I have been through one of the crappiest days of my year so far. I got my assessment marks back and some of them were pretty average. You think everything is going great and then you go trip down the stairs and land yourself in hospital or something. Kind of similar to this chapter, as you're about to see…

Adam's POV

After my date had left with her boyfriend, I strolled aimlessly about the garden. I had no desire to return inside, no desire to breathe in the countless perfumes, the stale smell of sweat. Instead I walked around, trying to plan how I could possibly ask Linda for a dance, when the very person on whom I'd been focusing came into my vision.

She was resting against a raised garden bed looking up into the sky. Moonlight dappled her features, her dress glimmering. It was as though she was some sort of statue, and although her back was turned towards me, I could see that she did not move – barely appeared to even breathe.

I remember watching for some time until I realised that had she turned to find me staring at her, she would have surely become nervous, perhaps thinking that I was trying to stalk her, or deliberately make her uncomfortable. So I called out her name. Linda turned her head in my direction as I slowly made my way to where she had positioned herself.

"How long have you been watching me?" she asked

"Admittedly, quite a while. Are you alright? Where's Charlie?"

"Yes I'm fine. Charlie is probably dancing with the girl whom he wanted to ask in the first place. Trust me, I don't mind – it's nice to see him move on." she told me.

"But?" I prompted.

"But I am afraid that although he may well move on, I might never be able to do so for fear of angering him, and possibly others as well" she said softly, tears threatening to spill as she did so.

"Linda, it's your choice. It affects you most of all – don't worry about Charlie. When the time comes for you to move on then…move on" I told her.

Linda's head turned upwards and looked right into my eyes, tears still pooling in her own. "When the time comes depends entirely on how the person to whom I am partial reacts to my feelings" she whispered.

"Then…there is someone?" I asked, not knowing whether I even wanted to know what she would say in reply. She nodded.

"Yes, there is someone else. But I daresay he feels nothing for me. And even if there was some slight attraction, I suppose his friends would not approve" she smiled wistfully.

I frowned. "Linda, weren't you listening to me before?"

"Yes, but…it is so difficult. If he were any other person then perhaps…no, I'm sure, that being more upfront would be so much easier. But as it is, this boy…he's basically untouchable." She told me, her voicing cracking.

I felt as though I was being slowly suffocated. There I was listening to this girl, the girl that I wanted, talk about the guy whom she had fallen for with such apparent emotion. What chance did I have?

"And who is this guy? What's he like?" I choked.

Linda took a deep breath and exhaled. "Well, he's very athletic, and smart. Quiet…incredibly attractive".

My heart sunk. "Sounds like he's perfect."

"Yes, he is. But he's quite difficult to obtain. Especially since he's…" she trailed off, looking away.

I reached out and stroked her cheek. "Since he's…?"

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "He's you" she whispered.

My heart missed a beat. "Me?" I repeated. Linda stood up.

"I'm sorry Adam. I shouldn't have -" she began. But I did not allow her to continue any further. I'd cupped my hand around the side of her face and was kissing her.

Linda seemed startled at first, but then her arms snaked up my back, circling my neck, her shaking body folding into my arms. Her lips were soft and warm, her musky scent intoxicating me with every breath.

We were like that for some time, our bodies pressed hard into each other when an astounded voice tore us apart.

*

Linda's POV

I could not believe that I was kissing Adam Banks. For so long I had imagined it, always trying to banish the picture from my head, telling myself that I was stupid and that there was no way at all it would ever happen. But there I was, living the dream. But unfortunately, the thing about dreams is that, in time, you have to wake up. And my wakeup call was from a furious looking ex-boyfriend.

"What the hell is going on?"

Adam and I turned to see Charlie and the redhead standing a couple of metres away. "Charlie…we uh -" Adam began.

"I can see what you were doing!" he said in a loud disgusted voice. "What I want to know is why?"

"Charlie, I like her! I think you'd know me well enough to realise that I don't go around pashing people for the hell of it" Adam said defensively.

"I thought I did know you, but I don't think so. She's my ex-girlfriend Banks!"

"Yeah, Charlie - your ex. She's free to do as she wants. You're not a couple anymore".

"I think I can figure that out on my own, Banks." The Captain said walking up to Adam.

"You think I chose to fall for her? Did you choose to fall for her back in freshman year? Some things just happen, Charlie, and you can't stop it." Adam said, closing the distance between them.

"Bullshit Banks! You just chose not to do anything. You'd prefer to betray me!"

Adam looked like he'd been slapped. "Charlie, I never wanted to betray you, I -" he was stopped by a violent shove from his friend.

"Yeah, whatever you say preppy!"

"Stop being such an arsehole Conway!"

Adam had to duck as Charlie threw a punch in his direction. Straightening up, Adam was not so lucky and copped a fist in the side of his cheek. He quickly recovered his balance and aimed a punch at Charlie who lost his footing and stumbled backwards into the redheaded girl who'd cowered in the background.

Realising that I too was doing nothing, I quickly ran and grabbed hold of Adam's arm as Charlie stepped back towards us. "Get out of the way Linda" he said trying to shove by me.

"No! Please don't. Please don't fight!" I shouted, trying not to cry. Oh my Lord, this is all my fault! "Please don't, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean for you to get angry!"

