Disclaimer: I do not own Waterloo Road or any of the characters in the story

Sequel time! The setting for this is there's no merger anymore, and the only storyline from series 10 that won't be mentioned is the cyber bullying one some will have changed slightly. :3

Chapter 1

Marco lay on his bed, staring at his camera.

"All of this is bullshit." He mumbled, annoyed at his photos turnout.

He was surprised at how quick his A-Levels dawned on him, it seemed summer flew by with his family in London. Being there from late June to early November, it gave him the chance to sort his head out. He even started driving lessons for his birthday, and was promised a car of his choice from his parents if he passed.

Not that it had been easy, at all. He didn't want to think about the weeks he refused to leave the house because he felt so low.

However, the time finally allowed him to just relax, and be happy. He'd experimented with hair dye, actually dyed his hair blue and had a great time being a normal teenager again. He'd gained a few extra piercings, as well as the larger expander in his ear, he'd gotten his septum pierced and gotten a tattoo sleeve finished, with a "dia del muerto" style to it on the opposite arm to his guitar.

He'd started home tuition, and was feeling like his old self again, much to his parents' relief.

"Marco, when are you going to get up? We woke you up nearly an hour ago." His mum grumbled.

"What's up?" He asked, opening his door.

"Your Dad and I are leaving, you need to get up, and make sure you finish that assignment. We haven't paid for your home tuition for you to sit around all day doing nothing. Remember, your driving test is at 12, don't be late"

"Aye, aye captain!" Marco saluted; receiving a glare from his mother.

He slumped downstairs and sat on the couch, said goodbye to his parents and after taking his pills, Marco spent his morning catching up on missed TV, but while he watched the latest episode of "Geordie Shore" his phone popped up with a calendar notification.

"Leo's Birthday is today!"

Marco just smiled, he forgot how much he overused punctuation, and that he'd even put that in his phone. It brought back so many memories of Greenock. Some were actually good, most weren't great.

"Jeez, it's been a few months." He sighed, he hadn't deleted Leo's number, feeling stupid for not doing so, but a small part of him hoped he would call when he'd gotten the letter.

It wasn't as if Leo had even text him.

He wasn't too bothered anymore, just slightly sad he never replied.

Sixth form = 10x more stress and homework than before.

Leo really wished the teachers had have told him that so he'd have time to adjust. He was going to drown in homework.

He'd made some friends, though, they didn't have a ton in common, Carrie and Abdul were quite nice, and it took him away from any continuing drama. Though, they weren't really close, they were someone for Leo to talk to. Saying "friends" they were the only people who didn't really make his life a living hell. He thought someone getting stabbed would be enough to make people stop making comments, boy was he wrong.

Though, drama was never too far away, with Justin having yet another girlfriend, his mum and dad working together at the same school, and the usual case of Lisa and Shaznay making everyone's lives hell, he was getting pretty used to it.

He was just fading into the background as usual.

Even on his birthday.

"Happy Birthday Leo!" Justin laughed, handing his brother his card, and opening his presents, he'd gotten quite a bit of money, and a few games and stuff.

Justin almost immediately turned back to his phone to text his new girlfriend, and his Dad was already ready to go to school.

"17, where has the time gone?" Vaughn sighed, giving Leo a hug. "Doesn't mean you get the day off."

"I thought so." Leo rolled his eyes, getting his school bag ready.

"Justin, you know Bonnie is going to be at school. You don't need to talk to her 24/7." Vaughn spoke, ushering the oldest son out of the house.

"So what's the deal with this thing you've been going on about?" Justin asked, putting his phone in his pocket.

"We have some potential funders for the school coming today. They're just representatives, but if we get this funding, it'll be huge for the school."

"A plasma screen TV, and a proper common room for sixth form?" Justin enquired.

"No to the TV's, but we could think about a sixth form common room."

"Awesome, I'll be on my best behaviour." Justin grinned. "These people must be loaded."

"Well they're successful businesses; they want to develop our options for A-Levels too. We could offer more than Havelock if we get this. They want to choose students to hire after their A-Levels or GCSE's too."

"So, like an academy?" Leo asked, sounding disinterested.

