Looks like no one read the last chapter... oh well, see how we go with this one... i'm having fun writing this story anyway :D

-Chapter Two-

I intentionally didn't set an alarm to wake up the next morning, but that didn't mean I didn't get one anyway.

Matt came in at four o'clock and started bashing a pot, yelling at me to get up. I threw one pillow at him and put my other one on over my head. He was a truck driver, he'd found a guy in Newcastle to give him work and he always had really early starts, and sometimes, he'd be driving interstate. I knew he could get himself ready, but he was just waking me up to annoy me.

I got up and went into the kitchen where Matt was having a coffee. "I hate you," I said.

"I know," he replied with a smirk.

"Do you want me to make you anything for lunch?" I asked him.

He shakes his head. "Nah, we don't have anything yet."

"I'll go shopping after school," I tell him, remembering my mental note from yesterday. Matt nods in agreement.

"But I don't know how you're gonna get there and back in time to go out," he points out.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot I was going out tonight." We only had one car. I had my red P's, but I knew Matt would have the car most of the time. "Um, I'll see what I can do. I'll have to get my own car soon, too. No way is this gonna work with you having the car all day every day."

He nods again. "We'll start looking over the weekend. We'll probably have to take it out of The Account." I nod in reply. The Account was the inheritance our parent's left us. There was an extremely substantial amount of money in the account, especially after we got the huge life insurance pay out because their death was an accident. Well, it was ruled off as an accident to the insurance company. We hardly ever went into The Account for stuff, though. Only big things we needed: like a car.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you?" he asks one last time before leaving. "I'm my boss will understand."

"I'm sure," I tell him. "I've done it plenty of times before. Let me handle this one on my own."

When Matt finally leaves for work at quarter-to-six, I go back to bed for a little while.

At quarter to eight I crawl out of bed and go into the kitchen in my singlet and boxers. I yawn and rub my eyes, then tuck my mess of hair behind my ear and open the fridge. All we have is water, milk and butter that Matt got yesterday, so I pull out the toaster and make some toast with butter on top.

At eight-twenty I hear a bus speed past the house and realise it was the bus I was meant to catch to school. Damn it.

By eight-thirty, I have tried ringing Matt three or four times but he doesn't pick up, he is out of range, so I grab my bag and walk across the road and knock on the door.

Bradie answers it and smiles brilliantly when he sees me. "Morning, Ally. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I missed my bus," I say innocently.

"And you need a lift?" he asks. I nod. "Okay, come in and I'll grab my keys," he tells me with a laugh.

"Thank you so much!" I say as we walk in the door. I follow him through to kitchen where a cup of tea is sitting on the bench. "You're up early," I point out as he takes a gulp of his tea.

"I hardly ever get out of bed after eight-thirty," he tells me. I nod in understanding. "You want a coffee or tea?"

I shake my head. "No, thank you. So where are Emily and Richard?"

"Um, Mum and Dad went shopping with Chris. I think that's where they said they were going." I laugh at him.

"Let me guess, Andy's still asleep?" Bradie nods his head. "I should go wake him up the lazy bugger."

"Do it," Bradie says, slight excitement on his face.

"No, I couldn't. Should I?"

"Yeah, seriously, go do it. If it was me I wouldn't make it out of his room alive. But you, he won't care at all." I laugh, putting my bag on the bench and make my way down to Andy's room while Bradie finishes his tea.

I creep into Andy's bedroom, opening and closing the door very quietly. I slowly and carefully stand on his bed over him. My hair was hanging in my face and my face was threatening to split in half from the grin of what I'm about to do.

I start bouncing up and down, and then I begin screaming the lyrics to Sweet December: my favourite Stack song. Andy starts flailing his limbs, groaning and whinging at me. When I stop he opens his eyes and sees it's me standing there over him, my grin still set in place.

"What are you doing here?" he asks me, his tone light and happy to see me.

"What does it look like, waking you up, lazy."

"Bradie did warn you what I'd do if you came in and woke me up, right?"

"Oh, yes, I got plenty of warning of what you'd do if he woke you up. Which is why I got encouraged to come in here and do it."

"Sorry sweetheart, rules apply to everybody."

