I was amazed by all the feedback I got and I wanna say thanks! I was also amazed by how many people guessed wrong, but that's ok! This chapter isn't very good, it's kinda pointless but I like it anyway! Enjoy!

Kendall pulled a jacket on and headed down the stairs to the kitchen. "Morning," he said cheerfully to his sister, Katie.

"Hi." Kendall sat down, frowing. Usually she was full of chatter in the morning.

"You ok?" he asked, watching her carefully. "You're very quiet."

"Let's see," Katie replied sarcastically. "My brother is getting beaten senseless by the man who dares call himself our dad. My mom is too scared to do anything about it, and my stupidly noble brother won't let me do anything about it in case I get hurt. So, no, I'm not ok!" Without warning, she started to cry.

"Oh, Katie." Kendall hugged the small crying girl tightly. "Don't worry about me, baby sister. That's not your job."

"You're right. It's mom's job."

He stiffened. "Katie, that's not fair—"

"You're right, it's not fair! On you! I don't know who you think you're fooling, cos it's not me."

Kendall sighed, getting to his feet. "I gotta get to school. I'll see you later." He kissed her on the forehead, picked up his backpack and walked out the back door. The morning was chilly, a dark fog blurring everything in sight. He hurried down the street, pulling his jacket around him. He wished he'd brought a hat with him, but he wasn't gonna walk back. He kept walking until he reached his school; a tall gloomy red-brick building. He walked through the busy hallway, dodging passing students as he made his way towards his locker. He stopped in front of it and was fumbling with the combination lock when a tall brunette boy stopped at the locker next to him. He didn't know the guy well; he didn't even know if they were in any classes. And they were never at their lockers at the same time. He glanced down at his hands, saw a glimpse of tarnished skin. He held his breath.

James mumbled a greeting to the blonde next to him, reaching up to open his locker. "What happened to your hands?" He turned to look at the guy next to him. He'd never spoken to him before, yet he somehow didn't mind answering.

"I fell down the stairs and crashed into this table with a vase on it," he replied with a smile. Naturally, he wasn't going to tell the truth. But this boy's bright green eyes were tugging at his heartstrings, at the same time they were saying, you're a liar. You coward; why are you lying to me?

Then James noticed the blonde's black eye. His cut lip. "What happened to your face?" he asked, copying the totally innocent question.

The boy gave him a cheeky smile. "Oh, this? I fell down the stairs." James liked his smile; he had a dimple in his left cheek and his eyes lit up. He closed the locker and walked away without another word. "Hold on!" James called after him.

He turned around. "Yeah?"

"Uh . . . what's your name?" He felt foolish the second he asked, but he wanted to know. He really, really wanted to know.

"Kendall," he replied with another smile. "Kendall Myers. What's yours?"

"James Diamond. I, uh . . . I guess I'll see you around."

Kendall nodded. "I guess you will." Then he left, and James found he couldn't breathe. And he couldn't stop smiling. He turned and went to his algebra class, feeling considerably light-hearted.

It was during European History that he ran into Kendall again. He'd taken a seat at the back of the room. Everyone else filed in, the teacher coming in last, collapsing behind her desk. She obviously wasn't feeling light-hearted. The class was five minutes in when Kendall arrived, looking flushed and shaken. He greeted the teacher's glare with a quick apology, his bright eyes darting around, looking for a seat. He walked to the only free one. At the back, next to James. He didn't give any sign that he recognised him.

The teacher started the class, and James was trying to come up with something good to say, when a folded piece of paper dropped on top of his history book. He looked at Kendall, who didn't look back. He unfolded the paper and read the note.

OMG, your hands. What happened?!

James tried to hold in his laughter as he scribbled back a reply and placed it on Kendall's desk. Fell down the stairs. What happened to your face? It looks awful.

Of course, it didn't. The wounds looked painful, but aside from that, there was nothing awful about Kendall's face at all.

Kendall wrote down another reply and tossed the paper back to him. James's eyes scanned over it. Those damn stairs. They got to me too.

He grinned at Kendall, who finally smiled back. He wrote down on the paper, How terrible. I think we should both stay away from stairs.

He handed it to Kendall, who took it and read it quickly. James saw the adorable dimple again as he was handed back the note. I think we should use elevators from now on. Too bad I hate elevator music.

It was funny how something so simple could make James smile so widely. Apart from today, he couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled and actually meant it. He glanced up at the history teacher, who was writing something on the board about . . . history. Wow, you too? I know a great coffee shop, and they play great music. You up for it?

He gave the note back, praying the blonde wouldn't take a dim view of his offer. A few seconds later he got his answer. Sure. After school. But I'm broke, so you're buying. James tried to hold in his smile. Instead of writing on the note, he nodded at Kendall. Kendall nodded back with another grin. James once again couldn't stop smiling. And he couldn't breathe either.

Yes, I know I gave Kendall a different last name. Don't question it, and please review!