I am the biggest idiot in the whole wide world! I've obviously led Kovu on, unless he's misinterpreted my actions. Don't get me wrong he's absolutely gorgous and everything, but I don't really want to be involved with him in that way at the moment. It's all too rushed. Plus I just humiliated myself in front of him this morning so I probably won't ever see him again.

"Hey Ruby, great news – this Saturday we're allowed to go in town. I was thinking we could go shopping. What do you think?" Laura asks.

"Err...yeah sounds awesome" I manage. Shopping? Is there even any shops around here?

"Cool. I'll let everyone know then. We'll have to start looking for costumes"

Gee thanks for reminding me. My birthday was a little over two weeks away...and I was dreading it! I haven't even chosen what I'm going to go as. I wanted something original but now I'll probably go as a hippie or a witch. Something simple so I'll be able to blend in.

"Do you know what you're going to go as?"

"Not yet. Probably just a witch or something"

"No way! You're going to be the birthday girl! You've got to stand out and shine!"

"What exactly did you have in mind then?" I ask her.

She looked thoughtful for a few seconds, "don't know yet, but there's this brilliant shop with all kinds of designs of dresses and accessories etc. I'll take you there on Saturday"

"Ok cool. Thanks for offering"

"That's what friends are for." I was really starting to like Laura. She was genuinely nice and friendly and didn't seem caught up in gossiping like Alaska and Veronica. I was starting to have hope here. Maybe it wasn't going to be that bad.

"I heard that Callum Turner is training you. What's he like? He used to be really sweet you know..."

I didn't want to tell her about what happened. I still feel really bad about what I said to him. It was completely selfish of me to say it because he didn't feel like talking to me. I'll have to apologise to Callum this afternoon.

"Yeah Alaska told me what happened. I feel sorry for him and how everyone treated him"

"They were all really cruel. I wasn't much help though. I sorta just stood back and watched it happen. I'm not a couragous person. I feel so ashamed now about how I didn't stand up for him. Did you here about him and Tyler?"

"Only briefly. Something about Callum finally had enough and cracked"

"Tyler was a real prick. Giving Callum shit 24/7. It went on for months before Callum had enough. They were in combat when it happened. Before anyone knew what was happening Callum crash tackled and starting beating the shit out of Tyler. He just kept on punching him you know. Everyone thought he was going to kill him. They finally managed to pull Callum off Tyler. Tyler was a mess and his parents tried to sue Callum and the school but Sophia didn't let that happen and told the court about how Tyler deserved it by bullying Callum for months. You could tell she was blaming herself for what had happened, for not knowing about how much everyone was an arse to him. Callum kept it all bottled up and I guess just couldn't take it anymore"

"Wow. Really? That's amazing. Go Sophia!" I was in shock. That was a completely different version to what Alaska told me. I didn't feel sorry for Tyler at all. As far as I was concerned he deserved every punch Callum gave him.

"Yeah we have a pretty cool Headmistress no matter how zany she may appear. She was her heart in the right place." I couldn't agree more. Sophia was amazing no matter how kooky she acted at times.

"Oh by the way soccer training is on this afternoon if you want to come. I think it's the same time you've got your lesson with Callum though so it's probably better if you go to that." Buggar. I was hoping they wouldn't be on at the same time. Ah well I supoose my catch up lessons are more important.

"See you later Ruby." Laura heads off in a different direction.

"Bye."

The rest of the day I feel like I'm on autopilot, like I'm floating outside my body and watching from a distance. I try to pay attention to all my teachers in class but I'm too caught up stressing about my birthday party, Kovu, Callum, Dad... the list goes on. When the bell finally rings at three I'm wide awake. I make my way to the gym and once again Callum is already there, waiting for me. "Look Callum, I'm really sorry for what I said yesterday. It was completely out of line and I had no right to say it."

"You're right, it was completely out of line", he laughs and his green eyes light up, "but hey, I've heard worse. It's ok you're forgiven", he looks serious now, "we're going to go for a quick run, then come back and do some weights"

"Oh ok. What about fighting?" Wasn't it my combat that I had to catch up on though?

"No, the first thing you need to do is increase your muscle mass and tone up", he eyes widen, "Oh sorry I didn't mean it like that...I mean...um...you know..."

"It's ok. I didn't take it the wrong way" I laughed at him

"Let's go then."

We go to the back door entrance again and start to go for a jog. The cold wind whips my hair and I'm cursing myself for not tying it up today.

"Do you like Spencer's so far?" he asks as we round a corner.

"Umm... it's ok I guess. You're like the hundreth person to ask me that. Besides I thought you didn't like talking when running" I tease.

"This is a special occasion so don't get used to it. Besides a person can change. Maybe I'm sick of not having a decent conversation with someone my own age."

I couldn't imagine how that would feel. Having the whole school despise and ignore you. "But I'm a year younger than you"

"That's true"

"Well then, let's have a decent conversation...what are your hobbies?"

He laughs, "what kind of question is that? Hmm...my hobbies hey? Combat, combat and more combat"

I smile at his answer, "I take it you like combat? Anthing else like a sport, music, painting, plotting your revenge against the school?"

"I used to play soccer but they made it quite clear they didn't want me on the team anymore. So that would have to be a negative on all of the above, although the last one sounds rather tempting" he jokes, or atleast I think he's kidding.

"You should come to my party" I blurt out.

"Thanks for the invitation but I'll have to pass"

"What? Come on please? It would be so nice to have some decent company other than Laura and Scarlet!"

"Ooh little miss bitchy" he teases.

"Oh please like you'd have anything better to do that night, unless you've got a hot date" The thought of Callum having a date made me...jealous? What was going on here? I didn't even like him in that way, yet the thought of another girl being with him made my blood boil.

"No actually I don't have a hot date which is quite unfortunate. I'll think about it. Happy now?"

"Extremely. You may have just made my day"

This was the beginning of a blossoming friendship. Along with Laura, Scarlet, Kovu and Headmistress Sophia, Callum was in the handful of people I could trust and feel at ease with.

I just hope Callum wouldn't get the wrong message like Kovu did.