He then grabs at the back of my knee and I come tumbling down on top of him. I give a small scream of shock and he wraps his arms around me tightly, pulling me as close to him as possible and I can't move. My arms are to my chest between us and I wriggle them out making a few centimetres gap between us. It only takes him a split second to tighten his grip even more, squishing my chest to his. I wrap the bottom of my arms around his waist.

"You know, I came over here to get a lift so I wouldn't be late for school, and now you're going to make me late anyway. Matt won't be happy with you if I miss my first day at a new school."

"But I'm quite comfortable right here, aren't you?"

"Yes, so you see my dilemma?"

"Mm," Andy says, shutting his eyes.

Feeling tired after my early morning, I shut my eyes too and move my face into his chest. I can feel his heart beat, it is a little fast due to our wrestling match, but I listen as it slows down to a normal rhythm. After a minute, I open my eyes and push away, "I really have to get going, Bradie's probably waiting for me."

"Mm," Andy repeats, half asleep. I'm just out of his arms when his eyes go wide and he yells, "Wait, no! You're not going anywhere."

I make a quick dash as he reaches out to grab me. He gets his hand around my ankle and I let out a yelp as I lose my balance and face-plant the floor. He's trying hard not to leave the bed or the covers that are only covering from his waist down. I claw my way across the carpeted floor, screaming playfully for him to let me go.

When I finally escape him I run and stand in the doorway, laughing at his form, half on the bed, half off.

"I'll get you back when I see you tonight."

"Yup we'll see. Message me later okay?"

"No, you'll have to message me—I didn't get your number."

I laugh. "Oh, yeah. We'll see if I'm interested, shall we?" I wink, purely to tease him and he knows it. He launches up at me and I scream again as I shut the door and run back to the kitchen.

I walk back into the kitchen calmly, like nothing happened. But I know Bradie heard everything because he is laughing his ass off.

He has the last mouthful of his tea and grabs his keys from the bench. "You ready?"

My smile falls. "No," I say glumly.

He walks over and stands close to me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "You'll be fine. Tell everyone you're friends with us and they'll love you in an instant."

I laugh softly. "No, I'd like to keep that little fact to myself. Last thing we all need is for everyone to find out that."

"Good point," he says, pulling me into a very comforting hug. "You'll be just fine, I'm sure."

I smile. "Thanks, Bradie."

I grab my bag and Bradie takes me out and opens the passenger door to his car for me. The ride is silent except for radio and it's completely comfortable. Heartbreak Made Me A Killer comes on and when Bradie notices me singing along quietly, he cranks the volume and before long we're both pelting the lyrics at the top of our lungs.

When Bradie pulls up at the school, it's right on nine-o'clock and I see kids hurrying off to homeroom. I can only sit and stare at the school I'm most likely going to be kicked out of in a few weeks. There's only a few days left in February. Which means that term as started already and every other person in my year has already been together through the three terms of year eleven and first term of year twelve. They're all already used to each other in their classes.

Bradie grabs my hand, which surprises me at first, but then he gives it a squeeze and I accept the comfort. "Did you want me to come in with you?"
I look out the window at the administration building and then back to Bradie. "Please?"

He laughs softly. "Of course."

When we walk into the office, the lady behind the desk recognises Bradie straight away. "Mr. Webb? Here I thought we got rid of you a few years ago," she sighs.

"You did, Jane," Bradie replies to her with a laugh in his voice. "I'm actually here to help my friend Ally, here, with her enrolment."

"Well, hi there," she says to me, finally acknowledging my presence.

"Hi," I greet her.

"Alright, well I'm sure we can do something for you."

I smile at her and look at Bradie nervously. He laughs quietly so only I can hear it. "You'll be just fine."

I spend an hour filling in paperwork from personal information to my last school. I had all my reports and junk from my other schools all ready to go. Jane checks them all off and when she was satisfied everything was in order—except for Matt's signature in some places, which she is happy to let me get for Monday—she tells me I need to have a short interview with the principal.

"Um," I faltered. "That's fine." But it's not. It's not fine at all. Once the principal reads my reports and sees my school history, there was no way I was getting in here. I try to remain calm while I wait, but it's agonising.

"You'll be fine, I'm sure she'll love you," Bradie attempts at comfort when he sees my nervousness.

"No I won't," I say. "She's gonna see my records and she's going to say 'no' in an instant."

