Sorry for the delay- writers block has actually made this fic grind to a halt. Hope this chapter delivers all you want but I appreciate constructive critism so if you feel I could improve on something, you only need say.

So, I hope you like this chapter and sorry for the wait. R&R! Love ya's xxxx

"Carter, how are you?" Luka approached his friend, smiling.

"Erm…I'm fine. Yeah, you?"

"I'm fine. Leon told me today he's got detention for not giving in a piece of homework, so he'd be late home. I'm still angry, but he said Roan's got more detentions than him; not sure how that's meant to make me feel better." He shrugged. "Do you have to go to speak to the teacher tomorrow?" Carter jerked from his thoughts and stared at Luka. "Well? Do you, cos Sam's freaking out."

"Erm…yeah. Yeah, we're going. Abby isn't happy." Carter blushed, thanking G-d that the lights were dim and Luka was facing the opposite way. He had no idea what Roan had been getting up to, whether he had detentions or chats with teachers. He hadn't been home long enough his morning to even grab breakfast let alone ask his kids what they were doing. Seeing Abby had freaked him out- all red eyed and blotchy. Maybe she had begun to see through the claims he was on another night shift.

"Come on then, let's get out there. I think the first snow of winter drives all the crazies to our doors!" Luka sidled out leaving Carter by his locker, lost in thought.

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Anni sat down at her desk and pulled out her English book, opening it to the last used page. The work she had spent an hour on two nights before had large red writing on.

'SEE ME'

"Oh bad luck shrimp." Nina leant over Anni's shoulder and sneered. "Maybe your head is too small to fit a brain in."

Everyone teased her; about her height, her lack of coordination when playing sports, her nervousness around adults and older people. The only thing she was good at was drawing and she regularly got told off for drawing too much.

"Annia Carter, can you come here." Her teacher beckoned and she began the long walk to her desk, right at the front of the classroom. Tommy stuck his foot out and tried to trip her but she was used to this trick and stepped over it. Roberto spit balled her and Cloe whispered swear words as she passed her desk.

"How long did you spend on this work?" Ms Clark pointed to the book in Anni's hands. "2 minutes?"

"I spent…"

"Shhh. Now, I want you to go to the principal. He has a test for you."

"What? I don't want to take a test."

"Annia, you do not have a choice. It's for your own good. Now go, he's waiting." Anni scuttled back to her desk and picked up her bag. Not caring that Nina had taken her pen again she hurried towards the door. Suddenly she went flying.

"Mind my foot." Tommy said, mid-giggle.

"Annia, stop distracting the others please." She picked herself up and ran out the door, not wanting them to see the tears in her eyes.

"I'm…here to…see Mr…Thomas." She gulped to the receptionist.

"Annia Carter? Sit down. Are you okay?"

"Yes. Thanks." She sat down in a squashy chair opposite the principal's door and waited. The principal appeared quickly.

"Annia? This way. Now, your teacher Ms Clark has alerted me to a few problems in your writing…"

"I spent an hour on my homework cos mommy said I had to otherwise I couldn't watch Barney. So I did." She said.

"Okay, but we noticed a lot of your words were…mixed up. Your letters were a bit jumbled and so we'd like you to take a dyslexia test. It's not hard, it will only take about 20 minutes and I'll be here but I can't help you." He smiled. "Now, sit down here and don't panic. It's easy."

"I don't have a pen." He handed her one. Anni gripped the plastic like a lifejacket and opened the paper.

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