"No, they'll have no say on how the school is run, but they'll be able to add more funding to the school. If this goes ahead, there's no chance of the merger going ahead."

The merger was all that was on his Dad's mind. The council wanted to merge Havelock and Waterloo Road, but they seemed like the only ones that wanted it to happen.

"Happy Birthday, mate." Abdul met Leo at his locker. "What did you get?"

"Money and a few PS4 games, and that's just off my Dad and brother."

"Lucky!

"Yeah, it feels no different than being 16." Leo rolled his eyes. "Especially since I'm here. My Dad could have at least given me the day off."

"My Dad's the same." Abdul agreed. "He'd never let me pull a sickie for my birthday."

The two continued to talk as they headed to their first class.

It had been long enough waiting, and it was finally time for Marco to hear the results of his driving test.

"Congratulations."

"No way! Thanks so much!" Marco grinned, holding the certificate close to him.

He made his way home, and quickly got on the phone to his mum.

"You never guess who's just aced their driving test."

"Really?" His mum replied. "Wow, congratulations."

"You said I could have a car." He said persuasively.

"Fine, we'll go car shopping on Saturday, I and your Dad have to talk with you when we come in in anyway."

"Awesome, see you later." Marco laughed, putting the phone down.

"Who are these people walking round with your Dad?" Abdul asked Leo.

"There some rich business people; they want to help with some funding for the school, apparently."

Leo couldn't really care less. It wasn't really going to impact him, so he had no reason to care.

"Leo." He heard a familiar voice say, turning round to see his mum.

"I'll catch you up." He said to Abdul, and went over to his mum.

"Happy Birthday! My baby is all grown up. It's scary." His mum blabbered.

"Thanks." Leo replied, he never really knew how to reply to someone saying Happy Birthday, it was always pretty awkward. Even more so since his mum handed him a card. Opening it, he saw quite a large amount of money in the card.

"Mum, you didn't have to."

"Get yourself something nice. I have no idea what 17 year old boys like. I'd rather you get yourself something you like."

Leo just laughed and gave his mum a hug. "Thanks so much."

"Maybe you and your friends could have a games night or something on Friday night if you talk through it with your Dad."

Leo dedicated his Friday nights for homework. He always used to play video games on a Friday with Marco, and as much as he'd not admit it, it reminded him to much of his former red-headed ex-boyfriend, and he wasn't completely over it.

As much as he knew it was his fault, it was too late now, it had been months. He was too nervous to pick up the phone and call; he didn't know what to say. It was obvious Marco had moved on. Leo would think he had too, until there were things that would remind him of Marco, and he'd realise he still thought about him more than he would admit.

"I think I'll just leave it, I've got a load of homework to do."

His mum and Dad sat Marco on the couch, like he was about to get in serious trouble.

"What's up?" Marco asked.

"We think it's time you go back to school…"

"…No." Marco interjected. "You saw what happened the last time we had this conversation. I ended up being more messed up than when you sent me."

"The thing is Marco; the University your brother is at and I have made an investment into a school in Greenock." His Dad spoke up.

"Waterloo Road." Marco sneered. "I can't do my photography A-Level there, can I?"

"If full-time is too much, you could go in part time, do a subject there, or two, and you can continue your art and photography at home. They have a graphic design course, and you could continue your English Literature there too."

"Is it really necessary?" Marco slumped in his chair. "It's the last place I'd want to be."

"It'll only be part time." His mum insisted.

"Is there any other option?" He persisted, making his mum sigh.

"Marco, you need to do this, it's a great opportunity to show them how strong you are."

Seeing it as his only option, Marco nodded.

"Yeah, I'll do it."

"Good, you'll be fine in the old house."

"Great." Marco said sarcastically. "I guess I'll need that car then."

He knew his parents were doing this on purpose, they wanted him in Scotland for University options there, Edinburgh was amazing, so was Glasgow, not to mention Aberdeen and Sterling, they had a lot of options, so it made more for him, but Greenock didn't have as much opportunity.

He just hoped that it wasn't going to undo everything he'd done to make himself better.

AN: Yay! It's finished, I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter, with the new, blue haired Marco :DDD

Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you next chapter xxxx