"It can't be that bad," he reassures me.

"The only good thing is that I never got kicked out of anywhere. But I've been caught smoking, swearing at teachers. At one school I never did any work at all. But I'm the reason we had to keep moving. By causing trouble, Matt would have troubles at work and lose his job. Then we'd move. She'll take one look at my past and she's going to hate me."

"No, she won't."

The principal walks out and looks straight at me. She seems friendly and welcoming, making my nerves lessen a fraction.

Then she looks at Bradie. "Bradie Webb," she says with an exasperated smile at him. "What can I do for you?"

"Just here helping out my friend Ally, Mrs Pickle."

She turns back to me. "Well, in you come."

I smile politely and walk into her office. She gestures for me to sit and I do.

She starts by asking me some questions about me. When she points out my bad history I spin her the same lies as always about really wanting to stay here and change things. When I'm done I realise that they're not lies anymore. I do really want to stay here. I've been here a day but meeting Shaun, Andy and Bradie and becoming such good friends with them already, I know I want to make it work here.

Mrs. Pickle smiles at me politely at the end of the interview and informs me that she'd be glad to have me at this school and she hopes I enjoy it and I get to stay.

I thank her and walk back out.

Bradie is sitting in his chair bouncing his feet, making some random but well-timed beat. Such a drummer.

He looks up at me expectantly when I open the door. I smile widely at him and he comes over to give me a bear hug.

"I told you so," he says.

"Okay," Jane says, breaking the moment. "Now you just need to pick your subjects. Here are our six lines"—she hands me a piece of paper—"just pick one of the subjects on each that aren't red. The red ones are full classes."

I nod and look over my choices.

"Do you have a pen?" I ask Jane. She hands me one and I lean on the desk. Bradie looks over my shoulder as I tick off my decisions.

"Advanced English and General Maths?"

"Yup," I say. "I started Mathematics in year eleven and I could have stayed, but I knew I was better off getting better marks in General."

"True," he says.

I continue across the page, picking Drama, Entertainment—two subjects I'm over the moon about when I see this school offers both—and I leave line five as a free period because my only choice is Physics. When I get to the last line, I scrunch my face: the only two options on this line are Biology and Music.

I'd done Biology at two of my other schools and it was my least favourite subject I'd ever done. But then, I wasn't very musically gifted.

"Easy, pick music. I did it, it was heaps good," Bradie says.

"I'm not ridiculously talented at an instrument like you are."

"Get Shaun to teach you guitar, or Andy, he'd be more than happy to."

"Maybe."

"There's only a spot in the advanced class," Jane informs me. "You'll have to be able to do something."

"What if I have music today?" I ask Bradie. "I can't learn right now. Maybe later. But there's definitely not enough time."

"Then sing."

I hesitate. I knew I had a bit of a voice, but no one had ever heard it, except Matt when I was I the shower.

"Well you have to choose something."

"Okay." I tick off Music and hand the paper over to Jane. She enters my choices into the computer and prints me out a timetable. She also hands me a little orange slip of paper and tells me it's for my uniform for today and Monday, since I can't get one until the uniform shop is open on Monday. I thank her and walk away.

"Here," Bradie says quietly before we part, "give me your phone." I do and he fiddles with it and then calls himself. "Now you have my number. If you need anything, you ring me straight away."

I nod nervously and hug him goodbye. "I'll see you tonight, I'm sure I'll need it," I tell him, trying to hide how scared I am.

"You'll be fine, I'll see you tonight."

I smile as an SRC rep from my year drags me away to show me the school. Her name is Fiona and she informs me that it's currently third period and they have five one hour periods in a single day.

It was always five periods except for one school I went to: they had eight.

She showed me where each building was and the staff rooms. The canteen and which areas student weren't allowed, even though they all had signs saying 'Out Of Bounds'.

When the bell for fourth period went I moved past about a thousand kids all trying to get to class. Ten minutes after the bell went Fiona took me to my class—Music.

We walked in on a practical lesson, everyone mucking around with their instruments.

Fiona introduced me to the teacher, Mr. Fret—such a fitting name for a music teacher—who proceeded to introduce me to the class of only eight students—all guys. There is one guy on drums, one playing a bass, two playing electric guitar and one on the keyboard and another with a laptop, possibly mixing sounds or something.

