Arden's POV

We were walking through the woods neither in a hurry to get home. I didn't want to return home because I knew as soon as I walked through the doors it would be straight to bed, stay there till super and then back to bed. But I didn't know why Sarah didn't want to go home. From what I knew she had a great house and Gobber hadn't told her dad so she wasn't grounded like I was. But I knew it wasn't any of my business so I didn't ask. Instead I decided to take the opportunity to ask about how she planned to make the fake tail.

"Hey Sarah," I started and she looked at me quizzically "how do you plan to make the tail?" she smiled as she thought of her answer.

"I have a basic idea but you have to help" she answered.

"Sure whatever you need I'll be happy to help. Anything to get out of the house my mum grounded me and the only way I can get out of the house is for school. This gives me the perfect excuse cos I can tell her I have to help someone with a project" I smiled sheepishly at her because of my admission but I couldn't help but see the slight disappointment that flashed across her face. I was going to ask what was wrong but figured it wouldn't do much good "so how did your dad take it?" I asked trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had enveloped us.

"He doesn't know, or at least I don't think he does. But if he does then I'm not getting punished for it but then again I don't think he knows because I was ill when he came home and no one gets yelled at when they're ill. Do they?" she was rambling on and ordinarily I would have found it terribly frustrating but today I was feeling 100% calm and I even enjoyed listening to the rambling.

Sarah was talking, well complaining the rest of the way out of the woods and it didn't bother me in the slightest much to my surprise. I mean I knew that she wasn't annoying me that much but to ask questions about something you understood very little off wasn't very good. I kept thinking that I would snap at her but I was restraining myself from giggling at her well placed jokes and yes you read right giggling like a school girl which would be bad considering I'm a boy.

"Hey Arden what are you doing out here? Your mum just called mine and my mum was grilling me on where you were" oh great Tuff was here and I'm with Sarah. I just hope I can come up with a good excuse as to why we're together and why I wasn't at home when he knew all too well that I was grounded from skipping yesterday.

"Hey Tuff" I greeted as he came over. I glanced at Sarah and saw her nervously biting her lip. Tuff snapped at her earlier and I could tell she wasn't in a hurry for it to repeat itself. I smiled reassuringly to her.

"Arden like I just said why are you here?" Tuff was standing in front of me and hadn't noticed Sarah at least I didn't think he had "why are you here? Are you stalking him or something? Just leave will you Arden's too nice to tell you to get lost but I'm going to do him a favour. Leave" I saw her about to leave and I instinctively grabbed her arm.

"Tuff she's here cos she's helping me with my work in English, that's also why I'm not at home I'm going to hers so she can help me and I would have called my mum and told her but I left my phone at home. If you call her and tell her to go to my room then she will see my phone there" I explained praying that I did leave my phone there and that it wasn't in my bag.

"Oh, ok well I guess I'll call my mum tell her and leave you two to do your work" he sounded a little disheartened that I had Sarah stay and him leave. But he was mean to her and I'm starting to like her…but not in that way…I think. I shook my head just as he turned to walk away and I was about to do the same thing when Sarah asked.

"Why did you shake your head?" I looked at her and saw no reason to lie we already had a huge secret we could keep so one tiny one won't make a difference (so I told half the truth)

"I was starting to feel guilty and almost called him back over. I tend to do that when he uses that tone he knows I break when he uses it" I could swear I saw her snicker "what?" I asked involuntarily smirking at her

"Nothing" she lied, her lips going into a thin line as she tried to stop laughing

"Whatever, come on lets go to yours" I shook my head again deciding to drop the subject

"Yea come on before Gobber has another panic attack and calls my dad. I don't need him knowing I had a boy over. We don't have the best relationship and if he found out then I would never be able to talk to anyone again" I laughed at her thinking it was a joke but I saw she was serious, wow is he that overprotective. I smirked at her and we continued going back to her house.

sorry for the wait