I'm back from my holiday and away from the hotel with the worst Wi-Fi imaginable. Luckily, we were out sight-seeing everyday and didn't feel the loss until the evenings. At least I got a lot of reading done, but that's the only upside.

How have all your summer's been? Have you done anything interesting?

Also, I promise you that there is a purpose behind all the Anne of the Island references. It doesn't matter if you are not familiar with the book because the relevant details are explained when necessary.

X

"Most of the trouble in life comes from misunderstanding, I think,' said Anne."

- L.M Montgomery, Anne of the Isalnd

Chapter twenty-eight - The truth will set you free

"Ninety-four, ninety-five, ninety-six, ninety-seven" Kathleen mouthed as she lined the photo frames up in chronological order along the shelf. "Ninety-nine? Charlie!" she swivelled on the spot "We're missing the class of eighteen ninety-eight."

"Damn" he scowled dropping a sopping wet sponge into the bucket with a splash before hunting for the missing photograph amongst the pile of cleaned frames which had built-up in the hall. This was the third time he had skipped a number and he was letting the system that they had devised down. First, they cleared a trophy case of objects and cleaned it, then he would clean each photo frame while Kathleen dried them and put them back in order. Hager's instructions had been very clear, along with his threat to make them repeat the task tomorrow if it was not done correctly.

"Found it!" Her voice rang out, much to his relief. He looked up to see her triumphantly waving the stupid thing in the air before promptly placing it between the photos of the graduating classes of eighteen ninety-seven and ninety-nine.

He currently despised the previous generations of Welton boys. Which was ironic considering that they had inspired him in Keating's memorable first class at the beginning of term. Now he wished they had never existed because he was sick of cleaning and his latest clarinet poem was calling him. He didn't have time to 'uphold the dignity of the establishment and atone for damages' as Hager had so nicely put it. He retrieved his sponge, wrung it out and started again, his jaw clenched at the thought of another fifty-nine to go.

Twenty minutes later his attention was grabbed by Kat yawning as she scanned the shelves for the matching date of the sports trophy in her hand. He glanced at his watch, five past eight. No wonder she was tired, they had been at this for over an hour in the cold, dimly lit stone corridor where everything was dark and identical. The only variation in their task was the different hairstyles every decade or so in the photographs and the dates. He dipped his sponge into the bucket automatically, ready to start on the next line but something made him pause. A seed for an idea had been sown.

Silently he rose from his position on the floor and darted behind her, threw his arm out and squeezed the sponge over her head. Predictably, she squealed when the once warm soapy water- which had chilled to an icy temperature in the stone corridor - made contact with the back of her neck, the liquid soaked her ponytail and dripped down the back of her jumper. She shivered and spun around, spluttering profanities as he doubled over with laughter.

"You little-"

"Careful, you never know when Hager will appear next" he teased "and that's no way to talk to your kindly friend for doing you favour and keeping you awake."

"A friend who should kindly watch out" she lunged for the bucket and before he could back far enough away, she had thrown a saturated sponge directly at his forehead. The impact sent water dribbling down his face which was scrunched up in shock.

"Oh, it's on" he recovered with a signature smirk. Stepping carefully over the pile of uncleaned objects and towards the bucket.

Her eyes widened as she realised his intention and she dived behind one of the empty trophy cases, second before the air assault of sponges could hit their target. Puddles of soapy water gathered on the floor and the two students ran around, slipping and sliding as they hid behind the furniture and dodged flying sponges; trying in vain to keep the noise down to any avoid further punishment. They each took more and more hits as their energy dwindled, until they collapsed on the ground in mutual surrender to catch their breath.

"How many do we have left?" Asked Charlie.

"I was at the class of nineteen twenty-five, so" she looked up at the ceiling as she worked through the calculation, "thirty-three plus any awards."

He groaned "remind me not to mess with Hager again."

"If you recall" she turned her head to look at the boy laying next to her on the cool, flagstone "that's exactly how I got into this situation."

"Ah, yeah. Sorry."

"It couldn't be helped" she shrugged "besides, Nolan blames you for being a bad influence. I was lectured about appropriate behaviour and given diamond jewellery, so feel free to influence me into more minor infractions if I'm rewarded like this" she laughed.

"Seriously? He chastises you and then bribes you? I thought it was only my parents who did that!?"

"Oh, no. It's the Nolan way. When my Mother first ran off, he bought her a tiara."

"What did she do?"

"Well, it was 1940" she explained, "so she sent it back with a note asking what on earth he was thinking, there's a war on."