Fiona leaves to go to her own class.

"So, Ally," Mr. Fret begins, "what can you do musically?"

"I have the ability to play guitar," I inform him. "But I've never taken formal lessons."

"Interesting, anything else you can do?"

"I think I can sing, but I've never really done it publicly."

"Well, give us a listen," he encourages. I'm very hesitant. "C'mon, anyone can sing."

I take a deep breath and stare at my feet. After a few more deep breaths, I start the first verse of the first song that I think of: All Messed Up by Heroes for Hire.

"You're a mess, like the rest, you're just out of control
And you hope for the best, but you already know
There's a lesson to learn, but I bet you ignore it all

I confess that I left you, to be on your own
I'm not holding my breath, 'coz you just let me drown
In your ocean of lies, but you just keep moving along

But it won't be long until all is lost
And you can't believe where the time has gone
It's too late, let escape before your eyes

I got you standing on the edge now
Trying not to look down
Wishing you could back out
Hoping that I don't see how much you wanna break down
You're nothing but a fake now and everybody knows

Cause you're keeping the lie alive tonight
But now it's time to put an end to all you are and I
Will never let you get away with this again."

When I finish the class is in shock.

"See, anyone can sing well," Mr Fret tells me.

I smile shyly and the class resumes quietly talking or practicing. It doesn't take long for me to notice they're all playing the same song, even if they're all playing different sections.

"Why are they all playing Planets by Short Stack?" I ask Mr. Fret.

"There's a school show coming up second week of next term and they have to perform as a class as part of their assessment. They all chose Planets. Did you know the boys from the band used to go here?"

"Yeah, I did know that," I say.

"Well, everybody in this room kind of looks up to them for inspiration. It's kind of like, they were right where I am once, and maybe I can get to where they are."

"That's really awesome." I smile. I can't wait to tell the boys that.

"That's why this is such a small class. This class is solely for people dedicated to pursuing a music career." He must see my face filled with guilt. "It's okay, I'll let you stay because you're really good. Maybe I can convince you of a music career." I roll my eyes. "People who aren't serious about pursuing music are in the other class across the hall. The teachers have realised that there are kids who have a great potential if they strive for it, and if they strive it's perfectly possible for them to make it, even from a small town. Short Stack taught us all that."

I think it's the most inspiring thing I've ever heard. It makes me feel so much better about being the kid everybody doubted.

"Are you a fan of Short Stack, Ally?" Mr. Fret asks me.

"Yeah, I am actually."

"So you know the song we're performing?" I nod.

"Maybe you should get the boys to come in and help you guys out," I offer.

"I would, but I came here the year Shaun and Bradie graduated, I never met them so it's not like I'm very connected."

"Well, maybe, if you ask someone in the class very nicely, she might be able to get her new neighbours to come in and help out," I say, trying to seem disinterested.

"No way, you could do that?"

"I could try."

"Well then I will be asking very nicely. And I might also have to ask this student to sing for us, because all the singers we had signed out of school."

I laughed. The guy playing his bass two metres from me stopped and spoke, "Yeah you definitely should. You're really good."

I blushed and averted my gaze. "Thank you," I say. No one had ever complimented my singing before.

"Sing a bit of it for us?" he asked.

I gulp. "Um, okay," I say nervously.

"I'm reaching out
I'm reaching out
I'm reaching out to get to you."

Everyone stops and listens when I start. Then the two guys with electric guitar start their bit when I'm finished singing and drums start and the bass player who has moved beside me starts playing too.

Pretty soon we're having our first run-through of the song. We go start to finish, no interruptions. When someone—mostly myself—stuffed up, we just kept playing.

The bass guy was my back-up singer and he sounded pretty good.

When we finished everyone seemed pleased with my singing and were happy for me to be lead.

We practiced the song a few more times with Mr. Fret helping us this time and we stopped a few times so he could help us get it right.

Five minutes to the bell, everyone packed up their instruments and Mr. Fret asked if he could talk to me.

