Thankfully, Taylor was able to give in her Geography work to her teacher by the end of the day.

However she still had to attend a lunchtime detention the following day which really didn't help Taylor's mounting stress as it meant that she had to do her whole English assessment that night instead of at lunch.

It turned out, that in her detention, she merely had to write lines. It was so repetitive and so pointless. She started to get bored after only three minutes.

Great... she didn't see how she was going to be able to put up with another hour of just this. She was hungry too but couldn't go to lunch.

However, after five minutes, she was interrupted as the fire alarm rang loudly, causing Taylor to stand up quickly, looking panic-stricken towards the door.

If there was a fire, then surely she would be permitted to leave? Just as she was trying to decide what to do, a teacher stormed into the classroom and quickly shouted at Taylor to leave.

Taylor did so gratefully. She ran out of the school, determined to get as far away from the fire as possible.

She wondered what had started it.

It took ages to get everyone out of the school and by the time that everyone was outside, half an hour had already passed.

Taylor couldn't see any sign of a fire. It was then that she spotted someone skulking among the other students: it was that Harold guy she'd seen.

So he hadn't been lying! he actually did go to this school!

As soon as Harold saw Taylor looking at him, he smiled mischievously before turning his back. Taylor felt like beating herself up. Well, that was another thing she'd got completely wrong then.

A furious michael walked into the centre of all the pupils and bellowed, 'false alarm! it seemed that some student thought it would be funny to set off the alarm. Go to your classes, lunch will be ending in five minutes anyway.'

'It was Barry!' Whispered Dynasty quickly to Taylor, 'he just told me.'

Taylor stared. Well, she definitely owed Barry a thanks. He'd saved her from dying of boredom in a detention.

When she saw Barry walking slowly back into the school, she quickly ran up to him and panted, 'Dynasty told me it was you who set off the alarm?'

'Yeah what about it?' Snapped Barry, his face suddenly cold.

'Nothing...' murmured taylor, 'it's just I didn't have to do my detention thanks to you so... thanks.'

Barry continued to scowl at Taylor before turning around and leaving. Taylor watched him leave. Well, he still hated her.

Oh well, he'd probably never like her again.


'You!' Shouted Nicki as she followed Barry inside the PRU, 'come with me now.'

Barry smirked before following her out of the classroom.

'Where we going miss?' chuckled barry, 'fancy doing a quicky in the cupboard?'

'Oh shut up,' spat Nicki, disgusted, 'you need to learn your lesson. Help the cleaners clear up the dining room. Tell them that I sent you.'

'If you fancy me just say so,' said Barry, smiling deviously.

Nicki didn't even bother answering. Was this his way of coping with the loss of Taylor, or was this just him?

Was he just mean? Was there nothing else to him?

If so, she felt sorry for him almost.

Nicki pointed towards the direction of the dining room.

Barry slowly turned around on the spot and walked in that direction.

Nicki watched him leave.


'Seriously if he continues the way he's going he's going to get expelled,' growled Nicki to Tom as they walked home that day.

'I've never quite been able to understand that boy,' said Tom thoughtfully, 'he's either really ill or really sad.'

'Or trying to prove himself,' suggested Nicki, 'perhaps he just wants attention.'

'He's getting it.'

'I know. But there have been times when he's been really... I don't know... decent.'

'Wow,' grinned Tom, 'that sounds like a miracle to me.'

Nicki laughed a little, smiling at the floor.

She felt her belly with her hand- it was getting bigger.

The baby was going to be out in just over six months.

It was going to be amazing.


As Taylor walked home, she saw that Harold person again.

'Hey!' She called out to him as she approached him, making him turn around.

'Oh hi...' he muttered.

'Look I'm sorry I treated you so horribly before,' sighed taylor.

'It's okay...'

'Really?' Taylor looked up gratefully.

'Yeah,' he smiled, 'I've never really been good at telling girls that they're pretty. How about we go out together sometime.'

'Oh no thanks,' murmured Taylor, 'been there, done that. Ended up in mere disaster.'

'Okay... well if you ever feel you need someone to talk to... or even if you want to get away from everything, I'll be there okay?'

'Alright,' smiled taylor.

She didn't have the heart to ever start a relationship with anyone ever again although she appreciated his request.

She actually felt a bit guilty... rejecting him like that.

Well, she was definitely going to try to get to know him more.

The sound of someone to go to when she needed to get away from everything seemed very tempting to taylor.

Nowadays, she did just want to get away from everything.

In fact she almost always felt like that.

The work. The barry...

It was weird how she still wasn't over him.

Perhaps she was being stupid and just needed to forget about him.

As she got into bed that night, she silently promised to herself to try and put the past behind her.

yes, she'd wake up the next day, ready to start again...