Chapter 1

It was a Tuesday and Tommy'd forgotten his books, he was trying to persuade me to lend him mine.

"Aw come on Mer, she's gonna kill me if I forget my books again."

"Look Tommy, " I said patiently, "You seem to forget that I have Biology at the same time, and guess what the same class. I can't give you mine because then I'd have none. She'd guess I've given them to you and then she'd check the books and we'd get det...."

He clamped a hand over my mouth, I desperately tried to ignore the closeness of his face and the arm round my neck.

"Just chill, Merton the vein is going again. See, see the pulsing?"

I shook him off me and rubbed my forehead absent-mindedly.

"It's only a book no need to get mad,"

"I'm not mad, why'd you think I was mad? I was annoyed, annoyed is not mad."

"Stop burbling, I thought you were mad because your face has gone all red." He shrugged.

I gasped and looked in the nearest mirror, "Damn him, why'd he have to get so close!" I thought panicking. I willed the blush to go away then started walking again. He looked at me oddly then turned into the classroom. I followed and sat in my usual set next to him. I loved this lesson, watching liquids bubble and smoke always interested me, but being partners with Tommy meant liquids mostly exploded and released insane monsters. Being friends with the Pleasantville Werewolf was bad enough but Tommy always seemed extra clumsy around me.

"Tommy, where are your books?"

"Erm," He looked at our teacher trying to think of a lie. I looked at the terror on him face. He'd had a few detentions recently and he was Captain of the football team. It wasn't his week. I sighed inwardly, this was gonna be bad.

"These are Tommy's books. " I said slowly, dumping my books in front of him."

"Then where are yours?"

"Well, you see there was a curious spell that made them invisible..."

"Merton Dingle! I don't want to hear about it! Detention, going for a record?"

She walked on to persecute some poor person at the back of the class and I slumped on the desk.

"Thanks mate."

"Well, you owe me one."

He laughed then slapped me on the back, " Fine, it's movie night tonight isn't it?"

I nodded, Tuesday was when we watched scary horror movies. I never slept but I didn't care. Sitting next to Tommy, in the dark watching my favourite horror movies. Why would I care?

"Yeah."

"Then I'll bring the food this time okay? Chips popcorn, chicken......"

"Tonight a wolfy night then?"

"Yeah, what is it with my wolfy half and chicken. Mmh," He muttered to himself then tapped the experiment in front of us.

"This is taking too long,"He said and opened the stopper of the bottle.

"Tommy No! If you add it too quickly it'll...."

"Merton Dingle, and Tommy Dawkins, I should've guessed it was you who blew up the science lab."

"Please sir, it isn't blown up just a bit, blackened...." I trailed off. No way of getting out of this.

"You're both suspended for tomorrow."

"But, But it was my fault. You know Merton he's a goody two shoes." He pleaded,

"Hey!"

"Sorry."

"That as it may be, you were both there and I cannot punish one and not the other. Now you're dismissed go home and clean up."

We sheepishly walked out and picked the ash out of our hair. He was laughing and I was remember being so angry.

"Tommy! This is not good news; we'll have a black spot on our record. No fun and games or playing Wiffle ball in the best Universities out there!"

"Not what I was laughing at, you hair....." He stopped me and pulled me into the toilets. I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was blown straight back and my face was a much darker shade of white than it normally was.

"You can talk." He stared at himself and ruffled his tangled hair, he reached in front of me and grabbed a paper towel and I had to bit my lip to stop the sharp intake of breath as his hair tickled my nose. He smelt, nice. Great I've really lost it now I'm thinking about his smell....... is that a werewolfy thing. Oh god no not evil Merton the werewolf again...

"Hey!" I blinked then noticed he was staring, "I asked if I could come over to your house."

"Huh?"

"It's closer than mine and I wanna get cleaned up."

"Yeah, sure. I'm gonna go get the hearse," I muttered running out as fast as I could. I entered the car I sank down until my head hit the steering wheel. "I've gotta stop this fantasising about him," I thought.

"So what movie is it?"

I jumped about a foot in the air, I hadn't noticed him climb in next to me.

"Erm, The hole."

"Aah got your big gun out then."

I groaned at the obvious sexual joke.

"You said that's the scariest film you've seen."

"Yeah, whatever." I sighed slowly, cursed whoever was playing this big joke on me and drove out of the school, trying desperately to ignore the images flashing through my head. My English teacher wasn't wrong about my overactive imagination.