"I just wanted to tell you what you'll need to know about this course," he began. "As part of the syllabus, we have to put on a class performance, which everyone will be marked on. You'll also have to do an individual performance. This can be in a variety of forms. You could do a solo piece, or some of the boys in here are in bands with guys from different schools, I've given them permission to get their band to perform. You can perform with other class members or a friend or two, or possibly three." He winked at me and it took me a second to understand what he was getting at, but I smiled when I realised.

"You'll also," he continued, "have to perform as part of your HSC assessment. HSC markers come and listen to you perform a piece of your choice. It will be marked individually, but you are allowed accompaniment, like someone from class playing guitar for you." I nod as I follow along with what he's telling me. "After this performance stuff is over, ninety percent of our pracs will be based on practice for the HSC."

It's a little bit of an overload, and I'm glad for the bell.

I walk out of the music building and two of the guys from my class grab both my elbows and start dragging me along between them.

"I'm Ryan," the guy who plays bass introduces.

"And I'm James," one of the electric guitarists says.

"We know you're new, so we're gonna do you a favour and let you sit with us," Ryan says. "Take privilege in this, because it's not easy to get into our group, and we're giving you a free pass for today. If we like you, you can stay."

"Oh, wow, well I guess I better pull out all my awesomeness," I say.

"That's the spirit," James says with a smile.

Ryan and James' group sit out on the oval, and it's quite a big group. James goes and sits with a pretty brunette and gives her a kiss before sitting behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist.

There were two other girls in the group, one sitting with a boy I hadn't met yet, and another bottle blonde sitting near James' girlfriend, talking to her. I got the impression these girls were here because they were 'the girlfriends', but the blonde wasn't sitting with anyone. She must just be good friends with James' girlfriend.

I sat down in a free spot, my skinny jeans giving me some trouble, but I did get down eventually. Ryan sat next to me. "Everyone," he began, "this is Ally, and this is her first day so be nice."

They go around introducing themselves and I manage to catch a few names. The blonde—Jade—eyes me off. Natural jealousy.

"Ed," Ryan says to his friend beside him, "you should here this girl sing"—he gestures to me—"she's got an amazing voice, and it's so natural." I blush and look at me hands in my lap. I can feel several eyes on me.

"I'm not that great," I say.

"Yeah, you are, you're amazing. I've never heard a voice like that. So many singers put it on, put the power in their voice to sound good, but you don't need the power, and you don't even try to put it in."

"Stop it, please," I say lightly.

"Alright, I'm going to the canteen, anyone want anything?" Ed says, standing up.

"Yeah, mate, chicken burger for me," Ryan says, pulling out his wallet and handing over a five dollar note. "Ally, did you want anything? My shout," Ryan offers to me.

"Um, I'll have chicken burger to, but I'll pay. Really," I add when Ryan tries to protest. I pull out my Roxy wallet and give Ed a five dollar note too.
I spend lunch talking and laughing along with the guys. They seem to really take to me and I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable with them.

At some point I get a text message on my phone and I check to see who it's from: Andy.

I lied, I did get your number last night and I couldn't wait for you to message me first. How's your first day going? :)

I send a quick reply.

Not too bad. I have something really exciting to tell you later too. Don't let me forget! See you tonight :) xx

"Okay guys, decision time," Ryan calls just before the bell. "Who votes for Ally to stay?"

Everyone starts to say excitedly that they'd love to have me. Jade sits with a firm—somewhat vicious—look on her face.

"Why not Jade? Ally's awesome fun," James says to her.

"I don't think so," she says stiffly, staring me down. I stare her right back in the eye. "She thinks she can come in, the new kid, and join our group just like that? I think that's hardly fair. It's actually pretty pathetic." I felt like throwing a million horrible insults at her, or just throwing a punch to her face.

"Correct me if I'm wrong Jade, but the only reason you're here is because your best friends with Amelia," Ryan points out. Amelia was James' girlfriend.

She looks at him and it's suddenly clear to me. She's jealous because she and Ryan have history. And now she thinks I have something with him, which I think I might. Just great.

"I'm not going to put up with your crap, Jade, so if you don't want me here then I'll just go." I lift myself a few inches off the ground but Ryan grabs me and pulls me back down.

"Ally gets to stay," he says. "It was a group decision."

Everything is intense and tension builds as everyone just watches the show down between their friends.

"If she stays, I'm gone," Jade calls.

Ryan makes a gesture and the message is clear: go ahead.

