At lunch time Simon found Jeanette sitting by herself. She had a spoonful of yoghurt hovering near her mouth while her attention was absorbed by the book in her other hand. He smiled. It never failed to amaze him of how oblivious she was of her own natural beauty.

"Hi," he interrupted her. "Where's everyone else?" She closed the book as he sat next to her.

"Ellie and Theo are in the library… I think. Brittany's over there," she gestured with her head to another table. Simon glanced over and recognized Jeanette's older sister sitting by the leather clad boy, Duke. He was somewhat pleased to note she looked uncomfortable.

"And Alvin?" He turned back to Jeanette. She flashed him an amused smile.

"Your older brother is currently surrounded by sympathising young girls." She gestured towards the table furthest from the biker boys. Looking past Jeanette, Simon could see Alvin looking with sad eyes at a strikingly beautiful girl who was soothingly patting his shoulder.

"What's he playing at now?" Simon frowned. Jeanette rested her head on her hand.

"You're cute when you're annoyed you know." He looked at her in surprise but she had glanced across to Alvin. "Alvin's always had more than his fair share of female admirers. At least he's finally found a use for them." She turned back to Simon. "Of course they all moved in when it was clear Brittany was out of the picture, but Alvin's refused them all."

"He has?" She nodded.

"He's spent the entire morning lamenting how he'll never get over Brittany… how he was intimidated by Brittany's beauty when they were intimate… that he'd wanted his first time with her to be perfect… candles, soft music etc… and now it'll never happen." Jeannette scowled across at the gaggle of girls. "They've been offering their shoulders to cry on and generally slagging off Brittany."

"So now everyone's blaming her instead of Alvin?"

"I have to admit your brother really knows how to manipulate public opinion."

"You said it. Only Alvin could turn this to his advantage." Simon watched as another girl went up to Alvin and put an arm round his shoulder. "How's Brittany reacted?"

"So far she's pretending not to notice but that won't last. The girls are beginning to sneer at her and the boys are muttering about the type of girl who hangs round the biker boys." Simon looked again at Brittany and this time felt a twinge of pity for her.

The trouble with Alvin and Brittany was they were both as bad as each other. The blame shifted back and forward between them so often you never knew who to feel sorry for. Mostly Simon just felt exasperated with them both.

"How do you do it Jeanette?" She looked confused. "How do you deal with them two without getting annoyed?"

"I suppose I just feel more sorry for them than anything."

"Sorry for them? But they bring it on themselves."

"They can't help being who they are." She shook her head. "And I certainly couldn't live Brittany's life. Always in the limelight. I'd hate it."

"I think she enjoys it a little too much."

"She doesn't, you know. Some days she gets so annoyed with having everyone always watching her… commenting on her. But she accepts that's the life she's chosen so she makes the best of it."

Simon remembered how Alvin had wished to live his life out of the limelight. He felt a surge of pity for them both. Then his eyes fell on Jeanette. His own princess hidden from the world. He was so pleased that she was his. Pleased and constantly amazed. He wondered, not for the first time, how he'd been lucky enough to be loved by someone as amazing as her. She looked at him curiously.

"What?" she asked.

"What did I ever do to deserve you?" She smiled and raised a hand to stroke his cheek.

"The same thing I did to deserve you I suppose. Just be." Simon smiled and leaned across to kiss her. Just before his lips could meet hers though, they were interrupted by their younger siblings.

"Jeanette! We have to do something about Brittany." Jeanette pulled away from Simon to see Eleanor looking worried. She glanced over to Brittany who was still sitting with Duke.

"What do you mean?"

"She's going to one of their parties tonight!" Jeanette looked bemused but Simon understood. He glanced at Theodore for confirmation.

"It's true."

"Is it so very bad?" Jeanette looked at Simon. He remembered all the rumours he'd heard about the parties. 'Wild' hardly covered it.

"Don't worry. I'm sure she'll listen to you if you ask her not to go." Eleanor put her hands on her hips.

"Would Alvin?" she demanded. Simon sighed.

"Fine. We'll all go and make sure she's OK. What's the worst that could happen?"