"Yeah right" Charlie said as he pushed past me and grabbed hold of Adam's shirt. Adam shoved him back. "Let go of me Charlie! And don't you dare touch her!" he threatened, looking truly angry for the first time.

By this stage I was crying, tears falling down my face, sliding down my neck. "Please" I begged.

The redheaded girl came up behind Charlie and put a hand around his arm "It's time to go now Charlie. Come and have a drink with me. I'm sure there's a café close by" she told him quietly, yet sounding firm all the same.

For a moment it looked as though the Captain would lash out, but instead he gave us a dark look and stormed away with the other girl. Although unaware of her name, I was grateful for her interference as it had most probably stopped a brawl which may have ended with a trip in an ambulance to the hospital.

*

Adam's POV

Linda was still holding onto my shirt as I watched my former Best Friend walk away. I could hear her sobbing and instinctively embraced her. Although initially hesitant, she soon buried herself in my chest as she cried.

"I'm sorry, Linda" I whispered into her hair. She looked up at me.

"Sorry? I just made your Best Friend turn against you."

I sighed. The fact was not lost on me, but she was more important. "Linda, maybe later - when he's cooled down - I'll try to talk to him again. But there's no use now. I think it will be better if I take you back to your room now. I doubt we'll find the dance very enjoyable now".

She nodded. "Ok, but I need to tell Sophie to get a lift back with Joel first. She thinks Charlie is going to be taking us back".

"Alright then" I said, drying her tears with the back of my hand "Ready to go in?"

She put on a brave smile. "Sure".

*

Back inside, the lights had dimmed and the music was playing slowly. Couples were dancing together everywhere and the teachers had appeared to have vanished from sight, preferring to stay near the refreshment table talking to each other.

Linda and I weaved our way through the crowds until we spotted Sophie dancing with Joel. Linda was not keen on interrupting them so we told Russ (who was near by) to tell her to get Joel to take her back.

"Hey, what's up man? Isn't Charlie taking them home?" he asked confused.

"He was but something else came up. Just tell her ok?" I told him.

"Yeah, alright. I'll see you when I see you then Cake-Eater."

As Linda and I exited, we saw My Byron leaning back against the wall smoking a cigarette. He looked at us and said "Oh, so that's what Mr. Conway was raving on about." He gave an amused little laugh "Have a good night". We nodded at him and continued to make our way to my car.

How the hell he could find the situation funny was beyond me, but then, Mr Byron seemed to take great pleasure in observing the world and all the people in it. Having been a teacher for such a long time he had probably seen it all. School students would have been like guinea pigs to him.

*

Linda's POV

When Adam and I arrived at my room it was 11:00. It felt odd to see the clothes scattered about the floor, the makeup left out on our dressing tables. That some hours ago we were excitedly preparing for the long-awaited dance and now I had returned with the boy of my dreams, sobbing my heart out.

Adam looked around the room, as if trying to figure out whether he should stay with me, or leave me alone. I decided for him, dragging him to my bed. "Stay for a while. I need some company."

We settled down, Adam sitting against the head of the bed with me curled up in his arms. I wasn't sure how long we remained like that, but it was for some time. I cried, thinking how utterly stupid I was to tear apart Charlie and Adam, to cause tension between the team and ill feeling towards myself and quite possibly Sophie as well. If I'd just ignored it all, waited for the feeling to pass, then things could have continued the same as always.

Perhaps an hour later, Sophie and Joel appeared in the room. Sophie rushed over, asking what was wrong, and what she could do. They were all talking, but I couldn't hear - it was as though I was at the far end of a tunnel just watching it all.

I don't know much about what happened, but I do remember feeling inexplicably numb when I lost the warmth of Adam's body as he disappeared, presumably with Joel. My friend talked to me, but I didn't comprehend what she was saying. I remember being offered tissues, and finally some pills, and then the darkness set in.

*

Adam's POV

Joel and I had decided to leave Sophie in control of the situation and walked down the hall in an uncomfortable silence.

"So…" he said. "Charlie was your Best Mate right?"

I nodded. Joel struggled for something to say.

"Well, life's a bitch and then you die, right?" he said, trying to be comforting. Too bad it didn't work.

"So, where you staying tonight?" he asked.

"I think I'll drive home, spend the weekend there. I'm sure my parents will be glad to see me."

"You don't seem very convinced about that. What's wrong with your folks? Don't like them much?" he inquired.

"Well…I suppose it depends. They always expect so much of me. I've got two older brothers, and they don't ever seem to be hassled as much as me. Then again, they both moved out a while ago…" I trailed off. I shook my head. "Well, I'll see you around then – better get going so I don't get home too late."

"Ok then, don't be too hard on yourself either. Shit happens, you know"

*

Arriving home at 1in the morning is something which I had never planned on doing before. However, getting into yet another fight with Charlie wasn't something I'd been planning on either. So, when my disgruntled father answered the door in his checked dressing gown, I had nothing else to say except "I'm back from the dance. I'm going to bed now".

After locking the door I collapsed on my bed still fully dressed and stared at the ceiling for the remainder of the night. Why did I have to fall for Linda? And why on earth couldn't Charlie just let it go?

With these things still floating around in my head, I drifted off to sleep as the first rays of the early morning sun peeked in through my blinds. For the time being, there was nothing.