The bell rings and nobody in the group moves. They're all waiting for Jade to do something. Finally, she stands up and walks to class. After she's a fair distance away, everyone else stands as well. In my head I'm silently freaking out.

"Are you okay?" Ryan says, standing in front of me and examining my face. I can see his worry for me.

"Yeah, fine." Everyone is walking away, but we stay where we are for a moment.

"I'm so sorry about her—she's never gotten over us."

"It's okay, but why did you defend me like that?" I looked up at him and studied his face.

"I can't really explain it, but I know it was completely worth it." He smiles and then leans down slowly and then he's kissing me. It's soft and cautious at first, but once I start kissing back, he moves in completely, bringing me close.

We kiss for a moment longer and I think I hear some wolf whistles from his mates, but I don't care. It feels good to be this close to someone again.

When he pulls back he asks if I'm okay again. "I'm sorry," he says quickly.

"It's okay," I say softly. "I just haven't been feeling the greatest all day—I think I might go to the office and get my brother to pick me up."

"Okay, I'll take you," he says and wraps his arm around me and we go to the office.

When we get there, Jane is working at her computer. There are about five other people working around in the office, but she's the one I know. I tell her that I suddenly feel terrible and need to go home. I think she knows I'm lying, but she's sympathetic and calls home. Ryan pulls me over to the chairs in the room, he places one right next to mine and I rest my head on his shoulder while I wait.

"Ally?" Jane says softly. I look at her and she continues. "I couldn't get an answer at home—do you have anyone else I can call to sign you out?"

I have to think about that. "Um, I might call my neighbours house, I'm sure someone there will be able to pick me up."

"Okay." She goes back to her computer.

I pull my phone out and ring Bradie.

"Hello?" a voice answers, but it's not Bradie.

"Andy?" I say into the phone.

"Yeah, Bradie's gone out for a bit and left his phone at home. Who is this?" he answers.

"It's Ally."

"Ally? Hey, what's up?" He suddenly sounds worried and a little alarmed by my call.

"I'm sitting in the office at school. I'm not feeling well and I was hoping Bradie could come pick me up because Matt's still at work."

"Well, like I said, he's not here, but I can come and get you if you'd like."

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I'll leave right now, see you soon."

"See you soon," I repeat before hanging up.

"You're totally faking this aren't you?" Ryan asks once I put my phone away.

I nod. "I just want to go home."

"This hasn't got anything to do with Jade has it?" I shake my head. "With me?" he asks, worried.

"Definitely not," I assure him.

"Good," he says smiling at me.

"But if anything is happening between us, I need slow. Like turtle slow. I've just moved, and I move a lot. I can't even let myself have a serious friendship with anyone, because I could have to pack up and move in a month or two."

He smiles at me. "I think that's a good idea. I've never really done slow, but I have this feeling you'll definitely be worth it." I return his warm smile.

I sit with Ryan until Andy walks in the office, letting in a warm, late summer breeze behind him. I stand and smile at him. He's wearing a plain grey shirt, denim skinny jeans and black thongs. He looks around for a moment and when he spots me he smiles brilliantly. He pushes his aviator sunnies up on top of his unstyled light hair.

"Ally, that's Andy Clemmensen," Ryan says.

"No, that's my taxi-driver," I say cheekily. I see Jane and she signs me out. I hear her mutter something about there being so many Short Stack boys back at this place and if she sees Shaun she might have a heart attack. "Thank you," I say to her, still feigning illness.

"Thank you too," I say to Ryan while Andy waits for me by the door. He puts an arm around my shoulder.

"Anytime beautiful," he says sweetly. He kisses into my hair and I look down at my feet as the grin forms on my face.

"I'll see you later," I whisper. I let myself out of his hold and walk over to Andy.

He waves goodbye to me, then waves at Andy, who waves back and I can tell Ryan is in shock for a moment. "Feel better soon," he says with a wink. He turns back to Jane, "Any chance I could get a note for being late to class?"

I'm smiling like an idiot when I walk out.

"Look at you," Andy says. "Been here less than a day and you're already breaking hearts and taking names."

I laugh it off and ignore him. "Thank you so much for getting me out of there," I say as we get in the car.

