'What?' I whisper. I can feel that my eyes are going to fill with tears at any moment. Crap. No, I can't let my walls fall down after I spent so long building them up.

'When you're fucking with other people; you're really just fucking with yourself'.

Dan shifts.

I mentally pick myself up. 'Well, as lovely as that is Dan, I'm afraid you haven't fucked up my life. Points for trying, I guess'.

There's a titter from the crowd.

'As compassionate and romantic that little heart-to-heart was; I've got to get going'. I say, beginning to move out of the circle. Like usual, people still make way for me to get through. Guess my queen-bee status hasn't slipped. 'Next time, try a little harder, okay?'

I don't see Dan again until the last day of school.

I'll admit, those months without Dan were lonely. I missed him. I still had Isabella, Ava, Max and Ollie and everyone else who still worshipped me. But something was missing, and that was Dan.

'Clearing out, huh? Who know you hoarded so much crap?' Dan walks up to me.

I reach into my locker and pull out various sheets of paper, empty lipgloss tubes, tissues, hairbands and hair grips and dump them into the bin sitting at my feet.

'Yep' I say as I pull out an old Valentino shirt I'd thought I'd lost ages ago. Who know a small rectangle could hold so much rubbish?

Dan.

I throw the shirt into the bin and Dan raises one eyebrow. He's leaning against the wall, his hand in his jean pocket. His hair, messy as always, is falling into his eye.

'I'm sorry' I say, turning to face him.

'I know. I'm sorry too'.

We stand there awkwardly in the empty halls.

'Will you be around this summer?' I ask him.

'Nope' he says.

'Why?' I hoped it wasn't me. I know it was me. 'I mean, I know it's none of my business but I'm just wondering'.

'When are you not' Dan smiles wryly. 'I'll be at my dad's'.

My mouth drops open and he nods.

'I know' he smiles slightly at me. His dimples aren't showing. 'He doesn't want me to come but I want to. My mum thinks he'll let me in if I just show up on the doorstep uninvited, but if not, she'll fly me home'.

'Wow'.

'It was after you and I…' he trails off.

It hangs in the air between us. I swallow.

'And after the summer, it's straight off to Uni, right?'

'I'm taking a gap year, actually'.

'Oh' I'm surprised. I didn't peg Dan as the kind to take a year out. 'And then you're coming back here?'

'Yep'.

'I'll be here'. As soon as I say it, I regret it. I know I'm pushing my luck but I don't care. There's nothing to push anyway. It's over between us. 'Anyway' I lick my lips. 'Good luck with your dad'.

'Thanks. Good luck with whatever you're doing'.

That's my cue to go.

'I messed you around' I blurt out. 'I didn't give you a chance'.

'Nor did I' his dimples nearly appear as he half-grins.

I force a smile at him before I turn and walk down the hallway. I'll never step foot in the place again.

'Hey, Sophia?'

I pause.

'Maybe I'll see you around' he says. 'Who knows, maybe we'll get somewhere that time'.

I carry on walking and I don't look back. 'Maybe we will'.