A/N: This one's a bit of an interlude before the action (and, of course, angst) kicks off. Just a bit of silliness, really

Knacky - Thanks, and good luck with your revision!

Shanynde - More Will/Djaq and Allan coming up in forthcoming chapters, I promise!

LittleMissSparkles - Poor Marian indeed. Thank you for your review!

Liz4 - Thank you so much for your lovely review. It's true, the times may change but fathers never do! Hopefully you won't be disappointed by future chapters, because I can guarantee that there will be some nice Will/Djaq-ness coming up.

"So come on then, Marian," Allan urged me, grinning, "Shag, Marry and Cliff - who's it gonna be?"

"Well you get the cliff for a start," I answered, smiling as he groaned dramatically. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you said earlier." Something about my hair and a reference to a woodland creature, actually. It wasn't my fault I'd been rained on this morning.

"I'd marry Much, of course, because then I'd never have to cook in my life," I continue, grinning as he shot me a reproachful look and ruined the effect by smiling.

"And shag?" Will probed, amused.

"She's going to say Djaq, I know it!" Allan exclaimed, and I glared at him, laughing at the same time.

"Why do you call her that, anyway?" I asked, taking the opportunity to avoid answering the question.

"They heard my aunty calling me it, and haven't stopped since," the girl in question grimaced.

"It's because she's secretly a man," Robin told me seriously, and Djaq shrieked in protest and reached out to slap him. While the two were struggling on the floor, Robin trying to disentangle himself from the outraged girl, Much took the opportunity to answer my question.

"Her mum swore blind she was going to be born a boy," he explained, "Had already come up with the name and everything. Then she was a girl and she hadn't thought of a girl's name, so for the first few days everyone just called her Djaq."

"Ah," I hummed, and then looked up as Allan suddenly pointed an accusing finger at me.

"You," he said suspiciously, "Were trying to avoid the question."

I laughed, holding my hands up in a placating gesture. "Okay, you've got me. Shag, wasn't it?"

"Yep," Will confirmed, "You've got to answer."

"Hmm, okay," I agreed, looking around the circle as we sat cross-legged on the floor. "Then I'll say… Robin."

He caught my eye from across the circle and winked, and Allan hooted in triumph.

"Aha, you fancy him!" he cried.

"Do not!" I protested, glaring at him. "And don't say that, you'll only make him more big headed than he already is."

"Oi!" Robin cried, and I smiled sweetly at him.

"Come on, it's Djaq's turn," Will reminded us, before another skirmish could break out. I grinned, turning my attention to Djaq.

"Come on, Marry, Shag and Cliff," I reminded her, watching as she screwed her face up in thought.

"Well I'll Cliff Robin," she decided quickly, grinning at him as he shot her an affronted look.

"It's not supposed to be that easy to decide who to cliff!" he protested. I laughed.

"So stop making it so easy," I told him, and watched as he stuck his tongue out at me. Djaq laughed at my remark, and I had the feeling that she was about to make her mind up and answer the question when the bell rang behind us, signalling the end of lunch time and the beginning of lessons. Maths, how fun.

We got up and walked in together, Much and Allan branching off to go to their maths classrooms until it was just me, Robin, Will and Djaq loitering outside the door as we waited for Mr Harvey to come out of his office and unlock it. I deliberately didn't notice as Sheriff's gang approached, carefully avoiding making eye contact with Guy. This had become something of a routine by now; I hung around with my new friends, and did my best to avoid my old. It had been a few weeks since the rumours started, and my confrontation with Guy, and for the most part everything was going well. The rumours still went around, of course, and every week there was a variation - some other chav I was supposed to have slept with, or some other heinous act that I'd done. I'd been surprised, and a little pleased, to find that the stories had stopped bothering me. I seemed to have built up some of Djaq's immunity to malicious stories since I'd become friends with her.

"It seems the latest plan is to terrorise the teachers until they have to grant us study leave to save their own sanity," Djaq confided in me as I sat down next to her a few minutes later.

"Isn't there some new government rule about not giving it to us, though?" I asked, frowning slightly.

She shrugged. "Not yet, I don't think. We really do need it though, and I'm not just saying that because I want a lie in. It's impossible to revise in class!" She gestured around the classroom as evidence, and I had to agree. In the back row, a group of boys were busily folding up paper aeroplanes, while most of the girls were taking the opportunity to gossip. Sheriff's gang were no doubt busy bitching about someone, and Robin and Will… They were conversing in whispers, their heads bent over a sheet of paper. It almost looked as though they were trying to work, but I knew Robin too well and the little grin on his face spoke of a brewing plan. I could only imagine what new havoc the two boys were plotting, though no doubt I'd find out - and be dragged into it - later. Djaq followed my gaze and rolled her eyes.

"I don't even want to know," she said dryly, and I laughed.

"As long as it's not messy," I shrugged, and rested my head on my arms. The classroom was warm and sunny, and I was growing steadily more lethargic.

"It's your birthday soon, isn't it?" I asked dreamily, looking up at where particles of dust whirled and danced in a shaft of sunlight. Djaq nodded.

"Yeah, Friday."

"Know what you're doing?"

"Not really. I know I'm going out for a meal with my family at the weekend, but that's it. I wanted to have friends come over Friday night, but…" she trailed off, wrinkling her nose.

"What?" I asked.

"My mum doesn't think much of the boys, doesn't want them coming round."

I laughed softly. "She's a smart woman, your mum."

Djaq grinned and nodded. "You could come round though, if you wanted. You'd probably be allowed to stay over."

"Okay," I agreed, "I'll bring some DVDs."

"Arranging something?"

I looked around to see Will looking at us curiously. Robin carefully folded up the piece of paper they'd been poring over and shoved it into his blazer pocket, I eyed it curiously as Djaq nodded.

"Yep, my birthday. Sorry, but you lot can't come."

"Why?" Will looked slightly put out.

"Her mum doesn't like you," I put in, grinning as he looked momentarily wounded.

"Ah, is it because of-" Robin began laughingly. Un-amused, Djaq nodded.

"Yeah."

"What?" I asked curiously.

"My mum met Allan," Djaq told me simply. I nodded; enough said.