"Anytime," he says with a smile before starting the car. I can tell he's realised I'm not sick. He probably realised when I was on the phone to him. "Anywhere you wanna go?"

I think. "Oh, any chance you can take me shopping? We have no groceries at home."

"Sure thing," he complies.

He takes me to the Woolworths near home and we spend almost an hour in the store. We talk and joke and laugh and at one point a girl recognises him and asks for his autograph. We can see people looking at us and we pretend to be a cute couple for the fun of it. Hugging, laughing and even almost kissing once or twice.

After we go through the check-out Andy realises he needed something, so he runs back in the store while I pack the groceries in the car.

When we get home he pulls up into my driveway and helps me carry the groceries into my kitchen. He goes back out to take his car across the road and when he returns, we find a place for everything. After we finish he asks me if I want to come back and chill out at his for a while before we go out. I accept and we walk back across the road.

Bradie is home watching TV, so Andy I join him. "Hey, what are you doing here so early?" he asks me.

"I got Andy to come and pick me up after lunch," I say, taking some of the lollies he's eating.

"Aw, you could have just called me," he says, trying to steal his lolly back.

"I did," I tell him and Andy and I both crack up with laughter.

We continue channel flicking for the afternoon until I hear Matt pull up across the road. I walk back over to meet him bringing Andy and Bradie with me. Matt has brought home a carton of beer and puts it in our fridge out the back.

"You guys wanna stay for a beer?" Matt offers the boys.

"I won't say no," Andy says.

"Sure, thanks," says Bradie.

I grab a can of coke from the inside fridge and we sit at the back table for a while. Matt gets his phone out and invites Shaun for a beer too. He arrives not long after that, having already been on his way to meet Bradie and Andy before we go out. Matt tells me about work and I tell him about school.

"That reminds me," Andy says. "What was this exciting thing you had to tell me?"

I look at him blankly for half a second before I remember. "Oh, yeah. You guys have such a huge influence on the kids at school. My music class has eight other boys in it, all trying to be just like you. The class I ended up in is mainly for people serious about pursuing music, and it's all in honour of the boys from the small town."

"That's awesome!" Andy cries out.

"I didn't realise we made such an impression at that place," says Shaun.

"Not a good one, anyway," Bradie jokes.

"Mmhm." I have another mouthful of my coke. "And I was thinking . . ." They all look at me expectantly. "We have to put on this performance as a class for our assessment next term. The kids in my class chose to do Planets. I was hoping I could convince the band to come and give us a hand one lesson." I give them my cutest pretty please face.

"For sure!" Shaun says loudly.

I smile broadly. "I also have to think about what I'm gonna do for my solo performance," I think out loud.

"I'll help you," Andy says quickly.

I think about it for only a second. "Fantastic!" We're smiling at each other, and then Bradie asks if I'm going to get ready. "Oh, of course, I'll be back."

I go for a quick shower and when I walk out wrapped in a towel, Andy is standing there, waiting to use the bathroom. At first I'm in shock. A million thoughts race through my mind, the loudest being that Andy Clemmensen is standing in front of me, and all I have on is a towel.

I'm too busy standing in shock to notice that he is observing me intently. Something moving around outside—a chair scraping maybe—makes me come back to reality and dash into my bedroom.

I shut the door and lean my back against it. My heart is pounding as I try to work out what he must be thinking of me.

I take a little longer than normal to get dried and changed into my skinny jeans and a nice top. When I walk out, Andy is waiting in the hallway for me. He has his phone out and his back against the wall, but the moment the door opens, he looks at me and straightens up. "You look good," he says sweetly.

"Thanks," I blush and walk over to him.

He leans in close and whispers in my ear cheekily, "I think I liked the towel better though." I can mentally picture the grin on his face.

I elbow him lightly and changed the subject. "Well, Mr. Clemmensen, where are we off to tonight?"

"Just low key club," he answers, offering his arm to me.

I point to myself. "Under eighteen," I remind him.

"I know, which is why it's an all ages club and anyone under eighteen is refused service of alcohol."

"Ooh, consideration of your date, good job." I smile brightly at him. He smiles back and I take his arm and we walk out the front door where Shaun and Bradie are waiting. I yell a quick goodbye to Matt and his reply is, "Midnight!" I laugh and we all get into Shaun's car, heading for as town nearby.