a cup of tea. Rachel had looked up as Jasmine had entered.

'Morning, Jasmine. Can I help you?' she'd asked, looking up from some paper work. 'I'm afraid it'll have to be quick- someone's smashed the window of the girls' toilets. 'I've got to get to assembly in a bit to try and establish what's gone on- it's not just vandalism, there's blood in there and on the glass. Someone obviously crawled through it- or was pushed.'

Jasmine bit her lip. 'It's Evie Walker, Rachel. She's not wearing the right uniform-'

Rachel interrupted. 'Oh Jasmine. Put her in the cooler then. I don't have time to deal with that this morning,' she sighed. Strain was uncharacteristically etched across her face.

'No, let me finish,' Jasmine said. 'She's pretty badly bust up. Huge black eye, really swollen. Cut lip. Her hair's still damp, too. She looks pretty awful, Rach. She claims it was a fight, but I don't know what to think.'

Rachel stood up slowly, her attention caught. 'Sorry, Jasmine. I didn't mean to snap. I'll be honest with you, I've been concerned about her since she started here. She doesn't look well at all, and Kim says she's getting nothing out of her in these mentoring sessions. Can we go to assembly, and bring her back here straight afterwards? Can you get Kim to come too?' she asked.

Jasmine nodded. 'Of course. Rach, she's so talented, but she just doesn't seem to be connecting with anything or anyone. She even seems to be keeping Danielle and Aleesha at arms length. I'm really worried.'

Rachel suddenly looked up. 'Jasmine- do you think she could have anything to do with that smashed window?'

'I don't know. I- I just feel uncomfortable. I think she's in a bad way.' Jasmine said.

Evie had tried not to let anything show on her face during the assembly, giving a pointed look to Danielle and Aleesha, who couldn't stop themselves from looking panicked. As soon as Miss Mason had stopped speaking, Miss Koreshi had leaned over and tapped her on the shoulder, guiding her out and back to the headmistress' office. The teacher told her to sit down, and they were soon joined by Miss Campbell and Miss Mason. She tried her best to keep her cool, knowing that the teachers were watching her face carefully.

'Look. I've already told Miss Koreshi. I got in a fight. I was stupid, and it won't happen again.' she said calmly.

'Evie, if there's anything you want to talk to me- or any of us- about, you kn-' Rachel started.

'Yeah, I know, I can speak to you. I get it.' Evie cut in.

Rachel looked at her hard. 'Do you know anything about the smashed window?'

'No. Why would I? Can I please go now?' Evie sighed.

Kim leaned over and lightly patted Evie's hand. The girl flinched at her touch, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by Rachel's sharp eyes.

'Don't make it difficult for yourself, Evie. We're here to help.' Kim said softly.

Evie just nodded, rising quickly as Rachel smiled and gestured to the door.

Rachel Mason was knee deep in marking when Bridget rapped on the door.

'Danielle Harker wants to see you. Shall I tell her to come back later? Only, she looks a bit bothered about something.' the woman said, leaning her head around the door.

'No, it's alright Bridget. Send her in, please.' Rachel replied, putting her pen down.

She looked up again a moment later and saw Danielle hovering by the door, looking utterly uncomfortable. Rachel smiled reassuringly and gestured to her to come in.

'What can I do for you, Danielle?' she asked, as the girl neared her desk.

Danielle looked unsure.

'Do you want to sit down?' Rachel asked, trying to put the girl at ease.

Danielle took a seat, nervously glancing at the windows that covered an entire side of the room. Rachel, as astute as ever, rose and drew the blinds, so nobody entering reception would be able to look in. When she took her seat opposite the sixth former, Danielle didn't even look up.

'Miss, I'm- I'm a bit worried about one of my friends.' Danielle almost whispered.

'Alright, love, do you want to tell me why?' Rachel asked. She had already guessed Danielle was speaking about Evie.

'I don't want her to know I've spoken to you,' Danielle said quickly.

'That's absolutely fine.' the headteacher reassured. 'Your name never has to be mentioned.' She paused. 'Would I be right in thinking you're worried about Evie Walker?'

Danielle nodded, almost imperceptibly. Rachel didn't push her, letting a silence fall in the room for a few minutes.

'I don't want to say too much. I'm not a grass. I- I just think she's lying about how she got hurt.' the girl finally said, letting her breath out in a sudden whoosh.

'What makes you say that, darling?' Rachel said, her senses alert.

'I know it seems trivial and stupid, but she told me her dad was away on a, like, a business trip. And then later when we met Aleesha, she said he was visiting family! I dunno Miss, I just think there's something going on with her.' she said, looking at the floor.

'Danielle, is there anything else you can think of about Evie that doesn't feel quite right? It's really important that you try and think.' Rachel said.

Danielle raised her eyes to meet her headmistress'. 'Well... me and Aleesha have never been to her house, we're not even proper sure where she lives. She jumps a mile every time we say about coming round, or calling for her. She hasn't even given us her house phone number! And she picks at all her food, and she always looks like she's losing weight. And I know this sounds horrible, but she looks awful! Always tired and pale, and her hands are always, like, dead shaky. And this morning she proper shrugged it off, like it was nothing, even though she was sat in the toilets in her jarmies from god knows what time!' the girl gabbled.

'Was Evie the one who broke that window?' Rachel cut in.

Danielle put a hand to her mouth. 'Oh god. I didn't mean to say that. Oh noooo, Evie's going to kill me!'

Rachel reached over and squeezed Danielle's hand. 'No, listen, it's not about punishing her. A broken window is not important in the wider scheme of things. What's important here is making sure Evie's safe. You've done the right thing coming to speak to me.'

Danielle rose unsteadily from her chair. 'Thanks, miss. I- I care about Evie. I hated seeing her like she was this morning.'

Rachel nodded. 'I know, love. Don't worry. We'll sort this.'