I know it been a long time but I had some time to kill today. I had this chapter planned out for years. So here it goes.

Chapter Five: The New Girl

A week after John birthday everything was calm. The rival with the Black Knights were at an all-time low. Robin was a little concern as he expected them to get back at them for dropping water balloons on them by now, he wasn't the only one only one who was worried – the other outlaws were concern as well.

"I'm not being funny…" started Allan one morning as they walked through the school gates himself and Will pushing their bikes "…but I think they are planning something….."

"I think you may be right," agreed Robin after all the Black knight were always up to something. And the Black Knights liked to pick on them.

Much was quick to speck up "We shouldn't been looking for trouble…." He said "Maybe they want to focus on there GCSE….but Robin don't go looking for trouble..."

"I don't know what you are talking about," said Robin at once "Trouble usually finds me…." His friends snorted in a finally attempt to hide their laughter. "Thanks, you lot," said Robin in a little bit of a huff but he was still smiling. Maybe this friends knew him too well. He did - at times look for trouble.

"I am being serious, Robin," carried on Much. Sometimes Much acted like the parent of the group and try to kept them all in line. "You will get in so much trouble if…."

"I'm swear I am not going to go near any of the black knights…." Said Robin throwing his hands up in the air. "Today..."

Once the morning bell rang Much and Will headed to their homeroom and sat down. Much started to finish off some Maths homework and Will was drawing in a sketch book. They keep to themselves during homeroom not wanting another indent like the first day. While most people had forgotten about Much getting coved in flour - no one had forgotten the red paint and the Will Scarlett jokes let.

The door open the deputy head walked followed by a girl, a new student. The girl had short dark hair and was small and skinny. She was defiantly more of a tom boy than a girly girl. The deputy head talked to their homeroom teacher and once the deputy left the homeroom teacher stood up. "This is Saffiya," said the teacher "She is new and I hope look out for her….." her eyes scanned the room for a spare chair for her but the only one was near Much and Will. The teacher pointed to the chair "You can sit there for now…..just asked anyone here for help if needed…"

The girl sat down – she didn't seem nervous or scared but if she was she hide it very well. She sat down on the chair aware that most of the class was watching her, eyeing her up carefully "Why does it seem I have walked in to the lion den?" asked the girl

"Because you got put in the worst homeroom in our year," said Much at once looking up from his homework "And that's not a joke….sorry you got put here…..I'm Much Miller he hold out this hand and she shook it "And you are Saffiya?"

"Yes but everyone normally just calls me Djaq…." Said the girl "Much….that's an uncommon name…."

"It a nickname." Said Much at once "Really its Michael but no one ever calls me that…I not even sure how I got the name Much….but, I like it…" Much was beginning to rumble. Djaq guessed he might of got it for talking too much.

Djaq turn to Will "I'm Will." Said Will awkwardly

A piece of an eraser flew in the air and hit Will on side of his head. Will turn to Sheriff who smiled and waved in a mocking way.

Djaq looked at the mocking boys and back at Will and Much who went back to talking to her. Djaq looked again at the mocking boys. Djaq didn't like them at all - maybe it was the important look he had on his face - one that said he thought he was better than everyone else. This boy much of been the schools bully.

"A lion?" she asked

"Yeah, biggest and hungriest," said Will shortly "Ever seen the lion king?" Djaq nodded her head "Well he is Scar….."

"Without killing his own brother part." Put in Much "But power hungry….yeah he is power hungry….. And if he had a brother…" Much shook his head "I can't think about two of them…one is more than enough….."

"I will keep that in mind," said Djaq. Djaq liked to think that she was very good a reading people and she could tell that Much and Will were good people and she could trust them. They were friendly and honest "Can you help me find my first classes?" she asked

"Sure," said Will closing his sketch pad and putting it away "Can you show me your timetable?" Djaq tool out her timetable and show it too Much and Will

"You're in the same English class as me first lesson," said Will "I can take you there after assembly…."

"That will be great," said Djaq, she was glade that she had someone friendly in class. "I hope I haven't missed out on too much - I mean it's only been a few weeks since the start of term..."

"Have you just moved in to the area?" asked Much

Djaq nodded her head "Yeah, my family lived in London for the last three years and before that we were living in Bath and before that we were living in Liverpool…." Said Djaq "My parents are doctors and they like to work in different areas….."

"Why?" asked Much

"Different part of the county different challenges I guess," said Djaq "Have you two live here long?"

Will laughed and Much nodded his head "Will and I were born and rise here…most people here seem to be…." The bell rang for the assembly and everyone got up. "I guess if Will taking you to English after assembly you might as well stick with us….." said Much

"If our friends don't scare you off," added Will more to himself

"I don't get scared away easily…." Said Djaq as they walked out of class and Djaq noticed three other boys waiting for them. One tall one and two slightly shorter ones.

"This is Djaq," said Much "She new…."

"Djaq?" Asked Allan at once rising an eyebrow

"It's a nickname," said Djaq "Have you got a problem with that?"

"Uh – no of course not," said Allan looking sheepish and rubbed the back of his head. "Just... don't what I was expecting."