Charlie burst out laughing "God, I wish I could have seen his face!"

Kat smiled in amusement but sighed, "I guess he must have missed her. I do feel sorry for him sometimes but he makes it difficult to sympathise for very long."

"Keep the diamond."

She furrowed her brow, "I was intending to."

"No, I mean rejecting the gift is rejecting him. If you accept them, he knows things are repairable" he sat up, cross legged on the floor "and you get fancy presents so it works out for everyone."

"I guess it is" She mulled it over, "I never thought about it like that."

"That's what you keep me around for, my brilliant advice. Now let's finish these before Hager keeps his promise" he stood, holding out his hand to pull her up.

XXXX

Classes on Tuesday morning were hectic to say the least. A mouse had bolted across the room in Latin, then in geometry their teacher had apologised for misplacing their test papers before making them take the test again, and the political debate in history had gotten personal between some of the boys much to Charlie's amusement when he managed to a hit a nerve with Fraser - whom he had been keen on irritating since Kat had mentioned the immediate dinner plans.

All of this was more than enough to fray Cameron's sensitive nerves which is the only explanation for his behaviour at lunchtime, when he did something unusual, tactless and uncharacteristically thoughtless.

Neil had been talking about the play again, explaining everything he learned from the production and Charlie's positive reaction to the rehearsal last Friday.

"My acting is finally being taken seriously," he had beamed "for the first time I'm respected as professional; not a silly boy who wastes his time dreaming the impossible."

Cameron snorted, "Right. Charlie respects you so much as a professional that he takes girls home from your performance and dooms us all with his sexual frustration."

Silence fell along with the mouths of every student at the table. Even Cameron looked astonished that he had articulated the thought aloud.

"I'm sorry" Kathleen stared at Cameron, "can you repeat that and fill me on the events of Friday that I clearly am unaware of, and explain why we're all doomed."

"I-I didn't" Camron flushed, looking wildly around the group.

"Didn't mean to tell me?" She said sarcastically.

"Kat-" Neil started.

"No. Don't apologise, explain" she interrupted "every time I've asked about the last meeting I've been interrupted or distracted. That wasn't a coincidence, it seems. Now tell me what he means by doomed."

"I slipped an article into the paper campaigning for the admittance of girls into Welton" shrugged Charlie nonchalantly, "it's being published on Thursday and they've all got their panties in a twist about it."

"Was it supposed to be a surprise?" She asked in a warning tone.

"No. I would've said something, but Neil forbade it" he glared at his friend, "he demanded that we keep quiet until he told you."

"When were you planning to mention it?" Kat narrowed her eyes at Neil, resolutely refusing to look at Todd "it's been four days."

"Tomorrow" Neil admitted, "I didn't want to give you time to overthink and panic like the rest of us."

"I don't get it!" Exploded Charlie, "I signed the article in the name of the society, an article articulating our beliefs, big deal."

"The deal" growled Meeks, "is that you didn't consult us!"

"They're going to find out who we are" hissed Cameron, red splotches appearing on his pale, freckled face. "The 'big deal,' is the consequences we have to face for your stupidity!"

"I'm not an idiot, Cameron" He scowled, "I know what I'm doing and I've said that I'm taking the blame."

"What about Kat?" Questioned Todd in a whisper barely audible over the clatter of the dining hall.

"What about her? You agree with me, don't you?" Charlie fixed his gaze upon her. She shifted uneasily.

"This is not a conversation to have in here" she said, arching an eyebrow with her following words "and what did Cameron mean about taking girls home?"

"It wasn't like that" he glared at Cameron, "there were two girls watching the rehearsal and we talked, I invited them to the meeting for a laugh."

"For a laugh?"

"Yeah, they didn't have a clue about poetry, thought Shakespeare's poem was my own" he defended, "but they had booze and cigarettes. My stash is running low. Remind me to top up during Christmas break, Neil."

"I don't think you'll have a problem remembering" Neil replied drily, studying Kathleen who was looking at Charlie in utter disbelief while Charlie kept his eyes on anything that wasn't her.

Kat stood up.

"Where are you going?" Asked Knox guiltily.

"For a walk" she said shortly "and Neil Perry, you are coming with me."

Neil and Todd followed her out the door as unit without protest. Leaving poor Cameron to deal with Charlie's wrath and Knox's conscience alone. Meeks and Pitts were sensible enough to stay out of it.

