Chapter 9- The Gift

It had been only 3 days and Amanda already had 20 messages on her phone of Piers pleading for her to come back. She was attending the sixth formers classes to waste time, all her old friends were there still and it was easy to get back it to the swing of school life.

"Your settling in fine" Bianca whispered while they were in there first lesson of the day, physics.

"Yeah, I never got to finish my schooling here. Hopefully I'll be able to do the exams as well, with you girls" Amanda turned round and smiled at the rest of the girls who were not paying any attention to the teacher. Every day she would put her mobile on silent and at the end of the day she would skip through all the texts. She would read all of them but never reply to any. It wasn't long till the bell rang for break time. Amanda was walking out the door when Lucy ran up to walk beside her.

"So has he stopped yet?" Lucy was always curious on what Piers was up to, ever since when he first broke into the school.

"Stopped what?"

"You know" Lucy lifted one of her eyebrows. Amanda sighed, threw her bag to the side next to a wall and lean against the wall.

"He won't quit, I don't know whether to text him to stop but I feel it will make him hopeful that I need him" Amanda was now looking at her shoes, at how they were given to her 3 days ago and already they were scuffed and looking worn.

"Well maybe the silence that you are doing is making him think you are sad and thinking it through"

"So what do I do...I want him to stop texting me but then..."

"But then what?"

"I...I don't want him to forget me" Amanda looked up to face Lucy; tears were building up in her eyes.

"Amanda can I say something?" Lucy looked around to see if anyone was around and listening"

"Go on" Amanda picked up her bag ready to go to her next lesson.

"Do you really want to let him go? It seems to me you would quite easily run to his side again. But let me say this...You don't seem as happy since you have been here. I mean yes your smiling, having a good time but I think deep down your missing something, him"

"Whatever Lucy" Chelsea was strolling down the stairs to which Amanda and Lucy were standing near. "Or maybe Amanda needs one of those good old fashion St Trinian's make over" Chelsea giggled at the proposal that she had made.

"What's that?" Amanda asked slightly nervous to what it was. She knew what could happen in St Trinian's.

"Can't you remember? It's when we put you into your group and stylise you to be a proper St Trinian." Chelsea was still giggling as she spoke. Lucy sighed when Chelsea finished and walked away from them.

"Just think of what I said, you'll make the right decision...I know it" When Lucy left, Amanda reached in to her pocket and pulled out her mobile. She had a brand new message just at that moment, it was from Piers.

I still have hope for us; I just wanted to let you know I will leave AD1 if you come back to me. I love you and it hurts not being able to love you every day. I feel I have no real purpose without you. Please come back to me.

Amanda sighed. She returned the phone to her blazer pocket and proceeded to her next lesson.

"Sir you have a meeting with the Prime Minister at one and a tennis match at three with sting...Sir...Sir is everything alright" Peter's asked as he entered Piers room. Piers was still lying on his bed with his pyjamas on.

"She still won't reply to my texts. I've expressed how I feel for her yet it's still not enough."

"Well sir maybe taking your mind of her for the day will clear your head" Peter's grabbed Piers' suit from the en suite door and handed it to Piers.

"But I can't stop thinking about her" Piers looked over to the other side of his bed. He just about imagined Amanda being under the covers, so close to him. But yet she was so far away from him, he knew where she was but he just didn't have the courage to see her. Peter's was about to leave the room when Piers spoke once again. "What do women like? I need to send her something; I need her to have something" Peter's re-entered the room and sat at Piers desk that was only a short distance from his bed.

"Well Women like flowers, Wine, a long warm bath, make-up, hair things..."

"Peter's I need to send her something that's not traditional but worth something between us"

"Holidays, Money" Piers head shot up.

"That's it I'll send to her a cheque to St Trinian's, she cares so much for that school so why shouldn't I" Piers leapt from his bed and started to get changed. Peter's spun quickly around to spare any embarrassment.

"But sir you hate that school"

"Yes but if she likes that school, which means I must like it also... You can turn around now"

"Wow sir that was quick. I've never known anyone quicker than you at getting dressed"

"Well this is urgent, hand me my cheque book" Piers raised one hand closest to Peter's while searching for a nearby pen. Peter's reached into his pocket and passed Piers what he was asking for. As he handed it to him he spoke in almost a whisper.

"You must really love her"

Amanda was now sliding and tapping her way to her section in the girl's area. She had a beat to dance to as the Band was practicing their latest song. Kelly was leaning against one of the beams; she was talking to Annabelle when she glanced on Amanda.

"Someone seems happy"

"Yeah I am, just had a fantastic music lesson. The twins blew up the drum set midway, it sent the teacher screaming. It was so funny...You should have been there" Amanda paused and smiled to Kelly and Annabelle.

"You're crazy you know that" Annabelle chuckled.

"Yep" Amanda said as she flopped onto her bed still looking at the girls.

"It's because of the Fritton gene inside you" The girls continued giggling as Miss Fritton entered the room. She walked over to Amanda.

"Seems you're just at home here" She snorted as Annabelle re-phrased what she had just said. "Even cousins of the family go a bit coo coo" Miss Fritton bend down and placed one hand on Amanda's shoulder. "I don't mean to spoil your day but there's a man that wants to see you down stairs, he's in my office at the moment safe from any of the girls"

"He's not..." Amanda sat up with fear on her face.

"No of course not, do you really think we would let Piers into these grounds without permission?" Amanda nodded and rushed her way down to Miss Fritton's office. When she entered the room she recognised the person.

"Peter's...what are you doing here?" Amanda slammed the door shut so that no one could hear their conversation.

"Forgive me Amanda but Piers' wanted to give you something"

"Why didn't he do it himself" Amanda crossed her arms.

"He's too ashamed to meet you and he knows he's not on very good terms with this school"

"Just give me whatever he's given you to give me" Amanda sighed. Peter's stepped forward and revealed an envelope from his inside suit pocket and handed it to her. Amanda slowly reached for it and carefully opened it. The first thing she pulled out was the cheque. She gasped and dropped the envelope on the floor. Her free hand rose up to her face.

"How much?" Amanda's face was pure shock. Peter's stepped back and laughed.

"Oh...If only Piers could see your face"

"But...Why?" Amanda removed her eyes from looking at the cheque to Peter's.

"He wants to make you happy, so he came up with this way"

"But this is 1 million pound going to the school that nearly brought him down"

"Really don't ask me why again as I don't understand myself. He told me to get here as soon as I can and give it to you and leave as quick as I can...So I must be off." Peter's walk to the door, Amanda stepped to the side to free up the door. She returned to looking at the cheque.

"Oh and there's something else in that envelope you might want to read it" When he was finished he closed the door and left the school. Amanda bent down to pick the envelope up, as she did so a solid object feel out of it and rolled under the desk table. Amanda sighed; she stuffed the envelope into her pocket and reached out for the object. When she pulled it closer to her and in sight she gasped again. It was an AD1 ring and by the looks of it, it was Piers'.