Hey la, everyone. Sorry about the last chapter, the punctuation came out a bit screwy. In the words of my Japanese friend: "Prease forgive!" Lol, I just wanted a reason to say that. Thanks for reviewing, it makes my day; and if that makes my life kinda sad, then so be it. LATER: wow, I wrote this, like 2 weeks ago, and only now am I FINALLY putting it up...I thought was screwing me around, but (as usual) it turns out that I was doing something reaaaally stupid, lol. Sorry!

StormShadow21: Ahh! You got it! I was wondering if anyone would realise that…isn't "Emperor's New Groove" just the funniest movie ever? OTT is Over The Top. And it's all good, because for the longest time I thought that LOL was pronounced "lohl" and that it was a new slang word for "funny". I really love your sense of humour (I cracked up over your stories) and if you think this is funny, then yippee!

Aleka: Oh wow, WHAT a review! I feel so tiggly! And I don't even know what that's supposed to mean! Sankyuuu!

Dark-Celeste37: Update before YOU explode? Lol, the only reason I'm even writing this story is because you lot take FOREVER to update your stories, and I need something to satisfy my SBM cravings. But seriously, please update! And ta very much for the review, 'twas grand.

SpikeGirl5: Lol, I know not all Aussies love rugby, just like not all kiwis do! (I actually can't stand it, my friends are completely Dan Carter obsessed. It's so sad. Though, as they say, maybe not quite as sad as me liking a dead guy (River Phoenix)). AND GO THE VEGEMITE!

CHAPTER THREE: Day One

Tuesday dawned bright and early. That's because it generally is early at dawn. Tess and I barely spoke on the bus, we were so nervous. We wished each other the best of luck and went our separate ways (before realising we had the same form class).

During first period (history), I got bored and, with nothing better to do, pulled out my "Crush List" and started drawing pictures on it. After I had completed a truly terrible sketch of Chris I began to think about the stupidity of bringing the list to school with me. Every day. I was practically asking for it to bite me in the arse. I mean….what if one of the COBRAS found it! (Despite them not going to school.) Then, Ace Merrill would publicly humiliate me, before learning how unique I was and falling madly in love with me. This would create an exciting love triangle between him, Chris and I. Though, if it was a "triangle", that would mean that Chris would like Ace…no, it would more likely be a right-angle. Yeah, a love right-angle. Then it would finally reach a climatic conclusion, with the two guys fighting for my love. (Like them fighting would change the way I felt.) But, alas, my life has never been that interesting. That was probably why I was so intent on getting "the plan" to work.

The rest of the history period was spent trying to figure out what to say to Gordie (he sat two rows in front of me). Eventually, I gave up and just decided to say whatever came to me at the time (usually the approach I take with my homework).

After class, I threw my gear into my bag, ready to go talk to Gordie. But then I got paranoid that in my haste I had thrown my pencil case on my English assignment, and therefore would have crumpled the perfect pages, so I had to go through my bag and tidy my things up before I could continue with "the chase". By this time, he was already halfway down the hall. I ran after him, trying my best to make it look like I was just walking. Quickly.

"Gordie!" I cried breathlessly (not the world's greatest runner). He turned, startled, and I grinned, my stomach clenching.

"Hey Elle," he smiled. He was cute, I decided. Tess had chosen well. Bonus points for remembering my name!

"I was just wondering if, uh…" So much for the 'thinking on the spot' technique.

"Let me guess," he said, and sighed. "You want my body, right? Look, I don't know what it is with you girls, but I'm sorry. I just don't think it would work out."

I raised an eyebrow (okay, so I actually can't raise just one eyebrow. I raised both.)

Then he blushed. "I'm sorry, I'm just being retarded. I'm joking, really, I-" But he didn't need to say anymore because I was already giggling like a wild chicken. (I don't know what it is with my similes, but they are steadily getting worse.)

Do you ever get that very refreshing feeling when you find someone whose sense of humour is very similar to yours? That's what it was like with Gordie. And we were having a very good conversation until I decided I couldn't hold it in anymore, and-

"Chris is your mate," I blurted. It came out more as a statement rather than a question. Gordie, who I was quickly realising was very perceptive (though maybe that's not a hard thing to be when one's face goes bright red when mentioning a certain name), nodded.

"Let me guess," he said. "He's the current number one on that "Crush List" of yours."

I froze. "You…you know about that?"

"I'd be surprised if there was someone who didn't know about it."

I double froze.

"No, I'm kidding. I actually overheard you and your friend talking about it once. But, fear not, for your secret is safe with me."

I was so embarrassed. My heart was thumping as if I'd just been running along a bridge with a train coming after me, having just dropped my comb in the river.

"Elle, don't worry. I do things like that all the time."

"Really?"

"No."

I raised my hand threateningly.

"Just, in future, lower your voice a little. Sincerely, you are one of the loudest people I've ever met." He smiled as he said it. "So anyway, am I part of the latest plan? Trying to get to Chris through me?"

"Exactly how much of my conversation did you listen to?"

"It was in the library. You're allowed to listen to people in the library."

The mind boggles.

I decided to ignore that comment, and instead gave in and told him "the plan". After all, I'm terrible at keeping secrets, and Gordie already knew most of it.

"So," I said, "what does Chris think of me? Is he, you know, struck by my ready wit and charming, debonair smile? Or can't he remember who I am?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that he spends every waking moment thinking of you, but he knows who you are. Anyway, I'll find out." We had been standing beside the door leading into the cafeteria, and when walked in, Tess, sitting with our group of friends, started waving madly at me. Gordie noticed.

"Hey Elle, who's your friend after?"

"Oh, a guy. Named Bob. Bob Jones. Jonesington."

"His name is Bob Jones Jonesington?"

"Jonesington is his nickname. Only nobody uses it, on account of it sounding so stupid."

"So, essentially, it isn't his nickname."

"Yeah. You could say that."

We fare-thee-welled each other, and I walked to Tess, trying to convey what had been said with some of my sign language. She signed back. We spent the next five minutes making hand gestures we didn't understand at each other.

Eventually I just gave up. "We're so retarded," I sighed.

"Yeah. Don't you love it?"

"Of course. I mean," I swept my hand around at the cafeteria. "All these people? They just want to be us. Well, the girls do. The guys want to be with us."

"That's funny. How come neither of us have a boyfriend?"

"Because."

"Ah."

"But."

"Mmm?"

"We're getting there."