XXXX

Kathleen wandered through the empty halls down to Hager's office with Neil's words swimming around her brain. Of course, Charlie was at liberty to do whatever he wanted, and anybody would be a fool to try and stop him; but bringing strangers to a meeting? As amusing as it must have been, it was dangerous. If word got back to the faculty they would all be in so much trouble, forced to give-up the society and any remaining shreds of sanity they had found in this institution. The club was more important to them than they could ever admit aloud, and they all knew it. Why had Charlie had threatened that for the sake of some random girls? For the novelty of their presence?

Yes, Neil had said it was partly due to Ginny provoking him and that she could believe. She hadn't known the girl long but she knew Ginny Danburry well enough to resolve to ask Nancy and Chris to investigate what exactly she had said to set off Charlie's reckless attitude. The boy always had a trigger when he did something this irresponsible and inconsiderate. Normally, he would have dropped a heavy hint or pitched the idea. Not dived in headfirst and pulled them all down with him. The article was concerning not only because it risked exposure, but because it risked the security of her own position at the school. Which he obviously hadn't stopped to consider. Kat was by no mean naïve but if he really had feelings for her like Neil implied, he would never have tried to seduce other girls with stolen poetry, he wouldn't risk her expulsion or isolation. Staring meant nothing. Sure, nobody wants to believe one of their closest friends is in love them. Wait, love? Where had that come from? Neil had said liked. No matter, both are downright unrealistic. Neil was fanciful, after all.

She ran a hand through her loose hair and shook her head to try to clear her mind before entering Hager's office. Probability dictated that she would be here before Charlie but she didn't need these ridiculous notions filling her head when she saw him. She had a detention to get through and an argument to avoid.

Kat knocked on the door.

"Enter" boomed Hager from behind the heavy wood which she swung open. Finding that she was right about arriving first. "Take a seat, Miss Murray while we wait upon Mr Dalton. He has five minutes before he earns himself another week of labour."

Four minutes ticked by on the clock, the only sound in the room until the door was flung open with a loud thud as it hit the wall. He strode lazily into the room, hands in his pockets and tie askew, with only seconds to spare.

"How kind of you to grace us with your presence at last" snarled Hager, pointing to the empty chair on the opposite side of his desk to Kat. "This evening you will be copying addresses onto these envelopes and stamping them. Use the names on the letters to find the corresponding addresses from this book" he instructed, placing a heavy volume in the centre of the desk. You have two hours." The balding man paused for questions but none came. He left the room, closing the door behind him. Leaving the two students alone.

"Are we going to talk about it now?" Charlie asked, whipping off the blanket of silence which had descended upon the tiny office.

"You shouldn't have done it without asking, Charlie. Everyone else has told you the same thing. Why would I be any different?"

He shrugged "I guess, I thought that you would get it."

"I get that you're putting your beliefs into action, but you need to pick your battles wisely and this isn't wise" she explained, distributing the letters evenly between them. "You shouldn't have signed in the name of the society without our consent."

"I knew that you'd all be too cowardly to agree" he challenged, flipping open the address book and scanning the pages for 'Richard Adams.'

"It's not about bravery, it's about expulsion!" Kat exclaimed, struggling not to raise her voice.

"And as I've said - one hundred times - I'm taking the blame!"

"A society is made up of more than one, Charlie. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who the other members are. You might be safe from expulsion but the rest of us aren't. I don't understand why you needed to publish it immediately. Couldn't you have waited?"

"Why? There's a girl here now and you match Meeks' grades. It would be nice to have more around."

"I thought the initial novelty would have worn off by now" she replied stiffly.

"That's not what I meant at all. Just, it's nicer with girls here. You're the one who proved that. I'm sorry if you don't approve but I won't read soppy poetry and play schoolboy rebel. I'm taking action."

"Action that might get me removed!"

"Nolan wouldn't-"

"Were you even listening to the welcome ceremony speech? Trouble would get me separated. He said so!"

"To appease the parents. You're his granddaughter, Kat, it counts for something" he defended, the colour draining from his face.

"Don't talk about things you don't understand!"

He threw up his hands, "fine. It's my fault and I'll tell them that. Nothing will happen to you, or to anyone else in the club. Okay?"

"If that's what you believe." She glared returning to the task at hand, "I hope for all our sakes that you're right."

"Friends?"

"Always" she sighed, "just not the best of them until one of us is proved wrong."

I lost the freaking Wi-Fi connection, tried to save before realising and LOST THE LAST FEW HUNDRED WORDS.

WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME!? Honestly, it's probably because I live in the middle of nowhere.

Enjoy the re-written last part, I certainly didn't.