Robin couldn't hide the amusement off his face. "Nice to meet you Djaq….." Robin, John and Allan all introduce themselves to Djaq as they made they way to the hall.

Will and John showed Djaq the way to English after assembly. Once they got to the room they sat down near the back of the room. "Why do people call you little John?" asked Djaq she heard the other student calling him that as well as his friends in the short time she had know him. John wasn't what you called little at all. He was tall and strong.

John run his fingers though his hair "Well, my dad is also called John. So I become little John," he said "And, it become a joke because my surname is Little and... I am tall."

"It sorts you," said Djaq kindly

"How did you get the nicknames Djaq?" asked Will as they were on the subject of nicknames.

"Everyone thought I was going to be a boy before I was born, well my uncle did" said Djaq "And they picked out a name and everything, my uncle always calls me Djaq and I liked it better than my real name... What about you Will? Got any nicknames?"

"No, everyone just calls me Will – that's not really a nickname….." said Will simply

"They are loads of jokes about his surname," said John

"How many things can they make about Scarlett?" asked Djaq as soon as she said that she thought of a few

Will didn't look amused "Oh, if you want to make a joke about something you can normally find a way…." he said. He looked annoyed by John comment. John explained what had happen the first day back.

At break time the outlaws all meet up lockers. "Where's Robin?" asked John as they walked nearer to find Robin wasn't there. That wasn't like Robin to miss out on time with his friends.

"Got in a fight with one of the black knights apparently." Said Allan "I am surprised he manged to last this long without anything happening….. I think this is a recorded for him….." Allan looked amused probably because Robin declared not to go near the Black Knights that day.

"He dropped water bombs on them first day back," reminded John

"But he didn't get caught," said Will, "So he didn't get in official trouble."

Allan slammed his locker door shut and then leaned on it "Besides he only dropped the water bombs because those two got caked in Paint and flour….." said Allan "And that was weeks ago now..."

"I'm sorry," saod Djaq trying to follow what the boy were saying "But who are the black knights?"

"They are the lions," explain Much. The others apart from Will looked a little confused. "And they like to hunt us….. and everything…..it's a long story..."

"So, if you aren't the lions who are you?" asked Djaq carefully following what was going on.

"We go by many names over the years," said Allan beign dramatic "But the one we like best is the Outlaws….."

"Why the outlaws?" asled Djaq

"Who wants be a Black Knight?" asked Much

Djaq still looked confused so Will explain it a little more "The shierff father owns about half of Nottingham," said Will "So he thinks he better than everyone. His uncle John Prince is the Mayor…..none of them are people you want to get on the wrong side of…and over the years…. Things between us haven't be great…."

"It be going on since Nursey school." Said Allan

"Right," Said Djaq unsure what else she could say about that.

….….

Djaq make her way to the bathroom and washed her hands were another girl entered. "You're Djaq aren't you." Said the girl. Djaq was surprised this person knew her nickname. She seen this girl around but didn't think they yet to share a class... of course she only had English so far.

"Yeah," she said

"I'm Marian," said the girl holder out her hand in a formal way and Djaq shook it.

"I think I heard Robin mention you," said Djaq

"That idoit," said Marian shanking her head a little "Don't let him talk you to do getting yourself in your trouble. - he always in some kind of trouble..."

Djaq was quite for an moment – she could tell her new group of friends were the kind to get into trouble but they weren't bullies. All in All she thought they were down to earth kind of people. They treated her like one of the group at once and she was grateful. Truthfully she found boys more easy to get alone with than girls. "I get into trouble on my own...Its more interesting with friends..."

Marian paused for an moment "Well, there are worst people to be friends with," she said

Djaq smiled a little "I think I am more than an match for them..."

"Well, if you can put Robin in his place...it can't do him any harm..." said Marian

….…

"So, do you play football?" asked Much as they where pulling their bags out of their lockers at the end of the day. Djaq seem to fix in effortlessly with them. She could joke with the others and wasn't fazed with their more boyish natural.

"Yes," said Djaq at once

"Well," said Much "You see they is a inter school compartion….five a side football…..and well….I am not much of a fan of it you see…..and to tell you the truth not very good at it….."

"Is that allowed….mix gender teams?" asked Djaq

"I can't see why not," said Robin from behind them "And if they is a promble with it…..between us all we know the school rules backwards we will find a loophole….."

"Why do you all know the school rules?" asked Dajq

"It good for getting out of trouble," said Allan at once "Know your rights are everything…."

Djaq looked at Robin "Don't you have after school detention today?" Robin open and closed his mouth for an moment - yes he did have after school detention but they was no loophole out of fighting

"Anyway," carried on Djaq "If the school say anything I know what to say...My mother is a active feminist and my father is a human right activist…I think I am pretty well coved….."

"That awesome," said Robin at once and the otrher seem intrested as well, "You parents must be pretty smart. I mean they are doctors on top of all that…remind me next time I get grounded to speck to your dad….I might get out of it… it go against a human right…right?"

"Nice try," said Djaq laughing

"So is that a yes for the football?" asked Much hopefully

"It's a yes," said Djaq "Bring on the trouble…."

"I knew I liked you," said Allan grinning "I think you are going to fit in pretty well…"